South-East Asia – Page 1994

Migrant worker rights groups in Singapore call for timeline to ban transporting workers in lorries

On: July 24, 2023

“By communicating an intention to ban this unsafe practice according to a timeline, we can send a powerful message about our commitment to ensuring the well-being of all workers in Singapore, regardless of their nationality or occupation.”

The statement called on the Transport Ministry to provide a timeline of measures that work towards the removal of an exception in the law that allows workers to be transported in lorries and a timeline for when workers can be transported safely on vehicles with seats and belts.

It pointed out that there are rules stating that equipment must be secured so that they do not fall or shift during transit.

But belts are not required for workers on lorries, which “increases the risk of injuries in case of a collision or abrupt stops”.

“We must build a society where empathy guides our actions, and where every individual can work and live in safety and dignity,” the statement said.

Earlier this month, MP Louis Ng (PAP-Nee Soon) raised an adjournment motion on the matter.

“Over the years, we have done so much to make transport safer for our children taking the school bus and soldiers in (Singapore Armed Forces) tonners, but we still continue to transport our workers in unsafe conditions on the back of lorries. Why the double standards?” he asked.

“The worker sitting on the back of a lorry is also someone’s son, brother or father, someone’s loved one,” he said.

In response, Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor said the number of injuries and fatalities has fallen, but the ministry does want to do more and do better.

She also highlighted challenges such as insufficient private buses and bus drivers, adding that a wider shift to mandate the use of buses to ferry workers would likely exacerbate the manpower crunch.

Covid-19 cases continue lower

By: Barkar Nash

On: July 24, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 24 Jul 2023 at 16:16

The number of Covid-19 cases continues to drop, with the fatalities either elderly, people with a chronic disease or unvaccinated, public health permanent secretary Opas Karnkawinpong said on Monday.

Speaking after chairing a meeting of the committee monitoring the Covid-19 situation, Dr Opas said thatlast week 556 people were admitted to hospitals for treatment of Covid-19, an average of 79 per day, and 178 had a severe infection.

There were eight fatalities last week, or about one a day. All were of the “608 group” comprising people over 60, those with underlying diseases and pregnant women, or were unvaccinated or had a booster shot more than three months ago.

An analysis of the 749 Covid-19 fatalities in 2023, showed people in crowded communities had a high risk of catching the virus from other family members. He said 116 of those deaths were in Bangkok.

Dr Opas said it was still necessary to continue with the vaccination campaign.

Man who deserted NS post since 1992 and came back because of COVID-19 gets 6.5 years’ jail

By: Marcus Ching

On: July 24, 2023

In: South-East Asia

SINGAPORE: A man who had deserted his national service post with the Singapore Civil Defence Force in 1992 and left for the United Kingdom returned to Singapore more than 20 years later because of the COVID-19 situation.

Soh Choon Wee, now 50, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years’ jail by a district court on Monday (Jul 24) for three counts of desertion under the Civil Defence Act.

This is believed to be the longest jail term meted out for such an offence. Soh is also too old now to fulfil his NSF obligations.

The court heard that Soh enlisted as a full-time Construction Brigade national serviceman in December 1990.

He was posted to the Construction Brigade Monitoring Unit at Jalan Bahar Camp to continue his NS in October 1992.

Soh did not report for NS duty on Nov 16, 1992. He was arrested by the police at his registered address in March 1993 and instructed to report back to camp about a week later.

However, Soh did not report at camp and did not turn up for his court mention. Instead, he avoided arrest and stayed at a rental flat instead of his official address.

SCDF officers made multiple visits to Soh’s address in March 1993 but could not find him.

According to Soh’s lawyer, he worked part-time as a handyman until 1998, when he left Singapore and went to Malaysia via the causeway.

He then moved to the United Kingdom where he lived and worked in a Chinese restaurant.

In January 2021, 23 years after he had left the country, Soh returned to Singapore.

His mother had advised him to do so, as the COVID-19 situation in the United Kingdom was bad, the court heard.

Defence lawyer Wee Hong Shern also said that Soh returned because he “really missed his family” and his parents were getting old.

Soh was placed on stay-home notice for a few weeks before being arrested by SCDF for desertion from NS.

SENTENCING ARGUMENTS

The prosecution had asked for seven-and-a-half to eight-and-a-half years’ jail for Soh, pointing to a previous conviction for being absent without official leave.

She also highlighted the length of the desertion period, Soh’s evasion of arrest by not living at his registered address, and the fact that his current age prevents him from fulfilling his NSF obligations.

Mr Wee asked instead for four to five years’ jail. He said his client had thought that the authorities had “given him a chance” when he encountered no problems leaving Singapore for Malaysia in 1998.

He worked as a “wash-up crew” member for £150 (S$257) a week in a Chinese restaurant in the UK.

Mr Wee said Soh suffered a stroke that required an operation in March 2021. He also has kidney failure, requiring dialysis treatments three times a week.

The judge noted that Soh had remained crime-free in the period of desertion and returned home voluntarily.

However, he noted that Soh was not only unable to fulfil his NSF obligations, but also his NS ones.

He said he did not find the personal circumstances cited by the defence “compelling”, as they do not amount to a strong mitigating factor.

“NS is vital to the security of Singapore and requires sacrifice from NSmen and their families,” said the judge.

MFP rejects generals’ parties

By: Barkar Nash

On: July 24, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 24 Jul 2023 at 15:28

Move Forward MPs resolved on Monday the party would not join a coalition government with the Palang Pracharath (PPRP) or United Thai Nation (UTN) parties.

The party announcement after the meeting said that PPRP was led by Gen Prawit Wongsuwon and UTN had Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha as its prime ministerial candidate.

Both were key figures in the coup d’etat on May 22, 2014, and there was a push to prolong their hold on power.

Voters showed through the May 14 general election that they wanted different people in government and MFP, as the election winner, was determined to form a new government and ensure they did remain in power.

Any attempt to form a government that went against the people’s decision would erode their faith in democracy, the announcement said.

Singapore, Hong Kong reaffirm close and longstanding relations

By: Marcus Ching

On: July 24, 2023

In: South-East Asia

Earlier on Monday, Mr Lee was hosted to breakfast by Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Lawrence Wong.

Mr Wong and Mr Lee affirmed the “warm and friendly” ties between Singapore and Hong Kong. They also exchanged views on cooperation across a wide range of areas, both bilaterally and in multilateral fora.

“As international financial centres, Singapore and Hong Kong enjoy close cooperation on fintech, information sharing, as well as supervisory and regulatory matters,” MFA said.

“With Singapore and Hong Kong playing complementary roles in their respective regions, both sides stand to benefit from further deepening collaboration, including in Southeast Asia and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.”

Singapore is the first leg of a week-long ASEAN trip for the Hong Kong chief executive.

He will also visit Malaysia and Indonesia, accompanied by top government officials and leaders from the finance, investment, business, legal, innovation and technology and logistics sectors, reported the South China Morning Post.

Planning a workout outdoors? New service offers advisory to minimise risk of heat stress

By: Marcus Ching

On: July 24, 2023

In: South-East Asia

The three levels correlate to the risk of experiencing heat-related illnesses during prolonged outdoor activities such as heat cramp, exhaustion and stroke.

These levels do not apply to short-term outdoor movements, such as travelling to work or school, where there is lesser exposure to heat.

“While the advisory provides general guidance, members of the public should also take into consideration individual circumstances, such as health, age, duration, and intensity of intended outdoor activities,” said MSE and NEA.

Groups that are more vulnerable to heat stress, including the elderly, children and infants, and pregnant women, are advised to exercise greater caution.

Those who are required to participate in prolonged outdoor activities at work or in school should refer to their respective sector’s guidelines, the agencies added.

For example, companies and workers should refer to guidelines from the Ministry of Manpower, students should follow their school’s guidelines, and Singapore Armed Forces, Home Team personnel and national servicemen should refer to their sector-specific guidelines.

Singapore matched a 40-year temperature record in May when the daily maximum temperature hit 37 degrees Celsius in Ang Mo Kio.

The last 10 years, from 2013 to 2022, also represented Singapore’s warmest decade on record.

Several schools have also eased their rules on uniforms, such as allowing students to wear physical education attire instead of full uniforms and letting them leave their polo shirts untucked.

Sea robbery incidents in Singapore Strait continue to rise in first half of 2023

By: Marcus Ching

On: July 24, 2023

In: South-East Asia

DRIVEN BY SOCIO-ECONOMIC ISSUES

The centre’s executive director Krishnaswamy Natarajan said the increase in such incidents was driven by a socio-economic situation worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, lower fish catch due to climate change and the prevailing Southwest monsoon.

He added that this has forced some locals living along the strait to turn to sea robbery and petty crimes to make ends meet.

“The Singapore Strait is one of the major international shipping routes which sees almost 1,000 ships a day … with an increasing volume of maritime trade as pandemic (restrictions) ease,” he told CNA’s Singapore Tonight on Friday (Jul 21).

“There are far too many opportunities available for the people in the region who are not economically sound, and who are looking to make a livelihood.”

While the incidents were “not alarming” as most fell under petty theft, the continued boarding of ships by perpetrators could lead to more serious situations, he said.

“In a threat situation, there can be a collision of ships in the area because they are manoeuvring so close to each other,” said Mr Natarajan. “It could be a dangerous situation which could lead to environmental disaster. (In such circumstances,) there could even be a closure of the strait temporarily until the situation improves.”

He said countries around the hotspots are making an effort to ensure the safe navigation of ships and put in place environmental protection measures.

However, he also urged governments to do more and step up law enforcement, enhance surveillance, increase patrols and respond promptly to incidents.

Mossie eradication drive to combat rising dengue fever

By: Barkar Nash

On: July 24, 2023

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED : 24 Jul 2023 at 14:40

A mosquito eradication campaign has been launched by the Public Health Ministry as the number of people infected with dengue fever nationwide is rising by about 5,000 per week, Disease Control Department director-general Thares Krassanairavirong said on Monday.

The outbreak is mainly in 30 districts of 18 provinces – Mae Hong Son, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nan, Phayao, Tak, Phetchaburi, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi, Trat, Ubon Ratchathani, Krabi, Phuket, Songkhla, Satun, Narathiwat and Bangkok.

Since early this year nearly 40,000 cases of dengue fever have been reported, with about 40 deaths. The number is rising by about 5,000 per week, Dr Thares said. This is appoaching the level in 2019, when about 70,000 people caught the disease and 70 died over the 12 months.

On average the number of infections during the past four weeks was higher than the average over the same period for the past five years, Dr Thares said.

At a meeting on July 31 of health officials and representatives of the Provincial Administration Department, officials were assigned to launch a drive to stop the spread of dengue over the four weeks from July 21-Aug 18.

Teams from the Bureau of Epidemiology and the 38 centres for the control of insect-borne diseases have been deployed to areas hit by dengue fever, with an aim to reduce the nuber of cases to below the average of the the past five years, he said.

They are empowered to enter domestic property, temples, schools, hotels and other places to spray substances to kill mosquitoes and their larvae. They also advise residents on preventive measures.

Opinion: Amidst disaster, adapting for a more resilient Asia-Pacific

By: Jing Write

On: July 24, 2023

In: South-East Asia

The world faces escalating natural disasters, yet nowhere is the threat more immediate than in Asia and the Pacific. Ours is a region where climate change-induced disasters are becoming more frequent and intense.

Since 1970, 2 million people have lost their lives to disasters. Tragically, but all too predictably, the poorest in the least-developed countries are worst-affected. They will find themselves in the eye of the storm as temperatures rise, new disaster hotspots appear and existing risks increase. Unless we fundamentally change our approach to building resilience to disaster risk, temperature rises of 1.5°C or 2°C will make adaptation to the threat of disasters unfeasible. Disaster risk could soon outpace resilience in Asia and the Pacific.

It is worth pondering what this would mean. The grim tally of disaster-related deaths would inevitably rise, as would the annual cost of disaster-related losses, forecast to increase to almost $1 trillion, or 3% of regional GDP, under 2°C warming up from $924 billion today, or 2.9% of regional GDP. The deadly combination of disasters and extreme weather would undermine productivity and imperil sustainable development.

In the poorest parts of our region, such as the Pacific small island developing states, disasters would become a major driver of inequality.

Losses would be particularly devastating in the agriculture and energy sectors, disrupting food systems and undermining food security as well as jeopardizing energy supply and production. Environmental degradation and biodiversity loss would be remorseless, leading to climate change-driven extinctions and further increasing disaster risk.

A resident looks at a vehicle swept away due to floodings brought about by super Typhoon Rai in Loboc town, Bohol province on 21 December, 2021. Photo by Cheryl Baldicantos/AFP

To avoid this exponential growth of disaster risk, there is a narrow window of opportunity to increase resilience and protect hard-won development gains. To seize it, bold decisions are needed to deliver transformative adaptation. They can no longer be postponed.

This week, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is convening top policymakers, experts and academics from across the region on 25-27 July to discuss transformative adaptation policies and actions at ESCAP’s Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction. The Asia-Pacific Disaster Report 2023 will also be launched at the Committee.

The stakeholders drawn to this meeting will consider key questions such as prioritizing greater investment in early warning systems.

Expanding coverage in least developed countries is the most effective way to reduce the number of people killed. Early warning systems can shield people living in multi-hazard hotspots and reduce disaster losses everywhere by up to 60%. They provide a tenfold return on investment. To protect food systems and reduce the exposure of the energy infrastructure – the backbone of our economies – sector-specific coverage is needed.

Investments at the local level to improve communities’ response to early warning alerts, delivered through expanded global satellite data use and embedded in comprehensive risk management policies, must all be part of our approach.

Only transformative adaptation can deliver the systemic change needed to leave no one behind.

Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana

Nature-based solutions should be at the heart of adaptation strategies. They support the sustainable management, protection and restoration of degraded environments while reducing disaster risk. The evidence is unequivocal: preserving functional ecosystems in good ecological condition strengthens disaster risk reduction. This means preserving wetlands, flood plains and forests to guard against natural hazards, and mangroves and coral reefs to reduce coastal flooding.

Forest restoration and sustainable agriculture are essential. In our urban centers, nature-based solutions can mitigate urban flooding and contribute to future urban resilience, including by reducing heat island effects.

Beyond these priorities, only transformative adaptation can deliver the systemic change needed to leave no one behind in multi-hazard risk hotspots. Such change will cut across policy areas. It means aligning social protection and climate change interventions to enable poor and climate-vulnerable households to adapt and protect their assets and livelihoods.

Disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation must become complementary to make food and energy systems more resilient, particularly in disaster-prone arid areas and coastlines. Technologies such as the ‘Internet of Things’ and artificial intelligence can improve the accuracy of real-time weather predictions as well as how disaster warnings are communicated.

Yet to make this happen, disaster risk financing needs to be dramatically increased, with financing mechanisms scaled up. In a constrained fiscal context, we must remember that investments made upstream are far more cost-effective than spending after a disaster.

The current level of adaptation finance falls well short of the $144.74 billion needed for transformative adaptation. We must tap innovative financing mechanisms to close the gap. Thematic bonds, debt for adaptation and ecosystem adaptation finance can help attract private investment, reduce risk and create new markets. These instruments should complement official development assistance, while digital technologies improve the efficiency, transparency and accessibility of adaptation financing.

Now is the time to work together, to build on innovation and scientific breakthroughs to accelerate transformative adaptation across the region.

A regional strategy that supports early warnings for all is needed to strengthen cooperation through the well-established United Nations mechanisms and in partnership with subregional intergovernmental organizations. At ESCAP, we stand ready to support this process every step of the way because sharing best practices and pooling resources can improve our region’s collective resilience and response to climate-related hazards.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development can only be achieved if we ensure disaster resilience is never outpaced by disaster risk. Let us seize the moment and protect our future in Asia and the Pacific.

Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana is the under-secretary-general of the UN and executive secretary of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

Police officer who alleged workplace bullying before death offered help for ‘substantial’ work challenges: SPF

By: Marcus Ching

On: July 24, 2023

In: South-East Asia

SINGAPORE: A police officer who made allegations of racism and workplace bullying before he died had faced “substantial challenges at work”, for which his superiors had offered help, the Singapore Police Force said on Monday (Jul 24).

Sergeant Uvaraja Gopal, 35, died in hospital on Friday evening after he was found lying motionless at the foot of a Housing Board block in Yishun. The police do not suspect foul play.

In a Facebook post that was later removed, SGT Uvaraja said he had been bullied by his superiors and subjected to ethnic slurs by his teammates – claims that Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam said on Friday that the police would investigate thoroughly.

Addressing the claims of racial discrimination, SPF said SGT Uvaraja had made allegations back in 2015, adding that these were looked into and found to be unsubstantiated.

SGT Uvaraja had served with the police for more than 10 years and was last an officer with Ang Mo Kio Police Division.

“At this point, we can set out only the known facts, as not all the relevant facts have been established. It is also inappropriate for the police to make any comments, or come to any conclusions, pending detailed investigations,” the police said on Monday.

CLARIFICATIONS BY THE POLICE

The police said the sergeant had made a number of complaints against his superiors and peers over the years, and that all of these have been investigated and dealt with.

“Some of them are being investigated again, in the light of the allegations which he had made just prior to his passing away,” said SPF.

SPF said the officer was provided coaching to address his performance issues and that he was given transfers, at his request, to six work units in nine years.

At his request, the officer was also granted additional leave since 2015 beyond his usual entitlements.

For example, he was at work for fewer than 30 days last year, as he was on various types of leave, including extended sick leave, unrecorded leave, and no pay leave. In 2023, he had been at work for fewer than 25 days, for similar reasons.

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SENTENCING ARGUMENTS

DRIVEN BY SOCIO-ECONOMIC ISSUES

CLARIFICATIONS BY THE POLICE