Month: August 2021

The Police would like to alert the members of the public to the re-emergence of a variant of Government Officials Impersonation Scam (GOIS), where scammers allegedly posed as officers from the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and presented a fake SPF warrant card. Between January to July 2021, there were 16 victims cheated of such scams. The largest sum cheated in a single case during this period was $1.7 million.

In this variant, the victims had received unsolicited robocalls who claimed to be from the Singapore High Court. These calls were supposedly transferred to a “police officer”, who informed the victims that they were being investigated for money-laundering activities. The victims were instructed to download the “LINE” or WhatsApp messaging platform for further communication with the “police officer”. The victims would then purportedly be shown a fake SPF warrant card and a fake letter indicating that the victims were under investigation. For LINE, the victims would also be added into a chat group named ‘Reporting Platform’. The victims would then be instructed to surrender their monies for investigations by making transfers to various bank accounts controlled by the scammers. The victims were allegedly promised that the money transferred to these bank accounts would be returned to them upon completion of investigations. The victims only discovered that they had been scammed when the scammer requested for further fund transfer(s) and failed to return the earlier transfers.

The Police would like to emphasise that the Police will not instruct members of the public to transfer money to designated bank accounts for investigations. Police officers will also not identify themselves with the SPF warrant card on online platforms.

The public is advised to take the following precautions when they receive unsolicited robocalls to surrender money or banking credentials to others in order to avoid criminal investigations:

1. Ignore such robocalls and the caller’s instructions. No local government agency will contact the members of public using robocalls;
2. No local government agency will demand payment through an undocumented medium like a telephone call or other social messaging platforms, demand that you surrender cash to unnamed persons, or ask you for personal banking information such as your internet banking passwords;
3. For foreign residents receiving calls from persons claiming to be Police officers or government officials from your home country, please call your Embassy/High Commission to verify the claims of the caller;
4. Refrain from giving out personal information and bank details, whether on a website or to callers over the phone. Personal information and bank details such as internet bank account usernames and passwords, or One-Time Password (OTP) codes from tokens, are useful to criminals. Do not make any fund transfer(s) at the behest of such callers;
5. Call a trusted friend or talk to a relative before you act. Do not be pressured by the caller to act impulsively; and
6. If in doubt, call ‘999’ or approach a police office at the Neighbourhood Police Centre near you.

If you have information related to such cases, please call the Police hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit it online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. Please dial ‘999’ if you require urgent Police assistance.

For scam-related advice, please call the National Crime Prevention Council’s Anti-Scam Hotline at 1800-722-6688 or visit www.scamalert.sg. Join the ‘Spot the Signs. Stop the Crimes’ campaign at www.scamalert.sg/fight by signing up as an advocate to receive up-to-date messages and share them with your family and friends. Together, we can help stop scams and prevent our loved ones from becoming the next victim.

 

Source: Singapore Police Force

The Police are appealing for the next-of-kin of 75-year-old Mr Lim Cheng Siang to come forward.

Mr Lim, a former resident of Bright Hill Evergreen Home, had passed away on 26 July 2021.

Anyone with information is requested to call the Police hotline at 1800–255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness. All information will be kept strictly confidential.

 

Source: Singapore Police Force

The Police have arrested a 25-year-old man for his suspected involvement in a case of possession of offensive weapons and mischief.

On 2 August 2021, the Police received information that a man had cut down Singapore national flags displayed in the vicinity of Punggol Walk. Officers from Ang Mo Kio Police Division swiftly responded to the incident and detained the man. The man was purportedly found in possession of a pair of scissors and a knife. Preliminary investigations revealed that the man had allegedly damaged multiple Singapore national flags and decorative banners displayed in the vicinity of Punggol Field, Punggol Central and Punggol Walk.

The man will be charged in court on 3 August 2021 for possession of offensive weapons under Section 6(1) of the Corrosive and Explosive Substances and Offensive Weapons Act and mischief under Section 426 of the Penal Code. The offence of possession of offensive weapon carries an imprisonment term of up to 3 years, and caning of not less than 6 strokes. The offence of mischief carries an imprisonment term of up to 2 years, a fine, or both.

 

 

Source: Singapore Police Force

Myanmar’s junta chief Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing on Sunday declared himself prime minister in a newly formed “caretaker government” and extended military rule through 2023, state media reported on Sunday, six months after he led a coup that ousted the civilian government.

In a state television statement and a speech by Min Aung Hlaing, the military regime extended army control over the country of 54 million people to  two-and-a-half years, more than double the one-year emergency the junta announced days after it seized power from Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government on Feb. 1.

“In order to perform the country’s duties fast, easily and effectively, the state administration council has been re-formed as caretaker government of Myanmar,” a state-run Myawaddy TVpresenter said.

State media quoted Min Aung Hlaing as saying “We will accomplish the provisions of the state of emergency by August 2023,” 18 months after the coup announcement had said democracy would be restored.

“I guarantee the establishment of a union based on democracy and federalism,” he added.

The general also said his administration was ready to work with the representative to be named by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The 10-nation bloc is expected to finalize a special envoy to deal with the crisis at a virtual meeting this week.

The announcement came exactly six months after the army seized power, alleging that Aun San Su Kyi’s landslide re-election victory in the country’s November 2020 election was the result of extensive voter fraud.

The junta, which has yet to produce evidence of its claims, on July 26 annulled the results of the 2020 election, drawing condemnation from political parties who condemned the move as illegal and said they will not honor it.

Analysts questioned the constitutionality of the newest move by a military regime that has presided over widespread violence and death, and is accused of mishandling the country’s worst COVID-19 outbreak.

“It has been six months since the military coup and they are yet to bring stability in the country,” said Than Soe Naing, a political analyst.

“What’s more, everything in the country is going down in all aspects. In their own words, Myanmar is ‘on the verge of falling off a cliff.’”

Min Lwin Oo, a Norway based Human Rights lawyer, told RFA the new arrangement announced on Sunday “is a violation of the Constitution” that was reminiscent of moves army generals took in 1958 when they “abolished everything and formed a new government.”

“There is no provision for forming a caretaker government in the Constitution,” he added.

The junta has violently suppressed mass protests against army rule, arresting at least 5,444 people and killing 940, according to the Bangkok-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

Armed resistance by local People’s Defense Forces in urban and rural areas have killed hundreds of soldiers and police, according to the local fighters and citizen journalist reports.

The coup also dealt a serious blow to efforts to control the spread of COVID-19 in the country, whose healthcare system on the brink of collapse due to a poorly managed third wave of the coronavirus. The number of COVID-19 infections rose Sunday to 299,000, with at least 9,334 deaths.

“Judging by the speech Min Aung Hlaing gave today, the military council has upgraded itself as a civilian administration. This action serves as a road map for a delayed power transfer,” said Aung Myo Min, a human rights activist.

“They intend to remain as a government for some time and make the people adapt to the new normal under their rule. They will gradually move toward legalizing themselves as a legitimate government,” he told RFA.

“The other reason they changed themselves to a civilian government is to gain international recognition. They definitely want international recognition,” added Aung Myo Min.

“But they underestimate the truth that changing the appearance or name will not change the people’s opinions nor international legal actions,” he said.

Reported by San San Tin and Nayrein Kyaw for RFA’s Myanmar Service. Translated by Ye Kaung Myint Maung and Khet Mar. Written in English by Paul Eckert.

BANGKOK– At 9:00 a.m. every morning, Tassaneeya Visupakarn arrives at a temporary kitchen, in a temple in northern Bangkok, and starts her new daily routine to help those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

As a former human resources officer at various international hotel groups, with more than 30 years of experience, Tassaneeya decided to leave her cooperate life and move to a place near the forest for an early retirement.

 

However, her dream was disrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak as she had to stay idle in the Thai capital of Bangkok and wait for the situation to improve.

 

As the number of infections continued to surge, especially in Bangkok and neighbouring provinces, Tassaneeya soon found herself a purpose to fulfill — she signed up as a volunteer in May, at a non-governmental organisation (NGO), which supplies food and other daily necessities for people struggling during the pandemic.

 

Working in turns with more than 300 other volunteers at the NGO, the Up for Thai, Tassaneeya hoped to render the help she could offer to those in need.

 

“Everything you see here is volunteer-based and donation-based,” said Chalermchatri Yukol, a Thai film and television series director and founder of the organisation. “It’s all about the willpower to help each other.”

 

Recalling his decision to set up the organisation, Chalermchatri said, he wanted to help avoid tragedies like his friend, who failed to secure a hospital bed after being infected with COVID-19 and passed away.

 

“There are some minor flaws in the system,” he said, and he wanted to try his best to push for a change.

 

Chalermchatri and his colleagues got much busier, with new COVID-19 infections and deaths continually breaking records, since the latest surge in early Apr, weighing down the already flagging economic growth.

 

The prolonged outbreak led to an increasing number of people losing their jobs with many trying to find a new way to earn a living, while exacerbating the situation for those who have already been struggling under the poverty line.

 

In July, with the help of the main kitchen in the temple and several other small kitchens, the organisation managed to provide 10,000 meals every day, to those who have lost their jobs and could not afford food.

 

Besides relief measures from the government, in a country known as the Land of Smiles, Thai people are extending helping hands to support each other through the hard times. Chalermchatri said, the organisation has been attracting more volunteers from all walks of life, including journalists, engineers, chefs and housewives.

 

“There are lots of people who we have helped, coming back to join us and help more others,” he said.

 

Besides providing boxed food, the volunteers also took turns to provide information and answering inquiries on hospital beds and patient transportation, through hotline setup. They are also working to provide oxygen tanks, as well as, other necessary life-saving devices to COVID-19 patients, especially those waiting for hospital beds.

 

While feeling tired from time to time, Tassaneeya has been deeply content with what she is doing and has learned a lot from other volunteers.

 

“Most of the volunteers have their own jobs, but they still take time to join us and contribute to this work. It’s beautiful to share, so that we could have a better chance to go back to normal life,” she said.

 

Although the outlook remains dim and uncertain, Chalermchatri believes the silver lining might just lie under the current clouds. “I’m quite happy that what we do has been quite effective as we try to improve things here.”

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK