Monica Kotwani, Channel NewsAsia

Monica Kotwani

Channel NewsAsia

Singapore

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Past:
  • Channel NewsAsia

Past articles by Monica:

Further enhancements needed to improve water safety teaching: Dr Teo Ho Pin

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s national water safety programme needs a “major revamp” to fit into the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) school curriculum and enrichment programmes to achieve better outcomes in swimming survival. The former chair of the now disbanded National Water Safety Council Dr Teo Ho Pin said this, even after recent changes to the SwimSafer programme, which Sport Singapore (SportSG)… → Read More

K Shanmugam, Sylvia Lim cross swords in Parliament over GST hike timing

SINGAPORE: Despite Workers' Party Chairman Sylvia Lim earlier stating in Parliament that the opposition intended to support the Budget, all eight opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) present ended up voting against it on Wednesday (Mar 1). The party’s secretary-general, Low Thia Khiang was not present for the vote. This was due to a difference in opinion between Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat… → Read More

Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat takes to task WP's stand on GST hike

SINGAPORE: Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat took opposition Member of Parliament Pritam Singh to task for adopting a “wait-and-see” stand to the planned goods and services tax (GST) hike instead of "taking a principled stand". He added while it is easy to fall back on “politically expedient options” and pretend they will solve the country’s long-term challenges, this approach is “a dishonest and… → Read More

Low Thia Khiang and Ng Chee Meng exchange words over timing of GST hike announcement

SINGAPORE: Even as he called this year’s Budget a forward-looking one that anchors Singapore firmly in the future, Low Thia Khiang of the Workers' Party took issue with the Government's announcement of a hike in the good and services tax (GST), saying it was an “unnecessary distraction”. His comment evoked a response from Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng, who called it “baffling”.… → Read More

Inequality a threat to Singapore's solidarity; needs to be looked into: Sylvia Lim

SINGAPORE: Addressing Parliament on day two of the Budget debate, Workers’ Party chairman Sylvia Lim urged the Government to delve deeper into the sources of inequality in Singapore, saying the issue is a threat to the solidarity of the nation. The first of her fellow opposition members to speak on Wednesday (Feb 28), Ms Lim questioned, after all the initiatives by the Government throughout the… → Read More

Workers' Party 'unable to support' GST hike without extra details: Pritam Singh

SINGAPORE: The Workers’ Party is “unable" to support the announcement of an increase in the goods and service tax (GST) at present, said its assistant secretary-general Pritam Singh during the debate on the Budget in Parliament on Tuesday (27 Feb). Mr Singh, who was the first opposition MP to speak in the debate, said that the party’s stand on the Government’s plan to raise GST from 7 per cent… → Read More

NEA to release more Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes as part of second phase of study

SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) will release more Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes at two study sites between April this year and January 2019. This will mark the second phase of studying the use of Wolbachia-infected mosquitoes to suppress the Aedes aegypti mosquito population in Singapore, the agency said. Depending on the need, it said more mosquitoes may end up being released… → Read More

Some retailers increase cigarette prices following tax hike

SINGAPORE: Smokers are already feeling the pinch after the latest hike in tobacco tax, as some retailers have already raised cigarette prices. On Monday (19 Feb), Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat announced a 10 per cent increase in excise duty on all tobacco products, in a bid to discourage people from smoking. According to a circular from Singapore Customs, the increase took effect from 5.40pm… → Read More

Budget 2018: Government to extend 250% tax deductions for donations for three more years

SINGAPORE: The Government’s current tax deductions of 250 per cent for qualifying donations will once again be extended for another three years, said Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat during his Budget speech in Parliament on Monday (Feb 19). The extension will apply until Dec 31, 2021. Mr Heng said he was heartened to see that the volunteerism rate has doubled in the last decade, while total… → Read More

Over half of ITE graduates work in jobs related to course of study: SPS Low Yen Ling

SINGAPORE: Over half, or 55 per cent, of ITE graduates work in jobs related to their course of study, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education Low Yen Ling revealed in Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 6). The figures highlighted were based on results from the 2016 Graduate Employment Survey, she said. Ms Low said that beyond receiving training for entry into specific industries or related jobs,… → Read More

Fewer ITE, poly grads in full-time work due to changing employment trends: Dr Puthucheary

SINGAPORE: Fewer polytechnic and ITE graduates are employed full-time compared to 10 years ago, due to a shift in the choice of employment among these graduates. Senior Minister of State for Education Janil Puthucheary said this in Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 6), in response to a question from Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Leon Perera. Dr Puthucheary said the Ministry of Education… → Read More

Fewer ITE, poly grads in full-time work due to changing employment trends: Dr Puthucheary

SINGAPORE: Fewer polytechnic and ITE graduates are engaged in full-time employment compared to some ten years ago, revealing a shift in the choice of employment among these graduates. Senior Minister of State for Education, Janil Puthucheary said this in Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 6), in response to a question from Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP), Leon Perera. He said the Ministry… → Read More

PUB to charge contractor for blocking ditch at Tampines Ave 12 that intensified flooding

SINGAPORE: Authorities will take action against a contractor who built a temporary access road to its construction site at Tampines Avenue 12 without approval, said Minister for Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli in Parliament on Monday (Feb 5). In building the access road, Huationg Contractor blocked a ditch near the worksite, worsening flash floods in the area on Jan 8. If found… → Read More

'Not feasible' for drainage design to accommodate every extreme rainfall event: Masagos

SINGAPORE: While the national water agency, PUB, takes into account factors such as terrain and rainfall intensity of the area when designing drains, it is "not feasible" to build them to a capacity that accommodates every extreme rainfall event. Minister for Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said this in Parliament on Monday (Feb 5). He was responding to questions from MPs who… → Read More

ASEAN foreign ministers in Singapore for annual retreat

SINGAPORE: Singapore’s chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will kick off when the regional bloc’s foreign ministers gather for their annual retreat starting Sunday (Feb 4). The three-day ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ retreat in Singapore will be chaired by Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said the… → Read More

Depression in men often masked in addictions, manifests as anger: Experts

SINGAPORE: For many years, Jason Tan* struggled to come to terms with an incident that had caused him to lose trust in his parents at the age of 16. He also had to deal with his parents' separation and low self-esteem as a result of being afflicted with various medical conditions. Being removed from a leadership position in a student organisation and experiencing burn out as a result of academic… → Read More

Frontline SMRT staff to undergo training to help commuters with special needs

SINGAPORE: Junaidah Ramli is visually impaired, so she often asks for help to be led to the right bus boarding berth. The public would usually oblige, but there have been occasions when she would get abandoned before reaching her berth. “Sometimes, they hold the arm I carry my cane in and drag me instead of me holding (on to) them,” recalled the 46-year-old. Mdm Junaidah hopes a new programme by… → Read More

SMRT CEO Desmond Kuek dismisses reports of his potential resignation

SINGAPORE: SMRT CEO Desmond Kuek on Thursday (Jan 25) brushed aside talk that he is expected to step down, calling those reports "purely speculative". He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the launch of a programme that aims to better assist the elderly and those with special mobility needs. Rumours of Mr Kuek's possible resignation was fuelled by a Straits Times report last week that… → Read More

Vegetable supply in Singapore, Malaysia affected by continuous rain

SINGAPORE: The prolonged rainy weather and overcast skies have affected the supply of vegetables on both sides of the Causeway, with one distributor saying that the supply from Malaysia has fallen by more than 20 per cent. This has led to a corresponding increase in prices seen by importers. The supply of produce such as tomatoes, Japanese cucumber and iceberg lettuce, for instance, has dropped… → Read More

Malaysian PM Najib Razak to visit Singapore for 8th Leaders' Retreat

SINGAPORE: The much-awaited Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link between Johor Baru and Singapore will be one step closer to construction when Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong hosts his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak at the 8th Singapore-Malaysia Leaders’ Retreat from Monday (Jan 15). Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Sunday (Jan 14) that the two prime ministers will witness the… → Read More