Phrases used by parrots: "We take such ______ very seriously and will not hesitate to take action"

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#1
"We take such breaches very seriously and will not hesitate to take action," Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

Robertson Quay incident: Six men and one woman to be charged for flouting circuit breaker measures

The park connector along Robertson Quay on May 17, 2020.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO

Clara Chong


SINGAPORE - Six men and one woman, aged between 30 and 52, will be charged in court next Tuesday (June 2) for flouting circuit breaker regulations.

They are linked to the incident where groups of people were seen gathering at various places in the Robertson Quay area on May 16, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said on Saturday.
These seven individuals will be charged under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.

"We take such breaches very seriously and will not hesitate to take action," Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

Earlier this month, photos of crowds along Robertson Quay had circulated on social media, showing people failing to stay at least 1m from one another in the riverside dining enclave.

Most of the people pictured were not wearing masks, while some had their masks lowered as they spoke to one another.

On May 17, URA issued a directive to some restaurants at Robertson Quay, barring them from selling alcohol for takeaway with immediate effect, as the takeaway sales had contributed to more individuals gathering in the area.


URA and the police have since been investigating the matter.

As circuit breaker measures lift from June 2, more people will come in contact with one another, said Mr Masagos. "It will be more critical than ever to practise safe distancing," he said.


Singaporeans must remain vigilant to curb the spread of Covid-19 despite the decreasing trend in the number of community transmissions, he added.

"Stay home as far as possible. Wear a mask and keep a distance of at least 1 metre from the next person when you go out," Mr Masagos said.

"We urge both the public and business operators to continue to play their part in adhering to the safe distancing measures that have been put in place," a URA spokesman said.

 

[LaoTze]

"We take such breaches very seriously and will not hesitate to take action," Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

Masagos Zulkifli - 1 count

Robertson Quay incident: Six men and one woman to be charged for flouting circuit breaker measures

The park connector along Robertson Quay on May 17, 2020.ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO


Clara Chong



SINGAPORE - Six men and one woman, aged between 30 and 52, will be charged in court next Tuesday (June 2) for flouting circuit breaker regulations.

They are linked to the incident where groups of people were seen gathering at various places in the Robertson Quay area on May 16, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said on Saturday.
These seven individuals will be charged under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.

"We take such breaches very seriously and will not hesitate to take action," Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

Earlier this month, photos of crowds along Robertson Quay had circulated on social media, showing people failing to stay at least 1m from one another in the riverside dining enclave.

Most of the people pictured were not wearing masks, while some had their masks lowered as they spoke to one another.

On May 17, URA issued a directive to some restaurants at Robertson Quay, barring them from selling alcohol for takeaway with immediate effect, as the takeaway sales had contributed to more individuals gathering in the area.


URA and the police have since been investigating the matter.

As circuit breaker measures lift from June 2, more people will come in contact with one another, said Mr Masagos. "It will be more critical than ever to practise safe distancing," he said.

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Singaporeans must remain vigilant to curb the spread of Covid-19 despite the decreasing trend in the number of community transmissions, he added.

"Stay home as far as possible. Wear a mask and keep a distance of at least 1 metre from the next person when you go out," Mr Masagos said.

"We urge both the public and business operators to continue to play their part in adhering to the safe distancing measures that have been put in place," a URA spokesman said.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#2
"MOE takes a serious view of staff misconduct and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against those who fail to adhere to our standards of conduct and discipline, including dismissal from service."


Male teacher admits to molesting several teenage boys from uniformed group CCA

PUBLISHED DEC 5, 2019, 3:46 PM SGT

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

SINGAPORE - A male secondary school teacher in charge of a uniformed group CCA molested one of its teenage members in 2015 before telling the 14-year-old boy: "Play play only. Don't tell any teacher." The 37-year-old man also molested six other boys from the same co-curricular activity (CCA), a district court heard on Thursday (Dec 5).

He pleaded guilty to three molestation charges involving three boys. Six similar charges involving four other teenagers will be considered during sentencing.

The man committed the offences between 2015 and 2017.

He was with the 14-year-old boy after school hours sometime in 2015 when he offered to drive the student home. The boy accepted the offer and sat in the front seat of the teacher's car. During the ride, the man asked him if he watched pornography. Shocked by the question, the boy replied that he did not.

When they arrived outside the teenager's home, the teacher suddenly slipped his hand into the boy's shorts and touched him inappropriately.
He also told the boy: "Don't tell any teacher."


Deputy Public Prosecutor Joshua Lim said that the boy felt scared when this happened and did not know how to react. He then got out of the car and went home.

The teacher struck again in 2016 when he molested a second 14-year-old boy in a gym. This time round, he hugged his victim from behind and molested him.

The court heard that the man had earlier said: "What happens here, stays in here." The boy later quit the CCA.

Then, in 2017, the teacher molested a third boy, also aged 14, in their school. DPP Lim said that the man laughed after committing the offence.

Court documents said the school principal alerted the police on Sept 8, 2017.

The teacher and the school cannot be named due to a gag order to protect the boys' identities.

On Thursday, the DPP urged the court to sentence the man to at least 26 months' jail with three strokes of the cane. He told District Judge Ng Peng Hong: "Students see teachers as persons in a position of authority, and teachers exercise significant control over their students' lives... As the facts reveal, the accused's offending is persistent, wide-ranging and targeted."

The teacher has remained suspended since Sept 14, 2017, and is no longer teaching in any school.

In a statement on Thursday, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said that following the court ruling, it will commence internal disciplinary action against the teacher. Its spokesman added: "Teachers should conduct themselves in a manner which upholds the integrity of the profession and the trust placed in them.

"MOE takes a serious view of staff misconduct and will not hesitate to take disciplinary action against those who fail to adhere to our standards of conduct and discipline, including dismissal from service."

The man was offered bail of $3,000 on Thursday and will be sentenced on Dec 17. For each count of molestation, offenders can be jailed for up to two years and fined or caned.

 

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#3
PUB said yesterday that it takes a serious view of the pollution of Singapore's waterways and will not hesitate to take action against those responsible for illegal discharge into public drains and canals.



PUB to act against contractor over discharge of silt into canal

Silt in the Hougang canal as seen in a video posted by the Nature Society (Singapore) on its Facebook page. Inadequate earth control measures at a construction site led to the discharge.SCREENGRABS: NATURE SOCIETY SINGAPORE/FACEBOOK
PUBLISHED DEC 14, 2019, 5:00 AM SGT

Clara Chong


Enforcement action will be taken by national water agency PUB against the contractor responsible for the discharge of silt into a canal in Hougang.

PUB said yesterday that inadequate earth control measures at a construction site nearby resulted in silt being washed into the canal in Hougang Avenue 2.

Such measures are implemented at construction sites to prevent the pollution of Singapore's waterways. Silt from exposed earth and building sites can be carried by rain into the drains and canals, turning waters brown. Under the Sewerage and Drainage Act, offenders can be fined up to $5,000 for each offence of discharge of silt, and up to $50,000 for inadequate earth control measures. The contractor in this case has since rectified the lapse.

PUB was first alerted to the incident on Sunday and subsequently made investigations. A Facebook post by the Nature Society (Singapore), with a video showing silt in the canal, said the discharge came from a condominium construction site.

Separately, two local contractors were fined in May over silty water discharge and inadequate earth control measures.

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Chye Joo Construction was fined $30,300 and The Builders (Hup Huat) was fined $14,400.

The offences, committed between October and December last year, were uncovered during PUB's regular site inspections and after public feedback. Chye Joo Construction had built undersized silty water treatment plants and holding ponds at two work sites in Jalan Gali Batu and Jurong Road, which were respectively up to six times and 22 times too small. This caused silty water to overflow into the roadside drains and waterways.

PUB said yesterday that it takes a serious view of the pollution of Singapore's waterways and will not hesitate to take action against those responsible for illegal discharge into public drains and canals.
• The public can contact PUB on 1800-2255-782 to report any suspected water pollution.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#4
"The police have zero tolerance against acts that endanger the lives or safety of others as well as cause undue alarm to the public, and will not hesitate to take action against those who blatantly disregard the law," they added.


Man arrested for allegedly setting off fireworks illegally in Little India during Deepavali weekend

PUBLISHED
JAN 20, 2020, 6:23 PM SGT


SINGAPORE - A 21-year-old man has been arrested for his suspected involvement in setting off fireworks illegally in Little India during the Deepavali long weekend last year.

Police said in a statement on Monday (Jan 20) that the man was arrested on Oct 27, after they responded to an incident in Owen Road earlier at 1.20am.

The suspect is expected to be charged in court on Tuesday with the offence of discharging dangerous fireworks. If found guilty, he could be fined between $2,000 and $10,000, jailed for up to two years, or both.

Last year, at least two other men were arrested for allegedly setting off fireworks illegally in separate incidents in Little India and Jurong. In the Little India case, a 43-year-old man was arrested, while a 38-year-old man was nabbed in the Jurong case.

The 43-year-old was a Singaporean nightclub employee who was later fined $3,000 on Dec 31 after he discharged a carton of dangerous “Happy Boom” fireworks in Little India during Deepavali.

For the 38-year-old man, his alleged act was filmed in a 23-second video posted on Facebook, with fireworks seen between two Housing Board blocks, as residents in a nearby block of flats watch from the corridor. The video shows the fireworks reaching as high as the 12th storey of a nearby flat, even ricocheting off the walls of the building.

Fireworks were banned on safety grounds in 1972 although they are allowed at certain events after appropriate safety measures are adopted.

In March last year, a 54-year-old cleaner was fined $5,000 after pleading guilty to unlawfully discharging fireworks in Bukit Batok. He was the first person to be convicted of the offence under the Dangerous Fireworks Act.

On Monday, the police reminded the public that it is an offence to possess, sell, transport, send, deliver, distribute or import fireworks.

"The police have zero tolerance against acts that endanger the lives or safety of others as well as cause undue alarm to the public, and will not hesitate to take action against those who blatantly disregard the law," they added.

 

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#5
Ustaz Pasuni Maulan, vice-chairman of the Asatizah Recognition Board, which manages the ARS with Muis, said it is actively monitoring and engaging religious teachers and Islamic religious schools to ensure the Code of Ethics is put into practice, and would not hesitate to remove from the scheme any teachers who violate the code.

Actions of misguided individuals should not tar good name of Malay/Muslim community: Ministers

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu said the cases of a former religious teacher and student pair being issued Restriction Orders under the Internal Security Act do not represent the Muslim community in Singapore.ST PHOTOS: KHALID BABA

PUBLISHED JAN 16, 2019, 7:39 PM SGT
Hariz Baharudin

SINGAPORE - The actions of a few misguided individuals cannot ruin the good name of the Malay/Muslim Community, said two ministers, in response to news that a former religious teacher and student pair are issued Restriction Orders (ROs) under the Internal Security Act.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Wednesday (Jan 16) that Murad Mohd Said, 46, was placed on an RO on Dec 5 last year while his student, 56-year-old technician Razali Abas, was arrested in September last year and placed on an RO in October.

Both Singaporeans held radical beliefs promoting violence and views detrimental to Singapore's cohesion. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli, who is also Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, said: "The issuance of restriction orders against Murad bin Mohd Said and Razali bin Abas show that the challenge of countering radicalisation continues. The swift actions of our security agencies are timely.
"However, the actions of a misguided few must not be allowed to tar the good name of our community."

In a separate Facebook post, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu said Singaporeans should support the Malay/Muslim community and defend the country's multi-religious harmony.

"Murad and Razali do not represent our Muslim community, and we must continue to stand together with our Muslim friends, to protect the deep friendships and harmony between our races and religions in Singapore," she said.

Murad was a freelance religious teacher until he was struck off from the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS) in May last year for his segregationist ideologies that contravened the ARS Code of Ethics, according to the MHA, which added that Razali had attended Murad's classes some time in 2012.

The ARS is managed by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), the Asatizah Recognition Board (ARB) and Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association (Pergas).

Muis said in a separate statement that Murad had been engaged by Muis and ARB for his divisive views, but did not change them.

He was then struck off the ARS register and barred from conducting classes here. He did not obey this and continued spreading his views online.


As the authorities investigated Razali, they discovered Murad's teachings had influenced him. It was then that they deemed Murad's case to be serious enough for him to be placed on an RO.

Mr Masagos said: "Murad's violent and problematic views as a religious teacher, or Asatizah, carried weight among his followers, and had the potential to mislead many more, with grave consequences for our religious harmony."

He urged the Malay/Muslim community to continue to look out for each other.

"If anyone has questions or doubts, our ARS-recognised teachers and the Asatizah Youth Network are best-placed to answer their queries. If there are signs of radicalisation, we should refer these individuals early to Muis, the Religious Rehabilitation Group or the police," Mr Masagos added.

Muis said in its statement that the cases of Murad and Razali reinforce the need to remain vigilant against exclusivist and extremist teachings and the importance of the mandatory ARS to ensure Muslims receive religious guidance only from certified religious teachers.

Ustaz Pasuni Maulan, vice-chairman of the Asatizah Recognition Board, which manages the ARS with Muis, said it is actively monitoring and engaging religious teachers and Islamic religious schools to ensure the Code of Ethics is put into practice, and would not hesitate to remove from the scheme any teachers who violate the code.

"Such individuals would not be allowed to mislead the community, as these teachings are clearly incompatible with the values of the Muslim community, who are well-adjusted to Singapore's multiracial and multi-religious society," he added.

 

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#6
"RP takes a strong view against sexual misconduct on campus, and we will not hesitate to mete out disciplinary action against any student found guilty of misconduct. As court and internal proceedings are ongoing, we are unable to comment further," the spokesman said.

Polytechnic student accused of attempting to insult a woman's modesty intends to plead guilty

A Republic Polytechnic student who allegedly entered a female toilet to peep at a woman indicated that he intends to plead guilty.ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
PUBLISHED FEB 7, 2020, 10:46 AM SGT


Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

SINGAPORE - A Republic Polytechnic student (RP) who allegedly entered a female toilet to try to peep at a woman in a shower cubicle has indicated that he intends to plead guilty.

Tee Ze Qian, 18, is accused of committing the offence at around 7.30pm on April 30 last year at a female toilet in his school's swimming complex. He is also accused of other offences including criminal trespass.

In a statement on Thursday (Feb 6), the polytechnic told The Straits Times that Tee has been suspended since May last year.

"RP has also provided both the student and the victim with counselling support.

"RP takes a strong view against sexual misconduct on campus, and we will not hesitate to mete out disciplinary action against any student found guilty of misconduct. As court and internal proceedings are ongoing, we are unable to comment further," the spokesman said.


Tee, who last appeared in a district court on Jan 30, has been offered bail of $5,000.

The Singaporean teenager will be back in court on Feb 27. He is just one of several male tertiary students who have been hauled to court over similar offences committed in their schools.

One of them, National University of Singapore student Luah Chao Zhi, 23, faces five counts of insulting a woman's modesty.

The Singaporean is accused of shooting upskirt videos of women on campus and at Haw Par Villa MRT station on Aug 23 last year. Luah is also said to have intruded into the privacy of 31 women by taking videos of them at various locations islandwide between April and August that year. He has been placed on a mandatory leave of absence since last September. Luah's case has been adjourned to Feb 25.

Separately, an expelled Nanyang Technological University student was sentenced last month to a short detention order of two weeks after he trespassed into a female toilet at a hall to film a fellow student showering.

Chinese national Han Shiyu, 18, had committed the offence on Aug 12 last year.

Those given a short detention order are put behind bars for a short time, but will not have a criminal record after their release. For insulting a woman's modesty, offenders can be jailed for up to a year and fined.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#7
"Certis has a zero-tolerance policy against rash acts and will not hesitate to take stern action against officers who are found to be in breach of protocol."

Certis officer who kicked PMD rider suspended

1. A PMD rider is zooming along Bedok Reservoir Road. A Certis Cisco auxiliary police officer dashes across the road from the opposite side to approach him. 2. The PMD rider does not slow down as he nears the junction. The Certis Cisco officer tackles the PMD rider as he passes by kicking him. 3. The PMD rider loses control and his scooter hits the kerb, sending him tumbling onto the pavement behind some shrubs. PHOTOS: ROADS.SG/FACEBOOK

PUBLISHED DEC 12, 2019, 5:00 AM SGT

LTA investigating alleged offences by rider; overweight mobility device impounded
Christopher Tan
Senior Transport Correspondent


A Certis Cisco auxiliary police officer, who sent a speeding e-scooter rider flying with a side kick on Tuesday, has been suspended from active duty. The incident, which was caught on camera, has stirred controversy and the police are looking into it.

Meanwhile, the Land Transport Authority (LTA), which had contracted Certis to carry out enforcement duties, said in a statement yesterday that it is also "investigating offences committed by the PMD (personal mobility device) rider, which include riding an unregistered and non-compliant PMD on public roads, and failing to stop his device when required by an officer".

The PMD, weighing more than 30kg, or well beyond the legal limit of 20kg, has been impounded. PMDs are not allowed on roads and public footpaths. Sharing details of the incident, the LTA said it took place when its officers, along with Certis Cisco officers, were conducting enforcement duties along Bedok Reservoir Road around 6.40 pm on Tuesday. They spotted a PMD rider moving on the road at high speed.

A Certis spokesman added: "The rider ignored repeated instructions from the officers to stop as his actions could cause serious injuries to members of the public or himself. A Certis Cisco officer who was stationed at the next junction resorted to kicking his device when the rider refused to stop."

In a video clip posted on SG Road Vigilante, a Facebook community page, the officer is spotted running across the dual carriageway as the e-scooter rider approaches the junction at a significant speed. As the rider nears the junction without slowing down, the officer is seen side-kicking him. The rider loses control and his scooter hits the kerb, sending him tumbling onto the pavement behind some shrubs.

Both men sustained some injuries, Certis said. But the officer, who came in for praise by some netizens, now faces a disciplinary inquiry.

A Certis spokesman said: "Established enforcement protocols require officers to note down the appearance of the escaping PMD user as accurately as possible, and lodge a report with LTA.

"Certis has a zero-tolerance policy against rash acts and will not hesitate to take stern action against officers who are found to be in breach of protocol."

The spokesman added that the police were investigating the case.

The LTA said it "does not condone any behaviour that deviates from the established rules of engagement" in such enforcement operations. But it added that it was also investigating the PMD rider.

The clip, which was captured by a vehicle dashboard camera, has been shared widely on the Internet, and has garnered thousands of comments on various sites. Reactions have been mixed, but a vast majority of netizens supported the officer's action.

Facebook user Eugene Ang said: "This is a quick-thinking officer that safeguards the interest of members of the public. Had he not done so, imagine that errant PMD rider (running) the red light at that speed jeopardising road users and pedestrians."

But others questioned the officer's methods. Johari Johan wrote: "Even though the PMD rider is in the wrong, the action by the officer is too drastic. Imagine Traffic Police doing that to a motorcycle rider (running) the red light."

Benjamin Tan added: "I have no sympathy for reckless riders but this is surely excessive?"

In April, a video clip showing two LTA officers pinning down an e-scooter rider on the pavement was shared on Roads.Sg, another Facebook community page.

Lawyer Amogh Chakravarti, a partner at Dentons Rodyk & Davidson, said that in acting to stop an errant rider, an LTA officer "is only empowered to use as much force as necessary to prevent the rider from causing physical harm to himself and others".

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#8
"If there are cases (of Singaporeans) that come up, we won't hesitate to take action."

Coronavirus: MOM makes over 1,000 calls, visits daily on leave of absence workers

Officers checking on work pass holders and conducting video calls with them at the LOA compliance call centre in the Ministry Of Manpower Services Centre yesterday.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

PUBLISHED FEB 13, 2020, 5:00 AM SGT

Tee Zhuo

More than 1,000 calls and visits are being made daily as part of checks by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to ensure work pass holders are serving the mandatory 14-day leave of absence (LOA).
Other measures include requiring all workers on the LOA to self-report their location to the ministry, a senior MOM official told reporters yesterday, following an announcement last week that the Government would tighten enforcement and monitoring on this front.
Mr Felix Ong, director of the employment inspectorate at MOM's foreign manpower management division, said MOM conducts three layers of checks daily on work pass holders who are serving the LOA.
Those on LOA should limit their contact with others and stay at home, but can make brief trips for necessities or food.
First, text messages with a unique Web link have been sent to all workers serving the LOA since Monday, warning them that they need to report their location to MOM within an hour. When clicked, the link prompts the worker to turn on the GPS location service on his phone, and his location is sent to the ministry to see if the worker is at his correct place of residence.
While Mr Ong did not reveal the frequency of such messages, citing operational sensitivities, he said they are sent randomly and multiple times a day to each worker.

Second, calls are made seven days a week to some workers. MOM also did not reveal how such workers are selected, but a spokesman said the calls are made randomly at different intervals, without a specific number of calls per day.

A voice call is first made to notify the worker that MOM is contacting him, followed by a video call. The worker's identity and details are verified against MOM's database.
If the calls are repeatedly missed, checks are made with the employer.
Third, enforcement officers from MOM may conduct spot checks at the places where workers on LOA are staying. Mr Keith Aw, a senior manager who conducts such checks, said the inspections are also done to check on the well-being of those under the LOA.
Workers are asked about their health, their accommodation and whether they are still receiving their salary, said Mr Aw, who works in MOM's foreign manpower management division.
If a worker is unwell, he is given a mask and asked to seek medical treatment. Any issues raised will be taken up with the employer.
Mr Ong said MOM takes compliance with the LOA very seriously.
On Sunday, the ministry repatriated and banned four work pass holders and suspended work pass privileges for six employers for two years for flouting LOA rules.
Clear-cut examples of rule breaking include working at the workplace, or leaving the house for non-essential trips, like seeing a movie.
Although the LOA is compulsory for all people returning from China, including Singaporeans, MOM is focusing on work pass holders, he said.
"If there are cases (of Singaporeans) that come up, we won't hesitate to take action. I think there is a high degree of awareness. We have sent out advisories on the regulations, and we will rely on the employer to check," he said.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#9
"We will also not hesitate to take firm action against these individuals, and will seek an appropriate sentence if they are convicted."
- joint statement by Attorney-General's Chambers and Singapore Police Force

Singapore authorities working with UK counterparts on 'final stages' of extraditing StanChart robber

David James Roach, a Canadian national, will face charges of robbery and money laundering.PHOTO: BANGKOK POST
PUBLISHED FEB 13, 2020, 11:16 AM SGT

Linette Lai
Political Correspondent

SINGAPORE - The Attorney-General's Chambers and Singapore Police Force are working with British authorities on the final stages of extraditing David James Roach, the man wanted for an alleged bank robbery here in 2016.
Roach, a Canadian national, will face charges of robbery and money laundering, both agencies said in a joint statement on Thursday (Feb 13).
"The Singapore authorities will do whatever is necessary and permissible within our legal framework to seek justice against those who commit crimes in Singapore, regardless of nationality and where they might have fled to," they added.
"We will also not hesitate to take firm action against these individuals, and will seek an appropriate sentence if they are convicted."
Roach, who is accused of robbing Standard Chartered Bank's Holland Village branch of $30,450 on July 7, 2016, fled to Thailand the same day.
He was subsequently arrested there in July 2016 and deported by Thailand to Canada in January 2018, after serving a prison term for criminal offences.

He was arrested by the London Metropolitan Police's Extradition Unit in January 2018 while on transit there. In October 2018, Roach was ordered to be extradited. He appealed against this decision, but was rejected.


He then renewed this application to appeal, which was granted in October 2019. However, this permission to appeal was limited to his extradition on the money laundering charge.
On Feb 4, the UK High Court heard and dismissed Roach's appeal. The judge was not convinced by his claim that there was abuse of process when his conviction in Thailand was weighed against one of the charges he is wanted for in Singapore.

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#10
Mr Khaw said. "Therefore, if it becomes necessary, we will not hesitate to take firm actions against intrusions and unauthorised activities in our waters to protect our territory and sovereignty."


Khaw Boon Wan tells Malaysian ships to back off as Singapore expands port limits

PUBLISHED DEC 7, 2018, 5:00 AM SGT

Minister urges dialogue on maritime row, but vows firm action to protect sovereignty
Yasmine Yahya
Senior Political Correspondent

Malaysia should "back off" and leave Singapore's waters.
That was the firm message from Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan yesterday, as he urged Singapore's closest neighbour to pursue dialogue instead of "blatant provocation" to resolve the row over port limits and territorial waters.
Mr Khaw revealed that in the past two weeks, there have been 14 incursions by Malaysian government vessels into Singapore's waters.
Three of these vessels were still in Singapore territory yesterday, he told the media. Singapore decided to expand its own port limits in response to Malaysia's action, he said.
And while the Republic has so far responded with restraint against the "aggressive actions" by the Malaysian vessels in its waters, it will not hesitate to act firmly to protect its territory and sovereignty, if necessary, Mr Khaw said.
"My main message today is... Back off. Leave our waters while we pursue sit-down dialogues and try to resolve it."

Mr Khaw outlined how the incursions stemmed from Malaysia's unilateral decision in October to extend the Johor Baru port limits into Singapore's territorial waters, a move which the Republic protested.

A Malaysian government vessel (left) and a Singapore Police Coast Guard vessel in Singapore territorial waters off Tuas yesterday. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG

"Malaysian government vessels have since been continually intruding into Singapore territorial waters off Tuas," Mr Khaw said.
Singapore's expansion of its port limits, with immediate effect, is well within its own territorial waters, he added. "It is... a reaction to this provocative action on the part of Malaysia, but we do it properly, in accordance with international law, and certainly do not infringe on our neighbour's rights."

In the meantime, he added, Singapore's security agencies will continue to patrol the area and respond to unauthorised activities.
They have so far responded with restraint. "But Singapore cannot allow our sovereignty to be violated, or new facts on the ground to be created," Mr Khaw said. "Therefore, if it becomes necessary, we will not hesitate to take firm actions against intrusions and unauthorised activities in our waters to protect our territory and sovereignty."
Mindef naval patrols in Singapore territorial waters

Mr Khaw noted that since at least 1999, Singapore has been exercising its jurisdiction in the waters now covered by the recent extension of the Johor Baru port limits.
"Malaysia has never laid claim to these waters, or protested our actions there. Now, out of the blue, Malaysia is claiming these territorial waters that belong to Singapore," he said.
"This is a blatant provocation and a serious violation of our sovereignty and international law."
On Wednesday, Malaysia argued that Singapore cannot claim the area as its territorial waters on the basis of its reclamation works in Tuas in recent years.

But Mr Khaw responded that Malaysia had published a map in 1979, when no reclamation in Tuas had taken place. The new, purported, Johor Baru port limits now extend even beyond Malaysia's own territorial claim line, into Singapore's waters.
Malaysia had replied to say its vessels were patrolling its own territorial waters - a claim Singapore rejected. Malaysia had also proposed that the two sides meet to resolve the issue. "Singapore naturally agrees to this and will follow up," Mr Khaw said.
But he added: "This violation of Singapore's sovereignty is a serious new issue in our bilateral relations with Malaysia," he said, adding that Singaporeans have to be fully aware of these developments.
"While we seek cooperation and friendship with other countries, we must never let other countries take advantage of us. When our national interests are challenged, we have to quietly but firmly stand our ground and stay united as one people."

 

[LITTLEREDDOT]

#11
We will continue to carry out regular spot checks on water storage tanks, and will not hesitate to take punitive action against those who contravene any of the maintenance and security requirements for water tanks in their premises.


Forum: PUB working with town council on water quality incident

PUBLISHED FEB 12, 2020, 11:02 PM SGT

We thank Mr Phua Chin Teck for his feedback (Review impact of mosquito control operations on water supply, Jan 28).
Following the incident at Block 635 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6, the PUB directed Ang Mo Kio Town Council to rectify the block's water tank piping system.
The PUB has also sent out a circular to all town councils and building owners, to remind them to exercise precaution during fogging and oiling, such as avoiding fogging near water tanks, and properly sealing or covering all water tank openings, overflow pipes and drain outlets, to ensure that these actions do not affect the quality of water in the tanks.
Before carrying out fogging and oiling operations, pest control operators must also inform managing agents, town councils or owners of premises.
Circulars on the proper maintenance of water service installations, including water tanks, are sent to the relevant parties twice a year.
The PUB treats water safety seriously, to ensure a safe and reliable water supply to all users.


We will continue to carry out regular spot checks on water storage tanks, and will not hesitate to take punitive action against those who contravene any of the maintenance and security requirements for water tanks in their premises.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has guidelines on proper mosquito control measures for owners of premises, town councils and the pest control industry.
Information on the scope of work for mosquito control at different types of premises can be found on the NEA website.
Owners of premises and pest control operators are required to follow the NEA guidelines.

Ridzuan Ismail
Director
Water Supply (Network)
PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency
Tony Teo
Director
Environmental Public Health Operations
National Environment Agency

 

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#12
"Iras will also not hesitate to take firm action against retailers who are complicit or negligent in the issuing of eTRS tickets leading to the abuse of the Tourist Refund Scheme."

Fine for four men who took part in GST tourist refund scam

PUBLISHED JUL 2, 2019, 7:24 PM SGT

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

SINGAPORE - To make fraudulent claims under the electronic Tourist Refund Scheme (eTRS), a syndicate came up with a simple ruse.
They waited around jewellery stores in Singapore and negotiated to buy invoices from actual customers.Working with employees of the same jewellery store, these men would then obtain the eTRS refund ticket issued by the retailer to collect goods and services tax (GST) refunds at the airport.
Investigations showed the syndicate made more than $167,000 in fraudulent GST tourist refund claims.
On Tuesday (July 2), four men who worked for Abiraame Jewellers in Little India were sentenced for their role in the scam.
Shanmugam Sampathkumar, 33; Murugesan Saravanan, 42; and 49-year-old Arumugam Chelladurai are Indian nationals. The fourth employee - Pang Wei Koon, 46 - is from Malaysia.

Arumugam, who is also a Singapore permanent resident, was fined $12,000 after pleading guilty to eight charges under the GST (General) Regulations.

Pang was fined $1,500 after pleading guilty to one charge while Shanmugam, who pleaded guilty to two, was fined $3,000.

District Judge Adam Nakhoda sentenced Murugesan to a fine of $6,000 after he admitted to four charges. Each man was linked to between $600.56 and $5,265.73 in claims.
Court documents did not state if all four men, who committed the offences in 2015 and 2016, are still working for Abiraame Jewellers.

The syndicate members - Kothandaraman Gnanam, 29; Karunanidhi Rajesh, 32; Ramaiyan Karthikeyan, 44; and 61-year-old Waithiyalingam Karunanidhi - were sent to jail in 2017.
By the time these four men were caught, they had removed from Singapore benefits of their criminal conduct totalling $112,924.
Tax prosecutor Rajiv Rai, from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras), told the court on Tuesday that the eTRS process begins when a tourist buys an item from a participating GST-registered retailer.
To make a GST refund claim under the scheme, the tourist must have items including the invoice of the goods purchased and the eTRS refund ticket issued by the retailer.
The tourist can then obtain the GST refund at the airport after using either the eTRS self-help kiosk or by approaching a Singapore Customs officer at an inspection counter.
Describing how the scam was carried out, Mr Rai said the claimants would loiter in and around jewellery stores to try to obtain invoices from actual customers.
He added: "Once a customer agreed to sell or give the invoice, a claimant would give his passport and embarkation card... to an employee of (Abiraame Jewellers) for the purposes of making an application for a GST refund under the claimant's passport number.
"The employee would enter the details of the claimant and the jewellery purchased into the eTRS system."
The employee would then print an eTRS refund ticket for the claimant to unlawfully obtain at the airport GST refunds which they were not entitled to.
In a statement on Tuesday, Iras said that it will "not hesitate to take stern enforcement actions against any individuals who commit the offence of wilful intent to make a false GST refund claim or, assist any other person to make false claims".
It added: "Iras will also not hesitate to take firm action against retailers who are complicit or negligent in the issuing of eTRS tickets leading to the abuse of the Tourist Refund Scheme."
The cases involving three other men, who also worked at Abiraame Jewellers, are still pending.
They are Singaporean Palaniappan Ramanathan, 41, and Indian nationals Manickavasagam Saravanan, also 41, and Kulamani Ganesan, 31.
Those convicted of the offence under the GST (General) Regulations can be fined up to $5,000 for each charge.

 

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#13
MSF and the police treat such cases seriously and will not hesitate to take action against anyone who abuses and/or facilitates the abuse of the fund, said both organisations.

41-year-old man being investigated for possible abuse of Covid-19 Temporary Relief Fund

An Internet user had made a post claiming that he was able to obtain aid from the fund without any documents.PHOTO: AFP
PUBLISHED APR 12, 2020, 10:20 PM SGT

Jolene Ang

SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Sunday (April 12) they have been alerted to a case of possible abuse of the Covid-19 Temporary Relief Fund.
An Internet user had made an online post claiming that he was able to obtain the Temporary Relief Fund aid without any documents and that the system was "so simple to cheat", the two organisations said in a joint statement.
The police have identified a 41-year-old male Singaporean behind the post and investigations are ongoing.
SPF said it is also aware that there are advertisements on social media purportedly selling forged payslips for the purpose of making fraudulent claims for the Temporary Relief Fund.
The fund gives a one-time cash assistance of $500 to lower- to middle-income Singaporeans and permanent residents facing difficulties during the Covid-19 crisis due to job or income loss.
MSF and the police treat such cases seriously and will not hesitate to take action against anyone who abuses and/or facilitates the abuse of the fund, said both organisations.


MSF added that it is conducting checks on all applications to detect forged payslips.

"Members of the public are warned that these advertisements may be scams and are advised not to respond to them."
Abuse of the fund may constitute an offence of cheating and will be immediately referred to the police for investigation.

The offence of cheating carries an imprisonment for a term of up to 10 years, and a fine.

 

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#14
MOH said it will not hesitate to take action against any individual or business that violates the Infectious Diseases Act.

Mobile phone shop in Serangoon Road ordered to close for 2 weeks for flouting safe distancing rules

UniverCell Mobile Market at 122 Serangoon Road has been ordered to shut for 14 days.PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM GOOGLE MAPS
PUBLISHED APR 6, 2020, 6:44 PM SGT
Jean Iau


SINGAPORE - A mobile phone shop has been ordered to close for two weeks from Monday (April 6) after it was found to have flouted safe distancing rules.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that it ordered UniverCell Mobile Market at 122 Serangoon Road to shut for 14 days, and the store's owner must clean and disinfect the premises during this period.

The owner must also take measures to prevent overcrowding or any other conditions that may contribute to spread of Covid-19 in the store.
On Sunday at about 1pm, officers from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) found the store to be severely overcrowded during their safe distancing checks.
UniverCell Mobile Market also lacked proper crowd management controls, which include measures such as limiting the number of customers in the store and ensuring that customers keep 1m apart from one another.
Despite being verbally warned by STB officers, the store was found to be overcrowded again at about 7.15pm later that day. STB officers then issued an advisory letter.


MOH said it will not hesitate to take action against any individual or business that violates the Infectious Diseases Act.
"We urge everyone to observe the safe distancing measures that have been put in place, and to be socially responsible," it added.

 

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#15
"The police have zero tolerance towards such criminal acts and will not hesitate to take action against those who blatantly disregard the law," the police said.

Man and woman arrested for forging certificates to cheat PUB over reservoir permits

PUBLISHED APR 6, 2020, 11:18 PM SGT

Jean Iau

SINGAPORE - A 67-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman employed by him have been arrested for tricking national water agency PUB into giving their company permits to operate boats in reservoirs.
In a statement on Monday (April 6), the police said that they received a report from PUB in August 2017 that the company involved had submitted fake marine surveyor certificates in order to get PUB permits.
They are expected to be charged in court on Tuesday with cheating.
The company was awarded a contract by PUB to remove flotsam and aquatic plant trimming in three reservoirs.
It was then required to send their boats to be involved in this for inspection by PUB's appointed marine survey companies and submit the inspection certificates to get the permits from PUB to operate the vessels in the reservoirs.
However, the company did not sent their vessels for inspection and submitted fake inspection certificates in order to get the permits.


Police investigations found that the man encouraged the woman to forge the inspection certificates and submit them to PUB on 183 occasions between 2012 and 2017 to trick PUB into issuing the permits for the vessels.

Anyone found guilty of forgery for the purpose of cheating can be jailed for up to 10 years, and fined.
"The police have zero tolerance towards such criminal acts and will not hesitate to take action against those who blatantly disregard the law," the police said.

 

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#16
But he added: "As we begin a new week, I am clear that we will not hesitate to take action against those who continue to flout safe distancing measures. We will give no quarter to stubborn pockets of people in some public spaces." Masagos Zulkifli

Coronavirus: Over 200 fines issued for flouting safe distancing rules

A Ministry of Manpower officer conducts enforcement operations on April 12, 2020. PHOTO: MINISTRY OF MANPOWER
PUBLISHED APR 13, 2020, 5:00 AM SGT

$300 fine for first-time offenders as stiffer penalties kicked in yesterday
Jolene Ang

More than 200 composition fines of $300 were issued to members of the public who did not comply with elevated safe distancing measures across Singapore yesterday, as stiffer penalties for such breaches kicked in, said the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources.
Police assistance was required for more than 20 uncooperative cases.
The number of fines was much lower compared with the 3,000 warnings issued on Saturday, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said in a Facebook post last night.
"Singaporeans are conducting themselves well in public. Thank you to the many people who chose to stay at home."
But he added: "As we begin a new week, I am clear that we will not hesitate to take action against those who continue to flout safe distancing measures. We will give no quarter to stubborn pockets of people in some public spaces."
He had warned on Saturday that first-time offenders will be fined $300 and repeat offenders will face higher fines or prosecution in court for egregious cases, after reports that there were still too many people not taking the measures seriously.

Previously, first-time offenders were issued a written warning, while second-time offenders were fined $300, and those nabbed a third time then charged in court.

Yesterday, 30 fines of $300 were issued for non-compliance of safe distancing measures at or near markets and hawker centres, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).
About 380 enforcement officers were deployed yesterday to ensure that people complied with such measures at or near markets and cooked food sections of hawker centres, NEA added.
More than 190 SG Clean ambassadors were also deployed to remind people that eating and drinking, or any form of loitering, are not allowed at or near the cooked food sections of hawker centres.

In a statement last night, Enterprise Singapore and the Singapore Tourism Board said they instructed 30 businesses that remained open despite providing non-essential services to cease operations.
The agencies also fined three establishments $1,000 each for failing to enforce safe distancing measures despite earlier warnings.
The infringements by Putien at 127 Kitchener Road, Komala's Vege Mart at 125 Dunlop Street and Jollibee next to Causeway Point included failing to implement a crowd management system and allowing customers and deliverymen to crowd together without a 1m spacing between one another.
Two food deliverymen were also fined $300 each for not complying with safe distancing measures.
Mr Masagos said in his post: "Our enforcement officers... have been out in force every day to cover all the public areas in housing estates, including this long weekend."
But enforcement operations should not continue at the same scale in the weeks ahead, he added, noting that agencies have to uphold essential services such as tackling dengue and ensuring water and food security.
NEA said that over the long weekend, most people had adhered to safe distancing measures, and queues outside popular markets were more orderly and manageable, with the overall crowds at markets down by about 50 per cent from Friday to yesterday.
People are advised to patronise markets during weekdays or the non-peak period between 10am and noon on weekends, the agency added.
"We are monitoring the situation closely and may take stronger measures if the crowd situation does not improve, to help support the current circuit breaker and halt the transmission of Covid-19 in Singapore."

 

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#17
"We also will not hesitate to take disciplinary actions or enforce penalties where needed to safeguard the interests of the parents and children," said Ms Low, who was responding to a question from Nee Soon GRC MP. Ms Lee Bee Wah.

Parliament: MSF will not hesitate to enforce penalties over misuse of funds from CDAs

Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development Low Yen Ling said the ministry will not hesitate to take disciplinary actions over any misuse of funds in Child Development Accounts.PHOTO: ST FILE
PUBLISHED AUG 17, 2015, 3:03 PM SGT

Charissa Yong
US Correspondent


SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) takes a 'very serious' view of any misuse of funds in Child Development Accounts (CDA), Ms Low Yen Ling said on Monday in Parliament.
The Parliamentary Secretary for MSF was referring to the case in July against the couple behind Sweetlands, a chain of 11 childcare centres, who were found to have made unauthorised withdrawals from the CDAs of children at their centre.
"We also will not hesitate to take disciplinary actions or enforce penalties where needed to safeguard the interests of the parents and children," said Ms Low, who was responding to a question from Nee Soon GRC MP. Ms Lee Bee Wah.
The MSF, she added, will continue to carry out and improve the various levels of checks and controls, as well as remind approved institutions to comply strictly with the terms and conditions and statutory requirements.
Ms Lee had asked, among other things, how the MSF intends to tighten control over the use of funds from CDAs, and to explain its audit regime of CDA accounts.
A recent MSF audit discovered that the couple, Madam Chan Chew Shia and Mr Ho Boon Hong, had allegedly made wrongful claims for childcare subsidies.


To protect the interests of parents, the MSF is revoking their rights to carrying out CDA deductions at their centres, said Ms Low.

The MSF has also referred the matter to the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) for investigation, as well as closely monitor other claims for CDA deductions and child care subsidies made by Sweetlands, she added.
However, Sweetlands centres can continue to operate despite the ongoing probe, said Ms Low. This is because there are no issues regarding the safety or well-being of the children at the 11 centres.
She said MSF has notified the parents whose children are in a Sweetlands childcare centres of these developments, and advised them to check and ensure that their CDA deductions are valid. Those who have not kept their statements can request for these from their CDA banks.
Ms Low also outlined four broad levels of checks and controls in the use of CDA funds in Parliament.
First, parents must sign an authorisation form to allow approved institutions such as childcare centres and kindergartens to make deductions from their child's CDA; Second, these institutions are responsible for ensuring that proper procedures are followed before deductions are made. This includes obtaining parents' authorisation and keeping proper records.
Third, banks with CDAs must provide parents with monthly statements with details of deductions from their child's CDAs, and finally, the ministry regularly conducts checks on approved CDA institutions to ensure that the procedures are followed and deductions are in order.

 

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#18
The spokesman added: "IMDA has commenced investigations into the two service disruptions to StarHub's Internet services... and will not hesitate to take strong enforcement action should there be any lapses on StarHub's part."


StarHub Internet users face connectivity woes

Children studying at home earlier this month. StarHub's Internet service faced intermittent outage issues yesterday, causing disruption to users working and studying at home during a period when connections are crucial amid the coronavirus outbreak.ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
PUBLISHED APR 16, 2020, 5:00 AM SGT

IMDA probes two service disruptions affecting several parts of S'pore yesterday
Yip Wai Yee

StarHub's Internet service faced intermittent outage issues yesterday, causing disruption to subscribers working and studying at home during a period when connections are crucial amid the coronavirus outbreak.
According to the Down Detector website, which logs Internet outages, StarHub started having problems at around 11am, before complaints spiked at 11.30am and again, at 3.55pm.
StarHub, in confirming the problem on its Facebook page, said fibre broadband services for some customers living in the north and north-east of Singapore were "temporarily affected" for about 20 minutes in the morning due to "a fault in a network equipment".
Its update on Facebook at 3.45pm said it was aware that some broadband customers were still facing connectivity problems.
The telco later said this was due to a separate network issue with one of its domain name servers that handles Internet traffic routing.
StarHub's chief technology officer Chong Siew Loong apologised for the inconvenience and said: "We take this incident seriously and will conduct a detailed root-cause analysis so that we can prevent future recurrence."

He said traffic on the telco's network is "well below" available capacity, and that "ample redundancy" has been built into the network to cater for high service levels.

All affected services were fully restored by 8.20pm, said the telco.
A spokesman for the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) told The Straits Times: "IMDA takes a serious view of any service disruption to public telecommunications services, especially during the circuit breaker period, where many of us are working and studying from home."
The spokesman added: "IMDA has commenced investigations into the two service disruptions to StarHub's Internet services... and will not hesitate to take strong enforcement action should there be any lapses on StarHub's part."

Thousands of Internet users from Yishun and Ang Mo Kio to Seletar and Kallang took to social media to complain about the outages.
Facebook user Danny Tong wrote on StarHub's page: "How to work from home when your 'equipment' and infrastructure failed big time? Still not working after rebooting all my devices equipment several times now. Bishan area."
Private investor Stephen Chen, 42, said he realised that something was wrong when he noticed his wife using her phone's mobile data to conduct a Zoom call for work at around 5pm.
"I saw that my computer's Internet connection was also down and I couldn't do any trading. I rebooted the router a few times and it still didn't work," said Mr Chen, who lives in Mountbatten.
Mr Alper Turken, CommScope's senior vice-president, service provider, Asia-Pacific, said the Internet is "as essential as water and power".
"Such connectivity will be the difference between success and failure, particularly for smaller businesses that need to turn to digital means to reach their local and global audiences while home-bound."

 

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#19
"We will not hesitate to take action against such persons and send a strong signal to prevent such behaviour from negating our collective efforts during this crucial circuit breaker to slow down the infection," he added.

Parliament: Private social gatherings of any size, in homes or public spaces, not allowed under new law

The Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Bill allows the health minister to prohibit events and gatherings, or impose conditions on how they are conducted.ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
PUBLISHED APR 7, 2020, 5:41 PM SGT

Lim Min Zhang


SINGAPORE - Social gatherings of any size, in homes or public spaces, will no longer be allowed under a new law for combating the coronavirus outbreak.
The ban includes having private parties or gatherings with families or friends not living together, at home or in public spaces such as parks and Housing Board void decks, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on Tuesday (April 7) .
He made the point when introducing the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Bill for debate in Parliament.
It was passed later in the day, giving the Health Minister the power to prohibit events and gatherings, or impose conditions on how they are conducted.
Said Mr Gan: "This enables us to better regulate events and gatherings, including those that take place on private properties."
The authorities had previously advised against holding and participating in social gatherings with more than 10 people.


Last Friday (April 3), tighter measures were introduced. The authorities said social contact should be confined to immediate family members living in the same household and there should be no social gatherings.

The restrictions for four weeks started yesterday and will go on till May 4.
Mr Gan, who co-chairs the multi-ministry Covid-19 task force, said the Bill provides the legal basis to enforce enhanced safe distancing measures, and are temporary measures specific to the outbreak that Singapore is facing.
The law will also allow the Government to requisition land, property or services needed to ramp up healthcare capacity and public health capabilities under the Requisition of Resources Act that was first passed in 1985.

Mr Gan told the House that if the number of Covid-19 cases continue to rise in Singapore, it may become necessary to requisition buildings that can be converted into accommodations and care facilities.

He said: "I am very grateful that today, many hotel and building operators have voluntarily stepped forward in this difficult period to work with the Government to support the national Covid-19 efforts.
"However, in a crisis like this, time is often of the essence and we cannot rely solely on commercial negotiation or the goodwill of these resource owners. We will need to move fast."
He added that the Government would exercise these powers judiciously, and work closely with affected stakeholders.
Under the Bill, the health minister would also have the power to close premises such as workplaces, schools, recreational facilities and places of worship, to minimise interactions and reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
It allows the minister to set requirements for premises in key economic sectors or essential services that are allowed to continue operating, including having food establishments open only for take-away or delivery, and not allowing customers to dine in.
The minister can also restrict the movement and interactions of individuals at their place of residence or other places, as well as their use of common areas like void decks, and shared facilities in HDB estates and private condominiums.
Mr Gan said: "While the majority of Singaporeans are responsible and will try to comply with the safe distancing measures, there will inevitably be a few individuals who do not treat the situation seriously and blatantly disregard the rules."
For instance, they may loiter and mingle in groups in public areas instead of staying at home, or refuse to adhere to safe distancing measures at food establishments or supermarkets, he said.
"We will not hesitate to take action against such persons and send a strong signal to prevent such behaviour from negating our collective efforts during this crucial circuit breaker to slow down the infection," he added.
All social gatherings banned under new law | THE BIG STORY | The Straits Times

WHAT'S ALLOWED?
The Act lists only 12 situations an individual may leave his or her home, as well as anything reasonably connected with the items on the list. These are:
(1) to work for or with an essential service provider, a specified school or an early childhood development centre
(2) to procure any goods or services from an essential service provider or a specified school
(3) to obtain — (i) medical treatment for a suspected Covid-19 infection at a hospital, medical clinic or any other place, designated by the Director for the treatment of Covid-19; or (ii) medical treatment that is of a pressing nature
(4) to engage in any recreational activity in an open-air stadium, public path or public park alone or with any other individual who lives with you.
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(5) where an individual works for or with an essential service provider, to bring the individual’s child or children to a place where the child or children are to be cared for.
(6) to assist any individual who has a physical or mental disability, or is below 12 years of age or above 60 years of age, with his or her daily needs.
(7) to report for enlistment or service under the Enlistment Act.
(8) to report to any law enforcement officer or to attend at any court in accordance with any warrant, summons or order made under any written law or order of a court.
(9) to be present at any place in accordance with a requirement under any written law.
(10) to seek or render help in an emergency.
(11) to move to another place of accommodation.
(12) to leave Singapore.
It also states that individuals must not allow others to enter his or her home except in very limited circumstances, including the provision of an essential service.
ENFORCEMENT AND PENALTIES
The Act empowers the minister or any authorised public officer to appoint enforcement officers to take action against individuals, business owners or entities that flout the rules.
The enforcement officers will include police officers, public officers and health officers appointed under the Infectious Diseases Act.
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While a strong signal needs to be sent to those who are egregious in flouting the measures, Mr Gan said enforcement officers will look at the facts of the cases carefully, including whether there were reasonable explanations for non-compliance.
Penalties are aligned with those under the Infectious Diseases Act. First-time offenders can be fined up to $10,000 and jailed up to six months.
For subsequent offences, the penalty is a fine of up to $20,000, up to 12 months' jail, or both.
SAFEGUARDS
Mr Gan emphasised that the health minister may make such orders only when he is satisfied that the spread of Covid-19 constitutes a serious threat to public health, and that the control order was necessary to prevent or contain it.
Second, a control order and any amendment must be presented to Parliament as soon as possible after its publication in the Gazette.
The House may pass a resolution annulling the control order, or any part or amendment of it.
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Third, the minister must publish the control order so that those affected are aware of it, in addition to publishing it in the Gazette.
The minister noted that the latest "circuit breaker" measures offer an important opportunity to slow the Covid-19 infection significantly.
"The key message is simply this: 'Stay home. Go out only for essential activities. Avoid close contact with people. If you can't, wear a mask to protect others and to protect yourself.' Everyone must play our part for the circuit breaker to be effective," he stressed.