Tag: Singapore

36 Year Old Impersonated Police And Stole, Arrested

A 36-year-old man was arrested at Merpati Road in Geylang on Monday (Apr 27) on suspicion of impersonating a police officer.

In a news release on Tuesday, police said several reports have been lodged against a man acting as a plainclothes policeman since October last year. He also allegedly stole from women while posing as an officer.

Police said cash, jewellery and handphones amounting to more than S$2,500 were stolen. The suspect had allegedly approached female victims at isolated locations and flashed a card bearing a police logo with his photo. He would then check on the unsuspecting victims’ belongings and steal their valuables.

The cases took place at HDB estates in Sims Drive, Geylang East and Aljunied Crescent.

The suspect will be charged in Court on Wednesday. If found guilty for cheating by personation, he could be jailed for up to two years. If convicted of theft, he could face up to three years’ jail.

The Singapore Police Force said that when approached by police officers, members of the public should always request for the police officer’s warrant card to verify his identity before complying with instructions. A genuine warrant card will have identification features such as the police crest, the photo of the officer, his name and NRIC number.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

April 29, 2015
10 Singaporeans Still Missing In Nepal

At least 10 people from Singapore are listed as missing in Nepal, following Saturday’s devastating earthquake.

There are 1,765 people from all over the world listed on the online Red Cross registry Restoring Family Links, which allows people to leave details of family members and friends who are uncontactable in Nepal.

Among those listed as missing is Singaporean Liang Kaixiang, 27, who was hiking in the Kangchenjunga region east of Nepal.

His brother, investment banker Liang Yinwei, 30, said he last spoke to Kaixiang on April 20.

“We think he’s fine, just uncontactable, and hope he will get in touch soon,” he said. “He’s quite far from the epicentre of the quake, and he did say he would be off the grid for a while.”

Mr Liang, an adventure tourism graduate, is on a two-month hiking trip with his girlfriend Cheng Hui Yun, 27, who also cannot be reached, although she is not listed on the registry.

Ms Maggi Ong also confirmed that she had not heard from her brother, Mr Hunter Ong, who is on the registry.

The Straits Times was unable to contact the families of the eight remaining names still listed as missing.

They are: Joanie Aw Yong, Jannah Suairi, Justin Ong, Lek Kai Ming, Ngiam Li Lian, Regina Matara Kalusayakkarage, Sanjit and Tan Chi Keong.

Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said yesterday: “While ground telecommunications pose severe challenges, MFA will keep in close touch with the Nepalese authorities and the next of kin of all Singaporeans in Nepal until they are accounted for.”

A Crisis Response Team dispatched by the ministry has helped 89 Singaporeans and permanent residents get spaces on two departing RSAF C-130s yesterday. The team is also assisting Singaporeans who wish to leave at Kathmandu International Airport, by helping them secure seats on commercial flights, for instance.

Said team leader Danial Phua: “The airport was very congested, and flights were delayed yesterday due to inclement weather and heavy air traffic.

“Our Singaporeans were very calm and patient, and kept their spirits up under trying conditions.”

The first RSAF plane was scheduled to arrive at Paya Lebar airbase at 12.45am this morning while the second was set to depart Kathmandu at 9.15pm yesterday.

Meanwhile, a Singapore relief contingent will be at Sankhu village, about 50km outside Kathmandu. It is understood that the village was completely flattened by the earthquake, and that no other rescue team has reached the area yet.

The 97-strong contingent consisting of 60 personnel from the Singapore Civil Defence Force, nine from the Singapore Police Force, and 28 from the Singapore Armed Forces, including 16 medics, is set to be there for two weeks.

More aid is arriving from Singapore for the earthquake victims, as the situation becomes increasingly desperate, with rescue efforts hampered by blackouts, supply shortages and transportation difficulties, and a death toll expected to climb significantly.

Singapore Red Cross said that people in Singapore have donated more than $200,000 to the effort.

DBS Bank has said it will match dollar for dollar all staff donations to the Singapore Red Cross-Nepal Earthquake Relief Fund, and it has made it possible for customers to donate through DBS and POSB ATMs.

Product manager Wanda Hu, 27, also started a fundraiser which aims to raise $100,000 for relief efforts.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

April 29, 2015
Masjid Dan Yayasan Rahmatan Lil Alamin Pungut Dana Bantu Mangsa Gempa Bumi Nepal

Semua masjid di sini, dengan kerjasama Yayasan Rahmatan Lil Alamin (RLAF), akan menganjurkan satu usaha pungutan dana khas bagi membantu mangsa gempa bumi di Nepal.

Orang ramai boleh memberi sumbangan menerusi wang tunai, cek atau secara dalam talian mulai hari ini.

“… masyarakat Islam Singapura berdoa agar mangsa dan masyarakat di kawasan terjejas Nepal akan diberi kekuatan dan daya ketahanan untuk berhadapan dengan keadaan tragik dan mencabar ini,” kata RLAF dalam kenyataannya semalam.

Cek harus dibuat atas nama ‘RLAF’ dengan kata-kata ‘Koleksi Khas bagi Mangsa Gempa Bumi di Nepal’ ditulis di belakangnya.

Sumbangan dalam bentuk wang tunai dan cek harus dihantar ke Bangunan Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Muis) di Hab Islam Singapura di 273, Braddell Road, Singapore 579702.

Sumbangan menerusi dalam talian boleh dibuat dengan melungsuri laman http://www.muis.gov.sg/Services/e-services.html.

Di samping itu, kotak derma RLAF, yang ditandakan dengan kata-kata “Koleksi Khas bagi Nepal”, akan diletakkan di semua 68 masjid bermula Jumaat ini hingga Khamis depan.

Sumbangan itu akan disalurkan kepada Mercy Relief, yang menghantar sebuah pasukan bagi memberi bantuan kepada mangsa di Nepal.

Badan-badan lain turut mengadakan pungutan derma bagi membantu mangsa gempa bumi di Nepal.

Ini termasuk Palang Merah Singapura (SRC) dan Badan Agama dan Pelajaran Radin Mas (Bapa).

Angka korban akibat gempa bumi berukuran 7.8 skala Richter yang melanda Nepal pada hari Sabtu itu telah meningkat kepada 3,726 orang, kata seorang jurucakap polis Nepal.

Pasukan penyelamat di Nepal masih meneruskan usaha mencari mangsa terselamat dalam kejadian dengan menggali sisa runtuhan di ibu kota Kathmandu.

Tragedi itu juga menyebabkan mereka yang terselamat terpaksa bermalam di jalanan dan membuat khemah di kawasan terbuka.

Situasi di hospital menjadi sesak sehingga pasukan perubatan terpaksa membina khemah di luar bangunan bagi merawat pesakit.

Angkatan Bersenjata Singapura (SAF) telah mengerahkan tiga pesawat C-130 Angkatan Udara Republik Singapura (RSAF) bagi menghantar kumpulan pegawainya dan pegawai Pasukan Pertahanan Awam Singapura (SCDF) serta Pasukan Polis Singapura (SPF) melaksanakan usaha bantuan di Nepal.

Bagaimanapun, Menteri Pertahanan, Dr Ng Eng Hen, menulis di Facebook semalam, berkata tiga pesawat tersebut tidak dapat mendarat di Kathmandu kerana kesesakan di Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Kathmandu Tribhuvan.

Dua pesawat itu telah mendarat di Calcutta, India, dan satu lagi di Patna, India.

Source: http://beritaharian.sg

April 29, 2015
89 Singaporeans And PRs Evacuated By SAF C130 Plane

After bad weather and heavy air traffic foiled plans to evacuate them from quake-hit Kathmandu on Monday, 89 Singaporeans and permanent residents finally returned home safely from 12.30am today (April 29).

Worry-stricken since the 7.9-magnitude earthquake hit Nepal last Saturday, family members who were waiting for hours at Paya Lebar Airbase embraced the evacuees shortly after they disembarked from the two Republic of Singapore Air Force C-130 planes that flew them back.

One of them, Mr Chan Siong Cheong, 63, heaved a sigh of relief when he finally saw his 28-year-old son Jack, who had been trekking in Nepal, safe and sound.

Recounting his communications with his son after the earthquake, he said: “On his way out of the city, he said the place started shaking. After that, I couldn’t get in touch with him because there was no connection.”

Ms Murni Mastan, 38, who managed to get onto the plane only because her friends informed her about the flights on social media, said the experience has left its mark. “I don’t know how to come back to normal after the longest four days of my life.”

Another Singaporean tourist in Nepal, Mr Wong C C, said the ordeal has taught him “not to take things for granted … We saw a lot of things we haven’t seen before — houses crumbling everywhere, in villages especially.”

The three C-130s sent by Singapore, carrying medical supplies and aid personnel, touched down in Kathmandu at 4pm yesterday. Two hours later, two of the planes set off for Singapore with the evacuees.

As his ministry continues to contact Singaporeans in Nepal and help those wishing to return home do so, Second Foreign Affairs Minister Masagos Zulkifli, who was at the airbase this morning, said the Government is committing an additional S$150,000 for relief efforts in Nepal.

“Given the scale of this disaster, as they call for more help, the Singapore Government is putting in another S$150,000 … to help our friends in Nepal,” he said.

The funds will be disbursed through the Singapore Red Cross, which has already received S$100,000 from the Government as seed money.

Meanwhile, fundraising in Singapore for relief efforts continue. The Singapore Red Cross yesterday said it would quadruple its contributions to S$200,000 worth of relief items, including household kits, for those who have lost their homes in Nepal.

By the end of its second day of collection, a total of more than S$200,000 in walk-in donations and cheques had been amassed.

Singapore-based Mercy Relief also said it had collected more than S$195,000 in public donations.

Source: www.todayonline.com

April 29, 2015
Policeman Fine $4000 For Illegally Accessing Police Computer System To Check On Mistress

A married cop who illegally accessed the police computer system to check on a woman he had been having an affair with was fined $4,000 on Tuesday.

Senior station inspector Rick Goh Fu Yuan, 39, had wanted to lodge a police report against 28-year-old Joice Rosiana as he had suspected her of making nuisance calls to his wife.

He carried out an unauthorised search using the Frontline Officers’ Computerised System (Focus) by keying in her identity card number in the search field on Nov 11, 2011.

The system enables authorised officers to lodge police reports and carry out searches on reports filed by members of the public.

Goh, who was deployed as a court officer, pleaded guilty to one of three charges of computer misuse at Central Police Division headquarters.

Goh’s lawyer Michael Chia said in mitigation that his client had Ms Joice’s details as she had been a very close friend for some time. He wanted to make sure the information he had was accurate before he lodged a report against her.

He said the officer of 18 years is likely to face further disciplinary proceedings and lose his career in the SPF.

Mr Chia added: “He actually had a bright future ahead of him and he would have had the opportunity to serve the nation had this one foolish act not occurred. Of course, he should have known better.”

Goh got to know Ms Joice, an assistant admin executive, when he was studying at the Singapore Institute of Management University in 2010.

Mr Chia said that by June 2011, he had begun to distance himself from her as he felt their relationship was developing into an improper association as he was still married at the time.

He said his client committed the offence “in a moment of absolute folly and desperation to protect his then wife from harassment”.

He did not benefit from the act, nor cause any damage.

Goh could have been fined up to $5,000 and/or jailed for up to two years.

Source: www.straitstimes.com

April 28, 2015