Bad Ingerleesh

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#1
Awareness - noun
Connect - verb
Take Precaution - ??

Nouns and verbs all mixed up in a rojak.

Women victims of violence offered help from new Singapore website

The portal contains information for women and concerned citizens about the types and cycle of violence.PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM ACTAGAINSTVIOLENCE.COM.SG

Malavika Menon

PUBLISHED NOV 30, 2020

SINGAPORE - Women who need help dealing with sexual assault, family violence, workplace harassment or other types of violence can now turn to a new website.

The portal, dubbed Awareness, Connect, Take Precaution or A.C.T Against Violence, contains details on who victims can contact and where they can get help.

Launched by the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations (SCWO) on Monday (Nov 30), it also contains information for women and concerned citizens about the types and cycle of violence.

At the launch event, Minister of State for Social and Family Development as well as Education Sun Xueling said: "The Government is determined to tackle the issue of family violence.

"This is why the Taskforce on Family Violence, comprising public agencies, the courts and community partners such as hospitals, family violence specialist centres, crisis shelters and family service centres, was set up earlier this year to create awareness of the issue, and provide better support to victims."

Ms Sun said community partnerships were important in the Government's efforts to keep every woman in Singapore safe.

In her speech, she also cited figures from the Family Justice Courts, which last year received more than 2,400 applications for Personal Protection Orders against an abusive family member. About 75 per cent of these were made by women.

"Through the website, women experiencing violence can receive more information, and make more informed choices to address their situation," she said.

Ms Sun added that bystanders and professionals can also go on the website and be equipped with the necessary resources to better support victims of violence.
SCWO president Junie Foo said the new site serves as a one-stop resource for all things related to violence against women.

She said: "The platform is aimed to increase awareness and understanding of different forms of abuse. We worked with the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Ministry of Home Affairs in piecing together essential information and helplines to aid victims and the community to take precautions against violence."

The website's launch comes amid a spike in cases of violence against women this year.

The SCWO saw a 10 per cent increase in callers requesting assistance during the circuit breaker. From April 7 to May 6, there were 476 police reports filed for offences commonly associated with family violence - 22 per cent higher than the monthly average of 389before the circuit breaker period.

Globally, the pandemic has intensified violence against women.

Ms Bandana Rana, vice-chair of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women Committee and a keynote speaker at the address, said Covid-19 has led to a surge in domestic abuse cases worldwide. She added that stunted social support services, a lack of intervention from neighbours and confinement at home with perpetrators of violence due to Covid-19 were some of the reasons for the rise in several countries.

In September, Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam announced a comprehensive review of issues affecting gender inequality that will culminate in a White Paper to be delivered in Parliament in the first half of next year.

Speaking at the start of a virtual dialogue on Sept 20, Mr Shanmugam said that while Singapore has taken great strides to level the playing field for women, gender equality remains a work in progress.

More information on the A.C.T Against Violence website can be found here.

 

[laksaboy]

Guess Malavika Menon is CECA or local Indian hussy?


https://sg.linkedin.com/in/malavika-menon

Malavika Menon
Current Student at Singapore Management University

Singapore Press Holdings Ltd
Singapore Management University

About
As a journalism scholar, my first and foremost motivation is to work for and as a part of society's fourth estate - The Press. With a keen interest in current affairs and diplomacy, as well strong public speaking skills, I aspire to take on new endeavors that will challenge and broaden my world view. Having lived in both developing and developed societies, as well as taken part in international diplomacy conferences, I aim to employ the interpersonal and intercultural skills that I have learnt to increase awareness and provide informed discourse on contemporary social issues.

Experience
Singapore Press Holdings Ltd
News Reporter
May 2016 - Jul 2016 3 months

Harry Elias Partnership LLP
Legal Intern
Oct 2014 - Nov 2014 2 months

Education
Singapore Management University
Bachelor of Social Sciences Political Science, Public Policy and Public Management
2015 - 2019

Activities and Societies: United Nations Students Association - SMU SMU Indian Cultural Society - President The Blue and Gold (SMU Editorial) - Writer

Christ Junior College
12th Grade degree Humanities and Arts stream
2012 - 2014

Activities and Societies: Social Science Association (Secretary) Cultural Association

----

https://www.christjuniorcollege.in

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christ_Junior_College

 

[mojito]

#1
Awareness - noun
Connect - verb
Take Precaution - ??

Nouns and verbs all mixed up in a rojak.

Women victims of violence offered help from new Singapore website

The portal contains information for women and concerned citizens about the types and cycle of violence.PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM ACTAGAINSTVIOLENCE.COM.SG

Malavika Menon

PUBLISHED NOV 30, 2020

SINGAPORE - Women who need help dealing with sexual assault, family violence, workplace harassment or other types of violence can now turn to a new website.

The portal, dubbed Awareness, Connect, Take Precaution or A.C.T Against Violence, contains details on who victims can contact and where they can get help.

Launched by the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations (SCWO) on Monday (Nov 30), it also contains information for women and concerned citizens about the types and cycle of violence.

At the launch event, Minister of State for Social and Family Development as well as Education Sun Xueling said: "The Government is determined to tackle the issue of family violence.

"This is why the Taskforce on Family Violence, comprising public agencies, the courts and community partners such as hospitals, family violence specialist centres, crisis shelters and family service centres, was set up earlier this year to create awareness of the issue, and provide better support to victims."

Ms Sun said community partnerships were important in the Government's efforts to keep every woman in Singapore safe.

In her speech, she also cited figures from the Family Justice Courts, which last year received more than 2,400 applications for Personal Protection Orders against an abusive family member. About 75 per cent of these were made by women.

"Through the website, women experiencing violence can receive more information, and make more informed choices to address their situation," she said.

Ms Sun added that bystanders and professionals can also go on the website and be equipped with the necessary resources to better support victims of violence.
SCWO president Junie Foo said the new site serves as a one-stop resource for all things related to violence against women.

She said: "The platform is aimed to increase awareness and understanding of different forms of abuse. We worked with the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Ministry of Home Affairs in piecing together essential information and helplines to aid victims and the community to take precautions against violence."

The website's launch comes amid a spike in cases of violence against women this year.

The SCWO saw a 10 per cent increase in callers requesting assistance during the circuit breaker. From April 7 to May 6, there were 476 police reports filed for offences commonly associated with family violence - 22 per cent higher than the monthly average of 389before the circuit breaker period.

Globally, the pandemic has intensified violence against women.

Ms Bandana Rana, vice-chair of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women Committee and a keynote speaker at the address, said Covid-19 has led to a surge in domestic abuse cases worldwide. She added that stunted social support services, a lack of intervention from neighbours and confinement at home with perpetrators of violence due to Covid-19 were some of the reasons for the rise in several countries.

In September, Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam announced a comprehensive review of issues affecting gender inequality that will culminate in a White Paper to be delivered in Parliament in the first half of next year.

Speaking at the start of a virtual dialogue on Sept 20, Mr Shanmugam said that while Singapore has taken great strides to level the playing field for women, gender equality remains a work in progress.

More information on the A.C.T Against Violence website can be found here.

They jus want to use the act cute acronym lah, but vocabulary limited.

 

[zeddy]

Malavika Menon look like one exotic beauty with a typical desi hairy pussy.

 

[micromachine]

"I am also worried about her job prospects if she takes up philosophy. How should I advice her?"

https://www.straitstimes.com/singap...ties-using-new-labels-on-their-old-programmes

Should be advise her, not advice her!!!!!!

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Junior college teacher some more...
Knight Ridder fellowship, woah....

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

A former teacher at JC.
Taught a generation of JC students to write "advice" instead of "advise".

 

[TerrexLee]

Looks like Claire needs to give these leeporters proper english lessons

 

[Leongsam]

Woman jailed for one year over fatal stabbing of husband
27-year-old mother is convicted of causing grievous hurt under grave provocation
Elena Chong
Court Correspondent

• Published
  Oct 11, 2016, 5:00 am SGT

A Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) senior human resource executive originally charged with killing her husband was sentenced to one year's jail yesterday for causing grievous hurt on grave and sudden provocation.
Vivien Teoh Yi Wen's sentence was backdated to her remand on Sept 1 last year, which means the 27-year-old mother of one could be released.
She admitted to the amended charge of fatally stabbing her husband, Mr Gordon Yeo Han Tong, 33, in the chest with a knife at their flat in Senja Road in August last year.

Court documents say he had physically assaulted her and threatened to kill her and their daughter, as their marriage had broken down .
When it was all over, Mr Yeo's parents appeared upset. His 60-year-old mother wept, calling the one-year sentence "unfair'' and accusing Teoh's family members, who were speaking to her briefly through the door of the holding area, of being "inhumane''.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Eugene Lee and Krystle Chiang said that on Aug 30 last year, Teoh had locked herself in the master bedroom with her 14-month-old daughter, and refused to let her husband in.


The couple were sleeping in different rooms and she was making preparations for divorce.
When she emerged later to get milk for the baby, her husband confronted her in the kitchen and asked why she had locked the door. He tried to block her path but she managed to get free and return to the room.
He followed her and pushed his way in, but they agreed to talk outside so as not to disturb the child.
Suspecting his wife of cheating on him, Mr Yeo snatched her phone to read the messages. He pinned her down and choked her while she swung her arms to get him to stop.

When he released her but refused to return the phone, Teoh kicked at him. He wrapped his arm around her neck in a chokehold while they fought over the phone, ending up in the kitchen toilet, where he pushed her head against the mirror.
He badgered her for her passcode, which she eventually gave and he started to read through her messages.
Teoh then went to get her child, who was crying. Carrying the baby into the kitchen, she went to the service yard, closed the folding doors and shouted: "Help, my husband is trying to kill me!"
Mr Yeo kicked the door open, causing the baby to fall and hit her head. He had a knife and ordered his wife to return to the master bedroom.
There, he started going through her phone and told her she had one last chance to confess.
Teoh admitted that she had been having an affair. Angered, he said he would kill her, their daughter and himself.
Subsequently, Teoh went to the kitchen to get ice for the child. She grabbed a knife and brandished it at her husband who told her to drop it. She refused and retreated to the master bedroom.
Mr Yeo also got a knife and went to the room. Husband and wife circled each other and when he kept on advancing, she swung her knife wildly at him, inflicting wounds including one that penetrated his heart.
Teoh then called her mother before leaving the flat with her daughter.
Mr Goh, who had 11 stab wounds on his torso and interscapular region, was pronounced dead at 1.19am by paramedics.
Teoh's lawyer Yusfiyanto Yatiman said his client was under an acute stress reaction and adjustment disorder at the time. He said she had been under emotional abuse from her husband for an extended period of time and that his sexual behaviour was perverse.
Calling it a sad and tragic case, District Judge Low Wee Ping said he hoped Teoh could find some solace and closure, to look after and bring up her daughter. Teoh, who was calm, responded several times with: "Thank you, Your Honour ."
The judge told her: "You will find that in time, this will come to pass, although, of course, it will be difficult, but I would wish you to look forward.''
Teoh could have been jailed for up to six years and/or fined up to $10,000 for the offence.

 

[Leongsam]

Woman assaults husband with potato peeler, golf club

The man's wife became enraged after he repeatedly came home late from work


by Asia Times staff April 11, 2019

Block 399 on Yishun Avenue 6, Singapore, where the incident happened. Photo: Google Maps

A 44-year-old Vietnamese woman was arrested after she flew into a rage and inflicted serious injuries to her 51-year-old Singaporean husband with a potato peeler and golf club. Her husband had arrived home late.
Zhong Zhengye and Phan Thi Ngoc Dung had been dating for nine years before marrying in September 2014, the Lianhe Wanbao (Singapore) reported Sunday. Zhong arranged for Phan and her daughter from a previous marriage to move to Singapore after their marriage.
Three years ago after they moved to a flat in Block 399 on Yishun Avenue, Zhong became very busy in his job as the head of business development in the company and his wife, who was a full-time housewife and only worked part-time jobs, became unhappy and frequently argued with him. The wife then started sleeping in her daughter’s room.
At 4 am on March 29, Zhong again arrived home after working late, which enraged his wife. She stabbed him with a potato peeler and hit him in the head with a golf club. Injured and bleeding severely, Zhong ran to the living room and called police while his 18-year-old stepdaughter restrained her mother.
Zhong was taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, where he was diagnosed with a cerebral hemorrhage and could not see out of his left eye. He underwent two surgeries on April 2 and 9, and had to return for check-ups.

 

[Leongsam]

Woman assaults elderly parents before police officers, hurls vulgarities and tears up statement
photo_library See 35 More Photos chevron_right chevron_left



CK Tan
Posted on 30 November 2017 | 49,670 views | 155 comments
A 33-year-old woman, Sng Yu Qin, got into a scuffle with her parents in their flat at Block 200 Toa Payoh North during a dispute on May 11, at around 6pm.
Sng continued hitting her parents in front of police officers who were dispatched to the scene, and also hurled vulgarities at the four officers when advised to stop.
During the incident, Sng allegedly hit her mother’s head, back, and kicked her in the nether regions, reports Shin Min Daily News.
She also reportedly kicked her father in his chest before the officers arrived.
When the officers arrived at the flat to mediate the situation at around 7pm, Sng hit her mother’s back in their presence.

She hurled vulgarities at the officers and demanded that they leave, before tearing up a police statement recorded from one of her victims.
In an official statement issued by the Singapore Police Force (SPF), it said that Sng, along with seven others were charged on Wednesday (Nov 29) with using abusive language and causing hurt to officers.
If found guilty of voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant in the discharge of his duty, they can be jailed up to 12 months and/or fined up to $5,000.
Those convicted of using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty can be jailed for up to four years and/or fined.
The police stressed that they take a serious view against people who obstruct the police officers from carrying out their duties or causing them harm.

Get more of Stomp's latest updates by following us on Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

 

[covertbriar]

https://tinyurI.com/5cvw5sxf

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

yUEN sIN don't give a f**k about abbreviations.

The formal name for the coronavirus is in capitals: COVID-19.
https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019

COVAX is an abbreviation for COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access.
https://www.who.int/initiatives/act-accelerator/covax

ASEAN is an abbreviation for Association of Southeast Asian Nations.


Budget debate: S'pore cannot be bought, bullied or intimidated into approving any Covid-19 vaccine, says Vivian

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan said Singapore will be an important reference customer when it comes to vaccines.
ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Yuen Sin

MAR 1, 2021


SINGAPORE - Singapore will make decisions regarding the approval of vaccines on the basis of science and healthcare needs, and will not be pressured when it comes to decisions on such matters, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan told Parliament on Monday (March 1).

"We cannot be bought, we cannot be bullied, we cannot be intimidated into either approving or disapproving any vaccine," said Dr Balakrishnan, who was speaking during the debate on the Foreign Ministry's budget.

"There will be pressure on us, there will be push and pulls, but we must conduct this just like another example of foreign policy, in a principled manner," he said in response to Workers' Party chairman Sylvia Lim (Aljunied GRC), who had noted that the distribution patterns of Covid-19 vaccines around the world reflected a certain power play along traditional alliances.

Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore will be an important reference customer when it comes to vaccines, precisely because the world knows that the country bases its decisions on science and healthcare needs, as opposed to other factors.

Ms Lim had also asked if countries joining the Covid-19 Vaccine Global Access (Covax) facility face any restrictions on reaching bilateral arrangements for Covid-19 vaccine purchases, and whether such bilateral arrangements will pose an obstacle to the success of the Covax programme, which aims to procure, equitably allocate and deliver two billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines by the end of this year.

Dr Balakrishnan explained that under Covax's global risk-sharing mechanism, countries with more resources, including Singapore, would make advance market commitments for the vaccines.

This would incentivise multiple pharmaceutical companies to develop vaccines in a timely manner, despite the significant business risk. "If there wasn't such a facility to pool risk and therefore incentivise this simultaneous rapid development of vaccines, we wouldn't be in this happy situation," he explained, referring to how promising vaccine candidates that Singapore and other countries had made advance purchase agreements for have now been approved by health authorities and are being used in various countries.

While putting money into the collective pot entitles Singapore to its fair share of Covid-19 vaccines on the basis of full market price, a "significant amount" will be committed to help support the less well-off countries, Dr Balakrishnan explained.

This ensures that there will be some vaccines available to countries around the world, especially for essential workers, preventing a situation where only countries who can afford vaccines have access to them.

He also clarified that Singapore's US$5 million (S$6.7 million) contribution to the Advance Market Commitment under the Covax facility, which ensures access to vaccines for developing countries, is not specifically earmarked for Asean.

Singapore has a separate Asean Covid-19 Response Fund, which it has also committed funds to, and which will be used based on needs within the Asean family, he added. It was announced in November that Singapore will contribute US$100,000 to the fund, which helps member states procure the medical supplies and equipment needed to combat the pandemic.

Over and above the contribution to the fund, Singapore has also separately been giving test kits, personal protective equipment, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machines for the detection of Covid-19, among other things, to governments and non-governmental organisations throughout the region.

"We have not beat our drums about it, but that good work has been done and it has been appreciated by our neighbours," said Dr Balakrishnan.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

Abbreviations!
REIT is an abbrevation for Real Estate Investment Trust and should be all in capital letters.


Keppel Reit seeks to raise $270m

FEB 19, 2021

Keppel Reit's manager yesterday proposed a private placement of between 235.6 million and 242.8 million new units at an issue price of between $1.112 and $1.146 per new unit to raise at least $270 million in gross proceeds.

The manager said in a bourse filing that it will use about $262.5 million, or 97.2 per cent, of the gross proceeds to partially fund the real estate investment trust's (Reit) $651.5 million acquisition of Keppel Bay Tower from sponsor Keppel Land, the property arm of Keppel Corporation.

The issue price range of between $1.112 and $1.146 per new unit represents an estimated discount of between 2.7 per cent and 5.6 per cent to the volume-weighted average price (VWAP) of $1.1783 per unit in the Reit for trades done the preceding market day on Wednesday and up to the time the placement agreement was signed yesterday.

Based on an adjusted VWAP of $1.1689 per unit, the issue price range represents an approximate discount of between 2 per cent and 4.9 per cent.

The adjusted VWAP subtracts an estimated advanced distribution of about 0.94 cent.

The manager proposed the advanced distribution to ensure the distributable income accrued by Keppel Reit up to the day before the issue of the new units is distributed only in respect of existing units. The manager expects to issue the new units on or around March 1.

After the advanced distribution, the next distribution will comprise Keppel Reit's distributable income starting from the day the new units are issued to June 30. Half-yearly distributions will then resume.

The manager said a further announcement on the actual quantum of the advanced distribution will be made in due course.

DBS, Citigroup Global Markets Singapore and BNP Paribas' Singapore branch are the joint lead managers and underwriters for the placement.

The private placement will be made to eligible institutional, accredited and other investors, the manager said.

It believes the private placement, in combination with debt financing, is an efficient and overall beneficial method of funding the Keppel Bay Tower acquisition.

"Apart from allowing for the participation of more potential institutional and accredited investors, the private placement increases the total number of units in issue and the unit holder base, which is expected to enhance the trading liquidity of the units," the manager noted.

The expected increase in Keppel Reit's trading liquidity would potentially enhance the Reit's weighting in indexes and represent a step towards further index inclusions, which may lead to stronger investor demand for the units, the manager added.

It will use around $4 million to pay professional and other fees and expenses incurred in connection with the proposed acquisition, private placement and loan facilities.
The remaining $3.5 million will be used to repay existing indebtedness and for general corporate and working capital purposes.

Keppel Bay Tower is a Grade A office building located near HarbourFront MRT station. It has a total net lettable area of about 386,600 sq ft, and comprises an 18-storey tower block as well as a six-storey podium block.

As at end-September last year, committed occupancy stood at 99.2 per cent.

The proposed deal is expected to provide accretion in Keppel Reit's distribution per unit of 2.7 per cent for the financial year ended Dec 31, 2019, and 2.9 per cent for the six-month period ended June 30 last year, on a pro forma historical basis.

The initial net property income yield is estimated to be 4 per cent, taking into account rental support.

THE BUSINESS TIMES

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

nG wEI kAI don't give a f**k about abbreviations.

The abbreviation for National Academy of Fine Arts should be in all capitals: NAFA
https://www.nafa.edu.sg/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanyang_Academy_of_Fine_Arts

The LASALLE website puts the name in all capitals:

"LASALLE College of the Arts provides education and inspiration to artists, creatives and performers. It is also renowned for being one of the most lively and vibrant venues for arts events and performances."

"LASALLE College of the Arts is registered with the Commissioner of Charities as an Institution of a Public Character (IPC)
©2020 LASALLE College of the Arts. Copyrights. All rights reserved."
https://www.lasalle.edu.sg/

Singapore to get first university of the arts, formed by alliance between Nafa and Lasalle

Both colleges are locally established arts intuitions which offer diplomas and degrees in various Asian and Western art forms.
PHOTOS: LIANHE ZAOBAO, NANYANG ACADEMY OF FINE ARTS

Ng Wei Kai

3 MAR 2021

SINGAPORE - A new university of the arts will be formed by an "alliance" between the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) and Lasalle College of the Arts, Education Minister Lawrence Wong announced on Wednesday (March 3).

"Because of the quality and standards that both Lasalle and Nafa have achieved, I'm happy to share that the Ministry of Education (MOE) will grant the alliance its own degree-awarding powers, and also confer it university status. So this will be our first university of the arts in Singapore," he said in Parliament.

Mr Wong elaborated that the new umbrella university will be private but will be supported by the Government, and that both Lasalle and Nafa will remain as distinct colleges offering their own programmes and retaining their distinct identities.

The move looks to create a more diverse range of opportunities for both students and faculty, he added, with more cross-institution modules and projects and the pooling of resources.

Degrees for Singaporeans and permanent residents at both colleges are subsidised by the Government now at rates comparable with those at autonomous universities here.

Last year, Nafa had an intake of 130 Singaporeans and PRs across its degree programmes, while Lasalle had about 300. In response to queries from The Straits Times, both said they had seen healthy demand for their degree programmes in recent years.

Lasalle's president Steve Dixon said: "The alliance between both parties will be strengthened with expanded central services, as well as academic governance and quality assurance systems enabling the awarding of degrees in the name of the university.

"It will drive synergies between both colleges, and enhance capabilities in areas such as student support and industry partnerships."

Both colleges are locally established arts intuitions which offer diplomas and degrees in various Asian and Western art forms, often in partnership with overseas universities such as Goldsmiths and the University of the Arts London. Nafa was founded in 1938 and Lasalle in 1984.

MP for West Coast GRC Foo Mee Har, who also spoke in Parliament on Wednesday, emphasised the quality of Singapore's home-grown institutions, mentioning Nafa as an example of one with excellent outcomes.

She said these institutions should be given degree-awarding powers independent of their foreign partners.

"Singapore can encourage private education institutes to fill talent gaps in specialised fields, and to build best-in-class capabilities in niche areas and thereby complement the broad-based education offered by a public system," she said.

The new university is also intended to have a social role beyond simply providing skills and expertise.

"We envisage the university to contribute more to cultural life in Singapore and the region, and offer a stronger value proposition to its students and stakeholders," said Mr Wong.

"I hope the new arts university will take tertiary arts education in Singapore to greater heights - enabling our youth with strengths and talents in this field to maximise their potential and contribute to our economy and our society."

No date has been set for the opening of the new university, which will be supported by both MOE and the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.

Ambassador Chan Heng Chee, chair of the National Arts Council, will head a committee overseeing the implementation of the new alliance.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

lIM mIN zHANG don't give a f**k about abbreviations.

MINDEF is the abbreviation for Ministry of Defence and is in all capitals!
https://www.mindef.gov.sg/web/portal/mindef/home

Am surprised the sHIT tIMES used "SAF" correctly instead of using "Saf".

NSF Dave Lee case: SAF regrets that commanders did not perform their duties well, says Mindef

CFC Dave Lee collapsed after completing an 8km fast march at Bedok Camp on April 18, 2018.PHOTO: ST FILE

Lim Min Zhang


JAN 28, 2021

SINGAPORE - The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) regrets that the commanders involved in the incident that caused Corporal First Class (CFC) Dave Lee's death in 2018 failed to ensure the well-being of soldiers under their care, said the Ministry of Defence (Mindef).

In a Facebook post on Thursday (Jan 28), Mindef said that commanders who breached training and discipline regulations in this incident "failed in their duties and have been dealt with accordingly".

"Safety of our soldiers is a core value and should never be compromised during training," it said.

It added: "CFC Lee was an exemplary soldier who served with commitment. His passing is a sad loss to his family and to the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). We express our deep condolences to the late CFC Lee's family."

The post came a day after State Coroner Kamala Ponnampalam issued findings into the full-time national serviceman's (NSF's) death, including how he died of heatstroke and that there was no basis to suspect foul play.

CFC Lee, who was 19, was a guardsman from the 1st Battalion Singapore Guards who collapsed after completing an 8km fast march at Bedok Camp on April 18, 2018.

Among the lapses in the incident was how CFC Lee, who was seen to be having difficulty walking and speaking after crossing the finish line at 8.25am, was evacuated only much later at 9.05am.

This delay in the evacuation was a contributing factor in CFC Lee's death, the court heard earlier this month.

Mindef reiterated the punishment that were dealt to seven commanders involved, including Captain Tan Baoshu, the supervising officer of the fast march, who was charged in the State Courts in October 2018 for causing the death of CFC Lee by a rash act.

The Courts granted him a discharge not amounting to an acquittal in January last year (2020) after he was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.

Six other servicemen, who were referred by the police to Mindef for investigation into breaches of military law, were convicted and sentenced in military court after pleading guilty.

"They are not fit for and have been removed from positions of command," said Mindef on Thursday.

Since the incident, the SAF has enhanced its heat injury management and prevention protocols in line with recommendations from external panels, added Mindef.

"The SAF will continually strive to improve our safety systems to achieve zero training fatalities even as we train our soldiers to defend Singapore against all threats."

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

jOLENE aNG also don't give a f**k to abbreviations.

The abbreviation for Singapore Hotel and Tourism Education Centre is SHATEC and is in all capitals.
http://www.shatec.sg/about-us/

S'porean worker at Shatec is only community case among 178 new cases

Customers at a hawker centre in Telok Blangah yesterday. The average number of unlinked cases in the community per day has increased to eight in the past week, from five the week before.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH

Jolene Ang

JUL 13, 2020


A 67-year-old Singaporean man, who is a non-teaching staff member at hospitality school Shatec, has been confirmed to have Covid-19 and is the only new case in the community as of noon yesterday.

The Ministry of Health (MOH) said the man had been detected as a result of its expanded testing regime. He had an onset of symptoms on July 6 and was confirmed to have the infection on Saturday.

He had gone to work at Shatec in Bukit Batok in between those days.

MOH also announced one imported case involving a permanent resident who returned to Singapore from India on July 6, and had been tested while serving a 14-day stay-home notice.

Migrant workers living in dormitories make up another 176 new cases, taking Singapore's total to 45,961 as of noon yesterday.

Of the new cases, 96 per cent are linked to known clusters, while the rest are pending contact tracing.

No new Covid-19 clusters were announced.

Four dormitories have been cleared through aggressive testing of migrant workers, and the clusters have now been closed, said MOH.

The dormitories are at Mandai Lodge I, 10 Kaki Bukit Road 1 #03-32, 3 Sungei Kadut Street 6, and 9 Defu South Street 1.

They now house only recovered individuals and those who have recently tested negative for Covid-19 infection.

• Update on cases
• New cases: 178
  Imported: 1 (PR)
  In community: 1 (Singaporean)
  In dormitories: 176
  Active cases: 3,650
  In hospitals: 182 (1 in ICU)
  In community facilities: 3,468
  Deaths: 26
  Patients with Covid-19 who died from other causes: 14
  Total discharged: 42,271
  Discharged yesterday: 259
  TOTAL CASES: 45,961

Among the new places visited by Covid-19 patients while they were still infectious that MOH listed yesterday were Rivervale Mall and the Lenskart outlet in Jurong Point.

The list can be found on MOH's website.

The ministry said close contacts would already have been notified, and that there was no need to avoid these places as they would have been cleaned if needed.

The average number of new cases in the community per day has increased to 16 in the past week, from 10 the week before.

The average number of unlinked cases in the community per day has increased to eight in the past week, from five the week before.

A total of 259 more patients were discharged, bringing the total number of recovered patients to 42,271.

Currently, 182 confirmed cases are still in hospital, with one of them in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

Another 3,468 are isolated and cared for at community facilities, which are for those with mild symptoms or who are clinically well but still tested positive for Covid-19.

Twenty-six people have died from Covid-19 complications in Singapore, and 14 patients who tested positive for Covid-19 died of other causes.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

jOLENE aNG does not believe in wasting time in pressing the Caps Lock key on her keyboard.

The abbreviation for Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore is IRAS, not Iras.
https://www.iras.gov.sg/irashome/About-Us/

Iras to send tax bills directly to some taxpayers instead of filing notices

Iras said that it will be sending tax bills directly to selected taxpayers instead of filing notices this tax season.
ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG

Jolene Ang

MAR 1, 2021

SINGAPORE - The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) will be sending tax bills directly to selected taxpayers instead of filing notices this tax season.

The vast majority of taxpayers who are already on No-Filing Service (NFS) - which means they are not required to file a tax return - do not make any adjustments to their income, deductions and reliefs when they receive their NFS notice before their tax bill, Iras said in a statement on Monday (March 1).

Under the new Direct Notice of Assessment initiative, taxpayers on the NFS scheme will get their tax bills directly when ready, the authority said.

"This is made possible as more income information is automatically included, and tax reliefs can be pre-filled for taxpayers," it said, adding that taxpayers can still object to the assessment if they want to make changes to their reported income and relief claims at that stage.

More taxpayers who are on the NFS scheme will get to enjoy this new service initiative progressively over the next few years, Iras added.

This scheme is among new initiatives by Iras to simplify tax filing.

Other improvements include commission agents and private-hire car/taxi drivers enjoying NFS and a new look for tax notices this year with improved design for easy reading.

Iras will be extending NFS to the self-employed taxpayers for the first time this year, benefiting eligible commission agents and private-hire car/taxi drivers who have joined the Pre-filling of Income Scheme.

Under the Pre-filling of Income Scheme, the self-employed taxpayers' income information is pre-filled in their tax returns.

The scheme will be extended to other groups of self-employed taxpayers progressively.

Such taxpayers eligible for NFS will receive an SMS notification from Iras. They do not need to file a tax return unless they wish to make any adjustments to their income details or relief claims.

They will receive their tax bills from May.

Iras will also be digitising most notices from May, with paper notices minimised.

The new notices will show simple steps that taxpayers need to take and feature an enhanced layout for better user experience.

In line with Iras' digital-first approach, about 720,000 taxpayers will be invited to receive their tax bills electronically this year, bringing the total number of taxpayers receiving electronic tax bills to over two million.

Taxpayers are encouraged to ensure that their contact details are up to date and indicate their notification preferences via the new "Update Notice Preferences" digital service on myTax Portal.

Iras also said that taxpayers who have been working from home can claim the incremental running expenses on electricity and telecommunication charges incurred for work purposes as tax deductions, if these expenses are not reimbursed by their employers.

Bills before and after working from home can be compared, with the difference to be claimed as a deduction.

If there is more than one taxpayer working from home, Iras will accept an equal apportionment basis in computing the amount of shared expenses across all working individuals in the same household.

Taxpayers will also have to retain expense records for five years and provide Iras with supporting documents upon request.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

The abbreviation for a Special Purpose Acquisition Company is SPAC, not Spac.

The associate editor vIKRAM kHANNA doesn't bother about abbreviations.
Monkeys see, monkeys do.
Can't believe that Dot is correcting the Ingerleesh of a newspaper's associate editor.
Vikram should get a new pair of specs.

Getting ready for Spacs
Singapore’s regulators and investors must be mindful of the risks and rewards of Wall Street’s latest fad.

Vikram Khanna
Associate Editor

The Singapore Exchange is considering allowing some version of Wall Street's hottest investment product.
PHOTO: ST FILE

FEB 24, 2021


Spacs, or "special purpose acquisition companies", might soon be coming to Singapore. The Singapore Exchange (SGX) is considering allowing some version of Wall Street's hottest investment product, which provides investors with an unusual route to taking stakes in innovative companies, to list in Singapore this year.

SGX is about to launch a public consultation exercise with financial industry players to assess the appetite for Spacs.

It had done this in 2010, but at that time, the reaction was lukewarm. But as SGX chief executive Loh Boon Chye pointed out in an interview with Bloomberg last week, "the world has changed. Capital markets have evolved". So has the start-up economy in Singapore and the rest of South-east Asia.

Blank-cheque companies

So what is a Spac? Basically, it's a shell company set up by venture capitalists and other professional investors (but lately, also by sports celebrities and former politicians) whose sole purpose is to raise money to buy other companies. Retail and institutional investors invest in the shell, without knowing what it will end up buying. They are betting on the savvy of the Spac's founders to find a great company of the future in which they can invest before it goes public. That's why Spacs are also called "blank-cheque companies".

While hunting for target companies, Spac founders are required to keep the money they have collected from investors in some safe and liquid asset such as short-term US Treasuries. The founders have two years in which to find their target, which is then merged with the Spac.

If they don't find a target, the public investors get their money back. If they do, investors can swop their shares in the Spac for shares in the new, merged entity. They may also get warrants, which give them the right to buy additional shares in the new entity at a 15 per cent premium after a holding period.

If the investors don't like the deal that was done, they can redeem their Spac shares and get back their original investment, plus interest, but they can keep the warrants.

This arrangement is seen as a way for investors to get exposure to high-growth companies at an early stage, which they usually would not be able to get via a traditional initial public offering (IPO), in which investment bankers allocate early shares to their big institutional clients. The average investor can typically buy shares of newly listed companies only on the secondary market, where the price is often higher.

As a reward for putting the deal together, the Spac promoters usually get about a 20 per cent stake in the merged company for a nominal price - typically just US$25,000 (S$33,000).

Spacs are now all the rage. According to the resource website SpacInsider, which tracks these investment vehicles, 248 Spac IPOs were done last year, compared with 216 from 2009 to 2019. This year looks even more promising. In just the last seven weeks, Spacs raised more than US$45 billion in funding - more than half the US$79 billion they raised last year.

Why spacs are hot

For companies looking for funding, Spacs have the virtue of being able to raise capital faster than a traditional IPO - a Spac transaction can be completed in six weeks, versus about six months for an IPO.

Speed is important because companies are unsure what market conditions will be like six months later - especially if stock markets are near record highs and vulnerable to crashing. Moreover, Spacs are cheaper for the company than an IPO, which involves a lot of paperwork and rigorous vetting.

Spacs also offer target companies greater certainty about how much funding they will get. In a traditional IPO, there is no certainty - the amount raised depends on the pricing of the IPO by investment bankers, based on their judgment of what the market will pay for shares in the company.

ST ILLUSTRATION: MIEL

IPOs are often mispriced. For example, an IPO that prices a company's shares at $10, which then pops to $13 on the day of listing, means the company could have raised $13 per share instead of $10. With Spacs, the amount of capital a company will raise is more certain.

Low interest rates are also Spac-friendly. After they buy into a Spac, investors may have to wait for two years before the Spac finds a target company to merge with. But with interest rates at close to zero and expected to remain there till at least 2023, investors don't mind much leaving their money tied up for two years, especially if they have a chance of making gains after a deal is done. Spacs are therefore seen as cash substitutes with a possible bonus.

The lure of South-east Asia

Spac sponsors see big opportunities in South-east Asia. The low-hanging fruit are the region's unlisted unicorns - companies valued at over US$1 billion - which include the ride-hailing, delivery and digital payments companies Grab and Gojek; the e-commerce giants Lazada, Tokopedia and Bukalapak; and the online travel services company Traveloka.

Some of these have ambitions to list and are already being courted by Spacs. Besides the unicorns, there are hundreds of other technology companies across the region that could be potential listing candidates. The success of the gaming, e-commerce and digital payments giant Sea Group - which has had a dazzling run on the New York Stock Exchange - has also whetted the appetites of United States investors in South-east Asian companies, which they had previously ignored.

Spacs could also be a growth opportunity for SGX, which has seen a spate of delistings in recent years, struggled to attract new listings and has also been hit by some high-profile failures or near-death experiences among its listed corporates such as Noble Group Holdings, Ezra Holdings, Hyflux, Midas Holdings, YuuZoo Networks Group and Eagle Hospitality Trust.

And SGX does not have much competition when it comes to becoming a Spac hub for the region. Its traditional competitor, the Hong Kong Exchange, has tough rules against "back-door" listings that would disqualify Spacs. Although these rules could change, Spac sponsors seem to prefer Singapore to Hong Kong as a potential listing venue. But SGX would have a lot of issues to consider before permitting Spacs to be listed here.

Mind the risks

While there will almost certainly be greater enthusiasm among Singapore's financial community for Spacs today compared with 2010, companies and investors would need to be wise to some of the risks associated with Spacs.

The risks for target companies include the possibility of their merger with Spacs being rejected by Spac shareholders as well as the risk of high redemptions of Spac shares, which would reduce the amount of funds the Spac would be left with to pay for the company. Although Spacs usually try to mitigate this risk by raising extra funding from institutional investors, there is still some risk.

Investors should be mindful of the risks of betting on the sponsors of Spacs rather than on the companies they buy. Many sponsors would be unknown to retail investors here.

Spac deals also involve less rigorous due diligence of companies than regular IPOs. The risk here may be compounded by the two-year time limit that sponsors have to identify a target and complete a merger. The deadline could result in sponsors finding a low-quality target company - just to get a deal done - and/or overpaying for the target they identify. The greater the number of Spacs relative to targets, the higher the chances of low-quality targets being chosen.

Targets should also be ready to go public - which involves having internal controls and compliance processes in place. Many South-east Asian companies are not ready, even if they have good businesses.

Investors should also be aware that they are, in effect, subsidising the sponsors of the Spac, who get to own 20 per cent of the target company - so about 20 per cent of investor funds goes to the sponsor. The stock price of the company bought by the sponsors would have to do extremely well for investors to make money, but the sponsors stand to benefit even if the stock price disappoints, because they paid virtually nothing for their stake.

There are cases where investors have made handsome gains following Spac acquisitions in the US, as in the space exploration company Virgin Galactic, the online sports betting firm DraftKings and the real estate digital platform Opendoor. But studies show that the majority of Spac acquisitions have not delivered positive returns for retail investors - especially those who do not, or cannot, redeem their shares in Spacs. Spac founders, by contrast, have almost always made huge gains.

While institutional investors will be familiar with these risks, retail investors and many potential target companies may not. A massive effort in investor education will be needed to explain the possible upsides and downsides before the Singapore market can be considered ready for Spacs.

If SGX decides to go ahead with allowing Spac listings, it will have some big decisions to make: among them, what minimum qualifications Spac sponsors will need to have, how funds collected from investors must be deployed before being injected into target companies, whether to mimic or modify the typical US model of allowing Spac founders to get 20 per cent control of Spacs at a nominal price (some US Spacs have modified this structure), and what rights retail investors will have.

It will need to strike a balance between avoiding regulations that are too onerous for Spacs - which would only result in listings of Spac-sponsored Asian companies migrating to the US - and also ensuring that investors get decent levels of protection.

If SGX gets it right, Singapore could become Asia's hub for Spacs, which would energise the venture capital industry, open up new avenues for funding innovative companies around the region and create a new asset class for investors in which risks and rewards are fairly balanced.