Getforme Singapore IMMIGRATION NEWS 2005

"If we let off a convicted courier because of age, financial difficulties or distressed family background, it will only make it easier for drug traffickers to recruit more "mules", with the assurance that they will escape the death penalty..."

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Woman fined $3000 for hindering ICA officers in their duties

"Mdm Tan had returned to Singapore from China on 30th September 2005 at about 7.40 pm through the Changi International Airport Terminal 2. ICA officers noticed that she had brought two roast geese from China with her to Singapore.

"Mdm Tan was informed she had to surrender the two roast geese for disposal, as she did not have a licence to bring them in. She hindered the ICA officers in the execution of their duties by refusing to surrender the roast geese brought from China and subsequently throwing the roast geese onto the floor..."

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- Foreigners to get no subsidy at polyclinics from 2006

- Employment Situation in 3rd Quarter 2005

- Compulsory day off for maids

- Recent trends in employment creation

Compulsory registration for pre-paid SIM card holders

"From 1 November, mobile service providers, such as the Singapore Telecom Mobile Pte Ltd, StarHub Mobile Pte Ltd and MobileOne Ltd, will be required to ensure compliance in recording the personal details of all customers who buy prepaid SIM cards...

"...all existing prepaid SIM card users are required to re-register at retail outlets which sell prepaid SIM cards sold by their respective mobile service providers.

"Customers must be at least 15 years old before being eligible to purchase a prepaid SIM card..."

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Study Mum Situation in Singapore

"As at end Jul 05, there were about 6,800 study mothers in Singapore of whom some two-thirds were from the PRC...

"As at end Jun 05, less than 1,000 study mothers were holding Work Permits..."

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- 58 foreign workers arrested for having no work permits

- Changi Airport to introduce self-service check-in kiosks in 2006

- Transit passengers at Changi Airport get to explore Singapore

- Medical subsidies for foreign workers being reviewed

- Biometric passports likely to debut in later half of 2006

- Singapore Labour Market - 2nd Quarter 2005

- Armed police patrols on MRT trains from 15 Aug 2005

- Employment Situation in 2nd Quarter 2005

Rehabilitation for first- & second-time synthetic drug abusers

"From 1 July 2005, first- and second-time abusers of MDMA (Ecstasy, Ketamine), Methamphetamine (Ice or Yaba) and Nimetazepam (Erimin-5) will undergo a new rehabilitation regime in Drug Rehabilitation Centres (DRCs)....."

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- Naked body parts along Kallang River - suspect arrested

- Changi Airport's no-frills terminal ready in early 2006

Monday with the Editor: Glad my home is Singapore

"...Forgive me for sounding cruel, but I would say -- jolly well have more such experiences while we are overseas, either on short-work assignments or holiday trips. These experiences will help us appreciate things we take for granted in Singapore, as one such experience helped enlighten the Singaporean visitor to Batam, that 'it is only now that I appreciate the orientation towards excellence in public service. A similar incident would not be allowed to happen in Singapore and, even if it did, the victim would be ensured a proper channel for redress'..."

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- Man jailed for employing foreigners without work permits

- Equipment to detect terrorist shipments of nuclear material

- Ministry of Manpower fine tunes foreign worker policy

- Singapore Labour Market 2004 Report

New biometric passports for Singaporeans

"...The Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) plans to introduce a Singapore biometric passport by October this year. This new passport will contain the person's unique facial and fingerprint information.

"It will make use of an inventory control number as the passport number, instead of the current approach of using the person’s NRIC number. This unique inventory number will make it easier to share information on lost and stolen Singaporean passports as part of the global effort to curb passport abuse.

"The validity period will be shortened from the present 10 years to 5 years, to allow us to incorporate new technologies into the Singapore passport more rapidly. The biometric passport will speed up immigration clearance significantly, as well as deter people from misusing the Singapore passport, thus upholding the reputation of the Singapore passport, and facilitating our citizens' travel overseas.

"...Minister elaborated that the fees for the new biometric passport planned to be introduced by October this year, have not been determined. He added that the existing passports that have not expired continue to be valid..."

Response given by the Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Wong Kan Seng at the Committee of Supply Debate on the Ministry of Home Affairs, Thursday, 3 March 2005

Source: Ministry of Home Affairs Press Release 3 Mar 2005

- CCTVs to be used in parts of Geylang to combat vice

- 11,790 Immigration Offenders Arrested in 2004

- Tentative List of Singapore Public Holidays for 2006

- Foreign Vehicle Entry Permit operating hours shortened from 4 Feb 05

Home Team report card for 2004

"The number of illegal immigrants and overstayers arrested last year is 11,790, 60 fewer persons arrested as compared to 2003..."

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- Singapore Tourism Board aims for 8.9 million visitors in 2005

- Singapore tourism targeted to net S$30 billion by 2015

- Singapore observes one minute of silence on 9 Jan 2005

- Tsunami Disaster Memorial Service on 9 Jan 2005