Singapore Local News, 2012-10-31

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Apex court dismisses Raffles Town Club directors' S$130 million claim The protracted and messy web of suits and counter suits between Raffles Town Club (RTC) and its former directors that started in 2008 has finally drawn to a close, with the Appellate Court today dismissing with costs the social club's S$130........     CPIB deputy director questioned about witness statements in Ng Boon Gay trial The deputy director of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau's (CPIB) investigation department was today questioned about the manner in which witness statements were taken, and the way in which the investigation of former Central Narcotics........ Video footage of Thai teenager's MRT accident shown in court Two videos from Ang Mo Kio MRT station's CCTV cameras were shown in court today on the third day of the lawsuit filed by the father of a Thai teenager who lost both legs in a MRT accident. In the videos, which were filmed at........ PUB steps up preparation for northeast monsoon National water body PUB has geared up efforts in drainage maintenance and monitoring. The aim is to keep the drains flowing and minimise the risks of flash floods during the coming northeast monsoon. Inspections at........ Man who filmed daughter showering pleads guilty A man who filmed his daughter while she was showering pleaded guilty today. The 50-year-old, who cannot be named to protect the girl's identity, committed the offence sometime between January 2009 and March 2010. His........ Sengkang Punggol LRT to see 40% increase in capacity The Sengkang Punggol LRT will see a 40 per cent increase in capacity to meet rising ridership. Another 16 new train cars will be added to the system, bringing the total fleet size to 57. The Land Transport Authority will........ Proposal for all practising lawyers to provide community legal services The Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) is inviting members of the legal fraternity and the public to provide feedback on a proposed scheme for all practising lawyers to provide Community Legal Services (CLS), in particular to low-income and........ Singapore's Q3 jobless rate remains low, but employment growth slows The Republic's unemployment rate in the third quarter stood at 1.9 per cent, down from 2.0 per cent in the previous quarter, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM). The Q3 jobless rate was also lower than the 2.1 per cent in the third........ PSLE exams to come under scrutiny: Education Minister Amid the public debate on PSLE, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said the PSLE exams will come under scrutiny, as part of the larger review that his Ministry is undertaking on policies here. He was speaking to reporters at the open........ Oracle director quizzed in Ng Boon Gay graft trial The graft trial of former Central Narcotics Bureau chief Ng Boon Gay continued this morning with another prosecution witness on the stand. Mr Koh Hong Eng, a Senior Director (Global Lead) for Justice and Public Safety at Oracle........ Ma Chi's Ferrari reached 178kmh during crash The Ferrari driver who crashed at the junction of Victoria Street and Rochor Road was travelling at 178kmh, or nearly three times the speed limit, just before the collision. This was according to the speed clocked on a camera........

Major water pipeline shut down to repair leak A major water pipeline along Tampines Expressway (TPE) was shut down yesterday for PUB to repair a leak in the pipe's valve joints. The leak was discovered at 6am yesterday by PUB external contractors working nearby on a separate........     Masagos Zulkifli to attend 12th IOR-ARC Council of Ministers Meeting in India Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Masagos Zulkifli will be attending the 12th Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) Council of Ministers Meeting in Gurgaon, India...... Three new ministries gear up for new portfolios Three new ministries and a former backbencher will begin work on their new portfolios on Thursday, following changes to the Cabinet announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in July...... European business school ESSEC opens new campus in Singapore A European business school is increasing its presence in Singapore - with a new campus in one-north...... PUB steps up preparation for northeast monsoon National water body PUB has geared up efforts in drainage maintenance and monitoring...... Video footage of Thai teenager's MRT accident shown in court Two videos from Ang Mo Kio MRT station's CCTV cameras were shown in court on the third day of the lawsuit filed by the father of a Thai teenager who lost both legs in a MRT accident...... Man arrested for attempted robbery at goldsmith shop Police have arrested a 47-year-old man for attempting to rob a goldsmith shop along Upper Pickering Street on Monday...... Political settlement only way out of Syrian crisis, says Kofi Annan Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has said the way out of the Syrian crisis is to move fighters from the military front to the negotiating table...... "Falls from height" remains area of concern: Hawazi Daipi Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower Hawazi Daipi said "falls from height" continue to be a grave area of concern...... Government gives S$80m grant to boost local medical research The government has allocated S$80 million to a new clinical trial grant...... Education Ministry to review PSLE: Heng Swee Keat The Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is under review, as part of a broader re-look into Singapore's education system...... Man who filmed daughter showering pleads guilty A man who filmed his daughter while she was showering pleaded guilty on Wednesday. The man cannot be named to protect the identity of the girl...... Lorry driver pleads guilty to abusing CISCO police officer A lorry driver threw sand at a CISCO police officer and used vulgarities on him, after he was issued a summons for illegal parking...... Ferrari driven at 178 kph before fatal crash The driver of a Ferrari, which was involved in the deadly crash in May this year, was travelling at 178 kilometres per hour (kph) just before the collision - almost three times the speed limit of 60 kph for the road...... South American arrested for break-ins; S$300,000 recovered A 40-year-old South American man has been arrested for committing break-ins at landed properties...... S$40m new campus for European business school A leading European business school is building a new campus in Singapore...... Two-car train system for Sengkang Punggol LRT Commuters travelling on the Sengkang and Punggol LRT lines can expect to see service improvements from 2016...... 4 witnesses to testify at ex-CNB chief's trial The prosecution in the trial of former Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) chief, Ng Boon Gay, on Wednesday told the court that four witnesses will be called to testify...... Singapore's Q3 jobless rate remains low, but employment growth slows Singapore's unemployment rate in the third quarter stood at 1.9 per cent, down from 2.0 per cent in the previous quarter, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM)......

Singapore Local News, 2012-10-30

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Gas tariffs to be reduced from Thursday The gas tariff for households will be reduced by 0.84 per cent, from 21.54 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) to 21.36 cents per kWh with effect from Thursday. This means that the average town gas bill for households will range from 8........     Major water pipeline shut down for repair leak A major water pipeline along Tampines Expressway (TPE) was shut down today for PUB to repair a leak in the pipe's valve joints. The leak was discovered at 6am this morning by PUB's external contractors who were working nearby on a........ Public transport commuters have become more gracious, says Lui Tuck Yew Public transport commuters have become more gracious - if an emerging trend spotted by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is anything to go by. Speaking at the National Kindness Award (Transport Gold) ceremony today, Transport........ S'pore stem cell transplant programme receives international accreditation A stem cell transplant programme offered in Singapore has received international accreditation. The programme, offered by the National University Cancer Institute and the National University Hospital (NUH), is the first in Asia to........ Church pastor's jail term reduced to fine in fuel tank tampering case A church pastor, who was sentenced to two weeks' jail for giving false information to authorities, has been let off with a fine following an appeal. Steven Yang Suan Piau, a pastor at Eternal Life Baptist Church, had attempted to........ S'pore will grow between 1.5% and 2.5% this year: MAS Singapore is likely to see lacklustre economic growth and elevated inflation for the second consecutive year next year, said the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). Gross domestic product (GDP) growth "is likely to be positive........ Different distance between train platform edge and safety line in different countries: Expert The civil suit against train operator SMRT and the Land Transport Authority by a Thai teenager who lost both her legs after falling onto train tracks last year has adjourned. This, after the plaintiff's expert witness - Dr Natarajan........ New ITE regional campus next year From Jan 2 next year, the five satellite campuses - Balestier, Macpherson, Bishan, Tampines and Yishun - will come together as one at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE)'s third and final Regional Campus. The development of........

Greying population could 'cost Govt S$13b more by 2025' By 2025, public services for what will be a greyer Singapore could cost the Government S$79 billion, or S$13 billion more than what it spends today, according to a new report released by global management consultancy Accenture......     CPIB officers to take the stand at trial of ex-CNB chief Three officers of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) will take the stand when the sex-for-contracts trial of ex-Central Narcotics Bureau chief Ng Boon Gay resumes on Wednesday...... PM Lee hopes ASEAN can begin talks on South China Sea dispute BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said he hopes the process to resolve the South China Sea dispute can begin when Brunei assumes the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) chairmanship next year...... Down to the final two at MediaCorp Subaru Challenge It is down to the wire for this year's MediaCorp Subaru Challenge...... Hawkers at Holland Village market say "no" to conversion Hawkers at a market and food centre in Holland Village have changed their mind about turning the wet market section into an area for cooked food stalls...... More can be done to enhance safety at MRT stations: expert witness The expert witness in the lawsuit between a Thai teenager and SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) took the stand on Tuesday morning...... Man arrested for mischief by fire Police have arrested a 24-year-old man believed to be involved in a case of mischief by fire at the carpark of Marsiling Rise...... PUB repairs major water pipeline in the east National water agency PUB will be shutting down a major water pipeline along the Tampines Expressway to repair a leak...... Church pastor's jail term reduced to fine in fuel tank tampering case A church pastor, who was sentenced to two weeks' jail for giving false information to authorities, has been let off with a fine following an appeal...... 5 ITE campuses to be housed under one roof Five satellite campuses belonging to the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), will operate as one unit in Ang Mo Kio from January next year...... Eight men left in the MediaCorp Subaru Challenge The MediaCorp Subaru Challenge 2012 is into its fourth day...... Suspect arrested for breaking into private house A 28-year-old man has been arrested for breaking into a private house in the West Coast area...... Public transport commuters have become more gracious, says Lui Tuck Yew Public transport commuters have become more gracious - if an emerging trend spotted by the Land Transport Authority is anything to go by...... NParks to get companies, schools to volunteer with green activities Starting next year, a new National Parks Boards (NParks) initiative will help companies and schools do good while reaping the benefits of nature...... S'pore stem cell transplant programme receives international accreditation A stem cell transplant programme offered in Singapore has received international accreditation...... S'pore consumer confidence highest in 12 months: survey According to the Consumer Confidence Index of global marketing research firm Nielsen, consumers are more optimistic about personal finances and job prospects - and are out shopping and enjoying themselves......

Singapore Local News, 2012-10-29

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Firms pledge responsible advertising to children to support healthy lifestyles Fourteen of Singapore's leading food and beverage companies have pledged to change the way they advertise their products to children. The pledge signatories are Coca-Cola, Ferrero, FrieslandCampina, General Mills, Kellogg's, Kerry,........     Female teacher jailed for having sex with 15-year-old male student A female teacher was today handed a one-year jail term for having sex with her 15-year-old male student. The teacher, who turned up in court with several family members, broke down upon her sentencing. She pleaded........ Shell fined S$80,000 for safety lapses that caused Pulau Bukom fire Shell Eastern Petroleum was fined S$80,000 today for safety lapses that caused a fire at Shell's Pulau Bukom oil refinery in September last year. The oil giant was found guilty of one count under the Workplace Safety and Health Act......... Man jailed two years for sexually abusing boy A cleaner was today jailed two years for performing oral sex on the 13-year-old son of a friend. The 47-year-old man, who was found guilty of one count of underage sex, is of borderline intelligence, according to a psychiatric........ Thai teenager who lost both legs in train accident in court SINGAPORE - The Thai teenager who lost both her legs after falling onto train tracks last year took the stand at the High Court today in a civil suit against train operator SMRT and the Land Transport Authority. The S$3.4 million suit was........ More bicycle parking facilities at MRT stations The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has completed the installation of 1,500 bicycle parking racks at 10 MRT stations. These are at Admiralty, Aljunied, Boon Lay, Chinese Garden, Khatib, Lakeside, Sembawang, Sengkang, Simei and........ Private home & HDB resale flat prices rise in Q3 Private home prices in the third quarter rose 0.6 per cent from the previous quarter, the highest rate of increase this year, while resale prices of Housing & Development Board (HDB) flats in Singapore hit a record high. The........ SIA cancels more flights to New York Singapore Airlines has cancelled more flights to New York. The carrier had earlier cancelled today's flights to New York and now flights tomorrow are affected. It said the cancellation was due to Hurricane Sandy's........ Public tender for 51 Fairways Drive to open tomorrow A piece of state land on which the Bukit Timah Saddle Club (BTSC) currently sits will be put up for public tender tomorrow. The Club's tenancy at 51 Fairways Drive will expire on December 31, this year. The public tender for the........ Marine Stewardship Council sets up office in Singapore to promote sustainable seafood The sustainable seafood industry in the region is set to get a boost with the launch of Asia's first branch of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) here. The MSC is a international, non-profit organisation that runs the world's only........ Improved, more "cheerful" SCB Marathon route this year Christmas cheer comes early to the Standard Chartered Marathon this year, with the introduction of various festive themed performaces, competitions and supporters cheering the runners on at designated cheer points. These include having a best........ Giant pandas Jia Jia and Kai Kai make public debut end Nov Giant pandas Jia Jia and Kai Kai will be making their public debut from 29 November at the River Safari. The exhibit is opening for a special preview in time for the year-end school holiday. Visitors can meet the giant........

Trying their hand at the MediaCorp Subaru Challenge About 30 hours after it started, over 300 contestants have dropped out of the running to win an S$80,000 car in the MediaCorp Subaru Challenge. As at 9pm last night, just 76 - of which 49 are Singaporeans - were left standing. Spirits were still high.....     Singapore-Brunei defence relationship a hallmark of bilateral ties, says PM Lee BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the defence relationship of Singapore and Brunei is a hallmark of bilateral ties between the two countries...... Firewalking ceremony to be held from Nov 4-5 This year's firewalking ceremony will be held from November 4 to 5...... SLA calls for public tender for land used by BTSC More than 80 horses at the Bukit Timah Saddle Club (BTSC) may have to be relocated if the club fails to win a public tender after its tenancy expires on December 31...... NUS launches Aerospace Systems initiative for engineering students SINGAPORE : The National University of Singapore's (NUS) Faculty of Engineering on Monday launched a new Aerospace Systems initiative which will prepare engineering students for the growing aerospace industry...... Vivian Balakrishnan to attend meetings on haze, environmental issues in Bali SINGAPORE : Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, will be going to Bali in Indonesia to attend meetings on the haze and environmental issues...... Female teacher jailed for having sex with underage student A female teacher has been handed a one-year jail term for having sex with her 15-year-old male student...... PSLE results stable over last 10 years: MOE The Ministry of Education on Monday released data on the performances of the major ethnic groups in national examinations over the past 10 years...... Shell fined $80,000 for safety lapses that caused Pulau Bukom fire Shell Eastern Petroleum was fined $80,000 on Monday for safety lapses that caused a fire at Shell's Pulau Bukom oil refinery in September last year...... Firms pledge responsible advertising to children to support healthy lifestyles Fourteen of Singapore's leading food and beverage companies have pledged to change the way they advertise their products to children...... Revision of ERP rates for six gantries during morning peak hours The Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) rates for six gantries leading to the CTE and ECP will be revised from 5 November...... New NKF chairman pays tribute to Gerard Ee Mr Gerard Ee, chairman of the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), stepped down from the post on Monday...... Man jailed two years for sexually abusing 11-year-old boy A cleaner was jailed two years for performing oral sex on the 13-year-old son of a friend...... SIA cancels more flights to New York Singapore Airlines has cancelled more flights to New York...... Trial begins for ex-principal accused of misappropriating funds The former principal of Maris Stella High School who was charged with misappropriating nearly S$150,000 was in court on Monday for the opening of the trial...... More & improved bicycle parking facilities at MRT stations The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has completed the installation of 1,500 bicycle parking racks at 10 MRT stations...... Start of court case for girl who lost both legs in MRT accident The Thai girl who lost both her legs after falling onto the train tracks last year is taking the stand on Monday in her case to seek compensation of at least S$3.5 million from both SMRT and the Land Transport Authority (LTA)...... S'poreans unable to enjoy work-life balance: survey Workers have identified overloading of work and high-pressure deadlines as the main reasons for not being able to achieve work-life balance in Singapore...... Private home & HDB resale flat prices rise in Q3 Singapore's private home prices in the third quarter rose 0.6 per cent from the previous quarter...... Giant pandas to make public debut on November 29 Giant pandas Jia Jia and Kai Kai will be making their public debut on November 29 at the River Safari......

Singapore Local News, 2012-10-28

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S'pore model of philanthrophy builds strong, inclusive society: DPM Tharman Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said the Singapore model of philanthropy is based on the government, community leaders and active citizens coming together for a strong and inclusive society. Mr Tharman was speaking at a........     First high-rise litter-watch group set up in South West district Volunteers made up of residents and grassroots members living in the South West district will be on the lookout for high-rise litterbugs in their neighbourhood under a new "Litter-Watch Group" initiative created by the National Environment........

Litter-watch groups on the lookout for high-rise litterbugs Residents living in the South West district will be on the lookout for high-rise litterbugs over the next few months......     New social service hub for elderly in Chong Pang By the end of this year, elderly residents and their caregivers in Chong Pang will receive more support with a one-stop service centre...... S'pore model of philanthropy builds strong, inclusive society: DPM Tharman Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said the Singapore model of philanthropy is based on the government, community leaders and active citizens coming together for a strong and inclusive society......

Singapore Local News, 2012-10-27

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SG Conversation to move into thematic discussions next mont The national conversation will move into its next phase of discussions in the later part of November. Committee member of the Our Singapore Conversation, Mr Lawrence Wong, said that in the next few weeks, the committee will start........     Resource toolkit for families with young kids Families with young children will get tips on how they can nurture their young ones during their formative years, with a resource kit developed by the experts. The resource kit, "Growing With Your Child", has a handbook and four........ First digital health channel in Asia Pacific launched The Health Promotion Board (HPB) has launched three initiatives to encourage Singaporeans to lead a healthy lifestyle. The first is an online checklist, Healthy Lifestyle Index (HLI), to identify a person's general health behaviour,........

Engaging bloggers and non-mainstream outlets The Government is looking at changing its communications approach to take into account the fact that Singaporeans are turning to multiple sources of news online. Signalling that the authorities are looking at how to........     SAFRA Toa Payoh reopens Over 10,000 NSmen and their families checked out the brand new SAFRA Toa Payoh when it re-opened on Saturday with a two-day Open House...... MediaCorp Subaru Challenge 2012 kicks off The MediaCorp Subaru Challenge 2012 kicked off on Saturday with 400 contestants vying for the top prize of a S$80,000 car...... Man injured in coffeeshop attack after being accused of staring A man in his early 20s was hurt in a dispute in Hougang Avenue 8 late on Friday night...... SG Conversation to move into thematic discussions next month The national conversation will move into its next phase of discussions in the later part of November...... Parenting tips for families with young children in resource kit Families with young children will get tips on how they can nurture their young ones during their formative years, with a resource kit developed by the experts...... Govt mulls tighter advertising rules for unhealthy food & beverages From next year, advertisements for selected food products and beverages that are deemed unhealthy could come under closer scrutiny......

Singapore Local News, 2012-10-26

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SMRT to replace Circle Line power cables within next 18 months The Circle Line service disruption yesterday evening was due to faulty power cable at Promenade, which severed power supply to the entire system. Deteriorated insulation likely exposed the underground cable to water, causing a short........     Singapore should prepare for possible ban of live animal exports: PM Lee Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Singapore should prepare for the possibility that Australia may ban live animal exports completely. Writing on his Facebook page on Friday, Mr Lee sends his greetings to all Muslims here and........

SMRT fined S$100 for overloading bus SINGAPORE -SMRT has been fined S$100 by the authorities in the latest service standards survey for exceeding the number of passengers allowed on one of its bus services. The infraction occurred last December when bus loading on........     Government to grow social services for future needs Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Mr Chan Chun Sing said Singapore needs to grow its social services much more in future...... New marriage & parenthood measures to be announced New pro-family and pro-baby initiatives are expected to be announced early next year, in conjunction with the release of the White Paper on Population...... 16 mosques in audit to get approval for Korban livestock supply Sixteen mosques in Singapore are going through two days of audit - starting on Friday - to get approval for sheep slaughter practices during the Islamic Korban ritual...... 10,500 commuters affected by CCL disruption on Thursday night About 10,500 passengers were affected by the Circle Line (CCL) disruption which was caused by a faulty power cable on Thursday night...... S'pore should prepare for possible ban of live animal exports: PM Lee Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Singapore should prepare for the possibility that Australia may ban live animal exports completely...... SMRT Circle Line train services resume SMRT said the Circle Line train services resumed full normal operations on Friday morning......

Singapore Local News, 2012-10-25

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S'pore aiming for quality growth driven by productivity and innovation Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Grace Fu said Singapore must strive for quality and inclusive growth to maintain a vibrant economy. In a 20-minute keynote address at the Economic Society's annual forum, Ms Fu said Singapore........     Man jailed 6 years for sexually abusing 11-year-old boy A man who was in charge of a uniform group in a school in Singapore was jailed six years today for sexually abusing an 11-year-old boy. The 53-year-old was found guilty of two counts of outrage of modesty and one count of underage........ Man who hit taxi driver successfully appeals against sentence The director of a manufacturing company who was sentenced to a month's jail for hitting a taxi driver with a steel rod, successfully appealed against his sentence today. Singapore permanent resident Zhai Lu, 42, had his sentence........ No need for minimum wage: ASME President of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) Chan Chong Beng believes there is no need to put in place a minimum wage. He said more companies will raise wages of low-income workers within the next two........ NKF receives S$1m donation from individual The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has received the largest donation from a living individual donor in 13 years. Indonesian-born Chinese businessman Mr Kasmadi Melati, who lives in Singapore, donated S$1 million. Over........ Mandatory give way to buses scheme extended by 150 bus stops The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will extend the Mandatory Give Way to Buses Scheme to another 150 bus stops island-wide from mid December. Works to extend the first batch of 15 bus stops along Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5, Petir Road and........ Govt may further moderate inflow of foreign workers Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin said there will be no U-turn on the tightening of foreign worker inflows into Singapore and the Government may instead further tighten the measures. Speaking at the Small and Medium Enterprise........ Ex-NWC chief proposes changes to help narrow income gap Former National Wages Council chief Lim Chong Yah, the architect of Singapore's wage system in the 70s, has proposed changes to help narrow the country's income gap. Professor Lim calls for a continued issuance of quantitative wage........ PSLE not the only thing that determines children's future: Minister of State Minister of State for Transport and Finance Josephine Teo updated her Facebook page this morning with further comments on her criticism of OCBC Bank's PSLE Leave........ RBS 'wins bid to seal S'pore Libor documents' The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) won a bid to seal documents in a lawsuit filed by a former trader fired over allegations that he rigged the London interbank offered rate, according to a source. In a closed hearing yesterday,........

Can't kick ball away but find a way to score Unlike someone leading a public agency, the chief executive of a private company cannot dodge responsibility and "kick the ball away". That, to CapitaLand head honcho Liew Mun Leong (picture), is one fundamental difference between........     Record COV for Hougang executive maisonette An executive maisonette in Hougang has been sold with a record Cash-Over-Valuation (COV) of S$225,000, about five times the average COV paid for such properties...... 34 arrested in massage parlour raids The police arrested 32 women and two men in raids against unlicensed massage parlours in Singapore...... Multifunctional pot fails safety standards A non-registered Jinshunli electric multifunctional pot has been found to have several safety breaches...... Man jailed 6 years for sexually abusing 11-year-old boy A man who was in charge of a uniform group in a school in Singapore was jailed six years on Thursday for sexually abusing an 11-year-old boy...... Man who hit taxi driver successfully appeals against sentence The director of a manufacturing company who was sentenced to a month's jail for hitting a taxi driver with a steel rod, successfully appealed against his sentence on Thursday...... Mandatory Give Way to Buses Scheme at 150 more bus stops The Land Transport Authority (LTA) will extend the Mandatory Give Way to Buses Scheme to another 150 bus stops island-wide from mid-December...... Two more jailed in online vice ring case Two more men have been jailed for having sex with an underage prostitute...... More companies will raise low-income workers' wages: ASME President of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME), Chan Chong Beng believes there is no need to put in place a minimum wage...... S'pore aiming for quality growth driven by productivity and innovation Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Grace Fu said Singapore must strive for quality and inclusive growth to maintain a vibrant economy...... NKF receives S$1m donation from individual The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has received the largest donation from a living individual donor in 13 years...... S Pass workers may face tightening measures: Tan Chuan-Jin Acting Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin said there will be no U-turn on the tightening of foreign worker inflow into Singapore...... Fraudulent GST claims send sole proprietor to jail The sole proprietor of a company dealing in IT and computer equipment has pleaded guilty to three charges of wilful intent to evade tax...... S'pore may bin phone books over privacy fears Singapore is considering stopping the publication of free telephone directories listing residential and office numbers as privacy concerns mount, a government agency said...... Ex-NWC chief revisits wage shock therapy Former National Wages Council (NWC) chief Lim Chong Yah revisited his much-debated wage shock therapy aimed at narrowing income inequality at the Singapore Economic Policy Forum on Thursday...... PM Lee emphasizes need for strong family foundation Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has once again underscored the importance of strong families in the country......

Singapore Local News, 2012-10-24

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Candidates in Law Society's election call for unity The senior candidates standing in the annual election into the Law Society's Council have called for its members to be united, reflecting the widening divide within ranks. The senior category candidates (not less than 12 years'........     Widow allowed to proceed with appeal against late husband's conviction In the first case of its kind, the widow of a businessman, who died of a heart attack two weeks after he was fined S$21,000 for copyright offences, has been allowed by a High Court Judge to proceed with an appeal against the conviction...... Man charged with threatening woman, assaulting police officer A 40-year-old man has been charged with threatening a woman and hurting a police officer. Koh Choon Lian is accused of threatening to throw Ms Juliana off the corridor of an 11th-floor flat unit in Yishun Avenue 6. He........ "Over-the-top" to introduce PSLE leave: Josephine Teo Minister of State (Finance and Transport) Josephine Teo has questioned OCBC Bank's move to allow its staff to take leave to prepare their children for the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). Without naming the bank, Mrs Teo........ Four men arrested in drug bust Four men were arrested yesterday in a drug bust against a syndicate suspected to be active in the Tampines area. About 800 grams of heroin, 45 grames of cannabis and a small amount of Ice, estimated to be worth more than S$85,000,........ Youths urged to consider career in energy sector with new degree The Energy Market Authority is introducing a dedicated power engineering course next year to train professional power engineers in Singapore. The two-year full-time course is a collaboration between the Singapore Institute of........ S'pore to build 4th storage tank at LNG terminal Singapore will be building a fourth storage tank at its Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal on Jurong Island. Speaking at the Gas Asia Summit, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Trade & Industry S........ 'Terrorist attack' at Suntec City part of exercise More than 18,000 people took part in an anti-terror attack exercise today. Exercise Heartbeat Alpha 2012 focuses on security threats at visitor hotspots such as the newly opened Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore, and Gardens by the........ S'pore business leaders need to strengthen workforce planning: Report HR experts said the top human capital challenges for business leaders in Singapore are attracting new talent (24 per cent), retaining top performers (17 per cent) and increasing workforce performance and productivity (14 per cent)......

Experts back Singapore's decision to strengthen nuclear technology know-how The Government may have recently declared current nuclear technologies not suitable for deployment here but, given it is keeping all energy options open, the international panel of energy experts advising the Ministry of Trade and Industry........     Two men plead guilty to attacking bus driver Two men have pleaded guilty to attacking a SBS Transit bus driver and smashing empty beer bottles at the bus windscreen...... Candidates in Law Society's election call for unity The senior candidates standing in the annual election into the Law Society's Council have called for its members to be united, reflecting the widening divide within ranks...... Amusement Rides Safety Act violated 5 times since implementation Five violations of the Amusement Rides Safety Act have been found since the law to safeguard public safety at Singapore's attractions came into force in July last year...... Telcos to offer new iPad mini & 4G iPad Singapore's three major telcos will be offering the new iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad that were unveiled in the United States on Tuesday...... CNB seize 800 grammes of heroin in Tampines The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) conducted an operation on October 23 against a drug syndicate that was suspected to be active in the Tampines area...... Man charged with threatening woman & assaulting police officer A 40-year-old man has been charged with threatening a woman and hurting a police officer...... Youths urged to consider career in energy sector with new degree The Energy Market Authority (EMA) is introducing a dedicated power engineering course next year to train professional power engineers in Singapore...... "Terrorist attack" at Suntec City part of exercise More than 18,000 people took part in an anti-terror attack exercise on Wednesday...... S'pore business leaders need to strengthen workforce planning: report HR experts said the top human capital challenges for business leaders in Singapore are attracting new talent (24 per cent), retaining top performers (17 per cent) and increasing workforce performance and productivity (14 per cent)...... Unemployment, social protection among issues to be discussed in Vietnam Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education and Manpower Hawazi Daipi will be attending the 4th Asia-Europe Meeting Labour and Employment Ministers' Conference (ASEM LEMC)......

Singapore Local News, 2012-10-23

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2,000 rental flats to be built to cater to housing needs Construction for 2,000 rental flats across various parts of the island will begin at the end of the year or early next year, as part of the Housing Board's plans to cater to the housing needs of needy families. The 2,000 units,........     1,000 specimens collected in marine biodiversity expedition Singapore - About 1,000 specimens have been collected, including five new records and two rediscoveries, as the country's biggest scale marine biodiversity expedition gets underway in the Johor Straits. Among the new discoveries included........ Green tea may protect against Parkinson's disease Researchers at the National University of Singapore Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine have identified an activation process between a component in green tea and a protein in the human body that can provide cellular protection against Parkinson's........ President's Challenge 2012 raises over S$11m The President's Challenge 2012 has successfully raised over S$11 million this year. The money came from direct public contributions and from over 40 fundraising events organised by various partners and organisations...... Travellers advised to plan journey this holiday weekend Traffic flow through the land checkpoints at Woodlands and Tuas is expected to be heavy this coming Hari Raya Haji weekend. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority said traffic build up is expected to start from Thursday and will........ Singapore inflation rises to 4.7% in September Inflation in Singapore accelerated last month, driven by higher transport and housing costs. Data from the Department of Statistics showed that the consumer price index (CPI) for all items rose to 4.7 per cent, from 3.9 per cent in........ E-books go social in Singapore E-bookstore ilovebooks.com recently completed a successful story-writing campaign on Facebook which set the local social community buzzing and resulted in an 800 per cent increase in the number of fans. Titled Story Buddy, the game........ Families can be a solution to problem gambling: Chan Chun Sing While families can be victims of problem gambling, they can also be a part of the solution. Family support is a key factor in aiding a gambler's recovery as studies have found that counselling and therapy work best if family members........

The rise of the small states? On Oct 1, a loose grouping of smaller members of the United Nations (UN) called the Forum of Small States (FOSS) celebrated its 20th anniversary. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon told the forum: "Being small does not mean an absence of big ideas.".....     Malaysian TV tycoon wins US$250m in dispute Singapore's High Court has awarded Malaysian tycoon Ananda Krishnan's Astro group US$250 million in compensation for a failed joint venture with his Indonesian former business partner James Riady...... More family members of problem gamblers seeking help More family members of problem gamblers are now seeking help, say stakeholders at the Singapore Problem Gambling Conference on Tuesday...... Seniors in Yew Tee get access to active aging "hotspots" Senior citizens in Yew Tee will soon have wellness cards that give them access to active aging hotspots...... Green tea may protect against Parkinson's disease Researchers at NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine have identified an activation process between a component in green tea and a protein in the human body that can provide cellular protection against Parkinson's disease...... Travellers advised to plan journey this holiday weekend Traffic flow through the land checkpoints at Woodlands and Tuas is expected to be heavy this coming Hari Raya Haji weekend...... Singapore inflation rises to 4.7% in September Singapore's inflation rate accelerated last month, driven again by housing and transport costs...... President's Challenge 2012 raises over S$11m The President's Challenge 2012 has successfully raised over S$11 million this year...... New appointments at LASALLE College of the Arts LASALLE College of the Arts on Tuesday announced the appointment of two internationally renowned candidates with established academic careers in their respective fields...... Safeguards must evolve to fight problem gambling Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Chan Chun Sing, on Tuesday said combating problem gambling is a never ending process...... Fire at Ghim Moh flat A fire broke out at a flat at Blk 2 along Ghim Moh Road on Tuesday morning......

Singapore Local News, 2012-10-22

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Pet shops, farms still not up to standard: SPCA While the general hygiene and conditions of the animals have improved, other prevalent issues such as mandatory licensing and providing correct and proper pet care advice are still seriously lacking in pet shops and farms, according to a survey........     "Watch Local" over next two months in Film Commission initiative Catch all-time local favourites like Army Daze, The Teenage Textbook and even Liang Po Po The Movie over the next two months as part of the "Watch Local" initiative by the Government. Rare Singapore films like Yong Mun Chee's Where........ Important to strengthen collaboration among gaming regulators: Iswaran It is important to strengthen collaboration and co-operation among gaming regulators, said Second Minister for Trade & Industry S Iswaran today at the opening of the 2012 International Association of Gaming Regulators' (IAGR). Mr........ OCBC's work-life balance schemes to benefit over 7,000 staff OCBC has launched two new schemes to meet employees' increasing need for better work-life balance. More than 7,000 staff from OCBC and its subsidiaries (OCBC Malaysia, OCBC China and Great Eastern Holdings), will benefit from these........ Electricity market to be made more responsive to demand To enable the electricity market to be more price responsive to consumer demand, the Government is launching, through the Energy Market Authority, a consultation process incorporating demand response, where consumers can curtail their demand in........ Woman charged with kicking police officer A 22-year-old woman from China was charged today with kicking a female police officer. Chen Li Ying is accused of kicking Sergeant Chan Min Ghee in the thigh. The alleged offence took place on Oct 21 at 2.15am along........ Doctor Georgia Lee cleared of professional misconduct After a five-year battle, convictions by the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) against prominent aesthetics doctor Georgia Lee have been officially dropped. In a rather rare move, SMC on Monday agreed for Dr Lee's lawyer, Kuah Boon........ OpenNet further increases fibre installation capacity OpenNet has increased its installation capacity by almost 15 per cent from 3,100 to 3,550 connections per week following a review of its existing capacity utilisation. "After the quarterly review, OpenNet is happy to increase its........ Singapore youths 20 times less likely to use condoms: Report Singaporean youths who were still studying were 20 times less likely to use condoms during their first sexual experience as compared to those who have completed their education, according to the latest Face of Global Sex Report. On........ SMRT extends train, bus services for Hari Raya Haji SMRT trains on the North-South, East-West and Circle Lines and selected buses will be running later on the eve of Hari Raya Haji on Thursday, Oct 25 through 1.35am on Friday, Oct 26. The last trains on all bounds will depart City........

Thumbs up for Chong Pang cat programme Despite not having heard about a two-year pilot cat ownership programme launched on Saturday - which makes Chong Pang the first estate where owners are legally allowed to have cats in their Housing and Development Board (HDB) flats........     Pet shops, farms still not up to standard: SPCA The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) recently completed another undercover survey in a follow-up to the "Stop the Cruelty in Puppy Mills" campaign that was launched in October 2010...... Police Coast Guard intercepts speedboat carrying duty unpaid cigarettes Officers from the Police Coast Guard mounted an operation early Monday morning and intercepted an illegal intrusion by a speedboat conveying duty unpaid cigarettes into Singapore...... Mother of 3 jailed two months for shoplifting A mother of three was sentenced on Monday to two months' jail for shoplifting...... Strong interest from aviation community on centre of excellence The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore has received strong interest from organisations across the aviation community since the announcement to develop Singapore as a Centre of Excellence for Air Traffic Management (ATM)...... Local films to be screened on free-to-air TV, arts venues as part of "Watch Local" Film buffs can look forward to enjoying a wide repertoire of all-time-favourites as well as some rare and iconic Singapore films at arts venues and on free-to-air television...... OCBC's work-life balance schemes OCBC has launched two new schemes to meet employees' increasing need for better work-life balance...... Youths less likely to use condoms during first time sex The latest Durex Global sex survey has found that Singaporean youths who are still studying, are 20 times less likely to use condoms during their first sexual experience as compared to those who have completed their education...... Man charged with series of motorcycle thefts A 21-year-old man has been charged with a series of motorcycle theft offences...... OpenNet further increases fibre installation capacity OpenNet has increased its installation capacity by almost 15 per cent from 3,100 to 3,550 connections per week...... Man charged with stealing S$20,000 watch A Thai man was charged on Monday with stealing a watch worth S$20,000...... ACE sets up online kit for entrepreneurs SINGAPORE : A total of 18,846 businesses have shut in the first half of 2012, according to data from the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore (ACRA)...... DOS conducting Household Expenditure Survey The Department of Statistics (DOS) is conducting the 10th Household Expenditure Survey (HES) from October 2012 to September 2013...... Woman charged with kicking police officer A 22-year-old woman from China was charged on Monday with kicking a female police officer...... Doctor Georgia Lee cleared of professional misconduct After a five-year battle, convictions by the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) against prominent aesthetics doctor Georgia Lee have been officially dropped...... Electricity market to be made more responsive to demand The Singapore government is enabling the electricity market in the country to be more price responsive to industry demand...... Fire at Sengkang coffeeshop A fire broke out at a coffee shop in Block 303 Anchorvale Link on Monday morning...... More collaboration among gaming regulators: Iswaran Opening the 2012 International Association of Gaming Regulators' (IAGR), Second Minister for Trade & Industry S Iswaran said it is important to strengthen collaboration and co-operation among gaming regulators...... SMRT extends train service hours on eve of Hari Raya Haji Public transport operator SMRT on Monday said it will extend the hours of service of its North-South, East-West and Circle Line trains and selected buses on the eve of Hari Raya Haji......