Singapore-Malaysia finger pointing on rail delay

The bottomline is that the rail line is unlikely to be operational by 2018 as originally planned.

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Transport Singapore (MOTS) has clarified that it was not the island but its Malaysian counterpart that was delaying plans for the Rapid Transit System (RTS), a cross-border train line.

It’s unclear who is telling the truth.

The bottomline is that the rail line is unlikely to be operational by 2018 as originally planned.

“Once Malaysia decides where they want their end of the train line, the two countries can then proceed to start a joint engineering study,” said MOTS in a statement carried by The Real Singapore. “It’s not true that MOTS is holding back the RTS plans by failing to finalize plans for where the station is going to be on the Singapore side.”

The MOTS statement was apparently blaming the Malaysian side for pointing fingers at it on the same issue. The Johore Executive Committee Member for Public Works and Rural and Regional Development, Hasni Mohammad, had earlier spoken up on the same issue but blamed Singapore.

“The suggestion that Singapore has been delaying progress on the RTS link is incorrect,” said the MOTS statement. “Singapore informed Malaysia in June 2011 that the RTS terminus in Singapore would be located at Woodlands North near Republic Polytechnic.”

However, to date, Singapore has not received official confirmation of the location of Malaysia’s RTS terminus in Johor Bahru, it added. “We look forward to official confirmation from the Malaysian government on the location of the RTS terminus in Johor Bahru.”

“Singapore remains committed to working closely with Malaysia on the RTS link, which will provide a boost to cross-border connectivity.”

 

Read More

Singapore Greatest leader, Lee Kuan Yew in 'stable' condition

SINGAPORE: Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim said he has been informed that former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew is in "stable" condition. 

In a post on Facebook on Friday evening (Feb 27), Dr Yaacob wrote: "I understand that many people are concerned and anxious about Mr Lee Kuan Yew's condition. I have been informed that he is stable and that the doctors are monitoring him closely. In the meantime, let us continue to give him our well wishes and keep him in our prayers.

Mr Lee has been at the Singapore General Hospital since Feb 5. He was admitted for severe pneumonia and is now in the Intensive Care Unit, breathing with the help of a mechanical ventilator. 

The Prime Minister's Office on Thursday said doctors have restarted him on antibiotics.

Read More

Singapore nabs Aussie, local under Sedition Act for Article on Thaipusam

SINGAPORE -  The island republic across the causeway, apparently not entirely taking a cue from neighbouring Malaysia on the Sedition Act, have arrested two persons under the draconian colonial Ordinance for “for posting remarks online that could promote ill-will and hostility among the different races in Singapore”.

An editor from The Real Singapore (TRS) is being investigated by the police for sedition, the sociopolitical website said on Wednesday.

The investigation concerns "an article about the Thaipusam Incident", the site said in a statement.

A 26-year-old Singaporean man and a 22-year-old Australian woman were arrested on Feb 6 under the Sedition Act, police said in a statement.

They are believed to be the Japanese-Australian administrator of the site Ai Takagi, and her Singaporean boyfriend Robin Yang Kai Heng, The New Paper reported.

The police had received reports on Feb 5 about an insensitive article that was posted online. The two were nabbed for posting remarks online that could cause ill will and hostility between different races and communities in Singapore, police said.

The police will investigate and take firm action against those who incite enmity with rumours over the Thaipusam procession, the Ministry of Home Affairs had said on Feb 13.

TRS said that only one editor was being investigated “along with about four others”, and that she was co-operating with the police.

TRS published an article on Feb 4 about the Thaipusam procession that said a Filipino family told the police “to make the people stop playing the urumi”. The urumi is an Indian drum.

The article, contributed by a TRS reader, linked this incident to a scuffle that broke out during the procession on Feb 3. Three men have been arrested for disorderly behaviour and assaulting a police officer at the event.

“Some time in the future, we will be publishing a full story and explain clearly everything that we can share. This may also include how we work and who is behind the website but currently, as investigations are ongoing, such a full response would be inappropriate,” TRS said in the statement published online at 12.50am.

Under the Sedition Act, anyone found guilty of promoting feelings of ill will and hostility between different races or classes of the population of Singapore shall be liable, on conviction for a first offence, to a fine of up to $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term of up to three years, or to both. 

Read More