Mandai worksite accident leaves two workers dead

Yahoo file photo

Two workers have died after a lorry reportedly ran over them at the Mandai Depot construction site on Thursday (3 November).

It’s the second fatal accident at the site this year, after construction worker Riyade Hussain, 23, was pinned under a truss and died in May.

Citing a reader, The Straits Times reported that the workers were napping on the ground when the lorry reversed over them.

The Singapore Civil Defence was alerted to the incident at around 1.15pm and dispatched two ambulances to 20 Lorong Lada Hitam.

A man in his 30s was pronounced dead at the scene, while another man in his 40s was conveyed to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. Yahoo Singapore understands that the second worker has since died.

Mandai Depot, which is expected to be ready in 2019, is being built for the Thomson-East Coast MRT Line.

Live blog: WTA Finals 2016 All Access Hour

Hear from the top 8 in women’s tennis ahead of the competition that takes place from 23-30 Oct at the Indoor Stadium. 

Defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska was drawn in the White Group at the official singles draw ceremony of the WTA Finals Singapore on Friday (21 October) night at the Marina Bay Sands, with world No. 1 Angelique Kerber in the Red Group.

The latter is joined by third seed Simona Halep and newcomers Dominika Cibulkova and Madison Keys. Radwanska will play debutant Karolina Pliskova and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza, as well as an as yet undecided eighth player.

A Twitter List by kairos_catcher

Long queues at the two Michelin-starred hawker stalls

Following their Michelin one-star awards at the inaugural Michelin Guide Singapore awards ceremony on Thursday night (21 July), Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle and Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles saw long queues awaiting them the next day.

Queues were already forming at Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle in Chinatown Food Complex and Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles in Crawford Lane before they opened on Friday (22 July).

There were as many as 50 customers in the queue at Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle in Chinatown Food Complex around noon and 35 customers at Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles in Crawford Lane around 1pm. Some customers told Yahoo Singapore that they had to wait for as long as more than two hours for their food.

Both hawker stalls joined 27 other Singapore restaurants to be given the prestigious award, widely considered as the Oscars of the culinary world, with one restaurant given the three-star rating, six restaurants the two-star, and 22 restaurants and hawker stalls the one-star. 

The award of the Michelin stars came after 34 eateries in Singapore on 14 July were given the Michelin Guide Singapore’s Bib Gourmand rating, which is given to outlets that offer a good value meal for under S$45. 

Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle:

The long queue at the stall around 11am on Friday (22 July).

(Photo: Erin Yeadon Kimbrell/Yahoo Singapore)

Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle:

Nehemiah Lai, 42, said he has been to the stall a few times before. The business development manager usually orders the chicken rice and finds the meat very tender. He also finds that the dish is value for money - the soya sauce chicken rice costs as little as $2.

“He (the owner) is doing great service to the elderly around (here) because the food is pretty cheap. The other stalls sell food at $3, so compared to that, the food (here) is a lot more affordable,” said Lai.

(Photo: Erin Yeadon Kimbrell/Yahoo Singapore)

Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle:

Three food bloggers from France, Gaelle Pernelle (left), 35, Celine Simon (centre), 35, and Anne Lataillade (right), 45, were in town for a food festival over the weekend when they found out about the Michelin-starred chicken rice stall. 

“It's just amazing. Don't really see these types of queues in France. In France, the food places are more expensive, so people don't really want to try them,” said Lataillade. 

(Photo: Erin Yeadon Kimbrell/Yahoo Singapore)

Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle:

Colman (left), a 32-year-old Singaporean accountant, said that it was his first time trying the food after reading about the stall’s Michelin one-star rating. 

(Photo: Erin Yeadon Kimbrell/Yahoo Singapore)

Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle:

Student Mai Dang, 21, was also a first-time customer of the stall.

(Photo: Erin Yeadon Kimbrell/Yahoo Singapore)

Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle:

Sales executives Kevin Yap (left), 47, and Michael Koh (right), 45, both of whom were first-time customers. 

“We are amazed that the price is so cheap,” said Yap. 

(Photo: Erin Yeadon Kimbrell/Yahoo Singapore)

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles:

The queue at the famous bak chor mee stall, which dates back to the 1930s, around 11am on Friday (22 July). 

(Photo: Sharlene Maria Sankaran/Yahoo Singapore)

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles:

Many of the customers in the queue flocked to the stall after reading about its Michelin one-star win on Thursday.

(Photo: Sharlene Maria Sankaran/Yahoo Singapore)

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles:

Owner Tang Chay Seng greeting customers on his first day as the owner of a Michelin-starred eatery. 

(Photo: Sharlene Maria Sankaran/Yahoo Singapore)

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles:

Long-time customers of the stall praise the stall for its springy noodles, chilli sauce, fresh ingredients and robust soup.

(Photo: Sharlene Maria Sankaran/Yahoo Singapore)

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles:

The prices of the various portions range from $5 to $10. 

(Photo: Sharlene Maria Sankaran/Yahoo Singapore)

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles:

Even before its Michelin win, the stall has been a long-time favourite of food critics.

(Photo: Sharlene Maria Sankaran/Yahoo Singapore)

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles:

IT consultant Nikko Acosta, 26, and nurse Jhonne Ortiz, 28, decided to eat Mee Pok at Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles for the first time after reading about the stall’s Michelin star award.

(Photo: Sharlene Maria Sankaran/Yahoo Singapore)

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles:

Robin Pho, 37, who works in the solar industry, was seen eating at the famous pork noodle shop with his wife. It was their second time eating at the Michelin-starred hawker stall. They said that it was not as crowded on their first visit.

(Photo: Sharlene Maria Sankaran/Yahoo Singapore)

Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodles:

"I've been queuing for nearly 1 hours already. I've been hearing a lot about this place. My friends keep recommending this place to me, saying that it's really really good. I'm going to order the Mee pok later and I'm quite anxious to see how this shop's Bak Chor Mee is different than other stalls,” said Carolyn Foo, 46, from Sembawang, who is on a sabbatical.

Singapore Airlines plane catches fire after landing

The right engine of a Singapore Airlines aircraft caught fire after landing at Changi Airport on Monday morning (27 June), SIA told Yahoo Singapore in a statement.  

The Milan-bound flight SQ368, which was forced to turn back following an engine oil warning message, touched down at around 6:50 am. 

The fire, which was put out by firefighters from the airport emergency services, had 222 passengers and 19 crew on board, SIA said. All passengers and crew have safely disembarked from the Boeing 777-300ER. There are no reports of injuries.

“Passengers disembarked through stairs and were transported to the terminal building by bus. Passengers will be transferred to another aircraft which is expected to depart for Milan later today.”

In a statement issued on Monday night, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore said that it will be investigating to determine the causes of the incident while the Ministry of Transport’s Air Accident Investigation Bureau will be conducting an independent investigation.

In a separate statement, Changi Airport Group (CAG) said the aircraft departed at about 2:25 am and returned to Changi Airport after its engine caught fire.

“When the aircraft landed at Changi Airport Runway 2, the engine caught fire but it was extinguished within minutes by the Airport Emergency Service team which was already on standby,” CAG said.

The aircraft has since been towed  and a clean-up of the affected runway is underway, they added. 

According to media reports, the pilot announced to passengers regarding a problem with the engine only two hours into the flight. 

A passenger, who had posted a video showing the plane’s wing ablaze, described the incident on Facebook as a “near death” experience, adding that the plane was “leaking oil” for three hours before the engine “burst into flames”.

“It was a heart-wrenching five minutes! Waiting for the fire engine and fire fighters to put out the fire!,” a post uploaded on premiummall.sg’s Facebook page said.

The passenger, who was still on the plane when posting the video, said that firefighters had put out the fire using foam and water.

“I thank God I am alive! I’m going home to hug my kids…”

Later in the day, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote about the incident on his Facebook page, saying that SIA and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) are investigating the cause, and will get to the “bottom of the matter”.

Top arms exporters in the world

(Photo: AFP/File)

The global defence trade is expected to jump to US$69 billion in 2016 after reaching a record-breaking US$65 billion last year, the IHS’s annual Global Defence Trade Report says

The report by IHS Inc., which examines trends in the global defence market across 65 countries, found that the Middle East was the largest importing region, with US$21 billion in deliveries and defence equipment.

Spending increases in the Asia-Pacific region also fueled the jump, as nations bordering the South China Sea accelerated defence spending.

Ben Moores, senior analyst at IHS says the global defence trade saw the largest increase in 2014 and 2015, with markets rising by US$6.6 billion to bring the value of the global defence market to US$65 billion in 2015, thanks to imports.

While IHS identified the Middle East and the APAC region as the biggest importers of arms, here is the list of the world’s biggest defence exporters.

10. China

Marine corps vehicles carrying ship-to-air missiles drive past the Tiananmen Square during the military parade marking the 70th anniversary of the end of World War Two, in Beijing, China, in this September 3, 2015 file picture. China has almost doubled its weapons exports in the past five years. (REUTERS/Damir Sagolj/Files)

9. Spain

Spain's " patrulla aguila" or Eagle patrol perform a flyby over a war memorial monument on Lealtad Square during the 2016 Armed Forces Day parade in Madrid on May 28, 2016. (Curto De La Torre/AFP Pool/AFP)

8. Italy

The Italian Air Force aerobatic unit Frecce Tricolori (Tricolor Arrows) spreads smoke with the colors of the Italian flag over the city of Rome on June 2, 2016 as part of the Republic Day ceremony. (Tiziana Fabi/AFP)

7. Israel

An XACT TH64 Thermal Weapon Sight made by Israeli company Elbit Systems is unveiled to journalists in the Israeli Mediterranean coastal city of Netanya on June 8, 2016, a week prior to its presentation at the Eurosatory defence and security international exhibition. (Jack Guez/ AFP)

6. Canada

The Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds aerobatics team perform a fly-over on May 24, 2016 seen from Washington, DC. (Mandel Ngan/ AFP)

5. United Kingdom

Campaigners from Amnesty International carry model missiles through Westminster in central London on March 18, 2016 to highlight the export of UK-manufactered arms to Saudi Arabia. (Leon Neal/AFP)

4. Germany

Visitors look at dummy missiles at the booth of Diel defence company during the ILA Berlin Air Show in Schoenefeld, south of Berlin, Germany, June 1, 2016. (REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch)

3. France

The "Small Protected vehicle" (PVP) is pictured during a visit at the French defence group Thales site in Gennevilliers, near Paris, France, April 28, 2016. (REUTERS/Benoit Tessier)

2. Russian Federation

Russian navy special forces soldiers participate in the International Maritime Defence Show in St. Petersburg on July 2, 2015. (AFP Photo/Olga Maltseva)

1. United States

In this June 7, 2011 file photo, a US Navy officer (name not available), stands on the weapons control deck of the USS Monterey, in the Black Sea port of Constanta, Romania. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda/File)

Chee Soon Juan hopes to outfox Murali like new BPL champions Leicester

With the odds of winning the 7 May Bukit Batok by-election stacked against him, the Singapore Democratic Party chief Chee Soon Juan is invoking the underdog spirit of Leicester City, which has just shocked the football world by clinching the English Premier League title for the first time ever.

Facing a formidable opponent in the People’s Action Party’s Murali Pillai in the by-election, Chee is hoping for a “comeback” and stage an upset win this Saturday, just like The Foxes confounding the 5000-1 bookmaker odds of winning the league at the start of the current season.

Following a morning walkabout in Bukit Batok on Tuesday (3 May), Chee said in a Facebook post, “Leicester City just won the Premier League title, a historic event because this is the first time that they've won the championship in their club's long history. When they started off this season, no one gave them any chance of winning.

“Help us make history too by making a comeback on 7 May 2016. It's a much, much more important event.”

With closest title rivals Tottenham Hotspur drawing 2-2 away to Chelsea in London on Monday, Leicester won the title with two games to spare. Leicester have charmed football fans around the world by surpassing top teams like Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool that have much bigger budgets than them to become champions of what many consider as the world’s most competitive football league.

Ahead of the SDP rally this evening, Chee said that he will address issues such as retrenchment and foreign talent in Singapore.

Death of 14-year-old student to be discussed in Parliament on Mon

The death of 14-year-old Benjamin Lim after the student was questioned by the police will be discussed in Parliament on Monday (29 Feb).

Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam and Acting Education Minister Ng Chee Meng will address questions filed by eight Members of Parliament. They include an update of the review of police procedures for minors under investigation, the delay in the government’s response to the online speculation over the circumstances of Benjamin’s death, and the steps taken by schools to inform parents when students are being investigated by the police.

This will be the first public comment by any senior minister since Benjamin’s death on 26 January, the same day that the student was being questioned by the police for an allegation of outrage of modesty.

The matter has triggered intense public debate and a call for a review of police interview procedures. The police issued a statement on 1 Feb, saying they will be reviewing their interview procedures for minors under investigation. Benjamin’s father has also sent an open letter to The Online Citizen to clarify events related to his son’s death.

The ministers for transport and national development will also respond to questions by two MPs about the potential environmental impact of the development of the Cross Island (CIL) MRT Line on the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) and the areas around it.

In a public discussion on Friday (26 Feb), nature activists have expressed concerns about the extent of the damage on CCNR that may be caused during the site investigation for the CIL. Nature Society Singapore (NSS) spokesman Anthony Dempsey warned that the existence of the weaker species living in the CCNR may be threatened.

Other questions that will be discussed in Parliament include whether the fall in retail petrol prices have fallen in tandem with the decline in global oil prices, and the health ministry’s response to protect Singaporeans from the ongoing Zika virus outbreaks in other parts of the world.

In addition, Daniel Goh from the Workers’ Party will be sworn in as a Non-Constituency Member of Parliament.

Yahoo Singapore will be covering the parliamentary session on Monday. Catch the live updates on Facebook and Twitter @YahooSG.

‘Neerja’ release in Singapore expected soon after PG13 classification

[UPDATED 3:40pm Thursday, 24 Feb 2016: Classification revealed] Fans of popular Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor should be able to see her new movie Neerja in Singapore very soon.

According to the Media Development Authority (MDA) of Singapore, the distributor was informed Thursday (24 Feb) that the film has been rated PG13.

Thus, it could be a just a matter of days before the movie, which is based on real-life events, hits local screens.

Usually, it takes 10 working days for the MDA to give a classification rating to a film once submitted to them. In the case of Neerja, Yahoo Singapore learned, the film was submitted on 12 February, just a week before the worldwide release of the movie on 19 February.

Fans in Singapore were dismayed by the film's no-show after posters of the movie on Golden Village (GV) and Jade Cinema websites held that Neerja would be released last week.

In the movie, Kapoor plays flight attendant Neerja Bhanot, who was shot dead by terrorists while trying to save passengers on board hijacked Pan Am Flight 73 in September 1986.

Most people who have seen the film seem to have liked it. According to Yahoo India movie reviewer Rummana, Neerja is “nuanced, compelling and sincere”.

It’s all right to be ‘eternally single’: Rebel Wilson

Photo: Reuters

Rebel Wilson is “kind of eternally single”, and that’s okay.

The “How To Be Single” star said her character in the show was like her in real life.

“Unfortunately, I haven’t met the right person yet. So I really related to that,” said the Australian actress/comedian.

But she’s perfectly fine with the overall message of the film. “Don’t be stuck in a co-dependent situation; it’s all right to be single and to look after yourself”

She also praised the “more modern perspective” of the film.

“You get different perspectives because of the four main girls,” Wilson said. “The motto is:  ‘You can be single and it’s totally fine and you don’t have to be with a guy at the end of the film’.”

Oil spill in Woodlands caused by accident with palm oil tanker: LTA

(Photo from SMRT Facebook page)

[UPDATE Friday 29 January 2016, 1:28pm: LTA closes two lanes on BKE(PIE) until recover work is completed]

The Land Transport Authority will be closing two of the lanes along Bukit Timah Expressway towards Pan Island Expressway until further notice, after an oil spill had occurred on Friday morning, causing massive traffic jams in Woodlands.

According to a tweet at 1pm, LTA said that the spill was caused by an accident involving a palm oil tanker, and that they have closed the lanes to “facilitate recovery”.

SMRT announced the oil spill on social media at 10:45pm, stating that the incident - which took place on BKE after Mandai Road, towards PIE - had caused massive traffic jams affecting vehicles all the way from Woodlands Avenue 1, 2 and 3.

The SCDF told Yahoo Singapore they were alerted to the incident at 7am, and had subsequently sent two fire engines down. They left the scene before noon, after handing over operations to the LTA and the National Environment Agency.

Bus passengers were also affected. SMRT earlier advised them to seek “alternative forms of travel” and informed them the several bus services from Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange that were affected. The affected services were, 178, 187, 856, 911, 913, 925, 950, 960, 961, 963 and 966.

At 12:31pm, SMRT tweeted that bus operations at the interchange have gone back to normal, and traffic in the area has improved. 

(Photo from SMRT Facebook page)

Commuters react to Woodlands oil spill

Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach gets a heroine’s welcome

Newly crowned Miss Universe, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach comes home to tens of thousands of shrieking fans in Manila.

The 26-year-old model and actress is only the third Filipina to win the Miss Universe title.

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach is seen during her homecoming parade in Makati City, south  of Manila on 25 January 2016. (Voltaire Domingo/NPPA IMAGES)

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach is seen during her welcome home press conference held in Quezon City, northeast of Manila on 24 January 2016. (Voltaire Domingo/NPPA IMAGES)

Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach waves to the crowds as confetti pours down during her motorcade along a busy street in Manila, January 25, 2016. Wurtzbach, the first Miss Universe from the Philippines in more than four decades, said on Sunday she will spend her reign bringing awareness to issues like HIV and draw support for countries vulnerable to disasters. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach of the Philippines waves during her homecoming press conference in Manila on January 24, 2016 (AFP)

Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach of the Philippines hugs a fan at her homecoming press conference in Manila on January 24, 2016 (AFP)

Newly crowned Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, center right, is escorted out of the Philippine Senate after being presented with a Senate Resolution from Sen. President Franklin Drilon congratulating her for her victory in the 2015 Miss Universe during a ceremony Monday, Jan. 25, 2016 in Manila, Philippines. Wurtzbach was crowned Miss Universe on Dec. 20, 2015 but not before pageant host Steve Harvey incorrectly announced Miss Colombia as the winner at the Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Newly crowned Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach is presented the Senate Resolution from Sen. President Franklin Drilon congratulating her for her victory in the 2015 Miss Universe during a ceremony Monday, Jan. 25, 2016 in Manila, Philippines. Wurtzbach was crowned Miss Universe Dec. 20, 2015 but not before pageant host Steve Harvey incorrectly announced Miss Colombia as the winner at the Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas. At right is Sen. Sonny Angara. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)

Former Philippine President Joseph Estrada, now a local mayor, serenades Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach during her visit at the city hall of Manila January 25, 2016. Wurtzbach, the first Miss Universe from the Philippines in more than four decades, said on Sunday she will spend her reign bringing awareness to issues like HIV and draw support for countries vulnerable to disasters.  REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco

Alleged serial underwear thief arrested

(Getty images file photo)

A 42-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly stealing female undergarments in Strathmore, Queenstown and Redhill estates.

Police received a report on 22 January about underwear stolen at Strathmore Avenue. The suspect was identified and arrested on the same day at Margaret Drive.

The suspect had in his possession one female undergarment. It is believed that he might be involved in other similar cases around the area.

He will be charged in court on 23 Jan for theft, which carries a maximum jail term of three years, a fine or both.

Singapore's ISD arrested 27 radicalised Bangladeshi nationals

(Photo by MHA)

The Internal Security Department arrested 27 radicalised Bangladeshi nationals who worked in Singapore’s construction industry between 16 November and 1 December last year.

According to a media release by the Ministry of Home Affairs, 26 of them were found to be part of a closed religious study group, which subscribes to extremist beliefs, and teachings of radical ideologies. All of their work passes have been cancelled and they have been repatriated back to Bangladesh. The authorities in their country have been informed of the reason for repatriation.

The remaining Bangladeshi national is not part of the group. However, he is currently serving a jail sentence for attempting to leave Singapore illegally after learning about the arrest of the other members. He will be repatriated back to Bangladesh after he has served his sentence.

MHA did not specify the length of time for his prison sentence.

(Photo by MHA)

Besides attempting to leave the country illegally, he was also found to be “in the process of being radicalised”, supported “extremist preachers” and “possessed jihadi-related material”.

Members of the closed religious group was found to be supportive of the jihad ideology similar to terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. They organised weekly meetings to discuss armed jihad and conflicts involving Muslims, and have also targeted the recruitment of other Bangladeshi nationals to grow their membership.

Some of the members had thoughts of participating in armed jihad in the Middle East, and supported violent actions of extremists who kill Shiite Muslims, whom they consider as “deviant”.

The ISD also found that the members “bore grievances” against the Bangladeshi government for its actions against Islamic leaders and groups in their home country. Some of them were encouraged to return to Bangladesh to wage jihad against their government, and send monetary donations to extremist groups in Bangladesh.

MHA added that the Bangladeshis were not planning any terrorist attacks in Singapore.

(Photo by MHA)

ISD also recovered jihadi-related material like books and videos, including footages of children undergoing training in what looked like terrorist military camps. It also found a document containing graphic images and instructions on how to conduct “silent killings” using different methods and weapons.

(Photo by MHA: Extract from a Bengali softcopy document that was found in the possession of several of the radicalised Bangladeshi nationals. The document, which was saved under the English title “Techniques of Silent Killing”, depicts in a graphic manner how one can attack and kill with stealth.) 

Minister in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim said that he is “deeply concerned about the arrests”.

He said on Facebook, “I appeal that we be more vigilant, whether against radical teachings and ideologies, or of any suspicious activities around us. At the same time, I hope we will remain united and not resort to discriminating foreign workers here.”

News of the arrest came just a day after the Minister of Home Affairs K Shanmugam gave a speech about the threat of terrorism in the Southeast Asian region.

“Religion can be a force for good. Many of our modern societal values are derived from religious beliefs and values. How our societies are structured, laws, morals - indeed civilisation as a whole - owe a lot to religion. But, we have to note another facet about organised religions – the role they have played in encouraging intolerance, bigotry, the denial of another’s right to pray to a different God,” he said in his speech.

In response to the arrests, the Mufti from the Islamic Religious Authority of Singapore (MUIS) denounced extremist beliefs.

Mufti Mohammed Fatris Bakaram said, “The safety and peace of Singapore is of paramount interest to the Singapore Muslim community. We have a commendable tradition of living as inclusive and progressive Muslims within the context of Singapore's multi-ethnic and multi-religious landscape.”

Where is the next big thing for Singapore’s economy?

BY PN BALJI Singapore’s 13th Parliament meets on Friday amid a deep sense of gloom clouding the most important pillar of the country’s future.

The economy is facing the double whammy of a China is under severe threat of a stock market and currency blowout, and a domestic market undergoing painful restructuring problems.

To add to the gloom comes a report that just over half of companies have been hit badly by the weak economic climate here and overseas.

What makes this crisis different is that the government is squeezed for options to throw at the problem. A big bang outcome is not on the cards.

Economist Chua Hak Bin was spot on when he told Business Times: “Singapore has already reached such an affluent stage, and there’s the sense that there are a lot more constraints now – such as the ageing demographics and the inability to tap on talent as freely as before.”

Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat gave the clearest hint of three possible economic winners – very niche areas like chip design, wealth management and consumption demand.

But these are areas that are foreign to the Singapore worker. The drumbeat for such quick-fix solutions is still being heard as a position paper by the Singapore Business Federation last week kept harping on loosening the restrictions on foreign workers and helping local firms expand overseas.

With such a dearth of ideas on how to fix the economy, Singaporeans will look to the new Parliament for a meaningful discussion. The likes of Inderjit Singh will be missed. He was tireless, passionate, consistent and controversial in pushing for the small businessman. Will there another Inderjit Singh in the chamber?

The discussion so far has ignored the small and medium enterprises. A friend who runs a restaurant told me when I congratulated him on the food there: “Looks like we won’t be around for long. The government has come up with a plan for a central kitchen for establishments in my area and wants us to be part of it.

“This way, our reliance on foreign workers can be cut. On paper, it is a good idea. But what happens when there is food poisoning? Who will be blamed.

“Then there is the issue of recipes. How can I give away my secrets.”

It looks like this small businessman is being forced into a solution that might just be too painful.

The MPs, including those from the Workers Party, have a rare opportunity to bring their minds to a problem for which the government does not have a solution.

They have to zero in on that next big thing, an out-of-the-ordinary idea that will bring Singapore back to good economic health.

And they should avoid words like foreign labour, training, technology, innovation, life-long learning, skills...

P N Balji is a veteran Singaporean journalist who is the former chief editor of TODAY newspaper, and a media consultant. The views expressed are his own.

Man charged with throwing cat to its death

Photo: Associated Press/Terence Petty

A man was charged in court on Tuesday (29 Dec) with animal cruelty for allegedly throwing a cat to its death from a block in Yishun. 

Lee Wai Leong, 40, is accused of throwing an adult male Mackerel Tabby domestic shorthair cat from the parapet of the 13th floor of Block 115B, Yishun Ring Road on 30 Oct this year. 

Lee did not enter a plea to his single charge. 

District Judge Janet Wang granted the prosecution’s request for the accused to be remanded for two weeks at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) for assessment. The case will be mentioned again on 12 Jan. 

Lee’s case comes following a series of cat killings in Yishun over the past three months, during which 19 cats have been found dead or severely wounded. 

Some of the felines were discovered with gouged out eyes and mutilated limbs. One was strangled, while the latest carcass was found floating in a pond next to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital last Saturday (26 Dec). 

In a joint statement on Monday (28 Dec), Police and the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) announced that they had arrested a 40-year-old man in connection with the Yishun cat killings. 

In a post on his Facebook page on Monday (28 Dec), Member of Parliament for Nee Soon GRC Louis Ng hailed the arrest of the suspect, and thanked AVA, Police and volunteers from cat community for their “hard work and partnership”.

Ng had helped set up a grassroots fast response team in Yishun gather evidence against the cat killer. 

Under the Animals and Birds Act, anyone found guilty of animal cruelty can be fined up to $15,000 and/or jailed up to 18 months, or both for the first offence. 

For second and subsequent offences, the maximum penalty is $30,000 or a jail term of up to 3 years, or both.

The Animal and Birds Act was amended last year to beef up penalties for animal cruelty. 

MOM says Teo did not make comments on worker dormitories

Minister of State for Manpower Teo Ser Luck did not make comments attributed to him on Facebook that included a photograph of him lying on a bed in a foreign worker dormitory.

The photograph was posted on the Ministry of Manpower’s (MOM) Facebook page on 11 December, as part of an album called “MOS Teo Ser Luck’s visit to Dorms and a Recreation Centre”. Teo had visited the dormitories as part of an event to mark International Migrants Day.

But in a statement, MOM said the comments were not made by Teo.

“The Facebook post, including the captions, were put up by our MOM Facebook Administrator. MOS Teo did not make those comments. We regret the unintended implications, and any misunderstanding that the post has caused. To avoid further misrepresentation, we have removed all the captions from the Facebook post,” the statement said.

“Foreign workers have contributed much to the development of Singapore. The visit to the dormitory is to show our appreciation, and our care and concern for their well being from housing to food, and exercise to entertainment in their dormitories. It is unfortunate it was overshadowed by this turn of events.”

The photo in question was originally accompanied by this caption: “Quite comfy! I learnt that some workers prefer to sleep without a mattress as they are used to it back in their home country. They find it more comfortable and cooler too!“

#MOM

LIVE BLOG: Opening Ceremony of the 8th Asean Para Games

The 8th Asean Para Games takes place from 3 to 9 December in Singapore at the Singapore Sports Hub and at Marina Bay Sands. Admission to all events is free.

Updates will be live from 8pm to 9.30pm Singapore time (GMT+8). Best viewed on desktop.

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WTA Finals: All Access Media Day 24 Oct

The top eight players in the WTA Finals take questions ahead of the finals starting 25 October. Garbine Muguruza, Flavia Pennetta and Lucie Safarova are making their debut at this year's finals in Singapore. The other finalists are Petra Kvitova, Simona Halep, Agnieszka Radwanska, Angelique Kerber and Maria Sharapova. Follow Yahoo Singapore's live updates here from the pre-tournament press conference.

Updates will be live from 10am to 3pm Singapore time (GMT+8). Best viewed on desktop.

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WTA Finals 23 Oct public draw

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