Banks in Singapore to start charging customers for issuing Singdollar cheques by November
SINGAPORE: Banks in Singapore will start charging customers for issuing Singapore dollar cheques by Nov 1, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) announced on Friday (Jul 28).
At least seven banks – DBS, UOB, OCBC, Citibank, HSBC, Maybank, and Standard Chartered – will start imposing fees on cheque issuers, both corporates and individuals, by then.
Other banks will do so by July next year.
There will also be separate charges for depositors – both corporates and individuals – of Singdollar-denominated cheques. This will be implemented in phases and charges will vary among banks.
It was also announced on Friday that Singapore will eliminate corporate cheques by end-2025.
Individuals will still be able to use cheques “for a period” after 2025, MAS and ABS said in a joint media release, without specifying a date.
FALLING CHEQUE USAGE
Cheque usage in Singapore has been falling steadily, while there has been growing adoption of e-payments by corporates and individuals.
Annual cheque transaction volume fell by almost 70 per cent from 2016 to 2022, from 61 million to 19 million.
Banks incur a “fixed cost” when it comes to processing of cheques. These costs include cheque clearing costs and other bank operating costs, such as the collection and handling of cheques, data capture, as well as imaging and signature verification.
An online image-based cheque clearing system, called the Cheque Truncation System, has been in use by banks in Singapore since 2003. With the system, cheques are scanned when deposited and their electronic images, instead of the physical cheques, are transmitted throughout the clearing cycle.
With falling volumes, the average cost of clearing a cheque has quadrupled since 2016 to 40 cents in 2021.
This is set to increase to between S$2 and S$6 by 2025, if cheque volumes fall by another 70 per cent by then, said MAS and ABS.
Most banks have been subsidising the cost of cheque processing. But given the expected increase, banks will no longer be able to absorb these cheque processing costs and will have to reflect the cost of processing in their charges to their customers, said MAS and ABS.
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Manipur video: Minister Amit Shah says CBI to investigate assault
Getty ImagesAuthorities in India say the federal police will investigate a case of sexual assault of women seen in a video which has sparked global outrage.
Federal Home Minister Amit Shah said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) would take over the case from police in violence-hit Manipur state.
The video, filmed in Manipur, showed two women being paraded naked and groped and molested by a mob.
The incident occurred in early May but only became public last week.
Deadly violence has plunged Manipur, a scenic Indian state bordering Myanmar, into turmoil for almost three months.
Clashes have erupted between members of the majority Meitei and the Kuki tribal communities, leaving at least 130 dead and displacing tens of thousands.
The women in the video were Kukis, while the men surrounding them were from the Meitei group. Though a complaint was filed days after the incident, the first arrest in the case was only made the day after the video went viral, leading to questions about the state police’s handling of the case.
According to the police, seven people have been arrested so far in connection with the case. Mr Shah told journalists on Thursday that the person who allegedly recorded the incident has also been arrested.
The government has also asked India’s Supreme Court to transfer the trial in the case out of Manipur, he said.
Indian opposition leaders and activists have accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of not doing enough to address the crisis in Manipur. Mr Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is also in power in the state.
Mr Modi only publicly commented on the crisis in Manipur last week, after the video became public. He said the incident had shamed the country and that the guilty wouldn’t be spared. He hasn’t visited the state yet.
Opposition leaders have demanded that Mr Modi address parliament about the issue. They have also moved a no-trust motion against Mr Modi’s government which they say will force him to speak on the ethnic clashes.
Mr Shah has said his government was “ready to have a discussion” but blamed the opposition for not allowing it.
He said on Thursday that six rounds of talks had been held with representatives from Kukis and Meiteis, with retired bureaucrats and judges acting as interlocutors.
“They have made good progress and encouraged the hope that we may be soon be able to get them to the negotiating table,” he told the Times of India newspaper.
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Singapore ‘in close contact’ with India to seek exemption from export ban on non-basmati rice
SINGAPORE: Singapore is in close contact with Indian authorities to seek exemption from the country’s ban on the export of non-basmati rice, said the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) on Friday (Jul 28).
India, the world’s biggest rice exporter, banned some overseas sales of rice with immediate effect last Thursday.
India’s consumer affairs and food ministry said the country would ban exports of non-basmati white rice, which accounts for about a quarter of its total exports. The move would “ensure adequate availability” and “allay the rise in prices in the domestic market”, it added.
Non-basmati rice from India makes up about 17 per cent of Singapore’s imported rice, said SFA in response to CNA queries.
In 2022, India accounted for about 40 per cent of Singapore’s imported rice, said the agency, adding that the latter imports rice from more than 30 countries.
“SFA is working closely with importers to increase the import of different varieties of rice from various sources. Singapore is also in close contact with the Indian authorities to seek exemption from the ban,” said SFA in its statement.
India accounts for more than 40 per cent of all global rice shipments, so the decision could “risk exacerbating food insecurity in countries highly dependent on rice imports”, data analytics firm Gro Intelligence said in a note.
Countries expected to be hit by the ban include African nations, Turkey, Syria, and Pakistan – all of them already struggling with high food-price inflation, the firm added.
Global demand saw Indian exports of non-basmati white rice jump 35 per cent year-on-year in the second quarter, said India’s consumer affairs and food ministry at the time of the announcement.
The increase came even after the Indian government banned broken rice shipments and imposed a 20 per cent export tax on white rice in September.
Pandemic inequalities and the G20
With the Covid-19 pandemic bringing the entire world to an abrupt halt in 2020, multilateral groups such as the Group of Twenty (G20), the United Nations and the European Union played an essential role in coordinating efforts and ensuring that recovery initiatives were spread out across the globe, benefiting those nations that could not rise out of this turmoil without international support.
Arguably, vaccination against the virus causing the Covid-19 respiratory ailment was one of the most effective means to mitigate the effects of the pandemic in both developed and developing nations. With global networks and partnerships allowing a single dose of Covid-19 vaccine to be priced between US$2 and $40, governments needed to make inoculation available for all citizens.
The following data indicate how successful vaccine penetration was in G20 member nations.
However, the Global South evidently fell behind developed nations.
A death rate of 4.66% in Mexico was alarming, with Indonesia being at a concerning 2.46%. Poor mortality rates are a significant indicator of a nation’s sub-optimal health infrastructure.
This means that the developing countries of the G20 lagged behind their developed counterparts in terms of the quality of medical services available to their people, and the results are evident in the Covid-19 data made public.
Despite the vaccines’ apparent success in reducing the disease’s severity among vulnerable populations, numerous countries experienced the adverse effects of widely discredited measures like school closures and lockdowns.
These measures created a significant divide between the Global North and South, with certain nations benefiting from better health infrastructure and advanced educational facilities, allowing them to reopen earlier than others.
For instance, in 2020, children in advanced economies lost an average of 15 school days due to the pandemic, while the number increased to 45 days for emerging-market economies and a staggering 72 days for children in the poorest nations.
The Global South
India faced an uphill task due to its inherently large population, relatively small medical workforce and budgetary constraints. Mexico found it challenging to address an influx of immigrants in its southern regions, paired with geographical disparities.
Indonesia, despite being the first Southeast Asian country to commence a vaccine rollout, fell victim to its own low vaccine stocks and bureaucratic hurdles.
Japan found great success in its vaccination numbers due to a robust campaign, and additional efforts spurred on by the nation hosting the Tokyo Olympics. South Korea used tech solutions for evidence-based health targets and ramped up production through an inherent advanced medical sector.
Other developed G20 nations, similarly, had the privilege of abstaining from such problems for the most part. The United States, despite a strong domestic anti-vaccine movement, had crossed 180 vaccinations per 100 persons at one point, primarily due to governmental wealth enabling contracts with pharmaceutical giants, and vaccines to be administered for free.
The European Union also worked together to fund vaccine research and development and produced enough vaccines by July 2021 to vaccinate 70% of its adult population.
The G20 had, in this regard, attempted to bring about vaccine equity in multiple instances. It created the Access-to-Covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator to bring about an equitable distribution of tests and, subsequently, vaccines around the globe. This was assisted by disseminating information and resources, often favouring nations with little or none to spare.
India’s G20 presidency
During its tenure as the president of the G20, the Indian government was deeply committed to driving tech-enabled development in the health sector and establishing digital public infrastructure.
One crucial proposal India and South Africa put forth in 2020 before the G20 was an intellectual property rights waiver. The primary goal was to enhance access to knowledge, making the battle against Covid-19 economically feasible for developing nations.
Despite not gaining significant traction at the time, this proposal resurfaced during India’s presidency due to its potential to address the pressing challenges faced by the health sectors in the global South.
Moreover, the collapse of COVAX, a global vaccine network intended to distribute vaccines equitably, clearly indicated the structural bottlenecks and vaccine politics that needed urgent resolution.
The existing mechanism failed to provide vaccines effectively based on the specific needs of individual countries, underscoring the importance of a comprehensive and united approach to global health crises.
As India’s G20 presidency approaches its conclusion, specific critical issues remain that demand immediate attention. The global value chains suffered disruption due to the pandemic, and the Russia-Ukraine dispute further highlighted the system’s vulnerability to external shocks.
India must recognize the opportunity to lead the coordination of the G20 in addressing these gaps and creating more robust health systems to mitigate future risks.
This article was co-authored with Rohan Ross of National Law School of India University in Bangalore, Karnataka, during his internship at the Observer Research Foundation.
Coroner gives open verdict in death of 46-year-old man found decomposing in flat
SINGAPORE: A coroner has given an open verdict in the case of a 46-year-old man who was found dead by his tenant in a flat in April last year.
Mr Tai Min Wah, who was living with his mother and two tenants, had a known history of epilepsy, stroke and high cholesterol.
However, the forensic findings from the autopsy meant it was “not possible to pinpoint a definite cause of death”, said Coroner Prem Raj Prabakaran in a set of findings made available on Thursday (Jul 27).
WHAT HAPPENED
Mr Tai shared the master bedroom in the flat with his mother, who slept on a mattress on the floor.
His parents had divorced in 1998 and his father lived with his sister.
On Apr 13, 2022, Mr Tai’s mother left the flat to visit her sister in Malaysia. She bid her son goodbye and did not notice anything unusual about him.
Two days later, Mr Tai’s mother called his mobile phone seven to eight times to check on him, but Mr Tai did not pick up.
The elderly woman called again on Apr 16 but could not reach her son.
This time, Mr Tai’s mother contacted one of the tenants who was in the flat and asked her to check on her son.
The tenant had last seen Mr Tai alive on the evening of Apr 13.
Mr Tai’s mother stayed on the line while the tenant knocked on the bedroom door, the court heard.
Mr Tai’s mother then asked the tenant to open the door, which was unlocked, and she did.
The tenant shouted and told Mr Tai’s mother that her son was lying motionless on the bed, and that his face had turned black.
The tenant kept crying and told Mr Tai that she would seek help from the neighbours.
A person known only as “Mr Edmond” called the police to report the discovery of Mr Tai’s body, and officers headed down.
Sergeant Faizul Nenwari entered the flat and saw Mr Tai lying face-up on the bed in a shirt and boxers. He observed that Mr Tai’s face and stomach were bloated, with the area around his neck black.
He also saw dried red liquid around Mr Tai’s nose and mouth. The lights in the room were off, the windows were shut and the air-conditioning in the bedroom was on.
A COVID-19 antigen rapid test with a positive result was found on a cabinet next to Mr Tai’s body, but it could not be confirmed when this test had been conducted and if it belonged to Mr Tai.
Paramedics pronounced Mr Tai dead at 3.14pm that day, noting that the body was “almost decomposed” and that rigor mortis had set in.
The police searched the room and found straws and glass apparatuses with methamphetamine inside, along with medications prescribed to Mr Tai, including aspirin.
AUTOPSY
An autopsy on Mr Tai’s body detected two drugs in his system – paracetamol and phenytoin, which is used to treat epilepsy.
However, there was no definite evidence that Mr Tai had consumed other drugs such as meth before his death. There was also no definite evidence that he had COVID-19 at the time of his death.
The cause of death was eventually determined to be “unascertained” because there was no definite anatomical or toxicological cause of death found.
The forensic pathologist on the case said it was possible that epilepsy could be a cause of death, but said that decompositional changes to the body might have “obnubilated” or obscured the contribution of any other cause of death.
Medical records showed that Mr Tai had a history of recurrent generalised convulsions since 1994. He was diagnosed with epilepsy in 1997 and had been taking phenytoin for this since 2010.
He was admitted to hospital in November 2021 for double vision, and diagnosed to have had multiple small strokes. He recovered well and was discharged that same month and given medication.
He had a criminal record for drug offences including meth consumption, but he was last convicted in 2012 and sentenced to nine years’ jail. He was not convicted again after his release in 2017.
His father and sister did not have any concerns over his death and did not suspect any foul play.
His mother, who was the closest to him, said Mr Tai had suffered a “mild stroke” in October 2021 and had fits since a motorcycle accident about 10 years ago.
She said her son was a reserved person and did not share his personal problems with others. He also had no mental issues or depression, she said.
She also said she had never seen her son under the influence of drugs.
The tenant who had discovered the body could not be contacted as she had moved out by the time the investigation officer attempted to record a statement from her.
The identity of “Mr Edmond” also could not be established.
The coroner said there was no basis to suspect foul play in Mr Tai’s demise. While he was pronounced dead on Apr 16, 2022, it was likely that he had died earlier, before 7.30pm on Apr 15.
He expressed his deepest condolences to Mr Tai’s family for their loss.
North Korea shows off drones and ballistic missiles at night-time parade
Their appearance at events with the North’s nuclear missiles – which were banned by the United Nations Security Council with China’s and Russia’s support – marked a contrast with previous years when Beijing and Moscow took steps to distance themselves from their neighbour’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile development.
The parade included North Korea’s latest Hwasong-17 and Hwasong-18 intercontinental ballistic missiles, according to state news agency KCNA, which are believed to have the range to strike targets anywhere in the United States.
The event also featured a flyover by new attack and spy drones, KCNA reported.
Singapore executes woman for the first time in 20 years
Getty ImagesSingapore on Friday executed a woman for the first time in almost 20 years, officials confirmed.
Singaporean national Saridewi Djamani, 45, was found guilty of trafficking 30g (1.06oz) of heroin in 2018.
Sheis the second drug convict to be executed this week, after fellow Singaporean Mohd Aziz bin Hussain, and the 15th since March 2022.
Singapore has some of the world’s toughest anti-drug laws, which it says are necessary to protect society.
Singapore law specifies that the death penalty will be imposed on anyone caught trafficking more than 500g of cannabis or 15g of heroin.
Singapore’s Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) said in a statement that Saridewi, who was sentenced to death on 6 July in 2018, was accorded “full due process” under the law.
The city’s highest court had dismissed the appeal against her conviction on 6 October last year. A petition for presidential pardon was also unsuccessful, authorities said.
Her execution comes just two days after Aziz was hanged on Wednesday, following his conviction of trafficking 50g of heroin in 2017.
In April, another Singaporean, Tangaraju Suppiah, was executed for trafficking 1kg (35oz) of cannabis that he never touched. Authorities say he co-ordinated the sale via mobile phone.
British billionaire Sir Richard Branson, again criticised Singapore for its executions, saying the death penalty is not a deterrent against crime.
“Small-scale drug traffickers need help, as most are bullied due to their circumstances,” Mr Branson said on Twitter on Thursday.
Saridewi was one of two women on death row in Singapore, according to the Transformative Justice Collective, a Singapore-based human rights group. She was the first woman executed by the city-state since hairdresser Yen May Woen in 2004, the group said. Yen was also convicted of drug trafficking.
Local media reported that Saridewi testified during her trial that she was stocking up on heroin for personal use during the Islamic fasting month.
While she did not deny selling drugs such as heroin and methamphetamine from her flat, she downplayed the scale of those activities, noted judge See Kee Oon.
Authorities argue that strict drug laws help keep Singapore as one of the safest places in the world and that capital punishment for drug offences enjoys wide public support.
But anti-death penalty advocates contest this.
“There is no evidence that the death penalty has a unique deterrent effect or that it has any impact on the use and availability of drugs,” said Amnesty International’s Chiara Sangiorgio in a statement.
“The only message that these executions send is that the government of Singapore is willing to once again defy international safeguards on the use of the death penalty,” she said.
Amnesty International noted that alongside China, Iran and Saudi Arabia, Singapore is one of only four countries to have recently carried out drug-related executions.
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