Singapore Post will release a limited-edition Hello Kitty MyStamp set tomorrow to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Japan, or SJ50.

Each set comprises two stamp sheets in a hardcover folder, two postcards and a paper bag which features Hello Kitty in a pink kimono and a background made up of each country’s national flower – Singapore’s Vanda Miss Joaquim and Japan’s sakura.

Up to 3,000 sets will be printed.

They will be sold in post offices, online and at the Singapore Philatelic Museum.

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Eight women suspected to be involved in vice activities were arrested in Hougang and Kovan on Wednesday.

The women, aged 25 to 47, were nabbed during raids conducted by the police.

Cash of $780, mobile phones and related documents were seized.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects had advertised sexual services online and operated within rented homes. Police investigations are ongoing.

Anyone convicted of keeping, managing or helping in the management of a brothel can be fined up to $10,000 and/or jailed up to five years.

Any person who knowingly lives on the earnings of the prostitution of another can also be jailed up to five years and/or fined up to $10,000.

This includes receiving rental earnings from the prostitutes.

This article by The Straits Times was published in MyPaper, a free, bilingual newspaper published by Singapore Press Holdings.

The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) dismantled a drug syndicate and seized about 2.3kg of heroin, 260g of Ice, 470 Erimin-5 tablets and more than 100 Ecstasy tablets in an operation on Wednesday.

The estimated worth of the drugs is more than $210,000, it said in a press release yesterday.

CNB officers arrested a 41-year-old Singaporean man and a 23-year-old Singaporean woman in his car in the vicinity of Bideford Road on Wednesday evening after observing them at a multi-storey carpark in the vicinity of Scotts Road.

Four bundles of heroin weighing about 1.8kg were recovered from the boot.

A 39-year-old Malaysian man who had been observed in the vicinity with the Singaporean man was arrested separately at Tuas Checkpoint and $3,500 was recovered from him.

Another group of CNB officers apprehended the second drug trafficker, a 42-year-old Singaporean man, in the vicinity of Devonshire Road. Two other suspects in the car – a 30-year-old Singaporean man and a 22-year-old Singaporean woman – were also arrested.

A total of about 470g of heroin, 260g of Ice, 470 Erimin-5 tablets and more than 100 Ecstasy tablets were found within the car.

Cash amounting to $6,500 was recovered from the 42-year-old male trafficker.

Investigations are ongoing.

The suspects face the death penalty if the amount of diamorphine (or pure heroin) trafficked exceeds 15g.

This article by The Straits Times was published in MyPaper, a free, bilingual newspaper published by Singapore Press Holdings.

About half the amount needed to pay for a temporary market for stallholders who lost their livelihoods in a fire that razed a wet market and coffeeshop in Jurong West this month has been raised, with plans on track to have it up and running by Chinese New Year.

About $280,000 of the $600,000 needed for the “ground-up effort” has been donated by temples, clan associations and other organisations.

Out of this amount, $200,000 came from 11 businessmen, said chairman of the market building fund Henry Ho yesterday.

The largest donation came from businessman Ching Chiat Kwong, who contributed $50,000, Lianhe Wanbao reported yesterday.

Read also: Man suspected of involvement in Jurong West market fire arrested

He is also chairman of the Jurong Central Citizens’ Consultative Committee.

Fifty-one stallholders lost their livelihoods when a fire swept through a wet market and coffeeshop at Block 493 Jurong West Street 41 on Oct 11, and damaged a coffeeshop at the adjacent Block 494.

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Photo Gallery

Fire destroys Jurong coffeeshop and wet market

Source:

The New Paper

The Straits Times

Shin Min Daily News

Lianhe Wanbao

Berita Harian

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A 41-year-old man, Lim Ying Siang, was charged in court on Oct 15 for allegedly starting the fire by setting styrofoam boxes alight at the market at Block 493 at around 3am.

A job fair, organised by the People’s Association and the Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), was held to help displaced stallholders find interim employment or long-term jobs.

Read also: Rebuilding lives after Jurong West market fire

It was also open to residents in the Jurong Central area.

NTUC FairPrice, Breadtalk and Food Republic were among the 16 companies at the fair, offering 800 jobs, which focused mainly on the food and beverage sector.

Vacancies included kitchen assistants and cooks.

Affected stallholders were also offered a fully subsidised employability skills training workshop and vocational skills training course by e2i.

Read also: Jurong West market fire stallholder: He has made so many of us suffer

Speaking at the fair, Jurong GRC MP Ang Wei Neng said: “Stallholders have to wait for the new market to be ready, so they need a full-time job for maybe the next one year or two.

“Those who are waiting for the temporary market to be ready, as well as the Block 494 coffeeshop which will take a while before it can be renovated, can also look for part-time or temporary jobs.”

Tom Zeng, 47, who lost his you tiao stall at the coffeeshop, was at the job fair with his wife looking for an interim job.

“I hope to find a kitchen job because I like to cook. I’ve been relying on savings but I’m worried because I don’t know when that will run dry.”

tiffanyt@sph.com.sg

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