SINGAPORE: The doctor at the centre of the HIV data leak in Singapore could face further disciplinary action after his medical registration was suspended for nine months, the Singapore Medical Council (SMC) announced on Tuesday (Mar 12). 

Ler Teck Siang was found guilty in September last year of helping his partner Mikhy Farrera Brochez to deceive the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) about Brochez’s HIV-positive status, and for giving false information to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the police. 

READ: Doctor at heart of HIV data leak claims he lied to police to ‘retaliate’ against MOH ‘discrimination’

The suspension, which came into effect on Mar 7, was ordered by an Interim Orders Committee (IOC), said the SMC. 

The council’s statement comes a day after Ler’s appeal against his conviction and two-year jail sentence was dismissed by a High Court judge. 

The SMC added that it will “review the matter” and also consider “further disciplinary action” against the 37-year-old, who is expected to begin his prison term on Mar 21. 

SMC CONSIDERED SERIOUSNESS OF CONVICTIONS

Besides the guilty verdicts, the SMC was also told about four other charges against Ler, in relation to drugs and handling personal information.

On Jan 30, the SMC received information from MOH about a pending charge against Ler under the Official Secrets Act (OSA) for failing to take reasonable care of information from a HIV registry. 

Ler is also facing three drug charges for allegedly trafficking methamphetamine to another man in a hotel, failing to give a urine specimen to the Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) and for possessing drug utensils.

He has claimed trial to the drug charges and will return to court for proceedings in May.

READ: HIV-positive status of 14,200 people leaked online

Ler’s practising certificate (PC) had expired on Dec 31 and the renewal of his PC was under review by the SMC.

The council added that while it recognised Ler’s appeal, and that the charges against him had not been dropped, it “considered the seriousness of the convictions and the pending charges against Dr Ler”. 

The SMC also took into consideration the need to maintain public confidence in the medical profession while criminal proceedings against Ler were ongoing.

“The information on the convictions and the pending charges was therefore referred to an IOC for the purpose of determining if it was necessary for the protection of members of the public or was otherwise in the public interest, or was in the interests of Dr Ler, that his registration be suspended or be made subject to conditions or restrictions,” the council said.

Ler will start his two-year prison sentence on Mar 21 and is currently out on bail at S$40,000. 

His husband Brochez is accused of leaking the personal data of 14,200 HIV-positive people from Singapore’s registry.

Brochez served 28 months’ jail for lying to MOM about his HIV status, along with other fraud and drug offences. He was deported in April last year.

He was last ordered by a US court on Mar 4 “to immediately” surrender the leaked data to Singapore’s authorities and destroy all leaks. 

In an affidavit filed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Feb 22, Brochez admitted that he had come “into possession of the database in Singapore” and taken it to the US.

He also told the FBI that he would leak more names and information if the Singapore Government did not release Ler.

SINGAPORE: A S$20-million research centre which aims to develop greener ways of recycling electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) was launched on Wednesday (Mar 13) by the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).

The centre focusing solely on e-waste recycling is believed to be a world-first.

Among its goals: To extract substantially more valuable metals from lithium-ion batteries and to recycle silicon from solar panels.

The centre, called the NTU Singapore-CEA Alliance for Research in Circular Economy, also wants to make the process of recycling printed circuit boards cheaper and more environmentally friendly, and to detoxify more plastic parts in e-waste, given that plastics form a major part of devices like printers and flat screens.

READ: 60% of large electrical appliances must be collected for e-waste recycling

To recycle lithium-ion batteries more efficiently, the centre has developed a shredder which can crush the batteries in an oxygen-less environment, necessary to prevent them from burning up.

Current industrial methods involve incineration, which is costly and energy-intensive, producing toxic fumes that might pollute the environment.

With the new method, researchers can extract valuable metals from the crushed material by dissolving it in a chemical solution and then letting it precipitate in a process called hydrometallurgy.

The centre aims to extract up to 75 per cent by weight of valuable materials like lithium, cobalt and manganese – 15 times more than the current 5 per cent. These can be used to produce new lithium-ion batteries, commonly found in laptops, smartphones and electric vehicles.

Hydrometallurgy can also be used to detoxify plastic parts in e-waste. Currently, only a small amount of this plastic is recycled as it is difficult to separate and remove. It also contains flame retardants that are toxic to human health and the environment.

After detoxifying the plastic, the plastic is put through an advanced process which involves heating it using microwaves and breaking it down into fuel.

In addition, the centre is exploring how this high-grade plastic can be used for “novel applications”, like filaments for 3D printing and as a base to grow stem cells.

It is also looking into new ways of recycling printed circuit boards to replace current industrial methods, which emit harmful pollutants that have to go through costly treatment processes before they can be safely released into the environment.

Instead, researchers first use X-ray sorting to separate components into different groups based on their metal content. This allows them to choose the best chemical method of recycling, reducing costs by about 20 to 30 per cent.

One new method involves the use of a carbon dioxide-based fluid to “trap” the metals; the carbon dioxide is then re-converted into recyclable gas, leaving behind only the metals.

For silicon-based solar panels, the centre aims to extract the silicon from the panel. This silicon, which requires a lot of energy to make, can be used to produce new panels and reduce the costs involved.

Currently, industries only recycle the metal frame, glass surface and silver components in a solar panel as it is difficult to separate the thin silicon, which is glued tightly to the rest of the layers.

To overcome this, researchers use a technique called delamination, which involves dislodging the glue using benign means – as opposed to heating – that will not destroy the silicon. These include the use of environmentally friendly solvents, and bacteria or microorganisms to “eat” the glue.

ARE THESE TECHNOLOGIES SCALABLE?

The two organisations and the National Environment Agency (NEA) will pour S$20 million into the collaboration, which comes after the Government identified e-waste as a major stream of trash under its zero waste masterplan.

The Government will also implement a mandatory e-waste management system by 2021.

READ: Compulsory e-waste management system to be enforced by 2021

Singapore generates about 60,000 tonnes of e-waste a year, equivalent to the weight of 220 Airbus A380 airplanes.

“This is a significant and timely development,” Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources Amy Khor said at the launch of the centre. “We are investing in research and development (R&D) in close partnership with industry and research institutions to overcome technological barriers.”

Co-director of the centre, Professor Madhavi Srinivasan, said the aim is for a majority of these technologies to be scalable within the next three years. This means ensuring it can work with 10kg to 100kg of e-waste, before partnering with the industry for larger-scale testing.

On Wednesday, the centre also signed a letter of intent with four companies – battery producer Durapower, chemicals company Arkema, electric car sharing firm BlueSG and e-waste recycler Virogreen – to kickstart research with industry.

NEA’s director of environment technology Patrick Pang said he was impressed by the progress made by the centre, which was first announced last August.

“(The Government’s) interest in this is to make sure the R&D results in options (that are) proven to be cost-effective and of course environmentally safe,” he said.

Mr Pang added that the Government can adjust its infrastructure plans, which can include setting up purpose-built plants to treat e-waste.

“The actual data of e-waste collected and recycled will allow us to size the appropriate facilities,” he said.

However, Mr Pang added that it was too early to commit to a timeline, or tell how many of such facilities there will be.

“As R&D powers our enterprises and creates new opportunities for (the centre and the companies), it will also create highly skilled jobs for our citizens,” Dr Khor said.

SINGAPORE: Less than a year since bike-sharing titan oBike’s sudden departure from Singapore, and a month after Ofo’s suspension, another operator has waved the white flag.

On Tuesday (Mar 12), the Land Transport Authority (LTA) confirmed Mobike had submitted an application to surrender its bike-sharing license.

The company has also withdrawn applications for a personal mobility device (PMD)-sharing license and said it would pull out of some Asian countries to re-evaluate its position, amid contractions in the market.

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

It has been a roller-coaster ride for bike-sharing in Singapore.

While we have passed the days where errantly parked bikes dot the urban landscape, the exit of so many bike-sharing companies has been traumatic and disconcerting to say the least.

oBike users who have put down deposits, myself included, haven’t seen any light at the end of the tunnel on their S$49.

Ofo too reportedly owes suppliers more than S$700,000 and let go of staff a few days before Chinese New Year.

Security deposits and licensing fees the Government collects from bike-sharing companies cannot be used to pay their debts to users and employees after their licenses are revoked, said Senior Minister of State for Transport Lam Pin Min, who fired a warning shot in Parliament last month.

Going by his remarks, it sounds like the list of collateral damage casualties may be pretty long.

READ: Lessons from the fall of once-mighty bike-sharing giants, a commentary

At the very least, responsible companies ought to clear out their bikes.

This Wednesday (Mar 13) marks the deadline for Ofo to remove all of its bikes from public places. The public will surely be wondering what swift action authorities will take if Ofo fails to comply.

WHAT DISRUPTION LOOKED LIKE

As the third high-profile bike-sharing operator Mobike begins the process of exiting Singapore, it’s starting to feel like deja vu. Haven’t we been here before?

And were there safeguards in place this time to protect society from the adverse effects of this disruption?

In Oct 2017, LTA, NParks and 16 town councils signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with bike-sharing operators that outlined a set of mutually agreed guidelines to reduce disamenities arising from bike-sharing services.

Within the MOU were requirements for operators to remove indiscriminately parked bikes within half a day and faulty bikes within a day.

Operators were also required to incorporate geofencing technology to detect and expeditiously tackle cases of errant parking.

So it is unclear how bike-sharing got out of hand and indiscriminate parking became so rampant.

Experts have highlighted out how the costs borne by bike-sharing companies may have escalated over time, as vandalism, missing bikes and indiscriminately parked bikes generated additional compliance costs.

NUS Business School Professor Nitin Pangarkar also pointed out in a commentary for Channel NewsAsia that oBike’s closure illustrated how poorly conceived ideas may get funded and survive for some time, as market euphoria and over-eager venture capitalists fuel their rise, only to fizzle out after a price war bleeds the company dry.

READ: Nitin Pangarkar’s commentary on oBike’s closure, a cautionary tale about poorly conceived business ideas

Still, it’s useful to acknowledge that there is no blueprint to running a new business in a different country, said Jonathan Chang, executive director at NUS Enterprise, on a recent episode on The Pulse podcast.

Perhaps more time should have been spent working with relevant stakeholders to support the envisaged growth of the company, he added. He may be onto something.

Mobike operates a small number of 1,000 bikes in Sapporo in Japan but the company had been careful to tie up with local retailers who provided space for designated parking, and secured the approval of city authorities first.

Despite speculation that the company will retreat to focus on the Chinese market, there are no reports it plans to exit Japan just yet, suggesting that market may be more conducive to supporting its business model.

Perhaps part of it is also managing our own expectation and adopting a cautious approach as consumers.

“Consumers have this great faith” in companies they support and sometimes, companies take advantage of this overwhelming support, Mr Chang said while on The Pulse.

“When things are doing well, people don’t seem to pay attention to the possible pitfalls,” he said, pointing to a clause in the oBike rental service agreement that stipulated that deposits would be converted into non-refundable membership subscription fees.

LISTEN: The roller-coaster ride of bike-sharing in Singapore, an episode on The Pulse podcast

He acknowledges that it was reassuring that the Consumers Association of Singapore stepped in when oBike pulled out.

Still, it will take some time before those scarred by these painful retreats can trust bike-sharing operators again.

BIKES AS PUBLIC GOODS

Perhaps the issue is that shared bikes were public goods in the first place.

Authorities had plans to roll out a public docked bike-sharing scheme in 2016, and start small with a tender calling for 1,000 bikes, but the initiative was put on the backburner with the entry of private operators.

The starting costs to set up a bike-sharing infrastructure are admittedly huge, which include not just the costs of procuring bikes but also the costs to mark out parking zones and build bike racks.

And the fees operators were charging pushed down artificially by investor funding may have gained them huge market share which all but disappeared after they were removed.

But now that the supporting infrastructure is in place, why not give public bike-sharing a shot?

END GAME

To be sure, the whirlwind journey Singapore’s bike-sharing sector has undergone is not unique.

China’s market also illustrates a similar trajectory, after a winnowing process left millions of zombie bikes strewn around the country.

The first Chinese bike-sharing company Xiaoming to bow out left 430,000 bikes across more than 10 cities and US$115 million (S$156 million) in unreturned deposits.

Perhaps after holding out and hoping that the private sector could be a useful partner to catalyse a cycling culture in Singapore, it’s time to go back to that idea of a public bike-sharing scheme.

Hope still abounds that SG Bike, with its 3,000-bike fleet, can turn things around.

SG Bike chief operating officer Sean Tay told Channel NewsAsia last year that the company has seen some 3,000 rides each day and is doing “much better” than when it first started.

Still, I’m never putting a deposit in a private bike-sharing app ever again.

Lin Suling is executive editor at Channel NewsAsia Digital News where she oversees the Commentary section.

SINGAPORE: With the deadline for Ofo to remove all its bicycles from public spaces in Singapore by Wednesday (Mar 13), and Mobike wanting to exit the same market, it appears that the heyday for bike-sharing here is over. 

According to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), Ofo’s failure to do so could result in regulatory action including the cancellation of its licence. Former employees had earlier told Channel NewsAsia that the company had “practically ceased” with no staff left. 

READ: Mobike calls it quits, seeks LTA approval to surrender licence

This comes on the heels of another China-based bike-sharing provider Mobike announcing it has applied to LTA to surrender its licence, although the regulator said it is assessing the company’s request. 

Should both Ofo and Mobike lose their licence to operate here, this would leave Singapore startup SG Bike as the only other entity with a full operating licence. Other players such as Anywheel and Qiqi Zhixiang only have a sandbox licence to offer such services here. 

The industry’s decline is in sharp contrast to its promising start, with Ofo and oBike initially raising millions of dollars from investors and expanding quickly to other market. 

However, issues such as indiscriminate parking by users and abuse of the bicycles put the brakes on these companies’ growth. The abrupt exit by oBike last June, which left many users in Singapore scrambling for their deposits to this day, tarnished the beleaguered industry further. 

This is a timeline of the industry’s key developments in Singapore:

Jan – Mar 2017: Ofo, oBike and Mobike launch in Singapore, introducing a few thousand bicycles onto the roads.

Mar 28, 2017: LTA creates new parking zones, with about 750 additional parking spaces marked out in yellow lines. In a statement, LTA said it was working with bicycle-sharing companies to “incentivise their users to park responsibly”.

Oct 2017: Five bicycle-sharing companies sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with LTA, the National Parks Board and town councils. Under the MOU, bicycle-sharing companies would have to remove indiscriminately parked bicycles within half a day, implement geo-fencing technologies by the end of 2017 and educate users on the proper uses of their bicycles, among others. In addition, LTA would create more than 4,000 yellow parking boxes.

READ: Bike-sharing operators, authorities move to cut irresponsible use of bicycles

Mar 5, 2018: Parliament passes the Parking Places (Amendment) Bill. Some measures include a new licensing regime for shared bike operators, a review of fleet size every six months, and a QR code-based geo-fencing solution. The geo-fencing solution requires users to scan a QR code at each parking space to ensure proper parking.

Jun 25, 2018: OBike announces its closure in the wake of new regulations implemented by the LTA. The company owed a total of US$4.6 million (S$6.3 million) to its users in deposits, with many users reporting difficulty in retrieving their deposits,

Jun 29, 2018: Mobike and Ofo submit licence applications to the LTA. They become the fourth and fifth companies to apply for a licence, following the footsteps of SG Bike, Anywheel, and oBike.

Oct 29, 2018: LTA awards licences to six bicycle-sharing companies. Ofo, Mobike and SG Bike received full licences, while Anywheel, GrabCycle and Qiqi Zhixiang received sandbox licences. Mobike was given a maximum fleet size of 25,000, while Ofo was given a maximum fleet size of 10,000 at its request.

Nov – Dec 2018: Ofo terminates hundreds of employees in Singapore and faces “immense” cash flow problems. Two vendors in Singapore complain that the company owed them about S$70,000.

Jan 4, 2019:GrabCycle gives up its sandbox licence, choosing instead to focus on a shared electric scooter service.  

Jan 14, 2019: LTA’s QR code-based geo-fencing solution comes into effect. Users who fail to scan the QR-code at the end of their trip face an additional S$5 charge on top of their rental fee.

Feb 14, 2019: LTA suspends Ofo’s licence, citing the company’s repeated failures to comply with regulations. Ofo had failed to implement the QR-code system for parking and did not reduce the size of its fleet to the stipulated limit of 10,000.

Mar 12, 2019: Mobike submits application to LTA to surrender its bicycle-sharing licence, but employees were not told beforehand that the company intends to cease operations.

Mar 13, 2019: Deadline for Ofo to remove all its bicycles from public spaces.