Bill on remote gambling passed
All bets are off on unauthorised websites
Iswaran explains exemptions as Remote Gambling Act is passed
By Walter Sim, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014
THE new Remote Gambling Act that allows for a tightly regulated form of online gambling here does not relax Singapore's stance against the vice, said Second Home Affairs Minister S. Iswaran yesterday.
Speaking in Parliament on the legislation, which was passed after a vigorous three-hour debate, he made it clear the Act "neither condones nor encourages gambling". He also rejected calls from opposition MPs - Mr Png Eng Huat (Hougang), Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC) and Non-Constituency MP Yee Jenn Jong - for it to be sent to a Select Committee to gather more feedback.
Ten Members of Parliament spoke in support of the broad intent of the new Act, which makes it illegal for gamblers to go online for a flutter on unauthorised websites from next year.
But a number of them expressed reservations over a section of the Act, which allows Singapore-based operators to apply for an online-gambling licence.
People's Action Party MPs Denise Phua (Moulmein-Kallang GRC) and Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) said allowing any exemption sends a mixed signal.
Ms Phua urged Singapore to "take a bold step and reject gambling, whether remote or on-site". She said allowing an exempt operator seems to signal that "remote gambling is fine as long as it is under a state licence".
Mr Iswaran responded by emphasising that the new regime is "prohibitive" given that it introduces new laws to restrict nearly all forms of online gaming. It is also consistent with the country's approach towards terrestrial gambling. Mr Iswaran explained how exemptions were granted to Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club in the 1960s when triads and underground gambling operators were looking to get a slice of the action.
"It (the exemption) is there as part of an ecosystem that seeks to minimise the law and order concerns, and social consequences that we are concerned about," he said. A complete ban will drive all activity underground and make it harder to mitigate these social concerns, he argued.
Under the new Act, applicants for an online gambling licence have to be based in Singapore, be not-for-profit, contribute to a social cause, and have a good compliance track record. Casino-style games or poker will be prohibited.
Individual gamblers may face up to six months' jail or a $5,000 fine - though Mr Iswaran said yesterday that these people are not so much the focus.
Rather, enforcement agencies will target unlawful operators and agents who spur illicit activity such as money-laundering or match-fixing. To protect those under 21 from getting hooked, anyone found to have lured an underage person into online gambling would face a mandatory fine of between $20,000 and $300,000, and jail of up to six years.
Meanwhile, access and payment to remote gambling websites will also be blocked. Internet service providers and financial institutions that fail to abide by a blocking order may face a fine of up to $20,000 each day for each website or transaction, up to a total of $500,000.
A unit has also been formed in the Ministry of Home Affairs to monitor gambling websites and payment mechanisms. Its blocking list will be reviewed and updated regularly. The Singapore Police Force will work with its global counterparts to provide and share evidence. Extradition of suspects to Singapore will also be possible.
Mr Iswaran conceded that the laws are not a "silver bullet", especially if pitted against an individual or operator determined to game the system. "It is a game of cat-and-mouse but the collective adoption of these blocking measures will be an ample signal to the vast majority, and it will significantly disrupt and impede the remote gambling activities of the few who may be recalcitrant."
Why broad scope for Bill on remote gambling
By Tham Yuen-C, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014
SOME social games may appear benign but could turn out to be online gambling games in disguise, said Second Minister for Home Affairs S. Iswaran yesterday.
It was with such a possibility in mind that the Bill on remote gambling was given a broad scope to effectively tackle these disguised games and the fast-changing online gambling sector.
Explaining the Bill's provisions, he said: "We deliberately sought to be comprehensive in the Bill's coverage. If not, it will lack the efficacy and currency in regulating a sector that is innovative... and quick to adopt new technology."
The Bill criminalises the whole spectrum of remote gambling activities - from the act of gambling to provision of gambling services - and defines betting as the staking of money or "money's worth", which could include virtual currencies and in-game credits that can be exchanged for money.
Not all social gameswere as "innocuous" as they were made out to be. He cited social casino games designed to simulate real-world gambling, such as sports betting or poker, and replicate the casino experience. The only difference between these games and gambling is the use of in-game credits.
"The fact is that the line between social gaming and gambling is increasingly becoming blurred."
Noting that online operators are accepting virtual currencies, like bitcoin, he said such "disruptive developments" could potentially help operators circumvent remote gambling laws that are too narrow.
He added that "as a matter of principle", social games where people are not playing for a chance to win money, and where in-game credits cannot be converted to money or real merchandise, would not be covered. This includes smartphone games like Farmville.
The Home Affairs Ministry and Media Development Authority will work to ensure that the new law will not impede the development of legitimate gaming businesses.
TIME FOR A RETHINK
I believe it is time for the Government to take a holistic approach to discourage gambling as an economic or social activity. It has been almost 10 years since we made the fateful decision of authorising licensed casino operators for the sake of jobs in an economic recession... With the tightening of foreign labour, have the casinos become competitors for manpower from our local SMEs? If manpower is so precious, why would we divert precious manpower to learn the casino business, whether in physical establishments or online?... When will Singapore wean itself off the casino industry?
- Ms Denise Phua (Moulmein-Kallang GRC), on doing away with the gaming industry altogether
NIPPING IT IN THE BUD
We should also create awareness on the ills of remote gambling through public service campaigns especially among students... and encourage everyone to whistle-blow on such activities... we want people to stay away from remote gambling because they understand its dire consequences and not because it is unavailable or because they fear punishment. If we can imbue in our young the ills of gambling, then even when they are overseas for study or later when they are on working trips or any overseas postings, they will be less susceptible to gambling altogether.
- Ms Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon GRC), on inoculating the young against the gambling habit
CHOICE V COMPULSION
Perhaps, before we enter into this debate, we should look at where the starting point of government regulation should be. Ultimately, the choice to gamble is an individual choice. We may disagree with a person's choice... but by and large, assuming he is not addicted... a person who wishes to place small bets and wants to engage in leisure gambling should be able to do so. The main justification for government intervention in prohibiting gambling is because of its highly addictive nature and (its) social ills. Once a person becomes addicted to gambling, it's no longer a free choice, it becomes compulsive.
- Mr Vikram Nair (Sembawang GRC), on when the Government should step in
Concerted effort by community needed to tackle gambling
By Lim Yan Liang, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014
EDUCATION will be the first line of defence against online gambling, said Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing in Parliament.
He admitted he was under no illusion that the Remote Gambling Act, which was passed yesterday, would solve the problem on its own. Instead, it will take a concerted effort from all stakeholders, including family members and the larger community, to keep a lid on the problem.
Many of the 10 MPs who rose to speak offered suggestions on how to curb the problem.
Ms Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon GRC) made an impassioned speech on the need to teach the young on the ills of online gambling from as early as the upper primary level, where it should be part of the curriculum. "We must not wait until university level to start educating our students about gambling," she said.
Other MPs debated on the safeguards that will be put into place when a Singapore-based operator is given a licence to operate a tightly regulated form of online gambling. Many made reference to a 2011 National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) survey, which showed online gamblers were more likely to have poorer self-control.
Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC) asked which responsible gaming measures that are already used in casinos here - such as exclusion orders - would apply.
Mr Ang Wei Neng (Jurong GRC) suggested adopting a personalised player card system already used in Sweden and Norway, which limits the amount a punter can bet a day and every month.
An exempt operator running a gambling website here would be a temptation for the gambler as it could operate 24-7, added Mr Png Eng Huat (Hougang).
Mr Chan made it clear that exclusion orders will apply equally to an exempt remote gambling operator as they do to casinos. A person can apply for the order to ensure he does not fall into temptation, while family members can also apply on his behalf to prevent harm. Any operator which wants to run online gambling "must prove to us that they have the necessary safeguards in place before we entertain their requests".
Mr Chan also agreed with Ms Lee that awareness programmes at the school level are key, especially as some social games targeted at the young may aim to groom them into gambling online.
He said that NCPG is working with community partners to draw up new education programmes. But these must also teach family members when and how to seek help.
"We must never think that just because we have done a good job in the school, the problem will never emerge in the lifetime of the individual ever again," he said.
Mr Chan stressed the need for the authorities to stay abreast of online gambling technology and to continue to study measures adopted by others in order to refine the control of the problem here.
"The nature of gambling in general and remote gambling in particular is that it is a constantly evolving challenge," he said.
"It is an evergreen challenge that we will have to tackle today, tomorrow and forever."
No single right answer for whether or not to allow licensed gambling
By Lydia Lim, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014
YESTERDAY'S debate on the Remote Gambling Bill shone the spotlight on a deep divide over how best to manage an addictive pursuit that no ban can eradicate, but which many consider immoral to condone.
While all 10 MPs who joined the debate supported the move to outlaw remote gambling and any attempt to promote it, four objected strenuously to a provision that allows the minister to issue a certificate of exemption to non- profit, Singapore-based gambling operators.
Three MPs from the Workers' Party (WP) went so far as to call for the Bill to be sent to a Select Committee for closer scrutiny of this section. A Select Committee is made up of MPs who can solicit public feedback, call witnesses, hold hearings and suggest changes to legislation. The last time a Bill went before such a committee was 10 years ago.
Joining them in making the case for a total ban on remote gambling was PAP MP Denise Phua (Moulmein-Kallang GRC).
She argued passionately for it, saying: "The top reason is the signal we are sending as a government to the entire population, especially our young.
"It had been said that 40 per cent of online gamblers overestimate their wins and underestimate their losses. If indeed we so strongly believe that remote gambling is harmful and does no good to either people or nation, then are we legitimising the act of gambling and breeding its acceptance by legally providing for exempt licensed operators? Does gambling become more noble when operated by a licensed versus an unlicensed operator?"
Mr Christopher de Souza (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC) said the exemption was "problematic" as it could be read as saying remote gambling was okay if done through the correct channels.
WP's Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied GRC) challenged the conventional wisdom that a total ban would serve only to drive this difficult-to-eliminate vice underground, exacerbating law and order problems.
Mr Singh said: "In the absence of relevant data and information, I am not convinced that these concerns wholly apply to remote gambling precisely because gamblers can still get their fix at land-based outlets and some remote gambling options provided to gamblers by operators currently, and it is not as if gambling per se is being banned."
Rising to deliver the Government's response were Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing and Second Minister for Home Affairs S. Iswaran.
Mr Chan sought to reassure those who worry about the social costs of gambling, laying out plans to educate students of the risks, reach the vulnerable through online counselling and learn from safeguards in place elsewhere, such as the daily and monthly limits Norway has imposed on withdrawals for online gambling.
Mr Iswaran, on his part, issued a calm and clear defence of the Government's position, declaring that there was no contradiction between prohibiting online gambling and exempting licensed operators. Singapore has done so for the last five decades, since the 1960s when it granted exemptions to Singapore Pools and the Turf Club even as it dealt with triads and illegal syndicates.
"When you look at our experience, what we have done in the terrestrial gambling environment, we seek to maintain law and order, we have criminalised the range of activities. We have allowed a very tightly controlled valve, not because we wish to promote it, not because we condone it, but because it is there as part of an ecosystem that seeks to minimise the law and order concerns, and social consequences that we are concerned about," he said.
The question of whether or not to allow licensed gambling is one for which there is no single right answer. But given that public anxiety over this decades-old approach refuses to go away, the onus is on the Government to show that it can minimise the fallout through a combination of regulation, safeguards and public education on the potential dangers of a gambling habit.
DPM Teo warns of increased terror threat to S'pore
By Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014
THE escalating violence in Iraq and Syria over the last three months has further increased the terror threat to Singapore, said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean yesterday.
While Singapore has no information on any specific threat resulting from the military strikes led by the United States against the terror group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), the country should stay vigilant.
"Our assessment remains that the expansion of the threat beyond Syria and Iraq has raised the threat not only to countries who are part of the US coalition, but also to Singapore," he told Parliament.
"As with the threat from the Al-Qaeda, even if Singapore is not itself a target, foreign interests here may be targeted."
He reminded the House that over a decade ago, the regional terrorist network Jemaah Islamiah (JI) had plotted to bomb embassies here, including the US Embassy. But the plan, backed by the terror group Al-Qaeda, was foiled.
Drawing a comparison, Mr Teo noted reports that Malaysians and Indonesians who fought for ISIS, which is also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), have set up a Malay Archipelago Unit.
"If this group expands in Southeast Asia, it will pose a regional terrorism threat like the JI terrorist network, which had also aimed to set up a South-east Asian Islamic Archipelago that encompassed Singapore, through the use of violence and terrorism," he said.
Those who join or help ISIS will be dealt with in accordance with the laws here, he told Parliament.
Mr Teo, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security, was one of two ministers who spoke in Parliament on ISIS.
The other was Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam, who noted that military action alone will not curb the terrorist threat. "Military force is necessary to blunt IS on the ground, but missiles and rockets alone cannot and will not bring peace," he said, referring to the group by its other name, the Islamic State (IS).
He said a political solution needs to be found, and called for countries to counter radical propaganda. "The true fight has to be in the arena of ideas. We have to counter the extremist ideology, which is used to recruit foreigners to terrorism and fuel their violent agenda," he said.
Both ministers noted that Singapore has co-sponsored an anti-terrorist resolution approved by the United Nations Security Council. The resolution, which aims to stop the flow of foreign extremists to Iraq and Syria, requires nations to adopt laws criminalising nationals who join extremist groups like ISIS. Mr Teo added that the Government's approach to dealing with Singaporeans swayed by ISIS' influence will be "carefully calibrated" to the specifics of each case.
Where necessary, the Internal Security Act - which grants the Government the discretion to detain people without trial - will be used to pre-empt and neutralise terrorism threats that endanger the security of the country and its citizens.
He noted that there were a "handful of Singaporeans" who have left for Syria to join the fight, and were last reported to still be there.
Mr Teo added: "We will continue to investigate anyone who expresses support for terrorism or an interest to pursue violence."
Responding to a question by Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Chua Chu Kang GRC) on whether the ISIS threat would give rise to tensions here, Mr Teo said: "I would say the threat is always there, but... we have to continue to work hard together to bring people together, and help them understand the problem and that our Muslim community is taking proactive and real steps to deal with this issue."
More barriers to safeguard coastline
By Lim Yan Liang and Aw Cheng Wei, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014
SINGAPORE'S maritime security will be tightened by the setting up of more physical barriers on land and at sea, even as a review of current measures is undertaken.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Teo Chee Hean made this clear in Parliament yesterday, in his response to a question on an immigration breach at Raffles Marina in August. Then, a Mongolian woman and two foreign men sneaked into the country after sailing from Langkawi on a catamaran.
Mr Hri Kumar (MP for Bishan- Toa Payoh GRC) wanted to know what the government has done to beef up border security since the incident.
Mr Teo said an additional 80km of barriers, such as fences, will be added to the 63km already in place. This means 143km of Singapore's 197km coastline will be barricaded. A spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs told The Straits Times that the first 30km of the new barriers will be up by 2019.
Mr Teo told Parliament that the barricades, together with regular patrols, have proven to be "generally successful".
Between 2011 and 2013, Mr Teo said, 46 vessels were seized for intruding into Singapore's waters and 144 persons arrested for illegally entering Singapore waters or attempting to do so.
Last year, 2,890 vessels were detected and stopped from entering Singapore's waters, although most had simply strayed off course, added Mr Teo.
In the border breach on Aug 19, the 30-year-old woman had wanted to snatch her two-year-old son from his paternal grandparents and take him back to London, after winning custody in her divorce from her Singaporean banker husband in the British courts.
She hired Adam Christopher Whittington, 38, managing director of Child Abduction Recovery International. After finding out that Raffles Marina in Tuas West Drive was guarded only from 9am to 5pm, they sneaked in at about 6am, after arriving here on a ship skippered by Australian Todd Allan, 39. All three were arrested and jailed for 10 to 16 weeks.
While the authorities will study this incident and work with security agencies and private partners to review measures to keep Singapore's coastline secure, said Mr Teo, he also urged the seafaring community to alert the authorities to any suspicious activity.
He explained that securing Singapore's waters is "a daily challenge" because of the high traffic and long coastline, which in some places is less than 500m from international waters.
For land and flight travel, "we can funnel and control the movement of persons entering or departing Singapore via a small number of immigration checkpoints at the airport, Woodlands and Tuas". But "because we are an island, the maritime domain is far more complex".
Mr Teo pointed out that there are 180 wharves and jetties along Singapore's shoreline - many within private premises such as shipyards and marinas. He said that owners and occupiers of such landing points have a responsibility to ensure there is adequate security in their areas.
Early this year, two Malaysians - a delivery driver and a teacher, who was later declared to be of unsound mind - managed to get past immigration checks at the Woodlands Checkpoint in separate incidents, sparking a review of security there.
Experts told The Straits Times they welcome the new review of maritime security, and hope to see more coastal patrols and greater use of advanced surveillance technology.
Mr Mark Fallon, a former United States Navy counter-intelligence agent who worked with the Singapore Police Force and Internal Security Department in the 1980s, pointed to the American practice of having "maritime intelligence fusion centres" where information and warnings are coordinated. "The integration of information and the ability of entities to work within a well thought-out strategic framework is essential," he said.
Film on exiles contains 'untruths and deception'
Allowing public screening would mean condoning use of subversion: Minister
By Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014
THE film To Singapore, With Love contains "untruths and deception" about the history of the communists and the violence they perpetrated, said Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim yesterday.
In a reply to MPs, he set out the Government's decision to give the documentary a "Not Allowed for All Ratings" (NAR) classification which rules it out for public screening or distribution here.
The film, by Ms Tan Pin Pin, captures the lives of nine exiles in various countries, including Britain and Thailand.
Said Dr Yaacob: "The film allowed some Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) members and their Communist United Front sympathisers to whitewash their past actions by re-casting them as the expression of a peaceful and democratic difference of ideology and views."
But they had in fact been involved in violent and subversive actions to advance the CPM agenda, he said, and they had posed a serious threat to the safety and security of Singapore.
The film should be viewed in its historical context, Dr Yaacob said, reiterating Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's explanation last Friday at a National University of Singapore Society forum.
The minister noted that the CPM waged a violent and subversive war for over four decades, seeking to install a communist regime in Malaysia and Singapore.
Over 8,000 civilians and security personnel were injured or killed, and communist hit squads killed in broad daylight.
The CPM also infiltrated organisations like student bodies, labour unions and political parties, using them to stir up trouble.
While these actions are well-established historical facts written about extensively, "the film To Singapore, With Love contains untruths and deception about this history", said Dr Yaacob.
Those featured in the film also gave the false impression that they were banned from returning to Singapore. Unlike them, however, many former CPM members did return after accounting for their actions. They included senior CPM members Eu Chooi Yip and P. V. Sarma, who were the heads respectively of the Chinese and English sections of CPM's propaganda radio station, the Voice of Malayan Revolution.
While the struggles against the communists may be a distant memory for many people, it cannot be that those who participated in the violence can be allowed to absolve themselves without accounting for their past actions and renouncing such violence.
Dr Yaacob said the film's "one-sided portrayals" are designed to evoke feelings of sympathy and support for the individuals who have not accounted for their past actions.
He said: "To allow public screening of a film that obfuscates and whitewashes an armed insurrection by an illegal organisation, and violent and subversive acts directed at Singaporeans, would effectively mean condoning the use of violence and subversion in Singapore, and thus harm our national security.
"It would also be a gross injustice to the men and women who braved violence and intimidation to stand up to the communists, especially those who lost their lives in the fight to preserve Singapore's security and stability, and secure a democratic, non-communist Singapore."
Not taking action against films which contain distorted and untruthful accounts would give the false impression that there is truth to the claims, said Dr Yaacob, and the Government's actions against these people could then be seen as unwarranted.
This could erode public confidence in the Government on security matters, even as the country deals with current threats like terrorism, he added.
The Media Development Authority (MDA) - which gave the film its classification - has met Ms Tan to explain its decision. The minister added that the MDA does not have specific guidelines that deal with historical content, and does not intend to develop such guidelines.
The Films Classification Guidelines already state that in "exceptional cases" a film may be given the NAR rating if its contents are deemed to undermine national interest, he explained.
'Misleading account' of lives of exiles
By Nur Asyiqin Mohamad Salleh, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014
LOCAL film-maker Tan Pin Pin's film To Singapore, With Love has not presented the historical facts on the political exiles featured, said Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim.
Instead it gives a misleading account of their lives, when actually some were active communists, while others omitted mentioning their criminal offences.
Six people in the film are Communist Party of Malaya (CPM) members, and had been in - or were still in - a village at the Thai-Malaysian border that houses former CPM fighters who have since laid down their arms.
Chan Sun Wing and He Jin had served under senior CPM leader Eu Chooi Yip in the party's China-based propaganda radio station.
Dr Yaacob said that He Jin had in the film deflected questions about the communists' use of violence, speaking instead about the CPM's involvement in fighting the Japanese during World War II.
His wife, Shu Shihua - another CPM member - was also in the film.
Another member, Wong Soon Fong, fled Singapore in 1963 to avoid arrest.
And while Tan Hee Kim and his wife Yap Wan Ping claimed to have joined the CPM only after they decided to leave Singapore, they were - in reality - active members before they left.
Meanwhile, Ho Juan Thai and Tan Wah Piow avoided mentioning the criminal offences they remain liable for, noted Dr Yaacob.
Ho admitted in an open letter in 1982 that he had amended the expiry date of his Singapore passport.
Tan Wah Piow also left Singapore illegally to evade national service and travelled to Britain on his expired passport with a forged extension endorsement.
New HDB blocks to come with surveillance cameras
By Rachel Au-Yong, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014
RESIDENTS who move into Housing Board flats built in about two years from now will feel more secure: Their blocks will come with surveillance cameras already installed.
Until then, the police are focusing on getting these closed-circuit television (CCTVs) cameras installed in existing and soon-to- be-built HDB blocks and multi- storey carparks.
The programme, part of the $160-million Community Policing System, is slated to be completed by end-2016. Until then, "we are at a transition period because this is a programme that's being implemented progressively", said Second Minister for Home Affairs S. Iswaran yesterday.
He was replying to Ms Lee Bee Wah (Nee Soon GRC), who had asked if CCTV cameras could be installed in all new blocks before residents move in.
To speed up the installation in new blocks, the police are working with the HDB to incorporate the camera requirements into the design, he said.
The cameras will be fitted at key entry and exit points, such as stairwells and lift lobbies. All 10,000 HDB blocks and multi- storey carparks here are slated to have them by end-2016.
Mr Iswaran said the programme is on track at the one- third mark, with 18,000 cameras installed in 3,300 blocks.
He also said the police consider a variety of factors, such as local crime trends, community feedback and town council recommendations, when deciding which blocks will get the cameras first and when to set them up.
Mr Zaqy Mohamad (Chua Chu Kang GRC) asked if the camera coverage could be extended to include bicycle bays, for example.
Mr Iswaran said he would consider it but noted that the police do take into account the "local priority or concern" when deciding on where to install the cameras.
Lasting Power of Attorney system has adequate safeguards
By Carolyn Khew, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014
WHETHER a person informs family when setting up a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a personal choice, Minister for Social and Family Development Chan Chun Sing told Parliament yesterday, stressing that the scheme has adequate safeguards.
He was responding to questions from Aljunied GRC MP Sylvia Lim on the scheme, which allows a person aged at least 21 to appoint another to make key decisions on his welfare and finances should he lose the mental capacity to do so.
Ms Lim, a lawyer, asked why an option to inform others when applying for an LPA was removed from the form last month, and whether the ministry would look at bringing it back.
Mr Chan replied that it was removed after feedback from applicants, who could still, on their own, decide to share the information. "Not everyone wants to inform certain family members of their decision and that is the dilemma. We leave it to the best judgment of the individual to inform the person that he wants to inform."
The LPA system, which was launched four years ago, has come under scrutiny after a former China tour guide was accused of manipulating an 87-year-old Singaporean widow into giving him control over her assets estimated to be worth $40 million.
The widow, Madam Chung Khin Chun, applied for the LPA naming 40-year-old Yang Yin as her donee in 2012. Her niece, tour agency owner Hedy Mok, found this out only earlier this year. She then started legal action against Mr Yang, alleging that he took advantage of her aunt, who was diagnosed with dementia this year.
An LPA is issued only after a lawyer, medical practitioner or psychiatrist witnesses and certifies the application.
Yesterday, Ms Lim asked if the Government would consider an "additional check" by these professionals to ensure that the applicant is not unduly influenced. She highlighted that in Scotland, they would have to decide on the applicant's independence, based either on personal knowledge or by consulting someone else.
Mr Chan said this would be up to the certificate issuer who, regardless, is expected to do the job professionally. "I can appreciate that sometimes a second pair of eyes does help but we must always be careful not to overly burden the system," he explained, stressing that applicants should consider who they wish to appoint as donees carefully. He pointed out that the system here is "much more onerous" than in other countries, where in some instances a person does not need a professional to certify the LPA.
One in 5 elderly patients back in a public hospital within a month
TTSH has lowest readmission rate as care managers monitor such cases
By Salma Khalik, The Straits Times, 8 Oct 2014
ALMOST one in five public hospital patients aged 65 and older is back in a hospital bed within a month of being discharged.
This is far higher than the readmission rate of patients of all ages, which is 12.2 per cent, said <a href="http://www.moh.gov.sg/content/moh_web/home/pressRoom/Parliamentary_QA/2014/hospi