Singapore Local News, 2011-12-31

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Prime Minister's 2012 New Year message 2011 was a significant year for Singapore. Singaporeans went to the polls twice, and elected a new government and President. Having made a significant political transition, we are all now adjusting to new norms in a changed environment. We........

An S$850,000 gift to the needy from MUIS Singapore - The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) has given more than S$850,000 from its zakat assistance fund to almost 2,210 needy families to help them cope with higher costs of living, the council said in a statement yesterday......     President Tony Tan launches 20,000 wishing spheres into Marina Bay It was a reflective start to the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown...... Parents urged to pay attention to children's moral and national education Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has urged parents to pay attention to their children's moral and national education on top of encouraging them to do well in their studies...... Social capital will define S'pore's success as a nation: PM Lee Singaporeans must strengthen their values of tolerance, mutual respect and empathy, as their country's success as a nation is increasingly defined not just in economic terms but also by the country's social capital...... S'pore faces challenge of population growth: PM Lee Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Singapore must find workable solutions to keep its society vibrant and forward-looking, maintain its economic vitality and strengthen the Singapore core, as it faces the challenge of population growth...... S'pore's economy grew 4.8% in 2011 Singapore's economy grew 4.8 per cent in 2011, significantly slower than the dramatic rebound of 14.7 per cent growth in 2010...... More Singaporeans choosing staycations over holidays abroad This year-end, more Singaporeans are choosing staycations over holidays abroad...... Chinese national caught for trying to sneak into S'pore A 50-year-old Chinese national was caught at Woodlands Checkpoint for trying to sneak into Singapore......

Singapore Local News, 2011-12-30

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Committee submits ministerial salary review report The committee set up to review political salaries submitted its report to the Prime Minister on Friday afternoon. This was confirmed by Chairman Gerard Ee on Friday. Channel NewsAsia understands that the report is........     PUB: Why Orchard Road flooded last week Heavy afternoon rain over three hours in the Orchard Road area on Dec 23 caused flooding and hit places such as Thomson and Cambridge, as well as the basements of Liat Towers and Lucky Plaza. National water agency PUB said this........ Analysts predict Singapore economy shrank in Q4 The economy probably contracted in the fourth quarter as manufacturing slumped, increasing pressure on the island's policy makers to stimulate growth even as inflation accelerates. Gross domestic product probably dropped an........

This is how they did it in the good old days ... Visitors to the Jurong Regional Library can get a whiff of nostalgia by visiting an exhibition on traditional provision shops in Singapore. It is the first public exhibition that showcases traditional provision shops. Organised by........     Police arrest teenager molest suspect Police have arrested a 14-year-old boy who is believed to have molested a woman in Pasir Ris housing estate...... DPM Tharman urges S'poreans to support bilingualism fund Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam has urged Singaporeans of all races to support the Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism and its initiatives...... Two men arrested for suspected loanshark harassment Police have arrested two men, in separate cases, for suspected involvement in loansharking activities, with the help of public-spirited residents...... "Super Sports Club" being considered to develop sports in S'pore Getting all Singaporeans to be part of the sports landscape and bringing about a mind-set change, that is the grand plan called Vision 2030...... CPFIS wrap fee to be capped at 1% per annum The wrap fee charged for investments under the CPF Investment Scheme (CPFIS) will be capped at one percent per annum...... Bilingualism fund receives more than S$58m in donations The Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism, which supplements efforts by the government in the teaching and learning of English and the Mother Tongue languages, has received more than S$58 million in donations and pledges...... NUS, China's Tsinghua University to establish joint programme The law schools of two leading universities in Asia, the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Tsinghua University, will establish new programmes for students to earn degrees from both institutions...... Committee submits ministerial salary review report The committee set up to review political salaries has submitted its report to the Prime Minister...... MOE to set up forum to assist school principals in leading change The Ministry of Education (MOE) will set up a National Perspectives Forum next year to support school principals in leading and managing change...... SP Services to raise electricity tariffs in next quarter Households will pay more for electricity in the next quarter in 2012...... 800,000 HDB households to receive S$40m of U-Save rebates The Ministry of Finance said on Friday that about 800,000 Singaporean HDB households can expect to receive S$40 million worth of Utilities-Save (U-Save) rebates...... Govt to tweak Interim Rental Housing scheme The government will tweak the Interim Rental Housing (IRH) scheme to better help needy families with temporary housing at subsidised rates while they work out a more permanent solution...... Unusual Entertainment found guilty of under-declaration of GST A local promoter and organiser of shows and entertainment acts has been slapped a penalty of about S$600,000 and a fine of S$10,000 for failing to ensure that its tax returns are accurate...... Liat Towers flooding traced to Stamford Canal The cause of flooding at Liat Towers last Friday has been traced to Stamford Canal's fundamental problem of being unable to cope with the surge in water during heavy and prolonged rainfall......

Singapore Local News, 2011-12-29

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Committee of Inquiry appointed for SMRT disruptions The Minister for Transport has appointed a three-man Committee of Inquiry (COI) to look into the cause of the recent MRT service disruptions. Chief District Judge of the Subordinate Courts, Mr Tan Siong Thye, has been appointed as........     Police smash prostitution ring The police smashed a prostitution ring here on Wednesday. The Criminal Investigation Department and Police Intelligence Department had investigated the syndicate, which had openly advertised their services online on several........ Extended public transport services on New Year's Eve SMRT has announced that selected train, LRT and bus services will be extended on New Year's Eve. Some bus services will also be diverted due to the Marina Bay Countdown. Notices will be put up at the relevant MRT stations and bus interchanges........ Quan Yifeng sentenced to 15 months' probation District Judge Low Wee Ping granted MediaCorp artiste Quan Yifeng a 15-month probation sentence this morning on the basis of her probation report. Ms Quan was charged with mischief after she pulled out the taxi fare meter and........

Police warn of Internet and social website scams Think twice - or even thrice - before you make bank transfer payments to persons whom you have met only on the Internet. The police caution came after at least three such cases were reported recently. On Sept 21, a woman........     New Year's Eve traffic arrangement Several roads will be closed to traffic between New Year's Eve and early New Year's Day for the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown...... Get ready to count down at Marina Bay This year's Marina Bay Singapore Countdown -- into its seventh year -- looks set to entertain party goers, with more fringe activities lined up...... MRT breakdowns: Committee of Inquiry appointed Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew has appointed a Committee of Inquiry (COI) to look into the two major MRT breakdowns earlier this month...... Online vice ring suspects nabbed Police have arrested 23 people for suspected involvement in an online vice syndicate, after an eight-hour island-wide operation...... Casket owner fined for corruption An owner of a casket company was fined S$3,000 on Thursday for bribing an undertaker from a rival company to provide him addresses of deceased...... Social change in S'pore under way More Singaporeans this year have spoken up and acted on a slew of social causes from heritage conservation and environmental protection to animal welfare...... MinLaw announces moves to streamline conveyancing workflow From 1 January, the Singapore Land Authority's Electronic Payment Instruction (ePI) service will allow lawyers to electronically notify banks of details of conveyancing money paid into conveyancing accounts, instead of using hard copy forms...... Suspected armed robber nabbed Police have arrested a 42-year-old man believed to be behind a series of armed robberies targeting victims who advertise their mobile phones for sale at an online marketplace...... S'pore High Commission in KL moving to temporary premises KUALA LUMPUR: The Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur will be moving to make way for the building of a new premises on the existing site...... SMRT extends train, bus service operations on New Year's Eve SMRT is extending trains and bus service operation hours on New Year's Eve...... Unused parking coupons can be exchanged from Jan 3 Motorists are reminded that parking coupons valid up to December 31, 2011 can no longer be used from January 1, 2012...... Board appointment changes at IE S'pore, JTC Corp and STB The Ministry for Trade and Industry (MTI) has announced board appointment changes at International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore), JTC Corporation (JTC) and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB)...... SPH says Yahoo! plagiarised content Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), which is suing Yahoo! for copyright infringement, has accused the US Internet giant of plagiarising its works...... Fifteen months probation for TV host Television host Quan Yifeng was sentenced to 15 months probation on Thursday for damaging a taxi meter and the receipt printer of a cabbie last year......

Singapore Local News, 2011-12-28

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Man fined and jailed for employee exploitation An operations manager of a cleaning company was jailed three months and fined S$45,000 on Wednesday in what was referred to in Court as "one of the worst case of employee exploitation". Forty-four-year-old Lee Kwee Heong pleaded........     SMRT to resume operations of Service C on Bukit Panjang LRT From Dec 30, the Ten Mile Junction LRT Station will re-open with the soft launch of the newly redeveloped Junction 10 shopping mall. SMRT said with the re-opening of the station, Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) Service C - which operates........ Police warn of social website scams Police have asked members of the public not to fall for scams where they can be asked to make bank transfer payments for persons they have met only on the Internet. The caution comes after at least three such recent cases...... 6 youths arrested for rioting after staring incident Six male youths, aged between 15 and 17, have been arrested for rioting following a staring incident on Christmas Eve. An 18-year-old was also assaulted in the incident. Police said they received a call on December 24........ 20 buses diverted on New Year's Day Fifteen SBS Transit bus services and five SMRT bus services will be diverted on New Year's Day from 2pm to 11pm because of road closures for the Chinatown Chinese New Year Light Up. The affected SBS Transit bus services are 2, 12,........

More expensive to drive into Sentosa on New Year's Eve, Day Singapore - Sentosa Island has raised its admission charges for vehicles entering the island between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Cars and taxis entering between 5pm on Dec 31 and 7am on Jan 1 will pay S$7, instead of the usual S$3......     Family jailed for abusing boy Members of a family who repeatedly tortured a 10-year-old relative over two years and left him permanently disfigured have been sentenced to jail...... More food firms get safety certification More food companies in Singapore have put in place a universally recognised food safety management system known as the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points system (HACCP)...... Two arrested for suspected loanshark harassment Police have arrested a 76-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman for suspected involvement in loanshark harassment...... Treat people with mental illness fairly The public and employers should try to look at people with mental illnesses in a positive light, especially in the workplace...... Animal lovers save Punggol stray dogs The effort to save the stray dogs in Punggol is growing into one that involves not just the authorities but also animal welfare groups and animal lovers...... Police nab snatch theft suspects Police have arrested two men, aged 30 and 34, suspected of snatch theft. Police said the men approached a 23-year-old woman from behind and snatched her purse on 3 December...... MFA unveils new Caribbean Community post The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Wednesday said Mr Kemal Siddique was appointed Singapore's first Plenipotentiary Representative to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)...... Highlights of S'pore climate issues in 2011 More agencies are communicating environment-related messages to the public via social media and engaging in public consultations this year...... Students develop "The Personal Tracker" Four Ngee Ann Polytechnic students have devised a mobile phone application that is able to track one's whereabouts in real time...... Bus services affected by New Year parties' road closures Several SBS Transit bus services will be affected by road and lane closures for the year-end countdown celebrations at Boon Lay Place and the Marina Bay area...... 6 youths arrested for rioting Six male youths, aged between 15 and 17, have been arrested for rioting following a staring incident on Christmas Eve...... Man fined and jailed for employee exploitation An operations manager of a cleaning company was jailed three months and fined S$45,000 on Wednesday in what was referred to in Court as "one of the worst case of employee exploitation"...... Police warn of social website scams Police have asked members of the public not to fall for scams where they can be asked to make bank transfer payments for persons they have met only on the Internet...... SMRT to resume operations of Service C on Bukit Panjang LRT From December 30, the Ten Mile Junction LRT Station will re-open with the soft launch of the newly redeveloped Junction 10 shopping mall...... Bobby Chin re-appointed Board Chairman of Tote Board Mr Bobby Chin has been re-appointed Board Chairman of the Singapore Totalisator Board (Tote Board) for another year...... 20 bus services to be diverted on New Year's Day Fifteen SBS Transit bus services and five SMRT bus services will be diverted on New Year's Day from 2pm to 11pm because of road closures for the Chinatown Lunar New Year Light Up...... Cheaper festive postage rates at SingPost in January SingPost is offering festive postage rates for the festive period from January 2-23 in 2012......

Singapore Local News, 2011-12-27

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Man jailed for theft, animal abuse An unemployed man was jailed two months for torturing a cat which he hung outside his house, and also for theft. Thirty-two-year-old Lin Chuan had tied a rope around the neck of a cat, dragging it along the second floor of a block........     Sentosa raises New Year's Eve entry fees Sentosa Island has raised its admission charges for vehicles entering the island between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Cars and taxis entering between 5pm on 31 December and 7am on 1 January will pay S$7 instead of the normal........

Demand for gold ornaments up Demand for gold, a perennial hedge against inflation, is on the rise again. Private mints in Singapore are reporting a 20-per-cent increase in orders from jewellers and gold shops and attribute this to the upcoming Chinese New Year. Next year's......     Who's in charge of bird nuisance? Birds continue to be a source of problem in areas of dense population in Singapore but as Channel NewsAsia finds out, it's been a challenge pinning down the relevant authorities in charge of the problem...... 50 proposals for NMPs submitted Fifty proposals have been submitted for consideration as Nominated Members of Parliament for Singapore's 12th Parliament...... Sentosa raises New Year's Eve entry fees Sentosa Island has raised its admission charges for vehicles entering the island between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day...... More focus on primary healthcare in 2012 Chairman for the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Health Lam Pin Min said he wants to see a complete removal of the age criterion for a scheme that provides needy Singaporeans better access to primary healthcare...... Man jailed for theft, animal abuse An unemployed man was jailed two months for torturing a cat which he hung outside his house, and also for theft...... Loanshark harassment suspects nabbed Police have arrested two men suspected of involvement in loanshark harassment...... Top S'porean pastimes unveiled The top three leisure activities among Singaporeans are eating, shopping and surfing the web...... S'pore Red Cross to send 2nd team to Philippines The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) is sending its second team of seven personnel to the Philippines on Wednesday...... Man jailed for causing hurt to three police officers It started off as a skirmish between two friends but ended up with one of them sentenced to jail for causing hurt to three police officers...... S'pore's research talent pool sees steady expansion Singapore's research talent pool has continued to expand steadily...... S'pore mosques help raise funds for Philippine flood victims The Malay-Muslim community, with the help of the Rahmatan Lil Alamin Mosque Committee, is organising a special fund raising effort for victims of the recent floods in southern Philippines...... MTI to release advance GDP estimates for Q4 & 2011 on Jan 3 The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) will release the advance GDP estimates for the fourth quarter and the whole year of 2011 on January 3 at 8.00 am...... 3/4-tank rule to apply to CNG, petrol-CNG vehicles from Jan 1 With effect from January 1, the three-quarter tank rule will also apply to compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel supply tanks of CNG vehicles and petrol-CNG vehicles......

Singapore Local News, 2011-12-26

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Retailers begin post-Christmas sales Malls and retailers in Singapore kicked off their post-Christmas sales on Monday, with many offering storewide discounts of up to 20 per cent. With the Lunar New Year less than a month away, shoppers took advantage of the special........     Singapore's education plans in the years ahead Minister of State for Education Lawrence Wong has given the assurance that publicly-funded universities will continue to play a core role in Singapore's higher-education sector. That means most university places will be publicly........ More Singaporeans using smartphones to shop online More Singaporeans are using their smartphones to shop online. Figures from online payment service provider, PayPal show that this year alone, the number of Singaporeans shopping via their mobile phones jumped nine times...... Second-time flat buyers priority in 2012? With the backlog of first-time buyers of HDB flats largely cleared, Singapore's Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan has set his sights on helping second-timers get their homes faster in the new year. Experts said this........

A baking dream come true for these girls ... Fifteen-year-old Syafiqa has always dreamed of being able to bake but could not do so because she stays in a girls' home and her family does not own an oven. But this year, she got her wish through Project Christmas Dreamcakes,........     TTSH first to perform robotic gastrectomy in SE Asia A more precise surgery method is now available to those suffering from stomach cancer. Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has become the first in Southeast Asia to perform the robotic gastrectomy procedure...... More buying gold in S'pore Demand for gold, a perennial hedge against inflation, is on the rise again...... Changi Airport sees 16% growth in retail sales More cash registers are ringing at Singapore's Changi Airport. From January to October this year, the airport posted a year-on-year growth of 16 per cent from retail sales...... More S'poreans using smartphones to shop online More Singaporeans are using their smartphones to shop online...... 2nd-time flat buyers priority in 2012? With the backlog of first-time buyers of HDB flats largely cleared, Singapore's Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan has set his sights on helping second-timers get their homes faster in the new year...... Singapore's education plans in the years ahead Minister of State for Education Lawrence Wong has given the assurance that publicly-funded universities will continue to play a core role in Singapore's higher-education sector...... SG Cares looking for volunteers Every Monday and Friday, a group of senior citizens will gather for a game of bingo at Friends@St Hilda's Link, a community services centre. The top prize may be just a box of cereal or a packet of tissues, but it is enough to keep the old folks happ..... More hospital patients seeking speech therapy Hospitals here have been seeing more patients seeking speech therapy...... More people with disabilities going for IT training More people with disabilities are undergoing an IT Apprenticeship Programme at the Infocomm Accessibility Centre, to better prepare themselves for real work environments...... Retailers begin post-Xmas sales Malls and retailers in Singapore kicked off their post-Christmas sales on Monday, with many offering storewide discounts of up to 20 per cent...... Police looking for missing man Police are appealing for information on a 34-year-old man who was last seen at Ghim Moh Food Centre at Blk 20 Ghim Moh Road last Friday morning (December 23)...... Mixed reactions on family medicine clinics Some general practitioners have expressed concern about possible competition from family medicine clinics......

Singapore Local News, 2011-12-25

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Part of Orchard Road closed to motor traffic Singapore's shopping belt Orchard Road was free from traffic on Sunday as part of the Celebrate Christmas in Singapore 2011 event. The road diversion took some by surprise but many were happy to soak in the festivities......     New airport terminal set to be built within this decade: Analysts Singapore's current Budget Terminal may be shifted to make way for a fourth terminal that analysts say is likely to take place closer to the end of the decade. That is because once the ASEAN Open Skies agreement is in place by 2015,........ Police nab foreign syndicate selling fake gold items to elderly victims Police arrested four men for their suspected involvement in a foreign syndicate which sells fake gold items to elderly victims. Police said on 23 November, an elderly man received a call from one of the suspects who claimed to be a........ More choosing real Christmas trees over fake ones More people are opting for live Christmas trees this year. Apart from their fresh scent and the tradition associated with living firs, there's an environmental aspect to consider too. Each year, more and more Noble and........

More organ failure patients opting for outpatient antibiotics treatment More organ failure patients are seeking outpatient antibiotics treatment in recent years. And the number tends to spike during the year-end period, as these patients choose to spend the festive holidays with their loved ones......     Free admission to NHB museums, galleries on Christmas Day Visitors to the various national museums and galleries were greeted with a Christmas present of their own - free entry as part of the National Heritage Board's Christmas Day Open House...... New airport terminal set to be built within this decade: analysts Singapore's current Budget Terminal may be shifted to make way for a fourth terminal that analysts say is likely to take place closer to the end of the decade...... Part of Orchard Road closed to motor traffic Singapore's shopping belt Orchard Road was free from traffic on Sunday as part of the Celebrate Christmas in Singapore 2011 event...... International song and dance performance rings in Christmas Day Various choir and performers from churches around the world are spreading a little Christmas joy in Singapore through song and dance...... More choosing real Christmas trees over fake ones More people are opting for live Christmas trees this year...... Police nab foreign syndicate selling fake gold Police arrested four men for their suspected involvement in a foreign syndicate which sells fake gold items to elderly victims......

Singapore Local News, 2011-12-24

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Seng Han Thong isn't racist, says fellow MP Member of Parliament (MP) for Ang Mo Kio GRC Inderjit Singh said he is disappointed with the comments of fellow MP Seng Han Thong on Indian and Malay MRT staff, but is assured that he is not racist. He said in his 17 years working........     11 nabbed for drink-driving in early morning operation Traffic Police arrested 11 people for drink-driving in an early morning operation on Saturday, as part of a reminder to the public not to drink and drive ahead of the Christmas and New Year festivities. In the operation between........

'Hard-sell' firms not endorsed by SCDF They claim to be endorsed by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and try to sell fire extinguishers or conduct fire safety talks. The SCDF has received "a number of complaints" about such companies, some of which tried to give........     PUB on track to completing flood sensor network National water agency PUB is on track to completing its network of flood sensors in Singapore's drainage system. This year alone, it added 57 more sensors in flood-prone areas - bringing the total number to 150...... Retailers bracing for wet Christmas after Friday's flash floods Singapore retailers are bracing for a wet Christmas. This comes after flash floods hit several parts of the country's shopping belt, Orchard Road on Friday...... Significant part attributed to MP Seng Han Thong is false: Shanmugam Law and Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said that a significant part of what has been attributed to MP Seng Han Thong by people and netizens over his recent comments is false...... MP clears the air regarding comments on transport workers Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Seng Han Thong, has sought to allay concerns and clear the air with transport workers over his comments in a Channel NewsAsia programme, BlogTV...... 17-year-old molester arrested Police have arrested a 17-year-old youth suspected of several cases of outrage of modesty in Pasir Ris housing estate...... Seng Han Thong isn't racist, says fellow MP Member of Parliament (MP) for Ang Mo Kio GRC Inderjit Singh said he is disappointed with the comments of fellow MP Seng Han Thong on Indian and Malay MRT staff, but is assured that he is not racist...... GPC calls for independence in train disruption inquiry Singapore's Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport has echoed calls for independence from the public inquiry panel, tasked with investigating the recent train disruptions - one of the worst experienced by train operator SMRT...... Singapore's first eco-mall celebrates "green" Christmas" One shopping mall is living up to its name as Singapore's first eco-mall this festive season by showing shoppers how they can be more eco-friendly...... 1,000-strong mass caroling for Christmas in Singapore The annual Celebrate Christmas In Singapore (CCIS) event is back with new acts to add cheer to this festive season...... Last minute shoppers brave rain, crowds in Orchard Road Shoppers on Saturday were out early in the heart of Singapore's shopping district, Orchard Road, hoping to avoid crowds and the heavy rain that dampened festive shopping spirits on Friday...... 11 nabbed for drink-driving in early morning operation Traffic Police arrested 11 people for drink-driving in an early morning operation on Saturday, as part of a reminder to the public not to drink and drive ahead of the Christmas and New Year festivities......

Singapore Local News, 2011-12-23

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New seat belt rules based on height Police have announced changes to the seat belt rule which takes effect from January 1 next year. Under the new rules, the height instead of age will be used to determine the use of child restraints, booster seats or approved........     New seat belt rules based on height Police have announced changes to the seat belt rule which takes effect from Jan 1 next year. Under the new rules, the height instead of age will be used to determine the use of child restraints, booster seats or approved adjustable........ Report on political salaries to be submitted by Dec 30 The committee that is reviewing salaries of the President, Prime Minister, political appointment holders and Members of Parliament said it has completed its deliberations and is finalising the report. In a media release yesterday,........ Flash floods hit several areas in Singapore National water agency PUB has said flash floods have occurred in several parts of the city. The affected areas are Newton Circus, Kampong Java, Lincoln Road, Wee Nam Road, Cambridge Road and the junction of Bukit Timah and Sixth........ HDB studying high-rise mechanised parking systems for older estates National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said he has asked the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to study the use of high-rise mechanised parking systems for older HDB estates. In his latest blog entry, Mr Khaw said former MP........ No foul play suspected in death of Cisco officer Police said no foul play is suspected in the case yesterday where an auxiliary police officer was found with a gunshot wound to his head. Police said they received a call at around 6 pm, informing them of a person in the toilet........ Inflation up 5.7% in November Singapore's inflation rose 5.7 per cent on-year in November due to higher costs of housing, cars and petrol. Data from the Department of Statistics (DOS) showed housing costs increased by 10 per cent on higher accommodation costs........ PUB schedules 10 major drainage projects for 2012 The national water agency PUB has scheduled 10 major drainage projects for next year. Eight of the projects will commence in the first quarter of 2012. Five of the projects involve expanding the roadside drains at the following........

Man found dead at VivoCity A man, believed to be an auxiliary police officer, was found dead in a toilet at VivoCity yesterday, after shoppers had heard a gunshot. The police confirmed that it received a call at 6pm of a person who was "injured" in the toilet at the........     Infant formula linked to US baby's death not imported into S'pore SINGAPORE : The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) has said an infant formula implicated in the death of an infant in Missouri, US, is not imported into Singapore...... New seat belt rules based on height SINGAPORE : Police have announced changes to the seat belt rule which takes effect from January 1 next year...... Report on political salaries to be submitted by Dec 30 The committee that is reviewing salaries of the President, Prime Minister, political appointment holders and members of Parliament said it has completed its deliberations and is finalising the report...... Iconic buildings to shed more light on heritage The facades of six iconic buildings in Bugis and Bras Basah have been turned into canvasses of light - to shed new light on their heritage...... Flash floods hit several areas in Singapore SINGAPORE : National water agency PUB said flash floods occurred in several parts of the city on Friday afternoon...... New platforms at Jurong East Interchange to operate in evenings From next Tuesday (December 27), passengers at Jurong East interchange station will be able to use the two new additional platforms in the evenings...... Former teacher pleads guilty to underage sex with student A former secondary school teacher pleaded guilty to having sex with his underaged student, claiming it made him feel "more of a man"...... HDB studying high-rise mechanised parking systems for older estates National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan said he has asked the Housing and Development Board (HDB) to study the use of high-rise mechanised parking systems for older HDB estates...... No foul play suspected in death of Cisco officer Police said there's no foul play in the death of an auxiliary police officer at shopping mall VivoCity on Thursday...... NS registration for male citizens, PRs born between May and Aug 1994 Male Singapore citizens and Singapore permanent residents born between May 29, 1994 and August 26, 1994 will have to register for National Service soon...... Public figures need to improve communication skills: Zaqy Mohamad MP Chua Chu Kang GRC Zaqy Mohamad said politicians and public figures need to improve their own communication skills, especially in sensing the ground and the sensitivities with respect to beliefs and race...... 39 bus services improved between Oct and Dec 2011 Thirty-nine bus services have been improved between October and December this year...... Ten major drainage improvement projects scheduled for next year National water agency PUB said its drainage improvement projects for next year will take place as scheduled with eight of 10 major projects commencing in the first quarter......

Singapore Local News, 2011-12-22

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Premier Taxis to revise fare structure Premier Taxis said it is revising its fare structure from the stroke of midnight on December 30. The changes are largely aligned with what industry leader ComfortDelGro had announced earlier. Premier said with........     SMRT board apologises for service disruptions The board of SMRT on Thursday apologised to commuters for service disruptions in the past week. The board acknowledged that the disruptions to SMRT train service last week were "of an unprecedented scale" since SMRT started........ MP Seng Han Thong's remarks spark online furore A statement by Member of Parliament Seng Han Thong has sparked an online furore. It has also elicited a sharp rebuke from Minister of State for Community Development Youth and Sports Madam Halimah Yacob who said it was........ MHA clerk charged for forgery and cheating A 35-year-old civilian clerk in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was charged in court today for forgery, cheating, criminal breach of trust and conversion of proceeds of crime offences. Liew Chee Meng's alleged offences, which........ MOE releases national exam performance data The Ministry of Education (MOE) has released data on the performance of the major ethnic groups in national examinations annually. It said this is to provide feedback to the communities on how their children fared in the examinations...... Nurses, immobile patients to benefit from new lifting system at SGH Singapore General Hospital (SGH) patients who are immobile can benefit from a new lifting system at the hospital. Called the "Patient Lifter System", it allows a nurse to lift a patient by using a sling under the patient that works........ Three new residential sites will yield 1,325 more housing units: URA The government has released three residential sites for sale today. These are at Bedok South Avenue 3, Jervois Road and Boon Lay Way. The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said they can yield about 1,325 housing units, adding to........ Corruption case against former MP and STTA chief adjourned to Jan 19 Former MP Choo Wee Khiang, who was charged with accepting about S$2,000 in bribes from former coaches and a national player while he was chief of the Singapore Table Tennis Association, had his case adjourned today after defence lawyers asked........

Man jailed, fined for stealing private bus A jobless man stole a private bus and took his friends on a three-hour spin. For that, 23-year-old Nasrul Hisyam Nezarwan (picture) was sentenced to 15 months in jail and fined S$1,000. He has also been disqualified from........     SG Changi not giving up on Motorsports Hub project SG Changi chairman, Fuminori Murahashi, said he is not giving up on the Changi Motorsports Hub project...... S'pore faces wet Xmas The National Environment Agency (NEA) has forecast wet weather in the week from 24 December...... Tourists jailed for stealing, using stolen credit cards Three Mongolian tourists have been jailed for stealing and using stolen credit cards...... MediaCorp, StarHub to launch 8 On-Demand channel MediaCorp and StarHub will launch the new 8 On-Demand channel (StarHub Channel 116) that will offer the latest Chinese entertainment programmes on December 28...... Ong Ye Kung to head SMRT probe The SMRT board has appointed its independent director Ong Ye Kung to head an internal investigation into the recent train disruptions...... Premier Taxis to revise fare structure Premier Taxis said it is revising its fare structure from the stroke of midnight on December 30...... Vulnerable groups "should get flu jabs" Doctors here have advised those prone to infection -- such as the elderly and children -- to get flu vaccinations, following reports of a bird flu outbreak in Hong Kong...... A look-back at S'pore politics It was a year of surprises for Singapore politics in 2011 with a watershed general election (GE) and the retirement of several ministers...... SMRT board apologises for service disruptions The board of SMRT on Thursday apologised to commuters for service disruptions in the past week...... MHA clerk charged with forgery, CBT A clerk who allegedly cheated the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) of some S$617,000 was charged on Thursday...... MP Seng Han Thong's remarks spark online furore A statement by Member of Parliament Seng Han Thong has sparked an online furore...... Singaporeans not worried about HK bird flu scare It is business as usual for many chicken sellers in Singapore. This, despite news out of Hong Kong on Wednesday that authorities had culled 17,000 chickens, after a chicken and two wild birds tested positive for the H5N1 virus...... MOE releases national exam performance data The Ministry of Education (MOE) has released data on the performance of the major ethnic groups in national examinations annually. It said this is to provide feedback to the communities on how their children fared in the examinations...... Immobile patients to benefit from new lifting system at SGH Singapore General Hospital (SGH) patients who are immobile can benefit from a new lifting system at the hospital...... Corruption case of former STTA president adjourned to next month Former table tennis chief Choo Wee Khiang, who was charged with accepting bribes from former coaches and a national player, had his case adjourned in court on Thursday till next month...... Signalling fault causes delay at MRT stations A signalling fault near Marina Bay Station resulted in delays for southbound MRT trains heading into the city on Thursday morning......

Singapore Local News, 2011-12-21

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Singaporeans likely to tighten their belts in 2012: survey Increasingly concerned about the state of the economy, Singaporeans are likely to tighten their belts further in the next 12 months, a survey has found. According to insurer Aviva's latest Consumer Attitudes to Savings (CAS) study, released on......     LTA, SMRT to consider raising speed limit of trains The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SMRT will consider raising the speed limit along the city stretch of the North-South Line from the current 40km/h to 60km/h. This, however, will depend on train trial runs SMRT will be conducting on the........ Tiger to fly direct to Dhaka from March Singapore low-cost carrier Tiger Airways will start direct service between Singapore and Dhaka in Bangladesh. The first flight will take off on March 9 2012. It will be the first regional low-cost carrier to fly from........

4G speeds on mobile, with limits From tomorrow, SingTel consumers could be among the first in Singapore to experience 4G speeds on their mobile devices. Yesterday, the telco launched its 4G, or long term evolution (LTE) plan for consumer and business customers.........     MRT trains may travel at faster speed of 60kmh MRT trains may be able to travel faster - at 60 kilometres per hour - depending on the results of trial runs of trains on the floating slab tracks at different speeds over the next few days...... MOH says bird flu risk in Singapore "very low" SINGAPORE : Singapore's health ministry has said the risk of bird flu in the country is very low, as no human cases have been reported in Hong Kong...... Manage your smartphones, data plans properly when overseas: CASE A picture of a mobile phone bill showing a staggering amount of about S$350,000 has gone viral on Facebook, prompting Singapore's consumer watchdog to advise smartphone users to better manage their data roaming plans...... 13 nabbed for suspected loansharking activities SINGAPORE : Nine women have been arrested for suspected involvement in loansharking activities...... Researchers use recycled glass to filter raw water SINGAPORE : A team of researchers from Ngee Ann Polytechnic has found a cheaper and more environmentally-friendly way to filter raw water - using recycled glass...... New English radio station to cater to women, families SINGAPORE : A new English radio station, which caters to women and families, will hit local airwaves in nine months' time...... SMU business school earns EQUIS accreditation The Singapore Management University (SMU) Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB) has become one of the youngest institutions in the world to be conferred the prestigious EQUIS accreditation...... COE prices down across the board Premiums for certificates of entitlement (COEs) fell across the board at the end of the open bidding exercise on Wednesday...... Cleaner gets 10 months' jail for hitting wife A 45-year-old cleaner with a string of brushes with the law for violent behaviour has been sentenced to 10 months' jail for hitting his wife even though she has a personal protection order against him...... Prices of FairPrice rice to hold till end-Feb Prices of housebrand rice from Thailand at NTUC FairPrice will remain the same until after the Chinese New Year celebrations, at the end of February 2012...... Share-a-Gift hits target of over 29,000 wishes The Boy's Brigade has ended its annual gift collection drive on a high note, by meeting the full target for the Share-a-Gift project...... Man jailed for stealing bus & taking friends on joyride A jobless man stole a private bus and took his friends on a three-hour spin...... SMRT peak-hour service "very close" to pre-disruptions: Lui Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said SMRT is now able to operate its trains during peak hours at intervals very close to what they were before the two major disruptions last week...... Subordinate Courts opens on Dec 26 There will be a special sitting of the Criminal Mentions Court at the Subordinate Courts next Monday in Court 26......

Singapore Local News, 2011-12-20

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SingTel customers to get 4G SingTel customers will become the first in Singapore to experience 4G speeds, from 22 December onwards. Today, the telco launched its 4G, or long term evolution (LTE), plan for consumer and business customers. For a start, it will........     TransCab raises taxi fares TransCab will raise flagdown fares from 3 January 2012. The flag-down rate will increase from 20 cents to 70 cents, depending on the taxi type. The start trip on a Toyota Crown cab will cost S$3, instead of S$2.80...... Woman in coma after fall in SMRT bus A 54-year-old woman is in a coma after she fractured her skull following a fall in a bus on Sunday. According to Mr You Bu Ya, the husband of the victim Ding Weibo, Mdm Ding boarded SMRT bus service 167 at Orchard Road, near The........ NEL train service suffers delay Train service on the North-East Line (NEL) between Outram Park and HarbourFront Stations were delayed for about 20 minutes today morning due to a signalling fault. Operator SBS Transit said two trains stopped in the tunnel during........

More SIA flights to Seoul, Mumbai Singapore Airlines (SIA) will make some flight network changes between March 25 and Oct 27 next year to match capacity with prevailing demand for travel during the Northern Summer schedule. The carrier will add a daily service to........     Maid sentenced to jail for cheating employer A Filipino domestic worker has been sentenced to three months' jail for duping her employer into handing over her jewellery and then pawning them...... SingTel to launch 4G service SingTel is moving into fourth generation mobile broadband internet services. The company said it is launching these services in Singapore for both retail and corporate customers...... MWC gears up to house migrant workers affected by slowdown The Migrant Workers' Centre (MWC) is gearing up to help migrant workers who may be affected by the economic slowdown next year...... Car catches fire after crash A car crashed into a bollard and caught fire on Tuesday afternoon in Bedok South Avenue 3...... Animal lovers want to save Punggol dogs Some animal lovers are trying to save the stray dogs in Punggol from being culled...... Night Safari's lanky newcomer Singapore's Night Safari welcomed a lanky newcomer this festive season - a 1.88-metre tall baby giraffe...... Michael Lim to chair Accounting Standards Council Chairman of the Land Transport Authority, Mr Michael Lim Choo San, has been appointed as Chairman of the Accounting Standards Council (ASC)...... SIM student jailed for trying to take upskirt shot A student from the Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) has been sentenced to two weeks in jail for trying to take an upskirt photo of a 14-year-old girl inside a lift with his mobile phone...... Stranded S'poreans in Johor Bahru rescued 21 Singaporeans and 3 Malaysians stranded at Endau Rompin National Park in Johor have been rescued...... TransCab fares up from 3 Jan; three others to follow Singapore's second largest taxi operator, TransCab, will raise its fares from 3 January 2012 due to higher overhead costs that will hit the earnings of its drivers...... Man accused of filming 13-year-old girl charged A 30-year-old man, who allegedly filmed a 13-year-old girl when she was changing in her room, has been charged with insult of modesty...... Maid jailed for cheating & pawning elderly's jewellery A Filipino domestic helper was sentenced to three months' jail for duping her employer into handing over her jewellery and then pawning them...... CPF members to enjoy 12% savings HPS premiums CPF members will pay significantly lower annual premiums for the Home Protection Scheme (HPS)...... NEL train services delayed for 20 minutes Train services on the North-East Line (NEL) between Outram Park and HarbourFront stations were delayed for about 20 minutes on Tuesday morning due to a signalling fault......