Category: Singapuraku

Rahayu Mahzam: Chance To Help Disadvantaged Families Hard To Resist

With her predecessor having spent about 14 years as Member of Parliament for her ward, Madam Rahayu Mahzam knows she has big shoes to fill.

Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob was elected into Jurong GRC in 2001, but will move to stand in the newly-constituted Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC in the coming General Election. Mdm Rahayu, who will take over the Bukit Batok East ward overseen by Mdm Halimah if elected, began volunteering there only recently.

“Mdm Halimah has put in a lot of hard work … and the results clearly show in the residents’ faces … They clearly adore her. It’s inspired me to maintain her high standards,” said Mdm Rahayu, 35.

As a lawyer specialising in family law and civil litigation, she has come across many disadvantaged families — a segment of society she is striving to get more help for.

“For instance, divorcing families whose problems are compounded … They don’t just face financial difficulties, but also issues with housing, and having to cope with the children,” said Mdm Rahayu at the press conference yesterday introducing the People’s Action Party’s candidates for Jurong GRC.

She added: “I’ve also seen families where both parents are incarcerated and the grandparents have to take care of the children. These are special cases and there’s always room to improve policies in this aspect.”

Mdm Rahayu has sat on the board of the Singapore Muslim Women’s Association, volunteered in legal clinics organised by Muslim Converts’ Association (Darul Arqam), and helped mentor youths as a volunteer probation officer with the Ministry of Social and Family Development.

Asked what legislative issues she would champion, she cited the Family Justice Act and Women’s Charter as laws she felt has room for improvement.

When she was approached to enter politics, her husband, who works in the Attorney-General’s Chambers, asked: “What can you do in politics that you’re not already doing now?” The question, Mdm Rahayu revealed, made her pause.

But the prospect of a bigger platform to make changes “on a larger scale” called out to her. “And because I’m with a party that has the mechanisms already in place and … a strong track record … I’m able to reach out and do more (for the community),” she said. TOH EE MING

FACT FILE: Rahayu Mahzam, 35, Partner at the law firm of Heng, Leong & Srinivasan

• Formerly a deputy registrar of the Syariah Court from 2013 to 2015

• Sits on the National Library Board, the Malay Language Council and the National Youth Fund Advisory Committee.

• Graduated from the National University of Singapore in 2003 with a Bachelor of Laws

SHE SAID: “I am passionate to help these disadvantaged families. I feel that it is important to have strong and holistic support for these families so that they can overcome their difficulties.”

Source: www.todayonline.com

August 21, 2015
Lim Biow Chuan Introduced As PAP Candidate For Mounbatten SMC

Lawyer Lim Biow Chuan will stand again as the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) candidate in Mountbatten in the coming General Election (GE), the party announced on Friday (Aug 21).

Mr Lim was introduced as the candidate for Mountbatten by Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin at a press conference outside the PAP branch at Old Airport Road.

Said Minister Tan on the incumbent MP: “We worked together in the town council. How you administer the sinking funds are very important. This is when you begin to realise how important financial prudence is. It’s about managing future needs.

“By understanding our people’s needs, we can think about how to meet those people’s needs at the local level, and champion them at a national level, which is what Biow Chuan has been doing. Not just the concerns of Mountbatten residents, but the concerns of all Singaporeans.”

Mr Lim, 52, was a Member of Parliament (MP) for Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency (GRC) from 2006 to 2011, before his Mountbatten ward was carved out as a Single Member Constituency (SMC) for the last GE in 2011.

Mr Lim went on to secure 58.62 per cent of the vote against fellow lawyer Jeannette Chong-Aruldoss of the National Solidarity Party (NSP).

Ms Chong-Aruldoss has already confirmed she will contest the Mountbatten seat again this year, albeit under the Singapore People’s Party (SPP) banner.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

August 21, 2015
Amy Khor To Defend Hong Kah North SMC For PAP

The People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Amy Khor will defend her Hong Kah North seat in the coming General Election (GE).

Dr Khor, 57, served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Hong Kah Group Representation Constituency (GRC) from 2001. For the last GE in 2011, her ward was hived off as a Single Member Constituency (SMC).

Dr Khor is the Senior Minister of State for Health and for Manpower. She also serves as the Deputy Government Whip. Prior to entering politics, Dr Khor was a lecturer at the National University of Singapore from 1989 to 1999.

At the last GE, she defeated Singapore People’s Party (SPP) candidate Sin Kek Tong with 70.61 per cent of the vote. This time, the SPP has declared it will contest the Hong Kah North seat once again.

The Democratic Progressive Party’s (DPP) secretary-general Benjamin Pwee has earlier said the “best candidate” from his party’s partnership with the SPP will be fielded, but SPP later clarified that its alliance with DPP does not extend beyond a joint team for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

August 21, 2015
SDA Establishes Alternative Association For Taxi Drivers

Members of the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) have registered a new Singapore Cabbies Association (SCA), aimed at protecting the rights and welfare of taxi drivers here.

The SCA will serve as an “alternative” to the National Taxi Association (NTA), said founding adviser and SDA chairman Desmond Lim, by fighting for stronger regulation of third-party applications such as Uber, enhancing training for taxi drivers and public education.

For example, it wants the authorities to push for Uber drivers to undergo formal training and comply with the same regulations as taxi drivers, and ensure Uber drivers have up-to-date Medisave contributions to renew their vocational licences.

Added founding president and SCA assistant treasurer William Lim: “The NTA is only one single association. The Land Transport Authority (LTA) and taxi companies are not taking into consideration their suggestions enough.”

Mr William Lim, a full-time taxi driver, said the SCA also intends to engage veteran taxi drivers and traffic police officers to provider training for new cabbies. The current training that taxi operators provide is very basic, he said.

The 200-member-strong association also plans to offer legal advice and financial education for cabbies, and educate the public on, for instance, the safe spots to flag cabs.

The SCA’s annual membership is open to taxi drivers who hold valid taxi driver vocational licences and costs S$60. Mr Desmond Lim submitted the application to the Registry of Societies yesterday.

When contacted, NTA executive adviser Ang Hin Kee told TODAY many agencies and authorities, including the LTA, Traffic Police and Central Provident Fund Board, work with the NTA because of its existing vast network and membership. “Importantly, there is an ongoing, continual effort on our part to reach out, so it is not a once-off event,” said Mr Ang, who is a Member of Parliament for Ang Mo Kio GRC.

While Mr Ang did not directly comment on the SCA, he questioned: “What do you bring new to the scene? … I still feel it is may be more effective (if) we can channel our resources through existing networks so that (NTA) can benefit the drivers.”

Mr Ang added that the NTA is looking to leverage technology and work with companies managing third-party booking apps to facilitate better matching of cabbies and commuters.

Source: www.todayonline.com

August 21, 2015
Engineer And Property Agent Fined For Selling E-Cigarettes Online

An engineer and a property agent who imported and sold electronic cigarettes online were fined a total of $31,000 yesterday.

Francis Chue Kar Fatt, 33, was fined $16,000, while 32-year-old property agent Zhang Zhaoming, was fined $15,000 after they each pleaded guilty to 10 charges.

Two of Chue’s charges were for obstructing an authorised officer by deleting the www.thaivape.com website and a PayPal account which housed the evidence to all the e-cigarette sales transactions.

Another four were for selling and importing e-cigarettes with Zhang.

Following online surveillance of online electronic cigarette peddlers, Health Sciences Authority officers raided the Woodlands home of Chue and his wife, Ms Rattikan Khamtong, a 29-year-old Thai national, on Jan 7, 2013, for allegedly offering e-cigarettes for sale on the website.

They seized e-cigarettes, related peripherals and SingPost receipts.

Investigations showed that Ms Khamtong instructed her husband to delete the website while officers were conducting the search. She gave him her username and password and he did it from his office laptop at his office at Land Transport Authority at Sin Ming Drive.

On July 18, 2013, when HSA officers raided Zhang’s home in Sengkang, Chue deleted the PayPal account which contained e-cigarette sales transactions from the website.

Investigations showed that despite knowing it was an offence to deal in e-cigarettes, Zhang was still keen on the business. He started the e-cigarette online business with Chue’s help sometime in June. They agreed on the terms of the business and a profit-sharing arrangement.

The court heard that the goods were ordered online and payments made via Zhang’s credit card. The e-cigarettes were sold to customers at between $55 and $110 a set.

A warrant for the arrest of Ms Khamtong was issued last month.

Both men could have been fined up to $5,000 on each charge of selling or importing. For obstruction, Chue could have been fined up to $10,000 and/or jailed for up to 12 months per charge.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

August 21, 2015