The PAP using the tried and trusted pork barrel politics again

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SIA offers special flight rates, bonus miles to mark SG60 celebrations​

Fare deals on SIA for 77 destinations are available from April 11 to April 24 for travel between April 12 and Nov 19.PHOTO: ST FILE
Calista Wong
Apr 08, 2025

SINGAPORE – Avid travellers can look forward to special rates on selected flights on Singapore Airlines (SIA) and its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot, as part of the SIA Group’s initiative to celebrate the nation’s 60th birthday.

Fare deals for 77 destinations are available from April 11 to April 24 for travel between April 12 and Nov 19, 2025.

Bookings can be made through SIA’s website, mobile app and appointed travel agents, the national carrier said in a media statement on April 8.

Those who make bookings during this period can also win prizes such as a pair of SIA business class round-trip tickets with hotel accommodation to Seoul, South Korea, and $600 worth of Pelago vouchers through a lucky draw.

Separately, Scoot will offer fare deals for 60 destinations for travel from April 14 to Oct 25, 2025. The deal will be available from April 8 to April 17.

Customers can book these flights through Scoot’s website, mobile app and appointed travel agents.

Travellers can also enjoy additional discounts and miles accrual when they book SIA flights between noon on Aug 15 and 11.59am on Aug 17 for travel between Sept 1 and Sept 30, 2025.

KrisFlyer members will also receive 60 per cent more bonus miles when booking Scoot flights during this period.

Vouchers for selected dining, retail partners and attractions will also be offered on the Kris+ application and on Pelago.

KrisShop will launch The Heritage Collection – a limited-edition series featuring items inspired by iconic Singapore cultural elements such as the dragon-shaped public playground and decorative wall tiles from heritage shophouses.

“As we celebrate Singapore’s 60-year nation-building journey, the SIA Group is deeply grateful for the unwavering support of our customers and the Singapore public,” said chief executive Goh Choon Phong.

“Our story is intertwined with Singapore’s growth and progress as a country, and the Celebrating with Singapore campaign is our way of expressing gratitude, giving back to the community, and marking SG60 meaningfully.”

Singapore celebrates 60 years of independence in 2025, and discounts and deals at 23 local tourist attractions have already been rolled out, while 140 coffee shops across the island offer cheaper food and drinks to celebrate the millestone.

 

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Expanded tax scheme to benefit more construction facilities from Jan 1, 2026​

National Development Minister Desmond Lee delivers the opening address at the 47th IFAWPCA Convention on April 9.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Isabelle Liew
Apr 09, 2025

SINGAPORE – A scheme that gives tax allowances to owners of construction facilities for capital spending on land-efficient buildings – such as prefabrication hubs – will be expanded to cover more types of developments.

The enhanced Land Intensification Allowance scheme will come into effect from Jan 1, 2026, and will include multi-storey design for manufacturing and assembly facilities to further optimise land use, National Development Minister Desmond Lee announced on April 9.

Design for manufacturing and assembly is a way of prefabricating structures in an off-site facility before assembling them on-site, saving time and manpower.

Such facilities can be those performing fit-out works, storing precast components or producing other parts, such as mass-engineered timber and prefabricated mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, Mr Lee said.

The prefabrication method is used in the construction of HDB flats, allowing buildings to be made in a Lego-like manner, with building modules fabricated offsite before being transported and assembled on-site.

Currently, only integrated construction and prefabrication hubs are eligible for the scheme.

Under the scheme, firms will receive an initial tax allowance of 25 per cent of qualifying capital expenditure during the construction stage.

Subsequently, they will receive annual tax allowances of 5 per cent of the qualifying capital expenditure, until the total allowance received reaches 100 per cent.

The expanded scheme will run till Dec 31, 2030, in an effort to drive greater adoption of design for manufacturing and assembly, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) said on April 9.

Companies developing such new facilities and applying for planning permission on or after Jan 1, 2026, can apply for the expanded scheme.

To qualify, new multi-storey design for manufacturing and assembly facilities must meet conditions such as a minimum gross plot ratio of 1.03, and at least 80 per cent of the gross floor area of the facility must be used by the building owner or its related users.

The expanded scheme was announced at the 47th International Federation of Asian and Western Pacific Contractors’ Association Convention at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre.

Speaking at the event, Mr Lee said Singapore faces tight resource constraints as it is a small island city-state, with no natural resources to rely on.

“For the construction industry, this means that we need to make the most of our limited resources to meet the construction needs of a growing nation,” he said.

This is done by shifting towards advanced construction methods and facilities, such as adopting design for manufacturing and assembly, robotics and automation, and transforming construction facilities.

For instance, Jurong Port launched Singapore’s first integrated construction park in 2024, which houses key construction facilities such as storage areas and concrete batching plants. Such integrated facilities are land-efficient, help save transportation time, and reduce the carbon footprint from truck trips across the island, Mr Lee said.

The Government will continue to encourage the development of construction facilities that use land efficiently, such as through the Land Intensification Allowance scheme, he added.

Mr Lee stressed the necessity of sustainability in construction, given Singapore’s land and resource constraints, as well as climate change and rising sea levels.

To that end, one of the goals in the Singapore Green Building Masterplan 2030 is to ensure that 80 per cent of new developments are Super Low Energy buildings from 2030, he said.

Such buildings achieve at least 60 per cent improvement in energy efficiency relative to 2005 levels.

For older buildings, the Mandatory Energy Improvement regime will kick in from the third quarter of 2025, he noted. It will require owners of energy-intensive buildings to carry out an energy audit and take action to reduce the energy consumption of their buildings.

Mr Lee said construction firms can tap the Energy Efficiency Grant, which provides eligible Singapore companies with financial support for up to 70 per cent of the cost of approved energy-efficient construction equipment.

To support firms in building long-term capabilities, the Built Environment Technology and Capability Grant provides firms with up to 70 per cent funding to develop new enterprise and manpower capabilities and adopt advanced technologies.

 

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The PAP through a male under the bus because the PAP sees an opportunity to win the feminists' votes.

Ex-Law Society V-P says he’ll reflect, change after inappropriate post on rape survivor: Shanmugam​

Mr Chia Boon Teck, the co-managing director at Chia Wong Chambers, met Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam on April 10.PHOTOS: CHIA WONG CHAMBERS, LIANHE ZAOBAO

Samuel Devaraj
Apr 10, 2025

SINGAPORE – The former vice-president of the Law Society of Singapore who made comments about a rape survivor that received strong backlash has said he will “reflect and change”.

Mr Chia Boon Teck said this to Minister for Home Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam, whom he met on April 10.

In a Facebook post the same day, Mr Shanmugam said Mr Chia had asked for the meeting in the wake of the lawyer’s comments, which the minister had described as “quite inappropriate”.

“When we met today, I told Mr Chia that he needed to reflect on his comments, and his approach. I suggested that he consider a journey of deeper reflection and understanding, appreciate that his remarks were quite wrong,” Mr Shanmugam added.

“Mr Chia has said that he will reflect, change, and find ways of contributing to society.”

Mr Chia, the co-managing director at Chia Wong Chambers, had posted on his LinkedIn page on March 22 about a High Court case in which Lev Panfilov was convicted of raping a woman he met on dating app Tinder. The LinkedIn page has since been disabled.

Among other things, Mr Chia said in the post that “Tinder ain’t no LinkedIn”, in reference to how the victim and the perpetrator first met.


In the same post, he described the victim, who is 30 years old, as “not exactly a babe in the woods” and commented, “Wow. Was she awake during this marathon?”, in reference to the sexual assault she was subjected to.

In an earlier post, Mr Shanmugam said that he was worried about the impact Mr Chia’s comments might have on other victims.

“Philosophically, I take a different view from those expressed by Mr Chia. And that has been expressed in changes we have directed, both to the laws we have in Singapore, and the way (the) police conduct their investigations,” the minister said.

This includes the 2012 repeal of a provision in the Evidence Act that allowed defence lawyers to question an alleged victim of rape, to try and show that she was of generally immoral character.

Among others who had spoken up against Mr Chia’s original comments was Ms Sugidha Nithiananthan, director of advocacy and research at gender advocacy group Aware.

She said the law has made great strides forward in dealing with such cases, with both Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon and Justice Vincent Hoong, judicial commissioner of the Supreme Court, having highlighted the importance of not perpetuating rape myths or victim-blaming.

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The PAP afraid of losing the Malay/Muslim votes if the PAP does not speak up.

Masagos says remarks by former NMP Calvin Cheng were hurtful to Malay/Muslims, threaten social harmony​

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli in a Berita Harian podcast interview on April 9.PHOTO: BERITA HARIAN

Hariz Baharudin
Apr 10, 2025

SINGAPORE - Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Masagos Zulkifli has said that remarks by former Nominated MP Calvin Cheng that he would pay to send certain individuals from Singapore to Gaza if they do not return are unacceptable and deeply hurtful.

Left unaddressed, such statements can divide society and lead to a loss of trust among Singaporeans, Mr Masagos said on April 9.

During a Berita Harian podcast interview, the minister said Mr Cheng’s criticism of two social activists was hurtful to Malay/Muslims here, given that the community holds respect and good manners in high regard.

The way the former NMP had framed his comments had crossed a line, said Mr Masagos, who is also Minister for Social and Family Development.

Mr Cheng made the comments in a March 13 Facebook post about activists from a group called Monday of Palestine Solidarity, which had asked people concerned about the issue of Palestine to raise the matter with their MPs. On March 12, some activists from the group disrupted the Meet-the-People session of Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam.

In his post, Mr Cheng offered to pay to relocate the activists, so long as they do not return to Singapore. Among other things, he asked the activists to “take a slow hike” to Gaza.

Mr Masagos said many people, especially within the Malay/Muslim community, felt angry and dismissed by the comments, and he understood why.

“It’s not just about disagreement, it’s about the message it sends, that some Singaporeans somehow do not belong if they speak up,” he said in a Facebook post after the podcast recording, which Berita Harian reported on. “That is not something we can accept.”

Singapore values and protects its social harmony dearly, given the decades of effort taken to build it up, said the minister.

“That trust can be easily shaken by careless words,” he added. “We must all be mindful of the negative impact we may cause to our social cohesion, especially when we are in a position of influence.”

No one has the right to suggest that another Singaporean should leave the country because of a different view, added Mr Masagos.

“We all have a stake here. No one – Malay, Chinese, Indian, regardless of background – is a ‘pendatang’,” he said. “This is home for all of us.”

The Malay word pendatang refers to an outsider or foreigner, and has been used to suggest someone does not belong in Singapore.

Mr Cheng’s Facebook post drew a rebuke from many, including ministers such as Mr Masagos and Mr Shanmugam.

On April 6, the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association (Pergas) issued a statement that called Mr Cheng’s comments “deeply troubling”, as they ridiculed and alienated fellow Singaporeans, many of whom had expressed empathy and solidarity in response to humanitarian suffering.

In response, Mr Cheng said in a Facebook post on April 7 that his earlier comments were directed at a group of people which included non-Muslims, and reiterated that those comments mentioned neither race nor religion.

Mr Masagos said during the podcast interview that the frustrations felt by many in the community are valid, but urged Malay/Muslims here to respond with the values of adab, or graciousness, which are a sign of strength and wisdom, and not weakness.

“Our traditions teach us that respect and kindness are the foundation of a strong, united community. Let’s hold on to that – responding with strength and grace, not division,” he said.

 

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The PAP "pressured" Calvin Cheng to meet the Malay/Muslim leaders to grovel and apologise.

Calvin Cheng ‘deeply remorseful’ for remarks on activists, says he should have been more sensitive​

(From left) Mr Calvin Cheng said he had met Ustaz Pasuni Maulan and Ustaz Mohamad Hasbi Hassan at Yusof Ishak Mosque in Woodlands on the afternoon of April 9. PHOTO: CALVIN CHENG/FACEBOOK

David Sun
Apr 10, 2025

SINGAPORE - Former Nominated MP Calvin Cheng has said he is deeply remorseful for his remarks suggesting that a group of activists relocate to Gaza, acknowledging that they caused “hurt and anger”, especially within the Muslim community.

In a Facebook post on April 10, he said he had met Ustaz Mohamad Hasbi Hassan and Ustaz Pasuni Maulan at Yusof Ishak Mosque in Woodlands on the afternoon of April 9.

Ustaz Hasbi is chairman of the Council of Elders at the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association (Pergas), and Ustaz Pasuni is a member of the elders’ council.

Both elders are also on the council of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore.

During their meeting, they discussed the remarks, with Mr Cheng telling the senior leaders that he did not intend to attack any community or faith.

He also told the two elders that he had spoken to members of the Malay/Muslim community over the past week.

He wrote: “I realise that I should have been more sensitive with my remarks. I should not have said – even in jest – that people should go to a conflict zone.


“I told the (two) ustaz that I am deeply remorseful about my remarks suggesting that our people go to a conflict zone. They advised me to be more sensitive in future in what I say.”

Mr Cheng had made the remarks about the activists in a Facebook post on March 13, proposing to send a group of them to Gaza, as long as they never returned. Among other things, he asked the activists to “take a slow hike” to Gaza.

This was after the activists from the Monday of Palestine Solidarity group turned up and caused a scene at Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam’s Meet-the-People Session in Chong Pang on March 12.

The activist group has been going around to several Meet-the-People Sessions to talk about the war in Gaza.

Mr Cheng said his remarks were directed at the activist group, which included Chinese and Indians, and had a mix of religions.

“I was specifically upset with their disruptive activism,” he said. “My remarks were not targeted at the Muslim community.”

He also said some people had wrongly attributed to him some other statements that he did not make, and he has thus had to take legal action as the untrue statements were very damaging to him.

The parties he is taking action against include Reform Party secretary-general Kenneth Jeyaretnam and former Singapore Democratic Party chairman Mohamed Jufrie Mahmood.

Mr Mohamed Jufrie said in a Facebook post on April 10 that his lawyer is handling the case. “Actually I have a lot to say, but I abide by the law and reserve my comments,” he wrote.

Mr Cheng added that he was deeply grateful to Ustaz Pasuni and Ustaz Hasbi for meeting and listening to him.

“I am grateful for the understanding, patience and compassion of the two elders,” he said.

Hamas attacked Israeli communities on Oct 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people. Israel responded by launching a campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 50,000 people so far.

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli and Mr Shanmugam had come out to say they disagreed with Mr Cheng’s views.

On April 6, Pergas issued a statement calling the comments “deeply troubling”.

It said the remarks ridiculed and alienated fellow Singaporeans, many of whom had expressed empathy and solidarity in response to humanitarian suffering.

Mr Cheng responded on April 7, saying his earlier comments were directed at a group of people that included non-Muslims, and reiterated that those comments mentioned neither race nor religion.

In a podcast interview with Malay-language news outlet Berita Harian on April 9, Mr Masagos said the way Mr Cheng had framed his comments crossed a line, was hurtful to Malay/Muslims here and threatened social harmony.

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The PAP trying not to lose the Malay/Muslim votes because of a pro-PAP former Nominated Member of Parliament

Former NMP Calvin Cheng’s remarks on activists ‘completely insensitive, unacceptable’: PM Wong​

PM Lawrence Wong wrote that the racial and religious cohesion in Singapore today is the result of generations of patient effort and hard work.PHOTO: ST FILE

Kok Yufeng
Apr 10, 2025

SINGAPORE - Remarks made by former Nominated MP Calvin Cheng suggesting that a group of Singapore activists relocate to Gaza were “completely insensitive and unacceptable”, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.

In a Facebook post on April 10, PM Wong said he shared his perspective on Mr Cheng’s comments with Ustaz Mohamad Hasbi Hassan and Ustaz Pasuni Maulan, whom he met during a visit to Madrasah Aljunied Al-Islamiah in Victoria Lane earlier in the day.

Ustaz Hasbi is chairman of the Council of Elders at the Singapore Islamic Scholars and Religious Teachers Association (Pergas), and Ustaz Pasuni is a member of the elders’ council.

Both elders are also on the council of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore.

PM Wong wrote in his post that the racial and religious cohesion in Singapore society today, which is diverse yet harmonious, is the result of generations of patient effort and hard work.

“We must treasure it, protect it, and nurture it,” he said. “In today’s uncertain environment, where there are many external forces that can pull our society apart, this work is even more important.”

PM Wong recounted how, when Singapore was a part of Malaysia, some segments of the Malaysian community had called the local Chinese “pendatang” - a Malay word that refers to an outsider or foreigner.

“It angered many Chinese, who felt that they were second-class citizens. So when Singapore became independent, we resolved never to treat our minorities like that.”

PM Wong said he thanked Ustaz Hasbi and Ustaz Pasuni for their role in fostering inter-faith harmony.

“Together, let’s build on what we have, and ensure that our little red dot remains an oasis of stability and harmony,” he said.


Mr Cheng had earlier met Ustaz Hasbi and Ustaz Pasuni on April 9 at Yusof Ishak Mosque in Woodlands, where he expressed deep remorse for his remarks on March 13 suggesting that Singaporean activists from a group called Monday of Palestine Solidarity “take a hike” to Gaza.

This was after activists from the group turned up and caused a scene at Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam’s Meet-the-People Session in Chong Pang on March 12.

In a Facebook post on April 10, Mr Cheng acknowledged that his comments had caused “hurt and anger”, especially within the Muslim community.

Mr Calvin Cheng had earlier met Ustaz Hasbi and Ustaz Pasuni on April 9 at Yusof Ishak Mosque in Woodlands.PHOTO: CALVIN CHENG/FACEBOOK
His post came after Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs and Minister for Social and Family Development Masagos Zulkifli and Mr Shanmugam came out to say that they disagreed with Mr Cheng’s views.

On April 6, Pergas issued a statement calling the comments “deeply troubling”.

The association said the remarks ridiculed and alienated fellow Singaporeans, many of whom had expressed empathy and solidarity in response to humanitarian suffering.

Mr Cheng responded on April 7, saying that his earlier comments were directed at a group of people that included non-Muslims and those comments mentioned neither race nor religion.

 

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Up to 2,400 households in MacPherson to get $45 worth of hawker centre meal vouchers​

The MacPherson Jiak Ba Buay programme will have participating stalls from Geylang East Market and Food Centre, and other hawker centres.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Esther Loi
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE – Residents in MacPherson can get subsidised meals at hawker centres as part of a new $216,000 food support initiative launched on April 12.

The programme, MacPherson Jiak Ba Buay (Hokkien for “have you eaten”), will benefit up to 2,400 households and boost local hawker businesses.

The scheme was launched by MacPherson MP Tin Pei Ling on the morning of April 12 at Geylang East Market and Food Centre.

To qualify for this initiative, residents need to be Singapore citizens who hold a valid blue or orange Chas card, or have a monthly household per capita income of $2,300 or less. They can register at the MacPherson Community Club to get these vouchers.

Each eligible household will receive a bundle of 15 $3 vouchers. These vouchers, which can be used to offset the cost of meals, will be valid for use until March 2026.

There will be about 137 participating hawker stalls from Geylang East Market and Food Centre, as well as the hawker centres at 79/79A, 80 and 89 Circuit Road. Participating stalls will display a MacPherson Jiak Ba Buay decal.

This programme was a move to address residents’ concerns over rising costs of living, said Ms Tin.


While there are other schemes such as the MacPherson Marketplace which offers cheaper groceries, Ms Tin noted that residents told her that they hope to “consume more confidently” at hawker centres, which was why her team came up with this food support initiative.

She hopes that the vouchers will allow residents to buy food that they want and keep themselves full, in addition to providing support for local hawkers.

Ms Tin added that over the past one to two weeks, 1,140 applicants had registered for the programme prior to its launch.

On whether the initiative will be expanded, Ms Tin said her team will continue raising funds to run this scheme until 2026, adding that this is just one of the many tools extended to low-income residents in MacPherson.

Residents interviewed by The Straits Times welcomed the voucher programme, including Mr William Tan, 71, who is looking forward to using the vouchers whenever he eats at nearby hawker centres.

The part-time coffee shop attendant is satisfied with the quantity of vouchers being distributed, and does not mind forking out some cash if his meal costs more than $3.

Hawkers who spoke to ST hope that the vouchers will attract more customers to their stalls.

Among them is Ms Lim Yen Huan, 63, who runs a kway chap stall at Geylang East Market and Food Centre. She hopes that business will improve with these vouchers, noting that around 10 customers have bought food from her using these vouchers within the first 1½ hours of the launch event – where the vouchers were first distributed.

Even though MacPherson SMC will be absorbed by the newly renamed Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC in the upcoming election, Ms Tin said the programmes that have already been introduced in MacPherson will proceed as normal.

She added that her team will continue raising funds to support these initiatives, in addition to getting feedback from residents on the usefulness of these programmes.

“Then, at the GRC level, obviously as a team, we’ll always be constantly communicating with each other,” said Ms Tin.

Citing the recently launched Caregiver Support Fund as an example of addressing common needs on a larger scale, she said that it is a two-pronged approach, where programmes are designed at the local level to address unique needs.

But if there are common problems faced across the GRC, she said these local programmes can be introduced across the entire GRC.

​

 

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Joo Chiat private estate to be upgraded with new community spaces, senior-friendly features​

Manpower Minister and Marine Parade GRC MP Tan See Leng shared the plans with residents at a community brunch event at Koon Seng Park on April 12.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Shermaine Ang
Apr 12, 2025

SINGAPORE – Residents of private housing in Joo Chiat Neighbourhood 2 can look forward to new or improved facilities over the next three to five years, including new recreational spaces, estate markets and senior-friendly walkways, as well as improved lighting and connectivity.

Manpower Minister and Marine Parade GRC MP Tan See Leng shared these plans with residents at a community brunch event at Koon Seng Park on April 12.

The estate, bounded by Joo Chiat Road, Still Road, Changi Road and Marine Parade Road, is part of the Marine Parade ward.

The upgrading works, which will come under the Estate Upgrading Programme (EUP), were announced by Minister for National Development Desmond Lee in February.

Dr Tan said residents were happy about the news, as they had felt left out of many estate upgrading programmes that do not involve private estates.

He said residents have requested a larger dog run, shelter for a community space where Zumba classes are held, better lighting for safety at night, and improved drainage and walkways across drains.

Dr Tan said residents can join an EUP committee to provide their ideas on how to improve the estate, which the Marine Parade Citizens’ Consultative Committee will then convey to the Ministry of National Development.


“I hope that certainly this EUP will go some way in making these spaces... very, very resident-friendly,” he said.

The EUP was started in 2000 to develop and upgrade infrastructure in ageing private estates, which do not have access to town council or Housing Board grants. Residents do not have to pay for the upgrading works.

Of the 32 private estates that will be upgraded over the next five years, 25 estates with more than 16,600 households – Joo Chiat Neighbourhood 2 included – will undergo upgrades costing $124 million in all.

Seven estates with a higher concentration of seniors will come under the EUP’s new silver estate scheme, getting upgrades worth $11 million that will benefit more than 3,700 households.

Residents in a zumba session during a community brunch event at Koon Seng Park on April 12.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Since the EUP was launched in 2000, about $216 million has been spent on upgrading 74 private estates over 10 batches of the project.

More than 54,000 households have benefited from the EUP, including those in Serangoon Garden, Mount Sinai and Braddell Heights.

Dr Tan on April 12 urged residents to give their ideas on how to improve the estate, adding that he hopes to make the estate a welcoming gathering space for residents of all ages.