The post received almost 500 shares and more than 200 comments.
Most Facebook users criticised the Ferrari driver for speeding and urged the authorities to penalise such offences heavily.
One commended the bus driver for prompt action for the passengers’ safety.
“It seems the Ferrari hit the bus front tyre and the bus pull(ed) to road shoulder immediately”.
Under the Road Traffic Act, drivers guilty of speeding may be fined S$150 to S$300 in the case of light vehicles and S$200 to S$400 in the case of heavy vehicles.
Phuong Le Ha is an intern at The Independent SG/TISG
Singapore—Asian countries such as Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam have been held up as successful examples of managing the Covid-19 pandemic, with infection numbers much lower than in the United States, Europe and South American countries.
However, with the US going mask-free as of last week, and infection numbers in much of Europe continuing to go down even as the “Asian successes” are battling the highest infection clusters in months, analysts are looking how things have gone wrong in Asia in a seemingly short time.
The answer may lie with vaccine roll-outs.
Singapore has seen the highest number of community cases in months, which has been a worrisome development, especially since some of the cases have been classified as unlinked. This could mean that the spread of infections may be going undetected.
This has led to the most stringent restriction measures the country has seen in months, with social gatherings limited to two persons, most employees working from home again, and students returning to home-based learning.
In Taiwan, which is experiencing community transmissions for the first time, similar restrictions have been imposed. Schools have been shut down until May 28, and foreigners may not enter or transit Taiwan unless they have a residency card, for the next month.
Vietnam, where the total number of Covid-19 cases has also been low, is similar seeing a sharp uptick in community transmissions. It was reported on Tuesday (May 18), that “the seven-day rolling average of daily new Covid-19 cases in Vietnam has increased by more than 800% over the past month and is now well above the highs hit during earlier waves.”
One factor that may be threatening Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam’s Covid-19 success is the lag in vaccination efforts.
In the US, which still has the highest number of Covid-19 deaths worldwide, 37 per cent of the population has been vaccinated, and in the UK, 30 per cent.
The slower vaccine roll-outs, combined with the threat of new variants emerging, means that these countries have to make up for lost time.
Singapore’s Health Minister Ong Ye Kung announced on Tuesday (May 18) that children from the ages of 12 to 15 will get the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine soon. Mr Ong added that those in the 40 to 44 age group may start with their first jab on May 19.
Moreover, the country is now delaying the second jab for those who already got their first one, to ensure more people get at least the first jab.
The GAVI Vaccine Alliance announced that more AstraZeneca vaccines will be arriving in Taiwan.
As for Vietnam, its health ministry has met with the World Health Organization (WHO) concerning the needed technology transfer for it to manufacture mRNA vaccines locally.
In April, the WHO laid out plans for helping low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to make mRNA vaccines. If local manufactures in Vietnam meet the WHO’s criteria, it would benefit the whole country.
Delhi — Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday (May 18) that a variant of the coronavirus found in Singapore could cause a third wave in India and appealed to the Indian government to halt all flights to and from Singapore.
In a tweet on Tuesday (May 18), Mr Kejriwal wrote: “The new form of Corona that came to Singapore is being said to be extremely dangerous for children, in India it may come as a third wave”.
He added: “My appeal to the central government:
1. Air services with Singapore to be canceled (sic) with immediate effect
2. Priority on vaccine options should be worked out for children too.”
सिंगापुर में आया कोरोना का नया रूप बच्चों के लिए बेहद ख़तरनाक बताया जा रहा है, भारत में ये तीसरी लहर के रूप में आ सकता है।
केंद्र सरकार से मेरी अपील:
1. सिंगापुर के साथ हवाई सेवाएं तत्काल प्रभाव से रद्द हों
2. बच्चों के लिए भी वैक्सीन के विकल्पों पर प्राथमिकता के आधार पर काम हो
Singaporeans were up in arms after the tweet was circulated, with Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan tweeting: “Politicians should stick to facts!
There is no ‘Singapore variant’.
The tables seemed to have been turned on Singapore, as earlier in May, the variant found in India was colloquially termed the ‘Indian virus’ before it was named the B.1.617 strain by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In a press statement on Wednesday (May 19), MFA said it “regrets the unfounded assertions made on Facebook and Twitter” by Mr Kejriwal that a “variant of COVID-19 found in Singapore was particularly harmful to children and could cause a third wave of infections in India”.
“MFA is disappointed that a prominent political figure had failed to ascertain the facts before making such claims,” said the ministry.
“MFA met the High Commissioner of India P Kumaran this morning to express these concerns.”
As highlighted by MOH, there is no “Singapore variant”, MFA also said. “The strain prevalent in many of the COVID-19 cases in recent weeks is the B16172 variant, which was first detected in India.” /TISG
Sydney — Singapore is ready to take Australians who can be quarantined in the city-state before they are allowed to return home, claimed an Australian politician named Mr Singh on Australia’s ABC News.
His comments followed the Australian government’s threat earlier this month to fine and jail Australians returning from India during the pandemic because it wanted to protect the 25 million Australians at home from the coronavirus.
About the Australians in India, Mr Singh said: “We can bring them into Christmas Island, we can bring them into Darwin, we can bring them into other places if we don’t want to bring them into Melbourne, Sydney, the big places, or we can bring them into Singapore at least. They can have a quarantine in Singapore for two weeks. And then bring them here for another week or so for quarantine.
“I think Singapore is ready, I have got a call from a few senators today and they said Singapore is ready as well to take our citizens back from India or any other country for the quarantine”, he added.
“The issue right now in India is people are morally disappointed” he said, adding that other countries were repatriating their citizens from India while Australia was barring them from coming home.
Incidentally, the ban has been lifted and Australians are being allowed to return home from India. The first Australian repatriation flight from India landed in Darwin, AFP reported on May 15.
Mr Singh obviously spoke to ABC before the quarantine in Singapore was extended to three weeks.
The videoclip was posted on Reddit on Tuesday (May 18) and garnered over a hundred comments from angry netizens.
It was also circulated on Twitter.
This Australian politician’s suggestion that 🇦🇺 use Singapore as a quarantine station to bring back 🇦🇺s stranded in India is making the rounds. MFA has already denied any such plans in March & transit passengers from 🇮🇳 are currently banned anyway. https://t.co/9uh1ISBieu
According to Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH), “With effect from 22 April 2021, 2359 hours, until further notice, all long-term visit pass holders and short-term visitors with recent travel history (including transit) to India within the last 14 days will not be allowed entry into Singapore, or transit through Singapore. This will also apply to all those who had obtained prior approval for entry into Singapore. Only Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents of Singapore will be allowed entry”.
In March this year, similar to the video above, The Sydney Morning Herald published an article that claimed “The Morrison government is working on an ambitious plan that would establish Singapore as a quarantine gateway, holiday destination and potential vaccination hub for returning Australians, international students and business travellers”.
Responding, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said:
“We refer to The Sydney Morning Herald’s report “Australia and Singapore plan for travel bubble and quarantine hub by July” on 14 March 2021.
Australia is a key partner of Singapore in the region. We are in discussions on how to cooperate in opening our economies safely, taking into consideration the COVID-19 situation in both countries. Thus far, Singapore and Australia have been able to control the COVID-19 pandemic. Singapore is currently in discussions with Australia on the mutual recognition of vaccination certificates and resumption of travel with priority for students and business travellers. We are also discussing the possibility of an air travel bubble which will allow residents of Singapore and Australia to travel between both countries without the need for quarantine. We are not in discussion on the concept of a quarantine centre or vaccination hub. Australian nationals can transit via Singapore without quarantining to return home if they travel on approved transit routes and if they comply with our public health protocols while in transit.”
Huang Yi alleged that her ex husband abused her. Picture: Weibo
It was shocking to discover that Chinese actress Huang Yi alleged that her ex-husband was abusive. The ex-husband, businessman Huang Yiqing, denied the allegations, but the 43-year-old actress said he not only hit her but also installed CCTV cameras all over their house to keep an eye on her when they were still married.
The actress has full custody of their eight-year-old daughter and has been doing well after the divorce. Her company is successful. She shared in an interview that she makes S$20 million a year from selling cakes. Huang Yi is also the boss of her own entertainment agency.
Huang Yi’s quote on being a single mum sparked debate online. Picture: Weibo
Despite her post-divorce success, there are some netizens who think that the actress should “settle down quickly” as “she needs a man as the head of the family”.
Huang Yi propelled to stardom in 2003 when she starred as Xiaoyanzi (the role was originally played by Vicki Zhao) in My Fair Princess III.
Huang Yi opened about her life in a recent episode of the talk show Working Mom, reported 8days.sg.
“It would be great if you can have a husband at home, but I’ve never been sad because of the lack of a male figure in our lives. I can take on the role of both parents, and there’s nobody to disagree with my parenting methods, so being a single mum feels really good,” she said.
Her words sparked an online debate and some netizens disagreed with her.
One self-professed single mother wrote: “I can’t say that she’s entirely wrong, but as someone who struggles to put food on the table, it would definitely be better if my child’s father was here to share the financial burden of bringing a kid up.”
However, the vast majority of netizens applauded Huang Yi for her determination to bring her daughter up on her own.
One said: “Raising a child with both parents around can be a struggle in itself, but I also can’t imagine doing it on my own. Rather than criticise her for going against traditional beliefs, I think we should give her credit for proving that women can be strong and independent on their own.”/TISG
Singapore — People aged 40 to 44 can register for vaccination from Wednesday (May 19) under a new vaccine roll-out plan announced by the multi-ministry task force on Covid-19 on Tuesday (May 18). The ambitious new plan aims to deliver at least the first dose of the vaccine to 4.3 million people by the end of July.
But one will have to wait longer for the second dose to ensure more people get at least the first dose.
Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat wrote in a Facebook post:
“To speed up our vaccination programme, the interval between doses will be lengthened to six to eight weeks. In addition, we will soon be rolling out vaccination for children aged 12 to 15.”
The Multi-Ministry Taskforce announced today that we will start vaccination for those aged 40 to 44. To speed up our…
Vaccination for children aged 12 to 15 will be rolled out soon, as the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has approved the use of Pfizer BioNTech vaccine.
According to Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung, the new measures are to give the maximum number of people good protection, instead of having a good number of people getting maximum protection.
International studies show the vaccines still work if the two doses are given up to six or eight weeks apart.
Currently, they are given three to four weeks apart.
With the new approach, an estimated 700,000 people will receive the vaccine in June, and 1.3 million in July.
“By end July, 4.3 million of our population would have received at least one jab,” Mr Ong said.
Individuals who have already booked their appointment for their second dose will not be affected by the longer interval. They can also choose to defer their second shot to let another person have a shot.
“Vaccination is an important line of defence, but the wearing of masks is as important, especially since recent clusters suggest that new variants had a higher level of transmission,” Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat shared on Facebook, encouraging Singaporeans to wear reusable masks that have good filtration efficiency.
“As we combat the surge in cases, each of us can do our part to protect ourselves and our loved ones – stay home as much as possible, wear a mask at all times when you are out, and get vaccinated when it is offered to you!” he added.
Mr Ong also appealed to Singaporeans to sign up for the vaccine to help make Singapore a safer place for all.
Denise Teh is an intern at The Independent SG. /TISG
Wang Leehom looks different with long hair and facial hair. Picture: Instagram
Taipei — During the Covid-10 pandemic, many men skipped having their hair cut and beards shaved. Stars like Wang Leehom, who has been known for his clean-cut image for most of his 25-year career, have also shunned scissors and razors. On Sunday (May 16), minutes before his 45th birthday, Wang Leehom uploaded a photo of himself with a shocking new look, with a thick beard and long hair that can be tied into braids.
“To be honest, I don’t even remember the last time I shaved… or got a haircut,” he wrote in the caption, adding the hashtag #birthdaybraids.
As for the facial hair, it is not new. In April, Blackie Chen gave the public a sneak peek of the scruffier Leehom on social media. Leehom was then compared to Hollywood star Keanu Reeves. But some fans asked the Taiwanese-American singer to shave off his beard. However, Leehom paid no heed and followed up by uploading more photos of himself with long hair and beard, according to 8days.sg.
Referring to his latest selfie, netizens said Leehom resembled a number of fellow bearded, dreadlocked figures, both real and fictional. One of the figures is Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean. Some netizens said they had trouble recognising Leehom at first.
Wang Leehom resembles Keanu Reeves and Captain Jack Sparrow with his new look. Picture: Instagram
There were some netizens who think the star looks better with short hair and a clean-shaven face, with one less flattering comment pretty much accusing the handsome star of “letting himself go”.
A Facebook user told Leehom to read up on cultural appropriation and learn “why it’s harmful for [him] as a non-black person to be wearing box braids”.
Anyway, it appears that many netizens are awaiting the day when Leehom heads to the salon and comes out looking like his old self again./TISG
As Singapore defaulted to working from home under tightened restrictions on Monday (May 17), many areas in the city-state were bare, with just a few people.
Buses rumbled along almost empty streets and the hawker centres were desolate on Monday morning with people mostly working from home and not allowed to dine out under strict new rules to curb the spike in Covid-19.
The longest queues were of patrons taking away food, especially in basements of malls where most eateries are concentrated.
Compulsory TraceTogether-only SafeEntry check-ins via the mobile app or token also kicked in on Monday. Most people in the malls had no issues checking in.
With Covid-19 numbers still on the rise, as of May 18, the Ministry of Health (MOH) preliminarily confirmed 27 new cases of locally transmitted Covid-19 infection, of whom 16 are linked to previous cases, and 11 currently unlinked. Among them, 14 had already been placed on quarantine earlier. Based on our investigations so far, the cases are in the community, and there are no new cases in the dormitories.
Sunday (May 16) saw the highest number of community cases – 38 – reported since April 14 last year when 40 community infections were reported. Singapore’s circuit breaker started on Apr 7, 2020.
Singapore entered Phase 2, a state of heightened alert, on Sunday to curb Covid-19. Hence the deserted streets and markets. The usually crowded hawker centres were mostly empty, except for people coming in occasionally to take away food.
Since Sunday, social gatherings have been limited to two people, down from five earlier, and all employees who can work from home must do so. The measures, which will be in place until June 13, are similar to those imposed during a partial lockdown last year. During the lockdown, the economy suffered its worst-ever recession. /TISG
Singapore – The Emerging Stronger Taskforce (EST) envisions a post-Covid-19 Singapore, which offers unlimited opportunities for its businesses and people in the digital space.
It made the following recommendations to transform the nation into a node for technology, innovation, and enterprise:
Create new virtual frontiers;
Seize growth opportunities from sustainability;
Enable global champions and growing an agile and strong Singapore core;
Institutionalise private-public partnerships through Alliances for Action;
Strengthen international partnerships, particularly in Southeast Asia.
National Development Minister Desmond Lee, who co-chairs the task force with PSA International group chief executive Tan Chong Meng, said the current crisis reinforces the importance of working closely together.
“The crisis (is) affecting countries that initially overcame infections but are now facing a new wave,” he said, reported The New Paper. Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies Heng Swee Keat, who chairs the Future Economy Council (FEC), said Covid-19 has created the “burning platform” for change
The 23-member task force was set up under the FEC to recommend new economic strategies.
It acknowledged the need to change and invest in creative ideas.
Phuong Le Ha is an intern at The Independent SG/TISG
Singapore — A 22-year-old man shouted abuse at police officers after being restrained for questioning following a fight at Golden Mile Complex.
In a video circulated on WhatsApp Messenger on Tuesday (May 18), the man could be seen shouting at police officers as they tried to restrain him.
He resisted violently as he was pinned down by the officers after the fight on Friday night.
At one point in the video, he had to be pinned down by two officers, with four others assisting to hold him down.
He could also be heard shouting at the officers: “Eh then what? You what? Sergeant ah? Eh f*** you lah!”
While the officers were trying to hold him down, the man could be seen constantly trying to kick or push his way out.
Watching the entire scene, a crowd had gathered outside Golden Mile Complex with some even filming the incident on their phones.
In response to media queries, the police said they were alerted to a fight at 5001 Beach Road at 10.56 pm.
When police officers arrived, there were no longer signs of a fight.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that a dispute had allegedly occurred between two groups earlier,” police added.
While the officers were interviewing the 22-year-old man believed to be involved in the dispute, he allegedly hurled vulgarities at the officers, shoved one and assaulted another.
The man was arrested for affray, using abusive language against a public servant, using criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty, and voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant. /TISG
