Malaysia on Friday reopened a decades-old dispute with Singapore calling on the UN&#39;s top court to overturn a 2008 ruling granting its neighbour sovereignty over a tiny but strategic island.

In a filing to the International Court of Justice, Kuala Lumpur maintained new documents had been discovered in British archives backing its territorial claim to the islet.

For several decades, Malaysia had laid claim to the island it knows as Pulau Batu Puteh, while Singapore, which calls it Pedra Branca, argued sovereignty had passed to it tacitly.

The island is in a strategically important position, 7.7 nautical miles (14 kilometres) off Johor on the eastern approach to the Singapore Strait from the South China Sea.

Singapore had operated the Horsburgh Lighthouse on the granite island, whose names mean &quot;white rock&quot; in Malay and Portuguese, for more than 130 years without protest from its neighbour.

But in a new map of its maritime boundaries drawn up in 1980, Kuala Lumpur claimed the islet as its own.

After years of negotiations failed, the parties turned to the tribunal in The Hague, which in 2008 ruled the island belonged to Singapore.

But in its filing Friday, Malaysia asked the court to revise that judgement based on the discovery of three documents in the British national archives between August last year and the end of January.

They included internal correspondence from the Singapore colonial authorities in 1958, a British naval incident report from 1958 and a map from the 1960s.

Kuala Lumpur maintained these documents showed that &quot;officials at the highest levels in the British colonial and Singaporean administration appreciated that Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh did not form part of Singapore`s sovereign territory,&quot; the ICJ said in a statement.

Under the court&#39;s rules, states can ask for a judgement to be revised if new facts come to light within 10 years of the first ruling. 
The ICJ will now have to decide whether the case can proceed.

(AFP)

In a filing to the ICJ, Malaysia maintained new documents had been discovered in British archives backing its territorial claim to the islet

Malaysia on Friday reopened a decades-old dispute with Singapore calling on the UN's top court to overturn a 2008 ruling granting its neighbour sovereignty over a tiny but strategic island. In a filing to the International Court of Justice, Kuala Lumpur maintained new documents had been discovered in British archives backing its territorial claim to the islet. For several decades, Malaysia had laid claim to the island it knows as Pulau Batu Puteh, while Singapore, which calls it Pedra Branca, argued sovereignty had passed to it tacitly. The island is in a strategically important position, 7.7 nautical miles (14 kilometres) off Johor on the eastern approach to the Singapore Strait from the South China Sea. Singapore had operated the Horsburgh Lighthouse on the granite island, whose names mean "white rock" in Malay and Portuguese, for more than 130 years without protest from its neighbour. But in a new map of its maritime boundaries drawn up in 1980, Kuala Lumpur claimed the islet as its own. After years of negotiations failed, the parties turned to the tribunal in The Hague, which in 2008 ruled the island belonged to Singapore. But in its filing Friday, Malaysia asked the court to revise that judgement based on the discovery of three documents in the British national archives between August last year and the end of January. They included internal correspondence from the Singapore colonial authorities in 1958, a British naval incident report from 1958 and a map from the 1960s. Kuala Lumpur maintained these documents showed that "officials at the highest levels in the British colonial and Singaporean administration appreciated that Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh did not form part of Singapore`s sovereign territory," the ICJ said in a statement. Under the court's rules, states can ask for a judgement to be revised if new facts come to light within 10 years of the first ruling. The ICJ will now have to decide whether the case can proceed. (AFP)

Revise order on Singapore islet dispute in light of fresh evidence, Malaysia tells ICJ

Singapore&#39;s senior minister for defence and foreign affairs, Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, visited his Bangladeshi counterpart Shahriar Alam in Dhaka this week to discuss counter-terrorism efforts between the two countries among other bilateral issues.

Singapore has deported at least 37 Bangladeshi workers after the country&#39;s internal security department found incriminating materials linking them to jihadist ideologies.

Last May, the security department detained eight Bangladeshis suspected of being members of &quot;Islamic State in Bangladesh&quot;.&nbsp;

Singaporean investigators said members of the terror outfit intend to join Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. &quot;However, as they felt that it would be difficult for them to make their way to Syria, they focused their plans instead on returning to Bangladesh to overthrow the democratically-elected government through the use of force, establish an Islamic State in Bangladesh and bring it under ISIS&#39; self-declared caliphate,&quot; says a press release issued by the Singapore&#39;s ministry of home affairs.

Bangladeshi authorities however, said they have not found link of the group with any of the existing terror outfits in the country.

&quot;We didn&#39;t get any connection with those who were deported from Singapore with the killers in our country,&quot; Monirul Islam, chief of Bangladesh&#39;s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime told WION.

He continued, &quot;They were workers in Singapore. They have been working there for a long time. Some of them have stayed there for three to eight years. Before going to Singapore they were not radicals. We think it was someone from Singapore who played a key role in radicalising these people. &quot;

Investigators told WION that members of Neo Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh have been waging attacks in the country by pledging their allegiance to Islamic State while another group Ansar Al Islam with affiliation to Al Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has been carrying out attacks in the home soil.

At least 30 people, including atheist bloggers, academicians, clerics of Hindu, Buddhist and Christian faiths, an LGBT activist&nbsp;and&nbsp;and policemen have been killed in machete attacks across Bangladesh since 2013.

Last July, Bangladesh experienced the deadliest terror attack in which 20 civilians including 17 foreign nationals were killed at an upmarket restaurant in Dhaka. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack.

(WION) 
&nbsp;

Singapore has deported at least 37 Bangladeshi workers after finding incriminating materials linking them to jihadist ideologies

Singapore's senior minister for defence and foreign affairs, Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, visited his Bangladeshi counterpart Shahriar Alam in Dhaka this week to discuss counter-terrorism efforts between the two countries among other bilateral issues. Singapore has deported at least 37 Bangladeshi workers after the country's internal security department found incriminating materials linking them to jihadist ideologies. Last May, the security department detained eight Bangladeshis suspected of being members of "Islamic State in Bangladesh". Singaporean investigators said members of the terror outfit intend to join Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. "However, as they felt that it would be difficult for them to make their way to Syria, they focused their plans instead on returning to Bangladesh to overthrow the democratically-elected government through the use of force, establish an Islamic State in Bangladesh and bring it under ISIS' self-declared caliphate," says a press release issued by the Singapore's ministry of home affairs. Bangladeshi authorities however, said they have not found link of the group with any of the existing terror outfits in the country. "We didn't get any connection with those who were deported from Singapore with the killers in our country," Monirul Islam, chief of Bangladesh's Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime told WION. He continued, "They were workers in Singapore. They have been working there for a long time. Some of them have stayed there for three to eight years. Before going to Singapore they were not radicals. We think it was someone from Singapore who played a key role in radicalising these people. " Investigators told WION that members of Neo Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh have been waging attacks in the country by pledging their allegiance to Islamic State while another group Ansar Al Islam with affiliation to Al Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) has been carrying out attacks in the home soil. At least 30 people, including atheist bloggers, academicians, clerics of Hindu, Buddhist and Christian faiths, an LGBT activist and and policemen have been killed in machete attacks across Bangladesh since 2013. Last July, Bangladesh experienced the deadliest terror attack in which 20 civilians including 17 foreign nationals were killed at an upmarket restaurant in Dhaka. Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack. (WION)

Singapore and Bangladesh officials discuss counter-terrorism efforts in Dhaka meeting

On a month-on-month basis, non-oil domestic exports increased 2.4 per cent.

Singapore’s exports in September fell lesser than estimated after a decline in shipments to China moderated and sales to Europe rebounded even as the outlook for the trade-dependent economy remained grim on sluggish global demand. Non-oil domestic exports last month slipped to 4.8 per cent from a year earlier, trade agency International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore) said in a statement on Monday, Reuters reported. The median forecast in a Reuters poll showed a six per cent contraction. In August, overseas sales stalled with shipments to the US picking up and exports to China falling less than the previous month. On a month-on-month basis, non-oil domestic exports increased 2.4 per cent. In September, IE Singapore said, beating a forecast 1.5 percent expansion in the survey. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Singapore: September exports fall 4.8 per cent

As the mosquito-borne Zika virus continues to travel across the world from Africa to the Americas and Asia, Singapore confirmed more cases of infected persons today. 
 
With more than 50 Singaporeans infected, the country&rsquo;s health ministry confirmed that 21 Chinese nationals and six Bangladeshi nationals have tested positive for the virus. 
 
In a statement sent to Reuters, the foreign ministry, however, added that the health situation was not serious and that some of them had recovered. 
 
&quot;We have been informed yesterday by the Ministry of Health that of those tested positive, as of 12 noon on August 30, six are Bangladeshi nationals,&quot; Mahbub Uz Zaman, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Singapore told Reuters by email. 
 
Malaysia too confirmed on Thursday its first case of Zika after a woman tested positive, following her trip to Singapore. 
 
&quot;We are carrying out control measures against aedes mosquitoes near the woman&#39;s home to prevent the spread of the virus,&quot; Malaysia&rsquo;s health minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said. 
 
The minister said that the government had intensified vector-control activities in the locality that the woman belonged to. 
Singapore had announced the first locally contracted case of Zika late on Saturday, and the number has grown steadily through this week. 
 
A total of five Malaysians have so far been identified as having tested positive for Zika in Singapore, Sathasivam said. 
Cases of Zika infections were also been reported from Florida last month. 
 
US health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. 
 
Discover&nbsp;more on Zika, in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/wion-edge/interactive-zikas-origin-and-global-spread-2887">this WION interactive</a>. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

The country?s health ministry today confirmed that 21 Chinese nationals and six Bangladeshi nationals in Singapore have tested positive

As the mosquito-borne Zika virus continues to travel across the world from Africa to the Americas and Asia, Singapore confirmed more cases of infected persons today. With more than 50 Singaporeans infected, the country’s health ministry confirmed that 21 Chinese nationals and six Bangladeshi nationals have tested positive for the virus. In a statement sent to Reuters, the foreign ministry, however, added that the health situation was not serious and that some of them had recovered. "We have been informed yesterday by the Ministry of Health that of those tested positive, as of 12 noon on August 30, six are Bangladeshi nationals," Mahbub Uz Zaman, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Singapore told Reuters by email. Malaysia too confirmed on Thursday its first case of Zika after a woman tested positive, following her trip to Singapore. "We are carrying out control measures against aedes mosquitoes near the woman's home to prevent the spread of the virus," Malaysia’s health minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said. The minister said that the government had intensified vector-control activities in the locality that the woman belonged to. Singapore had announced the first locally contracted case of Zika late on Saturday, and the number has grown steadily through this week. A total of five Malaysians have so far been identified as having tested positive for Zika in Singapore, Sathasivam said. Cases of Zika infections were also been reported from Florida last month. US health officials have concluded that Zika infections in pregnant women can cause microcephaly, a birth defect marked by small head size that can lead to severe developmental problems in babies. Discover more on Zika, in this WION interactive. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Zika worsens in Singapore, more than 100 infected

Florida health officials on Tuesday said that they were investigating three new Zika virus cases. 
 
They were likely stemming from local mosquito bites in Miami-Dade county. Only one of these cases was linked to Miami beach. 
 
The total number of non-travel- related cases in the state now stands at 46, the Florida Department of Health data states. 
 
&quot;One case does not mean ongoing active transmission is taking place,&quot; the department said. 
 
It believes ongoing transmission is only taking place in parts of Miami Beach and the Miami neighborhood of Wynwood, the site of the first local Zika transmission in the United States. 
 
Health department workers have been going door-to-door in Pinellas, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties to create awareness among residents about the virus and offer voluntary tests. 
 
The Zika virus was first detected in Brazil last year and has now spread across the Americas. The virus poses a risk to pregnant women and can cause severe birth defects, including microcephaly. 
 
(WION with inputs from agencies)

The total number of non-travel- related cases in the state has now reached 46

Florida health officials on Tuesday said that they were investigating three new Zika virus cases. They were likely stemming from local mosquito bites in Miami-Dade county. Only one of these cases was linked to Miami beach. The total number of non-travel- related cases in the state now stands at 46, the Florida Department of Health data states. "One case does not mean ongoing active transmission is taking place," the department said. It believes ongoing transmission is only taking place in parts of Miami Beach and the Miami neighborhood of Wynwood, the site of the first local Zika transmission in the United States. Health department workers have been going door-to-door in Pinellas, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties to create awareness among residents about the virus and offer voluntary tests. The Zika virus was first detected in Brazil last year and has now spread across the Americas. The virus poses a risk to pregnant women and can cause severe birth defects, including microcephaly. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Health officials investigate 3 new Zika cases in Florida

Sherine Toh says her best days at work are when none of the 600-or-so staff at Singapore&#39;s Tung Lok Restaurants quits, though such days are rare. 
 
The Chinese restaurant group is one of the thousands of businesses struggling with a labour crunch caused by foreign worker curbs, that threaten the city-state&#39;s already feeble growth rates. 
 
&quot;It has gotten much more tougher compared to the old days, five years back,&quot; said Toh, who has at least 20 vacancies to fill at any one time as head of human resources. The group closed some outlets because of the shortage. 
 
The city&#39;s restaurants, hotels, and retailers have become the biggest casualties of the labour crunch since Singapore accelerated restrictions on foreign workers in 2011 as political disquiet about immigration grew. But its highly-educated locals largely shun the late hours and unglamorous work. 
 
To address the constraints, Singapore is pushing businesses to look to non-human solutions for their human resource challenges, including greater use of automation and robotics. 
 
At Chilli Padi Nonya Cafe near a leafy university enclave, a tray-wielding robot roams the eatery, offering to collect plates from patrons in a childlike voice. Navigating its way through customers, it delivers the dirty dishes to the kitchen. 
 
While tech powerhouses such as Japan, the US&nbsp;and Germany invest billions in robotics to compete commercially in the emerging sector, Singapore&#39;s robots push is driven by a much more urgent need: the survival of some labour-strapped small and medium sized businesses may depend on them. 
 
In the food and beverage industry, 90 per cent of the businesses face the shortage and about a third are &quot;really struggling&quot;, according to its lobby group. 
 
&quot;There is an increasing number of businesses that are up for sale,&quot; said Lim Rui Shan, executive director at the Restaurant Association of Singapore, which represents 2,200 outlets. &quot;Some of them just shut down.&quot; 
 
To encourage adoption, Singapore this year announced plans to spend S$450 million ($333 million) over three years to fund robot development and deployment. 
 
Andrew Khaw, Infocomm Development Authority&#39;s senior director of productivity growth through information and communications technology, admits the take-up of robots is slower than he would like. 
 
But he says the lack of manpower is a new operating reality businesses now need to accept. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a bit of &#39;let&#39;s see who blinks first&#39;. As far as the government is concerned, we can&#39;t go back on this policy,&quot; Khaw said. 
 
Service robots can be found in Singapore, in hospitals and restaurants, as waiters or cleaners but are less ubiquitous than might be expected for the aggressively tech-oriented economy. 
 
James Xia, director at Unitech Mechatronics, which built the busboy robot Chilli Padi uses, sees export potential in his product but says development outlays mean commercialisation is slow. 
 
Xia thinks more upfront government grants, rather than the current post-project reimbursements, could accelerate development. 
 
Another firm, Aitech Robotics, and Automation&nbsp;has developed a tea-lady robot that delivers food and drinks throughout a seven-storey building to workers in their offices. 
 
But the company&#39;s business development manager, Eric Lee, says orders are slow and doesn&#39;t expect to make any money on the showcase robot. 
 
Weak capital expenditure amid the global economic slowdown has made it difficult for a virtuous robot development cycle to rev up in Singapore. 
 
&quot;In a hypothetical situation where there were no foreign manpower curbs, then (domestic) growth may have been a little bit higher,&quot; said Selena Ling, head of treasury research for OCBC. 
 
For now, manpower is just one of many economic challenges: Singapore cut its 2016 growth forecast this month after revising down its second-quarter growth as the service sector contracted. 
 
(Reuters)

To address a labour crunch, Singapore is pushing businesses to look to non-human solutions

Sherine Toh says her best days at work are when none of the 600-or-so staff at Singapore's Tung Lok Restaurants quits, though such days are rare. The Chinese restaurant group is one of the thousands of businesses struggling with a labour crunch caused by foreign worker curbs, that threaten the city-state's already feeble growth rates. "It has gotten much more tougher compared to the old days, five years back," said Toh, who has at least 20 vacancies to fill at any one time as head of human resources. The group closed some outlets because of the shortage. The city's restaurants, hotels, and retailers have become the biggest casualties of the labour crunch since Singapore accelerated restrictions on foreign workers in 2011 as political disquiet about immigration grew. But its highly-educated locals largely shun the late hours and unglamorous work. To address the constraints, Singapore is pushing businesses to look to non-human solutions for their human resource challenges, including greater use of automation and robotics. At Chilli Padi Nonya Cafe near a leafy university enclave, a tray-wielding robot roams the eatery, offering to collect plates from patrons in a childlike voice. Navigating its way through customers, it delivers the dirty dishes to the kitchen. While tech powerhouses such as Japan, the US and Germany invest billions in robotics to compete commercially in the emerging sector, Singapore's robots push is driven by a much more urgent need: the survival of some labour-strapped small and medium sized businesses may depend on them. In the food and beverage industry, 90 per cent of the businesses face the shortage and about a third are "really struggling", according to its lobby group. "There is an increasing number of businesses that are up for sale," said Lim Rui Shan, executive director at the Restaurant Association of Singapore, which represents 2,200 outlets. "Some of them just shut down." To encourage adoption, Singapore this year announced plans to spend S$450 million ($333 million) over three years to fund robot development and deployment. Andrew Khaw, Infocomm Development Authority's senior director of productivity growth through information and communications technology, admits the take-up of robots is slower than he would like. But he says the lack of manpower is a new operating reality businesses now need to accept. "It's a bit of 'let's see who blinks first'. As far as the government is concerned, we can't go back on this policy," Khaw said. Service robots can be found in Singapore, in hospitals and restaurants, as waiters or cleaners but are less ubiquitous than might be expected for the aggressively tech-oriented economy. James Xia, director at Unitech Mechatronics, which built the busboy robot Chilli Padi uses, sees export potential in his product but says development outlays mean commercialisation is slow. Xia thinks more upfront government grants, rather than the current post-project reimbursements, could accelerate development. Another firm, Aitech Robotics, and Automation has developed a tea-lady robot that delivers food and drinks throughout a seven-storey building to workers in their offices. But the company's business development manager, Eric Lee, says orders are slow and doesn't expect to make any money on the showcase robot. Weak capital expenditure amid the global economic slowdown has made it difficult for a virtuous robot development cycle to rev up in Singapore. "In a hypothetical situation where there were no foreign manpower curbs, then (domestic) growth may have been a little bit higher," said Selena Ling, head of treasury research for OCBC. For now, manpower is just one of many economic challenges: Singapore cut its 2016 growth forecast this month after revising down its second-quarter growth as the service sector contracted. (Reuters)

Can Singapore's labour crunch spark a robot revolution?

Singapore called for heightened vigilance on Saturday, a day after Indonesian police arrested a group of men they believed were plotting a rocket attack on the wealthy city-state with the help of a Syrian-based Islamic State militant. 
 
The six suspected militants were rounded up on Friday in dawn raids on Batam island, which is about 15 kilometres (10 miles) south of Singapore, and local police chief Sam Budigusdian said they were still being held there while investigations continued. 
 
Singapore&#39;s home affairs minister, K Shanmugam, said the men had plans to hit Marina Bay, the state&#39;s glittering downtown waterfront, where night-time Formula One Grand Prix Races are held alongside a giant Ferris wheel and a swanky casino resort. 
 
&quot;This shows how our enemies are thinking of different ways of attacking us,&quot; Shanmugam said in a Facebook posting. 
 
&quot;Terrorists...will seek to come in through our checkpoints; they will also try to launch attacks from just outside. And this is in addition to lone wolf attacks from radicalised individuals/groups. We have to be extra vigilant.&quot; 
 
Batam is linked to Singapore by frequent ferries and its beach resorts and golf courses are a popular weekend getaway destination for Singaporeans, who are preparing to celebrate their National Day holiday on Tuesday. 
 
 
Singapore: target for Islamic State 
 
Multi-ethnic Singapore, a major commercial, banking and travel hub that is home to many Western expatriates, has never seen a successful attack by Islamist militants.&nbsp;However, authorities did break up a plot to bomb several embassies soon after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, and a Singaporean militant was accused of plotting to crash a hijacked plane into the city&#39;s airport in 2002. 
 
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said this week Singapore was a target for Islamic State because it is &quot;a rational, open, cosmopolitan country&quot;, even though it is not involved in the US-led campaign against the group in the Middle East. 
 
The six arrested on Batam, mostly factory workers, according to local media, were suspected of having links to Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian now fighting with Islamic State in Syria. 
 
&quot;There&#39;s a link to Bahrun Naim because there was communication with Bahrun Naim, but whether they were affiliated with Bahrun Naim&#39;s group or not, this is what we&#39;re investigating now,&quot; police spokesman Agus Rianto said.&nbsp;Indonesian investigators believe that Naim was one of the masterminds behind an attack in January in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, in which eight people were killed, including the four attackers. 
 
In a blog post after the coordinated shootings and suicide bombings across Paris last November, Naim urged his Indonesian audience to study the planning, targeting, timing and courage of the jihadis who killed 130 people in the French capital. 
 
 
Turning Point 
 
Asked on Friday if physical evidence of preparations for a rocket attack had been discovered, Rianto said &quot;not yet&quot;.&nbsp;Some security analysts were doubtful that a rocket attack on Singapore from Batam was feasible, but Tim Ripley of Jane&#39;s Defence Weekly said it was possible. 
 
&quot;They would be the long-range variants of the Grad rocket, originally from Russia but copied in China, Iran, Pakistan and several other countries,&quot; Ripley said. &quot;Very simple to use but very inaccurate at the ranges for this attack. The damage would depend on where they hit but the potential for casualties would be high.&quot; 
 
If the plan for a rocket launch on Singapore is confirmed, it would suggest that militants in Southeast Asia are preparing far more sophisticated attacks than those of recent months.&nbsp;Indonesia, home to the world&#39;s largest Muslim population, has itself seen attacks by Islamist militants before. The bombing of two nightclubs on the resort island of Bali that killed 202 people was among a spate of attacks during the 2000s. 
 
Police were largely successful in destroying domestic militant cells after that, but they now worry the influence of Islamic State will bring a resurgence of jihadi violence.&nbsp;Authorities in Indonesia and neighbouring Malaysia say dozens of men have gone from those countries to join Islamic State&#39;s fight in the Middle East. 
 
Security officials fear that Naim and other Islamic State leaders are now asking supporters in Southeast Asia to launch attacks at home.&nbsp;However, Jakarta-based security analyst Sidney Jones said it would be a departure for Naim and his supporters if they were thinking of attacking targets outside Indonesia. 
 
&quot;One thing I think is clear is Bahrun Naim has been able to establish a lot of communication with a lot of people through his social media network,&quot; Jones said. 
 
(Reuters)

Rocket attack planned on downtown waterfront, where night-time Formula One races are held next to a Ferris wheel and swanky casino: Minister

Singapore called for heightened vigilance on Saturday, a day after Indonesian police arrested a group of men they believed were plotting a rocket attack on the wealthy city-state with the help of a Syrian-based Islamic State militant. The six suspected militants were rounded up on Friday in dawn raids on Batam island, which is about 15 kilometres (10 miles) south of Singapore, and local police chief Sam Budigusdian said they were still being held there while investigations continued. Singapore's home affairs minister, K Shanmugam, said the men had plans to hit Marina Bay, the state's glittering downtown waterfront, where night-time Formula One Grand Prix Races are held alongside a giant Ferris wheel and a swanky casino resort. "This shows how our enemies are thinking of different ways of attacking us," Shanmugam said in a Facebook posting. "Terrorists...will seek to come in through our checkpoints; they will also try to launch attacks from just outside. And this is in addition to lone wolf attacks from radicalised individuals/groups. We have to be extra vigilant." Batam is linked to Singapore by frequent ferries and its beach resorts and golf courses are a popular weekend getaway destination for Singaporeans, who are preparing to celebrate their National Day holiday on Tuesday. Singapore: target for Islamic State Multi-ethnic Singapore, a major commercial, banking and travel hub that is home to many Western expatriates, has never seen a successful attack by Islamist militants. However, authorities did break up a plot to bomb several embassies soon after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, and a Singaporean militant was accused of plotting to crash a hijacked plane into the city's airport in 2002. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said this week Singapore was a target for Islamic State because it is "a rational, open, cosmopolitan country", even though it is not involved in the US-led campaign against the group in the Middle East. The six arrested on Batam, mostly factory workers, according to local media, were suspected of having links to Bahrun Naim, an Indonesian now fighting with Islamic State in Syria. "There's a link to Bahrun Naim because there was communication with Bahrun Naim, but whether they were affiliated with Bahrun Naim's group or not, this is what we're investigating now," police spokesman Agus Rianto said. Indonesian investigators believe that Naim was one of the masterminds behind an attack in January in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, in which eight people were killed, including the four attackers. In a blog post after the coordinated shootings and suicide bombings across Paris last November, Naim urged his Indonesian audience to study the planning, targeting, timing and courage of the jihadis who killed 130 people in the French capital. Turning Point Asked on Friday if physical evidence of preparations for a rocket attack had been discovered, Rianto said "not yet". Some security analysts were doubtful that a rocket attack on Singapore from Batam was feasible, but Tim Ripley of Jane's Defence Weekly said it was possible. "They would be the long-range variants of the Grad rocket, originally from Russia but copied in China, Iran, Pakistan and several other countries," Ripley said. "Very simple to use but very inaccurate at the ranges for this attack. The damage would depend on where they hit but the potential for casualties would be high." If the plan for a rocket launch on Singapore is confirmed, it would suggest that militants in Southeast Asia are preparing far more sophisticated attacks than those of recent months. Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population, has itself seen attacks by Islamist militants before. The bombing of two nightclubs on the resort island of Bali that killed 202 people was among a spate of attacks during the 2000s. Police were largely successful in destroying domestic militant cells after that, but they now worry the influence of Islamic State will bring a resurgence of jihadi violence. Authorities in Indonesia and neighbouring Malaysia say dozens of men have gone from those countries to join Islamic State's fight in the Middle East. Security officials fear that Naim and other Islamic State leaders are now asking supporters in Southeast Asia to launch attacks at home. However, Jakarta-based security analyst Sidney Jones said it would be a departure for Naim and his supporters if they were thinking of attacking targets outside Indonesia. "One thing I think is clear is Bahrun Naim has been able to establish a lot of communication with a lot of people through his social media network," Jones said. (Reuters)

Singapore on high alert as suspected militant gang arrested

Singapore on Tuesday sentenced four Bangladeshis to between two and five years in jail after they pleaded guilty to raising money for an alleged Islamist terror plot in their home country. 
 
District Judge Kessler Soh said in handing down the sentences that &quot;terrorism is a clear and present danger&quot; which presents a &quot;threat not just to our community but the international community at large&quot;. 
 
Ringleader Rahman Mizanur, 31, was jailed for five years, the longest of the sentences. Two others, said to be the treasurers of the group, were each jailed for two-and-a-half years, and the fourth man got two years. 
 
&quot;Terrorism financing and any act of supporting terrorism must be roundly condemned and deterred,&quot; the judge said. 
 
&quot;Stiff punishment is needed in this case, not just to punish but also to deter others.&quot; 
 
The four, the first suspects to be prosecuted in Singapore under a new anti-terror law, were brought to court under heavy security by members of the city&#39;s elite Gurkha unit. 
 
Dressed in purple jumpsuits with the words &quot;detainee&quot; emblazoned across their backs, the men were shackled hand and foot. 
 
Court documents said the men contributed, collected or possessed funds for the alleged plot ranging from Sg$60 ($44) to Sg$1,360. 
 
Items seized from the men included manuals on bomb-making and how to use a 0.50 calibre sniper rifle, along with a list of Bangladesh government and military officials targeted for attack, Singapore&#39;s home affairs ministry had said. 
 
They were among a second group of Bangladeshis rounded up in Singapore since 27 were arrested in late 2015, also over alleged plots in their homeland. All from the first group have since been deported. 
 
Singapore, which depends heavily on Bangladeshis and other foreign workers in the construction sector, considers itself a potential target of extremists because of its strong military ties with the United States. 
 
(AFP)

They are?the first suspects to be prosecuted in Singapore under a new anti-terror law

Singapore on Tuesday sentenced four Bangladeshis to between two and five years in jail after they pleaded guilty to raising money for an alleged Islamist terror plot in their home country. District Judge Kessler Soh said in handing down the sentences that "terrorism is a clear and present danger" which presents a "threat not just to our community but the international community at large". Ringleader Rahman Mizanur, 31, was jailed for five years, the longest of the sentences. Two others, said to be the treasurers of the group, were each jailed for two-and-a-half years, and the fourth man got two years. "Terrorism financing and any act of supporting terrorism must be roundly condemned and deterred," the judge said. "Stiff punishment is needed in this case, not just to punish but also to deter others." The four, the first suspects to be prosecuted in Singapore under a new anti-terror law, were brought to court under heavy security by members of the city's elite Gurkha unit. Dressed in purple jumpsuits with the words "detainee" emblazoned across their backs, the men were shackled hand and foot. Court documents said the men contributed, collected or possessed funds for the alleged plot ranging from Sg$60 ($44) to Sg$1,360. Items seized from the men included manuals on bomb-making and how to use a 0.50 calibre sniper rifle, along with a list of Bangladesh government and military officials targeted for attack, Singapore's home affairs ministry had said. They were among a second group of Bangladeshis rounded up in Singapore since 27 were arrested in late 2015, also over alleged plots in their homeland. All from the first group have since been deported. Singapore, which depends heavily on Bangladeshis and other foreign workers in the construction sector, considers itself a potential target of extremists because of its strong military ties with the United States. (AFP)

Singapore jails four Bangladeshis for financing terrorism

IBM plans to open a blockchain innovation centre in Singapore in collaboration with the government, as the city-state strives to become Asia&#39;s main financial technology hub. 
 
The tech giant will be working with the main economic planning agency, the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to accelerate blockchain adoption for finance and trade. 
 
One project, together with PSA International, one of the world&#39;s largest container transshipment ports owned by state investor Temasek Holdings, aims to connect fintech with global trade and logistics. 
 
The blockchain technology works by creating permanent, public &quot;ledgers&quot; of all transactions that could potentially replace complicated systems such as clearing and settlement with one simple database. 
 
Singapore is rushing to reinvent itself as Asia&#39;s fintech hub to fend off a regulatory threat to its wealth management industry and revive a sluggish economy. 
 
Observers say it is ahead of long-time rival Hong Kong, but measures to curb the number of foreign workers and previous regulations creating a risk averse culture at odds with the trial-and-error approach of fintech start-ups, remain key obstacles in developing the sector. 
 
(Reuters)

Singapore is rushing to reinvent itself as Asia's fintech hub to revive a sluggish economy

IBM plans to open a blockchain innovation centre in Singapore in collaboration with the government, as the city-state strives to become Asia's main financial technology hub. The tech giant will be working with the main economic planning agency, the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) to accelerate blockchain adoption for finance and trade. One project, together with PSA International, one of the world's largest container transshipment ports owned by state investor Temasek Holdings, aims to connect fintech with global trade and logistics. The blockchain technology works by creating permanent, public "ledgers" of all transactions that could potentially replace complicated systems such as clearing and settlement with one simple database. Singapore is rushing to reinvent itself as Asia's fintech hub to fend off a regulatory threat to its wealth management industry and revive a sluggish economy. Observers say it is ahead of long-time rival Hong Kong, but measures to curb the number of foreign workers and previous regulations creating a risk averse culture at odds with the trial-and-error approach of fintech start-ups, remain key obstacles in developing the sector. (Reuters)

IBM to open first blockchain innovation centre in Singapore

Singapore will call for tenders for waste and water infrastructure projects, estimated to cost a total of S$9.5 billion ($7.03 billion), as the land-scarce nation looks for more ways to manage refuse and treat used water. 
 
PUB, Singapore&#39;s national water agency, will request for consultancy and construction tenders from the third quarter for the second phase of its deep tunnel sewerage system. This includes extending the existing system and transporting used water from municipal and industrial sources to a new treatment plant. 
 
Singapore is a hub for water technology and is working towards becoming self-sufficient in water by 2061, when a supply agreement with Malaysia expires. 
 
Tenders will also be called for a planned integrated waste management facility, which will be able to process different kinds of waste and will have an incineration capacity of 5,800 tonnes per day, the PUB and the National Environment Agency of Singapore said in a statement on Monday. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp;

Aiming to be self-sufficient in water by 2061, when a supply pact with Malaysia expires, the country is looking at ways to treat used water

Singapore will call for tenders for waste and water infrastructure projects, estimated to cost a total of S$9.5 billion ($7.03 billion), as the land-scarce nation looks for more ways to manage refuse and treat used water. PUB, Singapore's national water agency, will request for consultancy and construction tenders from the third quarter for the second phase of its deep tunnel sewerage system. This includes extending the existing system and transporting used water from municipal and industrial sources to a new treatment plant. Singapore is a hub for water technology and is working towards becoming self-sufficient in water by 2061, when a supply agreement with Malaysia expires. Tenders will also be called for a planned integrated waste management facility, which will be able to process different kinds of waste and will have an incineration capacity of 5,800 tonnes per day, the PUB and the National Environment Agency of Singapore said in a statement on Monday. (Reuters)

Singapore to call for tenders in $7 billion waste and water projects

Singapore&#39;s number 3 lender,&nbsp;United Overseas Bank (UOB),&nbsp;has suspended its loans programme for London properties in the wake of uncertainties caused by Britain&#39;s vote to leave the European Union. 
 
UOB would be among the first banks in Singapore to turn cautious on such lending, even though it is not a large amount, as Brexit spooked global markets and pushed the pound to multi-year lows. 
 
&quot;We will temporarily stop receiving foreign property loan applications for London properties,&quot; a UOB spokeswoman said in an email. 
 
&quot;As the aftermath of the UK referendum is still unfolding and given the uncertainties, we need to ensure our customers are cautious with their London property investments.&quot; 
 
Singapore&#39;s biggest lender, DBS Group Holdings, said it continued to provide financing for property purchases in London but was advising its customers to be cautious. 
 
&quot;For customers interested in buying properties in London, we would advise them to assess the situation carefully before committing to their purchases as there could be potential foreign exchange and sovereign risks,&quot; Tok Geok Peng, executive director of secured lending, consumer banking group (Singapore) at DBS Bank, said in an email. 
 
The Singapore dollar has gained about 10 per cent against the British Pound since the referendum. 
 
&quot;There have been London properties available for the last few months before the Brexit. The question is whether these properties can still continue to receive buyers in the short-term,&quot; said Alice Tan, head of consultancy and research at Knight Frank Singapore. 
 
Property consultants say data on the number of properties purchased by Singaporeans in the United Kingdom is not tracked that closely. Banks do not disclose lending data for UK property purchases. 
 
UOB said it was monitoring the market environment closely and would review it regularly to determine when it could resume its property loan offering. 
 
UOB runs an international property loans programme that also covers properties in Australia, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, according to its website. 
 
(Reuters)

The country's biggest lender, DBS Group Holdings, said it continued to provide financing but was advising customers to be cautious

Singapore's number 3 lender, United Overseas Bank (UOB), has suspended its loans programme for London properties in the wake of uncertainties caused by Britain's vote to leave the European Union. UOB would be among the first banks in Singapore to turn cautious on such lending, even though it is not a large amount, as Brexit spooked global markets and pushed the pound to multi-year lows. "We will temporarily stop receiving foreign property loan applications for London properties," a UOB spokeswoman said in an email. "As the aftermath of the UK referendum is still unfolding and given the uncertainties, we need to ensure our customers are cautious with their London property investments." Singapore's biggest lender, DBS Group Holdings, said it continued to provide financing for property purchases in London but was advising its customers to be cautious. "For customers interested in buying properties in London, we would advise them to assess the situation carefully before committing to their purchases as there could be potential foreign exchange and sovereign risks," Tok Geok Peng, executive director of secured lending, consumer banking group (Singapore) at DBS Bank, said in an email. The Singapore dollar has gained about 10 per cent against the British Pound since the referendum. "There have been London properties available for the last few months before the Brexit. The question is whether these properties can still continue to receive buyers in the short-term," said Alice Tan, head of consultancy and research at Knight Frank Singapore. Property consultants say data on the number of properties purchased by Singaporeans in the United Kingdom is not tracked that closely. Banks do not disclose lending data for UK property purchases. UOB said it was monitoring the market environment closely and would review it regularly to determine when it could resume its property loan offering. UOB runs an international property loans programme that also covers properties in Australia, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, according to its website. (Reuters)

Singapore's no. 3 lender suspends London property loans post-Brexit

Over 240 people on board a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight to Milan had a narrow escape today as their plane caught fire while making an emergency landing after the jet was forced to turn back due to a mid-air engine problem. 
 
All passengers on board Flight SQ368 are safe, the airline and airport officials said as the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, with flames leaping from the plane&#39;s wing, touched down at Changi airport. 
 
The flight departed from Changi airport or Milan at 2.05 a.m today but about two hours into the flight, the pilot announced that there was a problem in the engine and the flight had to turn back to Singapore. 
 
The SIA said in a statement that Flight SQ368 was en route from Singapore to Milan when an &quot;engine oil warning message&quot; forced it to turn back. 
 
&quot;The aircraft&#39;s right engine caught fire after the aircraft touched down at Changi airport at about 6:50 am,&quot; the statement said. 
 
&quot;The fire was put out by airport emergency services and the 222 passengers and 19 crew on board were unharmed. Passengers disembarked through stairs and were transported to the terminal building by bus,&quot; it said. 
 
Changi airport also issued a statement saying that the fire was extinguished &quot;within minutes&quot; by the Airport emergency service team, which was already on standby. 
 
According to a passenger, Mamta Jain, whose husband was on board the flight, the plane&#39;s engine &quot;exploded and the right wing was burning&quot; while it was landing. 
 
&quot;The pilot announced during the flight there was a problem with one of the engines that they would turn back. When they landed he said engine was on fire, he could see flames. They were all inside the plane and they could see the right wing burning,&quot; Jain was quoted as saying by Channel News Asia. 
 
One passenger posted a harrowing account and a video of the engine fire on Facebook. 
 
The video clip, shot from a window seat, showed huge flames and smoke engulfing the right engine. 
 
&quot;I just escaped death!&quot; Facebook user Lee Bee Yee said in a post that accompanied the video clip. 
 
Lee, who was onboard the flight with her husband, said there was a strong smell of fuel on the plane. 
 
&quot;The pilot said he was going to turn back because the engine is leaking oil on the right side. The captain said that they cannot turn on that side of the engine or else the plane will be vibrating. And they can&#39;t fly like this to Milan...That&#39;s why they turned back,&quot; she said. 
 
It was an agonising five-minute wait for the firefighters to arrive after we landed and the fire erupted, Lee said. After they arrived, firefighters sprayed foam and water on the plane and the fire was put out in about five to 10 minutes, she said.&nbsp; 
 
(PTI)

The 222 passengers and 19 crew members on board Boeing 777-300ER aircraft were safe and were evacuated by the airport emergency service

Over 240 people on board a Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight to Milan had a narrow escape today as their plane caught fire while making an emergency landing after the jet was forced to turn back due to a mid-air engine problem. All passengers on board Flight SQ368 are safe, the airline and airport officials said as the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, with flames leaping from the plane's wing, touched down at Changi airport. The flight departed from Changi airport or Milan at 2.05 a.m today but about two hours into the flight, the pilot announced that there was a problem in the engine and the flight had to turn back to Singapore. The SIA said in a statement that Flight SQ368 was en route from Singapore to Milan when an "engine oil warning message" forced it to turn back. "The aircraft's right engine caught fire after the aircraft touched down at Changi airport at about 6:50 am," the statement said. "The fire was put out by airport emergency services and the 222 passengers and 19 crew on board were unharmed. Passengers disembarked through stairs and were transported to the terminal building by bus," it said. Changi airport also issued a statement saying that the fire was extinguished "within minutes" by the Airport emergency service team, which was already on standby. According to a passenger, Mamta Jain, whose husband was on board the flight, the plane's engine "exploded and the right wing was burning" while it was landing. "The pilot announced during the flight there was a problem with one of the engines that they would turn back. When they landed he said engine was on fire, he could see flames. They were all inside the plane and they could see the right wing burning," Jain was quoted as saying by Channel News Asia. One passenger posted a harrowing account and a video of the engine fire on Facebook. The video clip, shot from a window seat, showed huge flames and smoke engulfing the right engine. "I just escaped death!" Facebook user Lee Bee Yee said in a post that accompanied the video clip. Lee, who was onboard the flight with her husband, said there was a strong smell of fuel on the plane. "The pilot said he was going to turn back because the engine is leaking oil on the right side. The captain said that they cannot turn on that side of the engine or else the plane will be vibrating. And they can't fly like this to Milan...That's why they turned back," she said. It was an agonising five-minute wait for the firefighters to arrive after we landed and the fire erupted, Lee said. After they arrived, firefighters sprayed foam and water on the plane and the fire was put out in about five to 10 minutes, she said. (PTI)

Singapore Airlines plane catches fire during emergency landing

Tware, a&nbsp;Singapore design team,&nbsp;claims to have come up with a solution to coping with aches and pain in the office - a jacket that massages your muscles and attempts to correct your posture. 
 
Controlled by a mobile app and able to run for around three hours after a USB charge, &#39;Aira&#39; uses air pressure devices inside the jacket which expand to target pressure points and produce the sensation of a massage. 
 
Lin Wei Liang, the CEO of designers TWare, said the jacket was a practical office aid for people who had developed posture problems from sitting at a desk for lengthy periods or spent too long hunched over a mobile device. 
 
&quot;What we have here is much more invisible, discreet, something that you can wear just like a normal hoodie or jacket, and yet you can get that massage without people noticing,&quot; he told Reuters. 
 
Lin said his company was in the process of securing a patent for the jacket, which retails at $119 and has been developed with more than $75,000 of funds raised using crowdfunding website, Kickstarter. 
 
However, not everyone is convinced. 
 
Physiotherapist Michelle Tong agreed it could be used to de-stress but was unsure about its ability to treat pain. 
 
&quot;You question whether the person would develop a tolerance to it,&quot; Tong said. 
 
&quot;Each time they&#39;re using it, they end up having to apply a high pressure each time, just to get the same effect, as you would if you were taking painkillers for the long-term.&quot; 
(Reuters)

Singapore-based Tware has created a mobile-controlled hoodie - AiraWear - that is capable of relaxing pressure points using air pressure

Tware, a Singapore design team, claims to have come up with a solution to coping with aches and pain in the office - a jacket that massages your muscles and attempts to correct your posture. Controlled by a mobile app and able to run for around three hours after a USB charge, 'Aira' uses air pressure devices inside the jacket which expand to target pressure points and produce the sensation of a massage. Lin Wei Liang, the CEO of designers TWare, said the jacket was a practical office aid for people who had developed posture problems from sitting at a desk for lengthy periods or spent too long hunched over a mobile device. "What we have here is much more invisible, discreet, something that you can wear just like a normal hoodie or jacket, and yet you can get that massage without people noticing," he told Reuters. Lin said his company was in the process of securing a patent for the jacket, which retails at $119 and has been developed with more than $75,000 of funds raised using crowdfunding website, Kickstarter. However, not everyone is convinced. Physiotherapist Michelle Tong agreed it could be used to de-stress but was unsure about its ability to treat pain. "You question whether the person would develop a tolerance to it," Tong said. "Each time they're using it, they end up having to apply a high pressure each time, just to get the same effect, as you would if you were taking painkillers for the long-term." (Reuters)

Singapore team makes hi-tech massage jacket

Regulators in Hong Kong and Singapore have asked banks doing business there to disclose if they have dealings with entities and individuals named in the leaked &#39;Panama&nbsp;Papers&#39;&nbsp;which contained details on thousands of shell firms, people familiar with the requests said.

The leaked documents from&nbsp;Panama&nbsp;law firm Mossack Fonseca, which contained information on 214,000 offshore companies, revealed that Hong Kong was the most active centre in the world for the creation of shell firms, which have many legitimate purposes, but can also be used to hide assets&nbsp;and avoid taxes.

According to two sources familiar with the situation, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) sent letters to the banks in April. The two central banks did not set a firm deadline for a reply, the sources said.

One source, who had seen the letter sent to Hong Kong banks, said the request asked about their dealings with a list of between 16 and 18 names.

The sources did not disclose which banks were written to nor the names on the lists.

Bankers operating in Hong Kong have told Reuters that the&nbsp;Panama&nbsp;Papers&nbsp;have triggered a massive compliance exercise there, with banks carefully combing through their accounts to ensure there are no problems.

HKMA said in a statement that it regularly collects information from banks on various issues or risks relating to anti-money laundering or counter-financing of terrorism, but it could not discuss details of its dealings.

MAS did not offer fresh comment but referred to its statement on May 10 that said it was reviewing the latest batch of information released on the&nbsp;Panama&nbsp;Papers.

&quot;If there is evidence of wrongdoing by any individual or entity in Singapore, we will not hesitate to take firm supervisory and enforcement action,&quot; they said then.

Reuters contacted several large banks operating under MAS and HKMA jurisdiction, but they declined to comment when asked if they had received letters.

According to the two sources, HKMA and MAS were trying to ascertain whether banks operating in their jurisdictions carried out due diligence and checked the source of funding when dealing with clients named in the&nbsp;Panama&nbsp;Papers, they said.

One source said some banks in Singapore had already responded to the MAS request.

The leak has put tax avoidance at the top of the global agenda by showing the extent to which tax havens have been used by politicians and businesspeople around the world.

Besides Hong Kong, Singapore and China were among the busiest office for Mossack Fonseca, which worked with more than 2,200 banks, law firms, corporate secretaries and other middlemen in the territory.

A portion of the leaked data released by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists showed 51,295 offshore entities and 25,982 individuals linked to Hong Kong, and 4,188 entities and 33,290 individuals linked to China.

Some of the individuals in China routed their money through Hong Kong.

Mossack Fonseca&#39;s list of clients includes senior political figures such as Chinese President Xi Jinping&#39;s brother-in-law. Appearing on the list is not evidence of any wrongdoing. None has made any comment.

The requests by HKMA and MAS follow a series of measures taken by regulators in different parts of the world to crack down on irregularities by financial firms and undisclosed offshore wealth.

New York state&#39;s financial regulator last month told 13 foreign banks doing business there to hand over details about their dealings with a law firm in&nbsp;Panama&nbsp;that helped set up thousands of shell companies.

Many global private banks have put Asia at the centre of their growth strategy, hiring thousands of people and tapping new customer segments in a region expected soon to boast more billionaires than the United States.

Hong Kong and Singapore are two of the biggest centres for offshore wealth management in the region, which with 4.7 million individuals owning U.S.$1 million or more in liquid assets is the largest and fastest growing wealth region.

In a sign of regulatory crackdown against breaches of anti-money laundering rules, Singapore last week moved to shut Swiss bank BSI&#39;s operations there over its dealings with scandal-hit Malaysian fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad.

Hong Kong and Singapore regulators have asked banks to reveal if they have any links with those involved in the Panama Papers leak.

Regulators in Hong Kong and Singapore have asked banks doing business there to disclose if they have dealings with entities and individuals named in the leaked 'Panama Papers' which contained details on thousands of shell firms, people familiar with the requests said. The leaked documents from Panama law firm Mossack Fonseca, which contained information on 214,000 offshore companies, revealed that Hong Kong was the most active centre in the world for the creation of shell firms, which have many legitimate purposes, but can also be used to hide assets and avoid taxes. According to two sources familiar with the situation, the Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) sent letters to the banks in April. The two central banks did not set a firm deadline for a reply, the sources said. One source, who had seen the letter sent to Hong Kong banks, said the request asked about their dealings with a list of between 16 and 18 names. The sources did not disclose which banks were written to nor the names on the lists. Bankers operating in Hong Kong have told Reuters that the Panama Papers have triggered a massive compliance exercise there, with banks carefully combing through their accounts to ensure there are no problems. HKMA said in a statement that it regularly collects information from banks on various issues or risks relating to anti-money laundering or counter-financing of terrorism, but it could not discuss details of its dealings. MAS did not offer fresh comment but referred to its statement on May 10 that said it was reviewing the latest batch of information released on the Panama Papers. "If there is evidence of wrongdoing by any individual or entity in Singapore, we will not hesitate to take firm supervisory and enforcement action," they said then. Reuters contacted several large banks operating under MAS and HKMA jurisdiction, but they declined to comment when asked if they had received letters. According to the two sources, HKMA and MAS were trying to ascertain whether banks operating in their jurisdictions carried out due diligence and checked the source of funding when dealing with clients named in the Panama Papers, they said. One source said some banks in Singapore had already responded to the MAS request. The leak has put tax avoidance at the top of the global agenda by showing the extent to which tax havens have been used by politicians and businesspeople around the world. Besides Hong Kong, Singapore and China were among the busiest office for Mossack Fonseca, which worked with more than 2,200 banks, law firms, corporate secretaries and other middlemen in the territory. A portion of the leaked data released by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists showed 51,295 offshore entities and 25,982 individuals linked to Hong Kong, and 4,188 entities and 33,290 individuals linked to China. Some of the individuals in China routed their money through Hong Kong. Mossack Fonseca's list of clients includes senior political figures such as Chinese President Xi Jinping's brother-in-law. Appearing on the list is not evidence of any wrongdoing. None has made any comment. The requests by HKMA and MAS follow a series of measures taken by regulators in different parts of the world to crack down on irregularities by financial firms and undisclosed offshore wealth. New York state's financial regulator last month told 13 foreign banks doing business there to hand over details about their dealings with a law firm in Panama that helped set up thousands of shell companies. Many global private banks have put Asia at the centre of their growth strategy, hiring thousands of people and tapping new customer segments in a region expected soon to boast more billionaires than the United States. Hong Kong and Singapore are two of the biggest centres for offshore wealth management in the region, which with 4.7 million individuals owning U.S.$1 million or more in liquid assets is the largest and fastest growing wealth region. In a sign of regulatory crackdown against breaches of anti-money laundering rules, Singapore last week moved to shut Swiss bank BSI's operations there over its dealings with scandal-hit Malaysian fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad.

Asian regulators ask banks to reveal Panama Papers links - Sources

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