NTUC designated ‘politically significant person’ under Singapore’s foreign interference law

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PSP DESIGNATED PSP PSP IN A THROUGH Institution

Singapore’s foreign meddling legislation is aimed at strengthening the president’s ability to prevent, detect and destroy foreign interference in local politics. After a long conversation, the Bill was approved in congress in October 2021.

Political parties, social company buyers, Members of Parliament, election individuals and their providers are among those defined as PSPs.

NTUC is the next organization to become designated a PSP, joining the Maruah and Think Centre of human rights organizations.

Since Maruah and Think Centre were designated as PSPs in December 2023, political gifts are now subject to stricter restrictions.

Maruah aims to promote people right at the national, regional and international levels. It serves as the Singaporean liaison for the Working Group for an ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, an NGO recognized in the ASEAN Charter.

The Think Centre is a member of the global human rights organization Forum Asia.

Philip Chan Man Ping, a business from Singapore, became the first person to become designated as a PSP under the foreign interference legislation in February.

According to MHA, Mr. Chan, who immigrated from Hong Kong in 1990, displayed” vulnerability to being influenced by foreign actors and determination to advance their interests.” The international actors involved were never identified.

Prior to this, Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam stated that when the Singaporean government designate one as a PSP under the foreign interference rules, they may determine that doing so is in the common interest.

In response to political inquiries, Mr. Shanmugam explained on February 29 that in order to be designated as a PSP, a person must become a member of a foreign legislature or social organization, or their activities may be directed in Singapore’s interest.

” But in addition to this, there is also the public curiosity requirements that must be satisfied”, he added.

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Doors, seats and map displays from 1990s MRT train to be preserved by National Museum

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SINGAPORE: Riders who miss the look and feel of early-generation MRT trains launched in the 1990s may look forward to sections of these carriages, such as windows and chairs, being displayed at events.

In light of its historical significance and significance, the National Museum of Singapore ( NMS ) is conserving parts of a decommissioned MRT train for the first time. &nbsp,

NMS, in collaboration with the Land Transport Authority ( LTA ), transport operator SMRT, and two sets of train doors, two seats, and two MRT train system map displays have been acquired by NMS.

This falls under the” Collecting Contemporary Singapore” initiative that NMS and the National Heritage Board started in 2020. &nbsp,

The program seeks to identify significant passages from Singapore’s modern social history, according to Samuel Lee, assistant director for design at the NMS. &nbsp,

Because it represents the development of Singapore’s state creating development and rapid modernization in the 1980s and 1990s, he said,” we do view the MRT as something very significant in terms of historic and personal significance in Singapore.” &nbsp,

He added that this is the first time the train pieces have been incorporated into the national set. &nbsp,

NMS added to its collection earlier this year by purchasing an older Nanyang coffee roasting machine and an old lift from Ang Mo Kio. &nbsp,

According to Mr. Lee, items chosen for this program are chosen based on their historical and social impact. &nbsp,

” If it really speaks to national identity ( and ) collective memories of Singaporeans, with people riding the trains as children and then growing up with the transportation network, that speaks to the collective memory of Singaporeans”, he said. &nbsp,

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Lim Tean convicted of practising as a lawyer without valid certificate

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DEFENCE Explanations

His attorneys argued that the riding document, dated Jun 10, 2021, authorised Lim to work as an activist and counsel between Apr 1, 2021 and Jun 9, 2021. &nbsp,

According to the training document, Lim was “authorized to practice as an activist and lawyer in Singapore during the practice year that ended on March 31, 2022.” &nbsp,

This exercise time, which was from Apr 1, 2021, to Mar 31, 2022, &nbsp, may have captured the time when Lim was accused of acting as a litigator without authorisation, the army argued.

A former law society associate director at Rejini Raman’s testimony, according to the attorneys, was likewise provided as a transcript of the testimony. There was no particular phrasing on the practising certificate, which read” June 10, 2021.” &nbsp,

The defense argued that Lim did not have the intentions to undertake the crimes or that he had used affordable care. &nbsp,

Mr. Lim made it clear to the Law Society that he had a request to see if he could still go to court and that he did not possess a riding license. He was told he was, but the defense claimed the defendant had to tell the prosecutor. &nbsp,

Mr. Lim claimed to have informed the judges about this issue during jury hearings, but that the change had not been recorded in the transcripts. &nbsp,

The defense told the court,” He would not have told the ( Law Society ] if he truly intended to commit the offences, if he had wanted to act as an unauthorised person and do so in a covert manner.” &nbsp,

Judge Ong said it was undisputed that Lim was given a certification for practicing on June 10, 2021. &nbsp,

The prosecutor ruled that the appropriate part of the Legal Profession Act had no room for error and that the training certificate had only become effective on June 10, 2021. &nbsp,

Mr Lim had failed to show how he could had fairly been mistaken in his views, the prosecutor said. He concluded that Lim’s claims had been proven without a doubt by the prosecution.

The situation was adjourned to Nov 5 for claims on punishment. &nbsp,

Mr. Lim is currently facing four other criminal charges, including immoral stalking and breach of trust as an attorney. He indicated through his attorney that he intends to battle these allegations. &nbsp,

For acting as a lawyer without a valid practising certificate under the Legal Profession Act, he could be jailed for up to six months, fined up to S$ 25, 000 ( US$ 18, 619 ), or both. &nbsp,

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Bangladesh protests: Scorn as PM Sheikh Hasina weeps at train station damage

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Sheikh Hasina, the leader of Bangladesh, was photographed crying over the destruction at a train station, with some calling her” crocodile tears.”

The loss was the result of violent demonstrations that have swept the nation in recent weeks and had called for the repeal of government jobs ‘ quotas.

At least 150 people have been killed in protests so far, according to safety causes, and they are accused of using excessive force against student demonstrators.

Some claimed that Ms. Hasina had not shown the same degree of compassion for those who had passed away or their families.

The images were taken on Thursday during Ms. Hasina’s visit to a rail rail station in Mirpur, where solution vending machines and the signaling manage station were destroyed. Ms. Hasina was pictured wiping her grief with tissue paper while frowning.

What kind of mindset causes them to eliminate facilities that facilitate people’s lives? Dhaka town was clogged with customers. The rail rail offered relief. The Bangladeshi newspaper The Business Standard quoted the excellent secretary as saying,” I never take the loss of this travel service.”

Internet consumers in Bangladesh were upset with these remarks.

” We lost]hundreds of ] students. But PM Sheikh Hasina had the time to go” cry” for a metro rail, not for the people who wo n’t return ever again”, said one Twitter user.

” Shedding crocodile tears for a railway track while others ]have died]…”. another struck in.

Journalist Zulkarnian Saer, who has in the past spoken out against the government, said:” Hasina had the time to visit the vandalised train station, but she did not visit]the families ] of the students… shot dead]during protests ]”.

Some people referred to the images as an attempt to divert attention from protest incidents.

” No doubt that she went that to… find some interest and empathy”, said one Twitter users.

Security forces have been accused of using excessive force to quell the unrest, but Ms Hasina had instead blamed her political opponents for the wave of violence.

Her government is working to” control these insurgents and create a better surroundings”, the 76-year-old said earlier this year, adding she was “forced” to implement a law for public health.

The demonstrations, mainly by college students, began about two weeks ago over restrictions imposed on federal jobs.

Prior to the country’s 1971 liberation struggle, Bangladesh had allocated close to 30 % of its high-paying state positions to friends of the country’s soldiers.

On Sunday, Bangladesh’s top court rolled back most of these quotas and ruled that 93% of roles would now be filled on merit – meeting a key demand of protesters.

The current wave of upheaval is an exceptional test for Ms. Hasina, who won her third consecutive election boycotted by the country’s major opposition parties in January.

Social economists told the BBC that Ms Hasina’s autocratic government and “over-politicising” of Bangladesh’s war for independence from Pakistan in 1971 have angered huge sections of society.

Following a statewide shutdown since last Thursday, limited internet access was restored on Tuesday.

Some student officials have pledged to continue protests and demand fairness for those who have been killed and detained recently. Additionally, they want Ms. Hasina’s explanation and the resignation of cabinet ministers.

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Philippines oil spill: Coast guard to deploy floating barriers

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To have an oil flow and stop it from reaching the country’s capital, Manila, the Philippine Coast Guard is preparing to use floating barriers and vacuum hose.

Regulators are working to stop the MT Terra Nova’s oil leak, which capsized on Thursday as heavy storms battered large swaths of the nation.

The hole appeared to be coming from the vessel’s engine, not its goods cylinder, which was carrying nearer to 1.5 million litres of professional gas, officials said.

There has been spotted an “enormous” spill that extends over many kilometers, and there are concerns that if it is not contained, it could be the worst flow in the country’s history.

The coast guard is “preparing for the worst”, said Rear Admiral Armand Balilo, the seacoast watch official.

” We are discussing business energy here,” the statement read. It will undoubtedly have an impact on the aquatic environment, and it might even approach Manila, he said.

The amount of petrol the vessel was carrying, according to Hernando Bacosa, an expert in economic sciences at the Mindanao State University, would warrant the issuing of the nation’s highest oil flow update.

The Port of Manila is located in Manila Bay, which is the country’s largest dock and the center of trade and economic activity. He said that this might potentially paralyze the money and the nearby regions.

The monsoon rains, which Typhoon Gaemi worsened, even resulted in widespread flooding in Metro Manila and its cities.

One of two ships, the MT Terra Nova, went over in the area during the Typhoon, with the next one just off Taiwan’s south-western beach.

With 17 crew members aboard, it sank while it was heading for Iloilo, in the northern Philippines.

One died, but 16 were rescued, authorities said. Officials are looking into whether the wind contributed to the situation.

They believed the tides to be extremely powerful. The skipper made the decision to go back to sea, but the challenge was that they had to sail against the waves. They claimed the ship sucked up waters before finally capturing, according to Rear Adm. Balilo.

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Singapore investigates basketball coach for allegedly taking bribes to put children in top schools

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Singapore’s authorities are looking into a basketball coach who allegedly accepted unreliable payments to enter secondary schools as part of the Direct School Admission ( DSA ) scheme. &nbsp,

The Education Ministry ( MOE ) responded to CNA’s questions by stating that the coach has been deregistered since April and is no longer employed by any MOE schools. To be employed by universities, coaches may be registered with MOE.

According to the Game Singapore legal board, his membership on the National Registry of Coaches has also been suspended.

When approached by CNA, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau ( CPIB ), citing confidentiality issues, said it was unable to confirm&nbsp, or provide further information on whether the coach was being probed.

Chinese newspaper Shin Min Daily first reported on Wednesday ( Jul 24 ) that the coach allegedly&nbsp, charged parents S$ 45, 000 to S$ 50, 000 to ensure their children entered schools of their choice. &nbsp,

Based on a tip-off from a member of the public, who was only identified as Mr. Tan, the Shin Min statement was based.

Mr. Tan informed Shin Min that he had spoken to the manager in a telephone conversation, claiming to have over ten years of experience in&nbsp, ensuring kids ‘ entry to the institutions they desired. &nbsp,

CNA has attempted to contact Mr Tan for more information. &nbsp,

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Founder of famed Ah Pui Satay hawker stall dies 3 months after reopening shop

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Ah Pui, who reopened Ah Pui Satay in April this year at a Toa Payoh stalls heart after a one-and-a-half-year break, was famous for his slender Hainanese-style charcoal-grilled meat satay.

In the 1970s, he moved to a shop called 195 Pearl Hill Cafe in Chinatown in 2021 after first offering Satay as a city stalls. The stall later left to open a standalone restaurant on Smith Street with his 57-year-old servant, Ang Thiam Seng ( also known as Seng ), but the pair ended their relationship in November 2022 due to Ah Pui’s precarious health. &nbsp,

In April, Ah Pui and Seng reopened their satay company at a more modest stalls barn in Toa Payoh following a tear. At the time, Seng told 8days. gs that” Ah Pui is well rested and prepared to make a comeback.”

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