Singapore Local News, 2012-02-29

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Do more to enhance employment of older workers, say MPs Several labour MPs spoke about enhancing the employability of older workers during Budget debate today. Mr Zainal Sapari, MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, called for more to be done to change the mindset of not just employers but the........     Do more to enhance employment of older workers, say MPs Several labour MPs spoke about enhancing the employability of older workers during Budget debate on Wednesday. Mr Zainal Sapari, MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, called for more to be done to change the mindset of not just employers........ Firms employing ex-offenders up The number of employers employing ex-offenders has increased by more than 100 per cent over the last seven years. Last year, 2,872 companies collaborated with the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises (SCORE), compared........ Restrict new PRs to 30,000 a year: WP's Low Even as he agreed that Singapore should not be overly reliant on foreign labour, Workers' Party (WP) chief and Aljunied GRC MP Low Thia Khiang cautioned that measures to restructure the economy should be fair to companies of all sizes and........ Financial problems, domestic violence key reasons behind divorce The main reasons for divorce cited by couples include unreasonable behaviour, financial problems and domestic violence. Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports Halimah Yacob shared this in Parliament today...... MOM to review foreign manpower act Last year, 26 employers were convicted of employment act offences, of which 22 were salary related offences. Minister of State for the Ministry of National Development and Ministry of Manpower Tan Chuan-Jin shared these figures in........ Half of employers in Singapore intend to raise salaries: Survey Almost one quarter of Singapore's workforce can expect a salary increase above six per cent this year. The 2012 Hays Salary Guide also found that 50 per cent of employers in Singapore intend to increase salaries between three and........ Two more hawker centres to get facelift Two more hawker centres will be upgraded. These are at block 353 Clementi Avenue 2 and blocks 2/3 Changi Village Road. The National Environment Agency said the centres will be closed for at least eight months. The two........ Faulty server at polyclinics rectified Patients who visited the polyclinics this morning may have found themselves queuing for a longer period of time. The National Healthcare Group said a server fault affected its clinic registration system for about 30 minutes, at........ Public raises concerns over government's S$1.1b bus expenditure SINGAPORE: The Singapore government feedback portal, REACH has received more than 600 views on Budget 2012 since Feb 17, the day the Budget was announced. REACH Chairperson and Minister of State for Health, Dr Amy Khor said many contributors........

Internet love syndicate busted; couple to be charged A month after he met a young woman in an Internet chat room, a 22-year-old undergrad was enticed to undress himself in front of her via a webcam - only to find himself the victim of an extortion syndicate. Yesterday, six alleged........     Improve govt service productivity, says MP Member of Parliament (MP) for Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (GRC) Indranee Rajah said there is a need to improve productivity in government services...... Tin Pei Ling urges more help for the mentally ill While the Budget has several measures to help those with special needs - like the disabled and the elderly, MP for Marine Parade GRC, Tin Pei Ling, feels that it may have missed out one other vulnerable group - the mentally ill...... Man gets preventive detention for stabbing 2 men A 55-year-old man -- who had been on the run for 18 years after stabbing two men -- was sentenced on Wednesday to 10 years of preventive detention...... Budget 2012 reflects shift in govt's mindset: Low Thia Khiang MP for Aljunied GRC Low Thia Khiang called this year's Budget a special one...... Gerald Giam suggests ways to help SMEs Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Gerald Giam made proposals on how to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs)...... MPs emphasise importance of balanced budget Funding was one of the key points made by several members...... Public housing to be converted into SUTD's student hostel For the first time, a block of public housing will be converted into a university student hostel...... MP urges more help for low-wage workers Member of Parliament (MP) for Tanjong Pagar Group Representation Constituency (GRC) Lily Neo has called for the Workfare Income Supplement Scheme to be tweaked to help low-wage workers...... Changi's Budget Terminal to make way for new and improved terminal Airlines operating from Singapore's Budget Terminal will soon operate from the main terminals at Changi Airport...... S'pore needs to be socially resilient In the face of a silver tsunami, Sengkang West MP Lam Pin Min has said there is an urgent need to make Singapore socially resilient...... Enough help for children with learning difficulties? Member of Parliament (MP) for Chua Chu Kang Group Representation Constituency (GRC) Low Yen Ling said the needs of children with learning difficulties could be under-served...... Grace Fu to attend conference in KL Senior Minister of State for Information, Communications and the Arts, Grace Fu, will be in Kuala Lumpur 1 March to attend the 11th Conference of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information and associated meetings...... One in two Singaporeans suffers from tooth sensitivity: survey A recent dental survey by Sensodyne has found that one in two Singaporeans suffers from tooth sensitivity...... MP urges home-based food catering business for women Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports Halimah Yacob has urged the government to help a very specific segment of society - women who cannot work outside their homes as they have young children or elderly parents to look after...... 1st leap year baby receives university scholarship Singapore welcomed its first leap year baby early Wednesday morning...... Building a more inclusive society in Singapore Building an inclusive society was one of the topics keenly discussed by MPs in Parliament on Wednesday...... Do more to enhance employment of older workers, say MPs Several labour MPs spoke about enhancing the employability of older workers during Budget debate on Wednesday...... Reasons for divorce include financial problems, domestic violence The main reasons for divorce cited by couples include unreasonable behaviour, financial problems and domestic violence...... Firms employing ex-offenders up The number of employers employing ex-offenders has increased by more than 100 percent over the last seven years...... Government to subsidise Lasalle-Goldsmiths degree programmes From August this year students can choose from 14 arts degree programmes to be offered under a tie up between the Lasalle College of the Arts and Goldsmiths College, University of London...... MOM to clamp down on errant bosses Last year, 26 employers were convicted of employment act offences, of which 22 were salary related offences...... Half of employers in Singapore intend to raise salaries: survey Almost one quarter of Singapore's workforce can expect a salary increase above six per cent this year...... 2 more hawker centres to get facelift; Clementi Ave 2 & Changi Village Two more hawker centres will be upgraded. These are at block 353 Clementi Avenue 2 and blocks 2/3 Changi Village Road...... Faulty server at polyclinics rectified Patients who visited the polyclinics on Wednesday morning may have found themselves queuing for a longer period of time...... Public raises concerns over S$1.1b bus expenditure Singapore government feedback portal REACH has received more than 600 views on Budget 2012 since 17 February, the day the Budget was announced...... Two charged in Internet love scam A young couple has been charged in court with extorting S$6,000 from a 22-year-old man......

Singapore Local News, 2012-02-28

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Man admits to throwing killer litter out of 9th floor office A self-employed man has admitted to throwing killer litter out of his ninth floor office at Commonwealth Lane. Lim Chong Gin, 40, was charged with throwing items including a computer processing unit, a money counting machine and 24........     Private home resale prices fall 0.4% in January Prices of resale private homes dipped 0.4 per cent last month, the second straight month of decline after resale prices fell 1 per cent in December. The Institute of Real Estate Studies at the National University of Singapore today........ Man jailed for bribery, driving without valid licence A man was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment after he was found guilty of driving without a valid licence and trying to bribe two traffic policemen. Hoo Sze Kiong, 57, who is a hawker at the Boon Lay Food Centre, was also fined........ Budget debate kicks off with MPs focused on plight of low-income group and SMEs Members of Parliament (MPs) kicked off the first day of debate on the Budget Speech today with a focus on better recognising the needs of low-income and older Singaporeans. MPs who have spoken so far also brought up difficulties........ S'pore's rail network to extend by 51km SINGAPORE: - Another 51km will be added to Singapore's rail network when the Downtown Line, North-South Line Extension and Tuas West Extension are completed. Transport Minister of State Josephine Teo outlined a picture of Singapore's public........ About 1,200 Singaporeans renounce citizenship annually in last 5 years An average of 1,200 Singaporeans renounced their citizenship every year between 2007 and 2011. Of these, 300 were naturalised citizens. But the renunciation rates for both naturalised citizens and Singapore born citizens........ 3,600 people discharged from bankruptcy in last two years Some 3,600 people were discharged from bankruptcy in the last two years and 274 debtors were placed on the Debt Repayment Scheme. Of these 274 debtors, seven have completed the scheme and 29 fell out as they did not follow the........ MUIS committed to ensuring integrity when issuing halal certificates: Dr Yaacob It is misleading for a food court to claim it is halal-certified when only individual stalls are issued with halal-certificates. Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim said this in Parliament today, in response to a........ Some segments feel Budget 2012 not inclusive enough: MP Jessica Tan Parliament on Tuesday kicked off its annual marathon Budget debate session. Members of Parliament are expected to devote the first few days to discuss the slew of announcements made by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister,........ Speaker of Parliament formally announces vacancy of Hougang seat Speaker of Parliament Michael Palmer made a formal announcement in Parliament today on the vacancy of the Hougang seat. Mr Palmer told the House former Member of Parliament Yaw Shin Leong has informed Parliament he has decided not........

NTU launches complexity science programme for researchers Researchers at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) will soon have opportunities to undertake complexity science research, which may, for instance, help alleviate traffic congestion or create genetically "tailored" medicine......     Youth nabbed for suspected criminal breach of trust Police have arrested a 19-year-old youth who is believed to have committed a series of criminal breach of trust, involving handphones...... Police arrest overstayer for suspected housebreaking, theft Police have nabbed a 22-year-old overstayer believed to be responsible for housebreaking and theft, at a restaurant located in a shopping mall in Jurong East Street 21...... Yee Jenn Jong calls for fresh spaces for SMEs Non-Constituency Member of Parliament, Mr Yee Jenn Jong called on the government to create fresh spaces for SMEs...... Baey Yam Keng apologises for comments over foreign student's remark Tampines MP Baey Yam Keng apologised in Parliament Tuesday, for his comments over a remark by a foreign student here on a Singapore government scholarship...... Budget debate focuses on low income, elderly and small businesses Parliament on Tuesday kicked off the annual debate on the Budget...... MP calls for centralised agency to match companies with job-seekers SINGAPORE : MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Gan Thiam Poh has called for a centralised agency to match short-handed companies with local workers...... Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim on encouraging active ageing MP for Nee Soon GRC, Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim suggested in Parliament on Tuesday that the government adopt a reward scheme to encourage active ageing...... NTU awarded endowment fund to research natural hazards The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has been awarded S$5 million (3 million euros) to create a permanent professorship in natural hazards...... MP suggests review of ComCare application processes MP for Aljunied GRC Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap suggested in Parliament on Tuesday a review of ComCare application processes to make it more applicant-centric, so those who need help can feel safer when applying...... Police bust online love syndicate, victims lost over $100,000 Police have busted an online syndicate which extorted at least $100,000 from unsuspecting individuals looking for love...... Silver Housing Bonus "impractical": Lina Chiam Non-Constituency Member of Parliament, Lina Chiam questioned the use of the Silver Housing Bonus, calling it "impractical" from a financial perspective...... Wage increases of 15-20% this year for some sectors: survey Workers can expect salary increases of between 15 and 20 per cent for some sectors this year...... Grace Fu on improving employability of women Member of Parliament for Yuhua SMC Ms Grace Fu said this year's budget will help improve employability of women...... Hri Kumar Nair suggests more measures for elderly MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC Hri Kumar Nair said more could be done to help the elderly unlock their savings...... SMEs need more help: Inderjit Singh MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Inderjit Singh said the Budget could have been more inclusive for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) which are battling the double whammy of rapid cost increases and a tight labour market...... Call to make SEC a permanent feature for elderly, disabled A call has been made for the Finance Minister to consider making the Special Employment Credit (SEC) for the elderly and the disabled, a permanent feature of the social safety net in Singapore...... Risks of relying on foreign workers, says MP Heng Senior Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, Heng Chee How, has warned of the risks of continuing to rely on foreign manpower to fuel economic growth...... Man admits to throwing killer litter out of 9th floor office A self-employed man has admitted to throwing killer litter out of his ninth floor office at Commonwealth Lane...... Pay more attention to the middle-class, says NMP Eugene Tan Nominated MP Eugene Tan has urged the government to pay more attention to the plight of the sandwiched, middle-class...... This year's budget harsh to some businesses: Liang Eng Hwa MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, Liang Eng Hwa said in Parliament on Tuesday that this year's budget is seen as harsh to some businesses, with SMEs directly impacted by the further tightening of foreign labour...... Man jailed for bribery, driving without valid licence A man was sentenced to four weeks' imprisonment after he was found guilty of driving without a valid licence and trying to bribe two traffic policemen...... More can be done to ensure greater national cohesion: Sylvia Lim Opposition MP Sylvia Lim said in Parliament on Tuesday that while the Budget has sought to address the needs of the poor, elderly and disabled - she believes more can still be done to ensure greater cohesiveness as a nation...... ERP rates to continue to be reviewed every 3 months: Josephine Teo Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo said Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) rates will continue to be reviewed every three months...... MP suggests possible incentives for those on social assistance MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Ang Hin Kee said in Parliament on Tuesday that those on social assistance should be rewarded when they have upgraded their skills and improved their income...... The impact of CPF changes on senior workers The government has said it will work towards delaying the age of CPF cuts to 55...... Call for more leeway to employ foreigners SNGAPORE: MP for Tampines GRC Baey Yam Keng has suggested that the cleaning, construction and nursing sectors be given more leeway to employ foreigners...... MPs urge government to pay more focus on older and low-income workers Members of Parliament on Tuesday urged the government to pay greater focus on the plight of older workers and the low-income segment of Singapore society...... Health Ministry to improve blood-test procedures Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said his ministry will continue to improve blood-taking procedures in hospitals or clinics to minimise inconvenience to patients and reduce wastage...... Educators, employers welcome Special Employment Credit scheme Educators and employers have welcomed the government's plans to extend the Special Employment Credit and Workfare Income Supplement to graduates from special education (SPED) schools...... Singapore's rail network to extend by 51km Another 51 kilometres will be added to Singapore's rail network when the Downtown Line, North-South Line Extension and Tuas West Extension are completed...... About 1,200 Singaporeans renounce citizenship annually in last five years An average of 1,200 Singaporeans renounced their citizenship every year between 2007 and 2011...... Bankruptcy orders annulled against three former NKF directors Three former directors of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) had their bankruptcy orders annulled after their creditors accepted a debt settlement proposal...... Positive and mixed views about Budget 2012: Jessica Tan Parliament on Tuesday kicked off its annual marathon Budget debate session...... MUIS committed to ensuring integrity when issuing halal certificates: Dr Yaacob It is misleading for a food court to claim it is halal-certified when only individual stalls are issued with halal-certificates...... Former delivery manager faces 74 counts of graft charges A former delivery manager employed by Courts was charged in court on Tuesday with corruption amounting to more than S$631,000...... Speaker of Parliament formally announces vacancy of Hougang seat Speaker of Parliament, Michael Palmer made a formal announcement in parliament on Tuesday on the vacancy of the Hougang seat...... Man jailed, caned for molesting niece A man felt his brother and sister-in-law caused him to be homeless and he took revenge on them by outraging their daughter's modesty...... Police warn of bogus repairmen committing theft Police are investigating two cases of theft committed at some housing estates by men posing as repairmen......

Singapore Local News, 2012-02-27

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Use hawker centres to promote graciousness: Panel Singapore - The Hawker Centre Public Consultation Panel aims to use hawker centres as a platform to encourage graciousness. The 18-member panel, which shared its recommendations with the media this afternoon, was appointed by the Ministry of........     Parliament to discuss transport, halal certification Transport will be one of the issues being brought up when Parliament meets tomorrow. MP Penny Low wants to know what is the Ministry of Transport's vision for the public transport landscape in five years' time. She also........ IDA steps in to speed up NGNBN roll out More than a year into the start of the roll out of next generation nationwide broadband network, regulator Infocomm Development Authority is stepping in to ramp up and improve how beleaguered company OpenNet has been delivering its........ Colorectal cancer cases on the rise in Singapore The number of colorectal cancer cases is on the rise in Singapore. Latest figures show that in the last five years ending 2010, there were over 8,206 cases, compared to about 7,900 cases from 2005 to 2009. Nearly nine........ GCE 'A' Level results out on Friday The results of the 2011 Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level Examination will be released on Friday. School candidates can collect their result slips from their respective schools from 2.30 pm. Private candidates........

Students take the lead in LTA's campaign for grace She and her friends did not think it was "cool" to give up seats to others who needed them more on the bus but an incident Yeo Shi Wen saw made her change her mind: A teenage boy pretending to flip through his textbook when he saw an elderly........     Call for private health insurance sector reforms Building an inclusive society is one key thrust of this year's Singapore Budget...... Donations to CDCs up 5% to S$10.9m Companies, organisations and individuals dug deeper into their pockets last year to support local initiatives for the needy...... Man arrested for allegedly molesting maid Police have arrested a 27-year-old Bangladeshi man for allegedly outraging the modesty of a 25-year-old maid...... IDA proposes Next Gen broadband improvements Singapore - As part of the regulator's review of the Next Generation Nationwide Broadband Network, the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) has laid out some proposals for infrastructure provider OpenNet to step up its operations...... 'Hawker centres of the future' ideas submitted Hawker centres of the future could be managed and operated by a socially conscious operator, such as a social enterprise or a cooperative...... New S'pore debate series uses interactive element Television debate series often have a panel of judges to listen to the arguments of the proposition and the opposition before declaring the winner...... Singapore and Malaysia conduct bilateral maritime exercise A bilateral maritime exercise is being conducted between the navies of Singapore and Malaysia...... Two new road projects to improve connectivity in northern S'pore The Land Transport Authority has announced two new road projects to improve overall road connectivity and capacity in the northern part of Singapore...... TCM Practitioners Board censures acupuncturist A registered acupuncturist has been suspended for three years...... Increase in colorectal cancer cases in Singapore The number of colorectal cancer cases in Singapore is on the rise...... Parliament to discuss transport, halal certification Transport will be one of the issues being brought up when Parliament meets on Tuesday...... Lease Buyback Scheme sees low take-up rate The phrase "asset rich, cash poor" is a common refrain in Singapore, but property watchers said schemes aimed at helping elderly Singaporeans unlock the value of their flats are slow to find favour...... Singapore, Australia in research efforts to combat infectious diseases Singapore and Australia are partnering in its research efforts to combat emerging infectious diseases...... GCE 'A' Level results out on Friday The results of the 2011 Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level Examination will be released on Friday......

Singapore Local News, 2012-02-26

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Free dental services for NKF patients Needy patients of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) can look forward to free dental service. The NKF is working with Tzu Chi Foundation to provide the services at the Tzu Chi Free Health Screening and Medical Clinic in Jurong........     Casino Control Act under review: Minister Iswaran The government is reviewing the Casino Control Act, which governs the operations of the two Integrated Resorts (IRs) in Singapore. Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Mr S Iswaran, said it's timely for the various agencies to........ Desmond Choo confident & ready to serve Hougang residents Former People's Action Party (PAP) candidate for Hougang, Desmond Choo, says he is always ready to serve residents in the ward, with or without a by-election. He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a community event in........ Subsidised medical transport on MediWheels for needy A new programme has been launched to offer needy residents in the Ang Mo Kio-Hougang constituency more options to move around. Called MediWheels, the programme aims to provide a highly-subsidised and affordable community medical........ Train track maintenance not rigorous enough: Commuters Some train commuters said maintenance of Singapore's train tracks have not been thorough enough. This comes after two metal rail clips fell off tracks near Clementi and Jurong stations within four days. The temporary........

Nineteen arrested in Geylang The police arrested 19 persons in Geylang early yesterday morning. The suspects, aged between 21 and 49, were nabbed for various offences such as gang activities, drug offences, peddling of contraband cigarettes, immigration offences and........     Economic outlook, healthcare challenges among issues to be raised in Budget debate Singapore's economic outlook, its effect on growth strategies, and healthcare challenges in an ageing population...... Parkway East Hospital enters Singapore Book of Records Parkway East Hospital has entered the Singapore Book of Records for having the "Largest Gathering of People Born in the Same Hospital"...... Residents of East Coast GRC get opportunity to solve daily living issues Minister of State for National Development and Trade and Industry Lee Yi Shyan is trying his hand at "vertical planting" in his office and is thinking about trying this at home...... Public health sector steps up recruitment drive Singapore's public health sector is stepping up its recruitment drive...... TR Emeritus has no intention to remove Richard Wan as editor The editorial team of socio-political website, TR Emeritus (TRE), said it does not intend to remove Mr Richard Wan as an editor...... SSC, SMU to create framework to promote sports Singapore Sports Council (SSC) and Singapore Management University (SMU) will be working together to create a framework to promote sports...... NATAS travel fair sees healthy sales The three-day NATAS Fair ended on Sunday with travel agents reporting healthy sales despite the looming Euro crisis...... Free dental services for NKF patients Needy patients of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) can look forward to free dental service...... Record number takes part in labour movement's U-Run A record 5,440 runners took part in the third U Run, organised by NTUC Club's U Sports, at The Float@Marina Bay on Sunday morning...... Desmond Choo confident & ready to serve Hougang residents Former People's Action Party (PAP) candidate for Hougang, Desmond Choo, says he is always ready to serve residents in the ward, with or without a by-election...... 1,000th eco-friendly certified building launched at Pasir Ris Singapore has reached a milestone in its green journey with the Pasir Ris Sports and Recreation Centre...... Singapore's Casino Control Act under review The Government is currently reviewing the Casino Control Act, which among other things, governs the operations of the two Integrated Resorts (IRs) in Singapore...... Subsidised medical transport on MediWheels for needy It'll be easier and cheaper for the frail elderly and disabled to move around the neighbourhood, with a new programme called MediWheels......

Singapore Local News, 2012-02-25

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Three workers hurt after explosion at PUB plant Three workers were injured after an explosion at PUB's Kranji Water Reclamation Plant on Thursday, the agency said in a statement yesterday. The three workers were working at an empty sludge storage tank when an explosion occurred........     CEA clamps down on errant housing agents Nine individuals have been barred from registering as housing agents after they were convicted of illegal moneylending activities. Releasing this figure for the first time to Channel NewsAsia, the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA)........ NParks to develop 150-km Round Island Route Singaporeans will be able to stroll, jog and cycle around the entire island in 10 years, with the development of a 150-kilometre Round Island Route. Deputy Prime Minister and MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Teo Chee Hean shared plans........ MOH aims to increase intake of nursing students The Ministry of Health (MOH) aims to expand the pool of locally trained healthcare workers to address manpower shortage. One target is to increase the yearly intake of nursing students at tertiary institutions from the current 1,700........ National adoption centre for stray cats & dogs underway Animal welfare group ACRES said plans are underway for a national adoption centre in Singapore that will shelter and re-home stray cats and dogs. Making the announcement at an animal welfare forum, ACRES Executive Director Louis Ng........ More help for people with physical disabilities The Centre for the Physically Challenged hopes to help more people with disabilities find jobs. Located at Whampoa Drive, the centre has helped more than 150 clients since it opened its doors more than a year ago in December 2010......... North Eastern Riverine Loop connects 4 parks Residents in the North Eastern part of Singapore can now enjoy a seamless journey around the area. A new loop of park connectors was launched today by Deputy Prime Minister and MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC Teo Chee Hean...... Third DBS ATM compromised A third ATM is believed to have been compromised, said DBS Bank yesterday. The bank had been hit by a second round of skimming on Sunday, at ATMs in Singapore, and had to compensate 17 customers a total of S$23,000. DBS........ Another rail clip falls from MRT tracks A rail clip fell from the viaduct near Clementi MRT Station on Thursday - the second time in four days that a rail clip had fallen off and missed hitting passers-by below. The latest incident prompted the Land Transport Authority........ Turf City turns into ghost town It will be an unnerving four days for the sub-tenants at The Turf City shopping mall. Their worries: No power, no water, no communication lines and no cleaning and maintenance, before the new leaseholder, SH Cogent, takes over the........ FairPrice still holding prices of Thai and Vietnamese housebrand rice NTUC FairPrice and the Dairy Farm Group - which runs the Cold Storage, Shop N Save and Giant chains - have announced that they will be extending their price freeze on their housebrand rice until the end of June. In a statement........

Other TRE members had doubts about going public When they first heard of Mr Richard Wan's suggestion to publicly reveal his identity, the other four members of the TR Emeritus (TRE) team had strong apprehensions, they said. Still, the other members, in a joint email response to........     'Now that I am out, I have to face the music' Within a week of revealing his identity publicly as an editor of socio-political website TR Emeritus (TRE), IT businessman Richard Wan (picture) found himself on the receiving end of two Letters of Demand from Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and........ 'Safe rooms' in future Neighbourhood Police Posts? Neighbourhood Police Posts (NPPs) in the future may not only be unmanned, but also be equipped with a safe room which allows, say, a youth to flee from a gang attack by hiding in the room. In the finals of a tertiary competition........ '67% of foreign scholars got at least 2nd upper class honours' The Ministry of Education (MOE) has clarified that about two-thirds - or 67 per cent - of international scholars in the 2011 graduating university cohort were awarded second-upper class honours and above. Earlier this month, Senior........ Fake certificates from private schools sold online Fake certificates from well-known private schools in Singapore are being sold online, some for as much as S$10,000. The sellers claim to be able to provide supporting documents such as transcripts with good grades. One Chinese........ Understanding careers at OCBC More than 400 final year undergraduates from the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University and SIM University attended OCBC Bank's career fair yesterday. This was the first time OCBC Bank orga..... 80,000 set to benefit from MOE's financial aid Eddie Seet, 12, who has excelled in his studies at Kheng Cheng School and is a school prefect, has a simple wish: To find a good job when he grows up, so that he can support his widowed mother, who currently earns less than S$1,500 a month........ Driving instructor arrested for allegedly molesting student A driving instructor has been arrested for outrage of modesty, after a woman complained that he had molested her during a driving lesson. The woman, 21, made the report against the man, 69, to the police last Saturday. Upon receiving the........ Youth pleads guilty to having sex with minor An 18-year-old yesterday admitted in court to having sex with a minor and hitting her. The youth pleaded guilty to 12 charges, four of which the prosecution proceeded on. He confessed to having sex with his........ Man who preyed on schoolgirls pleads guilty A man yesterday pleaded guilty to four charges of committing sexual offences that include outraging the modesty of primary schoolgirls. Ng Ban Keong, 55, would carry a thermometer, surgical gloves or what seemed like a stethoscope........ Train tracks maintenance not rigorous enough: commuters Some train commuters said maintenance of Singapore's train tracks have not been thorough enough...... New funding scheme for schools to carry out arts development projects The National Arts Council has introduced a funding scheme for schools to carry out arts development projects...... 19 arrested in Geylang for various offences Police arrested 19 persons in Geylang on early Saturday morning...... Explosion at Kranji Water Reclamation Plant injures 3 workers Three Bangladeshi workers were injured after an incident at Kranji Water Reclamation Plant...... Counsellors call for more policing on online gambling Counsellors who deal with gambling addiction said more should be done to police online gambling...... CEA clamps down on errant housing agents Nine individuals have been barred from registering as housing agents after they were convicted of illegal moneylending activities...... MOH aims to increase intake of nursing students The Ministry of Health (MOH) aims to expand the pool of locally trained healthcare workers to address manpower shortage...... National adoption centre for stray cats & dogs underway Animal welfare group - ACRES - said discussions are underway for a national adoption centre in Singapore that will shelter and re-home stray cats and dogs...... More help for people with physical disabilities The Centre for the Physically Challenged hopes to help more people with disabilities find jobs...... NParks to develop 150-km recreational route Singaporeans will be able to stroll, jog and cycle around the entire island in the near future, with the development of a 150-kilometre Round Island Route......

Singapore Local News, 2012-02-24

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Second incident of falling rail clip A rail clip has dropped from the viaduct near Clementi MRT Station in a second incident in four days. Thursday's incident followed a similar happening on Monday when a rail clip dropped from the viaduct near TradeHub 21......     Driving instructor arrested for allegedly molesting student A driving instructor has been arrested for outrage of modesty, after a woman complained that he had molested her during a driving lesson. The woman, 21, made the report against the man, 69, to the police last Saturday. Upon........ S'pore, Malaysia discuss implementation of ICJ judgement on Pedra Branca Singapore and Malaysia have taken another step forward in its discussion on the implementation of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgement on Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge. The two countries met on Wednesday........ China to set up Baidu lab in Singapore BEIJING - China's most popular search engine Baidu is making another push into the international market. It's investing in a new lab in Singapore, to develop technologies that allow users to conduct searches in Southeast Asian languages...... Molly mobile library gets makeover, fitted with iPads Molly the National Library Board's (NLB) mobile library bus for the young has been upgraded, and reloaded. The NLB has retrofitted it with new equipment and services. Molly is fresh from a 12-week makeover and packed........ Neighbourhood police posts may have 'safe rooms' in future Authorities are looking at putting "safe rooms" in future Neighbourhood Police Posts (NPPs), which would allow victims to take refuge from crime perpetrators. For example, someone being chased by an aggressor can hide in the room........ DPM Tharman to attend G20 meetings in Mexico Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Tharman Shanmugaratnam, will be in Mexico City, Mexico for two days from tomorrow to Sunday to attend the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting. A Ministry of Finance........ Man who preyed on school girls pleads guilty A 55-year-old man has pleaded guilty to four charges of committing sexual offences that include outraging the modesty of primary school girls. Ng Ban Keong would carry a thermometer, surgical gloves or what seemed like a stethoscope........ Molly the mobile library gets a makeover Molly the mobile library bus for the young has been upgraded, and reloaded. The National Library Board (NLB) has retrofitted it with new equipment and services - it is now equipped with eight iPads, each filled with fun, interactive........ FairPrice to continue to hold prices of all Thai and Vietnamese housebrand rice NTUC FairPrice is extending a price freeze on all its housebrand rice from Thailand and Vietnam until the end of June. The retail chain has been doing so since November last year, after there were concerns about rising rice prices........ Don't be anxious about securing P1 spots, education minister tells parents Education Minister Heng Swee Keat has called on parents not to be "anxious" about getting their children into primary schools. He was responding to queries on the ministry's review of the Primary One registration framework...... Singapore's manufacturing output falls 8.8% on-year Singapore's manufacturing output declined more than expected last month, as result of weaknesses in the global economy and lower activity during the Lunar New Year period. Manufacturing output fell 8.8 per cent from a year earlier -........ More being done to help disadvantaged students More is being done to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds level up with their peers. Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said this will be addressed when his ministry lays out its plans for the Budget in the coming weeks...... More resources for water management with new alliance A new water alliance has been launched to lead research and specialist consultancy services in Southeast Asia. In partnership with Dutch research institute Deltares, the National University of Singapore (NUS) has launched a new........ Foo Fighters' Padang concert cancelled Rock band Foo Fighters have cancelled their highly-anticipated March 2 concert in Singapore, due to concerns over lead singer Dave Grohl's voice. Event organisers Chugg Entertainment Asia and Lushington Entertainment put up a notice........

Inflation eases but is expected to remain high Inflation has eased to an eight-month low but the authorities cautioned that it is expected to stay high and volatile in the coming months. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 4.8 per cent last month from a year earlier, compared to a........     Second incident of falling rail clip A rail clip has dropped from the viaduct near Clementi MRT Station in a second incident in four days...... MediaCorp's annual BabyCare Festival returns MediaCorp's annual BabyCare Festival is back at the Singapore Expo for the seventh year...... Lim Hng Kiang to attend ASEAN Economic Ministers' retreat SINGAPORE : Minister for Trade and Industry, Lim Hng Kiang, will be attending the 18th ASEAN Economic Ministers' Retreat in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar from February 25 to 26...... Casino operators expected to do more to promote responsible gambling SINGAPORE : Casino operators in Singapore are expected to do more to promote responsible gaming...... "Japan Next" campaign hopes to attract more tourists Japanese authorities are setting their tourism targets high this year as they hope to attract some 200,000 Singaporeans to visit the country...... Driving instructor arrested for molesting trainee SINGAPORE : Police have arrested a 69-year-old driving instructor for outrage of modesty...... S'pore, Malaysia discuss implementation of ICJ judgement on Pedra Branca SINGAPORE : Singapore and Malaysia have taken another step forward in its discussion on the implementation of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgement on Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge...... Two senior executives honoured for economic contributions to S'pore Two senior executives have been conferred national honours for their economic contributions to Singapore...... Outgoing Turf City master tenant has legal rights to evict sub-tenants In the latest twist to the ongoing tenancy woes at Turf City Shopping Mall, the court has overturned an earlier court order granted to the new master tenant, SH Cogent Logistics...... No significant rise in requests for ATM card replacement: DBS DBS Group said on Friday that there has been no significant increase in requests from customers to have their ATM cards replaced...... Police Posts may have 'safe rooms' in future Authorities are looking at putting 'safe rooms' in future Neighbourhood Police Posts (NPPs) in Singapore...... DPM Tharman to attend G20 meetings in Mexico Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, will be in Mexico City, Mexico for two days from February 25 to 26 to attend the G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting...... FairPrice continues to freeze price of rice till end-June Retail chain NTUC FairPrice says it is extending price freeze on all its housebrand rice from Thailand and Vietnam until the end of June 2012...... Man who preyed on school girls pleads guilty A 55-year-old man has pleaded guilty to four charges of committing sexual offences that include outraging the modesty of primary school girls...... i Light Marina Bay returns with more organisations taking part Asia's first and only sustainable light art festival i Light Marina Bay returns in March with more than two-fold increase in participating buildings...... Molly mobile library gets makeover, fitted with iPads Molly the mobile library bus for the young has been upgraded, and reloaded...... Don't be anxious about securing P1 spots, education minister tells parents Education Minister Heng Swee Keat has called on parents not to be "anxious" about getting their children into primary schools...... Youth pleads guilty to 12 charges of having sex with minor An 18-year-old on Friday admitted in court to having sex with a minor and hitting her...... More being done to help disadvantaged students SINGAPORE : More is being done to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds level up with their peers...... New water alliance launched A new water alliance has been launched to lead research and specialist consultancy services in Southeast Asia......

Singapore Local News, 2012-02-23

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Lawyer M Ravi no longer acting for TR Emeritus In the latest turn of events, human rights lawyer M Ravi said he is no longer acting for socio-political website, TR Emeritus, in the matter involving an allegedly defamatory comment posted by one of its readers about Mr Lee Hsien Yang, the........     Pet neglect on the rise, says SPCA Pet neglect is on the rise, according the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). Out of about 1,000 cases of alleged cruelty to animals reported and investigated by the SPCA last year, at least 70 per cent involved........ 52 arrested in island-wide anti-drink driving operation Traffic Police stopped 52 motorists today who were suspected to have been drink-driving. The four-and-a-half-hour island-wide operation took place on this morning. During the operation, road blocks were set up along........ More gambling safeguards in the pipeline Even as problem gambling rates in Singapore remain stable, the Government is studying ways to tackle those with poor self-control and low-income earners who gamble heavily, who have emerged as causes for concern. Some measures the........ A*STAR research institute teams up with Baidu The Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R), a research institute of the Agency for Science and Technology Research (A*STAR), will set up a joint laboratory with Baidu, the leading Chinese language Internet search provider. They........ More donating to charities through online portal Singapore's largest donation portal, SG Gives, saw a 46 per cent increase in total donations last year, compared with 2010. The portal has raised over S$10 million for charities since it started in February 2010. SG........ Dispute settlement mechanisms needed in the oceans: DPM Teo Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean urged global leaders and environmentalists to explore how to develop a clear set of dispute settlement mechanisms in the oceans. Speaking at the opening of the World Oceans Summit on Thursday, DPM........ Inflation at 4.8 per cent in January Inflation eased slightly to 4.8 per cent last month from 5.5 per cent in the preceding month, thanks to lower contribution from private transport cost. Taking away rentals from owner-occupied accommodation (OOA), inflation was 3.5........ No more "light" and "mild" cigarettes... From March next year, words like "light', "low-tar" and "mild" will be banned from the packaging of tobacco products, while a new set of graphic warnings will replace current ones. Also, the maximum tar and nicotine yield levels in........ TRE confirms lawyer's letter sent by Lee Hsien Yang Socio-political website TR Emeritus (TRE) said that it has received a letter from the lawyer of Mr Lee Hsien Yang, asking it to remove an allegedly defamatory comment posted by one of its readers. The TRE editorial team, which........ 'Inappropriate' to compare Marine Parade by-election: ESM Press Secretary In a letter published today to The Straits Times Forum page, Mr Foo Kok Jwee, Press Secretary to Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said Workers' Party (WP) chief Low Thia Kiang's comparison of the 1992 by-election in Marine Parade called........ Bus Services Enhancement Fund comes under spotlight during REACH Budget dialogue The Government's plan to fund 550 new buses for operators SBS Transit and SMRT dominated Wednesday night's Budget dialogue session organised by Government feedback unit REACH. Of the 15 questions raised by members of the public........

PM Lee's lawyers receive reply from TR Emeritus Lawyers for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong have received a reply from socio-political website TR Emeritus (TRE) in relation to an article that made a false allegation about the appointment of Ms Ho Ching as the chief executive officer of........     Singapore's inflation at 8-month low Singapore: Singapore's headline inflation rate in January rose 4.8% year-on-year, easing from the 5.5% on-year rise in December 2011...... Lawyer M Ravi no longer acting for TR Emeritus In the latest turn of events, human rights lawyer M Ravi said he is no longer acting for socio-political website, TR Emeritus, in the matter involving an allegedly defamatory comment posted by one of its readers about Mr Lee Hsien Yang, the Chairman ..... Pet neglect on the rise, says SPCA Pet neglect is on the rise, according The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA)...... 52 arrested in island-wide anti-drink driving operation Traffic Police stopped 52 motorists on Thursday who were suspected to have been drink-driving...... Govt plans more problem-gambling safeguards The government will put in place more safeguards to protect Singaporeans from problem gambling...... More donating to charities through online portal Singapore's largest donation portal, SG Gives, has seen a 46 per cent increase in total donations in 2011, compared with 2010...... A*STAR research institute teams up with Baidu The Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R), a research institute of Singapore's Agency for Science and Technology Research (A*STAR), will set up a joint laboratory with Baidu, Inc., the leading Chinese language Internet search provider...... Two nabbed for suspected loanshark activities Police have arrested two men for suspected involvement in loansharking activities...... Four foreign Heads of Mission present credentials to President Tan Four foreign Heads of Mission presented their credentials to President Tony Tan Keng Yam in separate ceremonies at the Istana on Thursday...... Police arrest woman for suspected theft Police have arrested a 30-year-old Malaysian woman who's believed to have stolen S$22,000 from a man at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS)...... Green office initiative gets makeover A project to help companies raise awareness and cultivate environment-friendly habits in the workplace is making a renewed push to spread the "green" message...... Dispute settlement mechanisms needed in the oceans: DPM Teo Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean urged global leaders and environmentalists to explore how to develop a clear set of dispute settlement mechanisms in the oceans...... INSEAD to offer Master in Finance degree for industry professionals International business school, INSEAD, will offer a Master in Finance degree for experienced financial industry professionals who want to advance their competitive and management skills in the financial sector...... Stricter health warning labels on tobacco packaging Stricter health warning labelling to the outer packaging of tobacco products will take effect from 1 March 2013...... TR Emeritus to remove allegedly defamatory comment: Lee Hsien Yang Socio-political website TR Emeritus (TRE) said it has received a letter from the lawyer of Mr Lee Hsien Yang, asking it to remove an allegedly defamatory comment posted by one of its readers about him......