Two men charged over helping 3 people enter Singapore’s Taylor Swift concert without tickets

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SINGAPORE: Two men were charged on Wednesday (Mar 6) over helping three people illegally enter a Taylor Swift concert at the Singapore Sports Hub.

Yang Chenguang, a 29-year-old Chinese national, allegedly talked to a security officer as a distraction while his compatriot Li Xiao Wei, 45, held onto a turnstile so three people could enter the concert venue.

The three people who allegedly cheated the event organiser by entering the concert were named in charge sheets as Shangguan Linmo, Hu Zhijin and Yang Junhao.

Yang Chenguang and Li are each accused of abetting the three concertgoers in their cheating of the event organiser Kallang Alive Sport Management at about 6pm on Mar 4, 2024.

This was Swift’s third day of her Eras Tour in Singapore.

The men were ordered to be remanded for investigations and will return to court next week.

The duo are the first to be charged after the police received a report on Mar 4 that several people had entered the concert premises without authorisation.

Preliminary investigations showed that three men allegedly helped four people without legitimate concert tickets enter the venue.

The third man has yet to be charged, and two men and two women aged between 21 and 25 are being investigated for criminal trespass.

If convicted of cheating, an offender can be jailed for up to three years, fined, or both.

For criminal trespass, an offender can be jailed for up to three months, fined up to S$1,500, or both.

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Volume One 2024 magazine out now | FinanceAsia

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We are delighted to announce that the first volume of FinanceAsia’s 2024 bi-annual magazine, is now available for your perusal. 

In this edition, we celebrate all the winners the FinanceAsia Achievement Awards 2023 and explain the rationale behind why each institution won. In addition to the Deal and House Awards for Asia and Australia and New Zealand (ANZ); this year we added a new category, the Dealmaker Poll, which recognises key individuals and companies based on market feedback. 

 

In feature format, Christopher Chu examines the potential and reach of artificial intelligence (AI) in Asia – the fast-moving technology is presenting both huge challenges and opportunities for investors. While it remains caught in the cross-hairs of geopolitics and regulation, he examines how AI could be a game-changer for productivity.

 

Ryan Li explores the proposed breakup of Chinese giant Alibaba and how the firm’s ambitions fit in with wider developments across China’s tech sector.

 

Also in the magazine, Andrew Tjaardstra reviews IPO activity across key Asian markets in 2023 and looks ahead to how public markets might perform in 2024 – while it certainly hasn’t been an easy ride for the region’s equity markets over the last 12 months, there have been some bright spots, notably India and Japan, which are set to continue their momentum this year.

 

Finally, read Ella Arwyn Jones’ exclusive interview with Rachel Huf, the new Hong Kong CEO of Barclays. Huf shares her transition from lawyer to leader, offering insights around her career path and the strategic direction of the bank in the Special Administrative Region (SAR) over months to come. 

 

Click here to read the full magazine issue online. 

 


¬ Haymarket Media Limited. All rights reserved.

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Why do executive condominiums remain popular despite rising prices?

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SINGAPORE: Prices of executive condominiums (ECs) have almost doubled in the last decade, but they remain popular, analysts said.

Prices have risen in tandem with the rest of the property market, market observers told CNA, citing the increase in costs for land, construction and labour as reasons.

The average price per sq ft rose from about S$800 (US$595) in 2014 to about S$1,500 today.

The latest EC project in Bukit Batok launched last month, Lumina Grand, is already 70 per cent sold.

Among the buyers are Ms Celine Ng and her husband Alwyn Chan, who got their hands on a three-bedroom unit for about S$1.3 million.

This is their second home purchase, after staying in a three-room Build-to-Order (BTO) flat previously.

“It’s cheaper than a private home and it takes about three years rather than five (to build),” Ms Ng said of the decision to secure a unit at the development.

Another consideration was that moving would allow them to be nearer to her brother, she said.

The couple plans to sell the property in 10 to 15 years when their children, aged three and five, are older.

“Our thought process is a bit of an asset progression, and hopefully when we sell the flat, we will get some money for our retirement,” Ms Ng added.

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American woman caught running illegal nursery on Koh Phangan

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American woman caught running illegal nursery on Koh Phangan
Police inspect the illegal nursery on Koh Phanan in Surat Thani on Wednesday, and detain the owner, a 40-year-old American woman, and seven other foreign staff. (Photo: Surat Thani immigration police)

Police have detained an American woman for allegedly running an illegal nursery on Koh Phangan in Surat Thani.

About 20 foreign children were found in the premises, according to police. Three foreign women working as babysitters and four Myanmar housekeepers were also arrested and charged with working illegally.

A team of immigration, tourist and local police and officials raided a rented walled-off house at a coconut plantation in village Moo 3 in tambon Koh Phangan on Wednesday morning.

Inside, they found found about 20 foreign children, aged 3-5 years, along with desks, chairs, toys and teaching material, and meals for children. Some children were studying and others playing in a room.

Three women tourists were working there as babysitters, one Ukrainian and two Israelis, and four Myanmar women as housekeepers.

During the raid, an American woman idenified only as Jennifer, 40, showed up and said she was the owner of the nursery. Asked to produce a permit to operate the nursery, she could not, according to police 

The three babysitters also had no work permits. The Myanmar women were found to be illegal migrants. Their names were not disclosed. (continues below)

Officers question one of the foreign women working illegally at the nusery on Koh Phanan in Surat Thani. (Photo: Surat Thani immigration police)

All were taken to Koh Phanan police station for further questioning.  

Authorities contacted the parents of the foreign children, to take them home.

Police initially charged Ms Jennifer with being a foreign national setting up or operating a nursery without permission and failing to notify the type of work and the location of a workplace to the local registrar.

The babysitters were charged with being foreign nationals working with no work permits.

Pol Col Naruewat Phutthawiro, chief of Surat Thani immigration police, said the government, the Royal Thai Police and Immigration Bureau were implementing a policy crackdown on foreign nationals working and living illegally in Thailand, to ensure the safety of tourists.  

He asked people with information on foreign offenders to alert immigration officers via Hotline 1178 or phone 077 423440.

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Debate on government’s performance to include Thaksin issue

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PUBLISHED : 6 Mar 2024 at 13:11

Debate on government's performance to include Thaksin issue
Opposition leader Chathawat Tulathon (file photo)

The opposition is planning for a general debate on the government’s performance, without a vote, in parliament in early April, and the case of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra will be a topic.

Opposition leader Chathawat Tulathon, who also leads the Move Forward Party, said the opposition would on March 13 submit a motion for a general debate on April 3-5, after passage of the 2024 Budget Bill and before the end of the present parliamentary session.

The government had failed to implement the policies it had announced in parliament, and it also tolerated maltreatment of people, bribery and discrimination within the justice system, he said.

Chaichana Detdecho, deputy leader of the opposition Democrat Party, said the case of Thaksin Shinawatra would be only one of several examples that the opposition would raise to show the double standards in the justice system.

Thaksin did not spend a night in prison although he was sentenced to eight years, later reduced to one year by royal clemency, immediately upon returning to Thailand in August last year. He stayed in the Police General Hospital for six months before being paroled last month.

Cambodia’s former prime minister Hun Sen, left, poses for a picture during his meeting with his friend, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, at his home in Bangkok, following his release on parole. (Photo: Samdech Hun Sen of Cambodia’s Facebook)

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Man drove van into car after wife and another man refused to alight, gets jail

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A person demanded that his wife and another man leave at a traffic intersection after witnessing his family in a car with another person.

When they objected, he climbed onto the cap and struck the car before entering his truck and ramming it from behind.

The affair caused his family to injure both her neck and spine.

Norfarhan Mohamad Dahlan, a 42-year-old Singaporean, was given an eight-week jail term on Wednesday ( Mar 6 ).

A second demand of a reckless act that endangered people’s safety was brought up alongside his plea of guilty to one count of unlawful intimidation.

The prosecutor was informed that Norfarhan’s family was going through divorce proceedings at the time.

In February 2023, he had even assaulted her, and she had a quick order against him.

The girl boarded a light Suzuki car with her then-husband at the Sengkang home on April 7 of last year.

She and her companion planned to travel together to the Singapore Expo while renting the car.

As he suspected he was having an affair with his wife, Norfarhan saw the other person leave and opted to pursue in his truck.

Near the intersection of Yio Chu Kang Road and Sengkang West Road, Norfarhan’s woman and her companion stopped at a crimson light.

Norfarhan departed to fight the couple after setting up his vehicle behind the Suzuki.

He yelled at them and asked them to leave, but they refused, frightened of their own protection.

Norfarhan regularly hit the Suzuki’s hat, demanding the set to fly and the guy to a fight.

When the Suzuki’s lights turned crimson, Norfarhan returned to his truck and drove it into it.

The Suzuki sprang forth. &nbsp,

Norfarhan’s family requested assistance from the police.

Norfarhan was upset that the couple remained in the Suzuki, though. He demanded that they catch by removing a hammer from his truck.

He threatened his wife with the hammer, saying,” You leave, you will die for certain.”

Additionally, he threatened to break the car’s panels.

A police officer who was n’t on duty drove by and approached Norfarhan. When the officer requested it, Norfarhan set down the hammer, and various police officers quickly showed up.

Another involved bystanders had also complained to the authorities.

Norfarhan’s family experienced restricted range of motion, pain and stiffness in her throat, and tenderness over her spine.

The underside of the Suzuki also suffered as a result of the event.

Norfarhan was sentenced to eight to ten months in prison, according to deputy public prosecutor Louis Ngia, who argued that his danger was” critical and obvious.”

Norfarhan has previously been found guilty, including a transportation offense for operating a vehicle without a valid license.

He had recently been released from a drug rehab facility after using meth and was under a drug control get at the time of the offences.

Norfarhan was informed by the judge that this was not his initial court sentence.

” I do desire you may try to control your thoughts a little better and do not use violence to solve your problems, you understand”? he said.

Norfarhan reaffirmed.

He could have been jailed for up to two years, fined, or both for engaging in criminal harassment.

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Swiss retiree accused of assault inside Trang supermarket

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PUBLISHED: 6 Mar 2024 at 12:38

Swiss retiree accused of assault inside Trang supermarket
Natchanan Khikkham, who was injured, is receiving care in an emergency chamber at Trang Hospital in Trang on Tuesday. ( Workpoint TV screen shot )

A European retiree allegedly attacked and punched a 58-year-old Trang woman constantly inside a mall in the southwestern state of Trang on Tuesday afternoon.

Natchanan Khikkham, a person in the Muang area, told investigators that the affair began when the man, about 60, shoved her while they were inside the Big C business.

She claimed that she responded by asking why he did it and that she had told him to remain respectful.

The person, according to her, then yelled at her before running away. &nbsp,

Ms. Natchanan claimed that the gentleman followed her, followed, and then punched her repeatedly before fleeing. She reacted by ignoring the person by throwing a water bottle at him.

She claimed that the man turned around and punched her frequently in the face before returning to her, knocking her to the ground, and pressing his thigh against her neck. She requested assistance.

Ms. Natchanan claimed business employees dispatched paramedics to the field. She was taken to Trang Hospital for treatment for swelling around her again, broken nose, and breaks to her mouth.

The accused man was taken by police to the Mueang Trang police depot, where he allegedly refused to answer any questions.

According to reports, the person is on a pension card in Thailand. &nbsp,

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MOH to review MediShield Life insurance coverage, claim limits amid rising healthcare costs

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The government will also think about expanding MediShield Life policy to more types of ambulatory and home-based care, as well as improving coverage for procedures already covered by the program, such as dialysis.

The one home-based maintenance service known as the Mobile Inpatient Care- at- Home or MIC@Home will be covered by MediShield Life and various programs and subsidies starting on April 1.

Additionally, the council will look into how to expand the scope of MediShield Life coverage to include products for medical, preventive, palliative, or diagnostic use. &nbsp,

According to Mr. Ong,” Medical science is rapidly progressing, and CTGTPs have the potential to revolutionize care and provide effective treatment for formerly incurable” conditions.

But, he added, while the technology is advanced quickly and is appealing, it is emerging and quite expensive. According to the article, “it could cost anything from a few hundred thousand bucks to a few million dollars, per care.”

CTGTPs should begin being covered by MediShield Life, according to Mr. Ong. However, protection must be in place to ensure that CTGTP funding remains viable.

For example, this would mean limiting MediShield Living coverage to procedures that have been determined to be both cost-effective and secure. This is a major step in helping all Taiwanese patients have access to cost-effective, novel, state-of-the-art treatments, despite of their income levels.

According to MOH, these changes, along with the rising pay and state trends, will necessitate a review of MediShield Life premiums to ensure that premiums remain sufficient to maintain the scheme’s self-sustaining status.

Although rates are anticipated to rise, MediSave will continue to pay them completely, according to the statement. &nbsp,
 
The Health Ministry did examine advanced subsidies and other targeted assistance measures to help people with lower incomes and those who may not have much MediSave balances. &nbsp,

According to the statement,” No one will gain their MediShield Life insurance if they are genuinely unable to afford rates.”

The MediShield Life Council’s tips are anticipated to be finalized in the second half of the time. &nbsp,

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Singapore to build new hospital in Tengah, expand home care initiatives to meet ageing population needs

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CARE PROTOCOLS AND LIFESTYLE Tips

On Wednesday, the government made additional announcements to assist residents in achieving their health goals, such as providing more detailed existence advice over time. &nbsp,
 
Occupants are supported by their household doctors in creating a tailored Health Plan based on their health problems under Singapore’s Healthier SG, a reform effort. &nbsp,

However, Mr. Ong noted that the lifestyle advice on&nbsp is pretty general and that “please exercise more.”

” We will begin beginning to make the tips more specific in 2024. For instance, it might suggest that you do aerobic workout three times per month.

According to MOH, the Health Plan may be updated based on patient preferences and health benefits, and it will also be” continually enhanced” to better meet the needs of both their and their family physicians.

A MOH director said that 765, 000 inhabitants had enrolled in Healthier SG as of February 29 in response to press inquiries regarding enrollment.

According to the director, about 484, 000 people are over 60 years old, and about 281, 000 are between 40 and 59, respectively.

In order to better assist family doctors in providing protective and persistent care, MOH will expand the range of care protocols&nbsp to include more conditions like stable&nbsp, ischemic heart disease, and secure stroke&nbsp. The government will begin distributing them in first 2025, according to Mr. Ong.

Family doctors are given instruction in their treatment protocols based on the support and proof they have for managing these conditions.

Preventive maintenance and the management of common chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension are currently the focus of 12 treatment protocols.

Residents can be certain that care will be provided in a constant and organized manner, regardless of the Healthier SG clinic they choose to visit, according to MOH. &nbsp,

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