S'pore set to be 'top centre for resolving commercial disputes'

October 7, 2014, 2:42 am

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Republic's new specialist court could steal march on London, say experts
By K. C. Vijayan Senior Law Correspondent, The Straits Times, 6 Oct 2014

THE planned Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) may still be in the works, but some already see it challenging London's pre-eminence in settling commercial court disputes.

One leading British industry player said there is a strong possibility the Singapore court would steal a march on London while another suggested the English capital needs to be careful or lose out to Singapore in influence.

The specialist court to hear disputes over global business deals is slated to be set up in Singapore later this year, with a Bill due to be tabled in Parliament this week to pave the way.

The new court is part of a wider plan to position Singapore as Asia's dispute resolution hub, which includes the Singapore International Arbitration Centre and a new Singapore International Mediation Centre to be added.

Britain's Law Society Gazette last week reported on Singapore's expansion in the area, with the pending SICC seen as a "credible threat" to London's commercial court pre-eminence.

It quoted Mr Tony Guise, chair of the Commercial Litigation Association, saying "there is a real danger Singapore and/or New York will steal a march" on London.

Mr Guise, who had sought views from members, added: "One member takes the view Singapore has the work now and it won't be letting go any time soon.

"With the rise of the Far East as a market, he believes Singapore will become the premier jurisdiction for dispute resolution in five to 10 years' time.

"Confidence placed in London's pre-eminence by way of dispute resolution clauses is, in his view, misplaced."

Separately, Mr Brian Lee, chairman of Britain's Institute of Barristers' Clerks, warned that "London needs to be careful" of the competition from abroad.

At the institute's annual dinner this year attended by Britain's Lord Chancellor, members of London's judiciary and the legal fraternity, Mr Lee said that the SICC was due to open this year "with judges on a £1 million salary, allegedly! Not enough to tempt our judges, I am sure".

Most major South Korean law firms now choose Singapore as the venue for their clients, instead of London or New York as they did before, he added.

Mr Lee also pointed out there were six lawyers from his chambers - 20 Essex Street - working on dispute resolution cases in Singapore the week the dinner was held - "flying the flag in legal exports" - while five years earlier, the cases would have been heard in London.

First broached by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon in January last year, the SICC is meant to bolster Singapore's position as a dispute resolution centre.

At a China- Asean Justice Forum in Nanning, China, last month, CJ Menon said that as a key centre for the convergence of legal services in Asia, Singapore was well placed to deal with global commercial disputes.

Mr Alastair Henderson, who is managing partner for South-east Asia at leading global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills, told The Straits Times in an e-mail message that Singapore has "consistently demonstrated its determination to be a leader in the global market for dispute resolution services" and that the SICC will be a key asset boost in that direction.

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S'pore 'capital with most air links in ASEAN'

October 7, 2014, 3:04 am

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By Karamjit Kaur Aviation Correspondent, The Straits Times, 6 Oct 2014

EVERY day, about 120 flights take off from Changi Airport bound for ASEAN capital cities.

This makes Singapore the most connected within the 10-member grouping when it comes to air links between the capitals. Kuala Lumpur is second with about 91 daily flights, followed by Jakarta with close to 70 flights.

Of the region's top five air links by frequency of flights, four are from Singapore; to Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Bangkok and Manila.

The fifth is Kuala Lumpur-Jakarta, based on data provided by industry consultancy Sabre and collated by consultancy OAG for advance flight filings by airlines for this month to December.

Air traffic liberalisation, which gives airlines access to more flights and new markets, has been good for Singapore and Changi, said industry experts. There will be more opportunities as the regional bloc continues to push for further liberalisation, they said.

In a recent milestone, Indonesia - the largest country in the group - signed a deal to allow ASEAN airlines to make unlimited flights to Jakarta.

Indonesia's "yes" after years of reluctance is significant, said aviation law academic Alan Tan of the National University of Singapore.

It follows a decade-long campaign to get the 10 ASEAN nations to remove all restrictions on flights from their countries and to push to become one aviation market - similar to the European Union's "single sky".

With Jakarta on board, aviation experts expect that other Indonesian cities will follow suit.

The Philippines' capital Manila is now the only ASEAN capital that has yet to join the agreement, although the country has already removed restrictions on flights by other ASEAN airlines to its non-capital cities.

The goal is to allow carriers from ASEAN countries to fly freely within the region by the end of next year.

So Singapore Airlines (SIA), for example, could fly as often as it wanted to any ASEAN city, instead of being restricted by government-to-government air deals.

The aim is also to allow carriers to fly beyond one capital to another, for example, SIA doing a Singapore-Kuala Lumpur-Bangkok flight.

Ultimately, the benefits of liberalisation are measured in terms of better outcomes for consumers, said Mr Andrew Herdman, director-general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines.

In markets like Singapore-Jakarta, Singapore-Kuala Lumpur and Singapore-Bangkok, where liberalisation has led to more flights, including those by budget carriers, consumers have enjoyed fares of under $100 for a return flight - unheard of a decade ago.

Housewife Alice Wong, 49, said: "Holidays used to be a once-a-year or once-in-two-years thing but now it's common for people to take short breaks two, even three times a year because fares, especially for regional flights, are so attractive."

ASEAN must act quickly on a truly single sky
Grouping faces competition from improving China and India airlines
By Karamjit Kaur, The Straits Times, 6 Oct 2014

ASEAN has come a long way in breaking down the barriers that prevent airlines from flying freely within the region, with travellers the key beneficiaries.

Take the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur market, which just six years ago was a duopoly controlled by Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Malaysia Airlines.

Since 2008, when liberalisation threw open the doors to budget carriers and many more flights, return fares for the 45-minute sector have tumbled from about $400 to as low as under $100.

From Singapore-Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur-Jakarta, many other air links have opened up to more carriers and competition.

The idea of an ASEAN open skies has been talked about for a long time but it is only in the last decade that the pace has picked up.

A major breakthrough came recently when Indonesia, home to almost 40 per cent of the region's population of more than 600 million, agreed to allow unlimited flights by airlines from other ASEAN countries to Jakarta.

Given South-east Asia's great diversity and political structure, ASEAN's progress so far is commendable, but the wheels must turn faster, industry experts said.

It is not practical to expect ASEAN to operate the way the European Union (EU) does, said Mr Andrew Herdman, director-general of the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines.

"It must be remembered that ASEAN is structured in a way that does not override the national sovereignty of its member states.

"Therefore, any agreements reached within ASEAN are subject to ratification by its individual member states."

He added: "Given the deeply embedded political and institutional relationships involved, the process of change inevitably takes time," he said.

Mr Herdman noted it took the EU more than two decades to develop the single aviation market, which is still a work in progress.

To be truly a single sky, there are other milestones ASEAN has to cross, like allowing an airline from Country A to operate domestic flights in Country B, as well as flying to a point in Country B and, from there, onwards to another destination outside ASEAN.

A single-sky concept also means an integrated air traffic management system which will allow the region to better handle a growing number of flights and avoid gridlock in the air.

ASEAN must move faster, especially if one considers the threats from improving airlines from China and India that have a huge market base to draw upon, said aviation law academic Alan Tan of the National University of Singapore.

To compete effectively, SIA, Thai Airways and other ASEAN carriers must be able to expand their market base with what the industry calls "seventh freedom" air rights, he said.

Such an arrangement, which exists within the European Union, would allow a Singapore carrier, for example, to operate services between Malaysia and Indonesia.

Without ASEAN functioning as a single market, its carriers are disadvantaged, said Professor Tan, citing a 2010 agreement between the 10-member group and China.

The pact effectively allows Chinese carriers to connect any point in China to any point in ASEAN states that accept this agreement.

But an ASEAN airline can connect only points in its own home with points in China. So SIA, for example, has unlimited penetration into China, but only from Singapore.

Prof Tan said: "This is an imbalance, but is created simply because ASEAN countries won't give each other the seventh freedom to fly to China."

For now, ASEAN's goal is to allow carriers from member states to fly freely, but only within the region and excluding "seventh freedom" air rights, by the end of next year.

There is little doubt this will be achieved. But beyond that, there is little that has been agreed on and this is where it will be a challenge to push further.

The huge disparity in size and bank balance between airlines in the region and the concerns governments may have that their national carriers will not be able to compete effectively in a truly open market are major stumbling blocks.

On the flip side, there is growing awareness that liberalisation stimulates economies, in particular, the tourism industry, and countries that do not embrace this risk losing out.

As ASEAN skies continue to liberalise and airlines can fly freely to destinations which may previously have been more difficult to access, there could be some impact on transit hubs like Changi Airport, UOB Kay Hian aviation analyst K. Ajith said.

To stay ahead, Changi must continue to expand its network and connections and ensure its charges and rates for airlines, among the highest in South-east Asia, are competitive.

"This will become more important as rival hubs like Kuala Lumpur International Airport continue to expand and narrow the gap in terms of connectivity and service offerings," he said.

In the end, open skies will benefit airlines and airports quick to seize the opportunities that come with liberalisation. For the traveller, though, it is a sure win.

ASEAN's open-skies dream

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Lion City’s green ranking worsens

October 7, 2014, 8:30 pm

≫ Next: Linking needy to jobs in their neighbourhood

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Singapore was found to have the seventh-largest ecological footprint – a measure of the population’s demands on natural resources – out of more than 150 countries.
By Laura Elizabeth Philomin, TODAY, 7 Oct 2014

With the growing population driving up carbon emissions, Singapore’s environmental ranking has worsened in the latest Living Planet Report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

Out of more than 150 countries analysed, the report found Singapore to have the seventh-largest ecological footprint – a measure of the population’s demands on natural resources – in the world. Singapore ranked 12th in the 2012 report. In the top five are Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Denmark and Belgium.

With limited natural resources, about 70 per cent of Singapore’s footprint comes from carbon emissions, produced within the country as well as indirectly through activities driven by Singapore’s economy in other countries, the WWF said. Consuming large amounts of imported food and services also contributes to the amount of carbon emissions produced per capita.

If every person in the world lived like Singaporeans, 4.1 planets would be needed to sustain our needs, the WWF noted in its report.

Published biennially, this year’s report reflects 40 years of data from 1970 to 2010 gathered and calculated by the National Footprint Accounts from sources such as the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the International Energy Agency and Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, among others.

The ecological footprint measures the amount of natural resources such as the productive land and water area a country has, versus how much is needed to sustain population development and absorb carbon emissions generated by these activities.

A country’s ranking is determined by goods and services consumed by an average person and the efficiency of resources used in providing these goods and services.

DEVELOPING AT THE EXPENSE OF RESOURCES

In an interview on Monday (Oct 6), WWF International’s director-general Marco Lambertini said Singapore is following the pattern of other high-income economies developing at the expense of resources. Aside from carbon emissions, consumption in these countries also drives habitat degradation and sometimes unsustainable practices in other countries, he said.

The report also found global wildlife populations have declined by more than half over the past 40 years, with the Asia-Pacific region showing the second-highest biodiversity loss due to accelerating development in the region in the past 20 years.

Beyond reducing consumption, Dr Lambertini said Singapore should focus on consuming wisely, such as choosing certified sustainable seafood and sustainable timber. “Consume products that have a lower footprint or no footprint or products that are incentivising sustainable practices,” he said, adding that consumers have more choices now.

As a global investment hub, Singapore can also make great impact by redirecting investments towards applying sustainable standards, investing in companies with high corporate social and environmental standards and divesting from fossil fuels.

“We’re also considering the footprint you’re having through operations outside and a lot of the carbon emissions are actually not necessarily in Singapore, but are also outsourced,” said Dr Lambertini. “All these investment here is a critical one because that’s really one of the key drivers of ecological footprint globally and you’re a major hub and you can really make a big difference there,”

He commended the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act as an innovative measure by Singapore to manage impact from other countries and suggested expanding this concept to other areas – such as carbon emissions and deforestation. This would help other countries preserve their existing natural assets, he said. “Their natural capital is everybody’s natural capital. It’s a common good that we need to be committed to preserve.”

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Linking needy to jobs in their neighbourhood

October 7, 2014, 9:09 pm

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Network pairs employers looking for help with residents in Marine Parade
By Janice Tai, The Straits Times, 7 Oct 2014

MOM-AND-POP provision shops and market stalls in Marine Parade struggle to find workers.

At the same time, many residents of the fast-greying constituency struggle to land jobs due to disability, illness or childcare duties.

But WeCare@MarineParade, a community network started by Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong to link people who need help with resources, is putting two and two together: It is starting a jobs bank for the Marine Parade area by month's end.

Called the Community Employment Matching System, businesses in Marine Parade will be able to list their job vacancies in the database.

The area's voluntary welfare organisations can also upload clients' non-identifiable information such as experience, availability and medical conditions.

If there are matches between job seekers and vacancies, social workers would inform their beneficiaries, who would then contact the businesses directly.

"We saw this gap because we know of unemployed residents who can't travel far for work because they are old or disabled, and low-income housewives who can work only while their children are in school," said Mr Dominic Lim, who heads WeCare.

"And many community enterprises can offer that flexible working hours of a few hours a day right at their doorstep," he added.

So WeCare approached the Marine Parade Merchants' Association (MPMA), which represents about 150 shops and stalls in the area, to help collate information on job openings.

Private Internet company Korvac Holdings came in to create the database for the community pro bono.

Mr Victor Thya, MPMA's honorary secretary, said the partnership is a win-win one.

"This will help smaller businesses thrive because manpower is a big problem," he said.

The 48-year-old, who runs three hawker stalls at Marine Parade Central, has been advertising for workers in the newspapers every month for the last three years with little success.

Mr Lim said needy residents in the area are likely to be more keen on these jobs because they live nearby and need the income.

These are people who are seeking counselling or other forms of help from social agencies.

Unlike the national Jobs Bank launched in July, this Marine Parade job database will not be open to the public because WeCare wants the jobs to go to the vulnerable first.

Many of the job openings are for cleaners, cashiers, stall assistants and banking assistants, and not white-collar ones more common in the national Jobs Bank.

Marine Terrace resident Wang Jee Kim said he is looking forward to seeing what kind of part-time jobs the database will offer.

The unemployed 59-year-old has been unable to take up full-time jobs because he has heart problems and needs to see the doctor frequently.

"It's a good idea for them to link us up to something nearby, because then I can just go downstairs to work for a few hours and come back up to rest after that."

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Bowel incontinence 'not part of ageing'

October 7, 2014, 9:17 pm

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SGH doc urges those with problem to come forward and get treated early
By Linette Lai, The Straits Times, 7 Oct 2014

FOR years, Madam Matilda Miranda lived with what seemed like a persistent stomach upset.

Within minutes of eating, she would have to rush to the toilet to empty her bowels.

Doctors prescribed diarrhoea medication to little effect. It was only after more than a decade that one doctor told her the problem was bowel incontinence.

The condition - a lack of control over one's bowels - affects mainly women, with those aged above 52 at highest risk.

Many are too embarrassed to seek help, or believe that nothing can be done.

"A lot of times, patients accept it as part of ageing, which is a myth," said Dr Mark Wong, director of Singapore General Hospital's (SGH) pelvic floor disorder service.

"And others feel that there is a stigma if they come forward."

He has been seeing a 10 per cent increase in patients each year since 2009, following efforts to raise awareness of the condition among general practitioners (GPs) and polyclinic doctors.

Many patients come forward only after struggling for years with the problem.

Some, like Madam Miranda, may even quit their jobs because of it.

"How to work?" said the 59-year-old, who left her supermarket job more than 10 years ago.

"I couldn't go anywhere. Even when I went for a movie, I wouldn't eat. In church, halfway through mass, I would have to run to the toilet."

The hospital conducted Singapore's first bowel incontinence study last year and found that about 5 per cent of the population is affected.

About half of this group also has urinary incontinence, or the loss of bladder control.

Dr Wong urged those with the problem to come forward and get it treated early.

"Like with any medical condition, if you allow it to deteriorate... the cumulative damage over the years can be irreversible in some aspects," he said.

"Sometimes all you need is an adjustment of dietary habits and simple medication."

Treatment options include ingesting more fibre to firm up stools, exercises to strengthen muscles, and surgery.

After Madam Miranda underwent the latter, she no longer has continence issues.

Now, she visits Dr Wong only once a year for check-ups, and avoids "trigger" foods like milk products or gassy drinks.

Said Dr Wong: "Don't accept it as a part of ageing.

"You should give yourself the chance to age with dignity."

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Support for caregivers frees up hospital beds

October 7, 2014, 9:37 pm

≫ Next: Rising demand for senior care centres

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Chronic patients cared for at home, thanks to help from hospital staff
By Salma Khalik, The Straits Times, 7 Oct 2014

MS ROSE Kong cares for her 88-year-old mother who has had a fractured leg, suffers from dementia, and needs to be tube-fed five to six times a day.

The National University Hospital (NUH) helped her get a hospital bed for her mother at their Hillview home, so she can be raised easily to sit at a 45 degree angle for feeding.

And Ms Kong, who is retired and in her 60s, has called senior geriatric staff nurse Sharifah Beebi several times for advice.

When her mother developed a rash, for instance, nurse Sharifah told her what to do and the cream to apply, saving her a trip to the doctor.

Another time, when her mother developed a fever and a swollen leg, the nurse said she needed to be hospitalised.

"Instead of taking her to the emergency department and waiting a few hours for a bed, she arranged for a bed so my mother could go straight to the ward," recalled Ms Kong. "It is a real benefit. I don't feel so lost when something happens."

Public hospitals have been able to free up hundreds of much-needed beds by helping family members like Ms Kong to care for chronic patients in their homes. This means they are less likely to have to rush to hospital, and the effort has been lauded by patients and their families alike.

Associate Professor Reshma Merchant, a geriatric specialist at NUH, said the scheme started earlier this year with 30 patients who had been hospitalised at least twice in the previous three months. A nurse would visit their homes the day after discharge, to make sure that the caregiver was doing things right, medicine was stored properly and any fall risks were identified and removed, she explained. The caregiver was also given the nurse's phone number, which she could call any time, day or night.

In the three months before they went on the scheme, the 30 patients had a total of 87 admissions, said Prof Merchant.

But in the same period afterwards, this was slashed to five admissions. "It has proven to be really effective," she said. "It has reduced the number of long-staying patients by half."

Not only are readmissions down, but the scheme has also reduced the demand for nursing home care, as patients' families feel they are able to cope with the hospital's help which is only a phone call away, she added.

In March, the scheme was extended from the two pilot wards to 11 wards in the hospital.

Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has a similar scheme, where it works with voluntary welfare organisations, and has managed to cut hospital readmissions by one-third.

Geriatric specialist John Abisheganaden noted that even when patients do have to be admitted, their stay is generally two to three days shorter.

About 160 TTSH patients have benefited from the scheme, and Associate Professor Abisheganaden hopes to see it expanded to about 2,000 patients.

Such efforts are still in their infancy, however, and whether they are here to stay will depend on changes to government funding.

Today, hospitals are paid to look after patients in the hospital, but to enhance such home care schemes, more funds will have to be extended to discharged patients, said doctors.

Responding to queries from The Straits Times, a Ministry of Health (MOH) spokesman said: "MOH is working closely with our health-care clusters to monitor the total cost of care per patient, as well as care outcomes under pilot programmes, and the evaluation will then advise future reviews of our funding model for health-care services."

Singapore's hospital readmission rates comparable to the US: MOH
Last year, readmission rates ranged from 13.4% at SGH to 15.1% at Alexandra.
Channel NewsAsia, 7 Oct 2014

The overall public hospital or institution readmission rate in Singapore is comparable to that of the United States, but higher than some countries, such as Britain, according to the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Tuesday (Oct 7).

Minister of Health Gan Kim Yong said this in a written reply to three questions by Aljunied GRC MP Chen Show Mao.

Mr Gan said the readmission rate for patients within 30 days after discharge from public hospitals was 11.7 per cent in 2011 and 12.2 per cent in both 2012 and 2013. In 2013, the readmission rate was 6.2 per cent for KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital, while the readmission rates for the other hospitals were similar, ranging from 13.4 per cent at Singapore General Hospital and National University Hospital to 15.1 per cent at Alexandra Hospital.

The readmission rates for patients aged 65 years and older had remained stable at around 19 per cent from 2011 to 2013, said Mr Gan. In 2013, the readmission rates for patients aged 65 years and older ranged from 18.5 per cent at Tan Tock Seng Hospital to 21.1 per cent at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital.

Attributing readmissions to several factors including the patient's conditions and disease type, quality of inpatient care, the transitions to primary and community care, and the follow-up care including rehabilitation care, Mr Gan added that the home environment and family support is an important contributing factor while readmission rates also vary across hospitals due to the different mix of cases.

Mr Gan said that the MOH will study Mr Chen's request to publish the rates of readmission annually, adding that they share the results with public hospitals annually for the hospitals' consideration in implementing measures to reduce readmissions.

The Health Minister cited how hospitals have implemented various programmes to reduce readmission rates. For example, Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s Virtual Hospital programme involves assigning a care manager to monitor patients who have a history of multiple admissions.

Such coordinated care and monitoring ensures that these patients receive adequate support, and thus minimises the risk of readmission, said Mr Gan.

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Rising demand for senior care centres

October 7, 2014, 9:42 pm

≫ Next: More bus services, crowding and waiting times down under BSEP: LTA

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At least 22 new senior care centres are expected to open by 2016, according to the Agency for Integrated Care.
By Amanda Lee, TODAY, 7 Oct 2014

One of the effects of Singapore’s ageing population has manifested itself more clearly in recent years, with rising demand for eldercare services prodding big operators in the sector to add more centres while they prepare to open even more in the next few years.

In total, at least 22 new senior care centres are expected by 2016, said the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC), which added that there has been an increase in the number of referrals to centre-based services.

Last year, the AIC facilitated 11,200 such referrals for clients, about a 30 per cent jump from 2012.

“The increase of referrals is an indication of the rising demand for centre-based care services from the public, and the AIC is working closely with service providers to meet the demand,” said its spokesperson.

The AIC added that it expects at least 30 senior care centres – including the existing eight – to offer more than 3,000 places by 2020. This includes the 10 to 15 the PAP Community Foundation plans to set up islandwide over the next five years. Senior care centres are one-stop facilities integrating day care, community rehabilitation and nursing or dementia care.

“Having various services under one roof makes it more convenient for seniors and caregivers as they no longer need to travel to different places for different care services. The AIC is working closely with these centres on their development and operations,” the spokesperson added.

MORE CENTRES, EXPANSION OF SERVICES

Operators contacted said they started expanding to cater to the rising demand for eldercare services about five years ago.

St Luke’s ElderCare and St Luke’s Hospital chief operating officer Kenny Tan said the number of day care centres it runs has doubled from six to 12 in the past five years. “We will look into ways that will enable us to reach out to even more elderly in the community, by way of expansion, upgrading and training,” said Dr Tan.

ECON Healthcare Group, which has four senior activity centres, expects to have another eight such centres ready by next year, said its executive director Ong Hui Ming. “We also hope to expand our home care and home rehabilitation services,” she added.

NTUC Health, a cooperative under the labour movement and which operates 10 Silver Circle centres providing eldercare services such as daycare and homecare, as well as runs senior activity centres, said it is prepared to invest in another five nursing homes in the next three to five years.

DEMAND FOR ELDERCARE SERVICES

A report released by the National Population and Talent Division last month showed those aged 65 and above formed 12.4 per cent of the citizen population in June, up from 11.7 per cent a year earlier. The number of elderly citizens is also projected to triple to 900,000 by 2030.

Members of Parliament (MPs) whose constituencies comprise a rising number of the elderly also told TODAY they have seen increasing demand for eldercare services in recent years.

One of them, Jurong GRC MP Halimah Yacob, who is also Speaker of Parliament, said: “This is because of our ageing population and the request is for places in the senior care centres and nursing homes.”

Ang Mo Kio MP Yeo Guat Kwang said his constituency does not have respite care services and is working with the AIC on this. Respite care services are the provision of short-term accommodation to those needing care, so the caregiver gets temporary relief.

He said the centre could be open early next year and that they are looking to see if it can be located at a void deck or co-located with the new community centre at Hougang Avenue 9, which will be ready in the third quarter of next year.

“For those family members who are caregivers, they can take their spouse or family member (to the centre) during the weekend or once a month and at least let them be entitled to a day off,” said Mr Yeo.

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More bus services, crowding and waiting times down under BSEP: LTA

October 7, 2014, 11:58 pm

≫ Next: EMA explains electricity tariff - fuel price link

≪ Previous: Rising demand for senior care centres

Crowding eases after injection of buses
By Xue Jianyue, TODAY, 7 Oct 2014

The number of bus services that were crowded during peak periods has fallen substantially over the past two years, following the addition of 450 buses under the Government’s Bus Service Enhancement Programme (BSEP).

Giving an update on the programme, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the number of bus services carrying passengers at more than 85 per cent capacity during peak hours had fallen from 96 before the implementation of the BSEP to 38 in July.

The S$1.1 billion BSEP was launched in 2012 to boost connectivity and bus-service levels. Under the programme, a total of 1,000 government-funded buses will be added to the public transport network by 2017.

The 58 bus services that are no longer crowded during peak periods serve various parts of the island. Commuters whom TODAY spoke to agreed that the situation had improved.

Ms Shamima Rafi, 33, general manager of marketing agency The Events Artery, said she had noticed more double deckers for bus service 8,which she takes from Paya Lebar to MacPherson about thrice a week. She added that, with the double-decker buses, she usually manages to get a seat when she takes the service home during evening rush hour.

Visual mapping consultant Tay Xiong Sheng, 28, who takes a bus to work from Woodlands Avenue 3 to Boon Lay, said: “In the past, I couldn’t even board the bus. Now, I can find a place to sit almost all the time.”

Still, 25-year-old engineer Alex Woon said even though bus service 963, which he takes from Hillview to his workplace in Alexandra, is less crowded, he hopes its frequency can be increased.

To date, 144 bus services — or half of the total existing services — have been improved under the BSEP. When it was first announced, the scheme drew questions from observers and Members of Parliament, who wondered why state funds should be used to improve bus service standards.

Writing on Facebook, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew said the BSEP has been impactful. “I receive far fewer complaints and much more positive feedback that bus rides are now better, more comfortable, more timely,” he said.

Mr Lui added that when he took on the transport portfolio in 2011, he understood that bus and train capacities had to be increased urgently and service standards raised.

The LTA said the additional buses injected into the network have enabled services to operate at shorter intervals, benefiting commuters whose waiting times have been reduced.

For example, bus service 966, which loops between Woodlands and Marine Parade, currently runs at a frequency of four to eight minutes during morning peak hours, and six to 13 minutes during the evening rush hour. Previously, commuters had to wait between six and 10 minutes in the morning and from nine to 16 minutes in the evening.

Over the past two years, 31 new bus services have been rolled out. Of these, 21 are run by public transport operators SBS Transit and SMRT, while the remaining are City Direct Services operated by private bus operators.

In addition, five supplementary bus services and nine Peak Period Short Services have been introduced in various housing estates.

The LTA said that, between July and last month, additional buses were deployed for 43 bus services during morning and evening peak hours. In all, 570 weekly peak-hour bus trips were added.

Separate from the BSEP and as part of the quarterly bus service review process, SBS Transit and SMRT have also improved 17 bus services, adding 60 weekly trips during peak hours.

Between this month and December, 100 more buses will be rolled out under the BSEP, said the LTA.

Post by Land Transport Authority – We Keep Your World Moving.

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EMA explains electricity tariff - fuel price link

October 8, 2014, 7:55 pm

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Electricity tariffs: Daily gas prices fell by only 3%
From Juliana Chow, Director, Corporate Communications, Energy Market Authority, TODAY Voices, 8 Oct 2014

Mr Narayana Narayana asked about the relationship between electricity tariffs and fuel prices (“Explain gap between drop in tariff and oil prices better”; Oct 6).

The tariff consists of two main components: The fuel cost and the non-fuel cost components.

The latter includes capital and operating costs of generation companies and grid charges; the former refers to the cost of natural gas, the dominant fuel source for power generation here.

In Singapore and other Asian countries, the cost of natural gas is linked to oil prices. Based on the published methodology, this quarter’s fuel cost component is taken from the average daily gas prices from July 1 to Sept 15, converted from US dollars to Singapore dollars.

It is not correct to compare only two data points using spot crude oil prices at the start of the period and at the end.

As fuel price movements have fluctuated between July 1 and Sept 15, the overall reduction in average daily gas prices is about 3 per cent, not the 15 percent figure Mr Narayana used in his calculations.

This, in turn, translates into a proportional reduction of 1.6 per cent, since fuel costs make up about 50 percent of the tariff. We thank Mr Narayana for his feedback and the opportunity to clarify the relationship between electricity tariffs and fuel prices.

Explain gap between drop in tariff and oil prices better
From Narayana Narayana, TODAY Voices, 6 Oct 2014

Singapore residents will be happy SP Services has lowered its electricity tariff for this quarter, and the Main Components of Electricity Tariff are set out to suitably educate the lay consumer.

The list appears to fall short, though, of explaining why the reduction is 1.6 per cent, while crude oil prices have fallen in the past quarter from US$115 (S$147) to below US$100, or about 15 per cent.

It would be interesting to learn who the main beneficiaries of the drop are and, especially, why little of it percolates down to the general public, to whom it should logically be passed on.

↧

Higher lead levels allowed in food, supplements here

October 8, 2014, 8:25 pm

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Variations in limits with other countries no cause for concern: HSA
By David Ee, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

SINGAPORE regulations allow slightly higher lead levels in food and health supplements than those of some other countries.

The difference was brought to light last week after a health scare over lead levels contained in a popular traditional Chinese medicine.

The Bo Ying compound is sold by traditional Chinese medicine retailer Eu Yan Sang.

Singapore permits higher levels of lead in health supplements than the United States (see table). For food ingredients, Singapore permits higher levels than, for instance, the European Union (EU).

Should people be concerned? No, says the Health Sciences Authority (HSA). Its spokesman told The Straits Times: "Although different jurisdictions have limits that vary relative to each other, the absolute difference between these limits is actually minimal, due to the scale of measurement in parts per million."

She explained that the lead limits for food are lower than for those in medicinal products, as "the intake of (these) is expected to be less than food".

When determining the acceptable limits of heavy metals such as lead in products, various factors, including the type of product, whether it is consumed and the amount used, are considered, added the spokesman.

Eu Yan Sang's Bo Ying compound, used to treat phlegm, vomiting, fevers, colds and coughs in young children, was flagged for lead poisoning risk by the US authorities on Sept 26.

The retailer defended itself last week, saying that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wrongly tested the compound as a food additive rather than a supplement.

US regulators had found 2.5 parts per million (ppm) of lead in a retail sample of Bo Ying compound, and 16 ppm in a sample provided by Eu Yan Sang.

Heavy metals like lead are naturally occurring compounds present in the surrounding environment. According to the HSA, their ubiquitous nature means they may be found in trace quantities in many products.

Professor Ong Choon Nam, a toxicology expert at the National University of Singapore's Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said that the US and EU tend to have stricter standards. But he added it does not mean Singapore's standards are unsafe.

The important thing is to keep up to date with the latest science, he said. "The science is evolving very rapidly. All countries should review their standards from time to time."

He suggested that the Government make its existing standards age-specific. Toddlers, for example, would tolerate a much lower dose of lead than an adult.

"Toxicity depends on the dosage and concentration. This has to be considered."

↧

A diplomat's secret weapon

October 8, 2014, 9:17 pm

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A veteran diplomat spills the beans on the powerful wives' network that helped him do his job.
By Tommy Koh, Published The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

IN 1984, I had served for a total of 13 years as Singapore's Permanent Representative to the United Nations. I was ready for a new assignment. I was happy when informed that I would succeed my old teacher at the National University of Singapore Law School, Punch Coomaraswamy, as Singapore's fourth Ambassador to the United States.

I told my wife that although New York and Washington DC were only a few hundred miles apart, the nature of my old and new postings was different. The UN posting was a multilateral posting and my mission was to represent Singapore in the Parliament of the world. My job was to befriend and earn the goodwill of as many delegations as possible.

Washington was a bilateral posting and my job was to earn the friendship, goodwill and support of the government and people of the United States for Singapore.

American expectations

I ALSO told my wife that in Washington, I would need her involvement in and support for my work. The Americans expected the Ambassador and his wife to take an active part in the social, cultural and philanthropic life of the city. As the representatives of a small country, we had to work harder and smarter in order to gain visibility, relevance and access.

As my wife had a medical degree, I encouraged her to help two medical charities. There was a new hospital in Washington called The National Rehabilitation Hospital. It specialised in treating patients who had suffered strokes or spinal injuries as a result of accidents. The First Lady, Mrs Nancy Reagan, was the patron of the hospital. My wife accepted an invitation to serve on the hospital's board.

My wife also accepted an invitation to serve on the board of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Multiple sclerosis is a disorder in which the nerves of the eye, brain and spinal cord lose patches of their protective insulation known as myelin.

The Society raised money to fund medical research into the disease and to find a cure for it.

My wife enjoyed working with the two medical charities and we tried, in our modest ways, to contribute to their work and finances. She introduced me to the many friends she made. This helped to expand my network in Washington to include thought leaders in medical research, health care and philanthropy.

Power women in Washington

SOON after I arrived in Washington, I discovered that there were eight powerful women's clubs with the unassuming name of International Neighbour Clubs. Many of the powerful women of Washington belonged to these clubs. Admission was by invitation only. There was a rule that, in each club, there would be equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans.

The wife of an American friend got an invitation for my wife to join her club. I encouraged my wife to accept the invitation and to play an active role in it.

She did such a good job that, after a number of years, she was elected as the president of her club.

The members of my wife's club included the then only woman on the US Supreme Court, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Other prominent members included the wife of the Attorney-General, Mrs Ed Meese; the wife of the US Trade Representative, Mrs Clayton Yeutter; the wife of the highly respected Republican senator, Mrs Alan Simpson; the wife of the veteran Democratic African-American congressman from New York, Mrs Charlie Rangel, and the wife of the President of the American University.

My wife became my secret weapon when I wanted to invite an American leader to come home to have dinner with a visiting minister.

I remember on one occasion, our then Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr S. Dhanabalan, was visiting Washington. I wanted to host a dinner in his honour. Instead of approaching Mr Clayton Yeutter's office, I asked my wife to phone his wife to find out whether they were available. Mrs Yeutter said they were. My wife then requested she let her husband's staff know that they had accepted our invitation to dinner.

On another occasion, our then Attorney-General, Mr Tan Boon Teik, was visiting Washington. I wanted to host a dinner in his honour and to invite the then US Attorney-General, Mr Ed Meese, to the dinner. I also requested my wife to phone Mrs Meese to convey the invitation. The dinner was a great success as the guests included the then US Attorney-General as well as a former Attorney-General, Mr Elliot Richardson.

I remember on one occasion, an influential US congressman of the Democratic Party, who was a good friend of Singapore, had approached me to get an invitation for his wife to join my wife's club.

When a vacancy for a Democrat opened up in the club, my wife was able to persuade the Republican members not to veto her admission.

The congressman was very grateful when his wife was invited to join my wife's club.

As I took Asean solidarity seriously, I asked my wife to help ensure that all the wives of the Asean ambassadors were members of the different clubs. When she found out that the wife of the Brunei Ambassador was not in any of the clubs, she managed to persuade her club to invite her to join.

Makan diplomacy

MY WIFE was kept very busy entertaining American guests during our six years in Washington. For lunch, it was acceptable to invite guests to a restaurant.

For dinner, however, Americans prefer to be invited to your home. They want to see how you furnish your home. They want to view your art collection and your library and taste your national cuisine. It is very important for all our ambassadors and their spouses to entertain at home.

The six Asean ambassadors in Washington were good friends and colleagues. We were united in pursuing our common objectives. We used to take turns hosting a monthly lunch in our respective homes. The host could invite an American guest to join us.

When it was my turn, I decided to invite the president of the most powerful trade union in America, the AFL-CIO. He was Mr Lane Kirkland. He came with two of his colleagues.

The lunch turned out to be a very contentious one. The Asean ambassadors tried, in vain, to persuade Mr Kirkland to support free trade. His counter-argument was that free trade was not fair trade and was bad for the workers of America. The lunch ended in a truce and we had to agree to disagree.

Mr Kirkland thanked me for hosting him and his colleagues to lunch. He said that the only thing we could agree on was that the food was excellent. He asked me who had prepared the meal. When I told him that my wife did, he couldn't believe it. I had to go to the kitchen to persuade my reluctant wife to come out to meet the guests.

I would like to end this essay by paying a tribute to all the wives of our ambassadors, past and present. Very often, as in my case, the wife had played an important role in the husband's diplomacy.

It is time for us to acknowledge their contributions and to thank them for their service to the nation.

The writer is Ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a senior fellow of the MFA Diplomatic Academy.

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Productivity drive a marathon without finish line, says PM

October 8, 2014, 9:19 pm

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Resource constraints and developed economy make push more pressing
By Janice Heng, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

SINGAPORE'S productivity push is for the long haul and faces many challenges, but there are reasons to be optimistic, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday.

Singapore started promoting productivity more than 30 years ago, but this drive is even more pressing today given Singapore's developed economy and resource constraints, Mr Lee said at the launch of the National Productivity Month.

He laid out a three-pronged approach to the productivity drive.

First, there are incentives and schemes to help firms upgrade.

Second, foreign worker inflows are controlled to put pressure on employers to upgrade workers.

But firms still get enough access to manpower so that they can survive and Singaporean jobs are not lost. "As I said last week, I don't expect any further major measures to tighten our foreign worker numbers. But we will give companies time to adjust to the measures and to retool themselves," he said.

The third prong is making the productivity drive a national effort. Mr Lee set out the different roles which players should take.

For instance, firms must have a "productivity mindset" and dare to change, while workers must hone and improve their skills. Customers also need to embrace new models such as self-service.

The National Productivity Month is organised by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and Singapore National Employers' Federation and includes conferences, exhibitions and study trips.

At the event yesterday, Mr Lee also told the audience of 800 businessmen that the economy is reaching a mature stage of development, and is growing at a slower pace of about 3 per cent a year.

There is less free land and the manpower situation is tighter, making the productivity push all the more important. Productivity is important not only for growth, but is also crucial for raising incomes, he added. A tight labour market may make wages rise in the short term, but longer-term rises can be sustained only by higher productivity.

Still, there are challenges, said Mr Lee. Social attitudes that over-value qualifications must change, and some sectors such as construction have been slow to improve. But there are also encouraging signs, he added. Sectors such as precision engineering are making steady progress. Even in slower sectors such as food and beverage, firms are changing.

"Productivity is a long haul, a marathon without a finish line, but so long as we have confidence and keep working at it together, we will stay in the race and (stay) ahead in the race," he concluded.

Mr Lee was given a brief demonstration of a flying robot waiter, which can deliver food and drinks to patrons automatically.

News of no further major foreign labour curbs is a relief, but "that shouldn't stop us from improving our productivity", said SBF chairman Teo Siong Seng.

A RACE WITH UPS AND DOWNS

All world-class marathons are designed to test the athlete's endurance and will to win. Flat courses are inevitably followed by 'heartbreak hills' and any good athlete knows that you cannot maintain the same pace throughout the marathon if you expect to win.

- From a 1986 letter by the former chairman of the Japan Productivity Centre, Mr Kohei Goshi, to then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew

PLANTING MEN

When planning for one year, there's nothing better than planting grains. When planning for 10 years, there's nothing better than planting trees. When planning for a lifetime, there's nothing better than planting men.

- A saying by Chinese philosopher Guanzi, which Mr Goshi quoted in the same letter

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong shared both these quotes yesterday for what he noted was "the third time". As Minister for Trade and Industry, he had quoted Mr Goshi at the opening of the 1987 Productivity Month. Mr Lee Kuan Yew repeated the quotes at the following year's Productivity Month, "because the press hadn't paid attention" the first time.

Productivity push must continue: PM
By Wong Wei Han, TODAY, 8 Oct 2014

The Government is aware of the difficulties companies here are facing as Singapore pushes for economic restructuring, but improving productivity is now more important than ever given the Republic’s current economic and manpower constraints.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said this yesterday as he launched the National Productivity Month (NPM), adding that Singapore will succeed in this current push following decades of similar efforts.

“I know that many businesses and workers are trying hard to cope with change — and indeed it’s hard,” Mr Lee said in his opening address to about 800 business leaders attending the event. “We do have some challenges in changing social attitudes that overvalue paper qualifications … In several sectors, progress in upgrading productivity has been slow, such as construction and some services industries.”

Mr Lee’s comments come as productivity growth remains mixed in recent years despite the slew of Government support policies. In the second quarter this year, overall productivity shrank by 1.3 per cent year-on-year as the retail, construction and food services sectors recorded declines.

Still, he was upbeat. Saying that the productivity push is a nation-wide effort, Mr Lee added: “Looking at our productivity journey over the last half a century, we can be optimistic that our restructuring journey will be successful.”

He was referring to Singapore’s efforts to raise productivity levels since the 1970s when the National Productivity Board was set up. In 1981, then-Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew had also launched a National Productivity Movement in an effort to boost Singapore’s labour skills and productivity levels to those of the advanced economies.

And now, as Singapore transforms into a developed economy with a slower growth rate and tighter manpower supply, productivity has become “more important, not less”, Mr Lee noted. “Not only is productivity important to grow our economy, but it’s also crucial for raising the income of workers,” he said.

To this end, the Government will continue with its three-pronged approach — by treating productivity as a national effort where everyone has to play a part; as well as supporting companies in their productivity investments and encouraging mindset change among employees and consumers. Urging Singaporeans to be open to change, Mr Lee said: “Customers must be ready to embrace new business models, such as self-service formats.”

The other prong is controlling foreign worker inflows. But as foreign employment growth in the second quarter fell to the slowest pace since 2009, Mr Lee sought to reassure businesses, saying, “As I said last week, I do not expect any further major measures to tighten our foreign worker numbers. We will give companies time to adjust to the measures and to re-tool themselves.”

The Singapore Business Federation — which co-organises the NPM with the Singapore National Employers’ Federation — welcomes that decision, its chief operating officer Victor Tay told TODAY. “The next two years will be essential for businesses to deliver more sustained productivity improvement, following years of mixed progress. So the Government’s pledge to cease further curbs is important, because it gives business clarity and certainty,” he said on the sidelines of the NPM launch.

Also combining the efforts of several Government agencies, the NPM will go on until Oct 30, offering exhibitions, workshops, seminars and overseas study trips to highlight innovative productivity solutions, especially for less productive sectors such as retail, food and beverage, and construction.

And investments in these solutions are quite affordable now, even for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), SBF chairman Teo Siong Seng said. “There is no lack of technologies, and there are a lot of Government schemes — such as the Productivity and Innovation Credit scheme — that SMEs can tap. The challenge of improving productivity is not so much about costs. It is really more about companies’ willingness to try to adopt changes to their processes and mindset,” he said.

Harnessing technology to boost productivity in F&B
By Robin Choo and Wong Wei Han, TODAY, 8 Oct 2014

This time next year, restaurant goers here can expect service to be taken to a whole new level with the latest innovation in food delivery — flying drones.

Infinium Robotics has been working with a local restaurant group to look at how its drones, an autonomous robotic waiter system, could be used to deliver food, by air, to each table.

The drone was showcased at the launch of the inaugural National Productivity Month (NPM) as an example of innovations that could be used by businesses to improve productivity.

Infinium Robotics CEO Woon Jun Yang said his firm was working with the restaurant group to figure out how the drones could be deployed along with service staff who would be trained on how to operate the airborne food delivery system.

Added Mr Woon: “The existing waiters can (then) concentrate on higher-value tasks such as, for example, asking feedback from customers (and) how they are doing.”

Also at the NPM exhibition was Aptsys Technology, a new start-up that showcased its latest self-service payment kiosk. The kiosk combines a touch screen for placing orders together with a cash-and-card payment terminal — not unlike an MRT ticketing machine. With it, customers can place their orders, pay and proceed to collect their items, all on their own.

“This will help fast-moving F&B outlets, such as small fast-food joints, reduce the manpower otherwise necessary for serving and manning counters. We have about 40 to 50 customers looking to install this kiosk within the next six months,” said the company’s executive director, Mr Deepak Kingsley.

“A kiosk costs around S$26,000, but with Infocomm Development Authority’s iSPRINT scheme, companies need pay only 30 per cent of that. Adding schemes by other agencies, such as the PIC (Productivity and Innovation Credit) scheme, the cost is pretty much negligible.”

↧

Parliament Highlights - 7 Oct 2014

October 9, 2014, 2:05 am

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Bill on remote gambling passed

All bets are off on unauthorised websites
Iswaran explains exemptions as Remote Gambling Act is passed
By Walter Sim, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

THE new Remote Gambling Act that allows for a tightly regulated form of online gambling here does not relax Singapore's stance against the vice, said Second Home Affairs Minister S. Iswaran yesterday.

Speaking in Parliament on the legislation, which was passed after a vigorous three-hour debate, he made it clear the Act "neither condones nor encourages gambling". He also rejected calls from opposition MPs - Mr Png Eng Huat (Hougang), Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC) and Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong - for it to be sent to a Select Committee to gather more feedback.

Ten Members of Parliament spoke in support of the broad intent of the new Act, which makes it illegal for gamblers to go online for a flutter on unauthorised websites from next year.

But a number of them expressed reservations over a section of the Act, which allows Singapore-based operators to apply for an online-gambling licence.

People's Action Party MPs Denise Phua (Moulmein-Kallang GRC) and Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) said allowing any exemption sends a mixed signal.

Ms Phua urged Singapore to "take a bold step and reject gambling, whether remote or on-site". She said allowing an exempt operator seems to signal that "remote gambling is fine as long as it is under a state licence".

Mr Iswaran responded by emphasising that the new regime is "prohibitive" given that it introduces new laws to restrict nearly all forms of online gaming. It is also consistent with the country's approach towards terrestrial gambling. Mr Iswaran explained how exemptions were granted to Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club in the 1960s when triads and underground gambling operators were looking to get a slice of the action.

"It (the exemption) is there as part of an ecosystem that seeks to minimise the law and order concerns, and social consequences that we are concerned about," he said. A complete ban will drive all activity underground and make it harder to mitigate these social concerns, he argued.

Under the new Act, applicants for an online gambling licence have to be based in Singapore, be not-for-profit, contribute to a social cause, and have a good compliance track record. Casino-style games or poker will be prohibited.

Individual gamblers may face up to six months' jail or a $5,000 fine - though Mr Iswaran said yesterday that these people are not so much the focus.

Rather, enforcement agencies will target unlawful operators and agents who spur illicit activity such as money-laundering or match-fixing. To protect those under 21 from getting hooked, anyone found to have lured an underage person into online gambling would face a mandatory fine of between $20,000 and $300,000, and jail of up to six years.

Meanwhile, access and payment to remote gambling websites will also be blocked. Internet service providers and financial institutions that fail to abide by a blocking order may face a fine of up to $20,000 each day for each website or transaction, up to a total of $500,000.

A unit has also been formed in the Ministry of Home Affairs to monitor gambling websites and payment mechanisms. Its blocking list will be reviewed and updated regularly. The Singapore Police Force will work with its global counterparts to provide and share evidence. Extradition of suspects to Singapore will also be possible.

Mr Iswaran conceded that the laws are not a "silver bullet", especially if pitted against an individual or operator determined to game the system. "It is a game of cat-and-mouse but the collective adoption of these blocking measures will be an ample signal to the vast majority, and it will significantly disrupt and impede the remote gambling activities of the few who may be recalcitrant."

Why broad scope for Bill on remote gambling
By Tham Yuen-C, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

SOME social games may appear benign but could turn out to be online gambling games in disguise, said Second Minister for Home Affairs S. Iswaran yesterday.

It was with such a possibility in mind that the Bill on remote gambling was given a broad scope to effectively tackle these disguised games and the fast-changing online gambling sector.

Explaining the Bill's provisions, he said: "We deliberately sought to be comprehensive in the Bill's coverage. If not, it will lack the efficacy and currency in regulating a sector that is innovative... and quick to adopt new technology."

The Bill criminalises the whole spectrum of remote gambling activities - from the act of gambling to provision of gambling services - and defines betting as the staking of money or "money's worth", which could include virtual currencies and in-game credits that can be exchanged for money.

Not all social gameswere as "innocuous" as they were made out to be. He cited social casino games designed to simulate real-world gambling, such as sports betting or poker, and replicate the casino experience. The only difference between these games and gambling is the use of in-game credits.

"The fact is that the line between social gaming and gambling is increasingly becoming blurred."

Noting that online operators are accepting virtual currencies, like bitcoin, he said such "disruptive developments" could potentially help operators circumvent remote gambling laws that are too narrow.

He added that "as a matter of principle", social games where people are not playing for a chance to win money, and where in-game credits cannot be converted to money or real merchandise, would not be covered. This includes smartphone games like Farmville.

The Home Affairs Ministry and Media Development Authority will work to ensure that the new law will not impede the development of legitimate gaming businesses.

TIME FOR A RETHINK

I believe it is time for the Government to take a holistic approach to discourage gambling as an economic or social activity. It has been almost 10 years since we made the fateful decision of authorising licensed casino operators for the sake of jobs in an economic recession... With the tightening of foreign labour, have the casinos become competitors for manpower from our local SMEs? If manpower is so precious, why would we divert precious manpower to learn the casino business, whether in physical establishments or online?... When will Singapore wean itself off the casino industry?

- Ms Denise Phua (Moulmein-Kallang GRC), on doing away with the gaming industry altogether

NIPPING IT IN THE BUD

We should also create awareness on the ills of remote gambling through public service campaigns especially among students... and encourage everyone to whistle-blow on such activities... we want people to stay away from remote gambling because they understand its dire consequences and not because it is unavailable or because they fear punishment. If we can imbue in our young the ills of gambling, then even when they are overseas for study or later when they are on working trips or any overseas postings, they will be less susceptible to gambling altogether.

- Ms Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon GRC), on inoculating the young against the gambling habit

CHOICE V COMPULSION

Perhaps, before we enter into this debate, we should look at where the starting point of government regulation should be. Ultimately, the choice to gamble is an individual choice. We may disagree with a person's choice... but by and large, assuming he is not addicted... a person who wishes to place small bets and wants to engage in leisure gambling should be able to do so. The main justification for government intervention in prohibiting gambling is because of its highly addictive nature and (its) social ills. Once a person becomes addicted to gambling, it's no longer a free choice, it becomes compulsive.

- Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang GRC), on when the Government should step in

Concerted effort by community needed to tackle gambling
By Lim Yan Liang, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

EDUCATION will be the first line of defence against online gambling, said Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing in Parliament.

He admitted he was under no illusion that the Remote Gambling Act, which was passed yesterday, would solve the problem on its own. Instead, it will take a concerted effort from all stakeholders, including family members and the larger community, to keep a lid on the problem.

Many of the 10 MPs who rose to speak offered suggestions on how to curb the problem.

Ms Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon GRC) made an impassioned speech on the need to teach the young on the ills of online gambling from as early as the upper primary level, where it should be part of the curriculum. "We must not wait until university level to start educating our students about gambling," she said.

Other MPs debated on the safeguards that will be put into place when a Singapore-based operator is given a licence to operate a tightly regulated form of online gambling. Many made reference to a 2011 National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) survey, which showed online gamblers were more likely to have poorer self-control.

Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC) asked which responsible gaming measures that are already used in casinos here - such as exclusion orders - would apply.

Mr Ang Wei Neng (Jurong GRC) suggested adopting a personalised player card system already used in Sweden and Norway, which limits the amount a punter can bet a day and every month.

An exempt operator running a gambling website here would be a temptation for the gambler as it could operate 24-7, added Mr Png Eng Huat (Hougang).

Mr Chan made it clear that exclusion orders will apply equally to an exempt remote gambling operator as they do to casinos. A person can apply for the order to ensure he does not fall into temptation, while family members can also apply on his behalf to prevent harm. Any operator which wants to run online gambling "must prove to us that they have the necessary safeguards in place before we entertain their requests".

Mr Chan also agreed with Ms Lee that awareness programmes at the school level are key, especially as some social games targeted at the young may aim to groom them into gambling online.

He said that NCPG is working with community partners to draw up new education programmes. But these must also teach family members when and how to seek help.

"We must never think that just because we have done a good job in the school, the problem will never emerge in the lifetime of the individual ever again," he said.

Mr Chan stressed the need for the authorities to stay abreast of online gambling technology and to continue to study measures adopted by others in order to refine the control of the problem here.

"The nature of gambling in general and remote gambling in particular is that it is a constantly evolving challenge," he said.

"It is an evergreen challenge that we will have to tackle today, tomorrow and forever."

No single right answer for whether or not to allow licensed gambling
By Lydia Lim, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

YESTERDAY'S debate on the Remote Gambling Bill shone the spotlight on a deep divide over how best to manage an addictive pursuit that no ban can eradicate, but which many consider immoral to condone.

While all 10 MPs who joined the debate supported the move to outlaw remote gambling and any attempt to promote it, four objected strenuously to a provision that allows the minister to issue a certificate of exemption to non- profit, Singapore-based gambling operators.

Three MPs from the Workers' Party (WP) went so far as to call for the Bill to be sent to a Select Committee for closer scrutiny of this section. A Select Committee is made up of MPs who can solicit public feedback, call witnesses, hold hearings and suggest changes to legislation. The last time a Bill went before such a committee was 10 years ago.

Joining them in making the case for a total ban on remote gambling was PAP MP Denise Phua (Moulmein-Kallang GRC).

She argued passionately for it, saying: "The top reason is the signal we are sending as a government to the entire population, especially our young.

"It had been said that 40 per cent of online gamblers overestimate their wins and underestimate their losses. If indeed we so strongly believe that remote gambling is harmful and does no good to either people or nation, then are we legitimising the act of gambling and breeding its acceptance by legally providing for exempt licensed operators? Does gambling become more noble when operated by a licensed versus an unlicensed operator?"

Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) said the exemption was "problematic" as it could be read as saying remote gambling was okay if done through the correct channels.

WP's Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC) challenged the conventional wisdom that a total ban would serve only to drive this difficult-to-eliminate vice underground, exacerbating law and order problems.

Mr Singh said: "In the absence of relevant data and information, I am not convinced that these concerns wholly apply to remote gambling precisely because gamblers can still get their fix at land-based outlets and some remote gambling options provided to gamblers by operators currently, and it is not as if gambling per se is being banned."

Rising to deliver the Government's response were Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing and Second Minister for Home Affairs S. Iswaran.

Mr Chan sought to reassure those who worry about the social costs of gambling, laying out plans to educate students of the risks, reach the vulnerable through online counselling and learn from safeguards in place elsewhere, such as the daily and monthly limits Norway has imposed on withdrawals for online gambling.

Mr Iswaran, on his part, issued a calm and clear defence of the Government's position, declaring that there was no contradiction between prohibiting online gambling and exempting licensed operators. Singapore has done so for the last five decades, since the 1960s when it granted exemptions to Singapore Pools and the Turf Club even as it dealt with triads and illegal syndicates.

"When you look at our experience, what we have done in the terrestrial gambling environment, we seek to maintain law and order, we have criminalised the range of activities. We have allowed a very tightly controlled valve, not because we wish to promote it, not because we condone it, but because it is there as part of an ecosystem that seeks to minimise the law and order concerns, and social consequences that we are concerned about," he said.

The question of whether or not to allow licensed gambling is one for which there is no single right answer. But given that public anxiety over this decades-old approach refuses to go away, the onus is on the Government to show that it can minimise the fallout through a combination of regulation, safeguards and public education on the potential dangers of a gambling habit.

DPM Teo warns of increased terror threat to S'pore
By Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

THE escalating violence in Iraq and Syria over the last three months has further increased the terror threat to Singapore, said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean yesterday.

While Singapore has no information on any specific threat resulting from the military strikes led by the United States against the terror group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the country should stay vigilant.

"Our assessment remains that the expansion of the threat beyond Syria and Iraq has raised the threat not only to countries who are part of the US coalition, but also to Singapore," he told Parliament.

"As with the threat from the Al-Qaeda, even if Singapore is not itself a target, foreign interests here may be targeted."

He reminded the House that over a decade ago, the regional terrorist network Jemaah Islamiah (JI) had plotted to bomb embassies here, including the US Embassy. But the plan, backed by the terror group Al-Qaeda, was foiled.

Drawing a comparison, Mr Teo noted reports that Malaysians and Indonesians who fought for ISIS, which is also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), have set up a Malay Archipelago Unit.

"If this group expands in Southeast Asia, it will pose a regional terrorism threat like the JI terrorist network, which had also aimed to set up a South-east Asian Islamic Archipelago that encompassed Singapore, through the use of violence and terrorism," he said.

Those who join or help ISIS will be dealt with in accordance with the laws here, he told Parliament.

Mr Teo, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, was one of two ministers who spoke in Parliament on ISIS.

The other was Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam, who noted that military action alone will not curb the terrorist threat. "Military force is necessary to blunt IS on the ground, but missiles and rockets alone cannot and will not bring peace," he said, referring to the group by its other name, the Islamic State (IS).

He said a political solution needs to be found, and called for countries to counter radical propaganda. "The true fight has to be in the arena of ideas. We have to counter the extremist ideology, which is used to recruit foreigners to terrorism and fuel their violent agenda," he said.

Both ministers noted that Singapore has co-sponsored an anti-terrorist resolution approved by the United Nations Security Council. The resolution, which aims to stop the flow of foreign extremists to Iraq and Syria, requires nations to adopt laws criminalising nationals who join extremist groups like ISIS. Mr Teo added that the Government's approach to dealing with Singaporeans swayed by ISIS' influence will be "carefully calibrated" to the specifics of each case.

Where necessary, the Internal Security Act - which grants the Government the discretion to detain people without trial - will be used to pre-empt and neutralise terrorism threats that endanger the security of the country and its citizens.

He noted that there were a "handful of Singaporeans" who have left for Syria to join the fight, and were last reported to still be there.

Mr Teo added: "We will continue to investigate anyone who expresses support for terrorism or an interest to pursue violence."

Responding to a question by Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Chua Chu Kang GRC) on whether the ISIS threat would give rise to tensions here, Mr Teo said: "I would say the threat is always there, but... we have to continue to work hard together to bring people together, and help them understand the problem and that our Muslim community is taking proactive and real steps to deal with this issue."

More barriers to safeguard coastline
By Lim Yan Liang and Aw Cheng Wei, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

SINGAPORE'S maritime security will be tightened by the setting up of more physical barriers on land and at sea, even as a review of current measures is undertaken.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Teo Chee Hean made this clear in Parliament yesterday, in his response to a question on an immigration breach at Raffles Marina in August. Then, a Mongolian woman and two foreign men sneaked into the country after sailing from Langkawi on a catamaran.

Mr Hri Kumar (MP for Bishan- Toa Payoh GRC) wanted to know what the government has done to beef up border security since the incident.

Mr Teo said an additional 80km of barriers, such as fences, will be added to the 63km already in place. This means 143km of Singapore's 197km coastline will be barricaded. A spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs told The Straits Times that the first 30km of the new barriers will be up by 2019.

Mr Teo told Parliament that the barricades, together with regular patrols, have proven to be "generally successful".

Between 2011 and 2013, Mr Teo said, 46 vessels were seized for intruding into Singapore's waters and 144 persons arrested for illegally entering Singapore waters or attempting to do so.

Last year, 2,890 vessels were detected and stopped from entering Singapore's waters, although most had simply strayed off course, added Mr Teo.

In the border breach on Aug 19, the 30-year-old woman had wanted to snatch her two-year-old son from his paternal grandparents and take him back to London, after winning custody in her divorce from her Singaporean banker husband in the British courts.

She hired Adam Christopher Whittington, 38, managing director of Child Abduction Recovery International. After finding out that Raffles Marina in Tuas West Drive was guarded only from 9am to 5pm, they sneaked in at about 6am, after arriving here on a ship skippered by Australian Todd Allan, 39. All three were arrested and jailed for 10 to 16 weeks.

While the authorities will study this incident and work with security agencies and private partners to review measures to keep Singapore's coastline secure, said Mr Teo, he also urged the seafaring community to alert the authorities to any suspicious activity.

He explained that securing Singapore's waters is "a daily challenge" because of the high traffic and long coastline, which in some places is less than 500m from international waters.

For land and flight travel, "we can funnel and control the movement of persons entering or departing Singapore via a small number of immigration checkpoints at the airport, Woodlands and Tuas". But "because we are an island, the maritime domain is far more complex".

Mr Teo pointed out that there are 180 wharves and jetties along Singapore's shoreline - many within private premises such as shipyards and marinas. He said that owners and occupiers of such landing points have a responsibility to ensure there is adequate security in their areas.

Early this year, two Malaysians - a delivery driver and a teacher, who was later declared to be of unsound mind - managed to get past immigration checks at the Woodlands Checkpoint in separate incidents, sparking a review of security there.

Experts told The Straits Times they welcome the new review of maritime security, and hope to see more coastal patrols and greater use of advanced surveillance technology.

Mr Mark Fallon, a former United States Navy counter-intelligence agent who worked with the Singapore Police Force and Internal Security Department in the 1980s, pointed to the American practice of having "maritime intelligence fusion centres" where information and warnings are coordinated. "The integration of information and the ability of entities to work within a well thought-out strategic framework is essential," he said.

Film on exiles contains 'untruths and deception'
Allowing public screening would mean condoning use of subversion: Minister
By Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

THE film To Singapore, With Love contains "untruths and deception" about the history of the communists and the violence they perpetrated, said Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim yesterday.

In a reply to MPs, he set out the Government's decision to give the documentary a "Not Allowed for All Ratings" (NAR) classification which rules it out for public screening or distribution here.

The film, by Ms Tan Pin Pin, captures the lives of nine exiles in various countries, including Britain and Thailand.

Said Dr Yaacob: "The film allowed some Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) members and their Communist United Front sympathisers to whitewash their past actions by re-casting them as the expression of a peaceful and democratic difference of ideology and views."

But they had in fact been involved in violent and subversive actions to advance the CPM agenda, he said, and they had posed a serious threat to the safety and security of Singapore.

The film should be viewed in its historical context, Dr Yaacob said, reiterating Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's explanation last Friday at a National University of Singapore Society forum.

The minister noted that the CPM waged a violent and subversive war for over four decades, seeking to install a communist regime in Malaysia and Singapore.

Over 8,000 civilians and security personnel were injured or killed, and communist hit squads killed in broad daylight.

The CPM also infiltrated organisations like student bodies, labour unions and political parties, using them to stir up trouble.

While these actions are well-established historical facts written about extensively, "the film To Singapore, With Love contains untruths and deception about this history", said Dr Yaacob.

Those featured in the film also gave the false impression that they were banned from returning to Singapore. Unlike them, however, many former CPM members did return after accounting for their actions. They included senior CPM members Eu Chooi Yip and P. V. Sarma, who were the heads respectively of the Chinese and English sections of CPM's propaganda radio station, the Voice of Malayan Revolution.

While the struggles against the communists may be a distant memory for many people, it cannot be that those who participated in the violence can be allowed to absolve themselves without accounting for their past actions and renouncing such violence.

Dr Yaacob said the film's "one-sided portrayals" are designed to evoke feelings of sympathy and support for the individuals who have not accounted for their past actions.

He said: "To allow public screening of a film that obfuscates and whitewashes an armed insurrection by an illegal organisation, and violent and subversive acts directed at Singaporeans, would effectively mean condoning the use of violence and subversion in Singapore, and thus harm our national security.

"It would also be a gross injustice to the men and women who braved violence and intimidation to stand up to the communists, especially those who lost their lives in the fight to preserve Singapore's security and stability, and secure a democratic, non-communist Singapore."

Not taking action against films which contain distorted and untruthful accounts would give the false impression that there is truth to the claims, said Dr Yaacob, and the Government's actions against these people could then be seen as unwarranted.

This could erode public confidence in the Government on security matters, even as the country deals with current threats like terrorism, he added.

The Media Development Authority (MDA) - which gave the film its classification - has met Ms Tan to explain its decision. The minister added that the MDA does not have specific guidelines that deal with historical content, and does not intend to develop such guidelines.

The Films Classification Guidelines already state that in "exceptional cases" a film may be given the NAR rating if its contents are deemed to undermine national interest, he explained.

'Misleading account' of lives of exiles
By Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

LOCAL film-maker Tan Pin Pin's film To Singapore, With Love has not presented the historical facts on the political exiles featured, said Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim.

Instead it gives a misleading account of their lives, when actually some were active communists, while others omitted mentioning their criminal offences.

Six people in the film are Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) members, and had been in - or were still in - a village at the Thai-Malaysian border that houses former CPM fighters who have since laid down their arms.

Chan Sun Wing and He Jin had served under senior CPM leader Eu Chooi Yip in the party's China-based propaganda radio station.

Dr Yaacob said that He Jin had in the film deflected questions about the communists' use of violence, speaking instead about the CPM's involvement in fighting the Japanese during World War II.

His wife, Shu Shihua - another CPM member - was also in the film.

Another member, Wong Soon Fong, fled Singapore in 1963 to avoid arrest.

And while Tan Hee Kim and his wife Yap Wan Ping claimed to have joined the CPM only after they decided to leave Singapore, they were - in reality - active members before they left.

Meanwhile, Ho Juan Thai and Tan Wah Piow avoided mentioning the criminal offences they remain liable for, noted Dr Yaacob.

Ho admitted in an open letter in 1982 that he had amended the expiry date of his Singapore passport.

Tan Wah Piow also left Singapore illegally to evade national service and travelled to Britain on his expired passport with a forged extension endorsement.

New HDB blocks to come with surveillance cameras
By Rachel Au-Yong, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

RESIDENTS who move into Housing Board flats built in about two years from now will feel more secure: Their blocks will come with surveillance cameras already installed.

Until then, the police are focusing on getting these closed-circuit television (CCTVs) cameras installed in existing and soon-to- be-built HDB blocks and multi- storey carparks.

The programme, part of the $160-million Community Policing System, is slated to be completed by end-2016. Until then, "we are at a transition period because this is a programme that's being implemented progressively", said Second Minister for Home Affairs S. Iswaran yesterday.

He was replying to Ms Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon GRC), who had asked if CCTV cameras could be installed in all new blocks before residents move in.

To speed up the installation in new blocks, the police are working with the HDB to incorporate the camera requirements into the design, he said.

The cameras will be fitted at key entry and exit points, such as stairwells and lift lobbies. All 10,000 HDB blocks and multi- storey carparks here are slated to have them by end-2016.

Mr Iswaran said the programme is on track at the one- third mark, with 18,000 cameras installed in 3,300 blocks.

He also said the police consider a variety of factors, such as local crime trends, community feedback and town council recommendations, when deciding which blocks will get the cameras first and when to set them up.

Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Chua Chu Kang GRC) asked if the camera coverage could be extended to include bicycle bays, for example.

Mr Iswaran said he would consider it but noted that the police do take into account the "local priority or concern" when deciding on where to install the cameras.

Lasting Power of Attorney system has adequate safeguards
By Carolyn Khew, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

WHETHER a person informs family when setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a personal choice, Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing told Parliament yesterday, stressing that the scheme has adequate safeguards.

He was responding to questions from Aljunied GRC MP Sylvia Lim on the scheme, which allows a person aged at least 21 to appoint another to make key decisions on his welfare and finances should he lose the mental capacity to do so.

Ms Lim, a lawyer, asked why an option to inform others when applying for an LPA was removed from the form last month, and whether the ministry would look at bringing it back.

Mr Chan replied that it was removed after feedback from applicants, who could still, on their own, decide to share the information. "Not everyone wants to inform certain family members of their decision and that is the dilemma. We leave it to the best judgment of the individual to inform the person that he wants to inform."

The LPA system, which was launched four years ago, has come under scrutiny after a former China tour guide was accused of manipulating an 87-year-old Singaporean widow into giving him control over her assets estimated to be worth $40 million.

The widow, Madam Chung Khin Chun, applied for the LPA naming 40-year-old Yang Yin as her donee in 2012. Her niece, tour agency owner Hedy Mok, found this out only earlier this year. She then started legal action against Mr Yang, alleging that he took advantage of her aunt, who was diagnosed with dementia this year.

An LPA is issued only after a lawyer, medical practitioner or psychiatrist witnesses and certifies the application.

Yesterday, Ms Lim asked if the Government would consider an "additional check" by these professionals to ensure that the applicant is not unduly influenced. She highlighted that in Scotland, they would have to decide on the applicant's independence, based either on personal knowledge or by consulting someone else.

Mr Chan said this would be up to the certificate issuer who, regardless, is expected to do the job professionally. "I can appreciate that sometimes a second pair of eyes does help but we must always be careful not to overly burden the system," he explained, stressing that applicants should consider who they wish to appoint as donees carefully. He pointed out that the system here is "much more onerous" than in other countries, where in some instances a person does not need a professional to certify the LPA.

One in 5 elderly patients back in a public hospital within a month
TTSH has lowest readmission rate as care managers monitor such cases
By Salma Khalik, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

ALMOST one in five public hospital patients aged 65 and older is back in a hospital bed within a month of being discharged.

This is far higher than the readmission rate of patients of all ages, which is 12.2 per cent, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong in a written reply to opposition MP Chen Show Mao.

Mr Chen (Aljunied GRC) had also asked if such information for each hospital could be published annually.

To this, Mr Gan said his ministry will "study the request", adding that the information is already shared among public hospitals.

"Overall, our public hospital/ institution readmission rates are comparable to the United States', but higher than some other countries', such as the United Kingdom," he said.

Mr Gan did not elaborate on what are the rates in Britain and other countries that do better.

Singapore's readmission rates vary from a low of 6.2 per cent at KK Women's and Children's Hospital to a high of 15.1 per cent at Alexandra Hospital, for patients of all ages.

For the elderly aged at least 65, Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) has the lowest readmission rate of 18.5 per cent, while Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) has the highest: 21.1 per cent.

Across all hospitals, the rate for elderly patients being back in the wards within 30 days has remained a stable 19 per cent in the three years from 2011 to 2013.

However, the number of elderly patients in public hospitals has been rising and now accounts for about one-third of all admissions.

Mr Gan said factors affecting readmission rates include the patient's condition and illness as well as "the quality of inpatient care, the transitions to primary and community care, and the follow-up care, including rehabilitation care.

"The home environment and family support is also an important contributing factor."

On TTSH's lower rates for older patients, Mr Gan said it assigns a care manager to monitor patients with a history of multiple admissions.

"Such coordinated care and monitoring ensures these patients receive adequate support, and thus minimises the risk of readmission," he added.

MOH to resolve billing inconsistency
By Salma Khalik, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

AN INCONSISTENT approach in the way public hospitals bill patients for emergency treatment before they are warded is to be ironed out, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said yesterday.

Currently, some hospitals start inpatient charges only when the patients are transferred to a ward and taken care of by their inpatient team.

At others, these charges start from the time their inpatient team takes care of the patient, even though the patient may still be in the emergency department. These include Changi General Hospital and Singapore General Hospital.

As a result, some patients can make bigger claims from MediShield and Medisave.

This has led to appeals and queries from patients to the Ministry of Health (MOH) on what can be claimed against the national insurance scheme as well as what they can use their Medisave for.

Hence, MOH is reviewing the situation "to see how we can streamline the practices across all public hospitals to minimise confusion", Mr Gan said.

He was replying to Mr Zainal Sapari (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC), who had asked if MOH could let patients use their Medisave to pay for their stay in the emergency department's transit wards before they are warded. Mr Zainal also asked how long patients tend to be kept in the transit wards.

Non-Constituency MP Gerald Giam asked if hospitals charge patients differently for beds in tents and corridors than in the wards, and if such beds qualify for Medisave use and MediShield claims.

Mr Gan said the median wait for a ward bed was 21/2 hours last year, with priority given to the very ill. "While patients wait to be admitted to an inpatient bed, they will continue to receive medical treatment, nursing care, clinical monitoring and other services, as well as meals they may require during this transit period."

This being so, he said, they are charged according to the ward rates, and MediShield and Medisave can be used. When Mr Giam asked if patients get a discount for the discomfort they might face, Mr Gan said some hospitals are flexible and charge reduced rates.

HDB studying solutions to bring direct lift access to more households
By Kimberly Spykerman, Channel NewsAsia, 7 Oct 2014

The Housing Development Board (HDB) is studying two possible solutions to bring direct lift access to more households. This was announced in a written reply by the Ministry of National Development (MND), in response to questions from MP for Hougang, Mr Png Eng Huat, on Tuesday (Oct 7).

Mr Png had asked for an update on the new technology and solutions in place to provide direct lift access to those not eligible for the Lift Upgrading Programming (LUP).

The lifts - a Vertical Platform Lift and a Pneumatic Vacuum Elevator - are currently being constructed and should be completed by year's end. The Vertical Platform Lift uses a simple belt-driven system to move the platform vertically, while the Pneumatic Vacuum Elevator uses air suction to move the lift car up and down.

The speed of the two lifts is slower, but both are less costly to install compared to the current lift systems.

The MND said it plans to test two types of lifts at two non-residential sites - a multi-storey carpark and a commercial block – to see if they are technically feasible and acceptable to residents, especially the elderly and the disabled, before considering their suitability. Currently, some low-rise blocks and those with severe site constraints are ineligible for LUP. There are currently about 200 such blocks and they are mostly blocks with very few benefitting units to share the LUP cost.

Mr Png also asked if there would be an LUP Exercise specifically to provide direct lift access for these 200 blocks.

"There will likely still be blocks which are unsuitable for the new lift solutions and cannot enjoy the direct lift access with current technology. HDB will continue to explore other measures to improve direct lift access for residents in these blocks," said the MND in its reply, adding that those who require direct lift access due to medical conditions can approach HDB for assistance.

The Government launched the LUP in 2001 to provide direct lift access for residents in HDB blocks. Since then, it has benefited about 500,000 households from 5,000 blocks. The LUP, which is highly subsidised by the Government, cost a total of S$5 billion.

1,312 households granted more than 2 HDB loans between Jan 2013 and Jun 2014
By Kimberly Spykerman, Channel NewsAsia, 7 Oct 2014

Between January 2013 and June 2014, a total of 1,312 households were granted an HDB loan, even though they had already taken two HDB loans previously.

They were among the 25,000 households who were granted mortgage loans during that period. The National Development Ministry said households who were granted more than two loans are exceptions to the rule, and HDB evaluates such requests on a case-by-case basis.

It said these are typically flat buyers who have a steady income and are in urgent need of housing but are unable to secure financing from the banks due to poor credit records.

The ministry said this in a written response to MP for Hougang Png Eng Huat, who asked how many flat owners had taken more than two loans from HDB and what was the qualifying criteria for such loans.

Some SMEs may feel impact of higher tolls
By Rachel Au-Yong, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

THE impact of the higher Causeway tolls on economic activity in Singapore is likely to be small, said Minister of State for Trade and Industry Teo Ser Luck.

The reason: cost of land transport makes up just 3 per cent of business costs for manufacturers. For businesses in the services sector, it is even lower - 1 per cent.

But some businesses are likely to feel the burn from the sharp increase in the tolls, he said in his reply to Mr Ong Teng Koon (Sembawang GRC) - in particular, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in sectors such as wholesale and food that often transport goods across the Causeway.

Since Oct 1, a round-trip via the Causeway can cost $13.10 - an increase of more than five times. This follows higher charges imposed by Singapore to match the increased rates Malaysia had introduced on Aug 1.

SMEs could also suffer lower profits should logistics companies offering trucking services pass on to them the higher charges, said Mr Teo.

Similarly, there could be some impact on inflation.

He noted that some food imports as well as lifestyle and furniture products are moved via the Causeway and the higher toll may be passed on to consumers.

But he foresees minimal impact as most of these items arrive in Singapore by air or sea.

Mr Teo also said his ministry has received feedback that companies have found ways to cope with the new charges, including scheduling their trips more efficiently so that they did fewer trips.

As for the flow of workers into Singapore during peak hours, Mr Teo said his ministry has yet to receive "major feedback" of any impact on business operations.

Singapore Citizens accounted for 85% of COEs sold since 2012
Channel NewsAsia, 7 Oct 2014

The majority of vehicles registered to individuals in 2012, 2013 and the first eight months of 2014 - about 85 per cent - belong predominantly to Singapore citizens, according to Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew.

Mr Lui said there were a total of 60,574 vehicles registered during the time period. Of these, Singapore citizens owned 51,495 vehicles across all vehicle category class, or about 85 per cent of the overall population. All figures exclude vehicles registered to companies.

By contrast, Permanent Residents owned 6,605 vehicles, or 10.9 per cent. Non-resident foreigners were the smallest class of owners, with 2,474 vehicles or 4.1 per cent of the overall population, he stated.

The minister was responding to a question posed by Workers' Party MP Sylvia Lim during the Parliament session on Tuesday (Oct 7).

Unemployment rate of degree holders has remained low: Tan Chuan-Jin
By Alice Chia, Channel NewsAsia, 8 Oct 2014

On an annual basis from 2008 to 2013, the unemployment rate of resident degree holders has remained low and relatively stable at an average of 2.9 per cent, amongst the lowest across all educational groups in this period, Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin said in a Parliamentary written reply on Tuesday (Oct 7).

He was responding to a question by Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Yee Jenn Jong.

Mr Tan said the unemployment rate for such degree holders fluctuates from quarter to quarter. It is typically higher in June each year due to seasonal factors such as the new graduating cohort entering the labour force. This trend is reflected in the recent increase from 2.5 per cent in March 2014 to 3.9 per cent in June 2014.

He added that over the last decade, the proportion of degree holders in the resident population has increased substantially - from 14.4 per cent in 2003 to 23.9 per cent in 2013.

But the proportion of degree holders who are economically inactive only increased marginally - from 10.5 per cent in June 2003 to 11.9 per cent in June 2013. This is significantly lower than the 33.3 per cent of economically inactives in the overall resident population.

The proportion of resident degree holders under the age of 30 who were economically inactive in 2013 is the lowest across all educational groups, at 10.6 per cent. For this group, further education and training as well as childcare were the most commonly cited reasons for being out of the workforce.

Mr Tan said: "MOM (Ministry of Manpower) will continue to monitor the economic activity status of degree holders closely. We will continue in our efforts with tripartite partners to ensure that all residents, including degree holders, have good access to quality jobs, career development and progression pathways."

New foreign workers hired in services sector almost halved in 2013: Tan Chuan-Jin
Channel NewsAsia, 7 Oct 2014

Foreign manpower demand across the services sector has "moderated progressively", said Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin in Parliament on Tuesday (Oct 7).

In 2013, the foreign workforce growth in the sector, excluding foreign domestic workers, was 12,100. In comparison, the growth was 22,800 in 2012 and 53,700 in 2011. "The national emphasis on productivity, together with previously announced foreign workforce tightening measures, contributed to this moderation," Mr Tan said.

Mr Tan was responding to a question by MP Yeo Guat Kwang asking if MOM will consider slowing down curbs for the services sector.

The minister added that in line with slower growth in foreign workforce, MOM has also moderated its pace of tightening. After tightening measures in 2012 and 2013, the ministry did not introduce new foreign workforce policy adjustments for the services sector this year, he noted.

"There have been early encouraging results. Incomes of Singaporeans have risen more significantly in 2013 compared to previous years, especially for our low wage workers," said Mr Tan.

"Firms are also responding and adjusting, such as through introduction of technology and automation, offering more self-service options to consumers, or offering better and more flexible job packages to attract Singaporeans."

The Manpower Minister added that for the overall economy, the Government is approaching its targets in keeping foreign workforce growth to sustainable levels. For instance, overall foreign workforce growth in the first six months of 2014 was the lowest since 2009, he said.

Mr Tan's written reply to a query by MP for Holland-Bukit Timah GRC Christopher de Souza indicated that the Manpower Ministry does not rule out further flexibility where warranted. Mr de Souza had asked if the Ministry is open to adopting a flexible approach to the foreign worker dependency ratio ceiling for industries where it is difficult to attract Singaporeans.

Mr Tan emphasized that flexibility cannot be accorded simply to industries that claim they cannot find Singaporeans, as this would entrench reliance on labour-intensive business models and reduce the need for businesses to re-design their jobs to be more attractive to Singaporeans. He added that while the Government has applied a consistent set of rules across sectors, it does provide flexibility in industries such as healthcare and landscaping, where there is an essential economic or social need.

That said, domestic-oriented industries within the services sector - such as food services, retail trade and accommodation - continued to lag in productivity growth, with "significant room for improvement", he said.

Mr Tan added: "We intend to maintain our current foreign workforce policy stance, without liberalising nor having new measures to tighten foreign worker numbers further, which should maintain the motivation for businesses to adopt manpower-lean business models, and to improve job outcomes for Singaporeans."

He also gave an update to a question from Nominated MP Kuik Shiao-Yin. She asked what the proportion of larger versus smaller SMEs was, which have benefited from SPRING'S productivity grants to mitigate the impact of manpower constraints. Mr Tan said eight out of 10 SMEs supported by SPRING were micro and small SMEs with an annual revenue of less than S$10 million.

More small companies may be exempt from having to audit their accounts
Channel NewsAsia, 7 Oct 2014

More small companies may soon be exempted from having to audit their accounts annually. This exemption is part of a Bill to amend the Companies Act which was read for the second time in Parliament on Tuesday (Oct 7).

Senior Minister of State for Finance and Transport Mrs Josephine Teo said the move will help reduce compliance costs for at least 25,000 small companies which currently do not qualify for audit exemption.

INTRODUCING CONCEPT OF A 'SMALL COMPANY'

The first set of amendments aims to reduce regulatory burden on companies and provide greater business flexibility.

Clauses 128 and 184 of the Bill will introduce the concept of a "small company" that will be used to determine audit exemption. This will replace the current ruling where a company is exempted from auditing its accounts annually only if it is an exempt private company and has an annual revenue of S$5 million or less.

For a private small company to qualify for audit exemption, it has to meet at least two of the three criteria, which is a total annual revenue of not more than S$10 million, total assets of not more than $10 million and the number of employees being not more than 50.

REMOVING 'ONE SHARE, ONE VOTE' RESTRICTION

Other proposed amendments in the Bill include the removal of the 'one share, one vote' restriction for public companies. Mrs Teo said this "will give public companies greater flexibility in raising capital, and investors a wider range of investment opportunities".

She added that the Singapore Exchange and the Monetary Authority of Singapore are reviewing if listed companies should be permitted to issue shares with different voting rights. Pending the conclusion of the review, listed companies will not be permitted to issue shares with different voting rights.

Mrs Teo said that this amendment "will liberalise the regime for about 800 non-listed public companies".

NEW MULTIPLE-PROXIES REGIME

The second set of amendments to the Companies Act aims to improve corporate governance. These include the introduction of a new multiple-proxies regime.

This means that intermediaries such as banks and firms that provide nominee or custodial services can appoint more than two proxies to attend shareholders' meeting. At the same time, indirect investors, including CPF members who have invested in the shares of companies can also be appointed as proxies to participate in shareholders' meetings, and be given the same rights as direct investors to vote at the meetings.

S'pore plans world court for commercial cases by 2015
Amendments also to introduce new regulatory system for legal profession
By K.C. Vijayan, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

PLANS to set up an international court here by early next year to handle commercial cases were tabled in Parliament yesterday in a bid to turn Singapore into Asia's No. 1 venue for dispute resolution.

The Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC), as it will be called, will draw its judges from eminent international jurists and Supreme Court judges, and give local lawyers the chance to work on high-value cross-border disputes which otherwise would not have been heard here.

Amendments that will introduce a new regulatory framework for the legal profession here were also read for the first time in Parliament. A new Legal Services Regulatory Authority, which will come under the Ministry of Law, will be set up to regulate all law firms and foreign lawyers, who will also be subject to the same disciplinary process as their local counterparts.

It will also be made compulsory for all Singapore lawyers to reveal the hours they spent doing pro bono work in the preceding year when renewing their practising certificate. The statistics, it is believed, will be used to monitor how much lawyers are contributing back to society.

Law firms here welcomed news of the SICC, which is set to build on Singapore's success in arbitration. The country is the world's third most preferred seat of arbitration, behind London and Geneva. The caseload is predominantly international, with more than 80 per cent of cases involving at least one foreign party. Last year, the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) heard 259 disputes, valued at $6.06 billion in total.

Mr Alastair Henderson, managing partner for South-east Asia of global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills, said Singapore has won international respect for the success of SIAC, and the new court is the next logical step in its ambition to offer a complete suite of dispute resolution services.

"It is an essential component of this wider plan to be Asia's dispute resolution hub. The SICC will be an internationally respected court that can handle the largest and most complex international disputes, without the limitation of needing consent (from all parties concerned as is required in arbitration) for its involvement."

The SICC will be set up as a division of the High Court - which means its decisions can be enforced as judgments of the Singapore Supreme Court, while decisions can be appealed to the Court of Appeal (CA).

The proposed legislative changes also provide for international judges to be hired to hear SICC cases, as well as allow former High Court judges to be appointed as Senior Judges to hear High Court, SICC or CA cases.

This will empower the Chief Justice to call on such judges where needed to ease the hearing load of the court and to tap into particular areas of specialist legal expertise of retired judges.

Anti-human trafficking Bill tabled
By Charissa Yong And Walter Sim, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

A PROPOSED law to prevent human trafficking in Singapore was introduced in Parliament yesterday, one of 10 Bills that was put before the House.

The Prevention of Human Trafficking Bill formally defines human trafficking, empowers specialist officers to investigate suspected traffickers, and sets out harsh penalties for those found guilty of trafficking or abetting such activities.

Singapore does not have specific laws against human trafficking but outlaws trafficking in children, and in women for sex, through other legislation.

The human trafficking situation in Singapore has been kept under control thorough laws and active enforcement, said Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC), who tabled the rare Private Member's Bill. This is a Bill proposed by MPs, in contrast to government Bills tabled by ministers.

But Singapore remains vulnerable to trafficking due to its status as a regional economic and transport hub, said Mr de Souza in a joint statement with a national anti-trafficking taskforce spearheaded by the Home Affairs and Manpower ministries.

Under the Bill, the penalty for trafficking is a jail term of up to 10 years and a maximum fine of $100,000, as well as up to six strokes of the cane. Repeat offenders face a jail term of up to 15 years and a maximum fine of $150,000 but caning of up to nine strokes will be mandatory.

People who receive payment in connection with the exploitation of a person whom they know has been trafficked will also be committing a crime.

Yesterday, an umbrella group opposed to such trafficking handed Mr de Souza a petition with 1,050 signatures from migrant workers and Singaporeans. Among other things, the Stop Trafficking SG group wants victims to be shielded from prosecution for immigration infractions. It also wants them to be given the right to continue working in Singapore while their cases are ongoing.

Another Private Member's Bill tabled yesterday proposes tougher penalties for acts of animal cruelty, and will let the authorities adopt a code that sets new standards on animal welfare. The amendment to the Animal and Birds Act requires "owners and persons in charge of animals" to take reasonable care of them, and will allow harsher penalties to be meted out to offenders, said Mr Alex Yam (Chua Chu Kang GRC), one of six MPs behind the Bill.

Mr Yeo Guat Kwang (Ang Mo Kio GRC), who chairs the committee driving the Bill, said it was important to balance the different views and interests on animal issues between animal lovers and those who may not be comfortable with animals.

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Manual sorting of waste? Trash that - go high-tech

October 9, 2014, 8:25 pm

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Singapore's trash is mounting, and with more waste being recycled, there is a need for better machines and systems to deal with it.
By Feng Zengkun, Environment Correspondent, The Straits Times, 9 Oct 2014

SINGAPORE produces mountains of trash a day but, with this dealt with mostly effectively by the authorities, it has been a case of "out of sight, out of mind".

But with the waste piles set to grow even larger in the next few decades, it is time to sift through the issue and realise that new systems and attitudes are necessary.

At the government level, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has flagged worries that may grow to become problems in future, while on the domestic front, Singaporeans' recycling habits at home are far from ideal.

This is even as the Republic accomplished an environmental goal long in the making last month - more recycling bins in the heartland.

Up until 2011, there used to be just one big blue recycling bin, in which people put paper, plastics and other recyclable items, for every five Housing Board blocks of flats.

But that year, the NEA mandated that every block should have such a bin, under new public waste collection contracts.

Slowly, more and more blue bins began to dot the HDB landscape, culminating last month when the Tanglin-Bukit Merah area was the last off the block to boost its bins.

Even as it ticks that box, the agency also has two more big waste management moves in the offing. In June, it said that it was studying the feasibility of a first-of-its-kind, multi-storey recycling plant.

The facility, expected to be in Lim Chu Kang, is meant to help recycling firms share services and machines such as weighbridges.

The NEA said the final design should also help the firms recycle more trash using less land, and be generic and flexible enough to be replicated across the island.

In July, it announced that a new, mega waste treatment plant will open in Tuas in 2024, which will be able to handle up to half of the country's rubbish, including - in a first - sewage sludge from water treatment plants.

Taken together, the ambitious projects may seem more than enough to tackle whatever additional waste is thrown into the bins and chutes here.

But, in reality, while they are crucial for the country's future, even they may not be sufficient for the country's burgeoning waste treatment needs.

Urgent reasons to recycle

IN JUNE, the NEA put a set of documents on government procurement website Gebiz to ask for help on a new waste management plan for Singapore.

It said the blueprint should include a "clear and realistic" vision for the country up to 2030, and a more "ambitious" plan for the years up to 2050.

By 2030, Singapore's trash is expected to grow to 12.3 million tonnes, up 57 per cent from last year.

But with Singapore's scarce land and "only one offshore landfill available", the NEA is worried about having enough space and capacity to process all that waste.

The Pulau Semakau landfill is expected to meet the country's waste disposal needs up to 2035 or beyond.

Last year, 61 per cent of Singapore's trash was recycled. Of the rest, almost all is incinerated. Ash and non-incinerable waste are deposited in the landfill.

Singapore wants to raise its recycling rate to 70 per cent by 2030. That is environmentally laudable, but there is a more urgent reason to recycle more: to delay the day when the country's landfill is full.

When that day comes, the Republic may have to turn to much more costly options to deal with the ash, such as transporting it to neighbouring countries or using it in construction at a premium.

Sectoral gaps

THE NEA also identified shortcomings and gaps in Singapore's waste management industry and systems. These may become critical issues under the pressure of more trash in future.

Mixed recyclables collected from households, offices and commercial premises are sorted at facilities operated by public and general waste collectors.

"Most of the local (facilities) are small-scale operations where sorting processes are performed manually. (This) is both expensive and time-consuming when handling large volumes of materials," it said in the documents for the waste management blueprint.

Waste collection also faces a manpower productivity problem.

For some landed properties such as bungalows, terraced houses and shophouses, a truck with two collection crew members laboriously goes door to door to collect the trash.

"In view of the constraints in recruiting and retaining manpower, improvements are needed to at least double the manpower productivity to meet waste management demand in 2030," NEA said.

To meet the 2030 recycling target, more also has to be done to get people to segregate their dry waste, such as plastics and paper, and wet waste, including food.

Residents and public waste collectors often complain that recyclables in the bins are contaminated by food, liquids and other wet waste. Entire truckloads of recyclables have been rejected, and the items incinerated instead.

Tech to the rescue

SOME of these issues will be addressed by the NEA's projects, and still others can be solved by technology.

Some of the larger waste collectors here have machines to sort the recyclables. They also employ people to visually inspect the separated waste and manually pick out items that do not belong.

However, the majority of the more than 100 licensed waste companies here are small firms where people have to manually sort all of the recyclables, said Ms Melissa Tan, chairman of the Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore.

And yet, advanced machines that sort recyclables automatically and use less manpower are an established technology.

Many plants in the United States and Europe use a combination of, say, magnets to filter ferrous metals like steel, and star-shaped discs called star screens that lift out corrugated cardboard, plus infrared lasers that identify and separate plastics, and a magnetic field that taps electrons in aluminium to sift it.

While such an advanced plant will cost at least millions of dollars to set up, and is perhaps not financially viable for the smaller local firms, the Government can invest in it instead and charge the firms a fee to use it.

In several cities in the US, public waste collectors use trucks fitted with mechanical arms to pick up, empty and return bins to their positions. The driver is the only person needed.

Singapore is moving in the right direction. In January, the HDB said it will put recycling chutes - separate from rubbish chutes - in all new HDB blocks.

A pilot project has found that an estate with such chutes recycles about three times as much recyclable waste as other comparable estates without the chutes.

The NEA's call for a new waste management blueprint - complete with land, manpower and other targets for the various processes - also shows that the agency is aware of, and prepared to tackle, the problems.

Views on trash

BUT hardware aside, one other critical area that needs addressing is people's attitudes and misconceptions towards recycling and waste disposal.

Too many people still use the recycling bins as convenient dumpsters for all manner of waste. Others do not recycle as they suspect their recyclables end up in the same place as other non-recyclable trash and are incinerated anyway.

Some people do not know what can be recycled, or what happens to waste after it goes down the chute or into the recycling bin.

The statistics are sobering. Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan said in February that the domestic recycling rate is only about 20 per cent, compared with the overall 61 per cent recycling rate.

While nearly all construction debris, used slag and scrap tyres are recycled, the rates for paper/cardboard, glass, food and plastics lag far behind, at 54 per cent, 20 per cent, 13 per cent and 11 per cent respectively last year.

More should be done to remind people of the landfill's limit and the consequences when that disposal option is literally closed off.

Easy-to-understand, pictorial posters showing how to sort waste, what to put in the recycling bins and what happens to the items should be placed at high-traffic areas like lift lobbies.

The recycling rate for plastics is abysmal, and electronic waste is set to be a growing problem.

Both need special attention and more publicity for take-back programmes, like the tie-up between StarHub, DHL Express and home-grown recycling firm TES-AMM to collect electronic waste using bins placed in schools, condominiums and malls.

The Government can take the lead by auditing recycling rates at events it organises, such as Singapore International Energy Week. A national campaign with a catchy slogan will also help. In Sweden, residents are reminded that recycling stations are no more than 300m from any residential area.

But, in the end, there is a limit to the Government's reach. It can install chutes, bins and machines, plaster corridors with posters, and progressively narrow the distance between people and recycling points. But no-one can bridge the final, small stretch except Singaporeans themselves.

Less than one per cent of Sweden’s household waste ends up in a rubbish dump

Uphill task to get homes to cut waste

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Community Chest: Workers giving more to charity each month

October 9, 2014, 8:51 pm

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222,000 employees gave $14.5m from their salaries to ComChest last year
By Janice Tai, The Straits Times, 9 Oct 2014

EMPLOYEES are digging deeper into their pockets and giving more to charity each month.

Some 222,000 workers contributed $14.5 million directly from their salaries to the Community Chest (ComChest) last year.

This is the highest amount that ComChest - the fund-raising arm of the National Council of Social Service - has received from workers participating in its Share programme in the last 10 years. Workers gave $13.5 million in 2012.

Those who opt in pledge to give a certain amount to charity, and this is automatically deducted from their pay each month.

Last year, each employee gave $5.45 monthly on average, up from $5 in 2012 and $4.75 in 2010.

The ComChest attributed the increase to its greater outreach effort to corporate organisations and the growing desire of individuals to make giving a regular habit.

"With a low barrier to entry, Share works on the power of small but regular individual donations collectively making a significant impact in caring for the disadvantaged as a community," said ComChest chairman Phillip Tan.

"These contributions from the community provide a sustained source of funds for our charities, so they can focus on helping those in need," he added.

At the Community Chest Awards yesterday, 81 out of 390 awards were given to organisations for efforts to encourage workplace giving.

Three other organisations - Singapore Airlines (SIA), Great Eastern Life Assurance and the Singapore Armed Forces (Military Intelligence Organisation) - received the Pinnacle Award, the highest honour for donors, from President Tony Tan Keng Yam at the Istana.

The Pinnacle Award recognises the long-term and significant contributions of individuals or organisations that have supported ComChest for at least 20 years or those that have given more than $20 million.

SIA, for example, spearheaded creative campaigns to raise funds, offering panda plush toys clad in its signature Batik motif to donors in 2012, raising $427,000 for programmes to help children with special needs.

Media company Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) and SPH Foundation picked up the corporate Platinum and 10-Year Outstanding Corporate Awards.

The bulk of the awards recognised organisations and workers' support of the Share programme. The rest of the Share awards were given out at an earlier ceremony.

One regular donor is Ms Alice Ku, a manager at Republic Polytechnic, the only organisation to win the Share Achiever award two years in a row. It recognises those who have roped in a significant number of employees and made sizeable donations.

Ms Ku, in her 30s, started donating $10 from her pay every month when she joined the poly two years ago. But each time she had a yearly increment, she raised her donation by a little. Now, she gives $20 to ComChest monthly.

She said: "If I get more, I will give more because that is the spirit of giving and sharing with others around us."

Post by Community Chest Singapore.

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Lim Kay Tong to play founding PM Lee Kuan Yew in the movie 1965

October 10, 2014, 12:02 am

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By Gwendolyn Ng, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014

Despite an almost unanimous verdict among Singaporeans on social media that he is perfect for the role, veteran actor Lim Kay Tong admits he had to overcome cowardice before agreeing to play Singapore's founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew in the local movie 1965.

At a press conference on Wednesday, he says: "Two things in the 1960s that are stuck indelibly in my mind - the assassination of John F. Kennedy and Lee Kuan Yew's speech on the separation. Even as a child, you realise the significance of it, you see a different side to the man, a very human side. That press conference really defined him in a different way."

After reading the script, Lim, 60, thought he could take on the part.

He explains: "Lee Kuan Yew is a corner of the story. He frames the timeline, as to when the events take place. It is not overwhelmingly undoable, because it's just a handful of appearances stretched over the time in 1965 and maybe one other scene when he is much older. I overcame my cowardice, and said, 'Let's give it a go and see what happens.'"

Why cowardice?

"Because it's a real-life person, and it's Lee Kuan Yew. I hope he doesn't call me."

At the press conference, it was also announced that actress Joanne Peh would be cast in the movie, alongside her husband Qi Yuwu. Previously, the producers of the movie had unveiled a cast that included Qi and Malaysian actress Deanna Yusoff.

1965 is a movie commemorating Singapore's 50 years of independence. Its executive producer Daniel Yun has said it is not a biopic of Mr Lee, but "Mr Lee will be one of the characters in the film - and the movie will start and end with him".

The $2.8-million movie, to be directed by Randy Ang, who did last year's cop thriller re:solve, will start principal photography next month.

Of Lim's casting as Mr Lee, Mr David Lee, vice-chairman of Singapore Film Society, says: "Kay Tong is perfect for the role. 1965 has been five years in the making, and over the years, I was also thinking about who could play Lee Kuan Yew, and I actually considered Kay Tong as well. He has the gravitas required of the role, and he's English-speaking as well. You cannot cast a Chinese-speaking actor in the role, because the feeling would just be different.

"Years ago, there was news that Hong Kong star Tony Leung Chiu Wai would play the role, and although he is an excellent actor, I think many Singaporeans would feel that a Singaporean actor should play the part. The only thing I'm wondering about for Kay Tong is how he'll play the younger LKY. But I guess that's where movie magic comes in. Otherwise, he's perfect."

Why Lim Kay Tong agreed to play LKY role -RazorTV

↧

Parliament Highlights - 8 Oct 2014

October 10, 2014, 12:03 am

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Edusave contributions extended to all students
By Monica Kotwani, Channel NewsAsia, 8 Oct 2014

Parliament on Wednesday (Oct 8) passed a bill that will extend Edusave contributions to Singaporean children aged between seven and 16 including those studying in madrasahs, private schools, those who are home-schooled, and who are residing overseas.

The Education Ministry estimates that about 20,000 students will benefit from this.

Minister of State for Education, Sim Ann said students aged seven to 12 will receive an Edusave contribution of S$200 a year. This amount is given to students in mainstream primary schools. Similarly, those aged 13 to 16 will receive S$240 a year - same as what secondary school students receive.

Other amendments to the Act relate to the improvement in administrative and operational aspects of the Edusave and Post-Secondary Education Schemes.

MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, Dr Intan Azura Mokhtar asked if home-schooled students can use the funds for enrichment programmes, and if they have to submit such activities for approval.

Ms Sim said parents are the education providers of those who are home-schooled and Edusave can be used to fund activities organised by parents, who will have to make their claims directly at the Education Ministry.

Details of what activities are permitted will be set out in the regulations. Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong said enrichment programme providers will likely not rush to provide services to this new group which will now have access to Edusave as the scale of business is small, compared to what they receive from mainstream schools.

"I'd like to suggest that MOE can look into having schools open up participation, especially of Edusave-funded enrichment courses in their schools to those that are home-schooled or those in smaller religious and private schools nearby. This can be a nationwide effort coordinated through MOE," Mr Yee said.

He added that certain schools around Singapore can be "satellite centres", partnering with students who are in religious schools, smaller private schools, and those who are home-schooled.

"This will foster interaction through joint programmes which will help develop the social and emotional learning for those outside mainstream schools, while helping students in mainstream schools better understand their learning under a different educational system," Mr Yee said.

Ms Sim noted Mr Yee's concerns about the difference in scale. "I think the extension of Edusave contribution is not meant on its own to equalise all conditions between students in different kinds of educational arrangements. Our preference remains for students to undergo national education system where they can grow up together with other Singaporeans," she said.

Ms Sim added that Mr Yee's suggestions on more interactions for those outside mainstream schools is something that will be looked into.

Get set for more free Wi-Fi on the go
By Tham Yuen-C, The Straits Times, 9 Oct 2014

COMMUTERS could soon find it easier to connect to free Wi-Fi while travelling, as the Land Transport Authority (LTA) is looking into providing Wi-Fi access at more MRT stations, at bus interchanges, and on buses too.

Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim announced this in Parliament yesterday, as he disclosed measures to improve the public transport system.

Separately, Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo told the House that a central bus management system is being developed to give up-to-date information to commuters.

Satisfaction with public transport has declined in the past few years, due to delays and overcrowding. The Government has taken measures to improve the travel experience.

Providing Wi-Fi at MRT stations reflects its commitment to this end, said Mr Faishal.

Since the WiFi@MRT trial began in August at City Hall, Orchard and Raffles Place stations, daily usage has grown from 100,000 commuters to more than 145,000. All MRT stations will have the service if the trial proves successful. The LTA is also looking into providing Wi-Fi on buses and at bus interchanges, said Mr Faishal.

Mrs Teo said the central bus management system being developed by LTA will relay real- time information between buses and bus stops. It will allow transport operators to give useful information to commuters on the go. This can also be delivered via smartphone apps.

Ms Teo said the system will be implemented progressively from the end of next year and be completed by 2017.

She gave the details in her reply to Non-Constituency MP Gerald Giam, who asked if the LTA would consider using technology on buses and at bus stops to announce bus arrivals for visually impaired people.

While broadcasts on buses and apps are possible, providing the same information at bus stops will have to be considered "more carefully" as some stops are near homes, she said.

'Disparity in views over co-regulation must narrow first'
Any test for licensing scheme not meaningful before that: Yaacob
By Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh, The Straits Times, 9 Oct 2014

A SCHEME to let arts groups classify their own performances will be shelved until the disparity in views on co-regulation between them and the Government narrows, said Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim yesterday.

He also turned down a suggestion from Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Chua Chu Kang GRC) to do a trial test of the scheme with some key arts groups in the meantime to see how it could work.

Mr Zaqy, who is chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Communications and Information, made the proposal during the debate on the Public Entertainments and Meetings (Amendment) Bill, which was later passed by Parliament.

But Dr Yaacob said: "We have no plans to pursue co-regulation of the arts entertainment for the foreseeable future until the fundamental differences of views over co-regulation between MDA and the arts groups can be narrowed.

"It will not be meaningful, I think, to implement any pilot test for the scheme."

The controversial Arts Term Licensing Scheme was dropped from the new legislation after it was rejected by arts groups in Singapore.

The Media Development Authority (MDA) had proposed it as a step towards "co-regulation".

But artists' network Arts Engage released a paper, signed by 45 arts groups, that outlined their objections.

Referring to the objections, Mr Zaqy said they feared they would be "functioning as extensions of MDA, resulting in self-censorship".

They highlighted the "subjective and arbitrary nature of classifying arts content", he added, noting that they had cited instances when the same content was rated differently by arts groups and the MDA.

A public consultation exercise held by the MDA had, however, produced differing views, said Dr Yaacob.

While arts groups asked if lighter penalties could be levied for breaches of the classification code, some members of the public called for stricter measures to deter arts groups planning to intentionally mis-classify their performances.

MDA, therefore, has to find some middle ground.

"As regulator of arts entertainment, MDA has to weigh the interests and concerns of both arts groups and the general public," said Dr Yaacob.

"The arts community cannot expect MDA to accommodate only their concerns because the Arts Entertainment Classification Code is one in which all Singaporeans, you and me, have an interest."

The arts groups also want the "Not Allowed for All Ratings" (NAR) classification to be scrapped, he added.

"Underpinning the classification code are our community norms and values and the underlying importance of maintaining social, racial and religious harmony," he said.

"An NAR category is necessary as an upper limit as there will be instances when a performance is deemed inappropriate for staging."

For instance, the desecration of religious icons just because the performer deems it an artistic act will not be condoned, he added.

Still, the Government will continue working towards co-regulation which, Dr Yaacob said, is already practised in the broadcast sector, where content producers ensure they are offering age-appropriate content.

"In the case of the arts groups, however, the extensive and in-depth engagements MDA has had with the arts groups have shown that co-regulation is not such a straightforward matter," he said.

The missing link in the debate on access to arts content
By Lydia Lim Associate Opinion Editor, The Straits Times, 9 Oct 2014

YESTERDAY was the second day in a row that censorship came up for discussion in the House.

At issue is the NAR or Not Allowed for All Ratings classification, which when applied to a film or arts performance, disallows public screenings and stagings.

Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim revealed that a disagreement between regulators and arts groups over the need for an NAR classification, was one reason a proposed term-licensing scheme was scrapped.

The scheme was to be a voluntary one for arts groups to classify their own works, instead of submitting each work to the Media Development Authority for classification. It was to have been the most significant change in the Public Entertainments and Meetings (Amendment) Bill, or Pema, passed yesterday.

But it was dropped after strong objection from arts groups, some of whom worried that the scheme would lead to self-censorship.

The debate over Pema came a day after three MPs quizzed Dr Yaacob over the NAR classification for To Singapore With Love, on the grounds that the film posed a threat to national security.

Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Chua Chu Kang GRC) described NAR as a "point of contention" and said arts groups were of the view that arts content should only be classified, not banned.

The chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Communications and Information was the only member to speak on Pema.

He said he appreciated the need to protect racial and religious harmony and national security, but called for the NAR classification process to be made more transparent and its framework more robust.

He also pointed out the limits of using such a classification to restrict access, when Singaporeans could catch screenings of NAR films across the Causeway or online, as many have done with To Singapore With Love.

Dr Yaacob, on his part, said that when consulted on term-licensing, arts groups wanted changes made to the classification system such that "any content should be allowed at the highest rating of R18 and there should be no Not Allowed for All Ratings or NAR category".

But he made clear that was not tenable as regulators also have to give due consideration to the differing views of other groups who also gave feedback.

He cited one such concern, which was that the Term Licensing Scheme would result in a liberalisation of content standards.

"So as regulator of arts entertainment, MDA has to weigh the interests and concerns of both arts groups and the general public. Public consultations must be in good faith and in a spirit of give and take. The arts community cannot expect MDA to only accommodate their concerns because the Arts Entertainment Code is one in which all Singaporeans have an interest," he said.

He also defended the current classification code, which was developed after consultation with arts group, arts entertainment licensees and community-based panels last year.

"Underpinning the classification code are our community norms and values, and underlying importance of maintaining social, racial and religious harmony.

"An NAR category is necessary as an upper limit as there will be instances when a performance is deemed inappropriate for staging. For example, we certainly would not condone religious icons being desecrated in a performance just because the performer deems it artistic.

"This was also the perspective of the Censorship Review Committee in 2010," he said.

What was missing from yesterday's debate was someone to articulate the liberal view that audiences should have access to all kinds of arts content, and be trusted to judge for themselves what is right and wrong.

That was a perspective actress Janice Koh would have given voice to if she were still in the House, but her two-year term as Nominated MP ended in August.

Based on yesterday's debate on Pema, it would seem that most MPs do not question the status quo when it comes to arts classification and censorship, and perhaps even have limited interest in the subject.

Certainly, the topics of HDB upgrading, rusting lift frames and jobs and benefits for older workers sparked livelier exchanges between frontbenchers and backbenchers during yesterday's Question Time.

That, too, may reflect the relative weight most Singaporeans give to arts and culture as compared to the bread-and-butter issues that affect their daily lives.

Reverse mortgage not a popular option, but will be further studied
By Walter Sim, The Straits Times, 9 Oct 2014

AN ONGOING study into reverse mortgage schemes in other countries has shown that their take-up rates are low, Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan said yesterday.

Still, the Government will continue to study the scheme, which allows a property owner to convert some of the value of the home he owns into cash while still living in it, he added.

He did not name the countries under study but said: "I'm not giving up and we want to continue to explore."

He also said that "as the reverse mortgage is a complex financial product, we need to study it carefully, before we decide whether to introduce it as an additional option for our seniors."

Mr Khaw made the point in Parliament when replying to Ms Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon GRC), who had asked for an update on the study. He noted that insurer NTUC Income previously offered such a scheme, but it did not take off. Only 24 households took it up between its launch in 2006 and it being scrapped in 2008.

While there are no regulations stopping financial institutions from offering the scheme to private property owners, the fact that they are not doing so indicates a lack of demand, he added.

Despite its unpopularity, the Government is still looking at whether there have been "changes in the business model" which may make it suitable for some.

Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Chua Chu Kang GRC) asked how the Government will help citizens differentiate between reverse mortgages, if these are offered, and the current Lease Buyback Scheme, that lets owners of HDB flats of up to three rooms sell part of their remaining lease back to the Government. This will be extended to four- room flats from next April.

"The key is informed decision-making, which therefore means very close handholding," said Mr Khaw. "If we were to offer such products, our staff have to be well-trained so that we can conduct individual counselling and go down to the specifics… because these are long-term commitments - 30 years, 40 years - down the road."

Concerns raised over Bill allowing 'dual-class' shares
Questions related to rules applying to listed firms and pricing issues
By Yasmine Yahya, The Straits Times, 9 Oct 2014

TWO MPs raised concerns yesterday that changes to the Companies Act allowing certain firms to issue shares with different voting rights could affect retail investors.

The Companies (Amendment) Bill passed yesterday removes a one-share-one-vote restriction on public companies.

The change applies to 800 public non-listed companies. These firms can have more than 50 shareholders and their constitutions do not restrict the right to transfer shares.

The Singapore Exchange and the Monetary Authority of Singapore are reviewing whether listed firms should also be permitted to issue such "dual-class" shares, which critics said are unfair to small shareholders.

Mr Ong Teng Koon (Sembawang GRC) told Parliament that the change will help Singapore retain its competitiveness as a financial centre but there are still risks, especially if the rule is eventually applied to listed firms.

He suggested that the Ministry of Finance (MOF) consider setting limits on the proportion of non-voting shares a company can issue or providing a sunset clause so that dual-class shares expire after a set period.

Senior Minister of State for Finance Josephine Teo said the Bill does not include such provisions as its aim is to give greater flexibility to public companies raising capital.

But it will have checks and balances for all public companies, listed or not, she added.

It will, for example, require firms to specify clearly the rights attached to each class of share.

Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) asked whether Singapore's financial markets were efficient enough to fairly price shares with different voting rights.

Mrs Teo responded that pricing will have to be determined by the firms and that investors will have to assess for themselves whether the discount or premium being offered is fair.

Mr Ong and Mr Liang also raised questions about a clause allowing small firms to be exempt from auditing their accounts.

Mr Ong asked how the Government will ensure that these firms continue to keep proper accounts so that the risk of tax evasion does not increase.

Mr Liang raised a concern that the big firms might spin off small ones to enjoy audit exemptions.

Mrs Teo said the law will still require small companies to keep proper accounts and has measures to prevent abuse by bigger firms.

The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore has been selectively checking on the record-keeping practices of small companies and will continue to do so to ensure that their tax declarations are correct, she said.

In addition, the Bill will require that a company that is part of a group must not only qualify as a small company to obtain the exemption, but also that the group as a whole must meet at least two of the three exemption criteria.

Parliament passed three other MOF Bills yesterday - the Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, the Stamp Duties (Amendment) Bill and the Business Names Registration Bill. This last Bill simplifies the process of registering business names.

The Statutes (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Bill was made law on Tuesday.

ACRA to introduce 6 new fees
Channel NewsAsia, 8 Oct 2014

The Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) will introduce six new fees and streamline its regulatory fee structure for businesses, said the regulator in a statement on Wednesday (Oct 8).

ACRA said the new fees were introduced following the recent passing by Parliament of the Companies (Amendment) Bill, the Business Names Registration Bill and the ACRA (Amendment) Bill. The new fees include those for application for registration or annual renewal as a Qualified Individual for Corporate Service Providers.

At the same time, some businesses may have to pay higher annual fees following the streamlining of the fee structure. According to ACRA, the increase will range from S$10 to S$40 per year depending on the business type.

For sole-proprietorships, partnerships and limited partnerships, there will also be a fee increase of S$50 for the initial registration of the business. ACRA added that the increase is necessary to ensure that its operating costs to maintain an accurate and comprehensive register of business entities can continue to be recovered at cost.

Meanwhile, fees related to ad-hoc applications for waivers, exemptions or extension of time to comply with statutory requirements such as filing of accounts and holding the annual general meeting will also increase by a range of S$30 to S$170. ACRA explained this is to adequately reflect the resources spent to process such applications.

These fee changes will take effect with the implementation of the legislative changes, which is expected to take place no later than first quarter of 2015.

Transport operators may review concessions for more students
By Tham Yuen-C, The Straits Times, 9 Oct 2014

A TRAIN or bus ride could get cheaper for some full-time students of tertiary institutions who do not qualify for concession fares.

Public transport operators said they would consider a request from the regulator to offer such fares to these students, even if such commuters are receiving some form of income.

Their response to the request from the Public Transport Council (PTC) was disclosed in Parliament yesterday by Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo.

Currently, only university, polytechnic and Institute of Technical Education students who have the Tertiary Student Concession Card or the ITE Student Concession card get discounted travel on buses and trains. They qualify for these cards even when they receive scholarships or bursaries. But those who receive income - from companies that employ them, or organisations that pay them an allowance or sponsor them - are not eligible.

Mr Baey Yam Keng (Tampines GRC) had asked why this was so.

Mrs Teo said student concession schemes are granted on the basis that students generally are "not financially independent".

Students with an income, however, are deemed to be financially independent.

But she noted that the number of such students is "not large". Also, it was hard to make a distinction between them and students receiving scholarships or bursaries. As such, the PTC had asked the public transport operators to consider extending the concession to all the students.

Revised vehicle scheme gains traction
By Christopher Tan, The Straits Times, 9 Oct 2014

A REVISED version of a scheme to persuade business owners to replace their old, pollutive diesel vehicles is gaining traction at an "encouraging" rate.

As at the end of last month, 3,212 vehicles were replaced under the Early Turnover Scheme (ETS) after it was enhanced in March, said Parliamentary Secretary for Transport Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim.

This represents 77 per cent of the total number of vehicles replaced under the scheme since it began in April last year, Dr Faishal said yesterday, when replying to Mr Ang Wei Neng (Jurong GRC).

"The increase in ETS take-up is encouraging," he added.

When an eligible vehicle is deregistered, its certificate of entitlement (COE) does not go into the next COE quota for bidding. Instead, the owner pays a pro-rated premium to have it tied to the new vehicle.

"This means the owners can purchase a new vehicle without having to bid for a fresh COE," Dr Faishal noted.

By not channelling the COE of a deregistered vehicle back into the bidding pool, this "may appear on the surface" to reduce the number of COEs available for new commercial vehicle buyers, he said.

But on the other hand, "it makes available an additional COE outside of the bidding system". In turn, it takes demand out of the system, he added.

"So we should not be unduly worried if there are low quotas available for bidding," he said.

Mr Ang also asked how the scheme had affected COE prices, but Dr Faishal said it was hard to say.

"The price of COEs is determined by many other demand and supply factors, such as the prevailing economic conditions and the vehicle statutory life remaining," he said.

No need for competition wins to make good CCA records: Heng Swee Keat
Channel NewsAsia, 8 Oct 2014

Under the revised co-curricular recognition system implemented from 2014's Secondary One cohort onwards, students are recognised for their balanced development in the co-curriculum, according to Education Minister Heng Swee Keat.

This new framework means "students can receive recognition for a range of activities beyond co-curricular activities (CCA) and the school. There is no necessity for students to win in competitions to achieve good co-curricular records”, he stated in a written reply for Parliament on Wednesday (Oct 8). The Education Ministry also does not set any Key Performance Indicators for schools in co-curricular activities, he added.

Mr Heng was responding to questions about opportunities to pursue sports in schools from Nominated Member of Parliament Benedict Tan, a former national sailor.

About 50 schools compete in each sport under the National School Games, with the average number of participating schools rising to about 100 for popular sports like badminton, basketball, football and netball. ”This shows that schools do offer CCAs, even when they do not excel in it,” wrote Mr Heng. Schools also offer alternative sports CCAs where no there are no inter-school competitions, he noted.

All students participate in sports through Physical Education lessons, and a third of them participate in sports CCAs. There are more than 60 sports CCAs offered across all schools, but while schools "strive to meet the diverse needs of their students, it is not possible to cater to every demand, given the constraints on the ground. In determining the enrolment for each CCA, schools will need to consider, amongst other factors, the availability of space, quality coaching, and overall support for the student athletes", he pointed out.

More than 400 Public Service scholarships for engineering awarded between 2009 and 2013: DPM Teo
Channel NewsAsia, 8 Oct 2014

While no President's Scholar has applied to major in engineering since 2006, the Public Service awarded more than 400 scholarships for the engineering courses between 2009 and 2013, revealed Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean in Parliament on Wednesday (Oct 8). He added more than 1,200 scholarships were also awarded for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), translating to about four in ten of all Public Service scholarships awarded.

He said this in in a written reply to MP Lee Bee Wah, who had asked if it was a concern that no President's Scholar has applied to major in engineering since 2006, and if any action has been taken to rectify the situation, or if this trend will result in a shortage of engineers.

Many of these Public Service scholarship holders for engineering have been matched with agencies including the Land Transport Authority, HDB, and the Defence Science and Technology Agency, said Mr Teo. Of the 80 to 90 Public Service Commission (PSC) scholarship recipients every year, one quarter pursued STEM courses in 2013 while one fifth did so in 2014, he added.

Mr Teo said the Public Service will continue to recruit officers in a variety of fields to serve in the different sectors. For engineering, the Government will also be developing career paths to attract and retain good engineers, he added.

PROMOTING ENGINEERING EDUCATION

The Government has been promoting engineering education through various programmes and outreach strategies to ignite students’ interest to pursue STEM-related courses and a career in the STEM-related industries, said Mr Teo.

He elaborated that in 2013, a total of 8,500 students entered STEM-related degree courses, including 5,700 students who entered courses in Engineering Sciences and Information Technology. He allayed fears that the apparent lack of interest among top scholars to study engineering will result in a shortage of engineers, as local autonomous universities such as the Singapore Institute of Technology and Singapore University of Technology and Design have continued to increase their intake of engineering students.

The Ministry of Education has been working closely with the Manpower Ministry to ensure a steady flow of graduates from local universities are meeting the engineering industry’s demand, Mr Teo said. The plan to build a new Science Centre in Jurong is also part of the strategy to arouse the interests of students in science and technology, added Mr Teo.

9 in 10 civil servants reaching retirement age offered re-employment: DPM Teo
Channel NewsAsia, 8 Oct 2014

Since July 2011, nine in 10 civil servants reaching the retirement age have been offered re-employment. This update was given in Parliament by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister in Charge of the Civil Service Teo Chee Hean on Wednesday (Oct 8).

Mr Teo said the approach in the public service is to provide re-employment to all officers who meet the performance criteria, conduct criteria and are medically fit to continue working.

Government agencies are also encouraged to re-employ the majority of officers in their existing jobs and at last drawn pay as far as possible. They are allowed to offer re-employment at lower grades for the more senior grades, only if the post is no longer available or needs to be freed up for leadership renewal.

Last Thursday (Oct 2), the Public Service Division announced that all eligible officers will be offered re-employment till the age of 67.

Responding to Nominated Member of Parliament Chia Yong Yong on hiring persons with disabilities, Mr Teo said the Public Service Division is working with the Social and Family Development Ministry to hire and tap on their "diverse abilities".

Ms Chia is also the president of SPD, formerly the Society for the Physically Disabled.

"Recruitment into the public service is based on individual merit through fair and open competition. We do employ officers with disabilities in the service and are prepared to do more," said Mr Teo.

99% of private sector local employees who turned 62 offered re-employment
Channel NewsAsia, 8 Oct 2014

Almost all private sector local employees who turned 62 in the year ending June 2013 were offered re-employment, said Mr Tan Chuan-Jin.

Of the 99 per cent who were offered re-employment, most - 98 per cent - accepted the offer, the Minister for Manpower noted on Wednesday (Oct 8).

In a written reply to a parliamentary question from Mr K Karthikeyan, who asked if the Manpower Ministry would allow those not re-employed at 62 years old to draw down their CPF monies early, Mr Tan said that various schemes and programmes, such as WorkPro, are in place for older Singaporeans who need assistance with finding a job.

He added that those who are unable to continue working due to medical reasons can apply for an early withdrawal of their CPF savings on medical grounds. Government assistance schemes are also available to help unemployed and needy Singaporeans tide over difficult periods.

Flexi-work a 'feasible approach' to work-life harmony: Tan Chuan-Jin
Channel NewsAsia, 8 Oct 2014

Encouraging employers to adopt flexible work arrangements is a "more pragmatic and feasible approach" to promoting work-life harmony than reducing work hours, said Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin.

"Flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting or flexible working hours, can allow employees to find the right fit that suits their personal needs," Mr Tan said. "Many research studies have also shown that employees on flexible work arrangements are also more productive and engaged at the workplace."

This was in response to a question raised in Parliament by NMP K Karthikeyan on whether the Ministry of Manpower would consider reducing official work hours to 40 hours per week to achieve work-life balance.

The Manpower Minister stated the Employment Act regulates that for employees earning a basic monthly salary not exceeding S$2,500 and workmen with a basic monthly salary not exceeding S$4,500, their work hours should not be more than eight hours a day, or 44 hours a week.

Those who work longer at the request of their employer will have to be paid extra for overtime work, he added.

"For other employees whose work hours are not regulated by law, their nature of work is not time-based. As such, it is not practical for the Government to regulate their working hours," Mr Tan stated.

ENCOURAGING FLEXI-WORK ARRANGEMENTS

The minister added he is "heartened" that more employers are now offering flexible work arrangements to their employees. About 44 per cent of organisations in Singapore offered at least on form of such arrangements in 2013, up from 25 per cent in 2007, he noted.

Going forward, the Tripartite Committee (TriCom) on Work-Life Strategy will organise a week-long Work-Life Campaign in November to increase awareness of the benefits of flexible work arrangements.

In conjunction with the campaign, the TriCom will also be issuing a Tripartite Advisory on Flexible Work Arrangements to guide employers, supervisors and employees in implementing and using flexible work arrangements, he said.

MOH outlines strategies to recruit, retain allied health professionals
Channel NewsAsia, 8 Oct 2014

Allied health professionals (AHP) play an important role in the Republic's healthcare sector, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on Wednesday (Oct 8), who noted that there are several strategies already implemented to recruit and retain such professionals.

Mr Gan said that as of Jun 2 this year, 607 physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists in the intermediate and long-term care (ILTC) and social services were registered with the Allied Health Professions Council. Registration will help raise the recognition and enhance the attractiveness of the profession, he added.

In terms of retaining professionals, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) have put in place several strategies to support service providers in retaining AHP manpower - both local and foreign.

These include additional funding to providers to keep wages competitive with the market, and provision of subsidised training programmes to help new staff adapt to the work environment and deepen their expertise, the minister added.

BETTER CAREER PROGRESSION

Mr Gan also pointed out that MSF, MOH, the National Council of Social Services and the Agency for Integrated Care are supporting therapy hubs, which provide therapy services to social and ILTC institutions, to help them better meed service needs.

These hubs can facilitate better career development opportunities for the therapists, leading to better attraction and retention of these skilled workers, he said.

MOH also introduced a central employment scheme called Career Resourcing and Development of Allied Health Talents (CREATE) in 2012 to recruit and deploy AHPs to ILTC institutions. To date, 33 physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech therapists have signed up via the scheme, the minister said.

As for broadening the pipeline of talent coming through, Mr Gan said the total physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy intakes at Nanyang Polytechnic and the National University of Singapore (NUS) have increased by 75 per cent from 124 in 2007 to 218 in 2013.

"We will continue to review the manpower demand and supply regularly, and build up the local training pipelines," he said.

India-Singapore trade reached S$25.5b last year
Channel NewsAsia, 8 Oct 2014

Trade between India and Singapore rose to S$25.5 billion in 2013 from S$16.6 billion in 2005, when an economic cooperation agreement between the two countries came into force, Minister for Trade and Industry Lim Hng Kiang said in Parliament on Wednesday (Oct 8).

Answering a query by Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Gerald Giam, Mr Lim said the India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) has helped to boost investment flows into Singapore, with foreign direct investment from India into the Republic growing from SS$1.3 billion in 2005 to S$20 billion in 2012. “This has helped to promote economic growth and create good jobs for Singaporeans,” he said.

CECA AND THE WORK PASS FRAMEWORK

If there are special privileges negotiated under a Free Trade Agreement (FTA), Singapore will follow the rules strictly, said Mr Lim. But these privileges will not deviate from Singapore's right to apply measures to regulate the entry of foreign nationals and temporary stays.

This was in response to Mr Giam's question about whether India is entitled to special access to Singapore's labour market or banking licences under the CECA's terms. Mr Giam's question comes amid reports from Indian media that Singapore's tightening of the work pass framework violates terms under the treaty, and that it would affect Indian nationals working as middle-level managers, executives and technicians.

Mr Lim said the CECA, which is under a second review after entering into force in 2007, allows for conveniences to businesses on both sides. For example, Singapore granted three bank licences with qualifying full bank (QFB) to Indian banks under the agreement. So far, the State Bank of India and ICICI Bank have been approved in Singapore. Meanwhile, India has allowed the three Singapore banks to open 15 branches in India, of which 11 have been approved.

One big privilege under the agreement is to allow for intra-corporate transferees. For example, Singapore will facilitate the transfer of corporate employees from India to help set up the business. Mr Lim said while the time frame for intra-corporate employees under the World Trade Organization's General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) is five years, the CECA gives India eight years.

"My question is, are we granting them all the privileges they are entitled to under this CECA, or they saying we are not granting them enough? If it is the latter, would that mean that effectively, the Indians are asking for more work passes for themselves?" Mr Giam asked.

Mr Lim responded: "The privileges are clearly delineated in the FTA's CECA. Say for example, intra-corporate transferees, if the Indians dispute we are not giving them eight years as we agreed, then they can refer the case to us and ultimately, there is a dispute resolution process."

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Pioneer athletes, officials and coaches to get free lifetime access to public pools and gyms

October 10, 2014, 11:12 pm

≫ Next: Boon Lay Raja's recipe for success

≪ Previous: Parliament Highlights - 8 Oct 2014

Free access for sport pioneers
Lifetime pass to pools and gyms for inspiring nation, says Lawrence Wong
By Terence Ong, The Straits Times, 10 Oct 2014

SINGAPORE's pioneer athletes, coaches and officials will now get free lifetime access to public swimming pools and gymnasiums.

Under the new initiative, announced yesterday by Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong, sports pioneers aged 65 years old and above are eligible for the complimentary use of these facilities.

To enjoy the offer, sports pioneers have to sign up for an ActiveSG account - through the ActiveSG website, mobile-phone application or guest services office at the gyms and swimming complexes - and produce their identity cards at the pools and gyms to enjoy the free access.

Said Mr Wong: "We want you to remain actively involved in the sporting scene and serve as role models for our younger Team Singapore members.

"Whatever we do, it cannot fully reflect the contributions that our sports pioneers have made (but) it is a way for us to say 'thank you for inspiring the nation'."

Further details, such as the scheme's commencement date and eligibility, will be announced by national agency Sport Singapore at a later date.

The announcement was made yesterday evening at a Sport Singapore event at the Sports Hub to honour more than 200 pioneers.

In attendance were Tang Pui Wah, Singapore's first female Olympian when she took part in the 1952 Helsinki Games; Foo Chee Han, a three-time men's 1,500m freestyle swimming champion at the Merdeka Cup; and Michael Khoo, the Football Association of Singapore's honorary secretary from 1975 to 1981.

The scheme to allow pioneers free access to gyms and swimming pools has been greeted with the approval of the former sportsmen, who felt that it was due recognition for their contributions.

Said Foo, 74: "In my time, I had to train out at sea but, now, this access will allow me - and many others - to enjoy the new swimming facilities that others go to as well.

"It also allows people like me to spend time exercising and bonding with our grandchildren."

Added Khoo: "This will motivate members of the older generation to exercise and keep fit like how they used to, albeit at a slower pace, and help build up their physical strength which is essential at their age."

The pioneers also attended the opening ceremony of the Singapore Sports Museum and Singapore Youth Olympic Museum, which honours not only the country's sports history but also stars like weightlifter Tan Howe Liang, swimmer Ang Peng Siong, silat master Sheik Alauddin, footballer Fandi Ahmad and sailor Ben Tan.

Entry to the museums is free for Singaporeans and permanent residents while admission for foreigners is priced at $10 and $5 for students and senior citizens above the age of 60.

Post by Lawrence Wong.

Sporting past preserved for everyone
By Terence Ong, The Straits Times, 10 Oct 2014

HER name is unlikely to ring a bell with most Singaporeans but Tang Pui Wah holds an important place in the country's sporting history.

Now 81, the former teacher was the Republic's first female Olympian when she took part in the 100m sprint and 80m hurdles at the 1952 Helsinki Games, before winning a Manila Asian Games bronze medal in the latter event two years later.

More importantly, she was a trailblazer for female athletes in Singapore colours when being active in sports was generally frowned upon.

"I'm proud to have inspired girls to go on the same path as me and represent our country," she said yesterday evening at the official opening of the Singapore Sports Museum and Singapore Youth Olympic Museum at the Sports Hub.

"Once there's a beginning to something, people will naturally follow suit so I'm happy and excited that things have turned out as such."

Apart from facing opposition due to her gender, Tang competed when there was little funding for national athletes.

Although their trips overseas were paid for by what is now the Singapore National Olympic Council (SNOC), national athletes had to cover their own training expenses while juggling sports with studies or work.

A fierce patriot, Tang never folded in adversity. She cited Song-dynasty general Yue Fei and warrior-poet Wen Tianxiang's loyalty to China as inspirations after reading novels about them.

"If these noble men could have a deep sense of patriotism without ever asking for anything in return, I felt obliged to do the same," said Tang.

She hung up her spikes for good in 1955, at the age of 22, when she graduated belatedly from secondary school as she had stopped attending classes during the Japanese Occupation.

After graduation, she taught mathematics and PE at Kheng Cheng School for two years, before she married and quit her job to raise her two sons. She faded from the public eye after that.

But she was not forgotten by Singapore sports officialdom and was asked to play a part in yesterday's event. The museums are open to the public from today.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, Lawrence Wong, paid tribute to the pioneers like Tang and more than 200 other veteran sportsmen, officials and coaches at the opening ceremony.

"Our sports pioneers seeded the birth of our sporting nation... (by persevering) against the odds, and blazed the trail for many of us," he said.

"Through their efforts, they inspired many young athletes who now dare to pursue their sporting dreams and passion.

"With the foundations they laid, I am confident our new generation of sportsmen and women will be able to emulate their efforts and continue to fly the Singapore flag high."

Tang gave the museums the thumbs up.

"It's good that they've set up the museum as these places contain stories that will inspire future generations to strive harder for their dreams," she said.

Added Gerard Clarke, 96, who represented Singapore in hockey and cricket from 1939 to 1949: "In our time, sport was not just about winning or losing - but also about sportsmanship.

"It seems some sportspeople have now lost that value so, hopefully, a museum like this can help rekindle that spirit."

Check out greats at museum
The Straits Times, 10 Oct 2014

VISITORS can learn more about the achievements of the nation's sporting heroes in the newly opened Singapore Sports Museum and Singapore Youth Olympic Museum at the Sports Hub.

They are managed by SportsHub Pte Ltd.

The Sports Museum, formerly housed at the old National Stadium before it was demolished in 2010, has a section that pays homage to the Grand Old Dame with memorabilia such as loudspeakers, benches and turnstiles.

Interactive screens at different sections of the museum track the sporting careers of the likes of swimmer Ang Peng Siong, sprinter C. Kunalan and footballer Fandi Ahmad.

Their rewards can also be viewed close up, such as Ang's 50m freestyle gold medal from the 1982 US National Championships, when he broke the world record with a time of 22.69sec, and weightlifter Tan Howe Liang's belt and silver medal from the 1960 Olympic Games - the first medal won by Singapore at that level.

A section linked to the National Heritage Board's I Remember SG programme, named Hear Kallang Roar, has old match programmes, photos and videos of football matches involving Singapore.

Over at the Youth Olympic Museum, visitors can check out the torches used to light the cauldron's flame at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), Summer and Winter Olympic Games, as well as equipment used by athletes at the YOG.

One of them is the swimming cap worn by Japanese Yuka Sato, who was the first-ever YOG gold medallist when she won the girl's triathlon event at the 2010 Games that Singapore hosted.

There are also mementoes from the Singapore team who participated in the recent YOG in Nanjing, like gold-winning sailor Bernie Chin's access pass, on display.

Both museums are opened from 10am to 8pm on weekdays, and 10am to 9pm on weekends and public holidays.

Admission is free for Singaporeans and permanent residents, while foreign visitors have to pay $10 ($5 for children under 18 years old, students with a valid student pass and seniors aged 60 and above).

↧

Boon Lay Raja's recipe for success

October 10, 2014, 11:23 pm

≫ Next: Steps to make pre-school sector more attractive

≪ Previous: Pioneer athletes, officials and coaches to get free lifetime access to public pools and gyms

Owner cites 3 'ingredients': affordable prices, quality food and sterling service
By Amelia Tan, The Straits Times, 10 Oct 2014

THE owner of the popular Boon Lay Raja Restaurant, Mr Henry Tan Kweng Nam, 73, has a confession to make: He cannot cook. But he makes up for it by poring over recipe books and diligently studying the menus of other restaurants.

He then gets chefs at Boon Lay Raja to whip up new dishes based on the ideas that come to him. He is also the resident guinea pig whenever his chefs experiment with new flavours.

"The chefs tweak the flavours, based on my feedback. That is how I ensure that the food is good," Mr Tan told The Straits Times in Mandarin during an interview on Wednesday.

It was announced this week that the 60-table Chinese restaurant, a short walk away from Jurong East MRT station, is selling its 11,248 sq ft space for $15 million.

When the original outlet opened in 1979, it was located in Jalan Boon Lay and most of its customers hailed from nearby factories. It moved to the site in Jurong Gateway Road in Jurong East in 1989.

Mr Tan, a former secondary school principal, was encouraged to enter the food and beverage industry by three university classmates who later became Boon Lay Raja's main shareholders.

But they leave him to run the place, and he has single-handedly crafted the restaurant's menu all these years.

His determination to ensure that Boon Lay Raja offers only quality food has not wavered, said his wife, Alicia, 70, an insurance agent.

Trademark dishes such as Red Garoupa in Nonya Sauce, Roast Duck with Mango and Buddha Jumps Over the Wall came about through Mr Tan's suggestions and experimentation by his cooks.

However, as Mr Tan admits, the work is draining - that is why he and the other shareholders have decided to sell the restaurant.

It is a pity, he adds, that he has not been able to find someone to take over. His two daughters - one is an engineering professor at the National University of Singapore and the other is a cardiologist in Perth, Australia - are not interested.

He asked some of the restaurant's chefs if they wanted to give it a go, but they said no.

"My staff said they were not confident they could do it. It is true that being in the restaurant line is not easy," he said.

His wife notes that the tightening of hiring policies for foreign workers has made it more difficult to get good staff.

Despite escalating costs, Mr Tan has stayed firm in his resolve that the restaurant should absorb the 10 per cent service charge commonly levied by food and beverage outlets. Even so, the waiters are no less attentive, customers pointed out.

Long-time patrons said Boon Lay Raja is well-known in Jurong for serving quality food at reasonable prices.

Housewife Tan Boon Hwa, 58, ate at the restaurant in the 1980s when she was working as a human resource executive at a factory in Boon Lay.

She recalled: "We would hold our company functions there. Some people held their weddings there too; others celebrated their babies' first-month parties. The food was delicious and reasonably priced."

Mr Tan said his recipe for success boils down to three "ingredients": affordable prices, quality food and sterling service.

He hopes whoever buys the eatery space will continue to run the restaurant.

"The buyer could even use our restaurant's name and our staff could continue to work for him if he wishes," said Mr Tan.

He has decided to keep the restaurant open at least until after the next Chinese New Year.

He said: "I want to give my customers a good Chinese New Year meal - one last time."

Boon Lay Raja goes on sale for $15m
Partners put old-time foodie favourite on market due to lack of successors
By Mok Fei Fei And Amelia Tan, The Straits Times, 9 Oct 2014

THE owners of the popular Boon Lay Raja Restaurant in Jurong East are looking to sell the space for around $15 million and enjoy a well-earned retirement.

The four friends who started the eatery in 1979 are in their late 60s and 70s and want to put their feet up.

"I am getting on in years and my partners and I all want to take a break," said managing director Tan Kweng Nam in Mandarin.

Mr Tan, 73, told The Straits Times last night that business is doing well.

Sales reaches $30,000 on a good day but, with no successors in sight, he said this was an opportune time to look ahead.

"The venue is in a good location, which makes the decision for us to sell the restaurant an easier one," he said.

Mr Tan hopes a new owner will run the business. Much, however, depends on the eventual outcome of the bid.

He has also pledged to keep running the restaurant until Chinese New Year so customers will not be disappointed.

The 11,248 sq ft premises in Block 135, Jurong Gateway Road has 69 years left on its lease from the Housing and Development Board (HDB).

Its reserve price of $15 million works out to $1,334 psf. The tender closes at 3pm on Nov 6.

Real estate agency Savills Singapore said the space is zoned for restaurant purposes, but that the HDB may allow a change of use.

"This is a rare opportunity for restaurateurs facing escalating rentals to operate on their own premises, and establish or consolidate their presence in this highly sought-after location," said Mr Derrick Tan, Savills Singapore's associate director of investment sales, in a statement.

Boon Lay Raja is a proudly old-fashioned Chinese restaurant that has long been a popular venue for wedding dinners.

Its dining room seats up to 600 people and guests are served traditional fare such as dim sum, shark's fin soup, and braised pork trotters.

Some long-time patrons dined there last night after learning that the restaurant was for sale.

Mrs Kai Tan, 29, who has been eating at Boon Lay Raja since she was a child, said: "I thought, what if the owner is not able to find a buyer and decides to shut down the business? Then I would not be able to eat this food again."

Her husband, Mr Tan Wei Jie, 32, said most of their family dinners are held at the restaurant, which they like as it serves good quality food at a reasonable price.

"We pay $100 for a dinner for five adults," he said. "We have soup, a poultry dish, vegetables and tofu. It is simple food, but it tastes good and that's why we keep coming back."

Other patrons described the food as having "a flavour of home".

Engineer Eileen Yap, 31, who was at the restaurant with two colleagues, said: "The steamed fish and steamed prawns have the flavours of home-cooked food. There is something about their freshness and simple cooking style."

Patrons listed spring chicken, shark's fin soup and mango roasted duck as must-try dishes.

Engineer Tan Seu Guan, 37, said: "My friends and I always order the spring chicken. But it is not just the food that brings us back; this place feels like home."

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Steps to make pre-school sector more attractive

October 10, 2014, 11:43 pm

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Training award and new advanced diploma aim to tackle manpower shortage
By Priscilla Goy, The Straits Times, 10 Oct 2104

TWO new initiatives to attract and develop pre- school staff were announced yesterday in an effort to boost a sector facing manpower shortages.

A training award which sponsors polytechnic students' course fees will be extended to students from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE).

And a new Advanced Diploma in Early Childhood Leadership will be introduced for existing pre-school staff keen to pursue a leadership role in their centres.

Students pursuing a Higher Nitec in Early Childhood Education can apply for the training award which provides full sponsorship of course fees, a monthly study allowance, a $1,000 grant for study- related expenses as well as up to $1,000 a year for professional development.

Recipients must serve a one-year bond in the sector for each year of support received.

Typically the course takes two years, and students who complete it will receive about $16,300 from the training award.

Last year, the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) launched a similar award for polytechnic students. About 50 have received it so far.

Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing announced details of the two initiatives yesterday at a ceremony recognising recipients of ECDA's scholarships and training awards.

Singapore has 14,000 pre-school staff, and about 1,500 more will be needed in the next two to three years - though Mr Chan stressed that quality is "even more important than the numbers".

"When you have the deep professional competencies, you will help us to engender respect for the people in the sector," he said.

Meanwhile, the new diploma replaces the current Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education - Leadership, and focuses more on curriculum planning and guiding teachers, rather than operational and administration skills.

The course, which will be offered at polytechnics from April 2016, aims to give more flexibility to people working in the sector, and about a quarter of it can be studied online.

To strengthen the link between theory and practice, the new diploma will have 50 more hours devoted to practical learning than the current one.

But it will also have higher eligibility criteria, such as at least a year of experience as a senior teacher in the sector.

Mr Chen Xingyu, who is pursuing a Higher Nitec in Early Childhood Education, intends to apply for the new ECDA ITE Training Award when applications open next month.

"I work part-time as a retail assistant to support myself and pay the school fees," said the 19-year-old. "With the training award, I can work less and concentrate more on my studies."

Temasek Polytechnic student Darius Ng, 18, who received the ECDA Polytechnic Training Award yesterday, said: "The professional development grant provided by the award will also support me in learning skills beyond what is taught in school, such as speech, drama and storytelling."

Post by MSF Singapore.

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