Bukit Batok water pipe leaks caused by corrosion, says PUB

Investigations are ongoing; works start this week to replace 170m of pipeline in St 21 area
By Lin Yangchen and Tan Tam Mei, The Straits Times, 5 Oct 2017

National water agency PUB is checking all 100km of water pipes in Bukit Batok after initial observations found that corrosion caused two water pipes in the estate to burst in the span of less than a week.

Investigations into the incidents are ongoing, including what caused the pipes to corrode, added PUB yesterday, even as it looks to speed up a project to renew old water pipes islandwide.



On Sept 26, and then on Sunday, pipes had burst in Bukit Batok West and Bukit Batok East, respectively. Water spouts rose several storeys and caused localised flooding.

Mr Michael Toh, director of PUB's Water Supply (Network) Department, told reporters during a site visit to Bukit Batok that both pipes were laid in the 1980s, when Bukit Batok New Town was being developed.

The pipe that burst in Bukit Batok West was a 700mm-diameter high-pressure steel pipe and supplied water to the whole Bukit Batok estate.

The one in Bukit Batok East was a smaller 150mm ductile iron distribution pipe.

Starting later this week, PUB will replace 170m of pipeline within the Bukit Batok Street 21 area, which includes Blocks 222 and 223, where the most recent incident occurred. The works are expected to be completed by the end of the year.

PUB will also examine the condition of the old pipes that will be dug out in Street 21 before deciding whether to step up the frequency of inspections elsewhere in the estate.

Singapore must stand united against terror threat: Members of Parliament; Why some foreign preachers get banned: Shanmugam

Multiracialism, strengthening bonds among communities key to prevent distrust, they say
By Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh, The Straits Times, 4 Oct 2017

Parliament yesterday roundly vowed to keep Singapore united against the threat of terrorism, at a time when attacks have sowed discord in societies around the world.

During a 4 1/2-hour debate, 17 MPs from both sides of the House noted the Muslim community had stepped up to counter extremism, and stressed the importance of all communities standing together.

This has become more crucial as the country faces its highest terror threat in years, Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) noted. "That multiracialism can be discussed so openly by members of many different races here in Singapore's Parliament is itself a strength not many Parliaments around the world possess," he said.

Mr de Souza was part of a multiracial slate of four People's Action Party (PAP) MPs who filed a motion on staying united against terror by reaffirming multiracialism and social cohesion.



MPs who spoke - four from the Workers' Party - agreed not to point fingers at any race or religion but to condemn terror attacks in a single voice, he noted. "That agreement is not something to be belittled, especially when we see how so many countries around the world choose the fractious route of finger-pointing and ostracising," he said. "So this bipartisan support for this motion is good for Singapore and good for a united stand against terrorism."

MPs had come armed with suggestions on what more Singaporeans could do to prepare for an attack and nurture trust among the different communities, along with anecdotes illustrating how multiracialism has featured in their own lives.

Las Vegas shooting kills at least 59 in deadliest ever gun attack in modern United States history

Polarised politics ensures little will change on gun policy
By Nirmal Ghosh, US Bureau Chief, The Straits Times, 4 Oct 2017

As the scale of Sunday night's massacre at a concert in Las Vegas became apparent, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, tweeted: "Tragedies like Las Vegas have happened too many times. We need to have the conversation about how to stop gun violence. We need it NOW."

But America has been having the conversation for years. It peaks at every mass shooting that shocks a nation increasingly dulled by 24-hour cable news.

Sunday's mass killing may stall a pending Bill to loosen restrictions on the purchase of gun silencers, and another to allow concealed-carry permit holders to take their guns with them to another state. But many analysts say that may be as far as it goes.

The massacre is unlikely to make any decisive difference to a gun debate trapped in political and ideological gridlock.

"We'll be talking about gun laws as time goes by," United States President Donald Trump told reporters yesterday morning as he left for a visit to hurricane-devastated Puerto Rico.



Earlier on Monday, asked about gun legislation and possible political outcomes, White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said it would be "premature" to discuss gun restrictions. "Today is a day for consoling survivors," she said.

Coalition to Stop Gun Violence executive director Josh Horwitz told The Straits Times: "We have 85 people killed every day from gun violence. Congress somehow manages to do nothing. But when we learn more about this, there will be an effort. And if Congress somehow manages not to do anything important, things can happen in the states, where leaders are much less beholden to the National Rifle Association. We have to try, we have to hope."



The National Rifle Association (NRA) and its five million active members helped elect Mr Trump. At the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, NRA chief executive Wayne LaPierre pledged that his organisation would cover Mr Trump's back for the next eight years. Mr LaPierre's simplistic position is: "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun."

Of LRT disruptions and political pressure

By Elgin Toh, Insight Editor, The Straits Times, 2 Oct 2017

Eyebrows were raised last month when Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said that "political pressure" had prompted the building of the Bukit Panjang LRT (BPLRT) line, which was completed in 1999.

He also described the BPLRT as an "afterthought" - a line constructed in a built-up town, as opposed to one planned from the town's inception.

His comments were part of an explanation as to why the BPLRT faces more frequent disruptions. His broad point: It was conceived in less-than-ideal circumstances.



A brief backgrounder: When the Bukit line - or the branch line from Jurong East to Choa Chu Kang that was later merged into the North-South MRT line - was built in the 1980s, Bukit Panjang happened to fall some distance from it. Residents had to go to the neighbouring Choa Chu Kang to board an MRT train.

Those from Bukit Panjang and other areas without MRT stations could feel the daily inconvenience, and they asked for better links to MRT lines. The Government studied the use of LRT lines to do this.

"Political pressure" came from residents asking questions of the Government, and MPs reflecting the sentiments behind closed doors with ministers or in Parliament.

One Bukit Panjang resident told The Straits Times before the BPLRT was built: "I hardly ride on the MRT as the bus (to Choa Chu Kang station) can be a 20-minute wait." Another resident said: "The internal (feeder) bus service is quite bad and, although the bus into town is fast, it's always very crowded."

Then Communications Minister Mah Bow Tan, who oversaw transport, told Parliament in 1994 that "many MPs and members of the public have suggested introducing light rail systems as an additional form of public transport". The LRT issue was also raised in 1995 at a dialogue with residents when Acting Environment Minister Teo Chee Hean visited Bukit Panjang for a ministerial walkabout.

The Government thus began planning for two LRT lines - in Bukit Panjang and Buona Vista. In 1996, it announced that BPLRT would go ahead, but Buona Vista would not, because it was not financially viable - there were not enough riders.

Singapore soldiers on the front line in the fight against ISIS

Flying flag high amid the heat and danger
They miss local food, and once a week, they sing the National Anthem. Toh Yong Chuan stayed three days with members of Singapore's medical team supporting the coalition in the fight against ISIS.
By Toh Yong Chuan, Manpower Correspondent, The Sunday Times, 1 Oct 2017

Singaporean Megat Shahdan Abdul Samad created a stir online last Sunday when he featured in the latest recruitment video for terror group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

When news of the video broke, I was in the United States Air Force (USAF) airbase in Kuwait waiting to board a C-130 transport plane that would take me to Iraq.

I was travelling to meet a little-known group of Singaporeans who, like Shahdan, had gone to Iraq. But unlike the militant who had gone to create violence, the men whom I was meeting were there to stop it. They are Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) soldiers who are members of the multinational coalition set up to defeat ISIS.

They have been deployed there since June as part of the medical team, working alongside the Australian Defence Force and New Zealand Defence Force to provide medical support to coalition efforts.

To get to the coalition base in Iraq, I had to take a commercial flight to Kuwait City through Dubai, before hopping onto the USAF plane.

My travelling companion was a Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) media relations officer.

"Getting you into Iraq is unprecedented," she said, referring to MINDEF making an exception to its media restriction policy and allowing The Sunday Times to visit troops on the ground there.

About a dozen US Army soldiers were also in the plane, as was cargo bound for Iraq. The Americans mostly kept to themselves.

The C-130 cargo plane was unlike passenger planes. Its soldier passengers sat in the cargo hold - about the size of a four-room HDB flat - along the sides of the plane, shoulder to shoulder, on webbing seats.

The windows consisted of a few portholes along the fuselage. The four propellers were so noisy that earplugs were given out by the air crew and had to be worn throughout the flight. It was impossible to talk above the noise.

FLARES AND A SHARP LANDING

The last leg of the flight was dramatic.

As the plane prepared to make its landing at an airstrip within the base, I had to don a Kevlar helmet and body armour. It dived sharply towards the airstrip and I heard what sounded like crackers being fired from the sides of the plane.

A senior SAF officer travelling with us explained: "Those are chaffs. It is standard operating procedure for pilots to fire them when they land in hostile zones."

I learnt later that chaffs are flares used to counter heat-seeking surface-to-air missiles.

Reserved presidential election was right thing to do: PM Lee Hsien Loong

PM Lee spells out why he pushed for reserved election
He knew it'd be unpopular and cost votes, but sees it as necessary for multiracialism
By Tham Yuen-C, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 30 Sep 2017

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has made it plain that he knew the reserved presidential election would be unpopular - and would cost his party votes.

"But I did it because I strongly believe, and still do, that this is the right thing to do," he said, addressing the unhappiness squarely for the first time last week at a closed-door dialogue.

The reason he gave is that despite the progress made in building a multiracial and multi-religious society, Singapore has "not yet arrived at an ideal state of accepting people of a different race".

His candid remarks were made to about 500 grassroots leaders at a People's Association Kopi Talk dialogue last Saturday, and an edited transcript was released by the Prime Minister's Office yesterday.

PM Lee cited recent surveys that show "we are not completely colour-blind". This will influence people's choices, he said, and he is convinced it is harder for a minority - Malay, Indian or Eurasian - to win an open election for president than it is for a Chinese.

To lend weight to his view, he pointed to the 2011 Presidential Election when there were four candidates, all Chinese.

"Where were the Farid Khans and the Salleh Maricans? Why didn't they come?... Because they knew that in an open election - all things being equal - a non-Chinese candidate would have no chance."

He added: "It is a reality."

Businessmen Salleh Marican, 68, and Farid Khan, 61, had applied to contest the recent presidential election reserved for Malays, but they did not qualify and President Halimah Yacob, 63, won in a walkover.



Another reality is racial issues crop up even in day-to-day living.

Sometimes, minorities face discrimination when looking for a job or a house to rent. Recently, a picture on a construction hoarding of a Malay girl wearing a tudung had the word "terrorist" pencilled on it.

"These are the realities we have to manage," he said.

PM Lee said the Chinese, being the majority race, may think Singapore has "arrived" as a multiracial society. They get occasional reminders when they travel abroad and encounter racism, then "you may know what it feels like to be treated as a minority", he said.

For Singapore's young, having known only racial harmony here, it is very easy to believe race does not matter any more. "We have to know our blind spots," he said, adding that the Chinese community, especially, must make a special effort to make the minorities feel welcomed and valued.

However, having multiracial presidents in itself does not make Singapore a multiracial country. "But it is an important symbol of what Singapore stands for, and a declaration of what we aspire to be," he said.

He noted that nearly two years were spent discussing and debating having a multiracial presidency.

"But it is only now that people are seized with it, after a reserved election in which only one candidate qualified," he said.

PM Lee said he could feel there was some unhappiness. "People think we may be going backwards, towards racial politics. But actually, the reality is the opposite: We are making necessary changes to strengthen our multiracial system."

He shares President Halimah's hope for that day when Singapore will not need the reserved election to ensure minority representation.

But to get to the ideal state, "we need guide ropes and guard rails to help us get there and to prevent us from falling off along the way".

"The reserved election for the president is one such guard rail."

He also said striving for multiracialism includes having the courage and determination to take pragmatic steps to get there, step by step. "That is how we will continue to expand our common space, strengthen trust and become one people, one nation, one Singapore."

PARKING.SG: Pay for public parking fees via mobile app from 1 Oct 2017

Coupon-free parking app goes online Oct 1
Motorists can pay for parking and extend sessions via their mobile phones at 1,100 carparks
By Adrian Lim, Transport Correspondent, The Straits Times, 30 Sep 2017

Scouring for parking coupons or looking for another driver to buy them from will now be a thing of the past.

The Parking.sg app, announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at this year's National Day Rally, makes its debut tomorrow, letting motorists pay for parking at public carparks through their mobile phones.

It can be used at all 1,100 carparks which still require coupons. Through the app, motorists can use their credit or debit cards to pay parking charges.

The app, however, can be used only for cars and light goods vehicles for now.

The scheme will be extended to motorcycles and heavy vehicles by the end of the year, the Housing Board, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and the Government Technology Agency of Singapore said yesterday.

The agencies added that even as the new app is rolled out, paper coupons can still be used.



The app will automatically calculate parking fees based on 30-minute blocks, but if motorists move their vehicles out earlier and end the session, they will be charged on a per-minute basis and get a refund.

This will prevent overpaying.

Under the coupon system, motorists pay 60 cents for 30 minutes, even if they leave earlier.

The app, which will be available from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, will also alert motorists when their parking sessions are about to expire. Instead of running back to their vehicle to display more coupons, they can extend their sessions through the app.

Parking.sg is part of Singapore's drive towards becoming a Smart Nation. Trials, involving more than 15,000 public officers and selected members of the public, were conducted in two phases - from May to June and from July to this month.

The public prosecutor, politics and the rule of law

Separate the two functions of the Attorney-General and let the prosecutorial function be undertaken by an independent candidate appointed by the President.
By Walter Woon, Published The Straits Times, 29 Sep 2017

The Attorney-General occupies the hottest legal seat in Singapore. This is because the Attorney-General is the public prosecutor. Under Article 35(8) of the Constitution, the Attorney-General "shall have power, exercisable at his discretion, to institute, conduct or discontinue any proceedings for any offence".

In recent times, we have seen the president of a country, which is not shy about wagging its finger at others while lecturing about the rule of law, threatening to remove prosecutors and special counsel when investigations cut too close to the bone for comfort.

Closer to home, there has also been loose chatter online and off that question the Attorney-General's decisions to prosecute. This is based on a misunderstanding of the Attorney-General's function as public prosecutor. Ignorant criticism is unfair to the Attorney-General and his officers. Misinformation, deliberate or otherwise, erodes confidence in the system of justice.

It is necessary first to understand the nature of prosecutorial discretion. As a preliminary matter, a distinction must be made between a prosecution and a civil suit. When a person defames someone else, for instance, the "injured" party (the plaintiff) may seek compensation by means of a civil suit.

The public prosecutor is not involved in this. The commencement of civil litigation is a matter solely for the plaintiff. No one can stop him from suing. If he wins, he gets compensation (which does not have to be a substantial sum). If he loses, he pays the defendant's costs.

Criminal defamation is an offence under the Penal Code. It is up to the Attorney-General to decide whether or not to lay charges. This is termed a prosecution, in contrast to civil proceedings. The object is not to obtain compensation for an injured party but rather to protect society's interests by imposing some sort of punishment, often as a deterrent to others.

As provided in the Constitution, the Attorney-General has discretion over this. The accused person (defendant) and the injured party (complainant) are not involved in the decision. The defendant might tender an apology and offer to pay damages to the complainant, but the public prosecutor may decide to press on regardless if he thinks that there is a public-interest issue involved. The complainant cannot "drop the charges", contrary to popular misconception.

Singapore's population at 5.61 million as of June 2017

Singapore's population grows at slowest pace in a decade
Only 5,000 people added in year to June as number of Work Permit holders decreases
By Elgin Toh, Insight Editor, The Straits Times, 28 Sep 2017

If Singapore does not seem more crowded these days, that is because the total population hardly grew in the 12 months since June last year.

It expanded by a mere 0.1 per cent - or about 5,000 - to 5.61 million, the slowest growth rate in more than a decade.

In contrast, the total population - which includes residents and non-residents - in the decade before 2017 expanded by an average of 2.45 per cent each year.

The chief reason for the snail-paced growth is the decrease in the number of Work Permit holders.

As a result, the non-resident population shrank by 1.6 per cent to 1.65 million, the first drop in 14 years.

The fall in the number of Work Permit holders is due to the slowdown in two sectors - construction, and marine and offshore engineering - the National Population and Talent Division said in its annual Population in Brief report, which was released yesterday.

Non-residents consist of Work Permit holders, Employment and S Pass holders, foreign students, foreign maids and other dependants.

Dr Mathew Mathews of the Institute of Policy Studies said the reduced number of non-residents reflects "the tightening of the inflow of migrants", and is in line with government attempts to nudge industries to raise produc-tivity "rather than just rely on additional labour".

He added that in the longer term, it is important to consider if "there is sufficient quality foreign manpower that can be injected into the Singaporean labour force".

"It is always a question of balancing the needs of a robust economy with sufficient manpower and ensuring a Singaporean core is not compromised," he said.

Associate Professor Tan Ern Ser of the National University of Singapore said if the fall in Work Permit holders is due to industries transforming and relying less on foreign labour, "then it may be good news for those who are unhappy about the large proportion of migrant labour in Singapore".

Meanwhile, Singapore's citizen population continues to age.

Judge of Appeal Chao Hick Tin retires, receives rare tribute from ministers, judges and lawyers

Tributes pour in for retiring Judge of Appeal Chao
Ministers, judges laud Justice Chao Hick Tin and his contributions at valedictory reference
By Selina Lum, Law Correspondent, The Straits Times, 28 Sep 2017

Judge of Appeal Chao Hick Tin, the only judge to have served under all four post-independence Chief Justices, will retire today on his 75th birthday, after over 50 years in public service.

Yesterday, a rare valedictory reference - last held in 1990 for retiring Chief Justice Wee Chong Jin - was conducted to honour Justice Chao and his contributions.

It was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, Law Minister K. Shanmugam as well as fellow judges and lawyers.

Mr Shanmugam, Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, former deputy prime minister S. Jayakumar, Attorney-General Lucien Wong, Law Society president Gregory Vijayendran, Supreme Court Registrar Vincent Hoong and Judge of Appeal Andrew Phang gave speeches paying tribute to him.

They lauded Justice Chao for his well-known attributes, such as his humanity, patience and kindness, as well as his practical wisdom, clarity of thought and the courage to do what he believed was right.

A book of essays by 17 contributors, titled A Judge For The Ages, which focuses on Justice Chao's work as a judge in diverse areas of law, was also launched at the event. It was edited by Justice Phang and Professor Goh Yihan, dean of Singapore Management University's School of Law.

Mr Shanmugam revealed how Justice Chao, as a 25-year-old legal officer in the Attorney-General's Chambers (AGC), played a role in Singapore's long-term water security when he attended a United Nations Conference on the Law of Treaties in 1968, following Singapore's separation from Malaysia in 1965.

During discussions, the Malaysian representative acknowledged that "some treaties might be so fundamental to the very existence of states that they simply could not be dispensed with, whatever political differences might arise", said Mr Shanmugam.

The representative said the treaty under which Malaysia had to supply a certain quantity of water daily to Singapore "could not be terminated or suspended between the two states for any political reason".

Mr Shanmugam said Justice Chao, on hearing this and realising how important it was as water from Malaysia was linked to Singapore's very survival, reiterated that the Malaysian representative had said that "even the severance of diplomatic relations... would not affect the water agreement between Singapore and Malaysia".

In doing so, Justice Chao had put on official record Malaysia's express confirmation that the water agreements cannot be terminated, whatever political differences might arise, said Mr Shanmugam. And the importance of having that acknowledgement, "as a matter of UN record", was that it has given Singapore added confidence whenever Malaysia took issue with the water agreements.

"We owe Justice Chao a deep debt of gratitude."

SGSecure for Workplaces: Singapore rolls out guidelines on dealing with terrorist attacks at the workplace

Businesses have key role in anti-terror strategy: DPM Teo
He sets out ways in which they can ensure workers and workplaces are ready to handle a terror attack
By Joanna Seow, The Straits Times, 27 Sep 2017

Businesses are a key pillar in Singapore's overall strategy to fortify the country and keep it safe against terror attacks, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said yesterday.

Mr Teo, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, set out ways they can get their workplace and workers ready to deal with the destruction and trauma in the event of a terror attack.

These include training workers on emergency preparedness such as first aid and in using defibrillators on people suffering cardiac arrests, as well as training business leaders to identify risks and develop risk-management plans.

To help them, SGSecure Guide For Workplaces, a guidebook that lays out in simple and concrete steps what companies can do, was launched yesterday. It will be given to about 151,000 companies by early next year.

These moves were unveiled at an annual national security conference attended by about 520 business representatives and government officials.

The moves are being made as the terrorist threat to Singapore is at its highest level since 2001, when the Jemaah Islamiah terror group was dismantled, said Mr Teo.

And this week, the authorities confirmed that a fighter in an Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) propaganda video on social media is a Singaporean named Megat Shahdan Abdul Samad.

Also, 11 Singaporeans have been detained and another six issued with Restriction Orders since 2015, more than in the seven years before that.

ISIS and its affiliates are active in the region, Mr Teo said, citing the Marawi conflict in the southern Philippines, the seizure of bomb-making chemicals in Java and the arrest of ISIS supporters in Malaysia.

It was against this backdrop that the SGSecure movement was launched last year, to sensitise, train and mobilise the community to such threats. Yesterday, Mr Teo laid out key areas for businesses to work on.

Smoking ban extended to universities, private-hire cars from 1 Oct 2017; New Bill in Parliament to raise minimum smoking age to 21

New restrictions cover private education institutions, and will take effect on Sunday
By Jose Hong, The Straits Times, 27 Sep 2017

Undergraduates and teachers, along with private-hire car passengers, will find it harder to smoke, under new restrictions taking effect from Sunday.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) announced yesterday that smoking will be banned in the outdoor areas of universities, and within the compounds of private education institutions.

It will be limited to designated smoking areas in universities and private education institutions where degrees are offered.

Smoking will also be banned within 5m of the compounds of schools such as pre-schools, madrasahs, junior colleges and polytechnics.

Additionally, smokers will not be able to light up in excursion buses, trishaws and private-hire cars used by firms such as Grab and Uber. This includes ride-sharing services such as GrabShare and UberPool.

The move is an extension of the Smoking (Prohibition in Certain Places) Act, which aims to reduce the exposure of the public to second-hand smoke. After the extension, there will be more than 32,000 places where smoking is banned.

Checks by The Straits Times found that many of the universities here already have no-smoking policies in place.