Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals starts 1 October 2015

Recalcitrant neighbours can be taken to court

New tribunals can make excessively difficult culprits comply with order

By Kok Xing Hui, The Straits Times, 1 Oct 2015

Neighbours who are excessively noisy or hard to live with in other ways can now be hauled to court if mediation fails to resolve issues.

Community Disputes Resolution Tribunals (CDRT) start today, and they will let judges order an offender to pay damages of up to $20,000, or apologise to his neighbour, for instance.

The tribunals will take on cases of recalcitrant offenders who - through excessive noise, smell, smoke, light or vibration, or littering - interfere with their neighbours' enjoyment of their residence.

Costs at the new tribunals are also lower than those at other courts so that more people have access to it.

Filing an application at the CDRT will cost $150, compared to the $190 at a District Court. CDRT's total cost is estimated to be $200, compared to the $510 at a District Court.

Costs are also lower as no lawyers are involved and all proceedings are judge-led.

The CDRT was first mooted by outgoing Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Lawrence Wong in March last year.

He stressed that it is intended as a final resort to resolve long-standing disputes, after community mediation efforts have been exhausted.

Previously, people could turn to the Community Mediation Centre (CMC) if they could not resolve disputes either on their own or with the help of grassroots leaders.

But the CMC cannot issue legal orders, and there is little the authorities can do if the neighbours do not want to make up.

The CDRT, however, can issue a special directive to the offending party to comply with the court order. Breaching that directive could lead to the party being fined up to $5,000 or jailed for up to three months for a first offence.

Dr Amy Khor steps down as REACH Chairman

'A fresh pair of eyes' to take feedback unit REACH further
By Walter Sim, The Straits Times, 1 Oct 2015

As her 12 years at government feedback unit REACH drew to a close yesterday, Senior Minister of State Amy Khor said it was timely to bring "a fresh pair of eyes, fresh perspectives, fresh ideas" to the table.

Her successor, Minister of State Sam Tan, takes over from her as REACH chairman today. The appointment was announced on Monday, along with the new line-up of Cabinet ministers and office-holders.



Dr Khor, who spent three years as a member of the REACH supervisory panel and another nine as chairman, told reporters on the sidelines of a positive ageing conference yesterday that it had been a "very satisfying and fulfilling journey" for her.

She noted that significant strides had been made in reaching out to and engaging with Singaporeans.

She cited how REACH - which began as the Feedback Unit in 1985 and was renamed in 2006 - has made it easier for Singaporeans to provide feedback through multiple platforms, both online and offline.

Online channels include a discussion forum on the REACH website as well as live Facebook Q&A sessions, while offline avenues include "listening points", which are booths in public areas such as shopping malls and transport nodes. "Instead of on an ad hoc basis, we are now able to get feedback on a continuous basis," said Dr Khor, who is Senior Minister of State for Health as well as for the Environment and Water Resources. "We are able to proactively solicit feedback, and not just wait for feedback to come."

Positive Ageing Toolkit: New toolkit to track seniors' well-being

Retirees can use it to evaluate their wellness and get information on skills programmes
By Seow Bei Yi, The Straits Times, 1 Oct 2015

From next week, retirees can pick up a self-assessment package to track their progress in improving their well-being.

Called the Positive Ageing Toolkit, it contains questionnaires to evaluate their wellness, and charts to show if they are making progress in aspects of their life, including the physical and emotional.

Launched by the Council for Third Age (C3A), an independent organisation that promotes active ageing, it also contains information on where retirees can go to look for programmes in areas including IT, health and finance.

“A Nation for All Ages needs to be built by everyone… We need to continue our efforts to grow active and positive ageing...
Posted by Ministry of Health on Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Yesterday, some 500 "third agers", or active retirees, received the toolkit at C3A's first positive ageing conference. From the end of this week, the toolkit will be available online at C3A's portal.

From next Wednesday, members of the public can also get them from some of the agency's partners, including Fei Yue Community Services, Yah! Community College and RSVP Singapore.

"I think many of us do not really know what (areas) we are weak in, unless we make a deliberate effort to (find out)," said Ms Soh Swee Ping, chief executive officer of C3A. "We want to encourage positive ageing by providing individuals with the tools to chart their self-discovery journey."

The launch of the toolkit complements the Government's action plan for successful ageing, said Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Health, at the conference yesterday. Part of the action plan involves creating opportunities for people of all ages, and this includes lifelong learning, she said. "Many people may have this mindset about ageing, that it is a period of decline," she said. "We need to change that to a more positive mindset."

Higher school fees for non-Singaporeans from 2016

Fee hike for international students and PRs attending local schools
By Amelia Teng, The Straits Times, 1 Oct 2015

Starting next year, fees for international students attending local secondary schools will rise to $800 a month. It is a far cry from 2009, when students from outside the region paid just $226 a month - and that included miscellaneous fees. It is a steep jump even from the $650 a month they currently pay.

Meanwhile, younger international pupils who attend local primary schools will have to pay $550 a month - up from the $500 a month they pay now. In 2009, such pupils were charged just $156 a month, including miscellaneous fees.

This latest revision of school fees is a move to further differentiate fees by citizenship, the Ministry of Education (MOE) said yesterday in a statement.

International students and permanent residents (PRs) will be paying more to attend local primary and secondary schools, as well as junior colleges and centralised institutes, from next year.

Fees for Singapore citizens remain unchanged. Primary school education is free for Singaporeans, while those in secondary schools and at the pre-university level pay $5 and $6 respectively.

Till a few years back, PRs paid only marginally more than Singapore citizens to attend local schools.

The gap has steadily widened and PRs attending secondary schools will have to pay $160 a month from next year, compared with $120 now.

Those attending local primary schools, who now pay $90 a month, will have to pay $110 a month from next year.

The MOE also said miscellaneous fees, which are used to defray the cost of teaching resources and materials used by students, will not change.

These fees, which apply to all students, including Singaporeans, are $6.50 at primary school, $10 for secondary school, and $13.50 at the pre-university level.

Fee hikes for non-Singaporeans go back to 2009, when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the Government would sharpen the distinction between citizens and non-citizens, in a move to enhance the privileges of being a citizen.

Two biggest pre-school operators My First Skool and PCF to raise fees

NTUC's My First Skool and PCF say fee hikes next year needed to cope with soaring costs
By Priscilla Goy, The Straits Times, 1 Oct 2015

Parents with children in pre- schools run by NTUC's My First Skool or the PAP Community Foundation (PCF), the two largest pre-school operators here, will most likely have to pay more next year.

Both will raise monthly childcare fees at most of their centres next year, by an average of $34 for My First Skool and $28 for PCF.

For infant care, on average, My First Skool will raise fees by $14, while PCF will charge $48 more.

Both told The Straits Times that the fee increases are needed to improve the quality of their programmes, and to cope with soaring operating costs such as higher staff salaries. They had raised fees at most of their centres just this year.

My First Skool and PCF, both appointed as anchor operators catering to the mass market, also reiterated that the new fees will generally still be lower than the maximum allowed for such operators.

Anchor operators get government grants but have to keep fees affordable. They cannot charge more than $720 a month for full-day childcare and $1,275 a month for full-day infant care, before goods and services tax. This is below the industry median fee of $900 and $1,343 for the two services.

The other three anchor operators here are E-bridge Pre-School, Skool4kidz and MY World Preschool. The first two will not charge more next year as they have already hit the maximum allowed. MY World will raise fees at four of its 25 centres, as these were newly transferred from another operator this year.

Fee increases usually start in January but, for My First Skool and PCF, these will kick in later in the year.

My First Skool, which informed parents yesterday, said the increase will start from April, to give parents "an ample six-month notice".

It will charge more at 113 of its 120 centres, but these centres will have no further fee increase in 2017.

PCF told parents about its fee hike earlier last month, saying fees will increase in January. But it made a U-turn last Friday and said that "on a goodwill basis", it will give all Singaporean and permanent resident children a rebate from January to June, so that the new fees take effect only from July.

National University of Singapore Number One in Asia

NUS is No. 1 in Asia, and NTU moves up in Times world ranking
The Times ranking follows stellar showing by both varsities in another recent global listing
By Sandra Davie, Senior Education Correspondent, The Straits Times, 1 Oct 2015

The National University of Singapore (NUS) has become Asia's top university, while Nanyang Technological University (NTU) continues its climb up the world rankings.

In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings released on Thursday (Oct 1), NUS, which edged up one spot to 25th position last year, fell back to 26th place but emerged as Asia's top university.

Tokyo University, which won the accolade last year, plunged by 20 places to 43rd position.

NTU moved up six spots to 55th position in the ranking published by the Times Higher Education magazine based in London.

This follows a stellar showing by both universities in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings issued a fortnight ago. NUS took the 12th spot, up from 22nd last year, and NTU was placed 13th, up from 39th.

Mr Phil Baty, editor of the Times ranking, said: "Singapore is a strong performer. Singapore now boasts Asia's No. 1 university, NUS, and NTU sits in its highest place."

Singapore remains world's second-most competitive economy

WEF report cites Republic as one of the most consistent performers across economies
By Chia Yan Min, Economics Correspondent, The Straits Times, 30 Sep 2015

Singapore kept its position as the world's second-most competitive economy this year despite concerns over rising business costs, tighter labour policies and slowing growth.

This is the fifth year running that Singapore has come in second behind Switzerland, which stayed in pole position in the annual Global Competitiveness Report, compiled by the World Economic Forum (WEF). The ranking of 140 economies is seen as the most comprehensive assessment of its kind.

The WEF said Singapore was one of the most consistent performers across economies, faring well in the 12 factors assessed in the study such as infrastructure, health and education, and technological readiness.

The Republic did especially well in terms of goods, labour and financial market efficiency, the WEF noted. In particular, Singapore can rely on the most flexible and the second-most attractive labour market in the world, though female workforce participation remains relatively low.

"With the best higher education and training system in the world, Singapore is well placed to increase technological adoption, business sophistication and innovation," the WEF said.



These factors also contributed to Switzerland coming up tops in the competitiveness rankings. It is a world leader in innovation, thanks to its world-class research institutions, high spending on research and development by companies, and strong cooperation between the academic world and the private sector, the WEF said.

"Many other factors also contribute to Switzerland's innovation ecosystem, including the level of business sophistication and the country's capacity to nurture and attract talent."

The United States retained its No. 3 spot in the rankings. Although many risks loom on the horizon for the US economy, its recovery can build on improvements in institutions, its macroeconomic environment and the soundness of its financial markets, the WEF said.

Two other Asian economies besides Singapore - Japan and Hong Kong - also ranked in the top 10.

Other major Asean economies - Malaysia (18th), Thailand (32nd), Indonesia (37th), the Philippines (47th) and Vietnam (56th) - ranked in the top half of the overall rankings.

Singapore 'respects Indonesia's sovereignty'

That applies to airspace control, air force training areas and haze crisis, Ng Eng Hen tells ministers in Jakarta
By Francis Chan, Indonesia Bureau Chief and Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja, Indonesia Correspondent, The Straits Times, 30 Sep 2015

Singapore respects Indonesia's sovereignty with regard to airspace control, training areas over the South China Sea and even the current haze crisis, which Singapore has offered to help resolve.

That was the key message Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen has conveyed to his Indonesian counterpart Ryamizard Ryacudu and Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Panjaitan, at high-level talks on Monday in Jakarta.

"We had very good meetings and both sides saw eye to eye on the basis of our long-term relationship... based on mutual respect and regard for each other's sovereignty and well-being," he said.

Dr Ng, who retained the defence portfolio in Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's new Cabinet announced on Monday, was speaking to The Straits Times yesterday at the end of his working visit.

He told both ministers that he was aware of comments by Indonesian officials over the Flight Information Region (FIR), which Singapore controls for take-off, landing and over-flights in the region.

The Indonesian Air Force recently complained about Singapore's military activities in the airspace above the Riau Islands.

It said a bilateral military pact that allows such activities had expired in 2001 and was never renewed due to objections by Indonesian lawmakers and concerns over national sovereignty.

Dr Ng, however, said he sought to assure Indonesia that Singapore did not disregard Indonesia's sovereignty with respect to the FIR, training by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) or even the haze crisis.

Singapore has been in control of flights in the airspace above some areas in Riau since 1946, and Dr Ng said the current set of agreements was approved by the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

"With regard to RSAF training, I took pains to explain to them that our flight training... was in full compliance with international agreements, specifically Unclos," said

Dr Ng, referring to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

He added that the RSAF has been training over the South China Sea since the 1960s - before the Unclos was ratified by countries such as Singapore and Indonesia.

"And before we ratified the Unclos agreement, we were very careful to ensure that our training in the South China Sea will be preserved as we sign on the agreement," he said. "So we fully respected their sovereignty but the overall message was that our relationship with Indonesia was a longstanding one.

"We have benefited each other... over the past few decades because there was mutual regard and respect for each other's sovereignty as well as well-being."

During the talks, Dr Ng also raised the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) offer to help Indonesia deal with the raging forest fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra.

Indonesia has been grappling with the transboundary haze crisis, which was caused by illegal forest fires in the two territories.

Dr Ng said he had made the offer on the basis of Singapore's close relationship with Indonesia.

"And it was in that context that I reiterated the SAF's offer to assist in the haze," he said.

"But of course, fully respecting Indonesia's sovereignty, it is up to them to activate our help and our help stands ready."

Singapore accedes to the United Nations Trafficking in Persons Protocol

Singapore accedes to trafficking protocol
Inking of UN pact represents commitment to tackling the crime, says MHA senior director
By Kok Xing Hui and Aw Cheng Wei, The Straits Times, 30 Sep 2015

Singapore has acceded to international standards of prosecuting and convicting human traffickers under the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (UN TIP Protocol).

According to a statement by the Singapore Inter-Agency Taskforce on Trafficking in Persons released yesterday, outgoing Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam signed the accession agreement to the protocol, in force since 2000 and which has 117 signatories. This makes the treaty binding on the country.

On Monday, the document was deposited by Ministry of Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary Chee Wee Kiong at the UN Treaty Event in New York and received by Mr Santiago Villalpando, chief of the UN Treaty Section.

Singapore has on occasion contested its ranking in the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report released by the United States.

In the latest report out in July, Singapore retained - for the fifth year - its Tier 2 position on a four-tier ranking. This means the country, which enacted trafficking-specific laws in March, has not fully complied with US laws on human trafficking but is making "significant efforts" to do so.

Bukit Brown's iconic gates to be refurbished, relocated

Structure to be placed at entrance of new access road near its original location
By Melody Zaccheus, The Straits Times, 30 Sep 2015

The iconic cast iron gates that greeted visitors entering Bukit Brown Cemetery for close to a century have been removed from their posts to make way for an eight-lane road.

Still, the good news for heritage groups is that the rusting metal structure in Lorong Halwa will be refurbished and eventually relocated at the mouth of a new access road near its original location.

On Monday, construction firm Swee Hong removed the iron gates and placed them in an on-site Land Transport Authority (LTA) storage facility alongside other cemetery artefacts such as tombstones. The concrete columns will be removed in the coming weeks.

After that, the National Heritage Board (NHB) will hire a contractor to carry out refurbishment works.

The Bukit Brown entrance gates comprise several components including a pair of cast iron gates through which cars used to drive in, two side gates for pedestrians, and four free-standing square columns.

Likely prefabricated in Britain, the cast iron gates were shipped to Singapore while the square columns were cast on the spot. The cemetery opened in 1922.

The refurbishment is an initiative by a recently formed multi-agency work group chaired by the Ministry of National Development (MND). It includes the NHB, LTA and civic organisations All Things Bukit Brown and the Singapore Heritage Society (SHS).

Some parts of Bukit Brown have been razed as the LTA constructs a major eight-lane road through the cemetery to connect the MacRitchie Viaduct to the Adam Flyover. The LTA said the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.

NHB assistant chief executive of policy and development Alvin Tan said the gateway is significant: "It is one of the last remaining cemetery structures of its kind and serves as an iconic place marker for the cemetery and its heritage."

Mars water finding may spur NASA's search for life

Scientists ponder if Red Planet could possess niches of habitability for microbial Martians
The Straits Times, 30 Sep 2015

NEW YORK • US space agency NASA's finding that Mars has liquid water flowing on its surface has renewed speculation that life, if it ever arose there, could persist now.

"We haven't been able to answer the question, 'Does life exist beyond Earth?'" Mr James Green, director of NASA's planetary science division, said on Monday. "But following the water is a critical element of that."

That marks a shift in tone for NASA, where officials have repeatedly played down the notion that the dusty and desolate landscape of Mars could be inhabited today.



Now, NASA's associate administrator for science, Mr John Grunsfeld, is talking of sending a spacecraft in the 2020s, perhaps with experiments to directly look for life.

"I can't imagine that it won't be a high priority with the scientific community," he said.

NASA said the findings "provide the strongest evidence yet that liquid water flows intermittently on present-day Mars".

"To be able to live on the surface, the resources are there," said astronaut John Grunsfeld, who is also associate administrator of NASA's science mission directorate.

Liquid water is considered an essential ingredient for life, and its presence raises the question of whether Mars could possess niches of habitability for microbial Martians.

PM Lee sends letter to PAP MPs on rules of prudence and proper conduct

PM reminds PAP MPs to remain honest and incorruptible
He also urges them to be humble - they are 'servants of the people, not masters'
By Walter Sim, The Straits Times, 30 Sep 2015

A letter on how to conduct themselves was sent to People's Action Party MPs yesterday by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, in which he said they "must never tire of reminding" themselves of the importance of integrity, being honest and incorruptible.

He also urged them to be humble following the party's electoral win.

As MPs, they must remember they are "servants of the people, not masters", he wrote.

The letter, titled "Rules of Prudence", is sent out after each general election to stress the rigorous standards he expects every MP to uphold, Mr Lee said on Facebook.

"This was also the practice of my predecessors, Mr Goh Chok Tong and Mr Lee Kuan Yew," he added.

The Prime Minister cautioned the MPs not to "mistake the strong election result to mean that our efforts have succeeded, and that we can afford to slacken".

Much work still needs to be done to tackle issues of concern to Singaporeans, he said. "Listen hard to voter concerns, help them to tackle pressing needs, and convey their worries and aspirations to the Government," he told them.



The PAP was returned to power with 83 out of 89 seats in Parliament and 69.9 per cent of the popular vote. Mr Lee said this shows people have "given us a clear mandate to take Singapore forward beyond SG50". He added: "Now, we must fulfil what we have promised to do in our manifesto."

The focus of the eight-page letter, as in years past, was on the need for PAP MPs to uphold the party's reputation for clean and incorruptible government.

In doing so, they should separate their public political status from their private business or professional interests, Mr Lee said.

This means they need, among other things, to be careful of invitations and gifts they accept, and not lobby public officers on behalf of their friends or clients. Also, they should not solicit directorships in companies or accept them where their role is "just to dress up the board with a PAP MP or two".

He warned MPs not to sit on boards of companies owned or chaired by grassroots leaders whom they had appointed, to avoid perceptions of conflicts of interest.

The MPs were told to disclose to him, in confidence, their business interests and income by Oct 31 "for (their) own protection".

They are expected to attend all Parliament sittings unless they have a valid reason, for which they must seek the Government Whip's permission.

People expect PAP MPs to give their views frankly, he said. "Over time, the public will see that PAP backbenchers are as effective as opposition MPs, if not better, at holding ministers to account, getting issues fully debated, and influencing policies for the better."

In conclusion, Mr Lee said the PAP has won successive elections because "our integrity has never been in doubt, and because we are sensitive to the views and attitudes of the people we represent".

He added: "Any slackening of standards, or show of arrogance or indifference by any MP will erode confidence in him and, ultimately, in the party and Government."