Latest news with #STSINGAPORE
The Star
3 days ago
- General
- The Star
Man who made bomb threat while on plane bound for Abu Dhabi to be charged
An aircraft was recalled to Changi Airport Terminal 2 after a bomb threat was made by a man on board the plane on Feb 14, 2025. - Photo: ST SINGAPORE: A 22-year-old man who was arrested in February for allegedly making a bomb threat on an Abu Dhabi-bound flight is slated to be charged on Thursday (June 5). The police said they were alerted on Feb 14 at 7.20pm to a social media post containing a threat to blow up an aircraft. Through follow-up investigations, the police identified the man within an hour of the post and confirmed that he was on board a flight bound for Abu Dhabi. The aircraft, which was already taxiing on the runway and about to take off, was recalled to Changi Airport Terminal 2, the police said in a statement on Wednesday (June 4). The man was later arrested and investigations revealed that he allegedly posted 'No one here knows I'm going to blow the plane up' on his social media account, after he had boarded the aircraft. It was later discovered that the man did not have any means to carry out his threat, as no threat items were discovered in his possession, the police said. If found guilty, he may be jailed for up to seven years, fined up to S$50,000, or both. - The Straits Times/ANN
The Star
3 days ago
- Automotive
- The Star
How to ensure my car is VEP-ready for entry into Malaysia before July 1
Drivers of foreign-registered cars found without a valid VEP entering Malaysia face a RM300 (S$91) compound fine. Photo: ST SINGAPORE: Singapore-registered vehicles must have a valid Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) to enter Malaysia by land from July 1, or risk incurring a RM300 (S$91) fine. The announcement was made by Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke on Wednesday (June 4). Here's a quick guide to ensure your car is VEP-ready for a drive to Johor or farther north. 1. How do I know if my car is VEP-ready? If you have jumped through the various hoops to apply for and obtain the VEP, your car should have the radio frequency identification (RFID) tag affixed on its windscreen or headlamp, and activated for use by a JPJ (Road Transport Department) officer. The tag will work in tandem with your Touch 'n Go e-wallet, which should have sufficient credit for the RM20 road fee when entering either of Johor's land checkpoints. A physical Touch 'n Go card can also serve as a backup. 2. What if my car is not VEP-ready? - I have not applied for the VEP You may begin your application at A representative can also apply on your behalf. A quick application guide is here. - I have applied for but have not received my RFID tag You may be at an intermediary stage of the application process. You can check the status of your application at - I have not collected my RFID tag Apart from postal options to have the tag sent to your home in Singapore, drivers can make an appointment to collect and activate their VEP RFID tags at a number of centres in Singapore or Johor. a. MY VEP Pte Ltd 186 Woodlands Industrial Park E5, #03-01, Singapore 757515 9am-5pm (Monday-Friday) b. TCSens VEP Collection Centre at Danga Bay Block 6, Danga Bay, Jalan Skudai, 80200 Johor 9am-5pm (Wednesday-Sunday) c. Paradigm Mall Carpark at Level 7, Skudai Highway, 81200 Johor Bahru 10am-10pm (daily) d. Sunway Big Box West Wing's lower ground carpark, Persiaran Medini 6, Sunway City, 79250 Iskandar Puteri 10am-9pm (daily) However, inquiries can be made only at Woodlands and Danga Bay. 3. From July 1, 2025, what if my car does not have a VEP? Drivers of foreign-registered cars found without a valid VEP in Malaysia face a RM300 compound fine. Loke said they must pay the fine and also register for the VEP before leaving the country. Activated tags typically last five years before expiring. Since Oct 1, 2024, enforcement on cars has been done in phases, with some 2,245 motorists driving cars without a VEP receiving a notice or reminder when clearing immigration. On June 4, Loke said 231,018 Singapore-registered private individually owned vehicles have been issued their VEP tags, with more than 15 per cent yet to activate the RFID tags. A further 2,660 private company vehicles have been issued the tags. - The Straits Times/ANN
The Star
24-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Chinese Premier Li Qiang congratulates Singapore PM Wong on second term in office
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and his new Cabinet were sworn in on May 23 for the Republic's 15th term of government. - Photo: ST SINGAPORE: Chinese Premier Li Qiang has congratulated Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on his second term in office. Li said China and Singapore are friendly neighbours and important cooperation partners that enjoy a sound development of relations and fruitful results in cooperation in various fields, which have greatly advanced their respective modernisation, China's official Xinhua news agency reported on Friday (May 23). He also noted that China and Singapore have maintained coordination and collaboration in international and regional affairs, and made positive contributions to regional peace, stability, prosperity and development. As the two countries celebrate 35 years of diplomatic ties, Li said he is ready to work with PM Wong to take this occasion as an opportunity to further deepen mutual political trust, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, intensify cultural and people-to-people exchanges, jointly uphold multilateralism and free trade systems, push for more achievements in the all-round high-quality future-oriented partnership between the two countries, and boost regional prosperity and stability, Xinhua reported. PM Wong and his new Cabinet, that includes 15 full ministers and three acting ministers, were sworn in on May 23 for the Republic's 15th term of government. The People's Action Party led by PM Wong returned to government after securing 87 seats out of 97 in the general election on May 3. - The Straits Times/ANN
The Star
13-05-2025
- Health
- The Star
Singapore monitoring rise in Covid-19 cases; no indication variants are more transmissible or severe
In the week of April 27 to May 3, the estimated number of Covid-19 cases stood at 14,200, up from the 11,100 cases in the previous week. - Photo: ST SINGAPORE: The Singapore authorities are monitoring the recent increase in the number of Covid-19 cases, but there is currently no indication that the variants spreading locally are more transmissible or cause more severe symptoms, compared with previous strains. In the week of April 27 to May 3, the estimated number of Covid-19 cases stood at 14,200, up from the 11,100 cases in the previous week. The number of people hospitalised also increased from 102 to 133, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) in a joint statement on Tuesday (May 13). However, they noted that the average number of cases needing intensive care had decreased from three to two. 'The hospitals are currently able to manage the increase in cases,' the statement said, adding that periodic Covid-19 waves are expected throughout the year, as with any other endemic respiratory diseases. A disease that is endemic is one that remains permanently in the community, such as dengue or influenza. While the exact reason for the uptick in cases has yet to be determined, MOH and CDA said it could be due to several factors, including waning immunity in the population. Currently, the two main Covid-19 variants circulating in Singapore are LF.7 and NB.1.8, which account for more than two-thirds of local cases. Both variants are descendants of the JN.1 variant, which is being used in the updated Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty, Moderna/Spikevax and Novavax vaccines. In the statement, the authorities recommended those with increased risk of severe Covid-19 stay updated with the latest vaccinations. They include those aged 60 and above, those who are medically vulnerable, or residents in elder care facilities. This means they are encouraged to get an additional shot about one year after their last one. Besides the elderly, healthcare workers and those living with medically vulnerable people should also get another jab if they have not done so. Meanwhile, anyone aged six months and above can continue to do so voluntarily if they wish to. The vaccinations are available at Healthier SG general practitioner clinics and polyclinics, said the statement. In the meantime, the authorities have advised people to take precautionary measures. As a general rule of thumb, the public should maintain good personal hygiene, including covering one's nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, and minimising social interactions and unnecessary travel when unwell. Those displaying symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, headache, or a fever, should also wear masks. - The Straits Times/ANN
The Star
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Man at dinner with Fujian gang member Su Haijin wrongly identified as Wilmar chairman
Wilmar has issued a statement saying that a man in widely circulated photos of a dinner with convicted Fujian gang member Su Haijin has been wrongly identified as its chairman and CEO. - Photo: ST SINGAPORE: One of the men photographed at a dinner attended by several Cabinet ministers and convicted Fujian gang member Su Haijin has been wrongly identified as the chief executive of commodities giant Wilmar. The photos, which are being widely circulated, carry a caption in Mandarin identifying one of the men as Kuok Khoon Hong, who is Wilmar's chairman and chief executive. In a statement on Wednesday (May 7), Wilmar said the man in the photos is not Kuok. Others in the photos are Cabinet ministers Ong Ye Kung and Chee Hong Tat, both of whom said they did not know Su and have not had any contact with him – before or since the dinner. The ministers' spokesmen, in a joint statement on May 6, said: 'As ministers, they meet a diverse range of people at various events and gatherings. They attended the dinners at the invitation of a friend, and Su happened to be there.' The Government upholds a high standard of integrity, which ministers are determined to maintain, even if, in the course of their work, they may inadvertently come into contact with people who are later found to be unsavoury, the statement added. 'Maintaining this standard is non-negotiable,' it said. Su, a Cypriot national, faced 14 charges and was sentenced to 14 months in jail on April 4, 2024. He was deported to Cambodia on May 28 of the same year. He was one of 10 people found guilty of being involved in a $3 billion money laundering case, which was one of Singapore's largest. Also seen in the photos is Singapore tycoon Sam Goi, dubbed the 'popiah king'. One group photo shows Goi with Su, Ong and former manpower minister Lim Swee Say. Labour chief Ng Chee Meng also said he was at the dinner. He added that he had no further interactions with Su after police investigations and criminal charges were brought against him. Goi said the dinner with Su and Ng took place 'around 2020', Bloomberg News reported. He also said he had organised and paid for the meals that Su and the ministers had. The dinner took place before Singapore implemented strict Covid-19 pandemic restrictions in 2020. 'It's all for friends and I paid for them all,' Goi said, adding that he has not kept in touch with Su. Ng said it is part of his work to engage with different companies and private sector leaders. 'These engagements help me better understand the concerns and challenges in different industries,' he said, adding that people would often approach him for photographs at these meetings. 'This dinner was one such engagement,' Ng said. - The Straits Times/ANN
