A 41-year-old man was arrested yesterday (12 August) at Woodlands Checkpoint, after allegedly using a fake Malaysian driving license to apply for a multiple journey pass.

The Singapore Police Force said in a news release that they received a report about a man who allegedly attempted to use the fake driving license to apply for a Frequent Traveller Programme pass on 12 August.

According to their preliminary investigations, the man’s driving license was detected to be forged by an ICA officer during the pass enrolment process.

The Frequent Traveller Programme, is a pass that lets travellers who are eligible, clear immigration more conveniently through automated clearance facilities.

The Singapore Police Force worked with the ICA and the man was arrested on the same day by police officers from Woodlands Division.

He was charged earlier today (13 August) with passing off a forged document as genuine, and faces a jail term or up to 4 years and/or a fine.

The police said that they will take tough enforcement action against people who attempt to enter Singapore illegally.

Facebook user Lee Shirley, shared on her Facebook that she got a part-time job at a newly opened restaurant in Chinatown, and was “forced” to buy a uniform for $39.90 at Uniqlo.

The manager has purportedly brought her to Uniqlo and asked her to buy the uniform, promising her that she could claim her money back.

She alleged that after quitting her job after working for a month, she couldn’t claim her money back, which was supposed to come with her salary.

Here is what she said

I took up a part-time position at a newly opened restaurant in Chinatown.

The manager said that I have to get my uniforms, preferably from Uniqlo (SGD39.90 for a white top). This is considered pricey for me especially before I start my job and receive my pay. So I didn’t get it.

When I went for my job, my manager mentioned that I can make a claim after I purchase the uniforms. I didn’t want to make a purchase still because it’s a part-time position, I am not sure when I’m going to quit (it may be a waste and I feel bad).

Nevertheless, my manager brought me to Uniqlo nearby after my shift ended and asked me to buy uniforms. I made the purchase and he promised that I will get the claim back together with the salary. Sadly, it didn’t happen.

I quit after working for a month because the working environment was just toxic. It’s been one month after i quit and I’m still not getting the claim. My manager said to me I will not be getting it because I quit.

The problem is, he promised to pay for them if not I wouldn’t want to buy new uniforms that I’m not going to wear after I quit. And I worked for a month after I bought my uniforms. He delayed the claim which was supposed to come with the salary.

I don’t know what I can do, or what I’m entitled to as a part-timer. So I’m here to ask for opinions and whether I am entitled to making uniform claims. Or am I supposed to pay for them (about SGD150+++ not a huge amount for working adults but I’m just a student trying to earn some pocket money during my holidays)? Even when I was forced to buy them in the first place?

Facebook user Buena Ee, shared how she placed an order with Philips on Shopee during their “8.8” sale for a pink coloured air purifier, and she received a white purifier instead.

Here is what she said

I purchased a pink air purifier and a filter from Philips Shopee during the 8.8 sales. Items were delivered and upon checking, they had sent me a white instead of the pink one.

I contacted their customer service and was told that the white had the same features as the pink. Yes, both models have the same features and both were discounted during the 8.8 sales. If I wanted the white I would have placed an order for it.

The unacceptable thing is, they already knew the pink one was out of stock, yet they sent out the white one to me today. My order was placed on 8th august. Customer service mentioned the pink ones ran out of stock during the 10th/11th sales. So shouldn’t I be getting the correct item since my order was placed on the 8th and the customer service team mentioned they had the stocks when my order was placed? Then why are they not honouring it? Philips should ensure the stock availability before advertising it again on the 10th and 11th.

Philips pledge to strive and fulfill customers’s orders as expected and by providing great customers satisfaction, yet telling me that I can only do a refund it for now. I wonder how many others who purchased the same day or later than me had the same experience.

51-year-old Singaporean Soong Hert Fong, was sentenced to life in prison by the Newcastle Crown Court for the murder of his wife, Pek Ying Ling.

The news was announced by the Northumbria Police on Facebook, who said that he will have to serve a minimum of 12.5 years in jail.

Northumbria Police’s statement

Today at Newcastle Crown Court a judge handed Soong Hert Fong a life sentence.

He will serve a minimum of 12.5 years behind bars after he admitted killing his wife.

All our thoughts remain with the couple’s three sons who have been left devastated beyond belief by the events of December 6 last year.

Once again we want to publicly thank them for their composure and the dignity they have shown in the face of such tragedy.

We will continue to support them in any way we can and we ask that everyone respects their privacy at this extremely difficult time.

And we want to be clear, that we will absolutely not tolerate domestic abuse or violence in any form.

When incidents of this nature do occur we are committed to bringing those responsible to swift justice.

Recap

51-year-old Singaporean Fong Soong Hert, admitted on 9 August to killing his wife of 28 years Pek Ying Ling, by smothering her to death with a pillow, on the 5th day of his murder trial.

The trial was held at the Newcastle Crown Court and was delayed for more than an hour, as Fong deliberated with his attorneys before changing his plea to guilty.

He told the court that he doesn’t remember what happened on the day of the murder and that he “wants to” but he “cannot explain”.

He added that he is really desperate to understand what happened and what went wrong.”

He told Steven Reed, the junior defence counsel that his marriage with the late Madam Pek was wonderful and never a cause of stress, adding that “we were so happy.”

Fong is set to return to court on Friday for his sentencing.

Background

The couple was travelling on the Isle of Skye in Scotland and he then suffered a bad fall on 27 November, falling down a steep edge after tripping and he then made it back to their hotel and was attended to to by staff/

He was sent to the hospital and stayed overnight, before being discharged the next morning, and the couple then continued their tour around Scotland in a rented car.

At their next destination in Inverness, Fong was still in pain and went to hospital for another checkup, and the couple then went to Edinburgh after that where they met their eldest son, and the trio then went to Newcastle by train.

The family then went to a football match and went sightseeing, and Fong had several falls throughout the trip and needed medical attention at the hospital once again.

Fong was discharged on 6 December and the couple then went back to their hotel at 12.17am, and there were seen on CCTV returning to their hotel room, and the victim was never seen alive again.

Fong later called his eldest son and told him “I hurt your mother, she’s gone,” before further adding “she’s dead.”

The victim, Madam Pek, was found on the bed and pronounced dead at the Newcastle County Aparthotel on 6 December at about 7.32am.

68-year-old Siah Keok Tiang, died after the bus that he was in suddenly braked to avoid a collision, and he was thrown forward inside the bus.

His death was ruled a misadventure by state coroner Adam Nakhoda on Wednesday (10 August).

The incident happened on 8 September 2021, and Mr Siah died eight days after the accident, succumbing to his injuries.

His cause of death was ischaemic heart disease with multi-organ failure, with the contributory cause of his death being a head injury.

The injuries he suffered were consistent with those from a road traffic accident.

Nakhoda described the incident as “unfortunate”, and said that there were lessons that drivers can learn from the tragic incident.

What happened

Siah was on his way home from dialysis treatment on board Bus 175, when the incident occurred along North Bridge Road.

He pressed the bell to indicate that he wanted to alight and was sitting on the edge of his seat on the left side of the bus at the front, and he was holding onto a pole.

The bus was driving on the bus lane on the left of the road at the time; and a car, which was on its way to pick up a food delivery, was ahead of the bus.

The driver of the car wanted to turn left into Liang Seah Street and indicated that he was turning left before the junction of Tan Quee Lan Street, about one street before Liang Seah Street.

The bus driver testified that he was about 3 to 4 cars away from the entrance to Liang Seah Street at the time and was looking in front when he saw the car cutting into his lane.

He then stepped on the brakes to avoid a collision while the car swerved back into the lane to the right side of the bus lane.

Mr Siah was then thrown off his seat and he was semi-conscious and lying down on the ground, at the front of the bus.

Paramedics then arrived and took him to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries, including fractured ribs and neck injuries.

He eventually died on 16 September 2021.

Inclusion of Parents’ Dialect in the Digital Birth Certificate

            The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has received several queries about the non-inclusion of the parents’ dialect in the digital birth certificate of a child.

2.          Several fields of information which are not necessary for policy and other administrative needs, including the parents’ dialect, were not included in the digital birth certificate, to simplify the registration process, and to reduce the number of fields. Information about the parents’ dialect continues to be registered by ICA, and is available in Singpass.

3.          However, we acknowledge the feelings that have been expressed on the matter. We have therefore decided to include parents’ dialect^[1] in digital birth certificates issued from 1 September 2022.

Dialect Information in the Birth Certificate

4.          Prior to the introduction of the digital birth certificate, the physical birth certificate of a child carried the registered dialect of the parents. It did not carry the dialect of the child. 

5.          With the introduction of online birth registration and the digital birth certificate to replace the physical birth certificate, the registration process was simplified. The number of fields in the digital birth certificate was also reduced. In addition to parents’ dialect, the following information was excluded – the parents’ country of birth, the mother’s address, the child’s place of birth registration, and a section called “Informant’s Particulars”. Only information which is required for policy or other public administration needs, was retained in the digital birth certificate.

6.          The information relating to a person’s dialect is still available in Singpass. Singaporeans who are 15 years and older and provisioned with a Singpass account can access their dialect information via Singpass under the Personal tab. For those below the age of 21, their dialect information can also be found in their parents’ Singpass profile, under the Family tab.

Background Information

7.          Upon birth, in the national registration database, ICA ascribes to a child the dialect of the father. Individuals, including the child, the father or the mother, can subsequently change his/her dialect registered with the Government via a written declaration to ICA. This means that an individual can have a different registered dialect from his/her father, or even both parents. 

8.          This has been the practice since the 70s. In consideration of the fact that there were races in Singapore that did not have dialect groups, individuals were allowed to also register the language/dialect that they spoke, instead of their dialect by lineage.  Hence, dialect registration changed to the current practice, where individuals can change their registered dialect via a written declaration to ICA.

9.          Those who wish to check the latest registered dialect of an individual can do so via the individual’s Singpass, which is the authoritative source of the latest registered dialect information. The dialect information of the parents in the child’s birth certificate, may not be their latest registered dialect.

Inclusion of Parents’ Dialect in the Digital Birth Certificate

10.         We should have made clear the reasons for not including the information on the parents’ dialect in the digital birth certificate, and that the information was still available in Singpass.

11.         Taking into account the feedback, however, ICA will include the parents’ dialect in the digital birth certificate of a child, from 1 September 2022. For digital birth certificates issued between 29 May and 31 August 2022, parents may re-download their child’s digital birth certificate from 1 September 2022 onwards, with the inclusion of the parents’ dialect, at no additional cost. More details will be shared on the ICA website (www.ica.gov.sg) in due course.


IMMIGRATION & CHECKPOINTS AUTHORITY
12 AUGUST 2022