Day: October 20, 2021

Malaysia categorically rejects a statement reportedly made by an Israeli official during a recent interview with Erem News claiming that Malaysia may join the Abraham Accords and normalize relations with Israel.

Malaysia stands by our unwavering commitment to supporting the Palestinian cause and their struggle against the continued Israeli illegal occupation and systematic oppression. For many decades already, the Palestinian people have been suffering discriminatory policies, denial of basic human rights, imposition of harsh living conditions, as well as confiscation of their land and property. These and other inhumane acts committed by Israel, the occupying power, against the Palestinians are tantamount to the crime of Apartheid and clearly inconsistent with the pursuit of peace and peaceful co-existence in the region.

Malaysia will continue to pursue actively the Palestinian agenda bilaterally, as well as in various regional and international fora towards realizing the Palestinian peoples’ aspiration for freedom and their independent State of Palestine. Malaysia’s continuous support for the Palestinian struggle is also in recognition of the aspirations of the new generation of Palestinian fighters and activists.

Malaysia will also continue to provide political and moral support, as well as humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people bilaterally and through international organisations such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), as well as facilitating the works of Malaysian civil society organisations.

 

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia

On Wednesday 20 October 2021, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand chaired the Multi-Stakeholder Meeting on the Provision of Humanitarian Assistance for the People of Myanmar. Representatives from over 15 organizations from various sectors, ranging from donor countries and international organizations to private sectors and civil societies, working on both sides of the borders, exchanged views and experiences, which included the discussion on need assessments, partners, possible transmission routes and coordination modalities in delivering assistance for the people of Myanmar.

DPM/FM Don expressed his concern about the current political situation, economic contraction and the COVID-19 pandemic that have great impacts on the people of Myanmar. This calls for an urgent need to have coordinated humanitarian response, which should be neutral and non-political. Thailand has contributed over 2 Million US Dollars worth of assistance through bilateral channel, ASEAN and international organizations.

The participants expressed their readiness to coordinate and cooperate to push forward for more provision of humanitarian assistance for the people of Myanmar. The Meeting also agreed on exploring for more channels to deliver assistance as well as engaging with various sectors in Myanmar so that the assistance can reach the people in need in all parts of the country, in a non-discriminatory manner.

 

 

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand

A 44-year-old male Singaporean, Tan Wee Beng, was convicted of seven counts of falsification of papers with intent to defraud under Section 477A of the Penal Code. Tan Wee Beng is the managing director and a shareholder of a commodity trading company, Wee Tiong (S) Pte Ltd. He was sentenced to a fine of $210,000 (in default seven months’ imprisonment). Another 13 similar charges were taken into consideration for sentencing.

 

Wee Tiong (S) Pte Ltd sold sugar and other goods to two persons from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) through their respective companies prior to 2017, with payments for those sales made to Wee Tiong (S) Pte Ltd and its related company, Morgan Marcos Pte Ltd.

 

Investigations by the Commercial Affairs Department revealed that between November 2016 and October 2017, Tan Wee Beng received queries from two banks about deposits made to Wee Tiong (S) Pte Ltd and Morgan Marcos Pte Ltd. These deposits were payments for sales of goods to the DPRK persons. Tan Wee Beng was concerned that the banks would terminate their relationship with the companies if either bank found out that Wee Tiong (S) Pte Ltd had transacted with entities linked to the DPRK.

 

To conceal this from the banks, Tan Wee Beng falsified the invoices of both companies. The names of the end buyers, and in some cases, the destination ports on these invoices, were changed to remove any links to the DPRK. Tan Wee Beng then signed the false invoices and submitted them to the banks.

 

The United Nations (Sanctions-DPRK) Regulations 2010 prohibits any person in Singapore or citizen of Singapore outside of Singapore, from supplying, selling or transferring any designated export item or designated luxury item to any person in the DPRK, or procuring any designated import item from any person in the DPRK. From 8 November 2017, the prohibition includes all commercially traded goods to or from the DPRK. Anyone with information relating to such transactions should immediately call the Police Hotline at 1800-255-0000, or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.

 

These Regulations give effect to sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council on the DPRK. Singapore takes its obligations under the United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) seriously, and implements them fully and faithfully. The Police take a serious view of persons who abuse Singapore’s financial system and will not hesitate to take swift action against the individuals or entities that breach our laws and regulations.

 

 

 

Source: Singapore Police Force

The Police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of 45-year-old Ms Chen Yongxiang. She was last seen in the vicinity of Block 408B Fernvale Road on 7 October 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 are appealing for the next-of-kin of 86-year-old Mr Abdul Salam Bin Abdullah to come forward.

 

Mr Abdul Salam, a former resident of All Saints Home (Yishun), had passed away on 13 October 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 are investigating six men and one woman, aged between 39 and 73, for their suspected involvement in illegal horse betting activities.

 

On 13 October 2021, officers from Woodlands Police Division conducted enforcement operations along Woodlands Street 11, Woodlands Drive 14 and Yishun Avenue 5. Two men, aged 57 and 73, are being investigated for their suspected involvement as bookmakers while another three men, aged between 39 and 59, are being investigated for allegedly betting with bookmakers. In addition, a 52-year-old woman is being investigated for allegedly receiving bets using remote communication from another 73-year-old man, who is also being investigated for purported unlawful remote gambling. Cash amounting to more than $440, three mobile phones, and betting paraphernalia were seized. Investigations are ongoing.

 

Under the Betting Act, any person who bets with a bookmaker shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both. Any person who is found to be involved in bookmaking shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not less than $20,000 and not more than $200,000 and shall also be punished with imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.

 

Under the Remote Gambling Act, any person involved in unlawful remote gambling shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both. Any person involved in providing unlawful remote gambling service for another shall be liable on conviction to a fine not less than $20,000 and not more than $200,000, imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years, or both.

 

The Police take a serious view against all forms of illegal gambling and betting activities and members of the public are advised to steer clear of these activities. Individual found to be involved in such activities will be dealt with in accordance with the law.

 

 

Source: Singapore Police Force