The average person used $85 of his $200 Flexi-Medisave allotment in the scheme’s first nine months, said the Ministry of Health (MOH).

Around 200,000 seniors have tapped the scheme in its first year, added the ministry in response to queries from The Straits Times.

Flexi-Medisave was introduced in April 2015 to help seniors pay less out-of-pocket for outpatient care at public institutions and general practitioners under the Community Health Assist Scheme (Chas).

Under the scheme, Singaporeans aged 65 and above can use an additional $200 to pay for treatment, on top of the Medisave limits imposed for other schemes.

For example, if they have hit their $300 Medisave limit for outpatient scans, they can use Flexi-Medisave to pay for the remaining amount.

“The withdrawal amounts for Flexi-Medisave have been generally small, with an average of $85 withdrawn per patient from April to December 2015,” a ministry spokesman said.

“As Flexi- Medisave was implemented recently, MOH is still monitoring its use by the elderly.”

The figures for 2016 are not yet available.

Health experts interviewed said it is difficult to judge the success of the scheme simply by looking at the average amount used by patients.

“One reason for this could be that seniors are tapping other Medisave schemes first, and the limits set in those schemes are reasonable,” said Dr Kang Soon Hock, who heads the social science core at the School of Arts and Social Sciences at SIM University.

“Thus, they may not have to tap Flexi-Medisave as a supplement unless it is necessary.”

Healthcare economist Phua Kai Hong, who is a visiting professor at the graduate school of public policy at Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan, said that in general, people must know about any new scheme for it to work as intended.

Said Dr Phua: “More social marketing and public education will be required to increase awareness and uptake.”

linettel@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on February 8, 2017.
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Underwater life around the offshore Sisters’ Islands will now be better protected, after Parliament passed laws yesterday to designate the area as a public park.

This means it will be an offence to fish, collect corals or moor boats within the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park without the approval of the National Parks Board (NParks).

The terrestrial areas of the islands are already protected under the law, and the latest change makes clear that the marine and foreshore areas, too, are to be safeguarded.

Senior Minister of State for National Development Desmond Lee said during the debate on the Parks and Trees (Amendment) Bill: “It is amazing our waters, which lie within some of the busiest commercial sea lanes in the world, are home to over a third of the world’s total coral species. So protecting the reefs at the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park is crucial to our coral conservation efforts.”

The marine park, Singapore’s first, is a 40-minute boat ride from Marina South Pier and about the size of 50 football fields.

It comprises the two Sisters’ Islands, the surrounding reefs and the western reefs of nearby St John’s Island and Pulau Tekukor.

Mr Lee said NParks will make new rules specific to marine parks in due course, such as imposing restrictions on diving, and the movement of vessels.

This will be done in consultation with the marine conservation community and other stakeholders, such as boat operators, he said.

The Bill received support from all nine MPs who spoke on it, with many welcoming the preservation of Singapore’s natural heritage.

Associate Professor Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade GRC) and Non-Constituency MP Daniel Goh asked if there were plans for other marine parks.

Mr Lee said his ministry would work with nature groups, and use science and technology to determine if other areas should be designated as marine parks.

He added that the Sisters’ Islands site was chosen based on the richness of species and habitats there, as well as its importance as a source of coral larvae.

Scientists had found that the reefs there are the “mother reef” of sorts, and the waters around them are the likely source of Singapore’s coral diversity.

Another amendment to the Act makes it an offence for people to release animals into water bodies outside nature reserves, if there is cause to believe that the animals might end up in the reserves.

This is meant to prevent the introduction of non-native species, which can upset the balance of the natural ecosystem and harm native species.

First-time offenders could be fined up to $50,000, jailed up to six months, or both. Previously, the law only restricted the release of animals in a nature reserve.

Another update to the law deals with the maintenance of urban greenery, which Ms Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon GRC), Mr Darryl David (Ang Mo Kio GRC) and Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) asked about.

NParks officers will now have the power to enter private premises to check on the condition of trees and plants if there are public safety concerns.

The officers can also issue notices requiring private property owners to carry out pruning or engage an arborist to conduct detailed inspections, among other things.

Ms Lee wanted to know if NParks would intervene in neighbourly disputes arising from the shedding of leaves from trees.

In response, Mr Lee said NParks will refer such cases to community dispute-resolution channels, as it can take action only when the condition of a tree threatens public safety, or obstructs pedestrians’ use of footpaths or the view of road users.

audreyt@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 08, 2017.
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SINGAPORE – Parliament passed a bill on Tuesday (Feb 7) to amend the International Enterprise Singapore Board Act (IESBA), to reflect changes in IE Singapore’s role.

Speaking at the second reading of the bill, Minister of State for Trade and Industry Dr Koh Poh Koon said first, the IESBA will be amended to reflect that IE Singapore’s regulatory function over the commodity trading industry will be limited to spot commodity trading and the rubber trade industry.

The regulatory oversight of commodity futures contracts, which previously came under IE Singapore, had been transferred to the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) in 2008.

With the passing of the Securities and Futures (Amendment) Bill 2016 this year, IE Singapore will also be transferring the regulation of OTC commodity derivatives contracts to the MAS, for more effective regulatory oversight under a single agency.

Second, the IESBA will be amended to clarify that IE Singapore can collect, compile and analyse information relating to the commodity trade and industry.

This gives IE Singapore, the lead agency responsible for the promotion and development of the commodity trading industry, continued access to company and market data for policy formulation purposes.

Third, the IESBA will be updated to set out the circumstances under which IE Singapore may disclose confidential information related to the commodity trading industry to another public agency.

This would include disclosure of such information for the purpose of formulating or reviewing policy relating to trade.

There was also an administrative amendment to update the purposes for which the Singapore Rubber Fund may be used, to take into account the revised functions of IE Singapore.

This fund is to be used to facilitate the promotion and development of the rubber trading industry, but can also be tapped to promote or develop the broader commodity trading industry, with the view that the benefits also accrue to the rubber trading industry.

IE Singapore had conducted a public consultation on the draft Bill and there were no objections to the proposed amendments.

This article was first published on Feb 07, 2017.
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Former trade union leader and political detainee Fong Swee Suan was labelled a leftist, even a communist, by many in his lifetime.

But according to his two sons, he was a loving father and husband who made significant contributions to Singapore’s development from a British colony to an independent nation in the turbulent 1950s and 1960s.

In one of the emotional eulogies they gave at their father’s funeral service in Mandai Crematorium yesterday, elder son Otto Fong, 48, an author and cartoonist, remembered him as a patient man who “seldom lost his temper”.

Read Also: Founding PAP member, left-wing union activist Fong Swee Suan dies

“Dad had green fingers, anything he planted blossomed,” he added, referring to the time the family lived in Johor, from the late 1960s to the 1990s.

Younger son Yong Sheng, 42, an engineer, said: “I want to thank my dad for the sacrifices he made in the early years so that Singapore could be what it is today.”

In the small group of about 50 people who bade a final farewell to Mr Fong were his wife, Madam Chen Poh Chang, 80; his eldest child, Lydia, 54, an architect; other family members; former leftist trade unionists and friends.

Read Also: PM Lee sends condolence letter to widow of former leftist union leader Fong Swee Suan

Mr Fong died last Saturday at age 85, after suffering from liver cirrhosis for several years.

He was a founding member of the People’s Action Party (PAP) in 1954, but left with other leftists in the party to form the now-defunct Barisan Sosialis in 1961.

He quit the PAP because of differences over Singapore’s merger with the Federation of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak to form Malaysia.

Read Also: Former leftist trade unionist Fong Swee Suan dies, aged 85

A firebrand trade unionist and politician, he was imprisoned in 1955 and again in 1956.

When he was arrested a third time under Operation Coldstore, which was another security swoop against leftists and pro-communists in 1963, he was sent back to peninsula Malaya, where he was born. He spent 4½ years in jail there.

Hundreds of Mr Fong’s former comrades, from the PAP as well as Barisan Sosialis, had paid their last respects at his wake in the past three days.

Read Also: A tribute to father’s old friend Fong Swee Suan

Others included Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung and Minister of State for Education, and Communications and Information Janil Puthucheary. Both are sons of former leftists and Barisan leaders who were close comrades of Mr Fong.

Mr Ong told The Straits Times after visiting the wake on Sunday: “Mr Fong Swee Suan represented the ideals of many Singaporeans of an earlier generation – my parents’ generation.

“He will be remembered and respected.”

wengkam@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on February 8, 2017.
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Ride-hailing platform Grab launched a new service, GrabCoach, yesterday targeted at group travellers and corporate customers.

GrabCoach has a fleet of more than 200 13-seater, 23-seater and 40-seater vehicles, and fares are fixed and priced at $65, $95 and $150 for a one-way trip respectively, Grab said in a statement yesterday.

“Now, for the first time, those who need to travel in groups can conveniently schedule a GrabCoach within minutes via the Grab app without having to spend hours coordinating with coach companies,” said Grab Singapore head Lim Kell Jay.

Read also: Grab launches GrabPay Credits​

“We are continuously looking at how we can contribute to a car-lite society by reducing the number of vehicles needed on our roads.”

Passengers can book a GrabCoach on demand or up to seven days in advance.

Once a booking is confirmed, they can use the Grab app to access their driver’s profile, track their vehicle’s location in real time, and be notified when their ride is arriving.

Read also:  Grab vs Uber: Breaking down the economics behind their price war and sustainability

No Grab or Uber for those with young kids​

kcarolyn@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 08, 2017.
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Singapore art gallery Mandala Fine Art has ceased operations, but up to 39 artists have not been able to reclaim their artworks, estimated to be worth more than $1 million.

Sri Lankan gallery owner Vitharana Mudiyanselage Hemasiri Vitharana left Singapore last year, leaving the works in storage facilities, which will not release them as they are owed rent.

When The Straits Times visited the gallery’s premises in Kallang Avenue last Friday, the unit was vacant and its glass doors were chained.

Mr Vitharana also owes artists and former employees thousands in salaries and transport costs, according to former staff and 15 artists who spoke to The Straits Times.

Among these artists is Ukrainian painter Alexander Belozor, 54, who has appealed to the Embassy of Ukraine in Singapore for help.

Last week, a friend of the artist, named Zoe, posted an entry on his blog claiming that 14 of his paintings are still in Singapore and were not returned after being shown at last April’s Asia Dive Expo.

Mandala Fine Art also owes Mr Belozor about US$2,000 (S$2,800) in transport costs, said Zoe, who spoke to The Straits Times on the artist’s behalf.

While the embassy was able to get in touch with Mr Vitharana, Mr Belozor said that months of communication have led to naught.

“We decided to make the information public, to warn everyone and to try to find the artworks, which is the main goal for us now,” said Zoe in an e-mail.

When contacted by The Straits Times, Mr Vitharana said in an e-mail that Mr Belozor’s works are “safe and secure in a private place in Singapore”.

But he said that he had lost $500,000 since setting up the company in 2014 and still owed money to the storage facilities. “To clear Alexander’s work from there, we do need to do some payments. This is why his work is stuck,” he said.

Others, too, are waiting. Last September, a police report was made on behalf of 38 artists from countries such as South Africa, Britain and Thailand.

They sent their works to Singapore in 2015 for a show mounted by the gallery, and were “stonewalled” by Mr Vitharana when they asked for them to be returned, according to the police report.

Police confirmed that a report was made and “the complainant was advised on his legal recourse”.

British artist Jeremy Paul said that three of his paintings, valued at about $10,000, have not been returned. He added that the gallery also owes him £500 (S$880) for framing and delivery.

Mr Paul said in an e-mail that Mr Vitharana “broke the terms of my contract with Mandala in that the transport fees were not paid and no art has been returned”. He added that the artworks were supposed to have been returned after the exhibition closed in December 2015.

As of yesterday, 14 of the 38 artists who lodged the police report have confirmed that their works have still not been returned.

Mr Vitharana told The Straits Times that these paintings are stuck in a storage facility owned by Ocean Logistics, in Jalan Pemimpin. He claimed to have paid 40 to 50 per cent of the fees owed.

An owner of Ocean Logistics, Mr Gary Yeo, told The Straits Times that he took the matter to the Small Claims Tribunal last April.

As a result, Mr Vitharana paid half of the bill – $5,000 – last May and promised to settle the rest by the end of the month. The outstanding amount has snowballed to $18,776 and Mr Yeo said he will be discussing his next steps with his lawyer.

He believes that up to 100 artworks are in storage. “If there’s no payment, nothing can be taken out from the store,” he said. “Someone has to foot the bill.”

Meanwhile, former employee Vincent Ong said he is owed about $11,000. Two others, who declined to be named, claimed to be owed $3,000 each. Mr Ong said: “He paid me for only two months and the next two months or so, he didn’t pay. And he never pays on time.”

The gallery is no stranger to controversy. Last June, it was accused of reproducing photographer Vin PSK’s work without permission and trying to sell the copy for $6,000.

Ms Aniela Rahardja, secretary of the Art Galleries Association (Singapore), said: “Unfortunately, if galleries are not responsive or communicative, there’s not much that an artist can do, except perhaps report to police or sue the gallery.

“But a lawsuit is expensive and most artists cannot afford it.”

The association’s 29 members have to sign a professional practices and ethics code. Mandala Fine Art was not part of the association.

Mr Vitharana’s present whereabouts are unknown. He said he plans to return but “there is no source of income” for him here.

“We accept our mistakes and we would like to apologise officially to all the parties who had to undergo difficulties because of us and the situation,” he added. But apologies mean nothing to some artists.

“This is such a draining situation, and this is so unjust,” said Zoe. “We don’t even care about that money any more, even though Alexander has bad financial problems. We only hope to get the artworks back.”

nabilahs@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 8, 2017.
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