Residents in Housing Board estates could soon be able to keep up with events and activities in the area through digital display panels (DDPs) located in common spaces, as part of Singapore’s Smart Nation drive.
In a statement yesterday, the HDB said that about 6,000 DDPs will be installed across its estates starting next year.
Several town councils already have DDPs installed in common areas such as lifts and lift lobbies.
The digital boards will complement the conventional noticeboards, which require physically pinning and removing of notices.
SINGAPORE: A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) warrant officer had asked a colleague to push a full-time national serviceman into a well, a court found on Thursday (Oct 31).
First Warrant Officer Mohamed Farid Mohd Saleh, 36, was found guilty of abetting Staff Sergeant Muhammad Nur Fatwa Mahmood by instigating him into committing a rash act that caused the death of 22-year-old Kok Yuen Chin.
District Judge Victor Yeo found that Farid had told Fatwa to push Corporal Kok into a 12m-deep pump well on the night of May 13, 2018, at Tuas View Fire Station.
The judge found that the prosecution’s key and material witness Fatwa was a credible witness, with consistent testimony, “even under intense cross-examination” by the defence counsel.
“Having had the benefit of observing Fatwa give his evidence, I do find Fatwa to be a credible witness and I find his testimony containing a ring of truth,” said the judge.
Staff Sergeant Muhammad Nur Fatwa Mahmood, one of the five SCDF officers charged over ragging incident that led to the death of NSF Kok Yuen Chin. (Photo: Jeremy Long)
He pointed out that Fatwa had “candidly admitted” to his involvement in the incident, and had pleaded guilty to the charges he faced.
On the day of the incident, he admitted both to the fire station commander and police that he had pushed CPL Kok, and that Farid had told him to do so.
Fatwa has served his sentence of a year and four weeks for causing CPL Kok’s death and abetting the obstruction of justice.
Farid, who is represented by lawyer Chhabra Vinit, testified during the trial that he was disappointed by Fatwa’s “lie” and suggested that he did so to “implicate everybody”.
“In my view there is no reason for Fatwa to falsely implicate Farid,” said Judge Yeo.
“The defence sought to establish that Fatwa did not want to face the charge alone, or to shoulder the responsibility of what had happened. Whilst there may be some merit to this argument, upon careful consideration and further reflection I did not think that this witness Fatwa would go to the extent to fabricate the allegation against his good friend and colleague.”
He said he was “persuaded by Fatwa’s honest answer that there is no reason for him to lie about this and that he spoke the truth only because he wanted those who were responsible to also take responsibility as he himself had done”.
Farid, on the other hand, did not come across as a credible witness, said the judge.
“I was not impressed by his attempts to downplay his involvement in the whole episode,” he added.
Of the five officers charged over the incident, two have served their sentences, including Fatwa and Staff Sergeant Adighazali Suhaimi, who was jailed for one month in December for deleting incriminating evidence.
KUALA LUMPUR – There will still be no decision today (Oct 31) by the Malaysian government on the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link project.
Despite the pressing need for the proposed Johor Baru-Singapore connection and the possibility of a hefty compensation payable to Singapore, Malaysia is seeking another six-month extension to review the RM4billion (S$1.3 billion) project.
This is the third request for more time.
The initial six-month grace period approved by Singapore expired on Sep 30.
This was followed by a one-month extension granted by the republic, which meant that the Malaysian government was to have made a decision by today.
The extra time was given without Singapore making any financial demands over the delay in the project.
Officials told The Star that the latest request for a six-month extension was made known to Singapore on Monday – 48 hours before today’s deadline.
It was learned that the Transport Ministry was still unable to resolve certain issues on its side, prompting the need for more time for the review.
Company director Jia Xiaofeng was given three months’ jail yesterday and fined $5,400 over a case of illegal broadcasts of Premier League football and other entertainment content.
His company, local distributor Synnex Trading, was handed a record fine of $160,800 for selling illegal streaming devices (ISDs). This is the second case of its kind here.
In April, the company director of local retailer An-Nahl, who sold ISDs supplied by Jia, was fined $1,200 after he was convicted of one criminal charge of copyright infringement.
The suit against Jia and Synnex was initiated by Mr Neil Kevin Gane, who was representing several rights owners, including the English Premier League and pay-TV operators Singtel and StarHub.
Jia and the company were each convicted of four charges under the Copyright Act.
Jia was the mastermind of the operation, selling illegal Android TV boxes from the Synnex store in Geylang Road.
SINGAPORE – SingPost customers will soon have to pay more to send small packages domestically, as the postal service provider revises its services to cope with the e-commerce boom.
From Dec 2, only letters and printed papers weighing up to 500g will be accepted under a new basic mail category that will replace ordinary mail, SingPost said in a statement on Wednesday (Oct 30).
Postage rates for such mail will remain unchanged at between 30 cents and $1.70, depending on weight and size.
Currently, mail items between 501g and 2kg can be sent domestically as ordinary mail, costing up to $3.35 for a 2kg item. SingPost will be replacing this option with two new categories: basic package and tracked package.
Basic packages of up to 2kg will cost between 90 cents and $3.50, while tracked packages will be priced between $3.20 and $4.80 and offer delivery progress tracking as well as notifications for the recipient.
Doorstep deliveries for packages sent through SingPost will effectively cease from Dec 2, as all items sent through these services will be delivered to recipients’ letterboxes.
SINGAPORE: Singapore Post (SingPost) is set to cease doorstep deliveries for packages sent via its ordinary and registered mail services, as it seeks to increase operational efficiency amid the e-commerce boom.
Under changes announced by the national postal services provider on Wednesday (Oct 30), SingPost will from Dec 2 streamline its parcel deliveries into two new categories – Basic Package and Tracked Packages – for packages weighing up to 2kg.
These packages will be delivered only to letterboxes.
“The introduction of these new categories reflects the high demand for small package deliveries across Singapore,” said SingPost.
“Direct delivery to the letterbox means customers do not need to stay at home to receive their packages and will therefore reduce missed deliveries. This will also make the work of the postman more efficient, leading to improved service standards.”
At the moment, items up to 2kg can be sent via SingPost under the Ordinary Mail category, costing up to S$3.35. There is an additional S$2.24 applicable for a local registered article.
From Dec 2, the Ordinary Mail category will be renamed Basic Mail and accept only letters and printed papers weighing up to 500g.
Consumers who want to send parcels of up to 2kg can do so via the Basic Package delivery service for between S$0.90 and S$3.50. This will deliver the item to a recipient’s letterbox and does not provide any form of tracking or notification.
Senders can also choose the Tracked Package delivery service, which costs between S$3.20 and S$4.80. This too will deliver parcels to a letterbox, but unlike the Basic Package, offers tracking and notifications.
Customers who want doorstep deliveries or need to send heavier packages can choose Speedpost courier services, SingPost said.
(Image: Singapore Post)
SingPost’s Registered Article service, a sign-for service that delivers items to the recipients’ doorstep, will also be renamed Registered Service (Singapore) – and accept only letters and printed papers up to 500g. This means small packages no longer qualify.
Due to its sign-for offering, customers had been using the registered service to send packages, “which has put a strain” on the service, said SingPost.
Limiting the new Registered Service will “realign” the service to its original purpose, which is to offer secure delivery and tracked receipt of important letters and documents, SingPost added.
International airmail rates from Singapore will also rise from Dec 2.
Rates for letters, printed papers and postcards will cost between S$0.10 and S$0.20 more, depending on country zones.
Aerogramme rates will also increase by S$0.10 apiece, and Registered Service (International) fees will go up to S$3.60 (from the current S$2.50), in addition to the applicable postage fees.
(Image: Singapore Post)
This is due to international settlement rate increases made annually by the Universal Postal Union – a United Nations agency that sets rules for international mail services – said SingPost.
“Postal operators have increased their international mail rates each year to mitigate their rising operating costs due to increasing international postal settlement rates,” said SingPost, adding that it has been absorbing the yearly increase in payment made to foreign postal operators since 2014.
“In 2018, SingPost saw an increase in payments to foreign postal operators by more than 25 per cent, and projects that the payments will continue to increase each year.”
International surface (sea/land) mail rates, as well as airmail rates for packages, will remain the same.
SINGAPORE: More tourists visited Singapore in the second quarter of this year compared to the same period last year but they spent less, the Singapore Tourism Board said in a report on Wednesday (Oct 30).
International visitor arrivals grew by 1.7 per cent on-year to 4.6 million, with visitors from China, Indonesia, India, Malaysia and Australia making up the top five markets.
However, tourism receipts in the second quarter fell by 1.3 per cent to S$6.5 billion, due to tourists spending less in sectors such as accommodation as well as food and beverage.
Accommodation, which accounted for 20 per cent of tourism receipts, registered the biggest fall, declining 13 per cent to S$1.31 million. But despite the fall in spending on accommodation, gazetted hotel room revenue held steady at an estimated S$1 billion.
Meanwhile, the food and beverage segment, which accounted for 9 per cent of tourism receipts, fell by 3 per cent to S$586 million.
However, tourists spent more on shopping, with the segment marking an 11 per cent increase to S$1.39 million, accounting for 21 per cent of tourism receipts.
Tourism receipts by major components. (Infographic: Singapore Tourism Board)
Excluding the sightseeing, entertainment and gaming segment, China (S$897 million), Indonesia (S$757 million) and India (S$478 million) were the top three revenue markets, contributing 42 per cent of tourism receipts.
Among the top 10 markets, Vietnam, the Philippines and the United States registered the highest on-year growth in tourism receipts, excluding the sightseeing, entertainment and gaming segment.
SINGAPORE: Dolford Food Manufacturing was fined S$3,000 on Wednesday (Oct 30) for hygiene lapses and poor maintenance of its premises, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in a media release.
These lapses included a widespread cockroach infestation, structural damage (floors, wall tiles and doors) that were “visibly dirty, including pooling of water” and poor housekeeping, said the agency.
The lapses were discovered during a routine inspection of the manufacturer’s premises by SFA officers on Jul 26 this year.
“In the interest of public health, all finished food products and semi-processed food items were disposed immediately,” said the agency.
Dolford Food Manufacturing’s operating licence was suspended for eight days from Jul 30.
“The suspension was lifted after the licensee had rectified the lapses and taken measures to improve the cleanliness of its premises,” SFA added.
According to its website, the firm produces soybean-based products including tofu, beancurd skin and meat substitutes.
The manufacturer also lists on its website that its partners include Giant, Sheng Siong, NTUC FairPrice, TungLok, Prime Supermarket and Big Box.
Screengrab of food products listed on Dolford Food Manufacturing’s website.
“Food safety is a joint responsibility as food can be contaminated anywhere along the food chain,” said the agency.
“While SFA continues to be vigilant and works to ensure that regulatory measures are in place and properly enforced, the industry and consumers must also play their part.”
The authority called for all food operators to ensure premises are clean and well-maintained and that staff members are adequately trained in proper food safety management.
Those who do not adhere to regulations or do not comply with food hygiene and safety requirements could be fined up to S$5,000 and, in the case of a continuing offence, could face a further fine of up to S$100 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction.
A British former headmaster of an international school in China has been jailed for 10 months in Singapore after admitting possession and consumption of methamphetamine, officials said Tuesday.
Damien Michael Charnock used to be the head of Dulwich College Shanghai, a branch of the exclusive London private school.
Police arrested the 60-year-old in March at an apartment in the city-state and discovered bags containing the drug and a glass contraption for smoking it, according to court documents.
The case has echoes of hit American TV show “Breaking Bad”, which tells the story of a chemistry teacher who is diagnosed with cancer and turns to making meth to raise money to secure his family’s future.
Charnock pleaded guilty to three drug charges, and the attorney-general’s chambers confirmed he was jailed on Friday.
His offences represented “a precipitous fall from grace”, defence lawyer Remy Choo was cited as saying by Singapore news outlet CNA.
“His life’s work as a talented and immensely devoted educator lies in tatters.”
SINGAPORE – Food delivery service Foodpanda has expanded into delivering grocery items in partnership with some 1,000 retailers in Singapore, the company announced in a press statement on Wednesday (Oct 30).
With the new service, Foodpanda seeks to deliver groceries and other items from outlets such as Hao Mart, Caltex Star Mart, Eu Yan Sang and Mothercare to consumers’ homes in under 25 minutes.
“This new expansion is a natural extension of our goal to deliver services that bring even more convenience and experiences to Singaporeans’ everyday lives,” said Mr Luc Andreani, managing director of Foodpanda Singapore, in the press statement.
The company, which is owned by Germany-listed Delivery Hero, has hired 100 engineers in Singapore to prepare its platform for the expansion. Foodpanda says it has a fleet of over 8,000 delivery riders.
Foodpanda operates in 10 Asian and Central Europe markets, including Hong Kong, Pakistan, Taiwan and Bulgaria.
