Marina Bay Sands to Orchard Road for S$65? MBS acts to tackle taxi touts

SINGAPORE: Marina Bay Sands (MBS) is taking measures to monitor the situation at its taxi stands amid concern about touts that are targeting passengers. 

8world reported on Sunday (Nov 26) that multiple vehicles at the popular tourist destination’s taxi stand quoted “exorbitant” prices, citing traffic jams and difficulty in hailing a ride on rainy days.

The integrated resort said in response to queries from 8world that more manpower will be deployed and traffic cones placed to prevent taxis from parking in unauthorised areas.

There are also signboards in various languages cautioning members of the public about touting.

One such notice seen by 8world stated that taxi fares must be based on the meter, plus applicable surcharges, and that a receipt must be provided upon request. 

An 8world reporter who pretended to be in urgent need of a ride on Saturday evening was asked for S$50 (US$37) to S$65 for a 4km ride to Orchard Road.

One driver also told the reporter to first board his vehicle before discussing the fare. However, after the reporter revealed her identity, he said the fare was based on the meter. 

When told that a private-hire car ride only cost S$20, the driver said: “You can take a private-car hire then.”

At least six sports utility vehicle taxis drove into the waiting area with their windows wound down at around 5pm on Sunday.

The drivers were observed asking prospective passengers about their destination before quoting them a fixed price. Some people were seen accepting these deals while others refused.

TAXI TOUTS IN SINGAPORE?

A tourist from India was quoted S$65 when he told the driver that he was headed to Little India, a distance of about 4km. 

The man, who was travelling with several family members including children and the elderly, told 8world that he knew the fare was expensive but accepted it citing the rainy weather and that his family was tired. 

Another tourist from the US told 8world that he would only pay S$60 for a ride to Orchard Road as a last resort because a private-hire car only costs about S$20. He added that he was surprised that there were taxi touts in Singapore and felt it was “unfair to tourists” who had no way of lodging a complaint.

A Singapore resident of foreign nationality separately told 8world that the drivers would quote a higher price if the potential passengers looked like “foreigners”.

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97% of escalator incidents due to improper use, says Building and Construction Authority

SINGAPORE: Most escalator incidents in the first 10 months of this year arose from user behaviour, and the most common was caused by the carrying of bulky items, said the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) on Monday (Nov 27).

A total of 632 escalator incidents were reported from January to October, with 97 per cent of the cases linked to improper use.

Less than 3 per cent – 16 cases – were a result of mechanical faults such as the handrail stopping while the escalator was still in operation. 

The top cause was due to users carrying bulky items including prams, luggage and shopping trolleys, which accounted for 17 per cent of all cases.

Another 16 per cent were due to users moving on an escalator or not holding the handrail. About 12 per cent were attributed to the physical health conditions of the user who, for instance, might be feeling dizzy or unwell while using the escalator.

About 11 per cent of incidents were a result of users being distracted, including from the use of mobile phones. The fifth most common cause – 9 per cent – arose from shoes or body parts getting trapped in the escalator steps, particularly among young children.

On the cases linked to the carrying of bulky items, more than half of the incidents involved users aged 55 and above, said BCA. 

“This data underscores the need for more targeted initiatives to discourage individuals with bulky items from using escalators for their personal safety,” it said.

BCA’s group director for electrical and mechanical engineering group Teo Orh Hai said: “Making escalators safe for all users is a shared responsibility.”

“Given the high rate of incidents linked to user behaviour, we urge everyone to be more aware and careful while using escalators.”

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Suspended primary school teacher gets jail for sexual abuse of 3 boys in 1990s

SINGAPORE: When he was in his late teens, a student volunteer with a non-profit society sexually abused three boys whom he was tasked to care for or give tuition to.

The crimes went uncovered until 2019, when one of the victims, who was now a man, read a news report about sexual assault and decided to lodge a police report about the abuse he had suffered as a boy.

Investigations uncovered two other victims, whom the prosecution said suffered scars and trauma as a result of the offences.

The offender, a 48-year-old primary school teacher who has been suspended, was sentenced to eight years’ jail on Monday (Nov 27).

He pleaded guilty to three charges of committing an indecent act with a child and having carnal intercourse against the order of nature, with another eight charges taken into consideration.

The offender and the society he volunteered with cannot be named due to gag orders issued by the court to protect the identities of the victims, who are now between 36 and 40.

THE CASE

The court heard that the man was a beneficiary of an unnamed society when he was a boy.

When he was a 17-year-old student, he began volunteering at the same society, which provided student care services for children from low-income or troubled households.

As a student volunteer, the offender was tasked to supervise children in their studies and to befriend them.

However, he sexually abused three of them – V1, who was between 10 and 12; V2, who was between nine and 12; and V3, who was between five and eight at the time.

He committed an indecent act with V2 in a children’s playroom, after the rest of the children and volunteers had left, sometime between 1993 and 1994.

Between that same time period, the offender also began to hit V1’s private parts over his shorts.

The boy did not think much of it at first as he thought it was part of regular horseplay.

However, on one occasion, the offender gave V1 private mathematics tuition. He asked the boy to sit on his lap and would slap his private parts if the boy gave the wrong answer to math questions.

The offender also sexually abused V1 and V2 while giving them private tuition at V2’s home.

He forced a sex act on V3, causing the boy to feel uncomfortable, angry and very disgusted.

However, none of the boys reported what happened at the time of the offences between 1993 and 1995, as they were too young to understand that what the perpetrator had done was wrong.

The offender was trusted by the society and the parents of the children, and no concerns were raised.

The man stopped volunteering in 1999 and became a primary school teacher. 

The case went silent for decades until August 2019, when V1 read a news article about victims of sexual crimes.

He felt motivated to make a police report, revealing what the offender had done to him when he was receiving childcare services between Primary 3 and Primary 6.

Investigations uncovered the offences against the other two victims, and the offender was arrested later in August 2019.

The man’s lawyer, Mr Rai Satish, said his client had not offended since.

“In the course of his career, he has had interactions with hundreds, if not thousands of children and he has never abused his position of trust and responsibility in relation to these children,” said Mr Satish.

“He had learnt while training for his career that what he had done was wrong, and he learnt what is appropriate and inappropriate behaviour.”

The lawyer said his client was a teenager when he committed the offences and he was “trying to understand this sexual awakening which was happening to him”.

“Unfortunately, he did not have a proper outlet or guidance. He was insecure about his sexual awakening and this was a major impetus to the commission of the offences,” said Mr Satish.

He added that there was not a great age disparity between the victims and the accused, who was a student himself.

At this, Justice Dedar Singh Gill interjected and said he had “great difficulty” accepting this argument, as the accused was plainly in a position of authority.

The lawyer acknowledged this and added that the victims had said that they forgave the accused, or that the accused had gone out of his way to help them.

MAN APOLOGISES TO COURT

The offender was allowed to read a letter he had personally prepared. Unfolding a piece of paper, he said he was deeply remorseful.

In a shaky voice, he said he accepted full responsibility for his actions and apologised to his victims, as well as his parents and brother.

“I promised my late father, who passed away in 2012, to take care of my mother,” said the man.

“When I was in need of a bailor, my mother used up her life savings. I have let both my parents down. Sorry father, mother and brother. I am ashamed of what I have done, and I hurt my family the most.”

He said he stayed at home most of the time when he was on bail and cried himself to sleep at the thought of what he did.

“My mother suffered when she saw what happened to me. I have written apology letters to the three victims and handed them to my lawyer as I was not allowed to contact them,” said the man. 

“I definitely will not perform such acts again as I do not want my parents to be ashamed of me.”

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tay Jia En asked for eight to 10 years’ jail. Not only was the accused a student volunteer, he was described as a special volunteer, who was given accolades.

While the defence said it looked like V3 had forgiven the offender, Mr Tay said it was clear that V1 and V3 still carried with them “scars of their trauma”.

V1 suffered from an identity crisis and confidence issues, while the offences estranged V3 from his mother, who did not believe V3 when V3 tried to tell her about the incidents.

While the offender has moved on and achieved “some measure of success” as a teacher, the victims still carry with them these scars, said Mr Tay. 

Although the offender was a “lauded student volunteer” who was praised by the society, Mr Tay said accused persons sometimes “carry on with two parallel lives”, with the man’s positive engagements contrasted with the “darker side” of him that nobody could detect.

The judge noted that the man had plainly abused his position of trust and authority over the victims, who were vulnerable due to their young ages.

Across all the charges, the offences stretch from 1992 to 1996, said the judge.

However, he noted the plea of guilt and the man’s relative youth when he committed the offences. He allowed the man to begin his jail term in December.

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Travel risk warning for parts of Myanmar

Thais living or travelling in Myanmar are being advised to avoid areas under martial law, particularly in northern Shan State, for their own safety.

The travel warning was issued by the Thai embassy in Yangon. Thais should avoid travelling to those areas, the embassy said.

The embassy said Myanmar had banned foreigners from buying air tickets to Lashio and Tachilek in Shan State since May this year. Violators could be jailed or fined under immigration law.

Before travelling to cities in Myanmar – including Yangon, Mandalay and Bagan – travellers are advised to check the situation with reliable sources or tour companies.

Thais residing or travelling in Myanmar are asked to register their places of residence with the embassy for contact and information. In case of emergency they are advised to call the embassy in Yangon at +95 9880916795 use the Official Thai Consular ID Line: @395cxuuo.

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Property agent pocketed S$20,000 from proceeds of condo unit he sold for 80-year-old woman

SINGAPORE: A property agent who helped sell a condominium unit for an 80-year-old woman withdrew S$20,000 (US$15,000) from the proceeds for his own expenses.

Louiis Ignatius Tan Puay Meng, 58, pleaded guilty on Monday (Nov 27) to one count of dishonest misappropriation, with another two charges to be taken into consideration.

Tan had been set for trial, but chose to plead guilty on Monday.

The court heard that Tan was a real estate agent working for Savills Residential at the time.

In 2019, he helped an 80-year-old woman sell a unit in the Jupiter 18 condominium in Changi.

In November 2019, the victim received a total sum of about S$462,300 in two cheques for the sale of the property.

That same month, Tan and the victim set up a joint bank account to deposit the proceeds of the sale.

Tan was made a joint owner of the bank account for the express purpose to keep track of the money.

He assured the victim that he would “take care of her for the rest of her life” and that he would not use any of the money in the account for himself.

He also assured the victim that it was safe to set up the joint bank account and that any withdrawals would be done only via cheques signed by both of them.

Trusting Tan, the victim agreed to set up the account so Tan could help safekeep the money.

The pair deposited the full sum of S$462,318.21 at a DBS Treasures Centre on Nov 29, 2019.

However, between Dec 17 and Dec 25 in 2019, Tan withdrew a total of S$20,000 from the account without the victim’s knowledge or permission.

He made the transfers to his POSB account via Internet banking and spent the money on his personal expenditures.

The victim discovered in February 2020 through a bank statement that money was missing from the account and asked for more statements.

She withdrew the balance sum on Mar 2, 2020 and closed the joint account before lodging a police report.

Tan’s lawyer told the court that his client has had schizophrenia for a “very long time” and suffered a relapse lately.

He said he intended to apply for a psychiatric report for various purposes including to see if incarceration would be suitable for Tan. 

He will return to court for mitigation and sentencing in January.

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Singapore households have managed rising interest rates well: MAS

MAS also noted that momentum in the private residential property market has moderated, with price pressures easing, and transaction activity slowing and stabilising to pre-COVID levels.

Property price growth moderated from 11.4 per cent year-on-year in 1Q2023 to 4.4 per cent year-on-year in 3Q2023.

The transaction volume of private homes in 3Q2023 was about 15 per cent lower year-on-year, with this moderation seen across both new sales and resales.

Foreign demand for private homes in Singapore doubled from about 3 per cent in 2021, during the pandemic, to over 6 per cent in 4Q2022 and 1Q2023 after travel restrictions were eased.

However, MAS noted that after the latest round of market cooling measures in April, foreign demand has fallen to about 4 per cent of total transaction activity in 2023 to date.

The additional buyer’s stamp duty for foreigners buying any home in Singapore doubled to 60 per cent in that round of measures.

Rents also continued to rise but at a much slower pace, at 0.8 per cent quarter-on-quarter in 3Q2023. This is the smallest quarterly gain since end-2020, said MAS.

It expected rental pressures to continue weakening as a large number of homes are expected to be completed from 2023 to 2025 – about double the 20,000 flats finished between 2020 and 2022.

MAS said the global financial system faces increased risks from the interaction of “higher-for-longer” interest rates and latent vulnerabilities built up during the pandemic.

Geopolitical tensions and climate change also have the potential to rapidly turn into significant financial stability risks.

“In particular, an escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict or Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine would pose further downside risks to the conjuncture.

“Within the region, a more pronounced slowdown in China from its property sector difficulties could weigh further on the global economy,” said MAS.

It sounded a cautionary note for households.

“Households have managed the transition to higher interest rates well thus far, cushioned by income growth and accumulated savings. Income growth was underpinned by strong labour market conditions,” said MAS.

However, it expected nominal wage gains to moderate amid slower growth and global macroeconomic uncertainties.

“Borrowers should thus remain prudent and maintain their financial buffers where they can, to protect against potential shocks,” said the regulator.

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New tollways planned to Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi

New tollways planned to Ayutthaya, Nonthaburi
The Don Muang tollway (Bangkok Post file photo)

The Transport Ministry plans to build two new elevated tollways, Pathum Thani-Ayutthaya and Nonthaburi-western Bangkok, at an estimated total cost of 87 billion baht.

Transport Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit said on Monday one project would be a north-bound extension of the Don Muang tollway, from Rangsit area in Pathum Thani to Bang Pa-in district of Ayutthaya.

The new elevated tollway would cost an estimated 31.28 billion baht and be 22 kilometres long.

The private sector would be invited to tender for the consruction of the new tollway and its operation, and the state would repay the cost later.

The other project was for an elevated 35.85-kilometre tollway above the existing western outer ring road of Bangkok, between Bang Khunthian district and Bang Bua Thong district of Nonthaburi. The construction cost was estimated at 56.03 billion baht.

Mr Suriya expected the two new tollways would open in 2028.

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FairPrice to absorb GST increase on 500 items for first half of 2024

Pioneer Generation refers to those who were born on or before Dec 31, 1949, and became Singapore citizens on or before Dec 31, 1986.

Merdeka Generation seniors include those born between Jan 1, 1950, and Dec 31, 1959, and became Singapore citizens on or before Dec 31, 1996.

These discounts are valid for up to S$200 (US$149) per transaction per day, said FairPrice Group.

It added that these initiatives will assist people “amid stubborn inflation and the resulting unprecedented rise in the cost of living”.

Singapore’s core inflation had risen to 5.5 per cent in January and February this year, a 14-year high, before trending downwards. Core inflation came in at 3.3 per cent in October.

FairPrice Group had previously provided discounts during GST adjustments.

It did so during the introduction of the 3 per cent GST in 1994, the GST increase from 5 per cent to 7 per cent in 2007, and the recent increase from 7 per cent to 8 per cent this year.

Group CEO Vipul Chawla said: “Despite significant inflationary pressures, FairPrice Group remains steadfast in our commitment to alleviate the rising cost of daily essentials, particularly for the more vulnerable among us.

“It is clear that in the current economic environment, our customers are watching their spending more than ever.

“FairPrice Group will continue to work hard to help all in Singapore make every dollar count so as to maintain their quality of life and feed their families well.”

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Three more Thais released by Hamas

Three more Thais released by Hamas
The three Thai hostages, backs to the camera, are greeted by friends at a hospital in Israel after being released by Hamas on Sunday. (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Three more Thai nationals have been released by Hamas, raising the number of Thai hostages freed from captivity to 17, the Foreign Ministry announced on Monday.

The three – Wichian Temthong, Surin Kesungnoen and Pornsawan Pinakalo – have been admitted to  hospital in Israel for health examination.

They were among 17 hostages released on Sunday. The 14 others were Israeli nationals.

Embassy staff visited them at the hospital and provided assistance. It was arranged for them to call their families back in Thailand.

The Foreign Ministry statement congratulated the families and thanked all who have been involved in negotiations for their release.

The government would continue to do its best to get the 15 other Thais believed still held hostage released as soon as possible.

The 17 Thais who have been freed so far would be repatriated to Thailand as soon as they complete the initial  compensation process in Israel, the ministry said.

Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin posted the following message on X (Twitter) on Monday: “Congratulations. As of Nov 26 at 8.36pm (local time) the three Thai hostages had arrived at Kerem Shalom checkpoint.

“From an initial physical examination, they were in good health and none needed emergency medical treatment. All could talk and walk normally.”

Thai ambassador to Israel Pannabha Chandraramya said the director of the Israeli prime minister’s office, Yossi Shelly, on Sunday paid a visit to the Thais who were earlier released, at Shamir Medical Centre.

Mr Shelly congratulated them on arriving safely back in Israel. He said the Israeli government would give assistance and medical care to them all and thanked them for having contributed greatly to the farming sector of Israel.

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