Latest news with #SGD
India Today
3 days ago
- India Today
Indian-origin woman fined for feeding pigeons in Singapore
A 70-year-old woman of Indian origin was fined SGD 1,200 (approximately USD 930) in Singapore on Wednesday for illegally feeding pigeons near her woman, identified as Sanmugamnathan Shamla, was also accused by an NPARKs prosecutor of disrupting a pigeon trapping exercise by chasing the birds away near her home. She pleaded guilty to two counts of feeding wild birds under the Wildlife Act, reported Channel News Asia (CNA).advertisementDespite a court warning in 2020 after being charged with eight accounts, she kept feeding the birds till November 2024. She was let off with a stern warning after she agreed to stop. Eleven similar charges, including one for obstructing the pigeon trapping operation, were also taken into account by the judge, according to a report in WAS ASKED TO STOP EARLIERShamla was first caught when National Parks Board (NPARKs) enforcement officers conducted checks near her home at Lorong 4 Toa Payoh after receiving feedback. Tao Payoh is a town located in the northern part of the central region of about 4 PM on April 11, 2023, NParks officers saw her feeding grain to wild birds and asked her to stop as this was illegal in wildlife without written approval from NParks' Director-General of Wildlife Management is prohibited under the Wildlife Act in the February 19 this year, Shamla also hindered NParks officers carrying out a pigeon-trapping exercise near her home, according to the report. She used a metal pole to scare the pigeons off before they could be continued to disrupt the trapping exercise and also raised her voice when officers asked her to stop, forcing the officers to abandon the exercise, NParks prosecutor Lim Chong Hui reportedly said.'RECALCITRANT OFFENDER'Calling her a "recalcitrant offender", the judge also said that the prosecution had sought a lower fine than usual, taking into account her personal circumstances and the judge told her she would have to serve two days in prison if she did not pay the fine, Shamla reportedly said, "I don't think my health can handle prison."She paid the fine in full on Wednesday, according to the report.
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
3 days ago
- First Post
Elderly Indian-origin woman fined for feeding pigeons in Singapore
Sanmugamnathan Shamla, a 70-year-old Indian-origin woman, was fined $930 in Singapore for illegally feeding pigeons near her apartment block. Read on for more details. read more Sanmugamnathan Shamla, a 70-year-old woman of Indian origin, was fined USD 930 in Singapore for illegally feeding pigeons near her apartment building. Representational image. (Photo: Ben Lucas/British Wildlife Photography Awards) A 70-year-old Indian-origin woman was fined SGD 1,200 (USD 930) on Wednesday for illegally feeding pigeons near her apartment block in Singapore. Sanmugamnathan Shamla pleaded guilty to two counts of feeding wild birds under the Wildlife Act, reported Channel News Asia. Eleven similar charges, including for disrupting a National Parks Board (NParks) pigeon trapping exercise, were taken into consideration. Shamla was caught when NParks enforcement officers conducted checks near her home at Lorong (Lane) 4 Toa Payoh. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD At about 4 pm on April 11, 2023, NParks officers saw her feeding grain to wild birds and asked her to stop as this was an offence. Under the Wildlife Act, it is illegal to feed wildlife without written approval from NParks' director-general of wildlife management. Shamla continued to feed wild birds on multiple occasions until November 2024, even after the warning. On February 19, Shamla also hindered NParks officers carrying out a pigeon trapping exercise near her home, forcing them to abandon the exercise, NParks prosecutor Lim Chong Hui said. Lim told the court that in 2020, Shamla was charged with eight counts of feeding stray pigeons. She was let off with a stern warning after she agreed to stop. Calling her a 'recalcitrant offender', he also said that the prosecution had sought a lower fine than usual, taking into account her circumstances and age. A first-time offender who feeds wildlife without approval can be fined up to SGD 5,000. When the judge told her she would have to serve two days in prison if she did not pay the fine, Shamla said: 'I don't think my health can handle prison.' She paid the fine in full on Wednesday, according to the report. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD (Except headline, this story has not been edited by Firstpost staff)
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Elderly Indian-origin woman fined for feeding pigeons in Singapore
A 70-year-old Indian-origin woman was fined SGD 1,200 (USD 930) on Wednesday for illegally feeding pigeons near her apartment block in Singapore . Sanmugamnathan Shamla pleaded guilty to two counts of feeding wild birds under the Wildlife Act, reported Channel News Asia. Eleven similar charges, including for disrupting a National Parks Board (NParks) pigeon trapping exercise, were taken into consideration. Shamla was caught when NParks enforcement officers conducted checks near her home at Lorong (Lane) 4 Toa Payoh. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Mountain Gear for Extreme Conditions Trek Kit India Learn More At about 4 pm on April 11, 2023, NParks officers saw her feeding grain to wild birds and asked her to stop as this was an offence. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) Under the Wildlife Act, it is illegal to feed wildlife without written approval from NParks' director-general of wildlife management . Live Events RECOMMENDED STORIES FOR YOU Singapore could enter technical recession, trade ministry official says Covid cases rising in Singapore, India: What's JN.1 variant driving the surge, its symptoms, severity, precautions and vaccine response Shamla continued to feed wild birds on multiple occasions until November 2024, even after the warning. On February 19, Shamla also hindered NParks officers carrying out a pigeon trapping exercise near her home, forcing them to abandon the exercise, NParks prosecutor Lim Chong Hui said. Lim told the court that in 2020, Shamla was charged with eight counts of feeding stray pigeons. She was let off with a stern warning after she agreed to stop. Calling her a "recalcitrant offender", he also said that the prosecution had sought a lower fine than usual, taking into account her circumstances and age. A first-time offender who feeds wildlife without approval can be fined up to SGD 5,000. When the judge told her she would have to serve two days in prison if she did not pay the fine, Shamla said: "I don't think my health can handle prison." She paid the fine in full on Wednesday, according to the report.
NDTV
4 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
2 Indian-Origin Singaporeans Charged With Organizing Illegal Assemblies
Kathmandu: Two Indian-origin Singaporeans were charged on Tuesday for organising illegal public assemblies of foreign workers demanding payments owed to one of them. Rebecca Rubini Ravinthiran, 33, and Vee Derrick Mahendran, 36, were charged with abetting foreign workers to commit offences under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act (EFMA), Channel News Asia reported. A joint statement by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and the police said Ravinthiran was accused of directing 15 foreign workers under her employment to gather outside two construction sites on October 24, 2024, to demand payments owed to her company. No permit was granted for the events, it said. As per the statement, Mahendran aided the offence by going to a construction site to "ensure that the foreign workers complied with the woman's instructions". Ravinthiran faces 17 charges in total while Mahendran has 11, the Channel report said. Two of Ravinthiran's charges are under the Public Order Act, while 15 are under the EFMA. Each of Ravinthiran's charges under the EFMA said she instigated a foreign worker to breach the condition of their work permit, with 15 workers involved. Mahendran's charges comprise two under the Public Order Act and nine under the EFMA. Mahendran is said to have abetted Ravinthiran by helping organise two public assemblies at the two construction sites to publicise the same cause. He allegedly helped in the preparation of the placards the day before, and coordinated with Ravinthiran on the gathering of the workers to hold the placards. Both cases will return to court on June 24. Last October, MOM said on Facebook that it was aware of a social media post regarding several migrant workers holding placards at a worksite. MOM said it engaged the workers involved and found they were not owed salary payments, and did not have any concerns about their well-being. K Shanmugam, then Law and Home Affairs Minister, said MOM was investigating the employer for illegally deploying the workers and abetting them to perform illegal acts under the EFMA. A person convicted of organising a public assembly without a permit can be fined up to SGD 5,000 (USD 3,890). Under the EFMA, a person convicted of abetting a foreign employee to break the terms of his work pass can face up to 12 months in jail, and be fined up to SGD 10,000 (USD 7,780) or both.
Online Citizen
5 days ago
- Business
- Online Citizen
LinkedIn post misidentifies Piyush Gupta, sparking viral mix-up and scrutiny over fundraising claims
SINGAPORE: A Singaporean woman, Janney Hujic, has gone viral for all the wrong reasons after a LinkedIn post about a 'chance encounter' with former DBS CEO Piyush Gupta turned out to be a case of mistaken identity — and possibly more. In a now-deleted LinkedIn post published on 19 May, Hujic claimed she had run into Gupta at a café in Bali, writing: 'I glanced across the room and thought, that looks an awful lot like Piyush. Curious, I walked over — and sure enough, it was him.' She described the encounter as memorable and inspiring, and posted a photo of herself with a man in a floral shirt, appearing relaxed and friendly. 'No entourage. No airs. Just quiet conviction,' she wrote, praising what she believed was Gupta's humility. However, the post quickly unraveled when Gupta himself responded in the comments: 'Sorry to disillusion you. That isn't me!' His reply garnered over 2,000 likes — more than the original post — and sparked a social media frenzy. The man in the photo was later identified as Kumar H Subramaniam, a 58-year-old Singaporean living and working in Bali. In an interview with Mothership, Kumar said he told Hujic and her companion right away that he was not Gupta. He also revealed he had been mistaken for Gupta before, but this was the first time it had gone viral internationally. 'I don't know why she still went ahead and posted the photo and tagged Gupta after I told her I wasn't him,' said Kumar. Hujic had written in her post that the two spoke briefly about her travel startup. She recalled how 'his eyes lit up' when she described her women's expedition project and fundraising goals. She also admired his 'humility and presence.' Social media reactions were mixed. Some users mocked the mistaken identity, calling it a blatant ploy for attention: 'They look nothing alike!' Others were more sympathetic: 'The similarity is impeccable.' The situation was widely described as 'peak LinkedIn', referring to the platform's reputation for overly polished and performative storytelling. Post Allegedly Made Without Consent, Manager Demanded S$5,000 According to 8World News on 24 May, Hujic later claimed the LinkedIn post was not written or approved by her, but was instead uploaded by her freelance social media manager — who then demanded S$5,000 to take it down. Screenshots shared with 8World showed the manager purportedly stating: 'Post has over 6k engagement. Pay me 5k SGD and I take down.' Hujic alleged the same manager, who is reportedly based in the Philippines, also changed the login details for both her LinkedIn and Instagram accounts. She told 8World that a message from the manager read: 'When I get paid I give you back access.' The manager had originally been hired in March on a freelance basis, recommended by a friend, and was being paid S$1 per like on posts. Hujic was on a cave expedition in Vietnam with no internet access when the viral post was published. By the time she returned online on 24 May, she said she was locked out of her social media platforms. Although her partner has since transferred an undisclosed sum to the manager, Hujic stated that she still does not have access to her accounts. Who is Janney Hujic? Hujic gained attention after she posted a photo taken in Bali with a man she claimed was Piyush Gupta. She tagged the former banking executive in a post that described a brief inspirational exchange, relating it to her upcoming all-women expedition to Mongolia in support of the Goh Chok Tong Enable Fund (GCTEF). As the controversy escalated, Hujic did not immediately respond to media inquiries about the post's origin. However, an update posted to her LinkedIn account on 22 May — seemingly written by her team — stated that she was currently away on an expedition in Vietnam without internet access and would only return on 25 May. 'Be assured that she tagged Piyush with the hope that he would respond to her post, fully thinking that she had spoken with him,' the update read. 'Yes, GPT might have been used to improve the wording, as this was a once-in-a-lifetime encounter for her. But at no point was there any intention to deceive anyone. Please hold your thoughts until she has put her side of the story.' The statement added that Hujic would personally address the situation upon her return on Sunday. Questions Over Fundraising Efforts The controversy has also drawn scrutiny toward Hujic's claimed fundraising efforts for the Goh Chok Tong Enable Fund (GCTEF) – a community fund that aims to provide people with disabilities the opportunities to actively contribute to society. In a statement issued 23 May, the organisation clarified that neither Hujic nor her company, Elysian Expeditions, had been authorized to raise funds on its behalf. 'We reached out to Ms Hujic on 21 May 2025 to seek clarifications about the fundraising campaign and to date, we have not received a response from her or Elysian Expeditions.' said the GCTEF. 'We would like to inform the public that Ms Hujic and Elysian Expeditions are not authorised fundraising partners of SG Enable, and we have not endorsed their fundraising campaign. The GCTEF logo and fundraising messages on their website are used without our knowledge and permission.' Hujic told 8World News she had submitted an application for fundraising approval but had not seen the email from GCTEF until recently due to being offline. She said she has since responded and intends to clarify the nature of the expedition and its connection to her company.
