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Breastfeeding is allowed in public including trains and buses, says Transport Minister

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New mothers will be able to breastfeed their children in public as the government will provide nursing rooms at all new bus interchanges and integrated transport hubs, including new MRT interchange stations, according to Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan yesterday (26 March).

MP Louis Ng Kok Kwang brought up this issue in the Parliament yesterday (26 March) and he was happy to share the answers on his Facebook page. He assured mothers that they can breastfeed in public and on public buses and trains. Mr Ng also mentioned that mothers can breastfeed without a cover.

Expressing his appreciation and support for the mothers who are practising breastfeeding, he made it clear that mothers are welcomed to breastfeed in public without hesitation. Other than public places, he stated that the Ministry of Education will ensure all schools are equipped with lactation facilities within the next three years.

“The Ministry of Education, will ensure that ALL schools, Institutes of Higher Learning, Autonomous Universities, Polytechnics and ITEs are equipped with lactation facilities within the next 3 years Plus fridges will be made available for mothers to store their milk,” wrote Mr Ng.

Other than schools, many women are still concerned that SMRT encourages women to breastfeed before entering their stations. Mr Ng raised this issue on the Parliament, and the Ministry of Transport stated that they will advise the Public Transport Operators (PTO) to clarify on their websites so that mothers won’t be discouraged from breastfeeding in public.

“Many of you also shared that SMRT still says on their website, ‘Can I breastfeed or feed my children? For the comfort of other passengers it is best to feed your children before entering our stations.’ I raised this in Parliament as well and MOT ‘will advise the PTOs to be clearer in their websites or FAQs so that mothers are not deterred from doing so’,” as stated on Mr Ng’s Facebook post.

Regarding breastfeeding in public, Mr Ng asked the Minister for Home Affairs if there would be any regulations that prohibit mothers from publicly breastfeeding their children.

The Secretary to the Minister for Home Affairs, Sun Xueling, explained that there is no law that strictly prohibits mothers from breastfeeding in public. Although indecent exposures and appearing nude in public are technically criminal offences, mothers who are breastfeeding their children in public are generally not categorised as an offence.

“Indecent exposure and appearing nude in public are criminal offences. Mothers who are genuinely breastfeeding their children, in public are generally unlikely to fall under these categories. It is not possible to be more specific than that. To determine if any offences might be made out, Police would need to ascertain the specific facts of each case and the circumstances,” Ms Sun responded.

Mr Ng proceeded to ask Ms Sun to clarify if breastfeeding mothers could be prosecuted if they practise it in public without being covered up. Ms Sun stated that breastfeeding in public is not against the law.

“Breastfeeding in public places is not against the law. The Police will not intervene unless there are law and order concerns,” said Ms Sun.

Mr Ng raised another question regarding breastfeeding is allowed onboard public trains and buses. The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport, Baey Yam Keng, responded that breastfeeding on public transport is not prohibited.

“Mr Speaker, Sir, breastfeeding is not prohibited on our public buses and trains. For those who prefer privacy while breastfeeding, we provide nursing rooms at key transport nodes and will continue to build more,” explained Mr Baey.

Mr Baey also confirmed that there is no regulation for mothers to be covered up while nursing their babies on trains and buses.

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Hotel Properties Limited suspends trading ahead of Ong Beng Seng’s court hearing

Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), co-founded by Mr Ong Beng Seng, has halted trading ahead of his court appearance today (4 October). The announcement was made by HPL’s company secretary at about 7.45am, citing a pending release of an announcement. Mr Ong faces one charge of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts and another charge of obstruction of justice. He is due in court at 2.30pm.

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SINGAPORE: Hotel Properties Limited (HPL), the property and hotel developer co-founded by Mr Ong Beng Seng, has requested a trading halt ahead of the Singapore tycoon’s scheduled court appearance today (4 October) afternoon.

This announcement was made by HPL’s company secretary at approximately 7.45am, stating that the halt was due to a pending release of an announcement.

Mr Ong, who serves as HPL’s managing director and controlling shareholder, faces one charge under Section 165, accused of abetting a public servant in obtaining gifts, as well as one charge of obstruction of justice.

He is set to appear in court at 2.30pm on 4 October.

Ong’s charges stem from his involvement in a high-profile corruption case linked to former Singaporean transport minister S Iswaran.

The 80-year-old businessman was named in Iswaran’s initial graft charges earlier this year.

These charges alleged that Iswaran had corruptly received valuable gifts from Ong, including tickets to the 2022 Singapore Formula 1 Grand Prix, flights, and a hotel stay in Doha.

These gifts were allegedly provided to advance Ong’s business interests, particularly in securing contracts with the Singapore Tourism Board for the Singapore GP and the ABBA Voyage virtual concert.

Although Iswaran no longer faces the original corruption charges, the prosecution amended them to lesser charges under Section 165.

Iswaran pleaded guilty on 24 September, 2024, to four counts under this section, which covered over S$400,000 worth of gifts, including flight tickets, sports event access, and luxury items like whisky and wines.

Additionally, he faced one count of obstructing justice for repaying Ong for a Doha-Singapore flight shortly before the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) became involved.

On 3 October, Iswaran was sentenced to one year in jail by presiding judge Justice Vincent Hoong.

The prosecution had sought a sentence of six to seven months for all charges, while the defence had asked for a significantly reduced sentence of no more than eight weeks.

Ong, a Malaysian national based in Singapore, was arrested by CPIB in July 2023 and released on bail shortly thereafter. Although no charges were initially filed against him, Ong’s involvement in the case intensified following Iswaran’s guilty plea.

The Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) had earlier indicated that it would soon make a decision regarding Ong’s legal standing, which has now led to the current charges.

According to the statement of facts read during Iswaran’s conviction, Ong’s case came to light as part of a broader investigation into his associates, which revealed Iswaran’s use of Ong’s private jet for a flight from Singapore to Doha in December 2022.

CPIB investigators uncovered the flight manifest and seized the document.

Upon learning that the flight records had been obtained, Ong contacted Iswaran, advising him to arrange for Singapore GP to bill him for the flight.

Iswaran subsequently paid Singapore GP S$5,700 for the Doha-Singapore business class flight in May 2023, forming the basis of his obstruction of justice charge.

Mr Ong is recognised as the figure who brought Formula One to Singapore in 2008, marking the first night race in the sport’s history.

He holds the rights to the Singapore Grand Prix. Iswaran was the chairman of the F1 steering committee and acted as the chief negotiator with Singapore GP on business matters concerning the race.

 

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Chee Soon Juan questions Shanmugam’s $88 million property sale amid silence from Mainstream Media

Dr Chee Soon Juan of the SDP raised concerns about the S$88 million sale of Mr K Shanmugam’s Good Class Bungalow at Astrid Hill, questioning transparency and the lack of mainstream media coverage. He called for clarity on the buyer, valuation, and potential conflicts of interest.

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On Sunday (22 Sep), Dr Chee Soon Juan, Secretary General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), issued a public statement on Facebook, expressing concerns regarding the sale of Minister for Home Affairs and Law, Mr K Shanmugam’s Good Class Bungalow (GCB) at Astrid Hill.

Dr Chee questioned the transparency of the S$88 million transaction and the absence of mainstream media coverage despite widespread discussion online.

According to multiple reports cited by Dr Chee, Mr Shanmugam’s property was transferred in August 2023 to UBS Trustees (Singapore) Pte Ltd, which holds the property in trust under the Jasmine Villa Settlement.

Dr Chee’s statement focused on two primary concerns: the lack of response from Mr Shanmugam regarding the transaction and the silence of major media outlets, including Singapore Press Holdings and Mediacorp.

He argued that, given the ongoing public discourse and the relevance of property prices in Singapore, the sale of a high-value asset by a public official warranted further scrutiny.

In his Facebook post, Dr Chee posed several questions directed at Mr Shanmugam and the government:

  1. Who purchased the property, and is the buyer a Singaporean citizen?
  2. Who owns Jasmine Villa Settlement?
  3. Were former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and current Prime Minister Lawrence Wong informed of the transaction, and what were their responses?
  4. How was it ensured that the funds were not linked to money laundering?
  5. How was the property’s valuation determined, and by whom?

The Astrid Hill property, originally purchased by Mr Shanmugam in 2003 for S$7.95 million, saw a significant increase in value, aligning with the high-end status of District 10, where it is located. The 3,170.7 square-meter property was sold for S$88 million in August 2023.

Dr Chee highlighted that, despite Mr Shanmugam’s detailed responses regarding the Ridout Road property, no such transparency had been offered in relation to the Astrid Hill sale.

He argued that the lack of mainstream media coverage was particularly concerning, as public interest in the sale is high. Dr Chee emphasized that property prices and housing affordability are critical issues in Singapore, and transparency from public officials is essential to maintain trust.

Dr Chee emphasized that the Ministerial Code of Conduct unambiguously states: “A Minister must scrupulously avoid any actual or apparent conflict of interest between his office and his private financial interests.”

He concluded his statement by reiterating the need for Mr Shanmugam to address the questions raised, as the matter involves not only the Minister himself but also the integrity of the government and its responsibility to the public.

The supposed sale of Mr Shamugam’s Astrid Hill property took place just a month after Mr Shanmugam spoke in Parliament over his rental of a state-owned bungalow at Ridout Road via a ministerial statement addressing potential conflicts of interest.

At that time, Mr Shanmugam explained that his decision to sell his home was due to concerns about over-investment in a single asset, noting that his financial planning prompted him to sell the property and move into rental accommodation.

The Ridout Road saga last year centred on concerns about Mr Shanmugam’s rental of a sprawling black-and-white colonial bungalow, occupying a massive plot of land, managed by the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), which he oversees in his capacity as Minister for Law. Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, also rented a similarly expansive property nearby.

Mr Shanmugam is said to have recused himself from the decision-making process, and a subsequent investigation by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) found no wrongdoing while Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean confirmed in Parliament that Mr Shanmugam had removed himself from any decisions involving the property.

As of now, Mr Shanmugam has not commented publicly on the sale of his Astrid Hill property.

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