Local News

An Australian man, who was in the Business Class section of a Scoot Tigerair flight from Sydney to Singapore, was sentenced to three weeks in jail after he was found guilty of molesting a stewardess on the flight.

The man, named as Paranjape Niranjan Jayant, was traveling on the flight on August, when he took a fancy to one of the stewardess, and proceeded to caress the 25 year old's left hip as she was working in the galley. The stewardess moved away from him, but he persisted by saying how beautiful she was, but returned to his seat. During the rest of the flight, the man went up to the stewardess a few times to ask for her phone number, which she ignored. About an hour before landing, the man proceeded to molest her again. The stewardess immediately reported the incident to her supervisor, and later lodged a police report upon landing at Changi T2. 

The man pleaded leniency, quoting his lack of ability to handle his alcoholic drink.

The Community Action Network (CAN) Singapore has called for authorities to cease investigations into The Online Citizen's editor Terry Xu, who is undergoing investigations for criminal defamation. It expressed that the investigations are "unnecessary" as Xu has already removed his previous allegations. The network believes that this will only further suppress freedom of speech in Singapore.

"Instead of persecuting individuals who ask difficult questions and publish critical views, the government should be more transparent and refute assertions it does not agree with while adhering to the standards of civility and encouraging civil discourse. After all, it is only when citizens enjoy the right to free expression and have access to a free, pluralistic, and independent media that they can demand accountability from those in power."

It is no doubt that there is a lack of freedom of expression in Singapore, but what can we do to make things better? We have constantly enjoyed terrible international rankings when it comes to press freedom. We have been among the bottom few of the World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders. We are "also among 8 out of 11 regional countries whose press freedom status, according to the 2018 Freedom House report, is dubbed as 'not free'."

With the clampdown on TOC and The Independent Singapore, how will Singapore's press freedom look like in the near future? One thing's for sure: We will definitely maintain our terrible international ranking. 

Good luck to us.

The Independent Singapore has spoken up against NTUC Foodfare after it accused the alternative news site for spreading fake news about an old tenant's death. The article attributed Foodfare's long working hours to the old man's death. 

In an announcement on 21 Nov 2018, TISG said that it will not apologise or take down the articles in question until they are proven false and baseless. 

"The two articles in question are based on facts and we do have material evidence to back it up, to corroborate what we have written. We are however curious that NTUC Foodfare’s public statements are somewhat contrary to our findings.

We have written to the lawyers, David Lim & Partners querying them on their NTUC FoodFare’s media statement and demand letter."

TISG maintains that it was standing up for workers' rights. It said that it is not driven by profits and will continue to do what it has been doing so that it can be the voice for te voiceless. 

"We can’t go wrong for standing up for what is right. In the hawkers’ plight, we feel the pain of all those who have toiled hours in front of a hot stove so that we can have affordable meals in Singapore. We cannot and will not be cowed by the powers that be. TISG will hold the line in championing the rights of our hawkers, workers and downtrodden."

All the best.

Following the arrest of TOC editor Terry Xu, many netizens have voiced out against it and the lack of freedom of expression in Singapore. Yesterday, Xu was arrested and had his equipment seized by the police. He was brought in for a 9-hour session at the Police Cantonment Complex in relation to a criminal defamation case. What does this mean for Singapore and Singaporeans?

According to Singapore Democratic Party's Chee Soon Juan, "This is obviously very troubling. This is happening as I am sitting here in Bangkok listening to speakers talk about how to more effectively use the New Media to build and strengthen democracy in our countries."

Artist Sonny Liew sympathised with Xu by saying that "[he] has been running TOC almost single handedly for some time now, despite a very difficult environment and in the absence of any kind of proper financial remuneration. 

He has stayed the course, and does the kind of journalistic work very few with much better resources have been willing or inclined to do - a muckracking journalist in the finest sense."

There is now a Patreon page where people can donate to support Terry Xu and TOC. 

Even Phil Robertson of the Human Rights Watch has come out to criticise Singaporean authorities for their "unbecoming paranoia". "Singapore's campaign of intimidation and persecution of independent media and human rights campaigners in the city state must stop now. Our worry is these rights abusing attacks against freedom of expression will get worse as the ruling PAP contemplates a possible election in 2019."

First States Times Review, now TOC. Who's next? Do Singaporeans have to keep their mouth shut to remain safe? 

A 64 year old man was arrested by the police at a HDB unit in Bedok South for the alleged murder of a woman. According to police reports, the man was arrested on Monday afternoon at Block 171 Bedok South Road.

A 35 year old woman was found motionless in the unit, and paramedics later declared her dead. The police have classified the case as murder. Based on reports, the man arrested was the father of the dead woman. Police are currently still investigating the murder.

Two men have been arrested by the Police after allegedly attacking a woman with a penknife at Jurong West. However, Police only managed to arrest them after a 4 hour stand-off. 

Police were alerted to a case of assault at a bus stop near Blk 501 Jurong West Street 51. When the Police arrived, they found a woman with facial injuries and a lacerated arm, and were told that two men had attacked her. The woman was taken to hospital, and no reason were given as to why the woman was attacked. Police managed to track down the two suspects through extensive ground inquiries and police camera images to a unit at a HDB block at Jurong West Street 42. 

The two men had apparently refused to open the door to their unit, and was eventually arrested 4 hours later after a locksmith was called in.