3 people from Singapore killed in New Zealand road accident
SINGAPORE: Three people from Singapore were killed in a road accident on New Zealand’s South Island last month, New Zealand Police said on Tuesday (May 9).
The three were named as Sherwin Chong Shi Yun, Xinyue Yang and Jia Jun Vincent Lim. Chong and Yang were both 21 while Lim was 24.
“Police extend their sympathies to their families and friends. Their deaths have been referred to the Coroner,” New Zealand Police said in a news release on its website.
“Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing.”
The accident occurred early on Apr 17 at the intersection of State Highway 79 and Te Moana Road near the town of Geraldine, about 140km south-west of Christchurch.
“Police were advised just after 1am that a campervan had collided with a barrier and caught fire,” New Zealand Police said in the hours after the accident.
“Tragically all three occupants of the campervan were killed.”
According to the New Zealand Herald, the group had rented the campervan from a company based in the local Canterbury region.
The Herald reported that 11 volunteer firefighters had responded to the accident, with the Geraldine Volunteer Fire Brigade chief describing it as “one of the most severe” jobs he had ever attended.
Indonesia-Malaysia Cross-Border QR Payment Further Strengthens Regional Payment Connectivity in ASEAN
Aims to promote faster, cheaper, more transparent, and more inclusive cross-border payments, particularly benefiting micro, small, and medium enterprises.
Expected to strengthen economic ties between Indonesia and Malaysia, support a stronger post-pandemic economic recovery, and provide greater convenience for travelers.
Bank Indonesia (BI) and Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) have announced the commercial launch…Continue Reading
93% of free home recycling boxes distributed by Apr 30: Baey Yam Keng
In a supplementary question, Member of Parliament (MP) Jamus Lim (WP-Sengkang) asked if Mr Baey could share the total cost of the programme and the threshold to regard the programme as cost-effective.
Mr Baey replied that he did not have the cost of the campaign.
“As mentioned in my reply, we estimated the number of Blooboxes required because we didn’t produce or procure Blooboxes to cover all households in Singapore because that would not be realistic.
“And we know that not every household required it and so we were quite close to our estimate, 93 per cent were collected and the remaining will not be put to waste because it’ll be used in our efforts to promote recycling.”
MP Yip Hon Weng (PAP-Yio Chu Kang) also asked if areas in Singapore which have a higher percentage of boxes collected have a higher recyclable collection rate, and how those who still wanted a Bloobox could collect one past the distribution date.
Mr Baey responded that the recyclables collection data is done on an annual basis and that the ministry needed to check if there was specific data for estates and neighbourhoods pertaining to Bloobox collection and recycling rates.
Members of the public who have yet to collect a Bloobox can do so at various recycling initiatives by NEA and its partners, he added.
New Bill to allow for emergency orders, more powers in family violence cases
SINGAPORE: A Bill was tabled in parliament on Tuesday (May 9) to give authorities more powers in cases of family violence, such as issuing emergency orders at the scene of a high-risk case.
The emergency order can be issued by the Ministry of Social and Family Development’s (MSF) Domestic Violence Emergency Response Team (DVERT) to perpetrators at the scene if there is a danger that the person will commit violence imminently, and the order is necessary for the victim’s protection or personal safety.
Perpetrators can be arrested if they breach these emergency orders, which last 14 days.
The Women’s Charter (Family Violence and Other Matters) (Amendment) Bill had its first reading in parliament on Tuesday, tabled by Minister of State for Social and Family Development Sun Xueling. The last time the Act was amended for matters related to family violence was in 2016.
The emergency order restrains the perpetrator from committing further violence against a family member. It also gives the victim time to apply for a PPO or to get an expedited order.
An expedited order is issued by the court if it is satisfied that there is a danger of family violence being committed, while it decides on an individual’s application for a PPO.
In addition, emergency orders, expedited orders and PPOs may include other provisions, on top of the existing provisions for domestic exclusion and counselling.
One is a Stay Away provision that prohibits the perpetrator from being in the vicinity of the victim – for instance, in the area outside his or her home, or a place the victim frequents. There’s also a No Contact provision that prohibits the perpetrator from communicating with the victim.
The proposed changes strengthen the legislative framework to better protect victims of family violence and enhance rehabilitation and accountability of the perpetrators, said MSF.
Thaksin wants to come home, ‘enter legal process’
Former PM says he will ‘enter the legal process’
Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, living in self-exile in Dubai, posted on social media again on Tuesday saying he wants to return home to Thailand by July, before his birthday, to care for his grandchildren.
He wrote on Twitter: “Once again, I would like to ask for permission. I am determined to return home by July before my birthday to take care of my grandchildren. It has been nearly 17 years since I was parted from my family. I am already old.”
Thaksin’s message reiterated his wish to be home for the second time this month. July 26 is his birthday.
On Tuesday he posted again on Twitter at 10.26am: “Don’t worry that I will be a burden for the Pheu Thai Party. I will enter the legal process. On the day I return, the caretaker government of Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha would still be where it is. It’s all my own decision – with love and attachment to my family, my homeland and our high-up.”
This follows an earlier post on May 1, when he he tweeted that he was delighted that his daughter Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra had just given birth to his seventh grandchild, a boy nicknamed Thasin.
He said he will be 74 in July and asked for permission to return home to see his grandchildren, saying all seven of them were born after he left the country.
Thaksin’s second message came as political parties are fiercely canvassing for votes ahead of the May 14 general election.
His first tweet drew mixed reactions. Critics said it was his last push for his Pheu Thai Party to achieve its goal of winning the election by a landslide as the Move Forward Party’s popularity was growing fast and threatening.
The second is certain to draw even more reaction.
On Oct 21, 2008, the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions sentenced him to two years in jail, after convicting him of violating the National Counter Corruption Act in the Ratchadapisek land purchase case.
Thaksin fled the country shortly before the court handed down the sentence.
Although the statute of limitations of the land case has expired, Thaksin has also been sentenced to prison terms of more than 10 years in total after the court found him guilty in many other corruption cases.
SAF captain who ordered overtake of Bionix vehicle in fatal accident fails in appeal, will serve jail term
SINGAPORE: A Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) captain whose rash act caused a full-time national serviceman (NSF) to be crushed to death by a Bionix vehicle failed in his appeal to the High Court on Tuesday (May 9). Ong Lin Jie, 32, will begin his five-month jail term in two weeks.Continue Reading
PM Lee to attend ASEAN summit in Indonesia; leaders to discuss digital and green economies collaboration
SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will lead Singapore’s delegation to the 42nd ASEAN summit from Wednesday (May 10) to Thursday in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia, his office said in a press statement.
This will be the first of two summits hosted by Indonesia as this year’s chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The two summits are usually held separately, one earlier in the year and with a second meeting later in the year.
The 42nd summit – whose theme is ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth – underlines a “substantive and forward-looking agenda”, especially in areas such as economic integration and community-building efforts to ensure ASEAN’s unity and growth, said the Prime Minister’s Office.
Leaders will review ASEAN’s progress and discuss ways to boost collaboration in digital and green economies. They will also discuss the geopolitical situation, “with the view to maintain ASEAN’s central role in an open, inclusive and stable regional architecture”, it added.
Discussions are expected to cover international and regional developments, including the situation in Myanmar.
At the previous summit in Cambodia in November 2022, ASEAN leaders had considered taking further steps to exclude Myanmar from its meetings, as the situation in the country continued to worsen.
Last week, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said her country, as ASEAN chair, had for months been quietly engaging key stakeholders in Myanmar’s conflict in an effort to kickstart a peace process as violence intensifies.
Thaksin tweets again, wants to come home by July
Fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, living in self-exile in Dubai, posted on social media again on Tuesday saying he wants to return home to Thailand by July, before his birthday, to take care of his grandchildren.
He wrote on Twitter: “Once again, I would like to ask for permission. I am determined to return home by July before my birthday to take care of my grandchildren. It has been nearly 17 years since I was parted from my family. I am already old.”
Thaksin’s message reiterated his wish to be home for the second time this month. July 26 is his birthday.
On May 1, he tweeted that he was delighted that his daughter Paetongtarn “Ung Ing” Shinawatra had just given birth to his seventh grandchild, a boy nicknamed Thasin.
He said he will be 74 in July and asked for permission to return home to see his grandchildren, saying all seven of them were born after he left the country.
Thaksin’s second message came as political parties are fiercely canvassing for votes ahead of the May 14 general election.
His first tweet drew mixed reactions. Critics said it was his last push for his Pheu Thai Party to achieve its goal of winning the election by a landslide as the Move Forward Party’s popularity was growing fast and threatening.
The second is certain to draw even more reaction.
On Oct 21, 2008, the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions sentenced him to two years in jail, after convicting him of violating the National Counter Corruption Act in the Ratchadapisek land purchase case.
Thaksin fled the country shortly before the court handed down the sentence.
Although the statute of limitations of the land case has expired, Thaksin has also been sentenced to prison terms of more than 10 years in total after the court found him guilty in many other corruption cases.
Singapore’s COVID-19 wave past its peak, cases fall to 3,000 per day: Ong Ye Kung
KEEP VACCINATIONS UPDATED
Fewer seniors are keeping up to date with their COVID-19 shots, Mr Ong said as he reiterated the importance of vaccinations in protecting against severe illness.
Among people aged 60 and above, the proportion who have kept up to date with their vaccinations has fallen to 50 per cent, down from 58 per cent at the beginning of this year.
“There is a common thinking amongst seniors and amongst the public, that ‘I seldom go out of my home, and hence I need not take further vaccinations.’ This is not recommended,” he said.
“The current Omicron variants are highly infectious, and we no longer impose social restrictions which means even if you do not go out of your home, it can find its way to your home, through visiting family members or anyone you may come into contact with,” he added.
Noting that some seniors may be reluctant to continue their vaccinations due to concerns about the risk of side effects, the minister said the incidence of severe adverse reactions is very low in Singapore, at about seven in 100,000 doses.
With the latest bivalent mRNA formulations, this is even lower at one in 100,000 doses, he added.
Mr Ong warned that if the trend of falling vaccinations continues, it could weaken the population’s resilience against COVID-19 over time and make it vulnerable to the virus again.
“The benefits of the COVID-19 vaccines continue to far outweigh the risks, and you should keep your vaccination updated,” he said.
“This is the recommendation of both the Expert Committee On Covid-19 Vaccination and the Health Sciences Authority.”
MYOCARDITIS
Responding to questions from Member of Parliament Tan Wu Meng (PAP-Jurong) about myocarditis or heart inflammation after COVID-19 vaccination, Mr Ong said there were 160 reports of myocarditis and pericarditis linked to the vaccines as of Apr 27.
This is out of over 17 million COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in Singapore.
Of the 160 cases, he said 32 per cent had initial symptoms reported within one day of vaccination, another 20 per cent reported within two days and another 24 per cent reported within one week.
“The majority of cases of myocarditis from vaccination are generally mild and respond to treatment,” Mr Ong told the House.
He added that as of Apr 27, about 340 applications for the Vaccine Injury Financial Assistance Programme (VIFAP) were cardiology related. The scheme provides a one-time financial assistance to people who experienced serious side effects that are assessed by a doctor to be related to COVID-19 vaccines administered under Singapore’s national vaccine programme.
Eighty-one of the applications were approved and financial assistance has been extended to the applicants, he said.
China’s supercharged new-energy sector is propping up exports, but will it last?
More threats are likely to surface in the long term amid the intensifying efforts by Washington to cripple China’s ability to produce advanced computer chips, said Lin Han Shen, senior adviser at the Asia Group consulting firm in Shanghai. But China’s traditional strengths in mass production, and its ability toContinue Reading