Category: Politik

Public Car Park Charges To Increase From December

Starting from December, it will be more expensive to park at public car parks in Singapore, with rates for short-term and season parking to rise.

The new rates were announced in a press release issued by Housing and Development Board (HDB) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Thursday (Jun 30).

For public car parks outside of the restricted zone or outside designated areas close to the restricted zone, the parking charge will be raised by S$0.10 from S$0.50 to S$0.60 per half-hour. This applies to most residential areas in Singapore.

For public car parks within the restricted zone or within designated areas close to the restricted zone, the parking charge will increase by S$0.20 from S$1 to S$1.20 per half hour.

Season parking rates in HDB car parks will be raised as well. Season parking for the first car will increase by S$15 for surface car parks from S$65 to S$80 per month, and S$20 for sheltered car parks from S$90 to S$110 per month.

For non-residents buying a season parking pass or residents getting season parking for a second and subsequent parking lot, the rate will increase by S$25 for surface car parks to S$90 per month and by S$30 for sheltered car parks to S$120 per month.

There will be no revision to the parking charges for motorcycles as they were revised when per-minute charging and Concessionary Season Parking Ticket for motorcycles were introduced in July 2014 and January 2015, respectively, HDB and URA said.

From Dec 1, 2016, motorists using public car parks will have to use new coupons with the revised rates. The new coupons will be available for sale at HDB Branches/Service Centres, the URA Centre and coupon agents (e.g. all petrol stations, 7-11 outlets etc) from early October 2016.

Motorists can exchange their unused old parking coupons for new ones from early October 2016 onwards, by topping up the difference in value.

The last islandwide revision of car parking charges by HDB and URA was done 14 years ago in 2002, HDB and URA said.

“Over this period, the costs of building, operating and managing car parks have increased due to general inflation, as well as construction, manpower and other related maintenance costs. Car park charges have not kept pace with these cost increases. Therefore revisions are needed to ensure proper cost recovery,” the agencies said.

Source: ChannelNewsAsia

June 30, 2016
Damanhuri Abas: A United Malay Community Will Bring Out The Best In The Community Itself

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. A blessed gathering in a blessed month during the most blessed period on the night of the last 3rd of the month of Ramadan.

A simple graceful event bringing cross party representatives of the Malay community exploring collaboration and synergy to offer alternative and complementing approaches in addressing economic, educational and social challenges faced by the Malay community in Singapore. A pledge of commitment to serve the interest of the Malay community and celebrate the community’s strength in full cognizant of a multi-racial, multi-cultural and multi-religious Singapore. So much potential and opportunity when we focus on what unify us and our inherent strength within, rather than adopt a partisan antagonistic attitude.

The Malay community today is blessed with many capable and talented groups and individuals from all strata of the community and the wider society eager to come forward to contribute towards the growth and prosperity of the community. Several have already begun and made amazing contributions and sacrifices to help the vulnerable and lesser off in the community.

A vision of a strong and vibrant Malay community with deep rootedness to our culture and history yet progressive, embracing the diverse talents from all segments of the community from the Professionals, the Small businesses, to the Youth, the people in Arts and all ranks and file of the community. Harnessing the best within to produce the best the community can offer itself and the wider Singapore society. Majulah Singapura untuk Semua.

Source: Damanhuri bin Abas

June 30, 2016
Guan Eng Arrested For Corruption

Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission has issued a warrant for the arrest of Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng.

Penang Agriculture, Agro-based Industry, Rural Development and Health Committee chairman Dr Afif Bahardin tweeted at about 5.50pm Wednesday that Lim would be taken to the MACC office soon.

“Arrest warrant has been issued to Chief Minister by MACC officers, he will be taken to MACC HQ anytime soon #penang,” Dr Afif said.

DAP advisor Lim Kit Siang in a tweet said “Guan Eng arrested by MACC on two charges of corruption and will be produced in court tomorrow morning.”

Earlier, The Star Online reported that officers from MACC were at the Penang Chief Minister’s office in Komtar while Lim was chairing a meeting of the state executive councillors.

At 4.55pm, five to eight officers arrived at Lim’s office on Level 28. They entered a meeting room and waited inside.

It is learnt that the weekly state exco meeting was still going on at press time and there is a possibility that the officers are waiting to arrest Lim, who is DAP secretary general.

In a statement on May 25, the MACC said it has completed its probe into Lim’s Pinhorn Road bungalow purchase and submitted the investigation papers to Attorney-General Tan Sri Mohamed Apandi Ali.

The MACC had also said appropriate legal action would be taken if the A-G was satisfied with the explanation given by the anti-graft body in its investigation papers.

It was reported that Lim has been under investigation by the MACC for alleged corrupt practices involving the purchase of the bungalow on July 28 last year.

Source: The Star

June 30, 2016
Judicial Commissioner: SAF Officers In Dominique Sarron Lee’s Death Have ‘Statutory Immunity’

The two Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) officers sued by the family of the late Private Dominique Sarron Lee have “statutory immunity” against legal action, wrote Judicial Commissioner (JC) Kannan Ramesh.

In grounds released on Tuesday (Jun 28), JC Ramesh outlined why in March this year he had thrown out a negligence suit brought by the family of Pte Lee. The full-time national serviceman died from an acute allergic reaction to fumes released by smoke grenades during an exercise in 2012.

A Committee of Inquiry later found Captain Najib Hanuk Muhammad Jalal, Pte Lee’s platoon commander, had breached Training Safety Regulations (TSR) by detonating six smoke grenades – three times the limit specified in the TSR. The officers involved in the exercise were also punished with fines and delays in promotions.

IMMUNITY WHEN ACTION IS CONNECTED TO OFFICER’S DUTIES

However, since Captain Najib’s actions were “intrinsically connected to and a result of the execution of (his) duties in the conduct of the exercise … which he performed as (a) member of the SAF”, he is statutorily immunised from legal action, JC Ramesh wrote.

Under the Government Proceedings Act, members of the SAF “are not burdened by the prospect of legal action while training or while conducting operations”. This immunises members of the SAF from liability when an incident is connected with the execution of the member’s duties, the JC stated in his judgment.

In Pte Lee’s case, the actions of Captain Najib and Major Chia Thye Siong, the Chief Safety Officer for the drill, were connected to their duties in the conduct of the exercise, JC Ramesh wrote, dismissing the arguments of lawyers for Pte Lee’s family.

Mr Irving Choh, who acted on behalf of Pte Lee’s family, had argued the detonation of six smoke grenades – as opposed to the regular two – was an act that was “extraneous” to the scope of the officers’ duties – simply because it constituted a breach of the TSR.

ENLISTMENT NOT A “CONTRACT”, BUT A “DISCHARGE OF DUTY” MANDATED BY LAW

Besides Captain Najib and Major Chia, Pte Lee’s family also named the Attorney-General (AG) as a defendant in the suit. They claimed the AG had breached a contract under the Enlistment Act but JC Ramesh rejected this as well.

“There is no freedom in the formation of the relationship which one would see as a necessary ingredient in the formation of the consensual relationship that is a contract”, the JC wrote.

The enlistment of a serviceman is an act done as “a discharge of duty imposed on him” by the law, explained the JC. “Therefore, (Pte Lee’s family) could not sue the AG for breach of contract.”

Pte Lee died on Apr 17, 2012, after experiencing difficulty breathing following the detonation of six smoke grenades during an exercise.

He collapsed and lost consciousness, and was pronounced dead the same day. A Coroner’s Inquiry found Pte Lee’s cause of death was acute allergic reaction due to the inhalation of zinc chloride fumes released from the smoke grenades.

JC Ramesh ordered Pte Lee’s family to pay the legal costs of the AG (acting on behalf of the SAF) and the two officers, however this was later waived by the Ministry of Defence and lawyers for Captain Najib and Major Chia. No criminal charges have been brought against the officers involved, but the Ministry of Defence has said they have been dealt with, under military law.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

June 29, 2016
Religious Tensions Bristle In Myanmar Village After Mosque Destroyed

Scores of police have been deployed to guard a village in central Myanmar where religious tensions are running high after a Buddhist mob destroyed a mosque, authorities said Saturday (Jun 25).

It is the latest flare-up of anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar, which has seen sporadic bouts of religious bloodshed since 2012, with a surge of Buddhist nationalism presenting a key challenge for Aung San Suu Kyi’s new government.

The most recent violence erupted this week when an angry mob of around 200 Buddhists rampaged through a Muslim area of a village in Bago province following an argument between neighbours over the building of a Muslim school.

Own Lwin, the local police chief, said the atmosphere remained tense Saturday with around 100 police officers deployed to keep the peace.

“Last night, 50 police guarded the village to prepare for rumours that there might be more unrest. Now we have arranged a police force of up to 100 officers,” he told AFP, adding that no arrests have been made over the destruction of the mosque.

Win Shwe, the mosque’s secretary, told AFP that Muslim residents fear for their safety and are planning to move to a nearby town until the tension cools.

“Our situation is not safe and now we are planning to leave the village…We still feel afraid,” he told AFP.

Strident anti-Muslim sentiment has fomented across Myanmar in recent years, with outbreaks of violence threatening to unravel democratic gains since the former junta stepped down in 2011.

The worst religious violence struck central Myanmar and western Rakhine State, which is home to the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority, tens of thousands of whom still languish in displacement camps after rioting.

Hardline monks and Buddhist nationalists fiercely oppose moves to recognise the Rohingya as an official minority and insist on calling them “Bengalis” – shorthand for illegal migrants from the border with Bangladesh.

Suu Kyi, a vocal champion for human rights, has been criticised for not taking a stronger stance on the Rohingya or the abuse they face.

This month the UN warned that violations against the group could amount to “crimes against humanity”.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate, now leading Myanmar’s first civilian government in decades, has asked for “space” while her administration seeks to build trust between religious communities.

Source: ChannelNewsAsia

June 26, 2016