Category: Singapuraku

Penal Recidivism Rate Is Increasing

The proportion of former convicts returning to prison has been rising, according to latest statistics released by the Singapore Prison Service (SPS) on Friday.

Figures show that close to three in 10 inmates released in 2012 went back to jail. The rate is the highest in at least nine years.

The SPS provides recidivism figures for a cohort of former inmates two years after they are released. The penal recidivism rate for the 2012 cohort is 27.5 per cent, compared to 27.0 per cent for the 2011 cohort and 23.3 per cent for that in 2010.

The statistics also show that fewer drug abusers released from Drug Rehabilitation Centres (DRC) in 2012 went back to their old habits. The recidivism rate for the 2012 release cohort was 28.3 per cent, down from 31.1 per cent in 2011.

Overall, fewer people were admitted into prison and DRC last year. There were 11,595 convicted penal admissions in 2014, compared to 12,744 such admissions in 2013 and 12,530 in 2012. DRC admissions meanwhile dropped from 1,384 in 2012 and 1,364 in 2013 to 1,139 admissions last year.

The prison service said various measures have been put in place to strengthen incare and aftercare programmes and ensure a holistic, throughcare approach towards rehabilitation.

Director of SPS’ rehabilitation and reintegration division, Ms Lee Kwai Sem, said: “SPS takes an evidence-based approach in our rehabilitation programmes, where the needs of ex-offenders in the areas of criminal thinking, employment and family support are targeted. The public’s support is critical in their reintegration journey. However, the ex-offender himself must also be motivated to change.

“Ex-offenders who are committed to positive change have access to resources through our community partners in areas such as employment assistance and social support.”

Last year, there were 4,433 employers registered with the Singapore Corporation of Rehabilitative Enterprises to provide job opportunities for inmates, up from 3,876 employers in 2013 and 3,457 in 2012. A total of 4,245 inmates were also engaged in work programmes in prison last year, up from 4,200 in 2013 and 4,183 in 2012.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

January 24, 2015
27 National Servicemen Struck By Stomach Ailment

A total of 27 servicemen were treated for symptoms of Gastro-Intestinal Disease on Thursday (Jan 22) at Clementi Camp Medical Centre, the Defence Ministry (MINDEF) confirmed on Friday.

MINDEF said the soldiers’ conditions are stable and all of them have been discharged from the medical centre. They have since been given light duties, MINDEF added.

The ministry said the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) takes the safety and well-being of its soldiers “very seriously”, and investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.

“The unit has also taken precautionary measures to prevent the spread of this disease by ceasing cookhouse operations, disinfecting dining and communal areas, and enforcing good personal hygiene practices. The SAF will continue to monitor the situation closely,” MINDEF said.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

January 24, 2015
James Raj Arokiasamy aka the Messiah Pleads Guilty To 36 Charges Of Computer Misuse

Hacker James Raj Arokiasamy, who goes by the moniker “Messiah”, has pleaded guilty to 39 charges of computer misuse for hacking into the web servers of Fuji Xerox, a fan site of popstar Sun Ho and government-related websites in 2013.

The 36-year-old had faced a total of 162 charges, of which 39 computer misuse charges and one charge for drug consumption were proceeded with. The remaining 121 charges will be taken into consideration for his sentencing. Deputy presiding judge S. Jennifer Marie adjourned sentencing to next Friday (Jan 30).

The prosecution, which described James Raj’s offences as “the largest, most prolific cyberattacks … against IT systems in Singapore”, asked for five to six years’ imprisonment, while defence lawyer M Ravi sought a jail term of four years.

Today, a district court heard that James Raj performed a series of seven high-profile cyberattacks between March and November 2013, six of which were committed within a span of two months.

On Oct 17, 2013, he defaced a web page of the People’s Action Party Community Foundation (PCF) with a hooded figure accompanied by the word “HACKED”.

His other actions included illegally accessing and modifying content on servers of the Ang Mo Kio Town Council’s website, The Straits Times blogs, a fan site for popstar Sun Ho, who is also the wife of City Harvest Church’s founder Kong Hee, and Fuji Xerox. The Fuji Xerox hack attack compromised a server containing confidential data belonging to 650 of Standard Chartered Bank’s clients.

The attacks had stirred public anxiety, with government agencies raising vigilance after James Raj published an online video threatening that infamous hacker group “Anonymous”, which he claimed to be part of, would “go to war” with the Singapore Government.

Affected organisations spent about S$1.36 million to repair their computer systems, the court heard.

Deputy Public Prosecutor G Kannan said James Raj was a serial offender whose acts warranted a sufficiently severe sentence to deter re-offending.

“The offences involved a significant degree of premeditation and were committed in a highly sophisticated manner … It was easy and will remain easy for him (to do it again),” said
Mr Kannan.

Defence lawyer M Ravi contended that the acts were “highly amateurish” and had not resulted in any physical damage or theft of intellectual property.

“(James Raj’s) acts helped to identify weaknesses in the networks which could have, in time, been destroyed by people with far more malicious intent,” Mr Ravi added.

Source: www.todayonline.com

January 24, 2015
Zaqy Mohamad Opts Out Of PAP’s CEC Due To Conflict Of Interest

People’s Action Party (PAP) backbencher Zaqy Mohamad will not join the ruling party’s top decision-making body due to a conflict of interest.

Mr Zaqy had been co-opted by the PAP’s 18-member central executive committee (CEC) earlier this month, but has since informed the body that he cannot take up the appointment, according to a statement issued by CEC organising secretary Chan Chun Sing on Friday.

This is because Mr Zaqy’s employer, Ernst & Young, is the PAP’s current auditor.

In his place, the CEC will co-opt backbencher Baey Yam Keng to its ranks, said the statement.

Both Mr Zaqy and Mr Baey are serving their second term in Parliament.

The PAP CEC is made up of 12 elected members, who were chosen by PAP cadres at the party’s conference last December, and six co-opted members.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

January 23, 2015
Singapore Is Most Liveabe City In Asia For Expatriates

Singapore remains the most liveable city in Asia and the world for expatriates while Hong Kong slips to the 33rd place from 17th in the global ranking of expatriate living conditions published by ECA International.

In Asia, Kuala Lumpur and George Town both ranked 16th in Asia and 118th in the world, while Johor Baharu 21st in Asia and 126th in the world.

In 2014, Kuala Lumpur was 16th, George Town (17th) and Johor Baharu (21st) in Asia.

ECA International regional director – Asia Lee Quane said: “Good air quality, solid infrastructure, decent medical facilities, low crime and health risks have contributed to Singapore maintaining its position at the top of the global ranking for quality of living for Asian assignees.

“The fact that Singapore comes out top time and time again does make it a very attractive proposition for companies looking to set up in offices the region, particularly when conditions in Hong Kong (Singapore’s archival for the past few years) have deteriorated a little.”

Updated annually, ECA assesses 450 locations worldwide on the quality of living based on climate; availability of health services; housing and utilities; isolation; access to a social network and leisure facilities; infrastructure; personal safety; political tensions, and air quality.

Singapore is followed by Sydney and Adelaide in the ranking for Asian assignees.

In mainland China, Shanghai, ranked 110th globally, is China’s most liveable city followed by Beijing (122nd).

Scores have remained steady across most Chinese locations but Chongqing and Shenzhen saw the highest improvement over the year.

In India, Bangalore, ranked 171st globally scores most favourably followed by Mumbai and Chennai. New Delhi (204th) is the least liveable.

Along with Beijing, Delhi has the worst score for air quality not just in Asia but globally.

In Thailand, the declaration of martial law has led to a worsening in socio-political scores for locations there, plummeting Bangkok and Chang Mai both to the 112th spot, down from last year’s 108th.

Source: https://sg.news.yahoo.com

January 23, 2015