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Business Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Business Times
New board appointments announced for Singapore Land Authority; Yeoh Oon Jin steps down
[SINGAPORE] The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) on Monday (Jul 28) announced the latest board appointment changes at the Singapore Land Authority (SLA). Former executive chairman of PwC Singapore Yeoh Oon Jin will be stepping down as chairman of the SLA board on Jul 31. In his role, Yeoh pushed for the adaptive reuse of state properties for more social and community uses. This included the rejuvenation of heritage buildings into vibrant community and lifestyle clusters, such as the former St Andrew's Mission Hospital. He served on the board since Aug 1, 2016. He played a key role in developing the Digital Conveyancing Portal, which aims to transform the current manual, paper-based conveyancing process into an efficient, streamlined digitalised process. It is expected to be fully completed in 2026. Under Yeoh's guidance, SLA was elected co-chair of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management, and implemented a refreshed National Geospatial Masterplan to drive a geo-enabled Singapore. His replacement is Loh Lik Peng, founder and director of Unlisted Collection, who will be appointed as chairman on Aug 1. Loh has been on the SLA board since Aug 1, 2017, and was appointed as deputy chairman on Aug 1, 2020. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up He is also currently the chairman of Shatec Institutes, the Singapore Arts School, Singapore Cruise Centre and National Museum of Singapore. Loh is a board member of the National Heritage Board. Jerry Koh, managing partner at Singapore law firm Allen and Gledhill, will be appointed as deputy chairman of the SLA board on Aug 1. He has been a member of the board since Aug 1, 2020. Additionally, two new members will be appointed to the SLA board for a term of two years. They are Boo Junfeng, director and writer at Peanut Pictures, and Rafiq Bin Mohamad, founder and creative and branding director at Feral. Meanwhile, the six board members who will be reappointed for a term of two years are: Jaelle Ang, chief executive and co-founder of The Great Room; Angelene Chan, executive chairman of DP Architects; Cheung Pui Yuen, chief risk officer of Deloitte South-east Asia; Chong Siak Ching, former chief executive of National Gallery Singapore; Lien Choong Luen, general manager of Gojek Singapore; and Melvyn Yeo, founder and managing partner of Trirec. Angeline Poh, chief customer and corporate development officer at Mediacorp, will complete her current term of office on Jul 31 and will not be reappointed as an SLA board member. Existing SLA board members such as Calvin Phua, chief executive of SLA; Colin Chow, deputy secretary (policy) at the Ministry of Law; and Kenny Tan, deputy secretary (workforce) at the Ministry of Manpower will continue serving on the board.
Business Recorder
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
IK's physical appearance or via video link: ATC judge says wrote three letters to Ministry
ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) judge on Monday remarked that he had written three letters to the Ministry of Law seeking direction regarding the production of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan in three cases registered against him and others in connection with vandalism at the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) before it. ATC judge Tahir Abbas Sipra, while hearing the cases, said that he had written three letters to the Ministry of Law for Khan's physical appearance or via video link and if these two options are not feasible, then transfer the hearing of the case to Adiala Jail. He said that the administration has so far not decided on the court letters. PTI lawyers Sardar Masroof, Murtaz Turi and Zahid Bashir Dar appear before the court. During the hearing, the court marked the attendance of the accused appeared before it and issued warrants for those who failed to attend the hearing. PTI leader Asad Qaiser and Chaudhry Pervaiz filed exemption applications through their counsels, which the court has approved. The court summoned the Investigation Officer (IO) along with the Station House Officer (SHO) in the case registered at BharaKahu police station. The court adjourned the hearing of cases registered at Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), Golra, and BharaKahu police station till July 31. Meanwhile, the same court, while hearing another case registered against the PTI leader in connection with a protest against the disqualification of Imran Khan by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), rejected the PTI leader Faisal Javed's acquittal application. The ATC judge, Tahir Abbas Sipra, hearing the case registered against them at the Industrial Area police station related to the protest at Faizabad, following the PTI founding chairman Imran Khan's disqualification. During the hearing, two prosecution witnesses appeared before the court. The judge remarked that today (Friday) we will record statements of the two witnesses and defence will examine them in the next hearing. The Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ali Amin Gandapur, who is also an accused in the same case, did not appear before the court. Gandapur's lawyer requested the court to reiterate the previous order regarding his client's appearance. The judge responded, 'Submit a fresh application first, then I will consider it.' During the hearing, Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra addressing former PTI leader Amir Mehmood Kiani, said: Kiani! Please leave the courtroom. 'You are a proclaimed offender. If the police hear you raising your voice, you may be arrested.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
ATC writes another letter to Ministry: Approval to hold trial of IK within jail premises sought
ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Wednesday wrote another letter to the Ministry of Law for granting approval to hold jail trial of incarcerated Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan within jail premises in two different cases. ATC judge, Tahir Abbas Sipra, while hearing the cases involving Khan and other leaders, due to non-availability of Khan, adjourned the hearing without proceeding. The judge remarked that the court has so far not received a reply of the previous letter written by him to the Ministry of Law for the jail trial of Khan. The judge again wrote a letter to the ministry regarding the two cases. During the previous hearing, the judge remarked that he will ask for the accused to be either produced in court, allowed to appear online, or be tried within the jail premises. The other leaders nominated in the cases including Senator Shibli Faraz, Tahir Sadiq, Raja Basharat and others, appeared before the court. PTI lawyer, Sardar Misroof Khan and Zahid Bashir Dar appeared before the court. The court adjourned the hearing of cases till July 13. Police had registered the case at CTD police station under sections 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of the offence committed in prosecution of common object), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 380 (theft in dwelling house, etc), 395 (punishment for dacoity), 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees), 435 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to cause damage to amount of one hundred rupees), 440 (mischief committed after preparation made for causing death or hurt) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section 7ATA of Anti-Terrorism Act. Meanwhile, the same court indicted three accused in a case registered at Karachi Company police station, also involving Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan's wife Bushra Bibi, Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur and others registered in connection with the November 26 protest. ATC judge Tahir Abbas Sipra, hearing the case, framed a charge against three workers and summoned prosecution witnesses during the next hearing to be held on July 13. In the same case, the court has not framed a charge against Bushra Bibi and Gandapur as the prosecution has not submitted challan against them. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Online Citizen
15-06-2025
- Business
- Online Citizen
Authorities to criminalise firms soliciting bankruptcy filings to exploit debt relief scheme
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Law (MinLaw) has proposed legal amendments to prevent abuse of the Debt Repayment Scheme (DRS), a bankruptcy alternative for individuals with smaller debts. The move targets consultancy firms that allegedly encourage debtors to borrow money and self-petition for bankruptcy solely to qualify for the DRS. On 9 June 2025, MinLaw announced plans to introduce a new offence under the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act (IRDA). This offence will criminalise the solicitation of bankruptcy applications by businesses. The proposed punishment includes a fine of up to S$10,000, imprisonment for up to three years, or both. Regulated professionals such as lawyers, accountants, and financial advisers—as well as recognised charitable entities—will be exempted from the law. The DRS was introduced in 2009 in response to financial challenges faced during the Great Recession. It offers wage-earning debtors with unsecured debts not exceeding S$150,000 a way to repay creditors under a structured plan lasting no more than five years. According to MinLaw, an increasing number of debtors are engaging consultancy firms that charge substantial fees and encourage clients to incur additional debt to fund these services. These practices have led to a rise in debtor-initiated bankruptcy filings. The Straits Times reported in March that in 2024, 2,928 out of all bankruptcy applications—or 59 percent—were filed by debtors themselves. MinLaw has expressed concern that many such filings are motivated not by genuine financial distress but by attempts to obtain a partial discharge of debts under the DRS. Under current law, debtors must file for bankruptcy to be considered for the scheme. However, the ministry emphasised that the scheme was never intended for abuse. In addition to the new criminal offence, MinLaw is proposing two further grounds under which debtors may be deemed unsuitable for the DRS. The first is the failure to pay the preliminary fees totalling S$600, which are required to cover administrative costs borne by the Official Assignee (OA), the officer overseeing the scheme. The second is where a debtor incurs debt with no reasonable expectation of repayment—particularly within 12 months prior to a bankruptcy application. This aims to address cases where individuals take on new loans shortly before applying for the DRS, effectively using the scheme to bypass full repayment. MinLaw is also proposing to designate this same behaviour—incurring debt without a reasonable expectation of repayment—as a ground for failure of the DRS, even after a debtor has been accepted into the scheme. This would empower the OA to terminate repayment plans and issue a Certificate of Failure, allowing creditors to commence bankruptcy proceedings. To enhance administrative efficiency, a new statutory four-week deadline for creditors to file proofs of debt is also proposed. At present, delays in creditor submissions can disrupt the planning and implementation of repayment arrangements, particularly if new claims exceed the S$150,000 threshold. Under the changes, creditors who miss the deadline may still request an extension, but must provide a valid reason. Those who fail to file on time without justification will forfeit claims after a debtor successfully completes the plan. These proposed legislative amendments follow a previous review of the DRS in 2016, which raised the debt threshold from S$100,000 to S$150,000. Other minor procedural updates are also proposed, including changes to appeal procedures and timelines, and clarification of existing statutory provisions. MinLaw is inviting public feedback on the proposals through an online consultation portal. Submissions are open until 27 June 2025. The ministry said the proposed changes are aimed at preserving the integrity of the DRS while ensuring that both debtor rehabilitation and creditor interests remain balanced and protected.
Singapore Law Watch
10-06-2025
- Business
- Singapore Law Watch
MinLaw to propose laws targeting debt consultancy firms exploiting debt repayment scheme
MinLaw to propose laws targeting debt consultancy firms exploiting debt repayment scheme Source: Straits Times Article Date: 10 Jun 2025 Author: David Sun MinLaw said there has been an increasing number of debtors engaging the services of consultancy firms, which encourage debtors to self-petition for bankruptcy with the objective of being placed on the Debt Repayment Scheme. Laws around a scheme to help individuals avoid insolvency may be tightened, with the authorities targeting firms that encourage individuals to borrow money and file for bankruptcy to get a discount off their debts. These consultancy firms are looking to abuse the Debt Repayment Scheme (DRS), a pre-bankruptcy scheme administered by the Ministry of Law (MinLaw). On June 9, MinLaw said there has been an increasing number of debtors engaging the services of consultancy firms, which encourage debtors to self-petition for bankruptcy with the objective of being placed on the DRS. 'This is done not with the intention of being adjudged a bankrupt, but with the intention of abusing the DRS to obtain a discount off their debts,' the ministry said. A debtor can avoid being made bankrupt if he is put on the DRS, but he must file for bankruptcy first before being considered for the scheme. MinLaw said that the consultancy firms are charging debtors sizeable fees and encouraging them to borrow money from creditors to pay for their services. 'Due in part to this trend, there has been an increase in the number of debtor-initiated bankruptcy applications, where debtors borrow irresponsibly to pay for such consultancy firms' services in helping them apply for bankruptcy,' MinLaw said. The Straits Times reported in March that more than half of the bankruptcy applications in 2024 were made by the debtors themselves – the fifth consecutive year since 2020 that the number of self-filed applications was higher than applications by creditors. MinLaw data showed that 2,928 bankruptcy applications were filed by debtors in 2024. That represents 59 per cent of all applications made that year. The DRS is a voluntary, debtor-driven scheme intended to help wage-earning debtors with relatively small debts avoid bankruptcy while helping creditors receive higher repayments than they would otherwise receive in the event of insolvency. Under the DRS, debtors with unsecured debts not exceeding $150,000 can enter a debt repayment plan over a fixed period of not more than five years with their creditors and avoid bankruptcy. When the debtor meets his financial obligations under the DRS, he will be released from his debts. MinLaw said it noticed an increasing number of debtors engaging the services of consultancy firms that encourage debtors to self-petition for bankruptcy with the objective of being placed on the DRS. To address the issue, the ministry is proposing a new law that will make it a crime for businesses to solicit and canvass any person to make a bankruptcy application. Regulated professionals, in particular lawyers, accountants and financial advisers, as well as charitable entities that are institutions of a public character, will be exempted. The offence will be punishable with a $10,000 fine or three years' jail, or both. The DRS was introduced in 2009 as people grappled with the 2008 financial crisis and the Great Recession, which caused many to lose their jobs and take pay cuts. It began with a debt threshold of $100,000, but this was increased to the current $150,000 in 2020 following a review in 2016. Under the scheme, debtors make repayments of their debt by following a structured repayment plan under the supervision of the Official Assignee (OA), an officer of the court appointed by the Law Minister. MinLaw said that as part of a review of the scheme, it is also looking to add two new grounds of unsuitability for the DRS. They include the failure to pay the preliminary fees and incurring of debts with no reasonable ground of expectation of being able to pay. Debtors who are referred to the OA to be assessed for their suitability for the DRS are required to pay preliminary fees totalling $600. In addition, MinLaw is also looking to add as a new ground of failure individuals who incur debts with no reasonable ground of expectation of being able to pay, and imposing a four-week time limit for creditors to file their proofs of debt under the DRS. Members of the public are invited to provide their feedback on the proposed key amendments after viewing the full consultation paper at Those who wish to submit their views and feedback may do so by June 27 at Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction. Print
