SINGAPORE – A man who runs a pro-People’s Action Party Facebook page and three others behind a socio-political website have received stern warnings from the police for online posts they made during last year’s Bukit Batok by-election.

Mr Chua Chin Seng, who runs the Fabrications About The PAP Facebook page, and Mr Kumaran Pillai, Mr Ravi Philemon, and Mr Alfred Dodwell, who are involved in The Independent Singapore website, had published online articles during Cooling-Off Day and Polling Day of the by-election held in 2016.

By doing so, they had breached the prohibition of election advertising on those days and commited an offence under the Parlaimentary Elections Act, a police statement said on Thursday.

“Upon careful consideration of all the circumstances of the cases, including the nature of the publications, the Attorney-General’s Chambers decided to administer stern warnings to all parties,” the police said.

“Should any of the parties commit similar offences in subsequent elections, the stern warning that was administered can be taken into consideration in the decision to prosecute.”

The police had begun investigations into both outfits last year after receiving police reports last year following the May by-election.

An officer from the Elections Department (ELD) had filed a police report against The Independent Singapore for publishing articles on Cooling-Off Day and Polling Day. The website had continued to post articles in violation of the rule, even after receiving a specific reminder from the Assistant Returning Officer not to do so, the ELD had said.

Three weeks later, Mr Augustine Lee of opposition People’s Power Party made a police report against Fabrications About The PAP. He said the page had put up two Facebook posts on Polling Day.

Election advertising, which includes posts intended to enhance the standing of a party or candidate or to promote their electoral success, is prohibited on Cooling-Off Day and Polling Day.

Posting election advertising on those days is an offence under the Parliamentary Elections Act. A person found guilty of doing so may be fined up to $1,000, jailed for up to 12 months, or both.

The rule was put in place to give voters time to reflect rationally on issues raised before they vote.

In its statement on Thursday, the police reiterated this, saying:”The Cooling-Off Day breaches detected during the 2016 Bukit Batok By-Election go against the spirit of the election rule. Left unchecked, such breaches can undermine public trust in Singapore’s electoral process.”

Election candidates and their supporters are expected to abide by the relevant laws on both days, the police added.

This article was first published on Feb 16, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

SINGAPORE – A secondary school student collapsed in school and died on Wednesday (Feb 15) afternoon.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to a call for an ambulance at about 4.40pm.

An unconscious teenager at Loyang Secondary School was taken to Changi General Hospital. He later died.

Bryan Chee, 15, was an active student who loved basketball, Lianhe Wanbao reported.

His father told the Chinese evening daily that his son had a congenital heart defect and went for regular check ups. He was otherwise healthy and fit, he said.

His aunt, Agnes Tan, wrote a heartfelt post on Facebook remembering Bryan.

“I still cannot accept cannot believe what has happened to our family today. It came too fast, too tough, too pained for us to accept it. Someone dear to me who I watched him grow from an infant to a young handsome chap just left us today out of a sudden,” she said.

She continued in Chinese: “I can’t face this reality. Can’t hear his voice, calling me ‘third auntie’. My heart is aching.”

The Straits Times has contacted Loyang Secondary for more details.

This article was first published on Feb 16, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

SINGAPORE – An alleged case of child abuse at a Sparkletots childcare centre in Teck Whye is being investigated, PAP Community Foundation (PCF) said on Thursday (Feb 16).

A parent had claimed that she found bruises on her 18-month-old toddler’s forehead, back and legs.

“I did not think much of it at the start but grew concerned as he came back with a new bruise each day,” she said.

Worried, she stayed back one day to observe, she said.

“I saw my son, held by his ankles by the teacher, was struggling as he was pressed down by the teacher’s elbow on his back,” she wrote.

Facebook user Mel Da withdrew her child from the centre at Block 19, Teck Whye Lane after just one week, she wrote in Facebook group ‘Childcare in Singapore’.

She added that closed circuit television footage confirmed what happened, and the principal apologised. However, the next day, she found another bruise on her son’s stomach.

Both the parent and the principal of PCF Sparkletots Preschool declined to comment when contacted as the matter is being investigated.

PCF, which manages Sparkletots preschools, said it takes a “serious view of this incident”.

“We have conducted our investigation and reported this matter to the relevant authorities. We are now assisting with their on-going investigations,” a spokesman said.

They are engaging the parent, they added.

“We assure all parents that the safety and well-being of the children under our care are our top priorities,” the spokesman added.

“Whilst we support our staff in their challenging jobs as educators, we also emphasise that we do not condone any breach of professional standards and will take the necessary actions if required.”

This article was first published on Feb 16, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

SINGAPORE – Photos are circulating online of children allegedly being ill-treated at a childcare centre in River Valley.

An anonymous netizen posted the photos on WeChat on Feb 14, according to a report by Stomp contributor, May.

The photos included that of a bare-bottomed child who had defecated and had faeces smeared all over his body in a cot.

The netizen wrote in Chinese that the child had even ‘dug’ out the faeces from his butt and eaten it.

Other photos showed the children lying on bare floor tiles for their nap without any mats or padding.

The netizen also claimed that the children were fed rotten fruit and alleged that the teachers threw away milk powder that parents had left the staff to feed their children with.

A police spokesperson confirmed with Stomp that a police report has been lodged and that the police are looking into the matter.

Stomp has reached out to the Ministry of Social and Family Development for comment.

Visit STOMP for more stories.