Pritam Singh warns Workers’ Party members: Unity essential to achieving one-third opposition in parliament
Pritam Singh, the leader of the opposition, has warned staff ‘ group members that they must work together to achieve their goal of electing opposition members to make up a fourth of the House.
Mr Singh, who is also the group’s secretary-general, made this point at the group’s monthly users ‘ conference on Jan 11. On Saturday ( Jan 18 ), he posted a transcript of the speech in a Facebook post.  ,
The Workers ‘ Party supports a more equal political system for Singapore, according to the party. This is one where the criticism is effective and provides a choice for Singaporeans”, Mr Singh said.
In contrast to his statement six years ago at the same time that WP was aiming for this one-third figure, he said,” Given today’s social environment in Singapore, we believe that at least one-third of the elected Members of Parliament may become criticism MPs.”
In his 2025 talk, he asserted:” If you cannot work in the framework of a group – a group – with all members working for a frequent cause at various levels, your vision will have little chance of success”. To push the point house, he repeated the speech.
” ELECTION SPEEC H”
Mr. Singh equated his discourse to an “election speech,” referring to it as an “election finances speech” that Prime Minister Lawerence Wong is scheduled to give on February 18th.
The latest legislature is dominated by the ruling , Women’s Action Party. Eight WP-elected Members and two Progress Singapore Party non-constituency Members are present.
Any degradation of opposition figures, Mr Singh warned, would have” important, negative repercussions for Singapore’s cooperation and by extension, regional unity”.
” At this stage of Singapore’s social development, there is a real threat of a meltdown of elected criticism MPs”, he said.
WP Individuals
With the November date for a General Election drawing always closer,  , speculation is mounting over the candidates , events intend to discipline.
It would be inappropriate for WP to show its hand then, said Mr Singh, though he did give a glimpse into the group’s collection process.
” As with past elections, the individuals will be a combination of both individuals who have  , walked the earth thoroughly, as well as new people”, he said.
If WP chooses to challenge a Group Representation Constituency, it will also cautiously consider the group’s settings, he added.
” It would not make sense to field individuals with similar features in one GRC, and we will do our best to build a healthy group, in terms of youth, knowledge and value-add, amongst additional criteria”.
According to Mr. Singh, the party’s election committee has also engaged” commercial parties” to assist with candidate screening and personality assessments in order to support WP’s deployment plans.
None of these measures, however, are guaranteed to bring all previous infractions of an individual to light. It is important that I set this expectation. However, we as a group will try our best.
Mr. Singh emphasized the need for party renewal and the inclusion of both younger and younger candidates as well as volunteers and members in the party’s ranks.
The Workers ‘ Party will face a significant issue in the years to come, he said. ” It will run a real risk of becoming irrelevant to Singaporeans” . ,
PUTTING THE PARTY FIRST
In his speech, Mr Singh called on WP members to work towards cohesion and unity, which would make a” critical difference” in the upcoming election.
Any victory, he added, would also be the result of “everyone who invested time and effort,” including party volunteers who ran campaign on the ground and posted candidate posters.
” So, to candidates, much is naturally expected and demanded of you. We require a strong commitment to serving others, as well as a lot of humility and self-awareness, which will be very crucial in your public service journey,” he told party members at the forum.
Additionally, Mr. Singh made an appeal to members to encourage more people to volunteer for the party and assist with ground-building projects related to the party.
MULTI-RACIALISM
Noting Singapore’s multi-racial political system, Mr Singh cautioned that any opposition seeking the support of only one community to secure votes would be taking a” sure way” to lose an election.
” We represent all Singaporeans. Our political advocacy must be mindful of the laws and guardrails that protect Singapore’s multi-racialism”.
” Multi-racialism is a critical rallying point for a united Singapore, given our domestic realities in the world of tomorrow”, he said.
He remarked that WP would not be afraid to debate issues in parliament that have racial or religious implications. He cited the example of WP MP Faisal Manap who brought up the issue of Singaporean nurses wearing a tudung or Malay headscarf at work.
” We took on these issues mindfully and sensibly – to shed light on them, while keeping the heat contained, and thereby reducing the political temperature”, Mr Singh said.
Taking down gorilla smugglers proves difficult
Thailand, Turkey and Nigeria taking goal at system linked to Thailand-bound dog seized in Istanbul
PUBLISHED: 18 Jan 2025 at 18: 09
A habitat official who was investigating the revelation of a baby monkey in Turkey and who was reportedly heading for Thailand has acknowledged that prosecuting any innocent party may be challenging.
The young monkey, named Zeytin, meaning oil in Turkish, has been moved to a park in Turkey and is in excellent health, said Sadudee Punpugdee, chairman of the Wild Fauna and Flora Protection Division.
The dog is believed to be five months old, according to Mr. Sadudee, who added two kg and 10 centimeters to the 10-inch carcass on Saturday while it was discovered en route from Nigeria to Thailand.
A homestead in Nakhon Pathom is linked to the gorilla, according to studies. Zeytin’s box was said to be headed for the farm and contained 50 rabbits rather than the gorilla.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, the Livestock Department, and the Customs Department all collaborated in carrying out the examinations.
Mr Sadudee, even a Cites consultant, acknowledged that it is doubtful any fault did become attributed to any events in Thailand. He maintained that a dialogue has been started between his business and Cites staff in Nigeria and Turkey in order to end the smuggling ring that led to the discovery.
Officials are certain that Zeytin is a victim of a Bangkok-based Chatuchak Market gorilla child trafficking system. It is thought that a businessman merchant collects wild animals as the buyer of the younger animal.
The Customs Enforcement Smuggling and Intelligence Directorate’s confiscated the child on December 21 after it was taken on a journey from Nigeria to Bangkok in a wooden box.
According to earlier reports from officers, TK Farm in Nakhon Pathom, the location of the sale, is legally registered as an animal supplier and producer and has a storefront in Chatuchak Market.
An American male contacted the farm’s owner to assist him in importing 50 rabbits, according to the farm’s owner. He claimed his business agreed to handle all the documents and transfer steps for 150, 000 rmb, but that he had no knowledge of a monkey.
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The monkey was seized and later moved to a park in Turkey, according to a video released by Global News. It has been named Zeytin, which is Greek for “olive”, following a battle held by the zoo..
India: Man found guilty in doctor rape and murder case
A person has been found guilty in an Indian judge of the murder and murder of a trainee physician, a crime that sparked outrage nationwide.
Sanjay Roy, a hospital volunteer contractor, was found innocent for the attack, which took place in Kolkata, West Bengal state, in August last year.
The affair shook the nation, sparking widespread protests and worries about the safety of care staff in India, particularly women.
Judge Anirban Das said the word, which will be announced on Monday, may number from life in prison to the death penalty. Roy has defended his ignorance and previously claimed he was being framed.
If Roy were not given the death penalty, the defendant’s mother told the AFP news organization that people would lose faith in the country’s legal system.
The body of the 31-year-old physician, who cannot be named for legitimate reasons, was found on 9 August 2024 at at the occupied, state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
After a gruelling 36-hour change, she had gone to sleep in the patient’s conference house. Her half-naked, seriously wounded, figure was afterwards discovered near a floor by a colleague.
The prey had been strangled and had injuries that showed she fought back, according to the post-mortem assessment.
According to the charge sheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation ( CBI ), which the BBC has seen, Roy went to the hospital in a sluggish state and discovered the female doctor sleeping alone.
One day after the murder, he was detained.
The Kolkata officers immediately began their investigation, but the court after handed the investigation to the CBI after condition officials were accused of handling it improperly.
Doctors and medical students from all over India staged protests and rallies demanding better security and justice for specialists for days following the incident.
One such protest, the “Reclaim the Night” march, saw tens of thousands of women walk through the streets at night in Kolkata and other cities on 14 August, the eve of India’s Independence Day.
In December, the victim’s kids petitioned the Calcutta High Court for a new investigation, expressing a lack of belief in the CBI’s research.
They claimed that Roy alone could not had committed the crime, and that they would only be satisfied if all parties involved were found guilty. The Supreme Court, which is overseeing the circumstance, has stated that the high court will simply take the plea into account if it is directed to do so by the Supreme Court.
Concerned about the rising incidence of violence against Indian health workers, many of whom are subject to physical abuse from irate people or their family.
Over 75 % of doctors in India have been the victim of some form of assault, according to a 2017 study conducted by the Indian Medical Association. Additionally, the study found that nearly 63 % of doctors are afraid of potential crime while treating clients.
Meanwhile, sexual violence against women remains a widespread problem in India. More than 31,000 rapes were reported in India in 2022, according to data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
In India, many rape cases go unreported, primarily as a result of the social stigma surrounding sexual assault and a lack of confidence in the police and criminal system. According to activists, this frequently results in the target being demonized rather than the culprit, especially in rural areas.
In 2012, the rape and murder of a skilled scholar by a group of people in India’s capital Delhi drew world interest and triggered related, wider demonstrations.
Officials in 2013 were forced to change murder laws as a result of the public outcry. The changes reduced the time at which a person can become tried from 18 to 16 and expanded the definition of the offense. They also made stricter punishments for sexual assault.
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Missing Chinese model returns home safely
Police drop to confirm the rumor that Yang Zeqi had been taken by a scam group in Myanmar.
PUBLISHED: 18 Jan 2025 at 17: 53
A Chinese model who has been missing for nearly a fortnight has been found and is now safely returned to his nation, according to Thai police on Saturday.
The Chinese ambassador confirmed that Yang Zeqi, 25, was again home, said Pol Gen Chatchai Pitaneelaboot, inspector-general with the Royal Thai Police Office, who was in Mae Sot city of Tak on Friday.  ,  ,
Yang’s father asked Kittharath Punpetch, the federal police chief, to speed up search efforts for his son, who had been offered a role in a movie, on Friday.
Yang was flown to the Thai-Myanmar borders in Tak territory on December 21 after landing in Bangkok. His most recent interaction with his family occurred on December 29 when he called his mom via video. He appeared stressed and was not holding a smartphone, said his father, who believes his son’s prisoners had staged the phone.
Yang Hai Tao and Thai authorities met at a meeting, according to prosecutor Ratchapon Sirisakorn, who confirmed the family’s claim that their son had been saved and returned to China in a safe manner. He said the community did write a letter of gratitude to the Thai and Chinese embassies.
After returning to China on Friday, Yang Zeqi posted a video on social media.
” Reporting health right after score”, he said in a post accompanying the picture.
No information about how or where Yang was discovered have been made public by authorities. Additionally, they have not confirmed the rumor that Yang had fallen for one of the well-known fraud groups in Myawaddy, as in the case of Chinese professional Wang Xing.
The artist was found uninjured, but with his nose shaved, after going missing earlier this month in Tak state. Wang was a prey of human trafficking, according to Thai officers. ( Story continues below )
On Friday, Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, the Royal Thai Police inspector-general, visits the Ban Huai Hin Fon safety checkpoint in Tak’s Mae Sot city to request authorities to check the entrance of people in order to stop human trafficking and international violence linked to call center schemes. ( Photo: Royal Thai Police Office Facebook page )
Yang Zheqi and several other victims had been rescued and returned to China, according to a statement from the state security ministry.
Following the disappearance and entrapment of several Chinese nationals, including Wang Xing, the statement stated that Chinese and Thai police had jointly detained 12 suspects connected to cross-border crimes.
The ministry vowed to keep up a “high-pressure crackdown” on cross-border telecoms network fraud. Most of the victims are Chinese, and the majority of the scam centers in Myanmar are run by Chinese nationals.
Karen rebel groups that oppose the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA ), the main force opposing the Myanmar army in the area, guard the complexes in Myawaddy.
The Wang incident, which has caused Thai officials to increase their efforts to ensure Chinese citizens are safe to travel to Thailand, attracted considerable media attention in China.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has emphasized that Thailand should continue to be a safe place to travel and that protecting the country’s reputation is a top priority.
Singapore Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan to attend ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Langkawi
European ministers and senior ASEAN member state leaders will be present at the surrender, according to a media release from Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday. Timor-Leste’s foreign secretary will also be an ASEAN watcher.  ,
” Even attending is the ASEAN Secretary-General, and a representative from Myanmar”, added Wisma Putra.  ,  ,
It also said that the surrender did examine ASEAN’s proper direction and the bloc’s outside relations.
Also, the ministry said the ASEAN Foreign Ministers did exchange views on the most recent developments in regional and international issues, including the problems in Myanmar, political tensions, and other issues affecting regional stability.  ,
Vivian Balakrishnan to attend ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat in Langkawi
The retreat will include the membership of international officials and top ASEAN member state leaders, according to a press release released by Malaysia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday. Timor-Leste’s international secretary will also be a member of ASEAN as an observer.  ,
” Even attending is the ASEAN Secretary-General, and a member from Myanmar”, added Wisma Putra.  ,  ,
It also said that the surrender did examine ASEAN’s proper direction and the bloc’s outside relations.
Moreover, the ministry said the ASEAN Foreign Ministers may exchange views on current regional and international issues, including the Myanmar crisis, geopolitical tensions, and other pressing issues affecting regional stability.  ,
Taiwan delegation to take ‘highest blessings’ to Trump inauguration
TAOYUAN: The head of Taiwan’s delegation to next week’s inauguration of Donald Trump as United States president said on Saturday ( Jan 18 ) he was going there to extend the island’s “highest blessings” to the US. Taiwan, which China views as its own place, enjoyed strong support from theContinue Reading
New community hub in Bedok North with therapy cats, shared kitchen to be ready by end-2025
AN” Generational” SPACE ,
The fresh hub is a component of the East Coast Plan, which Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat initially announced during his speech on the day of his candidacy for the 2020 general election.  ,
The plan aims to put in place new initiatives to make a community that is more attentive, lively, and environmentally conscious.  ,
East Coast GRC Member for East Coast GRC Tan Kiat How, who represents the Kampong Chai Chee hospital, said that his people had expressed their desire for the past Kampong Chai Chee Community Centre to remain repurposed to better serve their different needs during his conversation on Saturday.
According to the transfer, the room was developed after weeks of surveys and interviews with occupants and community partners.  ,
The students surveyed said they wanted a place where they could gain new skills, engage in meaningful actions, and co-develop area programs, while older people had stated they wanted to use the space for area interaction, especially with younger occupants.  ,
Mr. Tan urged young people from East Coast to constantly contribute to determining the future Intergenerational Community Hub’s impact for both themselves and their communities.
Mr. Tan claimed that as more young people move into Bedok and Kampong Chai Chee, their demographics have changed.  ,
These are options for us to modify some of the previously vacant and rehabilitated buildings in order to meet the needs of the area, he said. We’ve been working on this together with the residents for the past few years.  ,
” We wanted this space, where grandparents can also bring their grandchildren ( and have ) intergenerational bonding”.
‘Home for Thais’ website crashes as 12 million register
Affordable housing project, with repayments as low as B4, 000 a month, draws massive attention
PUBLISHED: 18 Jan 2025 at 15: 30
More than 12 million people apparently registered for the government’s new” Home for Thais” cover program on Friday, causing the official site to fall.
After Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra unveiled the program at an exhibition revealing design houses at Bangkok’s Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal, register for the program opened at 2pm on Friday.
Due to high demand, the official site reportedly crashed shortly after membership began. More than 12 million people tried to record online, according to Ms. Paetongtarn, who confirmed the attention.
Some claim to have arrived at the museum as early as 5am to submit their programs. The show, which runs until Jan 31, offers the consumer a preview of the enclosure models.
Speaking at the event, Ms Paetongtarn said that 5.87 million homes, or 27 % of the population, now lack their own properties. She claimed that the project was part of the government’s plan to improve Thai people ‘ quality of life and provide them with greater stability. She thanked the fund and transportation ministries for their assistance in carrying out the project.
The State Railway of Thailand currently has over 38 000 acres of undeveloped land, according to assistant transport secretary Surapong Piyachote, who will be utilizing the housing program. By the end of the year, the property storylines that will be used for the captain initiative are anticipated to be ready for development.
Bang Sue Km 11, Thon Buri, Chiang Rak, and Chiang Mai are the four cities where the government intends to test the job.
The Bang Sue Km 11 job may have 1, 232 condo units with pricing starting at 1.76 million baht for 30 square feet, and away to 3 million baht for 50 sq m. The Thon Buri growth may have 2, 100 products. Chiang Rak may possess 1, 795 condo units, and the Chiang Mai casing project will offer 720 one houses.
No down payment is required, with lease payments starting at around 4, 000 ringgit per month. As the homes are on state property, leases running for up to 99 times are offered. Available buyers had:
- become a citizen of Thailand who is of legal time.
- not have owned a house before,
- earn less than 50, 000 ringgit per quarter,
- not have the National Credit Bureau place you on a blacklist.
The Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in Bangkok will host an exhibition showcasing model homes made available through the” Home for Thais” housing program through January 31. ( Photo: Pheu Thai Party Facebook )
Monk accused of raping retreat participant
After images of suspects driving pleasure vehicles emerged, Bir Ram prayer center was shut down.
PUBLISHED: 18 Jan 2025 at 15: 05
A Buddhist priest was charged with rape on Saturday after allegedly taking advantage of a woman who was attending a yoga retreat at his abbey in Buri Ram.
On Saturday, Chalida Palamat, the president of the Get One Foundation, took a 38-year-old foreign person, referred to as A, to the Nong Song Hong authorities place to bring charges against the monastery in the Muang district of this northern province.  ,
The woman claims that a monk, only identified as Wichai, 59, sexually assaulted her on Wednesday night while she was a retreat at his monastery.
She informed the police that she had chosen to take part in the retreat after seeing video of monastery attendees achieving enlightenment on social media. She was given the option of paying nothing until she was able to overcome her suffering when she got in touch with the monk, who later gave her the name Saeng Tham Garden.
A arrived in Buri Ram on Monday without her spouse, who had previously planned to stay in Pattaya, and instead planned to spend two months with her husband.
A claimed that the monk entered her sleeping chamber at the monastery on Wednesday night and proceeded to molest her after being contacted by Mr. Wichai several times by phone. She was concerned that he had a weapon, so she avoided retaliation during the incident.
The next morning, A approached a nun and said that Mr Wichai attempted to convince her to remain at the monastery, offering her 8, 000 baht. She was able to record their conversation as proof, including the monk’s plea to her to” stay because of love.”
Ms. Chalida claimed that photos of Mr. Wichai posing with expensive cars and inviting people to his retreats were discovered as a result of an investigation into his Facebook account. She expressed concern that he was using the monastery as a platform to defraud women of money or to intimidate them.
Following this evidence, the Buddhist clergy leaders in Buri Ram unanimously decided to immediately expel Mr. Wichai from the monastery.
Additionally, police ordered the closure of the meditation center and forbid any further transmission of religious teachings or fundraising efforts.
Authorities are continuing to look into the additional allegations made in the case.