SINGAPORE – Three bus drivers were assaulted on Saturday afternoon (Dec 31) while they were on duty.

The assailant is suspected to be the same person and a police report has been filed, said MP Melvin Yong, who is executive secretary of the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU).

The NTWU is appealing for eye witnesses to come forward to assist in the investigation.

“This afternoon, the National Transport Workers’ Union (NTWU) learnt that 3 bus captains were assaulted while they were on duty and we are very concerned. The assailant is suspected to be the same person for all 3 incidents,” Mr Yong wrote in a Facebook post.

“Our bus captains deserve our respect as they work hard to perform the important task of transporting our commuters safely to their destinations,” he added.

“Such acts of violence or any form of abuse towards our public transport workers should not be tolerated.”

This article was first published on Dec 31, 016.
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SINGAPORE – About 550 cinemagoers were evacuated after a fire broke out at The Cathay on Saturday (Dec 31) evening, and one person was taken to hospital for smoke inhalation.

The fire involved an electrical distribution box on the seventh floor.

It was extinguished by sprinklers before the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) arrived.

The Straits Times understands that the cinema level is closed off but other shops are still open.

SCDF told The Straits Times on Saturday that it was alerted to a fire at 2 Handy road at about 6.30pm.

It dispatched one fire engine, two fire bikes, three Red Rhinos, one ambulance and three support vehicles.

Approximately 550 cinema patrons were evacuated by building staff as a precautionary measure, said the SCDF spokesman.

A staff member in his 30s suffered from smoke inhalation and was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital by ambulance.

The cause of fire is being investigated.

In a Facebook post at 8.13pm on Saturday Cathay Cineplexes said cineplexes at The Cathay were “closed until further notice”.

It is issuing cash refunds for shows starting from 3.45pm on Saturday to Wednesday (Jan 4).

To get a refund, visit any Cathay Cineplex and present your ticket stub, receipt or e-mail booking confirmation.

This article was first published on Dec 31, 016.
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A number of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) establishments registered to the same man have been found to be offering sexual services.

The businesses advertise themselves as TCM clinics with signboards outside the premises promoting treatments like tui na, cupping and acupuncture.

However, when approached, female employees at seven of the establishments The Sunday Times visited said a “doctor” was not available.

Six of the businesses instead offered a different kind of massage, with options for “happy” and “special” endings, terms used to describe sexual services.

The women dressed in short dresses pointed to their bodies when making the offer.

The six “clinics” were traced to the same owner with more than 30 establishments with the word “TCM” listed as part of their Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra) registered names.

The Sunday Times learnt that the registered owner of the clinics is a licensed TCM practitioner.

Some of the establishments are registered under the category of Clinics and other General Medical Services (Non-western) in their Acra profiles.

To register a TCM business with Acra, companies need to first obtain the required approval from the relevant regulatory authorities, said an Acra spokesman.

In the case of TCM, physicians have to be registered with the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board (TCMPB), a statutory board under the Ministry of Health (MOH).

TCM clinics are not required to be registered with MOH.

The registered TCM practitioner must then submit the English and Chinese name of the clinic to the board for approval first, before registering the company with Acra.

It is unclear if this was done for the six TCM clinics The Sunday Times visited last month.

Separately, the Acra spokesman said owners registering a business with names and activities containing the terms “hospital”, “medical clinic/centre”or any other similar terms are also required to get approval from MOH first.

Registered physicians have to display their original registration certificate conspicuously at their main place of practice and a certified true-copy at all other places of practice, said TCMPB’s executive secretary Quah Ai Mui.

It is an offence for a person who is not registered as a TCM practitioner to practise, advertise or claim to be qualified to carry out prescribed TCM practice, she added.

“It is also an offence to employ someone who is not qualified or registered to practise any prescribed practice of TCM.”

If convicted for practising TCM or advertising oneself as a qualified TCM practitioner, first-time offenders can be fined up to $25,000 and jailed for six months.

For employing someone who is not a qualified TCM physician to carry out related practices, those convicted face a similar penalty.

Spas and massage outlets – some of which have been fronts for those offering sexual services – have found it more difficult to receive a licence to operate from the Police Licensing and Regulatory Department.

This has prompted a growth in “TCM” establishments in recent years, said those in the industry.

TCM physicians The Sunday Times spoke to said they are aware of such illicit activities in TCM clinics operated by errant practitioners.

Said physician Tay Kim Soon, who has been practising for over 15 years: “There is a small group of black sheep who do this to make a quick buck. They tarnish the reputation of this respected profession.”

Police often raid massage establishments to weed out those that operate illegally.

Last June, 75 people were arrested in a four-day enforcement blitz on unlicensed massage parlours and public entertainment outlets.

Last November, police also nabbed 81 women in raids at Thomson, Paya Lebar, Selegie, Outram and Bukit Timah areas.

A police spokesman said: “We take a tough stand against vice activities and will continue with our regular enforcement checks to deter and detect such illegal activities.

“Operators found conducting illicit activities in massage establishments will be taken to task.”

This article was first published on Jan 01, 2017.
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SINGAPORE – A naked man was arrested from a bus in Sengkang on Friday (Dec 30) afternoon.

The Straits Times understands that the bus was near a police post when a passer-by saw the nude man inside and returned with officers from the police station.

Citizen journalism site Stomp on Saturday (Dec 31) reported that the incident occurred at 2pm at Sengkang East Way.

A contributor told the site that she saw a nude man trying to kick the doors of bus 159. She then ran to the police station to get help.

“The officers rushed over and brought the man out of the bus,” she said.

In videos provided to Stomp, the man is shown being escorted out of the bus by two policemen.

Speaking to The Straits Times on Saturday, the police confirmed that a report was lodged and that a man was arrested for appearing nude in public places.

Those found guilty of appearing nude in public, or in a private location visible to those outside, can be fined up to $2,000 and or jailed for up to three months.

This article was first published on Dec 31, 2016.
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