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LBW Structurally Certifies HDB Flats In Own Ward
Khatib Court is a HDB BTO project launched in September 2013 [Link]. It is sited next to the Khatib MRT station. The development consists of two 14-storey residential blocks and offers 310 units of Studio Apartments and 3-room flats. The expected completion date is in 2nd quarter of 2017.

Specifically, it is located at Yishun Neighbourhood 8, part of Nee Soon South ward. Nee Soon South generally encompasses Yishun Neighbourhood 8 (Khatib), part of Neighbourhood 7 and private residential areas along Sembawang Road (near Sembawang Army Camp).

Nee Soon South used to be an SMC but was absorbed into Ang Mo Kio GRC in 1997 after SDP narrowly lost there in 1991 GE. It remained in Ang Mo Kio GRC till 2011 GE when it was merged together with other wards in Yishun to form the present Nee Soon GRC.

The PAP MP specifically in-charge of Nee Soon South is Er Dr Lee Bee Wah. She is also the grassroots adviser there [Link].

The reader who forwarded the information on the BTO project at Khatib highlighted that the C&S (Civil and Structural) engineering service has been awarded to LBW Consultants LLP, a consultancy owned by MP Lee Bee Wah [Link]:

Ms Lee was a Malaysian before she became a Singaporean MP. Her consultancy firm, LBW Consultants, provides “civil, structural, project management and golf course design services” while her other company, LBW Engineering, provides turnkey solutions and product distribution for satellite communications.

In fact, her companies have a lot of experience participating in numerous residential, commercial, industrial and institutional projects in Singapore [Link]. They even include military ones:
- Proposed Airport Emergency Services (AES) Training / Live-Fire Fighting Facilities at Paya Lebar Airbase
- Proposed Upgrading of Khatib Camp
- Proposed Upgrading of Kranji Camp
- Proposed Upgrading & Renovation of Hangars in Sembawang Air Base
- Proposed Upgrading of School of Ammunition in Rifle Range Road Camp II
- Proposed Upgrading of Airfield Ground Service Section in Sembawang Air Base
Last month, it was reported that she intends to set up 50 more designated public spots in Nee Soon South, where smokers can smoke (‘More light-up shelters to curb second-hand smoke’, 28 Jan). It was reported that the decision was made, “following a successful year-long pilot scheme”.

Six shelters for smokers have been erected during the pilot. The shelters were funded by NEA with the objective of reducing second-hand smoke in Nee Soon South.

To see how “successful” the pilot scheme has been, TRE sent a correspondent to Nee Soon South to take a look at the smoking shelters during lunchtime on 3 Feb. It didn’t appear to be as “successful” as what Ms Lee had told the media, observed the correspondent (‘Countering LBW’s claim smoking shelter scheme works‘).

In any case, it should be comforting for the new residents of Khatib Court to know that their HDB flats are structurally being certified by their very own MP, Lee Bee Wah.

UPDATE:

Since last year (2014), Ms Lee’s consultancy has been merged with Meinhardt Group International:
February 18, 2015
NSP: For Benefit Of Residents, Do Not Politicise Town Councils

The National Solidarity Party (NSP) has called on the government not to penalise residents Aljunied residents, tighten the framework of the Town Council Act and to depoliticise town councils so that it does not hinder the ability of MPs to serve as the people’s representatives.

The remarks were made in a statement issued by NSP’s new secretary-general Mr Tan Lam Siong, in the wake of the parliamentary debate on the financial audit by the Auditor-General’s Office (AGO) on Aljunied Hougang Punggol East Town Council’s (AHPETC) accounts.

NSP called on the government not to withhold the service and conservancy charges (S&CC) grant to AHPETC in the light of the adverse findings by AGO, but instead to continue disbursing the grants to let AHPETC pay for essential services.

“As it is, the collection of S&CC charges from residential and commercial units is insufficient to cover all town council expenses and hence a government grant is required,” wrote Mr Tan. “Any withholding of the S&CC grant amounting to S$ 7 million per year will therefore affect residents if AHPETC is unable to pay for essential services.”

NSP also supported the move to enforce greater standards of accountability and governance, but said that this should not lead to a penalty framework in the management of town councils that would impact on town councillors who are, first and foremost, Members of Parliament.

“A MP’s fundamental duty is to represent his constituents who elected him or her and to participate in the functions of Parliament,” said Mr Tan. “This duty cannot and should never be subjugated to any other duty. By putting in place a penalty framework in relation to town councillors who are also MPs, the concern is whether such a framework would lead to their secondary role as town councillors overshadowing and undermining their primary role as MPs.”

NSP also noted that the constant accusations of an un-level playing field and political bias, which opposition MPs have often raised against the government.

“NSP hopes that the government will re-examine the political wisdom of the notion that the competency of political parties aspiring to form the national government can be tested through their management of town councils,” said Mr Tan. “Such a notion has no empirical basis. The ability to manage a town council and the ability to govern the country have no correlation whatsoever. Any suggestion of a correlation would imply that the best people to govern the country are town planners and estate managers, which cannot be true.”

Mr Tan recalled that the first generation of government leaders were “fully capable of governing the country” although they were by no means managing town councils, and they have depended on a politically neutral civil service to fulfil that task.

“NSP urges the government to consider allowing town councils to be managed by a statutory board or a centralised agency instead,” said Mr Tan, “so that residents will not only benefit from a seamless continuation of all services when there is a change of town councillors who are MPs from a different political party but also from lower S&CC charges because of economy of scale.”

“Residents will be spared the vagaries of a political change in what is essentially a municipal function that can be performed by those equipped with the knowledge and skills to manage estates. If the management of town councils continues to be politically charged, public confidence in our political system will continue to be eroded.”

Source: www.theonlinecitizen.com

February 18, 2015
Australia Mulls Tougher Food Screening After Berries From China Were Linked To Hepatitis A Infections

SYDNEY: Tougher food screening measures could be introduced in Australia with frozen berries from China linked to a growing number of hepatitis A infections, Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce said Wednesday (Feb 18).

Nanna’s and Creative Gourmet brand raspberries and mixed berries have been recalled after they were linked to four infections in New South Wales and Victoria states, with poor hygiene and contaminated water at their packing factory thought to be responsible. Since then more infections have emerged in Queensland and Western Australia, with the government confirming at least 13 cases nationally so far.

Asked whether the scare demanded more controls on imports, Joyce said: “That might be a consequence of a review that is being undertaken. “The health ministers (of states and territories) are discussing this issue right now,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

Joyce also called for a strengthening of Australian labelling laws on food products and urged consumers to buy local produce. “We have stronger laws, we do have stronger oversight to make sure we have a cleaner, green product than what comes in from overseas,” he said.

“That’s why you pay a premium for Australian product … I want to make sure that when you pick up something, you can look at the can and say ‘this is Australian’. It’s slightly dearer but by gosh it’s safer.”

However, Prime Minister Tony Abbott was cool on labelling changes, warning it could impose more regulation on business. “The bottom line is that companies shouldn’t be poisoning their customers,” he said.

Hepatitis A is a viral disease that affects the liver, causing abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue and jaundice. It has an incubation period of up to 50 days.

Australian regulators currently consider imported frozen berries ‘surveillance foods’ – meaning they are tested at a rate of only five percent of all consignments for 49 agricultural chemical residues, as well as packaging and labelling requirements.

The recalled products were packed in China and contained raspberries, strawberries and blackberries grown there, and blueberries from Chile. The Department of Health said the source of the hepatitis A virus was still unconfirmed, but added: “The berries are the only common exposure for all cases.”

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

February 18, 2015
Danish Authorities Underestimated Terror Threat

STOCKHOLM (AFP) – A Swedish cartoonist believed to have been the target of one of the deadly Copenhagen shootings said Tuesday that Danish police had underestimated the terrorist threat since January’s Paris attacks.

“The attacker had good weapons, he had better weapons than the police,” Lars Vilks, who has been forced into hiding since the weekend shootings, told AFP.

“There was an escalation since the Charlie Hebdo attacks (in Paris) and the Danes had not caught onto that,” he said.

Vilks was among those attending a debate on Islam and free speech at a cultural centre attacked on Saturday by a gunman who also targeted a synagogue in a rampage that left two people dead and five wounded.

The assaults came just weeks after the Paris attacks last month by Islamist gunmen on the Charlie Hebdo satirical weekly and a kosher supermarket that left 17 people dead.

“They did not step up security on Saturday. It was the same as we had previously… they must consider whether they need to be better armed,” the 68-year-old cartoonist said.

Vilks, who had his own security detail at the event, emerged unharmed after the gunman fired off dozens of rounds outside the centre.

But he conceded that it was “easy with hindsight” to say that the police could have done more.

Vilks – who has faced several death threats since his cartoon portraying the Prophet Muhammad as a dog was published in a Swedish newspaper in 2007 – has lived under police protection since 2010.

Swedish police said Monday they had moved the artist from his home in the south of the country to an undisclosed “safe” location.

Vilks said that despite the threats he intended to keep speaking out about freedom of expression.

“I have no plans to give up. But I don’t know what security decisions will be made – it could be deemed inappropriate to speak publicly. It would be tragic if that was the case, he said.

“But there can’t be a military operation every time I’m going to lecture.”

Source: www.straitstimes.com

February 18, 2015
Indonesia Pushes Ahead With Mega Islamic Bank Plans

JAKARTA: Indonesia is pushing ahead with plans to create an US$8 billion Islamic bank, even as Malaysia’s ambitions of creating the first such mega-bank fade.

Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority declared 2015 as the year of the sharia capital market, with its first act to merge three state-owned Islamic banks: Bank Mandiri Syariah, Bank Rakyat Indonesia and Bank Negara Indonesia. A small unit of Bank Tabungan Negara is also likely to be looped in.

“The team will assess the feasibility of the merger, including its profit opportunity, possible financial loss and impact towards the industry, said Teddy Poernama, a spokesman for Ministry of State Owned Enterprises. “If we really need something we will surely put our efforts to make it happen. We will surely try to reduce the likelihood of our plans failing.”

Indonesia has the world’s biggest Muslim population, but its Islamic finance market lags behind Malaysia. Indonesia’s Islamic banks hold just 5.5 per cent of the country’s banking assets, compared to Malaysia’s 20.7 per cent, according to the latest World Islamic Banking Competitiveness Report.

However, the three-way mega merger could present an oppportunity for the Islamic banking sector to offer services at more competitive rates, due to scale, and win business away from leading names in banking, such as Standard Chartered and HSBC.

Indonesia’s Islamic Banking Association said in just three years, its market share will double to 10 per cent. But with the merger, it said, sharia banking could quadruple to take 20 per cent of the market in that same time. More importantly, it could force to lenders to move away from microfinancing and into funding large infrastructure projects.

“A merger is a good thing. We need to also pay attention to the required adjustments during the merger. It’s not as easy as turning on a switch when you expect a sharia bank that has a core clientele among small and medium enterprises to now focus on the corporate sector,” said Jadi Suriadi, Head of Economics and Syariah Banking at Azzahra University Graduate School.

“There’s going to be a significant cost involved. If the government is serious in merging the banks, then cost won’t matter,” he added.

The Financial Services Authority also unveiled a five-year roadmap for Islamic banking development, with plans to issue six new regulations this year, which will include incentives to attract first-time investors to the sharia capital market.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

February 18, 2015