SINGAPORE: Two Chinese nationals were arrested on Monday (Apr 2) for immigration offences, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Friday.
In a news release, the ICA said it conducted an enforcement operation in a public housing unit at Toa Payoh Lorong 2 on Monday. A 40-year-old male Chinese national was arrested for overstaying in Singapore after the cancellation of his work permit.
A 35-year-old male Chinese national was also arrested for providing the overstayer with accommodation. He is currently under investigation for suspected harbouring offences.
The ICA said the 35-year-old man had sublet a 3-bedroom unit to 15 occupants, including the overstayer. The other tenants are a Singaporean and 13 valid pass holders.
ICA officers also discovered two illegally partitioned bedrooms in the living room of the unit. Investigations are ongoing.
Illegally partitioned bedrooms in the living room of the unit. (Photo: ICA)
Illegally partitioned bedrooms in the living room of the unit. (Photo: ICA)
The ICA said it takes a serious view of attempts to overstay, enter or depart Singapore illegally. Those found guilty of these offences face a maximum of six months in jail and caning.
“Home owners are advised to exercise due diligence in checking the status of their prospective foreign tenants to ensure that their status in Singapore is legal,” ICA added.
They should do so by checking the person’s original immigration or work pass, cross checking the details on the work pass against the original passport and verifying the validity of the work pass with the issuing authority.
Home owners found guilty of knowingly harbouring overstayers or illegal immigrants may be sentenced to a jail term of between six months and two years, as well as a maximum fine of S$6,000.
This comes after Grab confirmed its acquisition of Uber in Southeast Asia on Mar 26. The Uber app will continue to operate until Apr 8. Uber users have been advised to download the Grab app and register for an account to use the service.
Some took to social media to express their frustration about the outage.
Grab app down again… Aiyo how many times u want to down after take over Uber la?
SINGAPORE: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will hold public hearings in June for two cases brought by Malaysia against Singapore on the sovereignty of Pedra Branca, the UN’s principal judicial body said on Thursday (Apr 5).
The first case is Malaysia’s application for revision of the ICJ’s 2008 judgment, which gave Singapore sovereignty over Pedra Branca, filed on Feb 2 last year. The ICJ will hold four days of public hearings for this case, starting from Jun 11.
The second case is Malaysia’s request for interpretation of the ICJ’s judgment, filed on Jun 30 last year. The ICJ will also hold four days of public hearings for this case, from Jun 18 to 19 and Jun 21 to 22.
Both of the hearings will be held at the Peace Palace at The Hague, Netherlands.
Pedra Branca – referred to by Malaysia as Batu Puteh – was first claimed as a territory of the Johor Sultanate in 1979. Singapore protested and the matter was brought to the ICJ.
On May 23, 2008, the ICJ ruled that Singapore had sovereignty over Pedra Branca, while Middle Rocks was awarded to Malaysia and South Ledge belonged to the state in whose territorial waters it is located.
In February 2017, Malaysia’s Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali filed an application for a revision of the ICJ’s judgment.
Malaysia applied to revise the judgment, claiming “a new fact” unearthed from three documents discovered in the National Archives of the United Kingdom between Aug 4, 2016, and Jan 30, 2017.
In a separate case, on Jun 30, 2017, Malaysia filed an application to the ICJ requesting interpretation of the 2008 judgment.
Its new application claims South Ledge, along with the waters surrounding Pedra Branca, as located within its territorial waters.
SINGAPORE “CONFIDENT” OF CASE: VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN
Prior to the public hearings, Malaysia and Singapore exchanged written submissions consequent to the filing of Malaysia’s application for revision, and the filing of Malaysia’s request for interpretation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement on Friday.
Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has said that Singapore’s legal team “strongly believes” that the three documents relied on by Malaysia in their application to overturn the ICJ ruling do not satisfy the criteria laid out for a revision of a judgment.
“We are confident of our legal team and our case,” he told Parliament on Mar 2 last year.
The Singapore legal team includes Attorney-General Lucien Wong, Professor S Jayakumar, Professor Tommy Koh and former Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong.
As for Malaysia’s application requesting interpretation of the judgment, Singapore has called the move “unnecessary and without merit”.
“Malaysia’s request for the ICJ to interpret the judgment is puzzling. Singapore will therefore oppose Malaysia’s application for interpretation, which we consider to be both unnecessary and without merit,” MFA said in July last year.
SINGAPORE: The Singapore Heritage Festival (SHF) is back – and it looks like you won’t have to travel very far from where you live to get in on the action.
For the first time, you Westies out there can even stay put.
The 15th edition of the annual event runs over three weekends, from Apr 6 to 22. There are over 120 programmes spread across five, yes, five key locations: Bras Basah and Bugis, Chinatown, Toa Payoh, Jalan Besar and, drumroll please… Jurong.
The latter two in particular are exciting new places for the festival, highlighting the country’s working class heritage.
“Jurong – Jurong Town Hall, in particular – is iconic of Singapore’s industrial heritage, and we hope to highlight its significance in Singapore’s post-independence history,” said festival director Angelita Teo.
“For Jalan Besar, it is an area steeped in history of trades and small businesses, and in recent years has become home to an exciting array of creative entrepreneurs – we want to showcase its distinct old-meets-new charm alongside the festival’s offerings.”
With so many events taking place, where does one start? The obvious answer would be: In your own backyard.
Here are our top picks on what to check out at SHF, without even leaving your neighbourhood.
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JURONG: GO TO A DRIVE-IN CINEMA
The old Jurong Drive-In Cinema at Yuan Ching Road. (Photo: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, National Archives of Singapore)
Back in the day, from 1971 to 1985, Singaporeans could hop in their cars and head down to Yuan Ching Road to catch English-language and Hong Kong action flicks at the country’s open-air drive-in cinema.
Located next to the Japanese Gardens, it could cram in 900 cars (and some 300 people in its walk-in gallery).
Today, you could be binge-watching Korean dramas on your phone while you ride the MRT train – but wouldn’t it be nice to recreate this retro experience?
It won’t be at its original spot but close enough at the uber cool Jurong Town Hall (JTH), where you’ll be treated to films like Army Daze, Chicken Rice War and the local classic, They Call Her Cleopatra Wong.
Alternatives: Other SHF options for Jurong folks include: Performances at JTH and various tours including ones to the Heritage Conservation Centre, Sembcorp on Jurong Island.
Apr 6 to 8, 7pm to 11pm, Jurong Town Hall, 9 Jurong Town Hall Road. (Friday public screening starts at 9.40pm). Free admission on a first-come-first-served basis. Limited seats for those not driving.
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JALAN BESAR: RELIVE THE NEW WORLD PARK EXPERIENCE
New World Amusement Park entrance at Kitchener Road. (Photo: RAF Seletar Association Collection, National Archives of Singapore)
Like Jurong’s drive-in cinema, Singapore’s “Worlds” amusement parks are long gone – Gay/Happy World is an open field along Geylang, while Great World is now a mall. Still, you can relive New World Park at a street party along Tyrwhitt Road.
It will have big shoes to fill, considering the original New World Park had cabarets, opera halls, restaurants, boxing arenas and open-air cinemas – and was synonymous with the likes of striptease legend Rose Chan and singer Sakura Teng. But you’ll still get your dose of entertainment, ranging from performances by retro-electronic duo NADA, indie music artists and films like It’s A Great Great World and Wayang Boy.
There will also be a market featuring wares from local designers and makers.
Alternative: There’s a walking tour that will introduce you to the area, from hipster Chye Seng Huat Hardware’s coffee gurus to the old Sri Perumal Temple.
Apr 13 and 14, 5pm to 10.30pm, 117 to 155A Tyrwhitt Road. Free admission.
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CHINATOWN: GET A TASTE OF UNUSUAL DISHES
Two different tours by food blogger Tony Johor Kaki introduces you to the tasty heritage of hawker food at Chinatown Complex. (Photo: Singapore Heritage Festival)
We all know Chinatown’s got loads of yummy food, but local food blogger Tony Boey (Johor Kaki) will be introducing foodies to some of the area’s hidden gems in two events.
Food Crawl takes you around Chinatown Complex Food Centre, where he introduces you to some of the stalls that have been around for half a century (food isn’t included but you can always take notes and come back).
Then there’s Food Stories, which offers more insights on particular dishes and their creators, such as Sak Kei Ma biscuits or Chinese-style satay marinated in Indian spices.
Alternatives: If, for some strange reason, you’re not into food, there are loads of other events in the area, including Teochew opera performances, storytelling sessions ala Lee Dai Sor, and even a tea-brewing challenge by local tea stalwarts Pek Sin Choon.
Chinatown Food Crawl is on Apr 14, 11am to 12.30pm, Kreta Ayer Square, 21 Banda Street. S$5 per person, registration required. Chinatown Food Stories is on Apr 15, 5pm to 6pm, Kreta Ayer Community Centre, 28 Kreta Ayer Road. Free admission, registration required.
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BRAS BASAH & BUGIS: EXPLORE WATERLOO STREET’S HISTORY
A Chinese devotee praying at Sri Krishnan Temple at Waterloo Street. One of the Singapore Heritage Festival events at the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct is a theatrical production that looks at the history of Waterloo Street. (Photo: TODAY/Wee Teck Hian)
There are a handful of events around the area but we suggest exploring Waterloo Street by way of theatre – a unique production called Four Horse Road.
Conceptualised by The Theatre Practice artistic director Kuo Jian Hong and playwright Jonathan Lim, the title is taken from the literal translation of the street’s traditional Chinese name. The immersive show comprises 10 stories based on real events that took place in the area, from the 1980s to the present.
Among these are the story of the Indian convicts that used to be housed at a prison where Singapore Management University now stands, the Sepoy Mutiny of 1915, the story of how Sculpture Square used to be a Chinese restaurant opened by the Japanese during World War II, and a lesser-known incident that involved a bus that was hijacked from Toa Payoh Interchange, which crashed into one of the walls where SMU stands.
The show will take place in and around five shophouses, spilling into the street and alleyways, and the stories point to the “layers of history” in the neighbourhood, said Lim, pointing out “the sheer numbers of races and cultures that have clashed and harmonised within this space.”
Alternatives: There’s a walking tour around the precinct, a “theatrical” tour at the Singapore Art Museum, which is undergoing renovation, and a street party at Armenian Street.
Until Apr 28, 7.30pm The Theatre Practice, 54 Waterloo Street. Tickets at S$68 from Sistic.
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TOA PAYOH: HANG OUT AT THE DRAGON PLAYGROUND
Toa Payoh’s famous landmark, the dragon playground, will be at the centre of a series of events held on Apr 21 and 22. (Photo: Singapore Heritage Festival)
The National Museum of Singapore will have an exhibition dedicated to the history of Singapore’s playgrounds. But why not head directly down to the grand dame of all mosaic playgrounds? Toa Payoh’s famous Dragon Playground.
A whole slew of events will be held around that 1970s landmark, from a showcase of vintage cars to an LED dragon dance performance, to movie screenings. If you’re hungry, food stalls by second- and third-generation hawkers will also be up.
Alternatives: Go on a walking tour to check out the architecture around this historic estate. Or if you’re too lazy, there’s always a bus tour.
Apr 21 and 22, 5pm to 10pm, Dragon Playground, Lorong 6 Toa Payoh. Free admission.
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EVENTS AT OTHER NEIGHBOURHOODS
BALESTIER: There will be a series of free events held at Sun Yat Sen Nayang Memorial Hall on Apr 14 and 15, 10am to 5pm. And if you want to go exploring on your own, don’t forget to pick a copy of the heritage trail booklet.
FARRER PARK: With recent news of Farrer Park slated to make way for redevelopment, here’s an opportune time to check out an area that featured the country’s first race course and lots of religious buildings. The Pray And Play tour will be held on Apr 14, 9am to 10.30am, starting at Farrer Park MRT Station Exit B. Tickets at S$5, registration required.
Art Deco-inspired walk up flats in Tiong Bahru, the first few flats to be constructed in Singapore.
TIONG BAHRU: If you’ve yet to explore the back alleys of this heritage-rich hipster neighbourhood, well, better late than never! Student guides from River Valley High School will take you on a tour lavishly titled Appreciation Of The Priceless. It will be held on Apr 14, 10am and 3pm, and you’ll get to see the different murals by local artist Yip Yew Chong as well as learn more about the place’s architectural designs. Mentally prepare yourself for some mini-games, too. Admission is free, but registration is required.
JOO CHIAT: Heads up, Easties: Walking tours based on the book A Penniless Boy, Chew Joo Chiat will be held on April 14 and 21, 2pm to 5pm. And it is one compact experience: You’ll learn about the philanthropist behind the road (and visit his house), explore Joo Chiat Complex, visit different terrace houses and religious institutions, and discover the famous kuehs in the area. Tour is priced at S$45, which includes a copy of the book and light snacks. Registration is required.
For more details on the Singapore Heritage Festival, including events and how to register, visit its website here.
SINGAPORE: A 41-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly making a false bomb threat on a Scoot flight that was en route to the Thai city of Hat Yai on Thursday (Apr 5).
Police said preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect had told a cabin crew that he had a bomb in his hand-carry baggage.
Flight TR634 was escorted safely back to Changi Airport by Singapore’s air force. Two fighter jets were deployed “within minutes” after the pilot raised a bomb threat alert, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.
“The F-15SG pilots closely escorted the Scoot plane from the South China Sea to land safely back at Changi Airport,” he added.
The passenger plane took off at 1.20pm and landed back at Changi Airport at about 3.25pm, said Scoot. It added that all 173 passengers and six crew members were safe.
In its first statement on the matter at about 4pm, the Singapore Police Force said the alleged bomb threat was made by a passenger. Police later said that the passenger and two of his travel companions were assisting authorities with their investigations.
“The police have checked the plane and the baggages of the passenger that made the bomb threat and his two travelling companions and found no threat,” they said in an update.
Scoot said the affected flight was retimed to depart at 6.30pm.
The man was arrested under United Nations anti-terrorism regulations, said the police. If found guilty, he may be fined up to S$500,000 or jailed for up to 10 years, or both.
Path taken by TR634 on Thursday (Apr 5). (Image: flightaware.com)
SINGAPORE: A 60-year-old woman fell prey to an impersonation scam involving the use of a fake Singapore Police Force (SPF) website, and reported losing S$300,000 to the scheme, the police said on Thursday (Apr 5).
In a news release, the police said they received a report from the woman on Tuesday that the money had been transferred from her bank accounts without her knowledge.
She had earlier received a call from an unknown man who claimed to be a police officer, the police said.
The man alleged that the victim was involved in a money laundering case and asked for her personal details. She subsequently received a call from another unknown man who directed her to a webpage resembling the SPF website and he requested for her bank account details and One-Time Password.
The victim subsequently later found out that multiple transactions were made from her bank account without her consent. She also deleted the bank notifications after she was told to do so, the police said.
Police investigations are ongoing.
SPF said in the news release that the website is a phishing site in disguise, designed to extract useful personal information and privileged banking details of unsuspecting victims. This results in “extensive monetary losses” in most reported cases, they added.
The phishing website is designed to extract useful personal information and privileged banking details of unsuspecting victims. (Photo: SPF)
The police highlighted in the news release that the official SPF website is www.police.gov.sg, and advised members of the public who receive unsolicited calls from unknown parties to ignore the calls and any instructions to remit or transfer money, and refrain from giving out personal information and bank details whether on the website or over the phone.
“No government agency will inform you to make a payment through a telephone call, especially to a third party’s bank account,” the police stated.
Members of the public with information related to such crimes can call the police hotline at 1 800 255 0000, or submit the information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.
They can also seek help by calling the anti-scam helpline at 1800 722 6688 or go to www.scamalert.sg.
There have been similar instances of scammers using fake SPF websites to cheat their victims of money. In December last year, for example, a 45-year-old woman lost S$31,500 and a 20-year-old man lost S$5,600 to scammers using similar tactics.
SINGAPORE: Budget carrier Scoot said on Thursday (Apr 5) that one of its flights bound for Thailand has returned safely to Singapore after an alleged bomb threat.
The airline said flight TR634 bound for Hat Yai was escorted back by Singapore’s air force and that it was “working closely with the authorities for necessary follow-up to ensure the safety of our guests”.
Path taken by TR634 on Thursday (Apr 5). (Image: flightaware.com)
In a Facebook post on Thursday afternoon, Singapore’s Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said two fighter jets were deployed “within minutes” when the pilot raised a bomb threat alert while the flight was en route.
“The F-15SG pilots closely escorted the Scoot plane from the South China Sea to land safely back at Changi Airport,” he added.
The Singapore Police Force confirmed in a statement on Facebook that it received a report about a passenger who allegedly made a bomb threat.
The plane, which turned back, has safely landed in Changi Airport. Police officers are currently conducting checks, the police said, adding that there will be more updates provided.
Police later said that the passenger who allegedly made the threat along with his two other travel companions were assisting with investigations.
“All passengers and crew from flight TR634 have disembarked safely,” police added.
SINGAPORE: If each person in Singapore uses 1.6 plastic bags a day, the country would guzzle enough petroleum in a year to drive 8,555 cars round the world.
That is not a hypothetical situation.
It takes 37 million kg of crude oil and 12 million kg of natural gas to produce three billion plastic bags – the amount the Republic was already consuming in a year by 2011.
And the 1.6 bags that comes to per person per day is twice as many as the average Malaysian uses and thrice the figure in Australia.
“A lot of Singaporeans see plastic bag usage as a right, not a privilege,” said Ms Jessica Cheam, the founder of online publication Eco-Business. “The problem is that people take far more bags than they need.”
This issue of wastage came up in Parliament last month when the Government said that imposing a charge or ban on disposable plastic bags and substituting them with other types of disposable bags is unlikely to improve environmental outcomes.
But as Talking Point discovered, people are still shocked when they hear how many plastic bags are being disposed of: About 420 tonnes every day last year, or 2,640 bags every three seconds. (Watch the episode on Channel 5 tonight, April 5, at 9.30pm.)
NOT RECYCLED
Worldwide, a plastic bag is used, on average, for 12 minutes before being discarded. And this is damaging the environment.
“Many of them just go into the incinerators, and worse, they end up in oceans,” said Ms Cheam.
If we don’t do anything about it, then there are going to be more plastics than fish in the ocean by 2050.
While plastic bags have many uses, from carrying groceries to bagging up refuse, they add to the mountain of rubbish Singapore produces.
Last year, 94 per cent of plastic waste was not recycled, and plastic bags are estimated to constitute around a fifth of this.
But even most of the bags sent for recycling are typically discarded. For example, shredding and recycling company Impetus Conceptus ends up recycling about 30 to 40 per cent of the bags it receives because the rest would be contaminated.
“Food contamination, oil contamination, stuff like that,” said its business development director Thomas Wong.
Once it’s contaminated, we’re not able to do anything else because it deteriorates the quality of the pellets.
He advises those who want to recycle plastic bags to fold them in old clothing, books or glass containers, which can all be put in the blue recycling bin at every public apartment block and, from August, every condominium block.
Most of all, he urged: “Don’t ask for a plastic bag. Bring your own bag.”
WATCH: Why the waste adds up (2:31)
WASTE IN THE MAKING
To begin with, the production of plastic bags not only requires a huge amount of resources, but also entails wastage in the process.
Over at Union Packaging Industries, which supplies 30 tonnes of bags monthly to retailers in Singapore, about 20 per cent of the plastic resins are wasted because of the adjustments needed in the different stages of manufacturing.
“There’s a lot of manpower and hard work involved (at each stage),” said its director Lam Chun Seng.
With supermarkets holding off on imposing a plastic bag levy, and the government not planning to make them do so, the ball is in the consumer’s court.
In 2013, the Singapore Environment Council found that some 26 per cent of households have more than 20 bags lying around at home. And non-profit organisation Zero Waste SG wants to reduce this kind of “excessive” usage.
While its call for a mandatory charge for plastic bag use has been rebuffed, Zero Waste SG manager Pek Hai Lin hopes that will change in future, even as she stressed that her group is not pushing for a ban.
“The government is dealing with other environmental issues as well: It’s increasing the water price; it’s implementing the carbon tax,” she said.
“So it’s looking at different aspects of responsibility to the environment. And I hope it’ll look at this sooner rather than later.”
Talking Point challenges 2 Singaporeans to go plastic bag-free for a week. Watch the episode on Mediacorp Channel 5 on April 5, Thursday, at 9.30pm.
File photo of plastic bags. (Photo: AFP/FRED DUFOUR)
SINGAPORE: A 34-year-old man who got into a fight with a prata stall employee at Holland Drive Food Centre on Thursday (Apr 5) was arrested for causing a public nuisance.
Police said that they were alerted to a case of voluntarily causing hurt at 44 Holland Drive at about 7am. The man was taken to hospital after being arrested.
The man was said to be buying prata at the stall when a dispute over payment arose between the man and the stall employee. The dispute later escalated into a fight.
(Photo: Channel NewsAsia reader)
The man was dressed in an orange T-shirt, black jeans and sneakers. His T-shirt appeared to have been torn.
Investigations are currently ongoing, police said.
