China's safety standards in spotlight after fatal escalator incident, East Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/chinas-safety-standards-in-spotlight-after-fatal-escalator-incident?xtor=EREC-16-1[ST_Newsletter_AM]-20150728-[China%27s+safety+standards+in+spotlight+after+fatal+escalator+incident]&xts=538291

China's safety standards in spotlight after fatal escalator incident

Security camera footage appears to show Ms Xiang Liujuan stepping off the mall escalator onto a metal panel, which gives way. Before she falls deeper into the pit, she raises her son up and he is grabbed by a mall employee. She is then dragged deeper into the machinery.PHOTOS: YOUTUBE

Safety standards in China are again in the spotlight following the death of a young mother just after she thrust her son to safety when part of an escalator collapsed under them.

The blame game has begun after local media reported that maintenance crew forgot to screw down a metal flooring panel at the top of the escalator after repairs.

Thirty-year-old housewife Xiang Liujuan had been shopping on Sunday morning at a mall in central Hubei's Jingzhou city. Security camera footage circulating online showed Ms Xiang and her son, aged below three years, on an upbound escalator as three women, believed to be mall employees, looked on.

As the mother and son were approaching the top, a metal panel in the flooring gave way, and the two fell halfway through the opening. Ms Xiang raised her son and an employee grabbed him. But she was sucked deeper into the machinery and disappeared after being held briefly by the hand by another employee.

It was over in nine seconds, but rescuers took more than four hours to cut through the escalator to recover her body, according to the Wuhan Evening News.

Many netizens have criticised the Anliang mall - which opened in 2012 and is one of the top-end complexes in Jingzhou - for not enforcing stricter work safety standards by suspending the escalator operations completely.

"Why didn't the staff stop customers at the entrance to the machine or just turn it off?" wrote a user on China's Weibo portal. "The department store is definitely responsible."

But netizens also questioned whether the victim should bear responsibility, citing reports that the mall's employees had sounded a warning not to use the escalator.

A relative wrote in a blog yesterday that the accident was "not an intricately plotted tragedy" and that the employees sounded the warning only after the mother and son were on the escalator.

Others focused on Ms Xiang's last act of love for her son. One netizen wrote: "I was appalled when I saw her sink, and at the same time felt the greatness of maternal love - the mother wasted no time pushing the child out when it happened."

Experts are puzzled as to why the escalator did not stop, as most are designed to do when the metal panel is opened or someone is inside. The shopping mall has yet to make any formal statement.

Local media reported that the Jingzhou escalator was manufactured by Suzhou firm Shenlong, which was set up in 1992. Its products are sold across China and exported to countries such as Malaysia.

The accident is the latest in a series of lift and escalator accidents.

In March this year, two people were killed when a lift at a hotel in coastal Qingdao city plunged from the sixth storey.

In May 2013, a woman in southern Shenzhen city was decapitated after being caught between the doors of a lift that malfunctioned and dragged her along for at least three storeys.

In July 2011, a 13-year-old was killed and 30 others injured after an escalator at a Beijing subway station suddenly changed direction during rush hour.

Chinese officials have warned that the rapidly increasing number of lifts and escalators would pose maintenance challenges.

"The dramatic increase in lifts in use, the ageing of equipment and the heavy load on lifts and escalators threaten their safe operation," Mr Chen Gang, deputy head of the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, was quoted as saying in 2013 following a spate of accidents.

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China escalator swallows toddler's mother: Report, East Asia News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-escalator-swallows-toddlers-mother-report?xtor=EREC-16-2%5BST_Newsletter_PM%5D-20150727-%5BChina+escalator+swallows+toddler%27s+mother%3A+Report%5D&xts=538291

China escalator swallows toddler's mother: Report

BEIJING (AFP) - A woman was killed after she plunged through flooring over an escalator in a Chinese department store, reports said Monday, thrusting her toddler to safety as she fell to her death.

Xiang Liujuan, 30, was holding her son in front of her as they went up the stairway on Saturday, the Wuhan Evening News said.

Security camera footage of the incident posted online showed a panel in the floor giving way as Xiang stepped off the escalator. As she fell half-way through she pushed her son forward, and a nearby shop assistant dragged him to safety.

But the escalator continued rolling, and several seconds later Xiang is seen disappearing downwards into the mechanism, despite one of the staff briefly grabbing her hand.

It took firefighters more than four hours to cut open the machine and recover the woman, who showed "no signs of life", the newspaper report said.

The footage shows employees standing at the top of the escalator as the mother and child approach.

Maintenance had just been carried out on the escalator at the Anliang department store in Jingzhou in the central province of Hubei, and workers forgot to screw the access cover back into place, the newspaper cited an unnamed source as saying.

The accident was one of the top topics on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo on Monday with more than 6.6 million views.

Most comments expressed fury at the shop management.

"Why didn't the staffers stop customers at the entrance to the machine or just turn it off?" wrote one. "The department store is definitely responsible."

Others were moved by the woman's final actions.

"I was appalled when I saw her sink and at the same time felt the greatness of maternal love - the mother wasted no time pushing the child out when it happened," said one.

China is prone to safety accidents as regulations and standards are often flouted and enforcement is lax, sometimes due to corruption.

In 2012, a nine-year-old boy was killed after he got stuck in an escalator at a Beijing department store as horrified shoppers looked on.

In July 2011, a 13-year-old boy was killed and more than 20 others injured when an escalator in a Beijing underground station suddenly reversed direction during the rush hour.

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Straight A student commits suicide over O-level results, mum takes her own life months later | The New Paper

http://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore-news/straight-student-commits-suicide-over-o-level-results-mum-takes-her-own-life

STRAIGHT A STUDENT COMMITS SUICIDE OVER O-LEVEL RESULTS, MUM TAKES HER OWN LIFE MONTHS LATER

TNP ILLUSTRATION:...

Straight-As student commits suicide over 2 Bs at O levels; mum kills herself 3 months later

By MAUREEN KOH

She is still coming to terms with the devastating death of her teenage granddaughter, who committed suicide over scoring two Bs in her O levels.

Then, three months after the 16-year-old plunged to her death, Madam Ng Siang Mui's grief-stricken and guilt-ridden daughter, who was the teen's mother, also killed herself.

The tragic double deaths has left her son-in-law, who is the teen's father, mentally unstable.

Fortunately, more children and teenagers have been seeking help for suicidal thoughts, said the Samaritans of Singapore (SOS).

In an interview with The New Paper, Madam Ng, 71, shared the devastation and anguish of the triple tragedy that began in January this year.

She was reluctant to speak at first, noting that the death had torn the family apart.

Madam Ng initially said: "Talking to you now is useless. My daughter is dead. My granddaughter is dead."

She changed her mind later because she hoped that sharing their story could help highlight early intervention and save more lives.

Madam Ng said that in January, just three hours after getting her results slip, her granddaughter jumped to her death.

Except for two Bs - in English and Mathematics - the student had scored distinctions for her other subjects.

The only child left a note for her parents: "Mum, I am sorry for being a disappointment. I should have done better.

"Dad, I am sorry you will not have the chance to walk me down the (church) aisle to give me away."

The child's parents used to fight over their daughter's education. The girl had been a straight-As student who attended a top school.

The mum wanted to push her to excel and her dad felt that the child should be left alone.

"My Xiao Mei (her granddaughter's nickname) was always affected whenever her parents fought over her studies," Madam Ng said in Khek.

At Madam Ng's request, we are not naming the parents or their child.

Madam Ng said: "My son-in-law felt very sorry for his daughter. He used to approach me to help him talk to my daughter, to ask her not to push Xiao Mei too hard. He felt that they should let Xiao Mei be, as she was a good girl.

"Whenever I tried to broach the issue with my daughter, she'd get angry and tell me not to interfere with the way she wanted to bring her child up.

"She often compared Xiao Mei's results with those of her friends' children and would ask, 'How come so and so can do this and you cannot?'"

Xiao Mei's mother wanted her to get into medical school.

A family friend, Mrs Lynn Wee, 45, a housewife, spoke of how she and three other close friends had tried to keep watch over Xiao Mei's mother after the funeral.

Mrs Wee said: "She maintained a stoic front and even admitted that she would have been disappointed with her child's academic performance."

But that facade slowly slipped in the weeks that followed, said Madam Ng, who has three grandsons from two other children.

Madam Ng said that a month after Xiao Mei's death, her father moved out.

"That broke my daughter's heart. I think it was then that she, too, gave up living.

"When Xiao Mei died, I didn't just lose one child. Her mother, my own daughter, killed herself three months later."

Madam Ng recalled the conversation she had with her daughter a day before she killed herself.

"She told me, 'Ma, I shouldn't have pressurised Xiao Mei in her studies. You didn't do that to us when we were young and we all turned out fine'."

The New Paper understands that Xiao Mei's father is seeking psychiatric help.

Added Madam Ng: "If only we had noticed or realised that Xiao Mei was suffering, we could have asked for professional help and this tragedy would have been prevented."

When Xiao Mei died, I didn't just lose one child. Her mother, my own daughter, killed herself three months later.

- Madam Ng Siang Mui

Early treatment helped teen improve

His parents divorced when he was in primary school.

The split devastated him so much that he fell into depression.

His world spiralled downwards - at home and in school, so much that he even harboured thoughts of suicide.

Psychiatrist Dr Thomas Lee, who recounted the case study, said his client was a 16-year-old student from a well-known secondary school.

Besides feeling depressed every day, the teen also suffered from insomnia, poor concentration, poor appetite and other symptoms of depression, said Dr Lee.

"He had very low self-esteem. He felt angry and negative about people and the world. Significantly, he harboured persistent suicidal thoughts."

He even immersed himself in a suicide forum.

Dr Lee said: "He did not have any intent to end his life. But he was at risk."

Luckily, his family stepped in and took him for professional assessment and treatment, which included medication and psychotherapy.

He has gone for treatment for two years now and is showing improvement.

"We taught him appropriate ways to handle stress and to manage his negative thinking," said Dr Lee.

The teen, too, has a safety plan.

A school counsellor attends to his case and the school has been understanding when he skipped lessons.

Dr Lee said: "This case highlights the importance of having early professional  intervention, and continuing support from the family and school." - Chai Hung Yin

DANGER SIGNS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP

Some signs of suicide risk:

• Increased withdrawal from family, friends and school
• Lack of interest in favourite activities
• Trouble focusing
• Suicidal threats
• Complaints about being a bad person or feeling like a burden
• Expressions of hopelessness
• An overwhelming sense of shame or guilt
• A dramatic change in personality or appearance
• Changes in eating or sleeping habits
• A severe drop in school performance
• A lack of interest in the future
• Giving away prized possessions

How you can help:

Parents can talk to their children in an open, calm and non-accusatory manner

Consultant psychiatrist, Dr Thomas Lee, said: "When children feel they have someone safe in the family they can talk to, they feel better, more understood and that gives parents an opening to explain the value of seeing a mental health professional."

Build resilience by teaching them positive coping skills and telling them it is okay to ask for help

Dr Ong Say How, chief of the Institute of Mental Health's child and adolescent psychiatry department, said: "A warm, nurturing and cohesive family is critical in that it allows the child to feel safe enough to explore the external world outside himself or herself."

Do things together as a family, keeping to traditions and having a shared faith and belief system

Dr Ong added: "Let the child face challenges, even if they might make mistakes, (this) would aid in their developing a sense of responsibility, mastery, and confidence, (which are) important prerequisites for resilience cultivation."

Take all suicide threats or attempts seriously

Senior youth support worker, Ms Lee Yi Ping, said: "Eighty per cent of completed suicides have prior warning signs, which include having talked about it to someone else.

"Parents and family can help by watching out for warning signs, treat the distress or suicide thoughts displayed by their young family members seriously, offer emotional support and encourage them to seek professional support."

HELPLINES

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New electoral boundaries announced: 13 SMCs, 16 GRCs, one in six voters will see shift, Politics News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/politics/new-electoral-boundaries-announced-13-smcs-16-grcs-one-in-six-voters-will-see-shift?xtor=EREC-16-2[ST_Newsletter_PM]-20150724-[New+electoral+boundaries+announced%3A+13+SMCs%2C+16+GRCs%2C+one+in+six+voters+will+see+shift]&xts=538291

New electoral boundaries announced: 13 SMCs, 16 GRCs, one in six voters will see shift

SINGAPORE - Changes have been made to the boundaries of electoral constituencies ahead of the next general election.

One in six voters, or 16.7 per cent of voters, will find themselves in a new constituency, according to the report of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee made public on Friday.

This figure is fewer than the 30 per cent of voters affected in the past boundary redelineation ahead of the 2011 General Election.

There are around 2.46 million eligible voters, up from 2.35 million in 2011.

The number of elected Members of Parliament will rise from the current 87 to 89.

There will also be 13 Single-Member Constituencies (SMCs) and 16 Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs), up from the current 12 SMCs and 15 GRCs.

Two SMCs have been absorbed into neighbouring GRCs: Joo Chiat will be part of Marine Parade GRC, while Whampoa will be part of Jalan Besar GRC.

Three new SMCs have been created from larger GRCs: Bukit Batok has been carved out of Jurong GRC, Fengshan out of East Coast GRC, and MacPherson out of Marine Parade GRC.

However, 10 of the existing 12 SMCs remain largely unchanged, with Sengkang West seeing several polling districts moved to neighbouring Ang Mo Kio GRC.

There will also be six four-MP GRCs, up from the current two.

They are Chua Chu Kang GRC, East Coast GRC, Holland-Bukit Timah GRC, and West Coast GRC, as well as new Jalan Besar GRC and Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC.

Jalan Besar GRC is largely made up of the existing Moulmein-Kallang GRC, as well as districts from existing Tanjong Pagar GRC and Whampoa SMC.

Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC is made up of polling districts from the existing Chua Chu Kang GRC and Sembawang GRC that have seen significant population growth in recent years.

There will also be eight five-MP GRCs, down from the current 11.

These eight GRCs are: Aljunied, Bishan-Toa Payoh, Jurong, Marine Parade, Nee Soon, Sembawang, Tampines and Tanjong Pagar GRCs.

Both Aljunied and Tampines GRCs remain unchanged.

Sembawang absorbs districts of neighbouring Nee Soon GRC, while Nee Soon GRC absorbs districts of neighbouring Ang Mo Kio GRC.

Bishan-Toa Payoh and Tanjong Pagar GRCs will incorporate neighbouring districts from Moulmein-Kallang GRC.

Meanwhile, the existing two six-MP GRCs remain: Ang Mo Kio and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRCs.

Ang Mo Kio GRC, which is helmed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, will absorb districts from Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC as well as Sengkang West SMC that have seen population growth from new housing developments in recent years.

The release of the report comes less than two weeks after Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in reply to questions in Parliament on July 13 that the committee had been formed two months ago.

While there is no fixed date for the election to be called after the report is made public, it has in previous elections taken as short as one day and as long as one month and 26 days.

Mr Lee also said he had entrusted the committee to have smaller GRCs, so as to reduce the average size of GRCs to below five, and to have at least 12 SMCs.

The release of the report is widely seen as a sign that the next general election, which must be held by January 2017, is round the corner, with People's Action Party activists as well as observers expecting it to take place as early as September.

With the committee's report out, the next stage in the lead-up to Polling Day is for Parliament to be dissolved and the writ of election issued. In 2001, this happened one day after the boundaries report was issued, and in 2011, one month and 26 days.

Nomination Day must take place no earlier than five days and no later than one month after the writ is issued. Nomination Day is the start of the campaign period, which is required by law to be a minimum of nine days.

There is then a Cooling-Off Day, which falls on the eve of Polling Day when voters cast their ballots.

PM Lee, when announcing the formation of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee in Parliament on July 13, had assured the House there would be time for everyone to digest the committee's report once it was published.

"To the maximum extent possible, we will make sure that there is enough time elapsed so that everybody can read the report, understand it and know where they stand before elections are called," he had said then. "But I don't think it is possible to say that we promise a certain minimum period, such as six months, because it depends very much on the exigencies of the situation and on when elections become necessary."

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Robots take up the slack in CGH's labour crunch, Health News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/robots-take-up-the-slack-in-cghs-labour-crunch?xtor=EREC-16-1[ST_Newsletter_AM]-20150724-[Robots+take+up+the+slack+in+CGH%27s+labour+crunch]&xts=538291

Robots take up the slack in CGH's labour crunch

With Singapore's rapidly ageing population, there will be more seniors needing care in future, but not enough carers to do the job.

This is why hospitals are turning to robots and other assistive technology to ease the burden on the manpower-strapped sector.

Instead of a nurse checking every 15 minutes for six hours to see if a patient who has had a catheter inserted is bleeding, a special blood-sensitive "bandage" can do the job, freeing the nurse for six hours of more fulfilling work.

A robot, not a therapist, can help recovering stroke patients exercise; another can keep early-stage dementia patients occupied and alert them to take their medicine, or to call for a helper when it senses that they are struggling to get up.

Call it Changi General Hospital's (CGH) answer to the labour crunch. This technology can become mainstream within the next few years.

Dr Chionh Chang Yin, who heads renal medicine at CGH, plans to trial the blood-sensitive bandages designed by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) later this year.

If it works as well as expected, it can be used for not only dialysis patients, but also heart patients who have had a stent put in, or had to do an angiogram to check the heart.

Bleeding from the puncture hole is rare, said Dr Chionh, but should it happen, a patient can bleed to death if not treated immediately.

The SUTD device can tell blood from other fluids, and will set off an alarm if it senses one millilitre of blood.

The idea for the Centre for Healthcare Assistive and Robotics Technology (Chart), started early last year and launched by President Tony Tan Keng Yam yesterday, was triggered by the visit of a team from Japan in 2012 wanting to know if there was a market for such products.

Dr Lee ChWien Earn, CGH's chief executive officer, said some technology might be great, but not what patients or hospitals want. So CGH decided to work with industry on what it needs instead.

"It's better to create solutions to meet needs," he said. "The user must be involved from the start."

The technology does not have to be new, he said. It can be something used in other industries that can be adapted to healthcare needs.

Examples that are now being tweaked to fit healthcare settings include automated guided vehicles used in warehouses. A unit can carry shelves holding food, linen or files, or move heavy items like beds. All it needs is a map of the hospital to find its way around.

The idea is to "take the manual out of healthcare", said Chart's director, Ms Selina Seah, adding that it is increasingly hard to find people to fill jobs like porters.

A team from the Nanyang Technological University took six months to convert an industrial robotic arm to pick and pack a range of objects, including fragile items.

Ms Seah said the robot arm can work non-stop and do the job without mistakes, unlike people who get tired and could become careless.

Dr Tan said Chart provides a platform for research institutes, companies and healthcare practitioners to collaborate in the development of new, impactful healthcare delivery solutions.

He revealed that Chart will be part of the National Robotics Programme. The Government will release details later this year of this multi-agency initiative to test-bed robotic technologies across various sectors, he said.

President Tan also officially opened the 280-bed Integrated Building shared by CGH and Saint Andrew's Community Hospital.

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Singapore consumer confidence dips again in July: ANZ-Roy Morgan index, Economy News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/singapore-consumer-confidence-dips-again-in-july-anz-roy-morgan-index?xtor=EREC-16-2%5BST_Newsletter_PM%5D-20150722-%5BSingapore+consumer+confidence+dips+again+in+July%3A+ANZ-Roy+Morgan+index%5D&xts=538291


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Singapore's growth forecast for 2015 under review but economy unlikely to weaken further in second half-year: MAS, Economy News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/singapores-growth-forecast-for-2015-under-review-but-economy-unlikely-to-weaken?xtor=EREC-16-2[ST_Newsletter_PM]-20150721-[Singapore%27s+growth+forecast+for+2015+under+review+but+economy+unlikely+to+weaken+further+in+second+half-year%3A+MAS]&xts=538291

Singapore's growth forecast for 2015 under review but economy unlikely to weaken further in second half-year: MAS

SINGAPORE - The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) are reviewing their growth forecast for the economy for 2015, but MAS said the growth momentum is not expected to deteriorate further in the second half-year.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference on MAS's annual report for financial year 2014/15, managing director Ravi Menon said the review will take into account the economy's weaker performance in the first half of the year as well as support factors in the second half.

Looking ahead, Mr Menon said MAS would continue to closely monitor three key risks in the external environment. They are Greece, whose situation remains highly uncertain; China, where the downside risk has increased; and, the Asean region, where financial conditions could tighten sharply when the US Federal Reserve raises interest rates.

But he said the global and regional economic recovery remains broadly intact, with the US economy regaining momentum after a weak first quarter.

Singapore's economy contracted by 4.6 per cent month-on-month in the second quarter, according to advance estimates released last week. For the first half of 2015, GDP growth came in at 2.3 per cent year-on-year, which is in the lower half of the government's 2 to 4 per cent full-year forecast.

"The global economy is expected to grow modestly in 2015, underpinned by a firmer expansion in the advanced economies," said MAS.

In the US, the Fed is moving closer towards the process of monetary policy normalisation, amid an improving economic outlook. The eurozone economy is seeing gradual improvement, while economic activity in Japan is recovering as the drag from the consumption-tax hike dissipates.

China's growth is likely to continue moderating and the rest of Asia should benefit from improvements in exports and lower oil prices, MAS said.

"Against this backdrop, the Singapore economy is expected to expand at a moderate pace of 2-4 per cent this year, in line with its medium term potential of 3 per cent on average," it said.

MAS also said there was no change to its inflation forecasts.

Both CPI-All Items inflation and MAS Core Inflation are expected to be lower in 2015 compared to last year due to lower oil prices. Core inflation excludes accommodation and private car transport.

Headline inflation and core inflation are projected to average -0.5 to 0.5 per cent, and 0.5 to 1.5 per cent respectively.

Mr Menon also said that he expects headline inflation to come in at the lower half of forecast range in 2015, but should pick up in 2016. He added that Singapore is "not facing deflation" as price declines have been neither persistent nor pervasive.

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HDB blocks across Singapore dressed up for SG50 celebrations, Singapore News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

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HDB blocks across Singapore dressed up for SG50 celebrations

SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong joined residents in his Teck Ghee ward on Saturday (July 18) to put the finishing touches to artwork which would later be used to adorn Housing Board blocks to celebrate Singapore's 50th birthday.

The facades of 14 HDB blocks in Ang Mo Kio GRC and Sengkang West are now covered by large canvases depicting well-known landmarks and icons such as the Merlion and Marina Bay Sands.

By the end of August, a total of 105 blocks across the island will be adorned with such canvases, which are being painted by 50,000 residents together with 100 artists.

The artwork will stay up until the end of the year. Here is a look at the blocks that have been dressed up for the occasion.

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Viral video of elderly woman abused outside HDB flat prompts MSF investigation, Singapore News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/viral-video-of-elderly-woman-abused-outside-hdb-flat-prompts-msf-investigation

Viral video of elderly woman abused outside HDB flat prompts MSF investigation

SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) is "looking into" an alleged case of domestic abuse after a video of the incident went viral on Monday (July 20) night.

The Facebook clip, uploaded by user ApohTecky Numero at 7.42pm, shows the frail-looking woman sweeping the corridor outside a HDB flat at Lower Delta Road under the watchful gaze of two other women.

Towards the end of the video, one of the women - apparently the elderly woman's daughter - is seen delivering a hard slap to the left side of her face.

As the elderly woman attempted to steady herself, she received another slap on the other side of her face.

The video has since garnered more than 320,000 views in less than six hours.

It also prompted a swift response from the MSF, which posted a statement at 10.11pm on its Facebook page.

"Some of you have shared a video showing an elderly woman being hit by a younger lady. We are looking into it. Please be assured that the elderly woman's safety is our priority," it said.

In an update posted close to midnight, ApohTecky Numero said the elderly woman was taken to hospital with a bandaged head. Police officers were also at the scene and took the daughter into custody, purportedly to assist in investigations. 

Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin mentioned the incident in a Facebook post early Tuesday morning. 

"Whatever the context and reasons, I can't see how this is justifiable. Hitting an old lady like this?! We will follow up and make sure that the elderly lady is protected," wrote Mr Tan. 

MP for Lower Delta, Dr Lily Neo, said she has requested her grassroots volunteers "to investigate the case immediately".

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Police attempt to end 12-hour hostage seige in Bunbury, Australia: Reports, Australia/NZ News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/australianz/hostage-situation-underway-in-bunbury-australia-reports?xtor=EREC-16-1%5BST_Newsletter_AM%5D-20150717-%5BPolice+attempt+to+end+12-hour+hostage+seige+in+Bunbury%2C+Australia%3A+Reports%5D&xts=538291


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Singapore-made cancer drug enters clinical trials , Health News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/singapore-made-cancer-drug-enters-clinical-trials?xtor=EREC-16-2[ST_Newsletter_PM]-20150716-[Singapore-made+cancer+drug+enters+clinical+trials+]&xts=538291

Singapore-made cancer drug enters clinical trials

SINGAPORE - A new cancer drug, which could offer hope to hundreds of patients each year suffering from a range of cancers - pancreatic, colon and stomach - is being developed by Singapore researchers ; and it has entered clinical trials here.

Developed by the Experimental Therapeutic Centre (ETC) and Drug Discovery and Development (D3) units at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star), and Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, the drug homes in on proteins that cause excessive cell growth when they go rogue, leading to cancers.

These cancers are linked to a group of cell signalling pathways known as Wnt signalling, that have been identified to promote cancer growth.

ETC-159, as the drug is now called, works to inhibit these pathways, suppressing cancer proliferation and preventing cancer progression.

It is being tested at the National Cancer Centre Singapore and the National University Hospital, and if successful, could emerge as the country's first cancer blockbuster. Trial sites in the United States will open as clinical trials progress.

The Phase 1 clinical trial will evaluate the safety and tolerability of ETC-159 in advanced solid tumours of up to 58 patients. The first patient was dosed on June 18.

It is the first publicly-funded drug candidate discovered and developed in Singapore to advance into first-in-human trials.

Overall, cancer is the leading cause of death in Singapore. In 2014, 13,416 people were diagnosed with it here.

Prof David Virshup, director of the Programme in Cancer and Stem Cell Biology at Duke-NUS and co-lead scientist of the research on the drug, said: "As the drug candidate provides a targeted cancer therapy, it could potentially minimise side effects and make cancer treatments more bearable for patients."

Dr Benjamin Seet, executive director of A*Star's Biomedical Research Council, said the breakthrough, which closely follows local company MerLion Pharmaceuticals' recent success in obtaining the Food and Drug Administration's approval for one of its drugs, marks an inflection point in Singapore's biomedical sciences initiative.

"Despite the protracted process of drug discovery and development, I am confident that we will see more locally developed drugs in the pipeline being tested and implemented," he said.

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Before you rush for a degree..., Education News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/before-you-rush-for-a-degree?xtor=EREC-16-1%5BST_Newsletter_AM%5D-20150713-%5BBefore+you+rush+for+a+degree...%5D&xts=538291

Before you rush for a degree...

Parents and students eyeing a berth in one of the six local universities cheered the news that a record number of applicants was admitted this year.

Some 15,000 polytechnic graduates and A-level school leavers won a place for the new academic year, 1,000 more than last year, raising the age group's rate of entry into university to 32 per cent.

The Ministry of Education said it was on track to reach its target cohort participation rate of 40 per cent by 2020.

No doubt, having a degree has always increased the prospects of better-paying jobs. The latest graduate employment survey released early this year showed median salary levels for the class of 2013 rose to $3,200 from $3,050 the year before.

The employment rate of degree holders also remained high, with close to nine in 10 finding jobs within six months of graduation.

Whether this will still be the case a few years from now remains to be seen.

Elsewhere, such as in South Korea and Taiwan, a glut of graduates followed the liberalisation of universities, resulting in increasing under- and unemployment of degree holders.

Social economists like Mr Phillip Brown from the United Kingdom argue that the conventional wisdom that a degree equals higher earnings does not hold true any more, when employers can scour the world to find the highest skills they can get for the least amount of money. This creates a sort of worldwide auction for high-skill, low-wage work.

As government officials have stressed, school leavers would do well not to blindly rush into a degree course before they figure out where their interests and talents lie. Some may even want to go out to work to hone their skills and understand the demands of the marketplace first.

Then, when they finally enter university, they would be better able to match their education with their career goals. When their talent can align with real-world needs, graduates would find that they have a better chance of success.

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Parliament: Electoral boundaries committee formed 2 months ago, Singapore News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/parliament-electoral-boundaries-committee-formed-2-months-ago?xtor=EREC-16-2[ST_Newsletter_PM]-20150713-[Parliament%3A+Electoral+boundaries+committee+formed+2+months+ago]&xts=538291

Parliament: Electoral boundaries committee formed 2 months ago

SINGAPORE - The committee that reviews electoral boundaries was formed two months ago, an indication that the general election could be round the corner.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced this in Parliament on Monday, in response to questions from MPs.

The formation of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee, which redraws constituency boundaries ahead of a general election, is the first formal step towards calling a GE.

In the run-up to the elections in 2006 and 2011, the committee had taken four months to do its work before submitting its report.

While there is no fixed date for the election to be called after the report is made public, it has in previous elections taken as short as one day and as long as one month and 26 days.

Mr Lee told the House that he had asked the Committee in its review to consider the population shifts and housing developments since the last boundary delineation exercise.

He also asked them to consider having smaller group representation constituencies, so as to reduce the average size of such constituencies to below five members, and have at least 12 single member constituencies. There are currently 15 group representation constituencies and 12 single-seat constituencies.

"As per past practice, the Committee is chaired by the Secretary to Prime Minister. It is now in the midst of its deliberations and will make its recommendations to me when it is ready," said Mr Lee.

He was responding to questions from People's Action Party MP Arthur Fong (West Coast GRC) and Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong of the Workers' Party on whether the committee had been formed.

Mr Lee added that he could not promise a minimum period between the publishing of the report and the calling of a general election, which Mr Yee had asked for.

The reason is that "it depends very much on the exigencies of the situation, and ... on when elections become necessary," said the Prime Minister.

The committee's work is to split or shrink group representation constituencies, and absorb or create more single-member constituencies, based largely on population shifts.

It is appointed by the Prime Minister and is usually made up of five civil servants.

Mr Yee had asked if the committee's members can be drawn from various political parties as well, as it was done before Singapore became independent.

Mr Lee said the committee has, for many years, comprised civil servants with experience and domain knowledge.

This allows them to make considered decisions on how to divide up the constituencies, taking into account population shifts and housing developments in Singapore, and prevents "complete upheaval" each time the boundaries are redrawn, he added.

"As for bringing political parties in, I'm not sure that's an entirely good idea," he said, adding that this is the practice in the United States.

In America, members of the House of Representatives decide on the demarcation of electoral boundaries, said Mr Lee, and "what happens is they carve it up among themselves".

"It's a political deal. I think that's not a good arrangement. I think it's best we leave this to the civil servants to work at," he added.

Furthermore, Mr Yee also asked if the committee would make public the minutes of its meetings.

To this, Mr Lee said: "As for the completeness of the report and of the minutes, I think I'll have to leave it to the committee. I don't believe that it is helpful to have every twist and turn in the minutes reported and published. I think the committee's report is the final word."

After the committee's report is published, the next stage in the lead-up to Polling Day is for Parliament to be dissolved and the writ of election issued.

The next step is Nomination Day, which must take place no earlier than five days and no later than one month after the writ is issued. Nomination Day is the start of the campaign period, which is required to be a minimum of nine days.

There is a Cooling-Off Day before voters cast their ballots on Polling Day.

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Beware of 'Singapass' website: IDA - Channel NewsAsia

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/mobile/singapore/beware-of-singapass/1977088.html


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New withdrawal limits for Singaporeans to pay for Integrated Shield Plan premiums using Medisave, Health News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/new-withdrawal-limits-for-singaporeans-to-pay-for-integrated-shield-plan-premiums?xtor=EREC-16-2[ST_Newsletter_PM]-20150709-[New+withdrawal+limits+for+Singaporeans+to+pay+for+Integrated+Shield+Plan+premiums+using+Medisave]&xts=538291

New withdrawal limits for Singaporeans to pay for Integrated Shield Plan premiums using Medisave

SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Health (MOH) has announced new Additional Withdrawal Limits to assist Singaporeans in paying for their Integrated Shield Plan (IP) premiums using Medisave.

MediShield Life, the new compulsory national medical insurance offered by the government, is due to replace MediShield at the end of 2015.

Those with existing IP premiums can still continue to pay for their MediShield Life component fully with Medisave.

The new limits are tailored to help Singaporeans use Medisave, up to a cap, pay for the additional premiums that come with the private insurance component of Medisave-approved IPs.

These IPs consist of two components - MediShield Life for Class B2/C ward stays and private insurance coverage for Class B1/A wards and private hospital stays.

Previously, Medisave withdrawal limits applied to the entire IP premium, but the launch of MediShield Life means that premiums will differ for policyholders in the same age band.

The new Additional Withdrawal Limits to pay for additional private insurance premiums using Medisave will be as follows:

- $300 for people whose age next birthday is 40 and below (no change from previous limit)

- $600 for people whose age next birthday is between 41 and 70 (an increase of up to $250)

- $900 for people whose age next birthday is 71 and above (a $400-$700 increase)

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3 S'poreans in Aussie holiday crash, 1 now comatose, AsiaOne Singapore News

http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/3-sporeans-aussie-holiday-crash-1-now-comatose

3 S'poreans in Aussie holiday crash, 1 now comatose

Update: Miss Heidi Ang has come out of her coma, The Straits Times reported on Friday.

A Singaporean woman was put into an induced coma after she was seriously injured in a road accident near the wine resort town of Margaret River, about 280km south of Perth in Western Australia.

Miss Heidi Ang, 25, was driving a rented Toyota Corolla hatchback when it was involved in an accident with a Nissan Patrol four-wheel-drive at the junction of Metricup Road and Carter Road in Wilyabrup last Friday afternoon.

Also in the car were her former schoolmates from Nanyang Junior College - Mr Lim Zi Jie, 26, who sat next to her in the front, and Miss Huang Huifang, 25, who was in the back seat. They escaped with minor injuries.

They went there on June 21 for a week's holiday - it was their first trip to Perth - and were due to return to Singapore on Sunday.

Only Mr Lim, a National University of Singapore student, and Miss Huang, a consultant, made the return flight as Miss Ang, who works in an engineering company, was still in intensive care at the Royal Perth Hospital.

The accident occurred while they were driving to a nut and cereal shop near Margaret River, which is known as a wine-growing region and a surfing location.

Miss Huang told The New Paper in a phone interview yesterday: "Everything happened too quickly. One moment, I heard Heidi screaming. The next moment, the Nissan crashed into us."

She said the impact of the crash shattered the windows of their car and dented its right side, trapping Miss Ang in the driver's seat.

Miss Huang and Mr Lim were able to get out of the car with minor cuts. Miss Huang also had a sprained shoulder.

"We were scared. Then we realised that Heidi was motionless in the car," she said.

Their friend was barely conscious and moaning in pain.

"Heidi had glass cuts on her face and I saw a trail of blood dripping from her long-sleeved jacket. I was so shocked," Miss Huang said.

An elderly couple who were passing by called for the police and ambulance before tending to Miss Ang by checking her pulse and warming her with a thermal jacket.

Miss Huang also tried talking to Miss Ang to keep her awake even though she could not respond. The police and an ambulance arrived in about 10 minutes.

Miss Ang was trapped in the wrecked vehicle and firefighters had to remove the doors and the roof of the car to rescue her.

A Western Australia Police spokesman told TNP in an e-mail reply that she was flown in a serious condition to Royal Perth Hospital by a rescue helicopter.

Investigations are ongoing and no charges have been filed at this time, the spokesman said. The driver of the Nissan was unhurt.

WORRIED

Miss Huang said that when she informed Miss Ang's father of the accident, he was calm but sounded worried over the phone.

Miss Ang's parents flew to Perth the next day.

Her older brother, Mr Wilmer Ang, told TNP that he found out about the accident when he got back from work on Friday night.

"I was shocked when I heard about it from my father," he said.

"Heidi was there for a holiday and she was so excited about it. She was always a careful driver and I didn't expect this to happen to her."

He said his sister had three broken ribs and brain damage and was put into an induced coma after she was admitted on Friday. 

She was taken off sedative medication on Sunday and has been drifting in and out of consciousness.

Mr Ang said she was making good progress and was able to answer questions by blinking her eyes or squeezing her hands.

Miss Huang regretted that their holiday had ended in tragic circumstances, but she was also relieved that all of them survived the crash.

She was also optimistic about Miss Ang recovery, saying: "I am sure she will be recover quickly. She is a strong girl."

Responding to queries from TNP, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hoped that Miss Ang "will have a full and quick recovery".

Its spokesman said the Singapore High Commission in Canberra was in close touch with her family and would continue to render the necessary consular assistance.

Other S'poreans in overseas accidents

OCTOBER 2014

Singapore Airlines pilot Benjamin Wu Yonghao, then 32, ran a stop sign at a cross-junction while driving a rented car in Christchurch, New Zealand.

The car hit a four-wheel-drive towing a horse trailer. His two colleagues, Mr Chew Weng Wai and Miss Vanessa Coehlo, were hospitalised.

The Christchurch District Court ordered Wu to pay his injured colleagues NZ$10,000 (S$10,000) each and banned him from driving in the country for 18 months after he pleaded guilty to two counts of reckless driving causing injury.

MARCH 2014

Mr Jonathan Lim, 24, was killed after the Mitsubishi Pajero sports utility vehicle he was in crashed into a wild elephant crossing the road in Thailand's Rayong province, about 220km from Bangkok.

Five people, including the three other occupants in the Pajero, also died in the three-vehicle accident.

MARCH 2014

Mr Chang Ho Tiong, 52, was driving his colleagues home when a Holden Commodore, driven by a drunk teenager, "lost control and speared into" his vehicle in Melbourne, Australia.

Chang and a Malaysian in the front passenger seat died at the scene. Three others in the back seat survived.

NOVEMBER 2013

Hotel reservations officer Faridah Siraj Nor, 46, flew to South India on Nov 13 to attend the engagement party of a former colleague. But tragedy struck when she fell off her motorbike, lost consciousness and died later in hospital.

This article was first published on July 2, 2015.
Get The New Paper for more stories.

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Singapore Botanic Gardens clinches prestigious Unesco World Heritage site status, Singapore News & Top Stories - The Straits Times

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-botanic-gardens-clinches-prestigious-unesco-world-heritage-site-status?xtor=EREC-16-1[ST_Newsletter_AM]-20150705-[Singapore+Botanic+Gardens+clinches+prestigious+Unesco+World+Heritage+site+status]&xts=538291

Singapore Botanic Gardens clinches prestigious Unesco World Heritage site status

BONN, GERMANY - The nation has its first Unesco World Heritage Site in the bag. The 156-year-old Singapore Botanic Gardens was awarded the coveted status at the 39th World Heritage Committee meeting in Bonn, Germany on Saturday.

The listing was announced at the International Conference Centre of Bonn by the chair of the session Ruchira Kamboj, a delegate of India to Unesco.

All 21 members of the World Heritage Committee elected to speak on the Gardens nomination. They lauded its various qualities, and gave it a resounding "yes".

The Gardens is valued for having two outstanding universal qualities - its role in the rubber trade which transformed the region in the 1900s and its unique tropical colonial gardens landscape.

Croatia called the Gardens a "perfect example" of how a nomination should be presented, and said it has outstanding universal values and exceptional beauty.

Turkey said Singapore would inspire all other interested parties and stakeholders with similar properties that they could be considering for nomination.

Addressing the delegates at the meeting, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong said the Gardens has "always been well loved and cherished by all Singaporeans".

"We are very proud to have it recognised as a site worthy of exceptional value for humanity," he added. "This inscription is especially meaningful for us, as we celebrate our 50th year as an independent nation. So it is a wonderful golden jubilee present for the whole nation.

"It is also an accolade that will resonate deeply with Singaporeans as we come together this year to reflect on our heritage, our identity and our place in the world."

In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the prestigious accolade is "a great Jubilee year gift to Singaporeans".

PM Lee added that the Gardens played an important part in making Singapore a Garden City. "We all have happy memories visiting the Gardens, soaking in the greenery and tranquillity, and enjoying the company of family and friends," he wrote.

He congratulated the National Heritage Board, National Parks Board and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, noting that they have worked very hard for the successful inscription.

The long-anticipated announcement comes after a five-year journey to assemble a pitch for the Gardens to join a prestigious international league of more than 1,000 global treasures such as Cambodia's Angkor Wat and Indonesia's Borobudur temple compounds.

In 2010, the Government conducted a feasibility study involving the public on possible sites that could be put up for the bid. Among the suggestions were Tiong Bahru estate, Chek Jawa, Little India and the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

These suggestions were carefully evaluated before the Botanic Gardens was deemed the best candidate to meet Unesco's criteria.

The next step was to have Singapore sign the 1972 Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, which enabled the Republic to become a state party with Unesco and nominate the Gardens.

Subsequently, a 700-page dossier that outlined the gardens' outstanding universal values for its role in the region's rubber trade and for its tropical colonial garden landscape was put together.

Groups such as the Nature Society Singapore, the Singapore Heritage Society and the Rubber Trade Association of Singapore were consulted in putting together the dossier, which was submitted to Unesco last January.

Singapore Botanic Gardens clinches prestigious Unesco World Heritage site status

This May, a Unesco-appointed panel called the International Council on Monuments and Sites (Icomos) recommended the gardens for the coveted status.

It said the gardens played a pivotal role in the rubber trade in the region, and added that compared to other such gardens in places such as Hong Kong, Penang and India, Singapore has kept its original features intact and is relatively well-resourced as well.

The gardens now joins two others - the 1759 Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England, and the 1545 Orto botanico di Padova in Padua, Italy, on the Unesco list.

Tourism experts such as the Association of Singapore Attractions' chairman Kevin Cheong said a Unesco World Heritage Site title could change the perspective tourists have of Singapore as a built-up city with modern marvels to one with something universally historical in its midst.

Law professor Kevin Tan, the president of Icomos Singapore, said it is a time for celebration.

He said: "It is rare for such a small country like Singapore to have an inscribed World Heritage Site. What we should celebrate is the diversity and heritage that has made Singapore and a place like the Botanic Gardens possible.

"We should certainly honour those who created the gardens and tended them, those who used them and forged its heritage."

melodyz@sph.com.sg

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