The Law Ministry said yesterday that the Workers’ Party (WP) had misrepresented the Government’s position on a law that provides protection against harassment and false statements, after the opposition party suggested that the Government would be changing the law to protect itself from harassment.

In a sharp response, the ministry said: “The Government has never said that it needed protection from harassment. Nor does the Government intend to amend POHA (Protection from Harassment Act) to protect itself from harassment.”

The ministry added: “The Government needs to take steps to protect the public and Singapore’s institutions from the very real dangers posed by the spread of false information. The Government will not shy away from this, whatever may be said wrongly about its intentions and objectives.”

The exchange comes on the back of a recent split decision by the Court of Appeal, which ruled 2-1 that government agencies cannot invoke POHA.

The decision arose in a case in which the Attorney-General had sought a court order under POHA against a doctor and The Online Citizen (TOC) website for spreading allegations about the Ministry of Defence.

The order asked that the allegations cannot be published without a note that they were false.

Responding to the court’s decision, the Ministry of Law said last Monday: “The Government will study the judgment, and consider what further steps it should take to correct the deliberate spreading of falsehoods.”

Yesterday, the WP said it was concerned that this meant the Government would be changing the law, adding that this “risks turning the POHA into the latest in the many tools that the Government can use against Singaporeans who publicly express different views from the Government on its policies and actions”.

The WP also cited a 1988 case to bolster its point, saying that “the Government at the time disagreed with the court’s ruling and by end-January 1989, had passed retrospective legislation” to change the law.

The court had held in the case, Chng Suan Tze v Minister for Home Affairs, that it had a right to review the Government’s discretion in Internal Security Act cases.

The WP added that should the Government react to the court’s judgment by seeking to amend POHA, the party will “vigorously oppose such amendments”.

But the Law Ministry said the WP’s statement was “misconceived and misrepresents the issues and the Government’s aims”.

It said POHA has to do with harassment and false statements.

In the recent case, the Government had sought to invoke the legal remedies against false statements, and the apex court had agreed that falsehoods about the Government had indeed been published by TOC and the doctor, said the ministry.

It noted that the court decision on the case was split, with the majority believing that POHA, as currently drafted, did not give the Government the power to require publication of true facts, and the Chief Justice disagreeing with the opinion.

“This case thus had nothing to do with harassment. It was about false statements,” the ministry said.

“The Government strongly believes that the scourge of false information must not be allowed to take hold in Singapore, lest it weakens our democratic society and institutions,” it said.

“At a time when false information can affect election results, contaminate public discussions and weaken democratic societies, it is important for the Government, as well as corporations and individuals, to be able to respond robustly to false statements that could poison public debate and mislead decision-making.”

The ministry added that “everyone, including the Government” should be entitled to point out falsehoods and highlight true facts.

It said the WP should welcome this, “unless (it) sees profit in the dissemination of falsehoods”.

rachelay@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 23, 2017.
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Bangladeshi construction worker Sujan Ahmed thought his problems were over when he managed to get a Labour Court order against his employer to compensate him for permanent injuries he suffered after a fall in May 2015.

But the 34-year-old realised his victory was in vain when Ridgeway Marine and Construction refused to make good on the $9,145 owed.

His only recourse – applying to the State Courts to seize his employer’s assets.

It is a legal process that he can ill afford, since he has not been able to work since his injury 19 months ago.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM), which runs the Labour Court, said: “This process is not unique to orders made by the Labour Court. It is a standard process to enforce payment orders arising from civil claims across different courts.”

Mr Sujan’s case is the second that has surfaced within a week, exposing a gap in the protection of workers against employers who leave them uninsured, refuse to compensate them for injuries, or owe them their salaries.

Last week, The Straits Times reported that Geosray Engineering and Services had ignored a Labour Court order to pay a worker $7,363 in salary arrears.

The MOM told the worker to seize and sell the employer’s assets to get his money back.

Mr Sujan’s ordeal began in May 2015 after he fell from a 3m-high ladder while installing closed-circuit television cameras at Tekka Market.

His employer, Mr Suriakumar Ridgeway, took him to a clinic.

A week later, his injured elbow remained swollen and he could not walk properly. “I begged boss to take me to hospital,” he said.

At Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH), X-rays showed he had fractured his right elbow and hurt his back.

His arm was put in a cast and he was given medical leave of more than two months in total.

In June 2015, he filed a Work Injury Compensation claim.

A year later, TTSH confirmed that he had suffered 10 per cent permanent incapacity of his elbow and back.

Based on the assessment, the MOM awarded him $11,625 in compensation, an amount that should have been covered by compulsory insurance.

As it turned out, Mr Sujan’s employer had not bought him a policy.

Mr Sujan had worked for Mr Suriakumar, the sole proprietor of the company, for a year before he fell, earning a basic salary of $750 a month, which he used to support his wife, mother and a younger brother.

He was to have received the full compensation by October last year, but has received only $2,480.

An MOM spokesman said the ministry had “facilitated” the partial payment but the employer could not pay the rest because of financial difficulties.

She added that the MOM will work with the Migrant Workers’ Centre to find temporary work for Mr Sujan and advise him on the civil claim.

“However, it would be important to have realistic expectations of what can be recovered, for example, by considering whether there are assets to be seized,” she said.

The MOM will also bar the employer from hiring any more foreign workers and charge him in court for not insuring and compensating Mr Sujan, she added.

In the last three years, the ministry prosecuted in court six employers who failed to compensate injured workers, and three employers who did not insure workers.

Repeated attempts to reach Mr Suriakumar on his mobile phone and at his listed address were unsuccessful.

Mr Alex Au, treasurer of Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2), said the case shows the limitations of the Labour Court when an employer ignores its order and “simply refuses to pay up” .

TWC2 is providing food and shelter to Mr Sujan.

Mr Sujan said he hopes other workers would be careful.

Choking up, he added: “I hope boss can care for worker and buy insurance. No insurance, workers suffer.”

This article was first published on Jan 23, 2017.
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Singapore has denied accusations that it illegally imported sand from Cambodia, saying “strict controls” are in place to ensure contractors source sand legally and in line with local environmental rules.

The Ministry of National Development (MND) said the Government does not condone the smuggling of sand or the use of forged export permits – accusations levelled at it by Cambodian environmentalists.

“Thus far, Singapore has not encountered instances of smuggled sand, or contractors bringing sand into Singapore carrying fake export permits,” a spokesman for MND said in response to media queries.

In fact, Singapore has ceased importing sand from its neighbour since last November, in compliance with a ban on all sand exports by the Cambodian government, he added.

This superseded a May 2009 partial ban on certain types of sand.

The MND statement comes amid a growing clamour among Cambodian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) accusing Singapore of excessive sand dredging that they say has threatened mangrove swamps, fish stocks and livelihoods.

A discrepancy over just how much sand Singapore has imported also gave rise to charges that the trade enriched local politicians in Cambodia.

Between 2007 and 2015, Singapore recorded 70 million more tonnes of sand from Cambodia than it reported sending over, according to a United Nations database. The MND said it was unable to verify this.

Cambodian NGO Mother Nature has since engaged Singapore lawyer Eugene Thuraisingam to look into whether Singapore has broken any laws “in relation to the social and ecological destruction the mining has caused, or… the government (is) importing Cambodian sand which is tainted by issues of corruption, smuggling, tax evasion etc”, its founder Alex Gonzalez-Davidson told The Cambodia Daily on Jan 5.

Mr Thuraisingam told The Straits Times he was approached by the NGO earlier this year, but said it was too early to give more details.

In its statement, the MND spokesman stressed that the import of sand from Cambodia is done on a commercial basis, and the Government does not condone any trade or extraction of sand that breaches the source countries’ laws.

Contractors must “source sand from legally permissible areas, comply with all the environmental protection laws of the source country, and have the proper sand export documentation and permits from the relevant authorities in the source countries”.

He added: “The authorities will investigate any such instances and take enforcement action, if evidence is provided.”

When contacted, Singapore Contractors Association Limited president Kenneth Loo said: “Whenever we import it, we do it the correct way – not cowboy style.”

Indonesia and Malaysia have previously also banned exports of sand to Singapore, which uses sand for both reclamation and construction.

Previous reports cited Myanmar and the Philippines among Singapore’s current suppliers.

Singapore is the world’s largest importer of sand, according to the UN Environment Programme.

By 2030, the Government expects to reclaim another 5,200ha – the size of nine Ang Mo Kio towns.

This article was first published on Jan 23, 2017.
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SINGAPORE – People living along a 320m stretch of the Kallang River have a new and enhanced promenade where they can jog, cycle and even hold gatherings.

The $3.8 million Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) developed by PUB was launched on Sunday (Jan 22) by Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim.

The section has been revitalised with viewing decks as well as rain gardens which not only beautify the area but also act as a filter for rainwater run-off. It also comes with a touch of history.

The roof of one of the viewing decks was designed to look like the mast of sailing vessels that used to unload cargo along the river in the 19th century.

“Usually when we design an ABC project we try to retain some of the historic background of the area. We thought it was a good idea and worked with the consultants to come up with a design that suits the personality of the place,” said Ms Cheng Geok Ling, deputy director at PUB’s sustainability office.

Already, Kong Hwa School is planning to create a new ABC Waters learning trail to teach students about the environment outside of the traditional classroom setting. Kolam Ayer Citizens’ Consultative Committee will be using it as a venue for its grassroots events to promote community bonding.

Another ABC Waters project which was recently completed is at Sungei Whampoa, where a 450m stretch between Kim Keat Road and the Central Expressway (CTE) has been spruced up with a lookout deck, boardwalk and rain gardens. The project cost $1.8 million and will be launched late next month (Feb).

Since the ABC Waters scheme started in 2006, 34 projects have been completed.

This article was first published on Jan 22, 2017.
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Even on her days off, Miss Mary Jane Lentejas, 25, a nursing aide at the Red Cross Home for the Disabled (RCHD), would still head there to check on the residents.

She is among the 53 healthcare employees who live in an on-site dormitory located at Lengkok Bahru, which is near Jalan Bukit Merah.

The employees, most of whom are foreigners, care for more than 100 residents with severe disabilities, including cerebral palsy, spastic quadriplegia and autism.

It is a demanding job, and it is easy to overlook them.

But for the residents’ family members, nurses like Miss Lentejas are a godsend.

Miss Lentejas left her home in the Phillipines about a year ago, leaving behind her two children aged two and five, and her fiance to work at the home here.

She told The New Paper: “Sometimes on my days off, I would still go to the wards to check on the residents. As a mother, I can understand how the family members of the residents feel. When they leave, they are worried.”

When TNP visited the home on Friday, the wards were clean and well-kept, and the nurses friendly and professional.

Miss Lentejas, whose eight-hour shift includes bathing, feeding, and changing the clothes of the residents, said her job is not easy as some of the residents cannot speak.

“We need to know what is wrong with them, so we need to ‘translate’ their body language. When they cry, they may be hungry, or their pillow isn’t arranged the way they like, or their diaper needs to be changed.

‘PATIENCE’

“We need to have a lot of patience,” she said.

Healthcare aide Subhani Silva, 36, has been with the RCHD for about 10 years.

She said: “I like to help the disabled residents and I work with them happily. They cannot do anything by themselves, so we need to help them.

“When I was new, it was hard to understand what they needed because they cannot talk. But I am used to them and their means of communication by now.

“I am very close to all of them. One of the residents even refers to me as her daughter.”

Madam Koh Bee Eng, 82, is thankful to the RCHD for taking in her daughter, Miss Chua Sor Bee, 56, who became physically and mentally disabled from a fever she had when she was nine.

The two of them are featured in a video on YouTube for the Singapore Red Cross.

Madam Koh told TNP: “In 2007, my late husband fell and broke his leg, and I could not take care of two of them. I tried to look for different homes, but they would not take her in because she is severely disabled. I was so relieved when the home took her in.

“I am so old, I cannot take care of her already. The staff are so friendly, and they take care of her very well.”

Director of RCHD, Miss Serene Chia, said: “As most residents are unable to vocalise their needs, our nursing team is extra alert and sensitive to every gesture, sound or eye movement in delivering care.

“Though nursing is physically and emotionally demanding, many consider it a calling and would not trade their uniforms for the world. They are truly our unsung heroes.”

How to help the Singapore Red Cross

The Singapore Red Cross is a humanitarian organisation dedicated to relieving human suffering, protecting lives and dignity, and responding to emergencies since 1949.

Besides its home and day activity centre for the disabled, the Red Cross serves the vulnerable through its blood donor recruitment programme, transport aid, food aid, elder aid and community first aid.

It also builds capacity and resilience through its training academy, and volunteer and youth development.

To make a donation or volunteer, visit www.redcross.sg or call 6664-0500.

bxliew@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 23, 2017.
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I stood in front of a packed stadium with the floodlights intermittently blinding me as a row of footballers prepared to rain shots at my goal post.

I saved two, but the next three flew past my flailing hands, and I was out.

Then I was transported atop a space station and tasked to defend myself with a laser shield from a horde of enemy drones.

Next, I found myself in a boxing ring facing off against an opponent with a nasty scar.

It took a herculean effort before I knocked him out.

I also put my non-existent artistic skills to the test with 3D painting game Tilt Brush, trying to recreate a 3D version of The New Paper logo.

It all happened to me in a Marine Square shop on Friday, made possible because of virtual reality technology, which local firm Ignite VR tapped on to open Singapore’s first virtual reality arcade.

The Ignite VR Arcade, which opened on Dec 2, is a modest-looking shop featuring just four stations.

Looking in from the outside, I thought the virtual reality gamers looked silly and clumsy as they attempted to shoot down robots or slice fruits.

My view changed once I put on the HTC Vive headset – paired with its controllers and a pair of noise-cancelling Razer headphones – as the crisp graphics and surround sound immediately fooled my brain into thinking I was somewhere else.

Most games were a challenge, requiring players to perform quick actions or fail.

While the concept of virtual reality arcades is not new – it has been around in the US and Europe since the 1990s – it was only in the past year or so that big tech companies jumped onto the bandwagon.

Taiwan-based HTC announced at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month that it was preparing initiatives aimed at convincing developers to create more virtual reality experiences and revealed plans for arcades in public venues, reported The Business Times.

There are already thousands of virtual reality arcades in China, according to Polygon.

GROWING TREND

The growing trend was what prompted Ignite VR founder Roy Koo, 28, to set up the arcade.

“We initially started Ignite VR as a blog to spread awareness about virtual reality.

“But once I tried out the HTC Vive last April, I was hooked,” said Mr Koo.

“We wanted more people to realise how amazing and immersive this technology was, and last month, we moved to set up this arcade for people to try.”

Most of the arcade’s games are from Steam. Ignite VR paid Steam for licences to use the titles commercially, and it updates its line-up every month.

Customers – either individually or in a group – can choose to play a game for $3 or pay $30 for an hour.

Since the arcade opened, response has been heartening, according to Mr Mohd Muhaimin, who runs the operations.

“The crowd usually hits a peak on weekday nights and on weekends.

“Often, we have no time for a break even,” he said.

Most of the customers are families with children aged 12 and below or players aged between 25 and 35, along with a steady stream of tourists.

One customer, Mr Ikhsan Suri, 28, a civil servant, told TNP he visits the arcade at least once a week with friends.

“At first I thought it would be a bit gimmicky, but once you put on the headset, wow, it is like you are in another world. I was hooked,” he said.

“I got so immersed I even knocked into walls or lost my balance.”

To keep customers coming back, Mr Koo said the arcade will keep improving its hardware with the latest gadgets.

“Most of our gadgets now are wired. I believe in future, most will become wireless and we will look to get them.

“The way I see it, virtual reality is becoming such a big part of entertainment – from games to shows to everything.

“So we should embrace it,” he said.

rloh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 23, 2017.
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