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ICA: Security Checks, Lack Of Lane Discipline Led To Causeway Jams

A lack of lane discipline by motorcyclists streaming in from Malaysia and heightened security checks in the wake of the Paris attacks were among the reasons for the crush seen at the Causeway last week, where some took to crossing into Singapore on foot.

These factors, cited by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) at a media briefing today (Dec 21), worsened the waiting times already stretched by the spike in the number of travellers during the holidays.

And Malaysian motorists told TODAY that some travellers, expecting to slip through customs quickly owing to the large crowds, may have arrived at the Singapore customs without valid travel documents, and ended up subject to additional checks.

Last Thursday, large numbers of travellers, tired of the long wait, had disembarked from buses to enter Singapore on foot, spilling onto the roads as there is no proper footpath on the Malaysian side of the Causeway.

Traffic came to a near standstill, as motorcyclists from Malaysia had cut into the four lanes meant for other vehicles on the way to Singapore, only to find themselves trapped in a bottleneck when they reach the Singapore side, which has one designated lane for motorcycles.

The ICA said today that it does not have jurisdiction over this, and it has informed the Malaysian authorities on the need for enforcement during massive jams.

About 430,000 travellers cross the checkpoints daily during the year-end holiday period, compared to 400,000 during the off-peak period.

Other reasons worsening the problem include the surge in the number of foreigners detected at the two checkpoints in Singapore with invalid travel documents, such as having an expired passport. Last year, there were around 3,400 cases, while there are already 3,500 cases as of October. Among Singaporeans, there were 622 cases of using the wrong travel documents when departing Singapore as of October, compared to about 690 cases last year.

The commander of Woodlands Command, Assistant Commissioner Alan Koo, said at the car lanes for example, using invalid travel documents will mean setting up a cordon for further checks. “We treat (this) very seriously to ensure that there is no malicious intend to use this as an excuse … it could be used by terrorists to impersonate the person,” he said.

In response to queries, an ICA spokesperson said: “We have alerted the Malaysian authorities to such incidents (of invalid travel documents) and hope to work with them to resolve the problem soon.”

Motorists could also be adjusting to a new process by the ICA introduced on Dec 1 — a one-stop “forward checks” system with double barriers at the checkpoints.

Under this system, vehicles coming into Singapore will be stopped at the first barrier and checked by ICA officers. Vehicles then enter a second area and stop before a barrier, for their passports to be checked. Previously, there was only one barrier, which could lead to tailgating and car intrusion cases as seen in recent years, the ICA noted.

Mr Koo noted as with any changes, it could have “slowed down (the process) by a bit”. He added: “We have to shape their behaviour before it comes naturally, after a few times of using the checkpoints.”

A Malaysian motorist who travels to work in Singapore daily, said he has seen some motorcyclists pass through the Malaysian customs without scanning their passport properly, and this can go unnoticed during peak hours. “To save time, some motorcyclists will just zoom pass the customs and many others will just follow suit,” he said.

He also said he has seen the Malaysian police plying the roads of late to ensure motorcyclists stay in their designated lane. Nonetheless, with the increase in holiday traffic, he hoped the authorities could open more counters during the wee hours.

Source: www.todayonline.com

December 22, 2015
HSA: 1 Person Hospitalised After Taking Black Pills

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Monday (Dec 21) warned the public not to consume or buy black pills from a treatment centre in Changi named Pusat Rawatan Daul Ilaaj, after they caused one patient here to be hospitalised.

The pills are touted to help maintain general well-being and relief of body aches. Even though they are labelled to be of herbal origin, they were found to contain dexamethasone and chlorpheniramine, which are undeclared medicinal ingredients, said HSA in a news release. Dexamethasone, which is a potent steroid, could cause adverse effects including Cushing’s syndrome, increased blood glucose levels and high blood pressure. Chlorpheniramine, which is an antihistamine, could cause drowsiness, blurred vision and vomiting.

A diabetic patient in his 50s was hospitalised for uncontrolled hypertension and Cushing’s syndrome after he took the pills, HSA said. As stopping the pills cause general discomfort, joint swelling and aches, he continued consuming the black pills for a prolonged period. His condition improved after he was referred to a specialist and stopped taking the pills.

HSA advised those who are consuming the pills to consult a doctor as soon as possible. However, HSA warned the public not to stop taking the pills immediately, as the sudden discontinuation of steroids without medical supervision could cause withdrawal symptoms such as weakness, fatigue and low blood pressure.

HSA said it has also told Pusat Rawatan Daul Ilaaj and other retailers to stop the sales and distribution of the pills. Offenders could face a fine of up to S$10,000 and/or up to two years in jail.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

December 22, 2015
Facebook Users Pay For Foreign Workers’ Free Meals With Compliments

It was midday and the sun blazed relentlessly as the cricket match wore on. Standing along the field at Race Course Road with his fellow countrymen from India today (Dec 20), Mr Ilaya Raja watched the game before him, riveted by the action.

Then unexpectedly, a woman approached the 25-year-old and handed him a packet of food.

“Here’s something to thank you,” she said. Behind her, a second woman was huddled over two large plastic bags filled with more lunch boxes. Lifting a stack of them, she offered them to other foreign workers there, stopping for a chat every now and then.

Ms Wong Shuk Leng, 27, and Ms Ong Meng Koon, 25, are employees of Select Group, the parent company of Select Catering and Stamford Catering. As part of an SG50 campaign to mark Singapore’s independence jubilee, the food company’s employees volunteered to distribute 300 lunch boxes to foreign workers in Little India today.

The first leg of the campaign took place on Nov 3, with 500 packets of chicken rice distributed at the Kranji Lodge 1 workers’ dormitory, which agreed to the offer of free meals.

On Dec 1, the catering companies put up a video of the first giveaway on their respective Facebook pages, urging online users to leave appreciative comments for the foreign worker community by Dec 11. They pledged to match the number of goodwill messages with an equivalent number of meals.

Ms Wong said the foreign workers quickly came to mind when they were deciding on the campaign’s beneficiaries. “We often forget those who help us to build our nation, build our homes and sweep our floors… we wanted to raise awareness about them.”

Around 2,000 comments have poured in online. One Facebook user named Hazel Tan wrote: “Thank you for leaving your homes to build ours. You and your colleagues work long hours under rain or shine without complaints so that we can have shelter. Thank you for all your hard work. We appreciate and remember you!”

Another user Margaret Foong commented: “Thank you so much for your hard work under the hot sun every day… to build up our country with all the facilities and taking care of the old folks by giving up your seats when we are in the bus or taking MRT.”

True to their word, 12 volunteers from the catering companies fanned out in pairs across various locations in Little India yesterday — two days after International Migrants Day — for the lunchtime giveaway, covering Buffalo Road, Kerbau Road and Bebilios Lane.

Mr IIaya was pleasantly surprised to receive his meal. “I haven’t eaten. I’m waiting for my friends,” the Tamil Nadu native said. “You give me food, I’m happy.”

Chennai native K Senthamil Kannan, 34, and his friends immediately started digging in after receiving the lunchboxes. “It’s so nice that you cooked for us,” he said.

“Enjoy! Have a good, fun day,” Ms Ong said as she moved on to the next group of men. “It’s quite meaningful,” she said later. “Normally, I see (the foreign workers) on trains. I get to know them better today. I was a little nervous at first, but after a while, it got better.”

Another 1,200 meals are expected to be distributed at Kranji Lodge 1 by the end of the year, bringing the total number to 2,000 meals.

Source: www.todayonline.com

December 21, 2015
5-Year Jail Time For For Anyone Who Celebrates Christmas In Brunei

Earlier in April, the rest of the world condemned monarch-ruled Brunei after announcing the introduction of the Sharia penal code that would include penalties such as the severing of limbs and death by stoning.

The tiny but prosperous state on the island of Borneo that is ruled by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, has now made international headlines once again after the state announced a ban on Christmas.

The ban was declared on the internationally celebrated Christian holiday because the religious affairs ministry said that publicly marking non-Islamic rituals or festivities could be seen as propagations of religions other than Islam.

Roughly 20 per cent of Brunei’s residents comprise of non-Muslims, including sizeable Buddhist and Christiancommunities.

‘Believers of other religions that live under the rule of an Islamic country – according to Islam – may practice their religion or celebrate their religious festivities among their community, with the condition that the celebrations are not disclosed or displayed publicly to Muslims,‘

‘Muslims should be careful not to follow celebrations such as these that are not in any way related to Islam… and could unknowingly damage the faith of Muslims.‘ Said the government of Brunei in a statement.

The statement also noted that businesses that publicly displayed Christmas decorations would be asked to take them down– to which the businesses had given their ‘full cooperation’ in the matter.

The penalty for celebrating Christmas in Brunei is punishable with a jail term of up to 5-years.

Brunei’s latest decision to ban Christmas officially will no doubt, attract more international criticism- following the harsh Sharia penal code that was announced to be implemented in the state in April by Brunei’s 68-year-old Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

Source: http://thecoverage.my

December 21, 2015
Suspected Terrorists In Indonesia Planned To Detonate Bombs In Java, Sumatra

Indonesian police have arrested nine suspected Islamic State supporters who were allegedly preparing terror attacks for later this month.

Police said members of the terrorist cell may have been planning a New Year’s Eve attack in Jakarta.

In a series of raids across the island of Java, Indonesia’s special anti-terror unit uncovered bomb-making materials and a black IS-style flag.

The arrests followed a tip-off from the Australian Federal Police and coincide with meetings to be held today in Jakarta between Australian Attorney-General George Brandis, counter-terrorism minister Michael Keenan and senior Indonesian politicians.

Those arrested include a teacher at an Islamic school and one of his students.

National police chief Badrodin Haiti said anti-terror police from unit Densus 88 acted after information received from the Australian Federal Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

He said the men appeared to have prepared imminent attacks in Java and Sumatra.

The first arrest was made on Friday in the West Java city of Banjar.

That led to more raids across Java, including one on Saturday night in central Java, where police said they found bomb-making materials including fertiliser, ball bearings, nails and electronic switches.

Police would not say where the attacks were intended, but they noted they found a map of greater Jakarta with the bomb-making materials.

Authorities warned Indonesians to be wary of a likely terror threat over the next 10 days, even after the weekend raids.

Security stepped up to safeguard churches

Indonesia saw a spate of militant attacks in the 2000s, the deadliest of which was a nightclub bombing on the holiday island of Bali that killed 202 people, many of them Australian tourists.

Police have been largely successful in destroying domestic militant cells since then, but officials now worry about a resurgence in militancy inspired by groups such as Islamic State and Indonesians who return after fighting with the group.

Authorities plan to deploy more than 150,000 security personnel and several religious organisations to safeguard churches and public places around the country during Christmas and New Year’s Eve celebrations, the country’s military chief said on Friday.

Security and surveillance had already been stepped up in some areas following the attacks in Paris last month that killed 130 people and for which Islamic State has claimed responsibility.

Indonesia is home to an estimated 25 million Christian people, roughly 10 per cent of the total population.

They live mostly on smaller, more remote islands, not on the two most populated islands of Java and Sumatra.

Source: www.abc.net.au

December 21, 2015