Latest news with #ToaPayoh
Independent Singapore
5 days ago
- General
- Independent Singapore
67-year-old man arrested within hours for attempted robbery in Toa Payoh
- Advertisement - SINGAPORE: A 67-year-old man was arrested by police within five hours after allegedly attempting to rob a 73-year-old woman in Toa Payoh Central on Wednesday evening. The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said in a statement that officers were alerted to the incident at around 8:20pm on 28 May. The man is said to have approached the elderly woman and tried to snatch her handbag. However, the victim screamed for help, prompting the suspect to flee the scene. According to the police, the woman's handbag contained cash, mobile phones, and bank cards with a total estimated value exceeding S\$1,000. - Advertisement - Following ground investigations and a review of nearby closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage, the police managed to establish the identity of the suspect and arrested him within five hours of the report. Preliminary investigations indicated that the man could be linked to at least three other robbery cases. The suspect will be charged in court today (30 May).
CNA
6 days ago
- Business
- CNA
National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat to prioritise building more HDBs, renewing older towns
Newly minted National Development Minister Chee Hong Tat wants to prioritise building more flats, improving transport links at new estates and refreshing older towns. He was at BTO project Toa Payoh Ridge this morning for his first site visit since assuming his new role. Kate Low reports.
CNA
6 days ago
- Business
- CNA
Expect 'moderation' in HDB resale flat prices when supply increases from next year: Chee Hong Tat
SINGAPORE: A "moderation" of resale flat prices is expected when more new flats meet their minimum occupation period (MOP) starting next year, Minister for National Development Chee Hong Tat said on Wednesday (May 28) in his first remarks to the media since taking his new portfolio. After a visit to the Toa Payoh Ridge Build-to-Order (BTO) project, Mr Chee said his ministry is aware of the concerns Singaporeans have over the increase in resale flat prices. "This is also an important area for my ministry and I. We want to see how we canhelp to address this concern. At the heart of it, it is actually a supply and demand issue," he added. "I believe this situation will improve, and we will see a moderation of resale flat prices when more of the new flats that we have built in the last few years reach the five-year minimum occupation period starting from 2026. "Once we see more supply coming in, and also coupled with more new BTO flats entering the market, I think we will see moderation in the resale flat prices in the years ahead." The COVID-19 pandemic had "severely impacted supply" due to building delays, Mr Chee's predecessor Desmond Lee said in parliament earlier this year. "At the same time, there was a broad-based increase in demand, driven by changing social norms. Application rates for BTO flats spiked and HDB resale prices rose sharply," said Mr Lee, who is now Minister for Education. About 19,600 BTO flats will be launched in 2025. With this year's offering, the government is on track to launch about 102,300 BTO flats between 2021 and 2025, exceeding its earlier commitment of 100,000 units over the five-year period, Mr Lee said previously. Last month, data from the Housing and Development Board (HDB) showed that HDB resale price growth eased to 1.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2025. This marked the slowest pace of growth since the fourth quarter of 2023 (1.1 per cent). The resale price index reflects the general price movements in the resale market. Resale transactions for the first quarter of 2025 rose by 2.6 per cent to 6,590, up from the 6,424 transactions in the previous quarter. Compared to the same period last year, first quarter transactions were 6.8 per cent lower. On Wednesday, Mr Chee was asked about the impact of the number of flats reaching MOP, as well as a report on 141 million-dollar flats sold in April - an all-time high. According to a February report from property firm OrangeTee, the number of flats obtaining their five-year MOP is projected to fall for a third consecutive year from 30,920 units in 2022 to 6,974 units in 2025. This is the lowest MOP number in 11 years, with the previous low occurring in 2014 with 5,301 units, said the report. However, its analysts also said that a "big surge" in resale prices is "unlikely" since more BTO flats will be launched for sale. Given these reports, Mr Chee was asked if the government sees the need to intervene in the housing market. He said that the authorities will monitor the situation carefully, but also pointed to the easing of the resale price index. "We feel that one of the ways to address this is to increase the supply, the supply of new BTO flats. But also to give the market some time to adjust to a higher supply of resale flats starting from 2026," he added. Mr Chee said that the authorities previously introduced the 15-month wait-out period for private property owners before they can purchase a non-subsidised HDB flat. Introduced on Sep 30, 2022, this rule has notably reduced the proportion of private property owners buying high-priced resale flats. "This restriction was put in place as a temporary measure, precisely because there were concerns about higher resale flat prices. But this is not meant to be a permanent measure, so I hope that when the situation improves and the resale flat prices begin to moderate, we are able to consider reviewing or even removing this restriction," he said. VERS Asked if details on the Voluntary Early Redevelopment Scheme (VERS) will be announced during his tenure with the ministry, Mr Chee said that the authorities will share details at the "appropriate time". "It's something that we will definitely study very carefully. It's an important topic that I know is close to the hearts of many Singaporeans, existing flat owners and also the industry," he said. VERS was first mentioned by then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during his National Day Rally in 2018 as a way of dealing with expiring 99-year leases. The plan is to offer the scheme in selected precincts when the flats are aged about 70 years or older. The government will compensate residents whose flats are taken back early and help them get another flat to live in. Mr Chee said that revitalising older HDB estates and towns is an "important area" of focus for his ministry. "It's important for us to look at - as our estates age, and our population ages - how do we continue to rejuvenate our towns so that they are good homes for residents of all ages," he added. Mr Chee, who was formerly the transport minister, added that there were similarities between both portfolios. He was sworn in as Minister for National Development on May 23. "They both require long-term planning, and they both require us to work closely with the tripartite partners of industry and also our sisters and brothers from the unions," he said.
CNA
6 days ago
- General
- CNA
Elderly woman fined for feeding grain to wild birds in Toa Payoh
SINGAPORE: A 70-year-old woman was fined S$1,200 (US$930) on Wednesday (May 28) for illegally feeding wild birds near her flat in Toa Payoh. Sanmugamnathan Shamla pleaded guilty to two counts under the Wildlife Act. 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 4 Toa Payoh after receiving feedback. At about 4pm on Apr 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. After being so warned, Shamla continued to feed wild birds on multiple occasions up until November 2024. On Feb 19, Shamla also hindered NParks officers carrying out a pigeon trapping exercise near her home. She repeatedly banged a metal pole on the ground to chase the pigeons away before they could be trapped. She continued to disrupt the trapping and also raised her voice when officers asked her to stop. When she did eventually put down the pole, she clapped loudly, which caused the pigeons to scatter. This forced the officers to abandon the pigeon trapping exercise, NParks prosecutor Lim Chong Hui said. Mr 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 personal circumstances and age. Shamla's case should not be taken as a precedent as her case was unique, with its own set of facts, he said. 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. A first-time offender who feeds wildlife without approval can be fined up to S$5,000. Bishan-Toa Payoh was one of three town council estates where a pilot to step up management of the pigeon population ran from July 2024 to March. The other two estates with large clusters of pigeons were Ang Mo Kio and Tanjong Pagar. The pigeon management efforts included trapping and culling, reducing human-generated food sources, surveillance of illegal bird feeding and public education.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Yahoo
Western Boy: All under $8, with giant, juicy chicken portions at Toa Payoh stall
I first came across this stall on Facebook, where someone posted a picture of Boy's glorious Chicken Schnitzel. It felt like fate scrolling down to see that it was located near our office, at Toa Payoh Palm Spring Market. My dining companion commented that this hawker centre had 'the cleanest tables [she's] seen in [her] life'. I also appreciated the open-air vibe and bountiful plants surrounding it, allowing us to enjoy our meal in a cooling space. Western food wouldn't be my usual choice of cuisine at any hawker centre. But for the seemingly large portions at inexpensive prices (See: Chicken Cutlet w/ Rice & Coleslaw for S$4?!), how could I turn a blind eye? The owner shared that his stall only opened recently in Mar 2025, but Western Boy's Signature Chicken Chop (S$6.90) has already become a hot favourite with customers. It does take the biggest spot on their signage, so that must count for something, right? It also took up a really big spot on my plate, but I'm not complaining. The moment I sliced into it, a mouthwatering mix of the juices from the chicken threatened to burst out. I noticed that the chicken chop didn't resist the knife while we were cutting it, too. Just one clean slice right down the middle. It was undoubtedly fresh and bursting with fragrant juices between the meaty chunks in my mouth. Okay, pause. Where are they getting their chicken, and how did it remain so tender even after being grilled? Based on its taupe shade with a sprinkle of black spots, I concluded that it was black pepper sauce lathered over the chicken chop. It did lean towards the sweet side, which overpowered the peppery taste for me. I would've still preferred if it maintained a smokier profile, which I felt would've paired better with the chicken. Fries and coleslaw were the assigned sides to this dish, but I'd say they took a step back to let the chicken shine. The fries were thinly cut and remained crispy after cooling down, so kudos to that! Flavour-wise, it was only lightly seasoned with salt, and I felt they could've done with just a little more to counter the overall sweet-ish profile of the plate. A pet peeve of mine is room temperature coleslaw, which was unfortunately the situation I was faced with here. Nothing to shout about, just a humble portion of crunchy veg coated in a creamy sauce. Regardless, it was a refreshing palate cleanser every 5-ish bites that complemented the rich flavours well. Seletar Western Food (實里達西餐): Old-school western food under $12 hidden in Seletar The other dish I tried here was the one and only Chicken Schnitzel w/Spaghetti & Coleslaw (S$7.90). When the uncle first slid this plate over the counter, the only thought in my head was, 'Wow, this looks exactly like it does on the signage'. This is what dreams are made of: A humongous slab of fried chicken cutlet generously layered with cheese sauce and mayo. Well, my dreams, at least. It somehow tasted exactly like how I envisioned, possibly even better. Right off the bat, the chicken was super well-seasoned, lending it a balanced savouriness that seeped into the tender cut of meat. Similarly, this cutlet was very well cooked, tearing apart easily with just one chomp down, contributing to a satisfying mouthfeel. The cheese sauce and mayo were the same-old, but elevated the chicken cutlet with a creamy, cheesy and salty kick that tasted like childhood. Beware, this is a truly addictive combination that I just couldn't put down. 'This tastes exactly like the spaghetti at my JC's Western stall', lamented my dining companion upon our first bite of the cylindrical pasta. From the colour alone, it's obvious that the ratio of pasta to sauce was off, though when I got to the parts more saturated with minced meat, it packed a punch of tomato-y savouriness that made it more enjoyable. This dish made me feel like I was devouring a kid's meal for the portion of an adult one. Get the Chicken Schnitzel. The sides are mostly average, though are by no means inedible. They do offer a nice variation of textures and flavours to balance out the hearty chicken, but I would stick to the fries over spaghetti next time. Definitely a value-for-money, easy Western fix! Expected damage: S$4 – S$7.90 per pax Star Western: Western food from $9 with monster portions The post Western Boy: All under $8, with giant, juicy chicken portions at Toa Payoh stall appeared first on
