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

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LTA said it has sent out a reminder to taxi drivers about the penalties for touting and overcharging, and that it takes a serious view of such offences.
It added that enforcement efforts will be stepped up during the festive period and that it will not hesitate to take errant drivers to task.

7 taxi drivers caught for overcharging passengers at MBS and Changi Airport​

Under the LTA Vocational Licence Demerit Points System, cabbies who rack up six demerit points or more can get their vocational licence suspended. PHOTO: ST FILE

Sarah Koh

DEC 15, 2023


SINGAPORE – Seven cabbies have been hauled up for overcharging passengers at Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and Changi Airport over a four-month period.
Between September 2023 and December 2023, two taxi drivers were found to have asked passengers to pay a fare that was up to $20 more than the metered fare.
Two other drivers collected a fare that was $20 or more than what was shown on the meter, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in a statement on Dec 15.
The four drivers were offered a chance to pay a $500 penalty, and be given 12 or 21 demerit points – depending on the fare they collected.
The alternative was to face charges for their offences under the Public Transport Council Act.
Three other drivers were found to have asked passengers for fares beyond the metered fare, but the passengers did not take their cabs in the end, said the statement.
It added that the drivers were offered a chance to compound their offences at $100 instead of being charged in court. If they opt to pay the compound fine, they will get three demerit points.

Under the LTA Vocational Licence Demerit Points System, cabbies who rack up six demerit points or more can get their vocational licence suspended.
Cabbies that notch up 21 demerit points or more can have their vocational licence revoked.
LTA and MBS have worked closely to improve the traffic situation and manage the taxi queue at the driveway of the integrated resort, where there have been more incidents of touting and overcharging, the statement said.


On its part, MBS will set up a limousine service counter at its driveway to offer a premium service option for people who do not want to join the taxi queue.
Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Yeo Wan Ling – an adviser to the National Taxi Association and National Private Hire Vehicles Association – said in a Facebook post that the two organisations have received feedback from its drivers about touting.
She said: “Such activities give our Singaporean taxi and private hire driving trade a bad reputation and directly impact the livelihoods and safety of our drivers.
“The associations have worked with the LTA closely on the feedback, and support the stern enforcement taken by the LTA on errant drivers.”



She added that the two bodies will continue to help drivers operate in a fair and positive environment, and provide them with a sustainable platform to earn a living ethically and safely.
LTA said it has sent out a reminder to taxi drivers about the penalties for touting and overcharging, and that it takes a serious view of such offences.
It said: “Such practices by a minority of drivers compromise the interests of passengers and undermine the integrity and reputation of the point-to-point passenger transport industry.”
It added that enforcement efforts will be stepped up during the festive period and that it will not hesitate to take errant drivers to task.
“We will also continue to conduct frequent checks at high-traffic areas, potential hot spots and locations reported to LTA by members of the public,” it said.
In a Facebook post on Dec 15, Acting Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat said the irresponsible actions of a small minority of drivers ruins Singapore’s reputation, negatively impacts the industry’s standing, and is unfair to commuters and other drivers.
“Hope the message is loud and clear – please do not break the rules, or be prepared to face the consequences when you are caught, like what happened to the seven errant drivers,” he added.



Members of the public can report incidents of touting, overcharging or drivers refusing to use the taxi’s meter at [email protected] or the e-service titled “Report Vehicle-Related Offences” at www.onemotoring.lta.gov.sg.

 

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MAS: "“We will continue to engage the banks to improve their controls in this area and will not hesitate to take firm enforcement action against financial institutions found to have breached our laws,” she added."

Credit Suisse handed $3.9m civil penalty by MAS for relationship managers’ misconduct​

Credit Suisse paid the penalty to the regulator immediately after it was imposed, and as part of the settlement, also separately compensated its affected clients. PHOTO: ST FILE

Prisca Ang
Correspondent

DEC 28, 2023

SINGAPORE – The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has imposed a $3.9 million civil penalty on Credit Suisse for its failure to prevent or detect misconduct by relationship managers in its Singapore branch.
Credit Suisse paid the penalty to the regulator immediately after it was imposed, and as part of the settlement, also separately compensated its affected clients, said MAS in a statement on Dec 28.
The relationship managers had provided clients with inaccurate or incomplete post-trade disclosures, resulting in clients being charged spreads that were above bilaterally agreed rates for 39 over-the-counter bond transactions.
When Credit Suisse executes such transactions requested by its clients, it charges a spread over the price obtained from the relevant interbank counterparties.
For some of the 39 transactions, the relationship managers had made false statements to clients about the executed interbank prices, spreads charged, or both.
They had also, in some cases, omitted material information that the spreads charged were above the agreed rates.
The enforcement action on Credit Suisse follows a review by MAS of pricing and disclosure practices in the private banking industry.

Investigations revealed that Credit Suisse had failed to put in place adequate controls, such as post-trade monitoring, to prevent or detect the relationship managers’ misconduct.
Credit Suisse has since strengthened its internal controls to prevent the recurrence of such misconduct, said MAS.
The bank has also admitted liability under Section 236C of the Securities and Futures Act 2001.

The section states that a corporation which fails to prevent or detect a contravention that is committed by an employee or officer for its benefit, and is attributable to its negligence, commits a contravention and shall be liable to an order for a civil penalty.
A Credit Suisse spokesman told The Straits Times that the bank has resolved the matter with MAS following a series of independent reviews.
“We have since reimbursed affected clients, which are limited to a very small percentage of the bank’s order processing system. We have taken steps to enhance our policies, procedures and controls to mitigate any recurrence,” said the spokesman.
Ms Ho Hern Shin, deputy managing director for financial supervision at MAS, said financial institutions should implement robust governance frameworks and processes to ensure fair and transparent pricing to their customers.
“We will continue to engage the banks to improve their controls in this area and will not hesitate to take firm enforcement action against financial institutions found to have breached our laws,” she added.
MAS said in September that it had imposed the highest amount in civil penalties from January 2022 to June 2023, compared with previous 18-month periods.
It handed out nearly $13 million in civil penalties for market abuse cases – the largest amount recorded so far. These cases comprised false trading, insider trading and disclosure-related breaches.
It also meted out a total of nearly $7.9 million in financial and composition penalties in the 18 months, including $7.1 million for anti-money laundering breaches.
Among the high-profile actions taken by the regulator during the period was a $3.8 million fine announced in June 2023 on DBS Bank, OCBC Bank, Citibank Singapore and insurer Swiss Life Singapore for breaching anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing rules, in a matter related to the global Wirecard scandal.
In August 2022, Noble Group was fined $12.6 million for publishing misleading information in its financial statements.

 

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A*Star: "We take a very serious view of staff who breach these standards."

A*Star senior research engineer accused of molesting woman at Clarke Quay​

Shaffiq Alkhatib
Court Correspondent

JAN 27, 2024

SINGAPORE – A senior research engineer at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star) has been accused of molesting a 29-year-old woman at Clarke Quay.
Vuong Dao Nghe, 40, allegedly committed the offence at around 2.15am on Aug 20, 2023.
On Jan 26, A*Star told The Straits Times in a statement: “(We hold) our staff to the highest standards of conduct, behaviour and integrity. We take a very serious view of staff who breach these standards.
“A*Star will consider the matter and take action as is appropriate in the circumstances. As this case is currently before the courts, we are unable to comment further.”
The Singaporean’s case has been adjourned to Feb 21.

 

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SFA spokesman: “SFA takes a serious view towards food safety and will investigate all feedback alleging poor food safety practices,” he added.

BreadTalk customer bites into stainless steel mould accidentally left in pastry, rejects compensation​

The customer said she bought the pastry from a BreadTalk outlet at Plaza Singapura on Jan 7. PHOTOS: XIAOHONGSHU

Yong Li Xuan

JAN 26, 2024

SINGAPORE - A BreadTalk customer who was eating a snack she bought from the bakery chain bit into a stainless steel mould left by mistake in the pastry before it was baked.
The customer – in a post written in Chinese on social media platform Xiaohongshu on Jan 8 – said she bought the pastry from a BreadTalk outlet at Plaza Singapura on Jan 7.
She added that she “almost collapsed” after she bit into the mould while eating the pastry the next morning, saying it was “outrageous”.
In response to queries, a BreadTalk spokesperson said it was “an unfortunate oversight by our kitchen team during the baking process in-store”.
She added: “BreadTalk takes the matter seriously and we immediately removed the product from all our outlets.”
She said the bakery chain offered items including a gift hamper, a dining card and the cost of any dental work she may have incurred, but the customer rejected the offer.
On Jan 12, the customer put up a second post on Xiaohongshu. Writing again in Chinese, she said she rejected the offer because it felt insincere. She added that she hoped the bakery chain will take the matter seriously.

The BreadTalk spokesperson said: “We are reviewing and updating all our internal procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future, including conducting a comprehensive retraining session for all staff members.
“We deeply regret this incident and the discomfort experienced by the customer. Our customers’ well-being and food safety remains our top priority, and we remain committed to upholding rigorous standards.”
The customer on Xiaohongshu said she has filed a complaint with the Singapore Food Agency (SFA). Attempts to contact the woman have been unsuccessful.
In response to queries, a spokesman for SFA said it is investigating this incident. “SFA takes a serious view towards food safety and will investigate all feedback alleging poor food safety practices,” he added.
Anyone who has concerns about food safety practices can lodge a report at www.sfa.gov.sg/feedback

 

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“We will not hesitate to terminate the service of the driver..."

Taxi driver arrested for allegedly attacking passenger with weapon following dispute​

The 69-year-old driver was arrested for voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon. PHOTO: ST FILE

Wallace Woon

MAR 13, 2024

SINGAPORE – A driver of a Trans Cab taxi has been arrested for allegedly attacking a passenger with a weapon following an argument.
The police said they were alerted to the incident at 6.30pm on March 12 which took place at Block 107 Bedok North Road.
The 69-year-old driver was arrested for voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon.
According to Chinese-language news outlet Shin Min Daily News, the argument started after he agreed to drop off his passengers, a family of three, at multiple destinations but later walked back from the arrangement.
The family boarded the taxi in Hougang, according to Shin Min, and later realised the wrong destination had been specified.
They requested the driver to first head to Block 95 Bedok North Avenue 4 and then to the original destination at Block 106 Bedok North Road.
The conflict arose after the driver went straight to the final destination instead.


A fight broke out between the two parties, with the driver allegedly using a test pen to attack the passengers.
A test pen is a tool shaped like a screwdriver which is used to detect or test for electrical currents.
A 39-year-old man suffered minor cuts as a result of the scuffle but was not taken to hospital after Singapore Civil Defence Force paramedics assessed him.
He was accompanied by a woman in her 30s and a young boy around eight years old, Shin Min said.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, Trans Cab said it has yet to get in touch with the taxi driver or passenger. It added that it would be assisting the police in their investigations.
In its statement, Trans Cab said: “When passengers are on board the taxi, drivers have to fulfil their duty to ferry the passengers to the location unless the vehicle meets with an accident or a breakdown.
“We will not hesitate to terminate the service of the driver and we will continue to remind our drivers to provide a good service to continue to serve the public.”

 

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Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said it takes a serious view on food safety and will investigate all feedback alleging poor food safety practices.

Food operators must play their part by adhering to good food hygiene and preparation practices, and ensure their premises are clean and well-maintained, said SFA.

The agency added that it is looking into the incident.

It said: “SFA may engage the feedback provider for more details and will not hesitate to take enforcement action if sufficient evidence has been obtained.”

Woman horrified to find cockroach in Mr Bean drink​

Photos in the post show an insect on the plastic wrap on the cup, with the drink seemingly almost half consumed. PHOTO: COMPLAINT SINGAPORE/PAMSTER TAN/FACEBOOK

Chin Hui Shan

MAR 19, 2024

SINGAPORE – A woman was consuming her Mr Bean drink “happily” until she felt a crunch. It turned out to be a cockroach.
A Facebook user who goes by Pamster Tan recounted the incident on Facebook group Complaint Singapore on March 18. She said her colleague had ordered a drink from Mr Bean at Queenstown MRT.
She wrote: “I sucked in something that’s not a pearl and with a crunch, I spit the item out.
“To my horror, (it was) a huge cockroach!”
Photos in the post show an insect on the plastic wrap on the cup, with the drink seemingly almost half consumed.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, Mr Bean’s assistant brand director Venus Ang said the company has contacted the customer to ensure that she is fine. Mr Bean will discuss with the customer how it can help with her recovery process.
Mr Bean has done manual checks at the store to ensure there is no cockroach infestation, she added. It has also activated pest control to check on the premises and no cockroach is found.


Mr Bean has more than 70 outlets in Singapore, according to its website.
Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said it takes a serious view on food safety and will investigate all feedback alleging poor food safety practices.
Food operators must play their part by adhering to good food hygiene and preparation practices, and ensure their premises are clean and well-maintained, said SFA.
The agency added that it is looking into the incident.
It said: “SFA may engage the feedback provider for more details and will not hesitate to take enforcement action if sufficient evidence has been obtained.”

 

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The police said they have zero tolerance towards secret society activities, and will not hesitate to take strong action in accordance with the law ...

Woman, 22, to be charged with acting as member of unlawful society​

Ian Cheng
Correspondent


APR 28, 2024

SINGAPORE - A woman allegedly posted in July 2023 video clips of herself on a social media platform chanting gang slogans and displaying gang hand signs to show secret society affiliation.
The 22-year-old will be charged on April 29 with allegedly acting as a member of an unlawful society under the Societies Act 1966, said the police in a statement on April 28.
If found guilty, she can be jailed for up to three years, fined up to $5,000, or both.
The woman was not named in the statement, and it is not known if her post is still up.
The police said they have zero tolerance towards secret society activities, and will not hesitate to take strong action in accordance with the law against those who choose to be associated with gangs, or act as gang members by chanting gang poems and slogans, or display gang hand signs on social media platforms.
“Members of the public are advised to steer clear of secret society activities and to report those engaging in such unlawful activities to the police immediately,” they added.
Earlier in April, the Criminal Law (Temporary Provisions) Act, which allows the Minister for Home Affairs to detain someone linked to syndicates and secret societies without trial, was extended for another five years.

Widely known as Section 55, it was enacted in 1955 to deal with Singapore’s gang problem. It now covers secret societies, unlicensed moneylending, drug trafficking, kidnapping and organised crime.

 

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“MOE takes a serious view of this incident,” he said.

MOE requests forensic investigation after data breach affecting 89,000 parents, school employees​

Mobile Guardian is one of two companies that MOE uses to provide DMA solutions on students’ personal learning devices. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG

Gabrielle Chan

MAY 08, 2024

SINGAPORE - The software company at the centre of a hacking incident in April has been asked by the Ministry of Education (MOE) to appoint a forensic investigator to evaluate its systems and processes, and provide recommendations to prevent a recurrence.
Preliminary investigations by Mobile Guardian, which is headquartered in Surrey, Britain, show that an unauthorised individual had gained access to a support account on its management portal, using it to view information of customers based in the United States and Asia-Pacific region, including Singapore.
This affected about 67,000 parents and 22,000 school employees across 127 schools in Singapore, said Education Minister Chan Chun Sing in a written parliamentary reply on May 7.
He was responding to questions by Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang GRC), Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar GRC) and Dr Wan Rizal (Jalan Besar GRC) on MOE’s approach to ensuring the security and integrity of students’ personal learning devices, as well as measures to protect against online harm and data breaches.
The MPs raised concerns about the certification and training of IT vendors, response strategies for hacking incidents and governance policies for third-party service providers. They also asked about the ministry’s plans for enhancing transparency and communication with parents and the public regarding data security measures and breaches.
Investigations into Mobile Guardian’s systems are ongoing, and action will be taken if breaches of contractual obligations are found, said Mr Chan.
Mobile Guardian determined that the support account was compromised mainly due to inadequate password management, rather than the unauthorised individual exploiting vulnerabilities in its systems, he said.


The company had received an e-mail on April 12 that an unauthorised individual had gained access to its management portal, and this was considered a phishing e-mail, he said.
Mobile Guardian’s management portal is used for administrative purposes like providing technical support, and the portal has access to the name of the user, his or her e-mail address, time zone, school name and whether a person is a parent or a staff member, he said.
It is not able to change any configuration on the students’ personal learning devices, Mr Chan said, adding that none of the MOE or government IT systems has been compromised as the portal is not connected to them.

However, he said, no action was taken until after a second e-mail was received on April 16, when the individual showed proof of accessing the management portal and tried to extort money in exchange for keeping quiet about his or her ability to access the portal.
“Mobile Guardian acted on the second alert, and worked to establish the extent of access and customers affected.
“This included suspending all administrative accounts that could be used to access MG’s management portal,” Mr Chan said.

The ministry was notified on April 17 about the hacking incident, as well as the security measures implemented by Mobile Guardian on its management portal, he said.
With the support of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore and Government Technology Agency (GovTech), MOE conducted security checks and did not find any suspicious activity on its device management application (DMA) portal, nor any indication that the portal had been compromised.
On April 19, the ministry sent e-mails to all users affected to explain what the leaked information could be used for in the event that phishing or scam attempts were made, he said.
These users comprise parents and school employees who manage the DMA functions of their children and students.
A police report has been lodged over the incident, said Mr Chan.
“MOE takes a serious view of this incident,” he said. “Our IT service providers are contractually obligated to take measures to protect personal data against loss and unauthorised access.”
He added that the ministry expressed “deep dissatisfaction” with Mobile Guardian over this incident and will continue to safeguard IT systems by conducting independent audits and regular cyber-security testing.
“We will continue to place emphasis on user education and ongoing vigilance to ensure that our IT systems remain secure,” he said.
Mobile Guardian is one of two companies that MOE engages to provide DMA solutions which help schools and parents manage students’ use of their personal learning devices with functions like screen time limits. The tender was awarded in 2020 to Mobile Guardian, which holds the ISO27001 certification, an internationally recognised standard for information security management systems, Mr Chan said.

 

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“We will not hesitate to take stern action against those who blatantly disregard the law. "

Past month a roller coaster: Woman whose car’s plates were the same as vehicle found with weapons​

The woman was at home when a car – which has the same licence plate as hers, and looks similar to her vehicle – was involved in the incident on May 28. PHOTO: SCREENGRAB FROM SG ROAD VIGILANTE/YOUTUBE

Chin Hui Shan

May 30, 2024

SINGAPORE - About seven months after getting her car, a grey Mitsubishi Lancer, Ms Lee started receiving letters for various offences she said she had not committed.
These included speeding and not obeying parking signs between April and May, Ms Lee told The Straits Times.
After she found out that one of the incidents happened at night, Ms Lee said she started trying to return home as early as possible so she would have an alibi if more offences happened.
The 39-year-old administrative clerk, who wanted to be known only by her surname, received a $70 fine for failure to obey signs exhibited in a parking place on April 29 in Yishun. She also received another two letters for speeding in Yishun in May. She said she had not visited these places at the time of the offences, and has since made police reports. ST has seen these documents.
“The past month has been a roller-coaster ride for me,” she said.
On May 28, Ms Lee was at home in Toa Payoh when a car – which has the same licence plate as hers, and looks similar to her vehicle – was involved in an incident in Admiralty Road.
In viral videos circulating on several online platforms, a man in a grey top is seen confronting the dark-coloured car, which had stopped at a traffic junction.

The car is seen trying to manoeuvre its way out, and collides with a lorry and then a car. Two uniformed police officers are seen hitting the driver’s window, and a man was subsequently pulled out of the car and subdued while face down on the road.
The police said in a release on May 29 that they had arrested a 36-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a case of rash conduct, possession of offensive weapon, possession of scheduled weapon, and suspected drug-related offences.
They added that they had received a call for assistance at the junction of Admiralty Road and Marsiling Lane at about 5.50pm. The police arrested the man after a short scuffle.

It was later established that the driver was wanted by the police and Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) for multiple offences.
A baton, a knuckle duster, a pocket knife, a bank card, seven cash cards, substances believed to be controlled drugs, and drug utensils were seized from the vehicle.
Preliminary investigations by CNB showed that the man’s urine tested positive for controlled drugs.


The driver is to be charged in court on May 30 over various offences, including rash conduct and possession of weapons.
The police said they are seeking to remand him to facilitate further investigations for other offences, including driving without a valid driving licence and insurance, using a deregistered vehicle, and fraudulent possession of property. The driver may face more charges subsequently after investigations are completed, they added.
“The police have zero tolerance for such brazen and reckless acts which could have potentially caused harm to members of the public, road users as well as police officers,” the police said.
“We will not hesitate to take stern action against those who blatantly disregard the law. Members of the public are reminded that it is an offence to carry an offensive weapon in a public place or possess any scheduled weapon.”

A baton, a knuckle duster and a pocket knife were among items seized from the vehicle. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
The man clad in grey in the viral videos was later identified as Mr Maurice Nadarajan, a salesman at A Star Motors, the car dealer Ms Lee bought her car from.
Mr Kreetharan Kathireson, the car dealer’s owner, told ST the company had been aware of Ms Lee’s situation earlier, and Mr Nadarajan was in Yishun when he spotted the car involved in the incident in Admiralty.
Mr Nadarajan then tailed the car for about 40 minutes, hoping to stop the driver, said Mr Kreetharan. He added that Mr Nadarajan also notified the police. Mr Nadarajan suffered some cuts on his arm and a back injury during the scuffle.
On why he risked his safety to stop the driver in Admiralty, Mr Nadarajan said: “Our customer was really worried and anxious about her situation, and I just wanted to make sure that this issue gets settled. I was not thinking about anything else.”
Touched by Mr Nadarajan’s actions, Ms Lee said: “When I saw the video, I am grateful that his service did not stop after the car was sold to me, but I also feel guilty that he was hurt in the process.”

 

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“The police treat all security threats seriously and will not hesitate to take action against anyone who causes public alarm with false threats,” they said.

Man arrested after allegedly giving police false information about gun in taxi entering Singapore​

Carmen Sin

Jun 08, 2024

SINGAPORE - A man was arrested on June 7 after allegedly telling the police that a gun was under the bonnet of a taxi entering Singapore via a land checkpoint. It turned out to be false, the police said later that day.
The 54-year-old allegedly rang the police with the information at about 8.30pm on June 6. He chose to remain anonymous and did not provide his full particulars then.
The police then contacted the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority to find the cab, which was eventually stopped at the Woodlands Checkpoint.
“After a thorough check, the police concluded that the information provided by the male caller was false,” they said.
The police then identified the suspect and arrested him at 1.10am on June 7. He is slated to be charged in court on June 8 with communicating false information of a harmful thing.
If found guilty, he may be jailed for up to seven years, fined up to $50,000, or both.
“The police treat all security threats seriously and will not hesitate to take action against anyone who causes public alarm with false threats,” they said.

“Beyond the fear and inconvenience caused to other members of the public, the making of false threats comes at a cost of public resources that have to be deployed to deal with the incident.”
Earlier in May, a 34-year-old man was charged with providing false information over a harmful situation, after he allegedly made multiple calls to DBS Bank threatening to plant a bomb at its headquarters.
On March 26, another man, 53, was also charged with communicating false information of a harmful thing. He had allegedly sent bomb threats to two Taiwanese politicians via Facebook Messenger.

 

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The agency said it “will not hesitate to take stern enforcement actions against anyone who sells and supplies unsafe food products that are adulterated with banned substances or potent ingredients”.

Banned substance in ChoCo Premix Coffee may trigger heart attack, stroke: SFA​

Consumers are advised not to buy or consume ChoCo Premix Coffee as it contains a banned substance that could lead to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. PHOTO: SINGAPORE FOOD AGENCY

Vihanya Rakshika
Correspondent

Jul 17, 2024

SINGAPORE – Consumers are advised not to buy or consume ChoCo Premix Coffee, which is marketed as a weight-loss product, as it contains a banned substance that could lead to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
The banned substance, sibutramine, is a prescription-only weight loss medicine that has been banned in Singapore since 2010, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on July 15. Serious health consequences reported with its consumption include heart problems and central nervous system disorders such as psychosis and hallucinations, as well as seizures.
ChoCo Premix Coffee is available on multiple local e-commerce platforms and is promoted as a weight-loss product. It claims to support weight loss, prevent muscle loss, speed up fat burning, eliminate fat, reduce hunger, improve constipation, repair muscles and increase muscle mass.
SFA has worked with various e-commerce platforms to remove listings of the product and has issued warnings to the respective sellers to stop selling the product immediately.
Those who have purchased the product are advised to avoid consuming it and seek medical advice if concerned about their health.
SFA also advises consumers to exercise caution when consuming food bought from unverified sources and to seek more information before making a purchase.
The agency said it “will not hesitate to take stern enforcement actions against anyone who sells and supplies unsafe food products that are adulterated with banned substances or potent ingredients”.


Sellers of unsafe food may face fines of up to $5,000 for the first offence, while repeat offenders may be fined up to $10,000 or jailed for up to three months.

 

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“MOH will not hesitate to investigate and take regulatory and/or enforcement action against licensees which have contravened the HCSA and its subsidiary legislation, as well as refer any errant registered medical practitioners to the SMC for disciplinary action,” said the spokesman.

MaNaDr Clinic’s teleconsultation suspension does not affect other clinics using its app​

MOH on Aug 16 directed MaNaDr Clinic in Beach Road to suspend its outpatient telemedicine services over concerns about quality of care to patients. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO

Lee Li Ying
Correspondent


Sep 28, 2024

SINGAPORE – Clinics and service providers on the MaNaDr app have continued to use the platform to provide teleconsultation services as the Aug 16 suspension of MaNaDr Clinic’s own teleconsultation services does not apply to them.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) had directed MaNaDr Clinic in Beach Road to suspend its outpatient telemedicine services over concerns about quality of care to patients stemming from excessively brief consultations. This applies to its use of any teleconsultation platform, including its own, until further notice.
The ministry told The Straits Times that other clinics and service providers using the MaNaDr platform to provide teleconsultation services have obtained the necessary licensing approval and authorisation under a Healthcare Services Act (HCSA) licence.
While they can continue using the platform, “MOH will be auditing and monitoring them to ensure that the teleconsultations are properly conducted in compliance with the Singapore Medical Council’s (SMC) Ethical Code and Ethical Guidelines (ECEG), as well as relevant regulatory requirements”, a ministry spokesman said.
The ECEG’s telemedicine guidelines state that providers should endeavour to provide the same quality and standard of care as in-person medical care, and ensure patients understand any limitations of telemedicine that may affect the quality of their care.
MaNaDr Clinic was suspended after preliminary investigations by MOH found that a very large number of cases it had seen involved very short consultations. For example, more than 100,000 teleconsultations with patients via video calls lasted one minute or less, with the shortest being one second.
Further regulatory and enforcement action may be taken after the conclusion of ongoing investigations, said MOH.

MaNaDr is operated by Mobile-health Network Solutions, the first Asia-Pacific telehealth company listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. According to MaNaDr’s website, more than 500 clinics have joined its network.
A MaNaDr spokesman told ST in September that the platform has initiated a thorough review of all its telemedicine operations, including MC issuance and the length of consultations.
“The platform values MOH’s actions and is confident that any findings will enhance telemedicine services across the industry,” the spokesman added.
The spokesman said that, as far as the platform is aware, medical certificates (MCs) issued by clinics and doctors under their respective remote care licences after Aug 16 remain valid.


MOH said it will also audit and monitor other licensed providers of outpatient services via teleconsultations.
“MOH will not hesitate to investigate and take regulatory and/or enforcement action against licensees which have contravened the HCSA and its subsidiary legislation, as well as refer any errant registered medical practitioners to the SMC for disciplinary action,” said the spokesman.
This comes in the wake of MOH tightening rules over the issuance of MCs by telemedicine platforms.
In an April 22 joint circular to doctors, MOH and SMC said feedback had been received from various employers and government agencies about the “excessive issuance” of MCs following outpatient medical service consultations, particularly teleconsultations.
Among the allegations then were what MOH called “malingering and abusing medical leave privileges”, where MCs were given for non-medical reasons, such as when patients mentioned that they just wanted a certificate to skip work or school, and were not sick.

 

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“TP and LTA will continue to conduct enforcement operations against errant cyclists and will not hesitate to take action against them,” the statement said.

37 road cyclists fined for flouting group size rules in Singapore​

A total of 37 cyclists were fined for flouting the rule on cycling group sizes on the road on Sept 28 and Oct 13. PHOTO: SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE

Chin Hui Shan

Oct 18, 2024

SINGAPORE - A total of 37 cyclists were fined for flouting the rule on cycling group sizes on the road on Sept 28 and Oct 13.
The cyclists were caught during enforcement operations conducted by officers from the Traffic Police (TP) and Land Transport Authority (LTA), the authorities said in a joint statement on Oct 18.
Current restrictions limit cyclists riding in groups to five if cycling in a single file, or 10 cyclists riding two abreast on roads with more than one lane.
During the enforcement operations, TP and LTA officers also engaged cyclists to raise awareness on cycling rules and guidelines.
Cyclists found guilty of flouting the cycling group size rule will be fined $150, the statement said. The composition fine amount was raised since Jan 1, 2022, to improve road safety and applies to those who break other existing cycling rules. The fine was previously $75.
Other cycling rules include failure to stop at red lights, cycling on expressways, and riding abreast of another cyclist along single lane roads or within bus lanes during bus lane operational hours.
“TP and LTA will continue to conduct enforcement operations against errant cyclists and will not hesitate to take action against them,” the statement said.

 

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"SFA takes a serious view of these offences and would like to remind food business operators to observe good food and personal hygiene practices at all times. This includes engaging only registered food handlers and ensuring upkeep and maintenance of licensed premises (including toilets within). SFA will not hesitate to take firm action against anyone found to be in violation of the Environmental Public Health Act."

The Banana Leaf Apolo at Race Course Road suspended 2 weeks for selling unclean food​

Another eatery, Shahi Briyani House at Rowell Road, also had its license suspended for two weeks.
Hannah Martens

November 09, 2024, 06:44 PM​

The Banana Leaf Apolo at 56 Race Course Road has been suspended for two weeks, from Nov. 8 to 21, 2024.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) announced on Nov. 8 that the eatery had accumulated 14 demerit points within 12 months, and as such, was fined S$1,000.
The eatery received demerit points for failing to keep the premises clean, ensuring the cleanliness of appliances, and selling unclean food.
SFA also announced that another eatery, Shahi Briyani House at 10 Rowell Road, had its license suspended for two weeks, from Nov. 8 to 21, 2024.


The eatery accumulated 16 demerit points within 12 months and was fined S$1,100.
It had failed to keep its premises clean, free of infestation and to register assistants.
Both eateries will require all food handlers to re-attend and pass the WSQ Food Safety Course Level 1 before they can resume work.
All food hygiene officers working in the eateries, if any, must re-attend and pass the WSQ Food Safety Course Level 3.


The agency said:

"SFA takes a serious view of these offences and would like to remind food business operators to observe good food and personal hygiene practices at all times. This includes engaging only registered food handlers and ensuring upkeep and maintenance of licensed premises (including toilets within). SFA will not hesitate to take firm action against anyone found to be in violation of the Environmental Public Health Act."

 

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“We have taken decisive action to help. And will not hesitate to do more if necessary,” said Mr Huang.

Govt sets out ways it helps sustain hawker culture, alleviate cost pressures on S’poreans​

The aim is to preserve the Unesco heritage of hawker centres where stallholders largely operate their stalls themselves. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Chin Soo Fang
Senior Correspondent

Nov 14, 2024

SINGAPORE - As community dining rooms where Singaporeans from all walks of life gather informally, hawker centres are a central part of the Republic’s identity. The unique touch each hawker puts on their dishes is also what makes hawker culture a beloved institution.
But while hawker culture must be nurtured and supported, doing so requires balancing between inherent tensions that sometimes pull in different directions, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Koh Poh Koon told Parliament on Nov 13.
Speaking during a motion put forth by the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) that called for better support for hawkers, Dr Koh listed the Government’s three objectives in its hawker policy.
These are to ensure that hawker centres continue to provide Singaporeans with affordable food options; help hawkers have a decent livelihood while safeguarding the long-term sustainability of their trade; and to preserve the unique local hawker culture and identity.
While it tries to achieve all three objectives at the same time, it will have to strike a balance between the interests of all parties, said Dr Koh in a five-hour debate that saw about 10 MPs speak.
With global inflation, Singaporeans are understandably concerned about how much they pay for food at hawker centres. At the same time, hawkers also feel these pressures as the rising cost of ingredients form a large part of their operating costs, he noted.
Addressing consumers’ desire for lower food prices can inadvertently run counter to the Government’s aim for hawkers to make a decent living, said Dr Koh. This would also make it more difficult to attract young Singaporeans to the trade, as they have many other career options.

The motion saw PSP Non-Constituency MPs Leong Mun Wai and Hazel Poa put forth a number of suggestions they said would improve the prospects and livelihoods of hawkers here.
One was that each cooked food hawker stall be allowed to employ a work-permit holder as a stall assistant, a suggestion that was seconded by Mr Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC).
This would address the manpower shortage issue and let older hawkers ply their trade for longer, said Mr Leong.

Dr Koh replied that the current policy to allow only Singaporeans and permanent residents to be stallholders at hawker centres safeguards the local identity of the trade. At the same time, the Government ensures low barriers to entry for Singaporeans who wish to enter the food and beverage business by becoming a hawker.
Unlike foodcourts and coffee shops, which are subject to foreign manpower quotas, the aim is to preserve the Unesco heritage of hawker centres where stallholders largely operate their stalls themselves, he added.
He was referring to how Singapore’s hawker heritage was added to the Unesco Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2020.
“That is why we calibrate any relaxation on restrictions on who can work at our hawker centres very carefully... full liberalisation of our hawker centres would significantly alter the make-up and feel of these hawker centres,” he said.
Dr Koh noted that he had in October announced that hawkers will be able to hire from a larger pool of long-term visit pass holders from Jan 1, 2025.

Another suggestion by Mr Leong and Ms Poa is to replace the current tender system with balloting to address the issue of competitive tenders leading to high stall rents.
Dr Koh said that while balloting could provide an equal chance to all to obtain a stall at an upfront fixed rate, it could also encourage frivolous applications and excess demand for stalls at popular locations. Those who genuinely want to set up a stall would see their chances dwindle, and such a situation will not benefit patrons, he added.
Ms Poa also suggested a fixed rent model to keep rental costs under control.
But this would lead to nearly half of all tenderers paying higher rent than they do today, given that based on 2023 data, the tenanted rent for about 44 per cent of stalls is below the assessed market rent, said Dr Koh.
He also pointed to a recent move by the National Environment Agency (NEA) for tendered rents to drop to market rates over six years instead of three years, so as to encourage prospective hawkers to exercise prudence when putting in bids. The change takes effect from NEA’s November tender exercise.
Dr Koh stressed that the Government foots the cost of building hawker centres, and does not use rent for cost recovery. There is no reserve rent or minimum bid price, thus enabling many bidders to obtain stalls at low rental rates.
The current rental process is open, transparent and straightforward for prospective hawkers to understand, and has created a hawker centre landscape that is responsive to consumer demands and changing expectations, and is fair for both hawkers and consumers, he added.
“So we have to be quite careful not to abandon a system that has actually worked quite well and benefited many hawkers just because of a small number of outliers,” he said.
Mr Leong also proposed that the current social enterprise model be phased out as the contracts of today’s operators expire.
In response, Dr Koh noted that the socially conscious enterprise hawker centre model (SEHC) was started in 2011 when the Government resumed building hawker centres.
The context for the model was to help the new breed of hawker centres succeed, and to do so, they would need to have good visitorship, a diverse food mix that responds to evolving needs, and long-term viability.
“All these require the right business acumen to put together. Government agencies do not have the abilities or instincts to operate businesses,” said Dr Koh.
Today, 14 out of 121 hawker centres are managed by SEHC operators appointed by NEA. Based on recent surveys, over 97 per cent of patrons and stallholders were satisfied with SEHCs, which is comparable to the satisfaction level at NEA managed centres.
NEA has worked closely with hawkers and operators as well as other stakeholders to refine the SEHC model over the years, and will continue to listen to concerns and input to evolve and improve the model, added Dr Koh.
On Ms Poa’s suggestion for a centralised procurement system so that hawkers can benefit from wholesale prices for ingredients such as cooking oil and rice, Dr Koh said some operators have already been offering bulk purchasing services, but that the uptake has not been widespread.
This is as some hawkers want to maintain their relationships with existing suppliers, while others are quite particular about the source and quality of the ingredients and see it as a way to differentiate themselves from their competitors.
Dr Koh said he agreed with Mr Leong that the Government has a role to play in supporting hawkers. It has been doing so for decades, he added, since it first gathered up street hawkers and sought to provide them with a conducive operating environment by building hawker centres.

The authorities will continue to fine-tune and improve its policies to balance between competing objectives, and chart the best way forward for both hawkers and Singaporeans, he added.
Separately, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Finance and Education Shawn Huang laid out the ways the Government has stepped in to address Singaporeans’ concerns about high prices.
The five times that the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) tightened monetary policy and strengthened the Singdollar has helped put a lid on inflation, he noted.
Overall, core inflation in 2024 is expected to continue to decrease, and fall further in 2025. MAS’ monetary policy will continue to ensure medium-term price stability, he said.

A comprehensive package of measures has also been introduced to cushion the impact on households. After several enhancements, the Assurance Package that was introduced in 2022 now provides more than $10 billion of cash payouts, MediSave top-ups, CDC vouchers, as well as additional U-Save and service and conservancy charges rebates to households here.
In January 2025, every Singaporean household will receive another $300 in CDC vouchers. In the coming months, all adult Singaporeans will also receive between $200 and $600 in cash payouts.
“We have taken decisive action to help. And will not hesitate to do more if necessary,” said Mr Huang.

 

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They added: “The police and LTA have zero tolerance against such rash acts that endanger the lives or safety of others and will not hesitate to take stern action against errant and reckless riders in accordance with the law.

Cyclist to be charged over collision that left female jogger with head injury​

The incident took place in East Coast Park on the morning of Oct 22.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Gabrielle Andres
Dec 26, 2024

SINGAPORE – A 34-year-old cyclist will be charged in court on Dec 27 over his alleged involvement in a collision with a female jogger at East Coast Park, leaving her with injuries on the head and elbow.

The incident took place in East Coast Park on the morning of Oct 22.

The police said the jogger sustained a head injury and laceration on her right elbow. She was taken conscious to hospital.

Investigations allegedly showed the man had been cycling recklessly. He will be charged with the offence of a rash act causing grievous hurt.

If convicted, he can be jailed for up to four years, fined, or both.

Separately on Dec 17 and 18, the Bedok Police Division and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) conducted an enforcement operation against errant drivers around Tampines Mall and Century Square.

Six men, aged between 16 and 43, were booked for 12 offences, including errant riding of a power-assisted bicycle (PAB) and motorcycles on footpaths, as well as vehicle modification offences.

The authorities also impounded a non-compliant PAB.

The police said they have been working closely with LTA to crack down on errant and reckless active mobility device users and motorists endangering pedestrians on paths and roads.

They added: “The police and LTA have zero tolerance against such rash acts that endanger the lives or safety of others and will not hesitate to take stern action against errant and reckless riders in accordance with the law.