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Straits Times
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Multiple charges for man accused of damaging PAP campaign materials on GE2025 Polling Day
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox On July 4, Seng Guan Heng, 57, was also charged with two counts of using criminal force on another person. SINGAPORE – A man who allegedly damaged campaign materials belonging to PAP in Hougang Avenue 5 on Polling Day on May 3 has been charged with one count each of harassment, mischief and causing annoyance while drunk. On July 4, Seng Guan Heng, 57, was also charged with two counts of using criminal force on another person. According to court documents, the Singaporean was at an open space carpark near Block 328 at about 11.20pm on May 3 when he allegedly caused annoyance to another person by shouting while drunk. He also allegedly damaged the poles of two of PAP's flags and five of its posters worth around $200 in total. Minutes later, Seng allegedly used his hands to push two men, both party volunteers, in the chest. He was also said to have made an obscene gesture and hurled vulgarities at a group of PAP volunteers. In court, Seng, who was unrepresented, said that he intends to plead guilty. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Seller's stamp duty rates for private homes raised; holding period increased from 3 years to 4 Asia Japan urges evacuation of small island as 1,000 quakes hit region World Trump's sweeping tax-cut and spending Bill wins congressional approval World Trump eyes simple tariff rates over complex talks, says letters will start going out on July 4 Sport A true fans' player – Liverpool supporters in Singapore pay tribute to late Diogo Jota Singapore Jail for man who recruited 2 Japanese women for prostitution at MBS Business More Singapore residents met CPF Required Retirement Sum when they turned 55 in 2024 He added that he plans to travel to Indonesia and Vietnam for work, but did not disclose details about his occupation. District Judge Wong Li Tein told him that he has to make an online application for approval to travel. Seng then told the court that he intends to seek legal advice and his case has been adjourned to Aug 1. The area where the incident allegedly took place falls under Hougang SMC, where lawyer Marshall Lim represented the ruling party against the WP candidate Dennis Tan, who is also a lawyer. Mr Tan secured a second consecutive term in Parliament after winning more than 60 per cent of the vote during the general election. Mr Lim arrived late at Bedok Stadium on the night of May 3, where PAP supporters had gathered to await the election results. He said then that he had been held back by some acts of 'vandalism' at the PAP's branch in Hougang. He stayed behind to make sure that his volunteers were well taken care of. No injuries were reported at the time.
Straits Times
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Man to be charged after he allegedly damaged PAP campaign materials on GE2025 Polling Day
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Members of the Singapore Police Force seen taking evidential photographs of vandalised PAP flags in the early hours of May 4. SINGAPORE – A 57-year-old man will be charged in court on July 4 for a litany of offences that he committed on Polling Day. In a statement on July 3 , the police said the man had allegedly damaged campaign materials belonging to a political party in Hougang Avenue 5 on May 3 . He allegedly broke flag poles and tore down campaign posters, which The Straits Times understands belonged to the PAP . The area where the incident took place falls under Hougang SMC, where c riminal lawyer Marshall Lim represented the ruling party against the WP's Dennis Tan , who is also a lawyer. Mr Tan, who was the incumbent MP of Hougang SMC, secured a second consecutive term in Parliament after securing 62.17 per cent of the vote during the general election. Mr Lim had been late to arrive at Bedok Stadium on the night of May 3, where PAP supporters had gathered to await the election results. He said he had been held back by some acts of vandalism at the PAP's branch in Hougang. The man who allegedly committed them had torn up the party's flags and posters attached to a perambulating vehicle, and Mr Lim said he stayed back to make sure that his volunteers were well taken care of. No injuries were reported. In their statement, the police said the man was also alleged to be verbally abusive towards party volunteers who were present at the scene, and had allegedly pushed two of them. They added that the man appeared to be intoxicated during the incident, and was subsequently arrested. He faces multiple charges, which consist of committing mischief, intentional harassment, using criminal force and causing annoyance while drunk. If found guilty of committing mischief, a person can be jailed for up to t wo years, fined, or both . Those found to have committed intentional harassment can be jailed for up to six months, fined up to $5,000, or both. Using criminal force carries a jail term of up to three months, a fine of up to $1,500, or both. If convicted of causing annoyance while drunk, a person can be jailed for up to six months, fined up to $1,000, or both for first-time offenders.
ITV News
23-06-2025
- Business
- ITV News
Move to publish Guernsey States' accounts after election is 'severe blow to the democratic process'
One of the candidates vying to become Guernsey's next President of Policy and Resources says not seeing the full state of the island's finances ahead of the General Election has damaged the democratic process. Deputy Charles Parkinson, who finished third in the poll, says the complete States' accounts for last year should have been made a matter of public record before the election, so voters could have been better informed. He explains: "I think the States' finances are in much better health than we've been led to believe before the election. "We didn't see the 2024 accounts before the General Election, which was a severe blow to the democratic process." The States of Guernsey says deputies in the previous Assembly voted to publish the accounts on this date. The full details confirm a deficit in the day-to-day running of public services, amounting to £44 million across 2024, which was made public before Polling Day. They also show a number of other figures surrounding the state of public finances in the Bailiwick, including: The Government and all state entities, including water and Aurigny, went from an operating surplus of £37 million in 2023 to a deficit of £18 million in 2024. The overall amount of cash left over has fallen from £51 million to £21 million. Investments grew from £103 million to £129.8 million. Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, who is also aiming to become Guernsey's next Chief Minister, believes the £44 million number was the most important to understand the overall financial picture. He says: "That is the amount we need for business as usual. This includes the running of the hospital, schools and paying the salaries of teachers and nurses." Deputy-elect Andy Sloan, the former Chief Economist for the States of Guernsey and one of the 20 new States members, says that greater transparency is needed in the process of publishing accounts. He adds: "I haven't seen the exact figures yet, but they probably aren't as bad as they were claimed to be last November. "However, they're still not great and we've got to address that deficit one way or another."
The Star
01-06-2025
- The Star
U-turns, bans await motorists who jump the queue at Singapore land checkpoints
SINGAPORE: Drivers might think they are saving precious minutes when jumping queues at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. But when they get stopped by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers, they will face having to make a U-turn and rejoin the queue. They could also be blacklisted and face further disciplinary action from the authorities. The June school holidays have begun and traffic is expected to be heavy at both land checkpoints. To ensure a smooth travelling experience, ICA has reminded motorists about proper road etiquette. Speaking to reporters via a virtual interview on May 28, Inspector Mardiana Masdar, 43, team leader at the Integrated Operations Centre at Woodlands Checkpoint, said queue-jumping increases during peak hours when the traffic tailback is very bad. It is an issue ICA officers take very seriously, she added. Insp Mardiana said ground officers who spot vehicles jumping queues will alert the team at the operations centre, who will relay this information to traffic controllers near the checkpoint to direct them to make a U-turn to rejoin the queue. She said: 'If they are non-compliant, we will refer them to our Secondary Office, where we are able to show them CCTV footage of them cutting queues.' Non-compliant culprits can face bans from entering the checkpoints using their vehicles and can only do so by other means. In June 2023, a Malaysian driver – who was travelling from Singapore to Malaysia via the Woodlands Checkpoint – had refused to make a U-turn, and even drove off after being caught by ICA for trying to jump the queue. Because of his non-compliance and dangerous driving, the driver and car were banned from entering Singapore. In a statement on May 23, ICA said traffic is expected to be very heavy at both land checkpoints during the June school holidays, particularly during the Hari Raya Haji weekend between June 6 and June 9. ICA noted that during the Vesak Day long weekend between May 8 and May 13, more than three million travellers crossed the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. Traveller volume peaked on May 9, with more than 546,000 travellers clearing immigration at both checkpoints in one day. Earlier, there were traffic jams lasting as long as five hours at the two checkpoints on Polling Day on May 3. May 1 was a Labour Day public holiday while May 5 was a school holiday. On Dec 20, 2024, a record number of more than 562,000 travellers crossed the land checkpoints within a day. Inspector Eileen Neo Hui Xin, 26, an assessment and investigation officer at Woodlands Checkpoint, said motorists can get more frustrated during busy periods due to long waits that can last several hours. She said ICA officers will usually ignore motorists who take out their frustrations on them. But when motorists become abusive, the culprits will be directed to the Secondary Office for further interviews and investigations. Insp Neo said traffic congestion can also happen when it rains. Motorcyclists who enter through automated lanes may face issues getting the system to detect their wet fingerprints. They would then have to be manually cleared, causing a jam. Impatient motorists honking their horns add to the chaos. With operations very fast-paced and demanding during peak hours, Insp Neo said it takes a lot of coordination, quick decision-making and a constant awareness to keep operations running smoothly. She said: 'Balancing efficiency with security standards is tough, but it also makes the work fulfilling. Everyone wants to travel smoothly. And during peak periods, it is very difficult to manage people's expectations and to manage the ground properly. 'We have to balance both to protect our border security and also meet (travellers') expectations.' To ensure a smoother journey, ICA advised travellers not to bring prohibited or controlled items. Checkpoint Inspector (1) Kendri Parwira Suhairi, 38, a first response team officer, said all ICA officers at the checkpoints are trained to identify dubious travellers based on indicators like their behaviour. He remembered a Singaporean couple who arrived several months ago with batons they tried to pass off as tapping rods for defect checks in new homes. 'At one glance, I knew that was not the case,' he said. They were referred to the police and the items were deemed to be controlled items. CI (1) Kendri noted that during peak periods, the volume of people does not make security operations at the checkpoints any easier. But, he added, 'we remain vigilant 24/7. At the end of the day, we are the first line of defence at the border'. - The Straits Times/ANN
New Paper
01-06-2025
- New Paper
U-turns, bans await motorists who jump queue at land checkpoints
Drivers might think they are saving precious minutes when jumping queues at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. But when they get stopped by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers, they will face having to make a U-turn and rejoin the queue. They could also be blacklisted and face further disciplinary action from the authorities. The June school holidays have begun and traffic is expected to be heavy at both land checkpoints. To ensure a smooth travelling experience, ICA has reminded motorists about proper road etiquette. Speaking to reporters via a virtual interview on May 28, Inspector Mardiana Masdar, 43, team leader at the Integrated Operations Centre at Woodlands Checkpoint, said queue-jumping increases during peak hours when the traffic tailback is very bad. It is an issue ICA officers take very seriously, she added. Insp Mardiana said ground officers who spot vehicles jumping queues will alert the team at the operations centre, who will relay this information to traffic controllers near the checkpoint to direct them to make a U-turn to rejoin the queue. She said: "If they are non-compliant, we will refer them to our Secondary Office, where we are able to show them CCTV footage of them cutting queues." Non-compliant culprits can face bans from entering the checkpoints using their vehicles and can only do so by other means. In June 2023, a Malaysian driver - who was travelling from Singapore to Malaysia via the Woodlands Checkpoint - had refused to make a U-turn, and even drove off after being caught by ICA for trying to jump the queue. Because of his non-compliance and dangerous driving, the driver and car were banned from entering Singapore. In a statement on May 23, ICA said traffic is expected to be very heavy at both land checkpoints during the June school holidays, particularly during the Hari Raya Haji weekend between June 6 and June 9. ICA noted that during the Vesak Day long weekend between May 8 and May 13, more than three million travellers crossed the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints. Traveller volume peaked on May 9, with more than 546,000 travellers clearing immigration at both checkpoints in one day. Earlier, there were traffic jams lasting as long as five hours at the two checkpoints on Polling Day on May 3. May 1 was a Labour Day public holiday while May 5 was a school holiday. On Dec 20, 2024, a record number of more than 562,000 travellers crossed the land checkpoints within a day. Inspector Eileen Neo Hui Xin, 26, an assessment and investigation officer at Woodlands Checkpoint, said motorists can get more frustrated during busy periods due to long waits that can last several hours. She said ICA officers will usually ignore motorists who take out their frustrations on them. But when motorists become abusive, the culprits will be directed to the Secondary Office for further interviews and investigations. Insp Neo said traffic congestion can also happen when it rains. Motorcyclists who enter through automated lanes may face issues getting the system to detect their wet fingerprints. They would then have to be manually cleared, causing a jam. Impatient motorists honking their horns add to the chaos. With operations very fast-paced and demanding during peak hours, Insp Neo said it takes a lot of coordination, quick decision-making and a constant awareness to keep operations running smoothly. She said: "Balancing efficiency with security standards is tough, but it also makes the work fulfilling. Everyone wants to travel smoothly. And during peak periods, it is very difficult to manage people's expectations and to manage the ground properly. "We have to balance both to protect our border security and also meet (travellers') expectations." To ensure a smoother journey, ICA advised travellers not to bring prohibited or controlled items. Checkpoint Inspector (1) Kendri Parwira Suhairi, 38, a first response team officer, said all ICA officers at the checkpoints are trained to identify dubious travellers based on indicators like their behaviour. He remembered a Singaporean couple who arrived several months ago with batons they tried to pass off as tapping rods for defect checks in new homes. "At one glance, I knew that was not the case," he said. They were referred to the police and the items were deemed to be controlled items. CI (1) Kendri noted that during peak periods, the volume of people does not make security operations at the checkpoints any easier. But, he added, "we remain vigilant 24/7. At the end of the day, we are the first line of defence at the border".
