Sunday, May 11, 2025
32.2 C
Singapore
type here...
Subscribe
Home Blog Page 2575

More infectious UK coronavirus strain detected in at least 60 countries: WHO

AFP
-
0
More infectious UK coronavirus strain detected in at least 60 countries: WHO

The UK coronavirus strain has been detected in at least 60 countries, the World Health Organization said Wednesday, 10 more than a week ago.

With the global death toll now well past two million, and new variants of the virus causing deep concern, countries across the world are grappling with how to slow infections until vaccines become widely available.

The South African strain, which like the UK one is believed to be more infectious, has now been reported in 23 countries and territories, the WHO also announced in its weekly update.

It added that the number of new deaths climbed to a record high of 93,000 over the previous seven days, with 4.7 million new cases reported over the same period.

The UK strain, first detected in mid-December, is thought by the WHO to be between 50 and 70 percent more infectious than the original.

While more transmissible, the two variants are not thought to be more deadly and Pfizer and German partner BioNTech have said their vaccines are effective against the mutation found on the British virus variant, known as B117.

The arrival of mass vaccination campaigns in the US and Europe had brought hope that the end of the pandemic was in sight; the European Union said Tuesday it was aiming to inoculate 70 percent of its adult population before the end of August.

But many EU countries — and other nations including India and Russia — have struggled to get their inoculation programmes off the ground.

The United States remains home to the world’s worst outbreak in overall numbers, and US President-elect Joe Biden made clear he would be taking no chances following his inauguration on Wednesday.

Recent days have also seen a renewed focus on the initial outbreak a year ago, with China defending its handling of the virus on Tuesday after independent experts criticised the speed of its response.

bur-rma/hg

© Agence France-Presse

/AFP

Biden to be sworn in as 46th US president, ending Trump era

AFP
-
0
Biden to be sworn in as 46th US president, ending Trump era

By Sebastian Smith and Michael Mathes

Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th US president Wednesday, drawing a curtain on the most tumultuous administration of modern times and charting a new course to tackle Covid-19 and unite a splintered nation.

Outgoing President Donald Trump entered the White House four years ago as a brash billionaire outsider, but he is being ousted by a polar opposite whose deep knowledge of Washington and personal scars will unquestionably set a different tone.

Biden, a 78-year-old former vice president and longtime senator, will take the oath of office at noon (1700 GMT) on the US Capitol’s western front, the very spot where pro-Trump rioters clashed with police two weeks ago before storming Congress in a deadly insurrection.

While a transition of power will occur much as it has for more than two centuries, this inauguration is unlike any other.

Official Washington has taken on the dystopian look of an armed camp, protected by some 25,000 National Guard troops tasked with preventing any repeat of this month’s attack.

And with the pandemic raging, the general public is essentially barred from attending the swearing-in, leading to the unprecedented sight of an empty National Mall on Inauguration Day.

With the death toll soaring past 400,000, Biden on Tuesday led a powerful tribute to victims of Covid-19 as he arrived in Washington.

Biden, who has suffered deep personal tragedy and is known for his public displays of emotion, has stressed the need to unite the country after Trump’s chaos.

“It’s hard sometimes to remember, but that’s how we heal. It’s important to do that as a nation,” Biden said in somber remarks at the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

– Trump snub –
Inauguration eve is normally a time of massive crowds gathering in the capital, but Biden, joined by Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, was almost alone at the reflecting pool.

On the Mall’s grassy expanse, some 200,000 flags have been planted to represent the absent crowds at the inauguration.

Trump, who has not appeared in public for a week, broke days of silence with a pre-recorded farewell video address on Tuesday.

For the first time, he asked Americans to “pray” for the success of the incoming administration — a change from months spent persuading his Republican followers that the Democrats cheated their way to election victory.

Trump, whose efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic and console its victims have been widely criticized, will snub Biden by not attending the inauguration.

He has also yet to personally congratulate Biden, who first ran for president in 1987, on his win, and did not invite him for the customary cup of tea in the Oval Office.

In one of his last acts before he flies to Florida on Wednesday morning, Trump issued scores of pardons to people convicted of crimes or facing charges, including several key allies.

Influential former Trump aide Steve Bannon — charged with defrauding people over funds raised to build the Mexico border wall, a flagship Trump policy — was among 73 people on a list released by the White House.

However, neither Trump nor his relatives were listed, amid speculation he could use the legally dubious tactic of a preemptive pardon to fend off future charges.

Former Trump fund-raiser Elliott Broidy was similarly pardoned, after pleading guilty last year to conspiring to violate foreign lobbying laws.

The rapper Lil Wayne, who last month pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, and faced 10 years in jail, also made the list.

Tensions have soared on Capitol Hill, where the Senate is expected to put Trump on trial soon following his record second impeachment by the House of Representatives over the Capitol riot.

The spectacle will clash with the opening days of Biden’s tenure, as the new president seeks to swiftly confirm his Cabinet picks and push through ambitious legislation — including a $1.9 trillion rescue package.

– ‘I’ll get right to work’ –
“We don’t have a second to waste when it comes to tackling the crises we face as a nation,” Biden tweeted late Tuesday.

“That’s why after being sworn in tomorrow, I’ll get right to work.”

He plans to kick off his tenure by rejoining the Paris climate accord and the World Health Organization, according to aides, who said Biden would sign 17 orders and actions just hours after being sworn in, setting new paths on immigration, the environment, Covid-19 and the economy.

In first-day moves, he will end Trump’s much-assailed ban on visitors from several majority-Muslim countries and halt construction of the wall that Trump ordered on the US-Mexico border to stem illegal immigration, the aides said.

His inaugural speech will last between 20 and 30 minutes, according to a source familiar with preparations, and “he will reach out to all Americans, and call on every citizen to be part of meeting the extraordinary challenges facing all of us.”

To symbolize the new spirit of unity, Biden has invited the two top senators — Democrat Chuck Schumer and Republican Mitch McConnell — and other congressional leaders to attend a church service with him Wednesday before the inauguration.

sms-mlm/bgs/leg/oho

© Agence France-Presse

/AFP

Singapore’s Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam Supports Campaign Against Prong Collar and Electric Dog Collars

Jewel Stolarchuk
-
0
Singapore’s Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam Supports Campaign Against Prong Collar and Electric Dog Collars

Singapore – Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam posted a short video on Facebook on Friday (Jan 15) in support of a campaign against electric and prong dog collars.

The use of electric and prong collars to train dogs has always been controversial but outrage over their use intensified in Singapore last year after the couple running Exclusively Mongrels Singapore tried electric and prong collars on themselves to find out what it feels like for a dog to wear one.

Mr Gan Theng Wei, who is a strong advocate against the mistreatment of dogs, shared that the electric collar shocks the wearer without warning and said: “I expected it to be uncomfortable but I had no idea how painful it would really be.

“I had to remove the shock collar immediately for fear of being shocked again. It’s not just the physical pain that’s scary. The anticipation and not knowing when you will be shocked again is actually worse than the physical pain.”

Although the prong collar felt “slightly less painful” than the electric version, Mr Gan said: “I removed the collar and was shocked to see red marks around my neck. And these marks were created by just very low controlled forces.”

Sharing photographs from their experiment, Mr Gan wrote on Facebook on Oct 17 that such aversive tools are meant to inflict pain on dogs physically and psychologically and should never be used to train dogs.

Days later, Mr Shanmugam’s fellow Nee Soon GRC MP Louis Ng filed a parliamentary question asking the Government to ban electric and prong dog collars.

The animal rights activist, who is the founder of Acres, also asked the Minister for National Development whether the ministry can provide a timeline for implementing the ban.

On Nov 4, 2020, the ministry responded that the multi-stakeholder Rehoming and Adoption Work Group (RAWG), recently established to review practices related to the rehoming and adoption of dogs, will study this issue.

Noting that the National Parks Board will take enforcement action when animal training methods cause unnecessary pain or suffering to animals, the ministry highlighted other training methods that do not compromise animal welfare and urged the public to avoid causing unnecessary pain or suffering to animals.

A month later, veterinarian Dr Liang Xutian launched a campaign to dissuade the public from using aversive animal training tools. Dr Liang and her team are selling T-shirts with anti-shock and prong collar messages to raise awareness on this issue and have roped in prominent figures like politicians and celebrities to bring more eyeballs to the cause.

Mr Shanmugam, one of Singapore’s longest-serving politicians, is perhaps the most well-known individual who has lent support to Dr Liang’s initiative. The heavyweight minister, who has four pet dogs, wore one of Dr Liang’s T-shirts and made a video message calling on the public to refrain from using forced training methods.

While petting one of his dogs in the short video, Mr Shanmugam called Dr Liang’s campaign a “great initiative” and said that he is “happy and proud” to wear one of the campaign T-shirts. He added: “Dogs are for us to love and they show a lot of love. Let’s treat them with kindness, let’s all make a difference.”

The campaign organisers said Mr Shanmugam also made a “very generous donation” to the initiative, aside from contributing a video message.

Others who have supported the “Say NO to electric collars, prong collars and choke chains” initiative include Mr Louis Ng, comedian and actor Kumar, fashion director Daniel Boey and others in the entertainment industry. Since Dec 31, the campaign has raised $8,920 from the sale proceeds of the T-shirts and another $6,740 in the form of donations.

Anyone can support the campaign by purchasing a T-shirt HERE. Proceeds from the sale of every T-shirt purchase will go to the training budget of five animal welfare groups (AWGs). The AWG beneficiaries are Chained Dog Awareness Singapore, Purely Adoptions, Oasis Second Chance Animal Shelter, Exclusively Mongrels Singapore and Action for Singapore Dogs. /TISG

Read also:

Singapore golden retriever severely injured by dog trainer who used electric & prong collars 

Use of electric shock dog collars and prong collars will be reviewed: MND | The Independent Singapore News 

Cancer patient faces eviction if she cannot find homes for 3 dogs – Singapore News 

99% of SG companies hire fairly, says Singapore International Chamber of Commerce chair

Anna Maria Romero
-
0
99% of SG companies hire fairly, says Singapore International Chamber of Commerce chair

Singapore—Many people have been concerned over fair hiring practices lately, especially in the light of job security during the pandemic.

And while Singapore’s business leaders said in a statement on Tuesday (Jan 19) that welcoming global talent is vital for maintaining Singapore’s competitiveness, fair and inclusive hiring practices are a must.

Mr Per Magnusson, the chairman of the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce (SICC), said that nearly all Singaporean companies practice fair hiring.

“We should remember that 99 per cent, or even more than 99 per cent, of all companies in Singapore actually do hire fairly.

We should actually silently go after that very small minority who don’t. And we…support the absolute majority who hire in a fair manner.”

The business leaders spoke to members of the press after releasing the statement on Tuesday, which was jointly issued by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and 29 Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) under the TAC Alliance.

There are 27,200 firms represented by the SBF, along with important foreign and local business chambers.

The statement was issued “in a show of solidarity to collectively pledge support for…fair hiring and employment practices.”

Yahoo Singapore reported that Mr Magnusson was asked by the media why going after firms that utilise unfair hiring practices should be done “silently” and not publicly.

The SICC chair answered that this is to prevent the wrong impression from spreading.

“When one does it publicly, I think everyone gets the wrong perception.

Because one company penalised publicly gets all the media attention while we forget immediately that…it’s definitely more than 99 per cent of all companies do it in a fair and equitable manner,” he added.

Mr Lim Ming Yan, the chairman of SBF, underlined the necessity of remaining open to global talent, as this would “engender skill transfer that can further develop the local workforce.”

This is part of the nature of competition worldwide, he said.

The SBF chair added that employers need to develop local talent and prepare them for leadership roles.

Mr Lim also commented on the current pandemic, saying it put pressure on the country’s job situation, which makes it even more important that employers assure their workers of their commitment to fair hiring practices.

One part of the joint statement read, “As businesses prepare for a recovery framework from disruption to transition and at a time of economic distress for businesses and their employees, the TACs encourage their member companies to remain committed to recruiting deserving candidates fairly based on merit.”

However, some people commenting on the article on Yahoo Singapore’s Facebook page did not respond positively to Mr Magnuson’s claim that over 99 per cent of Singaporean companies hire fairly.

There appears to be a perception that foreign talent is given priority or preference.

Others expressed their doubts or found the figure laughable.

   Some commenters pointed to the irony of the statement coming from a foreigner.

Others wanted to find out where he got the “over 99 per cent” figure from

/TISG

Read also: Foreigners account for total employment decline

Foreigners account for total employment decline

Police arrest man who broke into neighbour’s flat and kissed her while she was sleeping

Anna Maria Romero
-
0
Police arrest man who broke into neighbour’s flat and kissed her while she was sleeping

Singapore—The police arrested a man who let himself into his neighbor’s unit and kissed her while she was sleeping.

The incident occurred on Monday morning (Jan 18) at a building along Tampines Street 83.

Ironically, the man called the police himself around noon that day and was later arrested.

CNA reported that the police issued a news release concerning the incident on Tuesday (Jan 19).

The man, 33, entered the unlocked next-door unit of the building where he lives.

His neighbour, a 29-year-old woman, was asleep.

She woke up when he had kissed her on the lips several times, and found that he had pinned her by her wrists.

The police said, “The woman woke to the situation, screamed at the man to leave and contacted her family member for assistance.”

This frightened the man, who ran back to his own unit and locked himself in.

He then called the police, telling them that there were two people outside his door who “wanted to beat him.”

The police found two men there, demanding that he open the door and come out.

The police told the men to keep back and asked the man inside to open the door, but he would not.

Instead, he threatened that he would jump out of the window.

However, after two hours of negotiations with officers from the Special Operations Command and Singapore Civil Defence Force, the man unlocked the door to his unit.

He was taken to Changi General Hospital and received a referral for psychiatric assessment at the Institute of Mental Health.

According to the police, he has been arrested for outrage of modesty and criminal trespass.

On Jan 20, he will face these charges in court.

Should he be found guilty of outrage of modesty, he may receive a jail sentence of up to two years, a fine, a caning, or a combination of the three punishment.

As for a conviction for criminal trespass, he could end up in jail for as long as three months and/or be fined an amount as high as S$1,500.

Shin Min Daily News reported that the man is unemployed and that his wife and children moved out of his unit over a year ago.

As for the victim, she told the Chinese daily that the incident frightened her.

“We’ve been neighbours for six years. I’ve always thought he was weird and avoided him as much as I could. I’d even walk faster when passing by his unit,” she added.

Her fiancé got very angry when he learned about the incident, especially since he has given money and cigarettes to the man on occasion.

Other neighbours in the building also talked to Shin Min Daily News about the man’s erratic behaviour.

/TISG

Read also: Bus driver gets 8+ years jail time for molesting stepdaughter for over 20 years

Bus driver gets 8+ years jail time for molesting stepdaughter for over 20 years

 

 

Cyclist hospitalised after wheel gets caught in drain cover

The Independent
-
0
Cyclist hospitalised after wheel gets caught in drain cover

Singapore – A cyclist’s wheel got stuck in a roadside drain cover, causing him to fly forward and get injured.

Pictures of the accident were uploaded to Facebook page ROADS.sg on Tuesday (Jan 19). “Drain grating can be dangerous for all cyclists using our roads,” read the caption. “The LTA (Land Transport Authority) should review and change all our current drain covers that are not perpendicular to the cement curb.”

The photos showed the drain cover had gratings that were parallel to the direction of road users, posing a danger to cyclists as their wheels could slip into the drain and get stuck.

Photo: FB screengrab/ROADS.sg

According to the post, a Myanmar man was hospitalised when his bicycle’s wheel got caught on a roadside drain cover along Changi Coast Walk on Jan 16.

Photo: FB screengrab/ROADS.sg

“This may be another reason why cyclists are also forced to ride further out from the curb,” noted ROADS.sg.

The page also uploaded photos of how the roadside draining system should be positioned. When perpendicular to road users’ direction, the chances of slim wheels getting caught in between are minimised.

Photo: FB screengrab/ROADS.sg

Photos of the victim lying on the ground while being attended to by paramedics and another while in the hospital ward were included in the post.

“Cyclists have unfortunately had to deal with this issue for a long time,” the post continued. It attached a similar issue highlighted in lovecycling.net, a page dedicated to Singapore cyclists.

“Since there is no dedicated bicycle lane in Singapore, cyclists, being the slower moving vehicle, is (sic) advised by traffic rules to ride ‘close’ to the left side of the slowest lane,” noted the website.

“However, the very space is the most neglected area for road construction and maintenance. The poor condition of the drainage grill is a clear example of such oversight. Embedded in the design is the danger of unexpected accidents: trapped wheels, slippery and uneven height.”

ROADS.sg shared another incident caught on a dashboard camera of a cyclist falling over to the sidewalk after his wheels got caught in the drain gratings.

Read related: Video goes viral: Cyclist distracted by Yishun collision crashes into back of car

Video goes viral: Cyclist distracted by Yishun collision crashes into back of car

Josephine Teo: When a job is advertised, the best candidate should be considered

Anna Maria Romero
-
0
Josephine Teo: When a job is advertised, the best candidate should be considered

Singapore—Manpower Minister Josephine Teo said in a Facebook post on Tuesday (Jan 19) that the highest priority at the moment is jobs.

This includes keeping Singaporeans in their jobs as well as finding employment for those who need it.

In her post, which had the heading “STRENGTHENING THE SINGAPOREAN CORE,” she wrote that the ministry is giving stronger support to employers in order to develop this core.

Ms Teo mentioned such programmes as the Jobs Support Scheme and Jobs Growth Initiative that ensure that business owners get “generous wage and training support.”

However, she added that employees should also do their part in making sure they exercise fair employment practices including hiring fairly on the basis of merit, which she went on to explain.

“This means that when a job is advertised, the best candidate should be considered. Attributes which are not relevant to the job such as nationality, gender, age, race and disability should not be considerations.”

Ms Teo noted, “When businesses hire fairly and based on merit, they will have access to the widest pool of candidates that can help them succeed. It will motivate their employees to give of their best, knowing that the company practices fair employment. Fair employment is not just right, it is win-win too.“

She further warned against keeping employment to a “closed circle of friends”.

And added that business owners should “ultimately…should keep to the spirit, not just the letter, of the Fair Consideration Framework and the Tripartite Guidelines for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices.”

Ms Teo posted a link to the Joint Statement on Fair Hiring and Employment Practices issued by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and 29 Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs) under the TAC Alliance earlier that day.

She wrote that she was heartened that the groups came together to commit supporting fair hiring and progressive employment practices.

The minister added that this is a representation of “the business community’s commitment in preventing workplace discrimination and adopting progressive human resource practices, so as to develop a strong Singaporean core.”

Singapore’s business leaders said in the statement that welcoming global talent is vital for maintaining Singapore’s competitiveness, fair and inclusive hiring practices are a must.

Mr Lim Ming Yan, the chairman of SBF, underlined the necessity of remaining open to global talent, as this would “engender skill transfer that can further develop the local workforce.”

This is part of the nature of competition worldwide, he said.

The SBF chair added that employers need to develop local talent and prepare them for leadership roles.

Mr Lim also commented on the current pandemic, saying it put pressure on the country’s job situation, which makes it even more important that employers assure their workers of their commitment to fair hiring practices.

One part of the joint statement read, “As businesses prepare for a recovery framework from disruption to transition and at a time of economic distress for businesses and their employees, the TACs encourage their member companies to remain committed to recruiting deserving candidates fairly based on merit.”

/TISG

Read also: Josephine Teo on wage cuts: “A key principle is for management to take the lead”

Josephine Teo on wage cuts: “A key principle is for management to take the lead”

Design submitted by Temasek Polytechnic students selected as logo for Budget 2021

Jewel Stolarchuk
-
0
Design submitted by Temasek Polytechnic students selected as logo for Budget 2021

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Heng Swee Keat revealed that a design submitted by a group of Temasek Polytechnic students has been selected as the logo of Budget 2021, which will be delivered in Parliament right after the Chinese New year holidays on 16 Feb.

Mr Heng, who also serves as Coordinating Minister for Economic Policies, unveiled the logo on Facebook on Sunday (17 Jan) and explained that the warm colours used in the design represent the strength and vibrancy of Singapore while the three figures symbolise the unity, tenacity and commitment of Singaporeans.

He added that the logo represents “one of many ways our youths contribute to our annual Budget.”

Sharing that he was struck by the younger generation’s desire to do more for the less advantaged in society during a pre-Budget dialogue with 50 youths from Self-Help Groups on Saturday (16 Jan), he added:

“Our youth are our future. Their dreams and goals will determine what we become. And we must ensure that their aspirations and actions are reflected in Budget. And we will do our utmost to encourage them and bring the best out of them.”

Budget 2021 logo (Photo: Heng Swee Keat FB)

Mr Heng has been updating Singaporeans on how his team has been preparing for this year’s Budget on his social media page. Work on the Budget started early last month with a series of feedback meetings led by prominent cabinet ministers.

As Mr Heng met business leaders to get their assessment of the current economic outlook and find out what kind of aid businesses need to emerge stronger, Education Minister Lawrence Wong heard grassroots leaders’ Budget-related feedback. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Indranee Rajah also launch a Pre-Budget Conversations series.

Singaporeans were also invited to take part in the process and members of the public, households and businesses were asked to share their suggestions with the Budget 2021 team as part of a mass feedback exercise.

Last week, the Ministry of Finance launched its annual Budget Quiz to enhance public understanding and awareness of the Budget process and key national policies. Prominent ruling party politicians Chan Chun Sing, S. Iswaran, Chee Hong Tat, Koh Poh Koon and Tan See Leng also hosted small group discussions over the week to get feedback for the Budget.

Meanwhile, observers expect overall spending to be reined in this year after the S$100 billion that was set aside over five budgets last year as the nation fought the COVID-19 pandemic.

PAP MP Liang Eng Hwa, chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Finance, Trade and Industry, told a pre-Budget roundtable on Thursday (14 Jan): “I’m a bit more realistic about what to expect for the upcoming Budget because there are only so (many) financial resources you can use to help.”

He added: “I expect this Budget to be a lot more targeted and differentiated than before, so we really channel and allocate funds to those businesses that need help, grow the economy and create jobs. We’ll still have to help, but the numbers will taper off along the way.”

Mr Heng himself made similar comments on New Year’s Eve. Noting the extensive support measures that were rolled out last year, Mr Heng said that Singaporeans can expect a more “traditional” Budget this year as long as the economy doesn’t take a turn for the worse.

He said, in a Facebook post: “Preparation for Budget 2021 is well underway. The pandemic is contained locally and vaccination is ongoing. But the overall outlook remains highly uncertain and will be the case for some time to come.

“If the trajectory of economic recovery is on track, then we will have a more “traditional” Budget year. But if the situation takes a turn for the worse, we are ready to respond and adapt.”

MP Christopher De Souza files request in Parliament for preservation of Dover Forest

Anna Maria Romero
-
0
MP Christopher De Souza files request in Parliament for preservation of Dover Forest

Singapore—People’s Action Party (PAP) MP Christopher de Souza said in a Facebook post on Monday (Jan 18) that he filed a request to speak about preserving Dover Forest.

He wrote, “In particular, the request came in the form of a proposed adjournment motion which I titled ‘Preservation of Dover Forest in Ulu Pandan’”.

The MP is part of the PAP team at Holland-Bukit Timah GRC for Ulu Pandan and is the Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

Mr de Souza added that at the next sitting, he may end up with a full 30 minutes allotted to his motion if no other Member of Parliament would vie for an adjournment motion.

He wrote in his post, “I support housing and redevelopment. But, I also cherish greenery and the serenity it offers people and wildlife. I will also raise and explore possible, vacant alternative sites.

These will be among the main issues of my speech – along with promoting and preserving green, natural, and sustainable spaces across Ulu Pandan, which is the constituency I have the privilege of serving.”

The 33-hectare Dover Forest has been much in the news lately.

Under the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Master Plan 2014, the area was zoned for residential development.

Mr Desmond Lee, the Minister for National Development, announced last month that among the Built-to-Order flats to be launched this year, some would be located at Ulu Pandan Estate in Queenstown.

However, on Friday (Jan 15), the Nature Society of Singapore’s Conservation Committee, called for Dover Forest to be set apart as a nature park, given the biodiversity in the area, which has 158 animals, among some are critically endangered ones, and 120 plant species.

There is also a petition to save the forest on change.org with nearly 32,000 signatories.

The petition was started by a long time resident of Dover Estate, an environmentalist named Sydney Cheong.

Mr Cheong wrote, “I am appealing to the Housing Development Board and the relevant authorities to conserve  Dover Forest by converting it into a nature park. It would be a huge loss to the natural heritage and biodiversity of Singapore if a forest of this statue is destroyed and cleared. Also, many plants and animals will not survive when the forest is removed and we will lose the many benefits of a forest ecosystem.”

Some members of the Workers’ Party, MP Dennis Tan (Hougang SMC ) and politician Nicole Seah, have also chimed in on the issue.

In a Facebook post, Mr Tan wrote he was “saddened to hear that Dover forest will be cleared for housing, after being left untouched for 40 years”.

He underlined the importance of conserving forests in fighting climate change.

On her part, Ms Seah encouraged Singaporeans to give feedback concerning Dover Forest on the feedback form of HDB.

She wrote on her Facebook account, “I can only imagine the richness of biodiversity within a forest space as pristine as Dover. Such biodiversity is important for Singaporeans, because it contributes to cooler ambient temperature and general respite.”

Red Dot United, another political party, also issued a statement on the issue. As with the others, the party expressed environmental concerns over using Dover Forest for housing purposes.

The secretary-general of the Red Dot United, Mr Ravi Philemon, said, “Every sizeable secondary forest that we fail to conserve is like overspending on our credit cards and incurring exponentially increasing debts due to compounding interests.”

Red Dot United suggested the redevelopment of brownfield sites as an alternative to using Dover Forest. The party stated that there are underutilised lands in Singapore, as well as old industrial sites, that may be used for housing and industrial purposes.

/TISG

Read also: Christopher de Souza welcomes news of fast-tracking of law to define use of TraceTogether

Christopher de Souza welcomes news of fast-tracking of law to define use of TraceTogether

MOT launches COVID-19 vaccination exercise for 37,000 aviation and maritime workers

Jewel Stolarchuk
-
0
MOT launches COVID-19 vaccination exercise for 37,000 aviation and maritime workers

The Ministry of Transport launched the Sea-Air Vaccination Exercise on Monday (18 Jan), to vaccinate 37,000 frontline workers in the aviation and maritime industry.

Airplane and port pilots, cabin crew, cargo handlers, transit lounge workers, local seafarers, ship and plane repair technicians are among the workers who will be vaccinated as part of the Sea-Air Vaccination Exercise.

Revealing that about 13,000 workers have registered to be vaccinated this week, Transport Minister urged more individuals to volunteer for vaccination in the coming weeks. He said on Facebook that the exercise will take place in two vaccination centres at Changi Airport T4 and Raffles City.

With capacity at the vaccination centres being ramped up to 8,000 injections a day, Mr Ong said that his ministry aims to substantially complete the exercise within two months.

Sharing photos of his visit to the vaccination centre, Mr Ong added: “These 37,000 workers come into contact with people and cargo from outside Singapore. When vaccinated, they will not just protect themselves and their families, but they would have taken a big step to secure the borders of Singapore and keep us safe from COVID-19.”

Singapore began novel coronavirus vaccinations last month and first offered vaccines to healthcare workers and other COVID-19 frontline and other essential personnel, including swabbers hired by Health Promotion Board, staff working at the Government Quarantine Facilities, Community Care Facilities, and dedicated Stay-Home Notice facilities.

COVID-19 vaccines will be free for all citizens, permanent residents and long-term residents and will become available as part of a large-scale non-mandatory immunisation scheme sometime this year.

Although the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the only vaccine that has been approved for use in the immediate term, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said on 4 Jan that vaccines developed by Moderna and China’s controversial Sinovac are expected to arrive in Singapore in the coming months. He added that Singapore will have enough vaccines for everyone by the third quarter of this year, if all things go according to plan.

The authorities will prioritise vaccinations of groups that are most at-risk, with plans to start vaccinating the elderly and those at greater risk of severe disease from next month, beginning with seniors aged 70 and above.

Vaccines for those who are in jobs or settings where risk of a super-spreading event is high, such as the construction, marine and process (CMP) sector, including migrant workers will be prioritised as well.

Mr Gan said in Parliament: “Thereafter we will progressively broaden our vaccinations to include other Singaporeans and long-term residents who are medically eligible.

“As more vaccines are approved for use, we will adjust our vaccination programme, depending on the vaccine supply as well as the disease epidemiology at that point in time.”

Singaporeans will not be allowed to choose which COVID-19 vaccine to take

Health Minister quells concerns over efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines against B.1.1.7 strain

IN FULL: Health Minister sheds light on COVID-19 vaccine supply, efficacy and side effects in ministerial statement

Calvin Cheng calls Govt’s pre-order of Sinovac vaccine “a failed gamble”

1...2,5742,5752,576...5,255Page 2,575 of 5,255

The Independent SG

Singapore News

‘Do you check your helper’s luggage on her last day of employment?’ — Maid’s employer seeks advice

0
SINGAPORE: An employer took to social media to seek...

Singapore richer, healthier than most English-speaking countries?

0
SINGAPORE: Singapore is getting so accustomed to superlatives that...

Singaporeans more open to talking about death, but few take concrete steps to prepare

0
SINGAPORE: A recent survey by the Singapore Management University...

‘This is daylight robbery’: Toast Box patrons upset with difference in menu pictures and actual items

0
SINGAPORE: Some Toast Box patrons have raised concerns over...

Business

Singapore Politics

© The Independent Singapore