Saturday, May 30, 2015

Man shot dead, 2 others detained in incident near Shangri-La hotel - Singapore Courts & Crime News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Man shot dead, 2 others detained in incident near Shangri-La hotel - Singapore Courts & Crime News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Man shot dead, 2 others detained in incident near Shangri-La hotel

Scenes at Anderson Road from the Stevens Road entrance. -- ST PHOTO: LEE MIN KOK

SINGAPORE - A man was shot dead and two others were detained in an incident near the Shangri-La hotel at 4.36 am on Sunday, police said.

The trio was earlier stopped at a police vehicular checkpoint set up along Ardmore Park, police said in a Facebook post.

When asked to open the car boot for checks, the driver suddenly accelerated the vehicle towards Anderson Road. Despite warnings to stop, the driver continued to crash through police barricades, endangering the lives of the officers, said police.

Police opened fire at the vehicle to stop further danger. The vehicle subsequently stopped at the junction of Orange Grove Road and Anderson Road.

Substances believed to be drugs were found on one of the persons detained.

Police said they are in control of the situation.

Orange Grove Road, Anderson Road and Ardmore Park were temporarily closed to facilitate police operations. Members of public are advised to stay away from the area.

Due to the ongoing Shangri-La Dialogue, security measures including vehicle and person check points have been put in place in the vicinity of the Shangri-La hotel.

At about 9am on Sunday, the entrance to Anderson Road from Stevens Road was still cordoned off. Residents who wanted to return to their apartments in the area had to be escorted by police officers.

Police armoured vehicles and Special Operations Command vehicles were seen leaving the scene at about 9.27am.



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Partnering teachers: Doing It the right way - Story

Partnering teachers: Doing It the right way - Story

Partnering teachers: Doing It the right way

Partnering Teachers - Doing It the Right Way

Miss Leong Sou Cheng, an educator at an international school, suggests how parents can support their child's schools.


"Being involved in the school has given me a better insight into the school's culture and policies, which some parents may not be as familiar with. It has also given me the opportunity to interact with school leaders, teachers, other staff and parents. I've also gained a better appreciation of teachers, their roles, difficulties and dedication to duty. My involvement in the school has certainly helped me to develop a better working relationship with them."

Mdm Kannagi IbrahimThen-Chairman of Evergreen Primary School's Parent Support Group

The squeaking wheel gets the oil; there is more than a ring of truth to this proverb. When it comes to parent-teacher partnership, your goal however, is not just to make your presence felt, but leave the right presence.

Parent-teacher collaboration is not about "kiasu" parents barging into the school office and making demands. Armed with the information they need, they march in with a very specific aim, usually result-oriented, and will not back down until the school gives in to their requests.

Needless to say, after one storm of an incident, the parent may leave quite an impression; the entire school may possibly know this parent and the child by name. Any mention of the name will cause a teacher pay double the attention and check doubly hard on matters concerning the child. A teacher attends to between 200 - 300 students each week, and in an average class of 30 – 40 students, it may seem like not bad idea to leave such an impression. At least the child is getting the attention. You only had to do it once and you would leave an ineffaceable impression. The trouble is, however, that the reputation sticks.

Will your child really benefit from your actions? I think that children will benefit tremendously from the way their parents model positive interactions with others in the school, and from the positive connections they make along the way to support their children's educational experience.

Your presence in school should be seen as a support. People should sense your genuine care for your child, other schoolmates and staff, such as when you help out at school events and socialise comfortably with others. For example, I heard that parents of Westview Primary School supported a sandwich-making event held at school; children learned how to make sandwiches, and also witnessed how their parents reached out to support other children. Parents of Tampines Primary School provide a reading support programme to help small groups of readers develop literacy skills. 

Aside from putting in time and effort, relationship building is probably one of the most vital and difficult skills to master. So I was heartened to hear about parents sharing their experiences and good practices with one another at a Parent Support Group (PSG) Conference. Parents can also participate in initiatives organised by PSGs and access resources shared on the MOE Facebook page and Schoolbag.sg, to understand more about effective partnership.

We are all different, and the dynamics of all partnerships will be different too. But with the same goal, and the right attitude, parents and teachers can close the gap and become strong partners in education. After all, it takes a village to raise a child.



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19-year-old detained for planning to join ISIS had planned to kill President and PM Lee - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

19-year-old detained for planning to join ISIS had planned to kill President and PM Lee - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

19-year-old detained for planning to join ISIS had planned to kill President and PM Lee

SINGAPORE - The 19-year-old student detained last month for planning to join terror group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) intended to kill President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong if he could not leave Singapore for Syria, Mr Lee disclosed on Friday.

His comments, in a speech at the opening of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue security summit, come two days after the Ministry of Home Affairs announced it had detained M Arifil Azim Putra Norja'i, and arrested another 17-year-old student who had been radicalised for further investigations.

The ministry had said Arifil gave considerable thought to how he would attack key facilities and assassinate government leaders, but did not go into details. 

On Friday, Mr Lee said of his case: "This is why Singapore takes terrorism, and in particular ISIS, very, very seriously. The threat is no longer over there, it is over here."

Mr Lee also announced that Singapore's deployment of a KC-135 tanker refueling aircraft to the Middle East started on Friday. The tanker is part of Singapore's participation in the international coalition against ISIS.

In his speech, Mr Lee said terrorism was not an entirely new phenomenon, and various politically-motivated terror groups have largely faded away. 

But the problem of jihadi terrorism will be around for a long time, and many societies were now finding home-grown terrorists and self-radicalised individuals who can mount attacks with minimal resources.

ISIS has managed to exploit the Internet and social media to attract over 20,000 foreign fighters from all over the world, who will pose a threat when they return.

ISIS supporters have carried out lone-wolf attacks in a number of countries, and two weeks ago, ISIS leader Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi repeated a call for Muslims to migrate to the Islamic state or wage war in their home countries, Mr Lee added. 

ISIS has also said it intends to establish a wilayat, or province under the caliphate, in South-east Asia, which has become a key recruitment centre for the group. Over 500 Indonesians and dozens of Malaysians have joined ISIS, and its Malay Archipelago combat unit, Katibah Nusantara, has been active on social media.

Radical groups in the region have also pledged their allegiance, including Jemaah Islamiah spiritual leader Abu Bakar Bashir, whose followers in Singapore planned to set off truck bombs after the Sept 11, 2001 attacks on America. 

Several hundred terrorists in jail in Indonesia are also due to be released in the next two years, Mr Lee said.

"The idea that ISIS can turn South-east Asia into a province of a worldwide Islamic caliphate controlled by ISIS, that is a grandiose, pie-in-the-sky dream," Mr Lee added.

"But it is not so far-fetched that ISIS could establish a base somewhere in the region, in a geographical area under its physical control like in Syria and Iraq, somewhere far from the centres of power of state governments, somewhere where the governments' writs does not run.

"And there are quite a few such places in South-east Asia. If ISIS did that, it would pose a very serious threat to the whole of South-east Asia."

yanliang@sph.com.sg



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Friday, May 29, 2015

Jover Chew bailed out after being charged with cheating 25 victims at Sim Lim Square - Singapore Courts & Crime News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Jover Chew bailed out after being charged with cheating 25 victims at Sim Lim Square - Singapore Courts & Crime News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Jover Chew bailed out after being charged with cheating 25 victims at Sim Lim Square

SINGAPORE - Jover Chew Chiew Loon, the owner of Mobile Air, was bailed on Friday afternoon after being charged in court earlier in the day with cheating a total of 25 victims at his now-defunct Sim Lim Square shop.

He walked out of the State Courts at around 3.45pm, after his mother posted $40,000 bail.

Chew was charged on 25 counts of cheating involving a total of $14,449 and one count of criminal intimidation for threatening to cause a victim's work permit to be revoked.

The 33-year-old and four other men were arrested by police on Wednesday. The four were also charged yesterday, and faced between one to 15 counts of cheating.

Chew, who was represented by lawyer Chia Kok Seng, did not enter a plea. Mr Chia asked for time to take instructions from his client, and a pre-trial conference has been fixed for June 25.

Among his accomplices, Koh Guan Seng, 38, was charged with 15 counts of cheating involving $9,789. Kam Kok Keong, 31, faces 8 charges of cheating involving $3,710.

Edmund Lim Hong Ching, 33, faces two counts of cheating involving $1,600.

Kelvin Lim Zhi Wei, 32, was charged with one count of cheating involving $330.

The four men were all unrepresented. They indicated to the court that they would be pleading guilty at a later date. Their case will be heard again on June 19.

Several police reports were lodged in 2014 against Mobile Air for dishonest sales practices. Customers said they were coerced into buying mobile phones and in-house warranties at inflated prices.

"These victims ended up paying for the hand phones at much higher prices or had to pay fees to cancel the deal," said the police on Wednesday, the day the five men were arrested.

Earlier on Friday morning, Chew, Koh and Kam arrived at the State Courts at around 7.30am in a police van.

Chew and his shop became infamous after a video of a crying Vietnamese tourist begging staff at the shop for a refund went viral last November.

The tourist, factory worker Pham Van Thoai, was initially quoted a price of $950 for an iPhone 6 which he wanted to buy for his girlfriend. But he was later asked to pay an additional $1,500 for a warranty.

Mr Thoai was told that if he failed to pay the additional amount, he would not only lose the $950 but also the new phone. He went on his knees, pleading with Chew to return his money.

A crowdfunding campaign was initiated to raise funds to buy a new phone for Mr Thoai. About $15,500 was raised, with $1,538 used to buy an iPhone for him. But Mr Thoai declined the gift, accepting only about $200 worth of food items from Singaporeans.

Chew also came under the spotlight for refunding a woman $1,010 in coins, which included one- and five-cent coins that came up to 18kg last October.

The woman from China had turned to the Small Claims Tribunal after Mobile Air charged her an additional $1,400 for a mobile phone.

Both victims are not among the 25 victims named in the charges on Friday morning.

Chinese evening newspaper Lianhe Wanbao reported on Thursday that Chew has been unemployed for the past five months, and occasionally helps out at his mother's hawker stall.

Shin Min Daily News reported that Chew was having breakfast with his mother on Wednesday when he received a call to report to the police at 3pm.

He then told her that he would have to stay at the police station for 48 hours, and would be charged in court on Friday morning.

"He and the others have been asked to assist with investigations many times in the past half year," Madam Chew was quoted by Shin Min as saying.

Both Madam Chew and her son declined to comment when approached on Friday afternoon.

For each of their cheating offences, Chew and his accomplices face up to 10 years in jail and a fine. For criminal intimidation, Chew faces up to two years's jail, a fine or both.

amirh@sph.com.sg



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Thursday, May 28, 2015

2 Singaporean youths radicalised by ISIS arrested, one of them detained for planning terror attacks - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

2 Singaporean youths radicalised by ISIS arrested, one of them detained for planning terror attacks - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

2 Singaporean youths radicalised by ISIS arrested, one of them detained for planning terror attacks

SINGAPORE - Two Singaporean youths have been arrested under the Internal Security Act for terrorism-related activities, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement on Wednesday.

The first, post-secondary student M Arifil Azim Putra Norja'i, 19, had made plans to join the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and if he was unable to join the terrorist group there, planned to strike here.

Arifil is the first known self-radicalised Singaporean to harbour the intention to carry out violent attacks in Singapore, the ministry said.

He was detained in April 2015.

The second radicalised Singaporean, a post-secondary youth, 17, was arrested earlier this month for further investigations into the extent of his radicalisation.

He was not named.

The arrests come amid growing concern in the region and beyond that youths are being radicalised by ISIS, with security agencies in South-east Asia and elsewhere stepping up their guard and arresting individuals trying to leave for Syria to join a growing pool of over 20,000 foreign fighters.

Many of them were radicalised on the Internet.

In its statement, MHA said its investigations showed that Arifil's radicalisation began around 2013 when he started viewing terrorist propaganda online.

Arifil grew to support the radical ideology and violent tactics of ISIS, and befriended individuals online who he thought could help him join the terrorist group.

It was also revealed that Arifil had actively looked up travel routes to Syria on the Internet and researched ways of making improvised explosive devices.

"More importantly, Arifil also revealed that if he was unable to join ISIS in Syria, he intended to carry out violent attacks in Singapore. He gave considerable thought to how he would attack key facilities and assassinate government leaders," MHA said.

If he was unable to execute those plans, Arifil had planned to carry out attacks in public places, with weapons such as knives, in order to strike fear within society, it added.

MHA said Arifil had tried to recruit several people to help carry out the attacks, and while they were not swayed by Arifil, they did not alert the authorities about the plans either.

"Fortunately, another person who knew Arifil noticed the changes in him, and had brought him to the attention of the authorities, who were then able to investigate the matter and take action before he could carry out his violent attack plans in Singapore," it added.

As for the second youth arrested, MHA said his family had been informed of his arrest and would be kept informed of the outcome of the investigations.

In its statement, the ministry emphasised that the family, friends and members of the public as well as religious institutions play an important role in protecting fellow Singaporeans from radicalisation and engaging in terrorist activities.

It noted that recent reports showed how young people in other countries had become so deeply radicalised by extremist propaganda that they are prepared to undertake acts of violence at home and abroad.

"These two young Singaporeans who have been radicalised demonstrate that young persons in Singapore can also become radicalised in particular through the Internet," MHA said.

Mr Edwin Tong, deputy chairman of the government parliamentary committee for Home Affairs and Law, said the arrests were "a stark reminder that we are not insulated from what happens around the world".

"Youths today are very impressionable, not yet mature enough to differentiate what are ideals and what is practical and reality. They are highly connected to the Internet, they are tech-savvy. This story brings home the fact that we cannot take it for granted," he added.

To protect the young from the danger of radicalisation, Mr Tong said the "best defence is our society and people around us".

"It's about being close to them, know what they are reading online, and observing any change of behaviour," he said.

Commenting on the arrests, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said they showed how Singapore youths are also vulnerable to radicalisation.

"Terrorism remains a serious global threat. But it is not just a problem that is 'over there' in some other countries. It is also a problem that is 'over here', in our region, and here in Singapore as well.

"We have seen examples of self-radicalised youths in other countries. The two self-radicalised young Singaporeans show that our youths are also vulnerable. Singapore too, faces real threats from radicalisation.

"Our community leaders have worked hard to counter radical ideology. We should all, from all communities in Singapore, support each other in this effort. The Government will also provide more support to community groups to do more. All of us have to work together to overcome this issue together," he said.

"All of us must play our part. If you know or suspect anyone who is becoming radicalised, please notify the authorities early. You would be helping to save that person from harming himself and others.

"Our security agencies will do their utmost to detect and prevent any terrorist attack. However, as we have seen in other countries, an attack can still happen even in countries that are already on high security alert.

"We must strengthen our community resilience so that if an incident were to occur here, we can recover and emerge even stronger and more united."

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim said the arrests serve as a reminder for "parents, religious teachers, friends and community at large" to remain vigilant.

He wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday: "We must do our utmost to reach out to young people who are in search of answers to problems confronting their generation."

wongsy@sph.com.sg



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Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Seven more secondary schools to offer specialised art and music programmes - Singapore Education News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Seven more secondary schools to offer specialised art and music programmes - Singapore Education News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Seven more secondary schools to offer specialised art and music programmes

SINGAPORE - The specialised programmes for artistically and musically inclined students will be rolled out to more schools in a move to nurture diverse talents among students.

The two-year Enhanced Art Programme (EAP) and Enhanced Music Programme (EMP) will be extended to seven more secondary schools, up from the current six, said the Ministry of Education in a statement on Tuesday.

In addition, three schools - National Junior College, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) and Dunman High School - will also be appointed Art Elective Programme (AEP) and Music Elective Programme (MEP) centres.

These three schools will open their AEP and MEP to students from other schools who are taking O-level Higher Art and Higher Music.

The Enhanced Art Programme will be rolled out at these schools in 2016 and 2017:

- Naval Base Secondary (2016)

- Orchid Park Secondary (2016)

- Siglap Secondary (2016)

- Jurong West Secondary (2017)

- New Town Secondary (2017)

The Enhanced Music Programme will be introduced to Ahmad Ibrahim Secondary in 2016 and Yuhua Secondary in 2017.

The six schools which are offering the EAP and EMP now are:

- CHIJ Katong Convent

- Nan Chiau High

- Ngee Ann Secondary

- St Andrew's Secondary

- Chung Cheng High (Main)

- St Margaret's Secondary



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2 Singaporean youths radicalised by ISIS arrested, one of them detained for planning terror attacks - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

2 Singaporean youths radicalised by ISIS arrested, one of them detained for planning terror attacks - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

2 Singaporean youths radicalised by ISIS arrested, one of them detained for planning terror attacks

SINGAPORE - Two Singaporean youths have been arrested under the Internal Security Act for terrorism-related activities, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said in a statement on Wednesday.

The first, post-secondary student M Arifil Azim Putra Norja'i, 19, had made plans to join the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), and if he was unable to join the terrorist group there, planned to strike here.

Arifil is the first known self-radicalised Singaporean to harbour the intention to carry out violent attacks in Singapore, the ministry said.

He was detained in April 2015.

The second radicalised Singaporean, a post-secondary youth, 17, was arrested earlier this month for further investigations into the extent of his radicalisation.

He was not named.

The arrests come amid growing concern in the region and beyond that youths are being radicalised by ISIS, with security agencies in South-east Asia and elsewhere stepping up their guard and arresting individuals trying to leave for Syria to join a growing pool of over 20,000 foreign fighters.

Many of them were radicalised on the Internet.

In its statement, MHA said its investigations showed that Arifil's radicalisation began around 2013 when he started viewing terrorist propaganda online.

Arifil grew to support the radical ideology and violent tactics of ISIS, and befriended individuals online who he thought could help him join the terrorist group.

It was also revealed that Arifil had actively looked up travel routes to Syria on the Internet and researched ways of making improvised explosive devices.

"More importantly, Arifil also revealed that if he was unable to join ISIS in Syria, he intended to carry out violent attacks in Singapore. He gave considerable thought to how he would attack key facilities and assassinate government leaders," MHA said.

If he was unable to execute those plans, Arifil had planned to carry out attacks in public places, with weapons such as knives, in order to strike fear within society, it added.

MHA said Arifil had tried to recruit several people to help carry out the attacks, and while they were not swayed by Arifil, they did not alert the authorities about the plans either.

"Fortunately, another person who knew Arifil noticed the changes in him, and had brought him to the attention of the authorities, who were then able to investigate the matter and take action before he could carry out his violent attack plans in Singapore," it added.

As for the second youth arrested, MHA said his family had been informed of his arrest and would be kept informed of the outcome of the investigations.

In its statement, the ministry emphasised that the family, friends and members of the public as well as religious institutions play an important role in protecting fellow Singaporeans from radicalisation and engaging in terrorist activities.

It noted that recent reports showed how young people in other countries had become so deeply radicalised by extremist propaganda that they are prepared to undertake acts of violence at home and abroad.

"These two young Singaporeans who have been radicalised demonstrate that young persons in Singapore can also become radicalised in particular through the Internet," MHA said.

Mr Edwin Tong, deputy chairman of the government parliamentary committee for Home Affairs and Law, said the arrests were "a stark reminder that we are not insulated from what happens around the world".

"Youths today are very impressionistic, not yet mature enough to differentiate what are ideals and what is practical and reality. They are highly connected to the Internet, they are tech-savvy. This story brings home the fact that we cannot take it for granted," he added.

To protect the young from the danger of radicalisation, Mr Tong said the "best defence is our society and people around us".

"It's about being close to them, know what they are reading online, and observing any change of behaviour," he said.

Commenting on the arrests, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said they showed how Singapore youths are also vulnerable to radicalisation.

"Terrorism remains a serious global threat. But it is not just a problem that is 'over there' in some other countries. It is also a problem that is 'over here', in our region, and here in Singapore as well.

"We have seen examples of self-radicalised youths in other countries. The two self-radicalised young Singaporeans show that our youths are also vulnerable. Singapore too, faces real threats from radicalisation.

"Our community leaders have worked hard to counter radical ideology. We should all, from all communities in Singapore, support each other in this effort. The Government will also provide more support to community groups to do more. All of us have to work together to overcome this issue together," he said.

"All of us must play our part. If you know or suspect anyone who is becoming radicalised, please notify the authorities early. You would be helping to save that person from harming himself and others.

"Our security agencies will do their utmost to detect and prevent any terrorist attack. However, as we have seen in other countries, an attack can still happen even in countries that are already on high security alert.

"We must strengthen our community resilience so that if an incident were to occur here, we can recover and emerge even stronger and more united."

wongsy@sph.com.sg



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Beware of fake rice

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Free pre-peak MRT rides extended by another year to June 2016 - Singapore Transport News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Free pre-peak MRT rides extended by another year to June 2016 - Singapore Transport News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Free pre-peak MRT rides extended by another year to June 2016

SINGAPORE - The Land Transport Authority is extending free pre-peak travel on the rail network for another year, to June 30, 2016.

Commuters who end their journey before 7.45am on weekdays at 18 designated MRT stations in the city area will continue to enjoy free travel on the network.

Those who exit these stations between 7.45am and 8am will also continue to enjoy a discount of up to 50 cents off their train fare.

Since the introduction of the scheme - designed to take some load off the peak period - in June 2013, there has been a sustained reduction of 7 to 8 per cent in the number of train commuters during the morning peak period.

The ratio of morning peak (8am to 9am) to pre-peak (7am to 8am) travel  - based on commuters exiting from the designated stations - has fallen from 2.7 and stabilised at 2.1, resulting in a more evenly distributed morning rail ridership, the LTA said on Tuesday.

Said Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo: "The scheme is an important foundation which we can build on for our other travel demand management efforts, which includes our Travel Smart Programme, Travel Smart Rewards and the new Off-Peak Pass that we are introducing in July this year.

"We hope that more people, who are able and willing to shift their travelling times, will benefit."

christan@sph.com.sg



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Friday, May 22, 2015

Singaporean man dies after falling off cliff while taking selfie in Bali - South-east Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Singaporean man dies after falling off cliff while taking selfie in Bali - South-east Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Singaporean man dies after falling off cliff while taking selfie in Bali

BALI (THE JAKARTA POST/ASIA NEWS NETWORK) - A Singaporean man died after falling off a cliff and into the sea while attempting to take a selfie on Nusa Lembongan Island, off the south-east coast of Bali.

Mohamed Aslam Shahul, 21, died on Thursday afternoon after falling into the ocean from a 2m high cliff during a holiday with eight friends at the Sandi Bay Beach.

"He could not control his balance when he was hit by a wave. He slipped and fell into the ocean. He apparently couldn't swim," said Nusa Penida Police chief Adj. Comr. Gede Arianta.

He said Mr Aslam's body was found at a depth of 5m. Local residents brought him to Jungut Batu community health centre where doctors declared him dead.

"His body has been taken to Sanglah Hospital and is scheduled to be flown to Singapore today," he said.



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Man arrested for 'SEA Games' employment scam - Singapore Courts & Crime News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Man arrested for 'SEA Games' employment scam - Singapore Courts & Crime News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Man arrested for 'SEA Games' employment scam

SINGAPORE - A 38-year-old man has been arrested for his suspected involvement in a "SEA Games" employment scam that has duped more than 50 people.

The victims had responded to advertisements posted on Facebook by the suspect, purporting to offer jobs for the upcoming 28th South-east Asia (SEA) Games.

The regional sporting event will held in Singapore from June 5 to 16.

The suspect interviewed victims for the jobs at various locations in Singapore. Following the interview, the suspect collected $35 for training fees and uniforms from each victim.

He then asked each of them to attend a compulsory three-day training at a company in New Bridge Road.

Police received a report on May 18 that more than 50 individuals turned up at the company for training, only to discover that they had fallen prey to an employment scam.

Police officers arrested the suspect at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 on Thursday night. They also seized a notebook, mobile phones and an iPad.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect is also believed to be involved in two other theft cases committed in Marine Parade and Serangoon Central, police said.

The suspect will be charged on Saturday (May 23) for the offence of cheating, which carries a maximum jail term of 10 years, and a fine.

In their statement, the police reminded the public to be wary of such scams. If in doubt, members of the public "should seek verification with related authorities, recruitment agencies or main event organisers", police said.

chuimin@sph.com.sg



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Monday, May 18, 2015

Singapore Press Holdings sues TRS couple for copyright infringement - Singapore Courts & Crime News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Singapore Press Holdings sues TRS couple for copyright infringement - Singapore Courts & Crime News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Singapore Press Holdings sues TRS couple for copyright infringement

SINGAPORE - Court papers for a copyright infringement suit initiated by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) were served on the couple behind sociopolitical website The Real Singapore (TRS) outside the State Courts on Monday.

Yang Kaiheng, 26, and his fiancee Ai Takagi, 22, an Australian, were walking to the building in Havelock Square to attend a pre-trial conference when a process server from WongPartnership served the writ of summons on them.

SPH claims in the writ of summons that either Yang or Takagi or both have infringed its copyright in SPH content by reproducing and/or substantially reproducing SPH articles, and/or authorising their reproduction without the licence and authorisation of the company.

SPH is seeking, among other things, a declaration that the defendants have infringed copyright; an injunction to restrain them; damages; alternatively an account of profits they have made by copyright infringement and payment of all sums found due.

Both have been charged with seven counts of publishing seditious articles on TRS which allegedly promoted ill will and hostility between different races or classes in Singapore between October 2013 and February this year.

They also face another charge of failing to produce documents relating to the financial statements of TRS to a police officer on March 26.

Earlier this month, Yang was given permission to to visit his critically ill father in hospital in Brisbane, Australia. He was told to be back a day before the pre-trial conference on Monday.

Yang returned to Singapore a week ago. His father is also back in Singapore and warded in a hospital.

TRS was shut down by its editors on May 3 after the Media Development Authority (MDA) suspended their licence to operate the site and ordered them to take it offline.

Meanwhile, the couple's lawyer Choo Zheng Xi will be making representations to the Attorney-General's Chambers on the criminal matter.

Mr Choo said he has made the necessary communications with MDA about the suspension of TRS.

The next pre-trial conference is on July 1.



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Friday, May 15, 2015

Man waited for 3 hours to return $10,000 to construction worker - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Man waited for 3 hours to return $10,000 to construction worker - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Man waited for 3 hours to return $10,000 to construction worker

Construction worker Cui Hua Bi (left) and Mr Sean Lee. Mr Lee waited for close to three hours to return $10,000 to Mr Cui. -- PHOTO: WAN BAO FILE

SINGAPORE - What would you do if you found $10,000 in cash?

Singaporean Sean Lee waited for close to three hours for the owner to turn up, and returned the money to him in the incident that happened last week.

For construction worker Cui Hua Bi, the sum amounted to five months of savings that he wanted to send home to China.

Mr Lee, 42, told The New Paper that he was teaching his six-year-old son how to ride a bicycle at a playground near Block 295, Punggol Central, where he lived when he noticed Mr Cui lying on a bench while talking on the phone.

Later, he spotted a black pouch on the bench. In it were about $60 in cash, an ez-link card, a work permit and a thick yellow envelope.

Together with his wife and son, Mr Lee waited for about an hour, but Mr Cui did not return. The Lees then went upstairs as it was the boy's bedtime.

From his flat on the 12th storey, Mr Lee kept an eye on the playground. While waiting, he opened the yellow envelope and discovered nine $1,000 notes and about 30 notes of $50.

At around 10.45pm, he heard voices from the playground and went down to verify Mr Cui's identity using the work permit.

A relieved Mr Cui thanked Mr Lee profusely and even bought him fruit to show his appreciation, The New Paper said.

Mr Cui, 42, told Shin Min Daily News in an earlier report that he needed the money to support his mother, wife and son in Anhui.

He spent only $200 of his $2,300 monthly salary to save the money in the yellow envelope.

"When I got the wallet back from Mr Lee, I had so much to say but I didn't know how to express how grateful I was," Mr Cui told Shin Min.

Mr Lee's friend posted the incident on Facebook on May 8, and it made its way to Stomp and other newspapers soon after.

chuimin@sph.com.sg



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Students should treasure their SG50 Lego sets: Heng Swee Keat - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Students should treasure their SG50 Lego sets: Heng Swee Keat - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Students should treasure their SG50 Lego sets: Heng Swee Keat

Hebe Tan, (right), a primary two student at West Spring Primary School, raising her hand during a Lego-based activity in class as her classmate Marcus Ng fixes his set on May 13, 2015. -- ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

SINGAPORE - Education Minister Heng Swee Keat on Wednesday urged students here to value the 244-piece commemorative Lego set that has been given to them, as news surfaced that some are trying to sell them online.

"This is such a special and unique keepsake. I encourage all our students to keep this and to treasure this, because it will be something very special that they can look back when they grow older," said Mr Heng.

"It is a very unique SG50 gift to each and every child in Singapore."

All students from the primary to tertiary level, including special education schools and madrasahs, will receive the SG50 gift set from MOE. It is called Building My SG: Reflect, Celebrate, Inspire.

The ministry started distributing the sets last month, and all students will receive them before National Day.

More than 600,000 sets will be given out.

The public can also purchase the commemorative Lego set after National Day. The price has not been fixed.

The lego blocks can be used to build three Singaporean icons - the Cavenagh Bridge, Changi Control Tower, and the Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay.

It was reported last week that some students who have received the sets have turned to Facebook and buy-and-sell platform Carousell, to sell their sets.

Some online users have also called on those who have received the Lego set to trade it for cash, offering up to $80.



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Singapore tops biggest global education rankings published by OECD - Singapore Education News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Singapore tops biggest global education rankings published by OECD - Singapore Education News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Singapore tops biggest global education rankings published by OECD

SINGAPORE - Singapore has done it again, topping the biggest global school rankings published by the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development). Asian countries took the top five spots; African countries were at the bottom.

The analysis, based on test scores in maths and science in 76 countries, is a much wider map of education standards than the OECD's Pisa tests, which focus on more affluent industrialised countries. The latest Pisa test in 2012 polled 65 countries and regions.

OECD's education director Andreas Schleicher said: "This is the first time we have a truly global scale of the quality of education." The OECD economic think tank says the comparisons show the link between education and economic growth.

"The idea is to give more countries, rich and poor, access to comparing themselves against the world's education leaders, to discover their relative strengths and weaknesses, and to see what the long-term economic gains from improved quality in schooling could be for them," said Mr Schleicher.

Singapore is the top performer but it had high levels of illiteracy into the 1960s, he added, showing how much progress could be made.

The rankings are based on a combination of international tests taken in different regions, putting developed and developing countries on a single scale. The report, published by the OECD, argues that the standard of education is a "powerful predictor of the wealth that countries will produce in the long run". It also wrote: "Poor education policies and practices leave many countries in what amounts to a permanent state of economic recession."

This latest league table, ranking more than a third of the world's nations, also highlights the decline of Sweden - ranked 35th - with the OECD warning last week that it had serious problems in its education system. The United Kingdom came in 20th place, among higher achieving European countries, with the United States in 28th.

The findings will be formally presented at the World Education Forum in South Korea next week, where the United Nations is to convene a conference on targets for raising global education by 2030.

The country that was in last place was Ghana.



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30-year-old woman dies after bus runs over her outside Punggol Bus Interchange - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

30-year-old woman dies after bus runs over her outside Punggol Bus Interchange - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

30-year-old woman dies after bus runs over her outside Punggol Bus Interchange

A woman was hit by an SBS bus outside Punggol Bus Interchange on Friday morning. -- ST PHOTO: PRISCILLA GOY

SINGAPORE - A 30-year-old woman died after she was run over by an SBS bus outside Punggol Bus Interchange on Friday morning.

The single-deck bus was believed to be turning out from the interchange and onto Punggol Place when the accident occurred. 

A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) spokesman said it received a call at 6.47am and dispatched two fire engines, a support vehicle and an ambulance to 70, Punggol Place. 

"It was a rescue incident involving an SBS bus and a woman, who had to be pulled out from under the bus," said the spokesman.

She was conveyed unconscious to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital at 7.34am and was pronounced dead at 8.15am despite efforts to resuscitate her, the hospital said in a statement. 

The 30-year-old male bus driver was arrested and left the scene in a police car at around 10am. Bloodstains were seen on the road next to Block 288B along Punggol Place. 

SBS Transit said in a statement that it had suspended the driver pending the outcome of police investigations. 

"We are very sad that this has happened. We are in touch with her family to extend our deepest condolences and will render assistance and support as best we can during this difficult time," said Ms Tammy Tan, SBS Transit's Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications. 

mklee@sph.com.sg

goyshiyi@sph.com.sg



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Singaporean student accused of poisoning lab mates in US pleads not guilty - Singapore Courts & Crime News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Singaporean student accused of poisoning lab mates in US pleads not guilty - Singapore Courts & Crime News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Singaporean student accused of poisoning lab mates in US pleads not guilty

Former Stanford student Ouyang Xiangyu, 26, pleaded not guilty to four counts of poisoning her lab mates at the Palo Alto court on Friday.

This is the Singaporean A*Star scholarship holder's fifth court hearing since she was arrested on Nov 16 last year for poisoning the drinking water of two of her Stanford lab mates between September and November last year.

She is currently out on bail and will return to court on Aug 3, 2015, for a readiness hearing, according to a spokesman from the court.

The preliminary hearing, where items of evidence and the facts of the case will be presented, will occur on Sept 4, 2015.

Attempts to contact Ms Ouyang and her lawyer for comment were unsuccessful.



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Buddhist community has set tone of tolerance and acceptance of other faiths: PM Lee - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Buddhist community has set tone of tolerance and acceptance of other faiths: PM Lee - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Buddhist community has set tone of tolerance and acceptance of other faiths: PM Lee

SINGAPORE - As Singapore celebrates its 50th birthday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called on the people to reflect on the values of unity and inclusiveness that have brought the country this far and will keep it going.

These values are not dissimilar from Buddhist values such as kindness, tolerance, compassion, selflessness and moral integrity, he said at a concert organised by the Singapore Buddhist Federation to celebrate Vesak Day next month and SG50.

Mr Lee also said he was grateful that the Buddhist community, as the largest religious group in Singapore, has set the tone of "tolerance and acceptance of other faiths"

The community has done good work to help Singaporeans regardless of race, language or religion, he told the more than 6,000 concert-goers.

Citing the Singapore Buddhist Free Clinic, he noted its seven branches give free medical services to sick and needy people.

Also, the Metta Welfare Association, which runs nine welfare centres that provide care and education for the elderly, students and children across the island.

In education, the Buddhist community has also spared no effort, setting up Maha Bodhi School, Mee Toh School and Manjusri Secondary School, he said.

The combined choir of students from the three schools were among the 600 who took to the stage at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. They include South Korea's award-winning Didim Dance Company, giving its first performance here.

yanliang@sph.com.sg



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Saturday, May 9, 2015

Explosions as mock terror attacks rock Sports Hub as part of Exercise Northstar - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Explosions as mock terror attacks rock Sports Hub as part of Exercise Northstar - Singapore More Singapore Stories News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

Explosions as mock terror attacks rock Sports Hub as part of Exercise Northstar

Six hundred officers from seven key national agencies - such as the Singapore Civil Defence Force, Singapore Police Force and the Singapore Armed Forces - took part in the ninth Exercise Northstar on May 9, 2015. -- ST PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG 

SINGAPORE - In a simulated terror attack on Saturday, two vehicles exploded outside the Singapore Sports Hub just after noon followed by the release of a chemical agent inside the stadium as a sporting event took place.

Unexploded improvised explosive devices were also found in the stadium, people were evacuated, and those who ran to Kallang Wave Mall for safety found themselves facing four gunmen.

Responding to the mock attacks were 600 officers from seven key national agencies - such as the Singapore Civil Defence Force, Singapore Police Force and the Singapore Armed Forces - who evacuated spectators, put out fires and apprehended terrorists.

This was part of the ninth Exercise Northstar, first introduced in 1997, to test the readiness and coordination between national agencies in responding to major emergencies in Singapore. Volunteers were involved in the exercise for the first time, with 1,300 playing the roles of evacuees, with some helping with evacuation too.

Observing the exercise on Saturday was Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and other members of the Cabinet.

PM Lee stressed the need for vigilance in the light of world events, and the fact that Singapore will be hosting the SEA Games.

"We take it very seriously because terrorism is a very live problem for us in this region and in Singapore, we have to be very careful. We see the actions the Malaysian government is taking, we see what's happening in Indonesia, we watch Syria and Iraq, Isis, and we watch what's happening once in a while when a misguided soul who gets self-radicalised and who wants to go and participate in this fight in the Middle East.

"So we have to be very vigilant, we have to practise our response capabilities and it means the police, it means the civil defence it means the health services, the ambulances, it means all our agencies working together so that we can respond coherently.

"And we also have to do that with the support of the population because if you see something suspicious or something is wrong, you notice it's wrong and you sound the alert. If something goes wrong while you're there, you don't panic and you know what to do.

"So this scenario is a very live problem we're dealing with and particularly with the SEA Games coming here we want to be quite sure we're not running any chances. Major sports events sometimes attract attention and is a trophy target to attack. We must be quite prepared for the different things that could go wrong."

Minister for Defence Ng Eng Hen also emphasised the need for vigilance in a Facebook post on Thursday.



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