!asians

"Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me..." Now that the Allianz-NTUC Income bait-and-switch for policyholders and minority shareholders has put corporate greed into the spotlight, let's try to recall some instances of organisations that have pulled a fast one on us - from negligence, misrepresentation and false advertising, to the downright illegal - that at least some of us have continued to support and buy things from.

What is, in your view, the worst case scandal involving a public-facing organisation that Singaporeans have forgiven and forgotten about? I can think of a few:

BreadTalk and the soybean milk from Yeo's - In 2015, BreadTalk was caught selling Yeo's packaged soya bean milk at a close to 10x markup by repackaging it into bottles labelled as "Freshly Prepared". They later claimed that they "did not intend" to mislead consumers.

Sterra trying to sell their "water filters" by implying that PUB-supplied tap water was full of germs and using pseudo-scientific, non-proven claims about the benefits of alkaline in water.

Spize (the restaurant chain) causing a man's death from food poisoning caused by poor food handling practices, and then racking up more food hygiene violations over the years (most recently in their 2 Bedok outlets). I really wonder how they manage to stay in business.

Huawei making thousands of seniors queue for $54 phones on our 54th national day, only to discover that the promotion was limited to 10 sets per store (something they did not advertise).

NKF's CEO T.T. Durai paying himself peanuts (i.e. $600k), flying first class, and installing a gold tap in his bathroom, all using funds donated by the public. NKF tried to sue SPH for defamation (haha!), and that ended up being the beginning of the end for Durai.

Anyone can think of more? Please, try to keep this apolitical unless it is really serious and affected a lot of people.

Edit: Wow, Mr Ib's downmarsey army is out in full force today!

Cardinal William Goh, the Archbishop of Singapore, said of the visit: "It has been 38 years since we had a visit from the Vicar of Christ to Singapore, when Pope St John Paul II honoured us with a visit on 20 November 1986.

"It is my hope that this visit of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, will bring renewed fervour to all Catholics in Singapore, uniting them in faith and mission, especially in these most challenging of times."

There are about 243,000 Roman Catholics in Singapore, according to the 2020 census.

@Xanthia you gotta go

From Monday, some passengers arriving in Singapore's Changi Airport won't need to show their passports to clear immigration.

As part of a trial, Singapore residents arriving in Terminal 3 who use the lanes designated for the country's new "token-less clearance" program can enter the country using eye and facial biometric processing, rather than passports, according to the country's Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.

"Residents" as defined by the program include citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders.

The program will be rolled out to all terminals at Changi Airport by September, as well as Singapore's Seletar Airport and Marina Bay Cruise Centre by December 2024, according to Singapore authorities.

Who is eligible?

Under the new passport-less immigration program, Singapore residents will not need to show their passports to arrive and depart at air and sea checkpoints.

Foreigners are also eligible for the program, but only when leaving Singapore. Foreign travelers must also enroll their iris, facial and fingerprint biometrics at manual immigration counters, according to Singapore's Immigration & Checkpoints Authority.

However, children under six years old cannot use biometric clearance, or automated lanes at all, to clear immigration, according to authorities.

A 'paradigm shift' at the borders

Passport-less immigration clearance is part of Singapore's broader "New Clearance Concept" announced in May, which aims to modernize and automate immigration services in the country.

The concept, which authorities called a "paradigm shift in border clearance," effectively ends the era of human-led passport checks, a process the city-state has been progressively moving away from for years.

By early 2026, Singapore immigration officials expect 95% of travelers will be able to clear immigration via automated lanes. The remaining 5% are those ineligible, such as young children.

Though biometric processing is resisted by some, it is part of Singapore's efforts to strengthen its border security while also elevating travelers' experiences, according to authorities. Biometric processing is expected to reduce immigration wait times by 40%, according to immigration officials.

Some 85% of airports will use some form of biometric processing in the next three to five years, Sumesh Patel, Asia-Pacific president of SITA, told "Squawk Box Asia" in March.

Two types of passport-free clearances

The launch of biometric-only processing is the second form of passport-less immigration clearance now available in Singapore.

In May, the island began allowing travelers to use self-generated QR codes to enter and exit Singapore at two land checkpoints that connect Singapore and Malaysia.

A token — such as a QR-code — is necessary at land borders, authorities said, because they do not have advance notice of who plans to enter or leave Singapore.

Both programs are part of a larger push to modernize border control procedures in the city-state to manage higher traveler volume amid the crunch of its aging workforce.

PARIS: A significant delay due to light winds on Monday (Aug 5) meant only one race on day two of the Olympics kitefoiling opening series, with Singapore world champion Maximilian Maeder top of the standings.

Games debutant Maeder has now accumulated 11 net points after five races in the opening series. He leads Slovenia's Toni Vodisek, who also has 11, and Austria's Valentin Bontus (12).

At the Marseille Marina, Maeder had started the day in third, two net points behind Vodisek and level with Bontus.

But in the day's only race, he recorded a third place finish. Bontus took fourth, while Vlodisek took tenth.

Four races had initially been scheduled before lacklustre conditions permitted only one.

There are up to 16 fleet races in the opening series for kite-foilers, before the medals are contested on Thursday.

The opening series makes use of a low-point system like sailing, where points are awarded based on an athlete's finishing position. For example, the athlete who wins a race gets one point.

The top two move on directly to the final, while the third to tenth kitefoilers compete in two semi-finals for the remaining final spots. The winner of each semi-final moves on.

In the final, competitors will need three race wins to secure gold.

However, the top kitefoiler from the opening series begins the final with two wins and will only need one more to take gold.

The runner-up from the opening series will need two race wins to take gold, while the winning semi-finalists need all three wins.

In May, Maeder successfully defended his kitefoiling world title. Last August, the kitefoiler clinched gold in the men's kite event at the Sailing World Championships in the Netherlands.

Prior to the Olympics, the Asian Games gold medallist won five events in a row, with the youngster winning the men's title at the Formula Kite European Championships in March.

Catch the widest coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on mewatch. Go to www.mewatch.sg/paris2024 for more details.

Darn neighbor looks good for his age an mayo would been fat and bald by this age with no chin bone viable

Singaporean shuttler Loh Kean Yew moves on to the quarter-finals in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

In a nail-biting match, Loh faced Li Shifeng from China in the round of 16.

During the first match, Loh was trailing 15-18, but turned the game around to win 23-21.

In the second match, Loh continued to extend his lead.

Within 25 minutes, Loh sealed his victory with a 21-15 win.

He will move on to the quarter finals which will take place on Aug. 2.

He will face Viktor Axelsen of Denmark, the world number two.

SINGAPORE – Singapore and the United States on July 31 inked a 30-year agreement that will allow the Republic to learn more about the latest nuclear technologies and scientific research from American organisations.

The move will help Singapore make a more informed decision on nuclear power as a clean energy source, said the authorities, who stressed that no decision has been made on deploying nuclear energy.

Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan signed the 123 Agreement on Nuclear Cooperation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who visited Singapore from July 30 to July 31 as part of an 11-day visit to South-east Asia.

"Current conventional nuclear technologies are not suitable for Singapore. But given advances in civil nuclear technology, we need to stay abreast of breakthroughs in this rapidly evolving field," said Dr Balakrishnan during the signing.

"The Agreement facilitates access to information, technological expertise, and allows us to deepen our engagements with civil nuclear experts in the US," he added.

The US has 24 such agreements in force that govern peaceful nuclear cooperation with countries or entities. They are allowed to receive "significant transfers of nuclear material or equipment" from the US.

US firms are generally not authorised to export equipment and materials without a bilateral agreement in force, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute, a trade association based in the US.

In a statement on July 31, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) and the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said any decision to deploy nuclear energy in Singapore will require "detailed studies of the safety, reliability, affordability and environmental sustainability of nuclear energy in our local context".

Small modular reactors

Both ministries said Singapore will be joining the US Department of State's Foundational Infrastructure for Responsible Use of Small Modular Reactor Technology (First) programme, which supports partners to better understand small modular reactors or other newer advanced nuclear energy technologies.

Small modular reactors are thought to be more suitable for land-scarce, population-dense Singapore as they have a lower power capacity, enhanced safety standards and require much smaller buffer zones, compared with conventional reactors. Such reactors have a generation capacity about one-third of traditional reactors.

Under the First programme, Singapore will gain access to a network of US entities involved in nuclear energy, including the US National Laboratories, and countries developing newer nuclear energy technologies to facilitate its capability building process.

This will support Singapore's efforts to understand and evaluate advanced nuclear energy technologies, should viable options emerge.

"This agreement builds on the longstanding civil nuclear collaboration between (the) United States and Singapore and outlines a comprehensive framework to deepen peaceful nuclear cooperation based on a mutual commitment to nuclear non-proliferation," said both governments in a joint statement on the signing of the US-Singapore 123 Agreement.

Nuclear non-proliferation is the prevention of the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology.

The agreement is expected to come into force by end-2024, after it has been reviewed by the US Congress.

Once in force, the agreement will enable deeper nuclear cooperation, consistent with the highest international standards of safety, security, and non-proliferation, the statement added.

"(This will) build on our strong bilateral partnership," said both governments.

Push for net-zero

There has been a global resurgence of interest in nuclear energy, as countries recognise its potential in helping to get the world to net-zero emissions by 2050.

At the United Nations climate change conference COP28 in 2023, more than 20 countries – including the US, Japan and South Korea – launched a declaration to triple nuclear energy capacity globally by 2050.

Singapore has indicated that it is considering all options – including nuclear energy – as a potential clean energy source in its push to net zero by 2050, as nuclear power provides a stable source of energy in a cost-effective way.

Renewable sources such as solar and wind can provide zero-emissions energy, but their supply is less stable due to intermittencies in sunshine or wind speeds.

In South-east Asia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand all have an interest in nuclear power, with some looking to build a nuclear power plant in the next decade or so. Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam have also signed the 123 Agreements with the US.

The Nuclear Energy Institute said on its website that the purpose of these agreements is to prevent diversion of commercial nuclear materials and technology from their intended peaceful use.

Among other rules, countries will be required to adhere to the International Atomic Energy Agency standards on the use and security of nuclear material, and restrict the reprocessing and re-transfer of the material and equipment.

By signing the agreement, Singapore will have access to detailed information that the US has placed under export control.

The agreement is also a prerequisite for Singapore to collaborate with other countries that use nuclear energy technologies and designs containing intellectual property of US origin, said MSE and MTI.

In a Facebook post on July 31, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said Singapore's bilateral relationship with the US is in "excellent shape", and both nations have substantial ties in many areas, from the economy to defence and security.

"We are expanding our cooperation to new areas, including on critical emerging technologies like AI (artificial intelligence), as well as civilian nuclear energy," he added.

PM Wong said he was glad that the US and Mr Blinken himself remained committed to engaging South-east Asia.

He added that he is looking forward to strengthening both Singapore's and Asean's partnerships with the US.

International collaborations

Singapore's agreement with the US builds on the Republic's existing efforts in international collaboration to develop its domestic capability in nuclear safety. For example, existing collaborations have been in place with France, which has deep expertise in nuclear safety.

"Singapore is open to considering collaborations with countries that can support our capability building in nuclear science and safety," said MSE and MTI.

Singapore has, since 1967, also been a member state of the IAEA, where it leverages their expertise for its capability building.

The Republic is already taking nuclear safety research to the next level, with a new multi-million dollar building for the Singapore Nuclear Research and Safety Institute, ST previously reported.

The research building, which is at the National University of Singapore, has a target of having 100 nuclear safety experts in the longer term.

Evolving nuclear technology

• In a fission reaction, radioactive uranium atoms are split into two, kicking off a chain reaction that releases a large amount of energy in the form of heat and radiation. This heat is converted into electricity.

• Traditional nuclear fission power plants produce massive amounts of energy -- a single reactor produces 1,000 megawatts (MW) each day, enough to power 100 million LED bulbs.

• These reactors typically require large buffer zones, which would be beyond Singapore's radius.

• Three global nuclear accidents, including the Chernobyl meltdown and the Fukushima disaster, have made these plants controversial.

• But those incidents involved Generation II reactors, built till the 1990s. Since 2012, advanced Generation III reactors have emerged, promising better performance and safety elements.

• Large conventional nuclear fission plants -- mostly fuelled by uranium -- are the predominant types in operation currently.

• Small modular reactors (SMRs) are advanced reactors with a lower power capacity that can be factory-assembled and scaled up like Lego bricks. The power capacity of one SMR is about a third of traditional reactors, at about 300MW.

• With their smaller footprint, SMRs can be set up in dense places not suitable for larger nuclear power plants.

• SMRs also harness fission energy, but they don't require human intervention to shut down because they rely on natural forces such as circulation, convection and gravity. These increased safety elements significantly lower the risk of unsafe radioactive leaks.

• Most SMRs worldwide are still being developed.

• Fusion occurs when two hydrogen isotopes collide, releasing massive amounts of energy -- four times more than fission -- with 1kg of fuel.

• The Sun, like all stars, is powered by nuclear fusion.

• To reproduce the Sun's power on Earth, a temperature of over 100 million deg C is needed, with the help of strong magnetic fields in a doughnut-shaped chamber.

• Fusion reactors are not expected to produce long-lived nuclear waste. And as the fusion process is difficult to start and maintain, there is no risk of a runaway reaction and meltdown.

• While experimental reactors are being built, there is a long way to go before a commercial plant is up. Experts said the earliest we could expect to see one could be in the 2040s.

SINGAPORE – At least 60 people fell ill after a major food poisoning incident at the office of TikTok's parent company, ByteDance on July 30.

In response to queries by The Straits Times, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and Ministry of Health (MOH) said they are investigating the suspected gastroenteritis cases reported at ByteDance's office at One Raffles Quay.

As at July 30, 57 of the 60 people who developed gastroenteritis symptoms have sought medical attention in hospitals, the authorities said in a joint statement.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) earlier said it received multiple calls for medical assistance at One Raffles Quay at about 3.15pm. A total of 17 ambulances were deployed to the location.

SCDF said the affected people experienced symptoms of abdominal pain and vomiting, and were taken to hospitals, which included Singapore General Hospital, Tan Tock Seng Hospital and Raffles Hospital.

They had earlier consumed food from the same source, it added.

SCDF set up a first-aid point at One Raffles Quay and assessed other individuals who were experiencing the same symptoms.

All SCDF personnel and emergency vehicles have since returned to their respective fire stations and fire posts.

A ByteDance spokesperson said in response to The Straits Times' queries: "We take the health and safety of our employees very seriously and have taken immediate steps to support all affected employees, including working with emergency services to provide care.

"We are investigating the matter and are working with the relevant authorities on this."

ST understands that ByteDance engages licensed external vendors to cater food within its office premises.

Said SFA and MOH: "Food safety is a joint responsibility. While SFA puts in place and enforces the regulatory measures, food operators must play their part by adhering to good food safety practices."

When ST arrived at the scene at around 6.45pm, at least 30 SCDF personnel, two fire engines, a mass decontamination vehicle and an ambulance were still present.

Multiple people were being treated by SCDF paramedics at the building's South Tower lobby.

A man who works on the building's 16th floor told ST that he noticed the police and SCDF's presence at about 5pm.

He initially thought a fire had broken out but later learnt it was a food poisoning incident.

"I didn't think it was so serious at first, but (then) I saw a few ambulances," said the man, who declined to be named.

This is the second major incident of food poisoning within a week. A total of 165 SCDF personnel fell sick on July 23 and 24 at the Civil Defence Academy campus in Jalan Bahar.

!asians

!chuds

SINGAPORE: Raffles Institution (RI) has taken disciplinary action against a student who dressed as a dark-skinned delivery rider on Racial Harmony Day, said its principal on Thursday (Jul 25).

A photo of the student wearing a mask with the face of a dark-skinned man, along with long-sleeved foodpanda uniform made its rounds on Reddit on Wednesday, and the thread quickly garnered reactions online.

The photo was captioned: "What RI students wore for Racial Harmony Day".

In response to queries from CNA, RI's principal Aaron Loh said the student who was "dressed inappropriately" had taken the photo "as part of current trends around social media memes involving a basketballer".

"He had no intention to make fun of any group or community," he added.

The students had earlier been advised that they could dress in traditional ethnic attire for the Racial Harmony Day if they would like to, said Mr Loh.

The students involved have been counselled to remind them of the importance of being sensitive to the feelings of others, and to be mindful of their actions, he added.

CNA has reached out to RI for more information, such as the details of the disciplinary action taken against the student.

In 2020, an old photo of a group of RI students in blackface was resurfaced on social media, drawing backlash online.

In the photo taken in 2016, a student believed to be of South Asian descent was surrounded by 10 others who donned black beauty face masks.

One of the former RI students later issued an apology for the "stupidity and racist actions".

!asians !chuds journos owned by facts and logic

Proving that redditors are pests all around the world !homeowners

Busybody post: https://old.reddit.com/r/singapore/comments/1dywl73/is_that_an_onsen_spa_at_a_hdb/

A homeowner who installed a fixture resembling a Japanese sauna outside their Serangoon HDB flat will be asked to remove it, after a picture of the structure raised eyebrows online.

On Tuesday (July 9), a Reddit user shared a photo of the flat and wrote: "Is that an onsen spa at a HDB [block]?"

Complete with a door and window as well as a decorative frame with the word 'home' written in Mandarin, the rustic-looking wooden fixture sits on a raised platform, jutting out from the wall. Surrounding it is some greenery and pots of plants.

The flat is located on the 12th floor of a HDB block at Serangoon Central, reported Lianhe Zaobao.

A reporter spotted over 30 potted plants lining the corridor, and items such as laundry detergent placed on top of the 'sauna', which is understood to be used as a storage space.

Residents told Zaobao that the homeowner is a Chinese woman in her 50s.

Neighbour Huang Dehan (transliteration), 20, said the fixture appeared about five or six years ago.

"I heard that other residents have reported the situation to the authorities, but nothing much changed. She used to water her plants outside the flat, but has been doing so less frequently now," added the student.

Netizens expressed their amazement at the "cool" and "cute" structure, but many opined that it may be illegal.

One Reddit user commented: "They're meant to be installed in your bathroom, by removing your entire shower cubicle and putting this in its place... It's a great option if you really want a sauna in your home.

"This is flat-out brazenly illegal though."

Another said: "I think [the fixture] blocks the actual real gate with the unit number. Definitely not legal. Because this encroaches onto the public space. I mean many people do that with their shoe racks and stuff but they're easily moveable, unlike this."

Resident was asked to reduce clutter: Town council

Responding to AsiaOne's queries, a spokesperson for Marine Parade Town Council said they have been engaging with the homeowner to reduce clutter outside the unit over the years, which resident "has made some effort in doing so"

"We will continue in our engagement and work with the owner to remove the fixture and further reduce the clutter," said the spokesperson, adding that the situation will be monitored closely.

Residents are urged to refrain from installing unauthorised structures in common areas, reduce clutter and to not obstruct the corridors or the staircase and its landings for a safer and more comfortable living environment.

Those who wish to report any estate-related feedback or request for assistance can contact the town council at 1800-241 6487 or 1800-287 6530, or through its official Facebook and Instagram page.

According to the Singapore Civil Defence Force, the common corridor in HDB estates must have a clear passage at least 1.2metres wide.

No placement or storage of objects at staircases and its immediate landing is allowed so that escape routes are not obstructed.

According to the HDB website, renovation works which create a public nuisance, pose a fire hazard, or intrude into public space are not allowed.

Examples of disallowed building works listed include the installation of awning or other fixtures outside the flat.

when Lee Kuan Yew left office in 1990 he left behind 100 sealed envelopes containing policies to ensure prosperity for the next 100 years, and instructed each successive PM to open one envelope on every new year's eve. Hot Whiteboard Eraser Assistants was the policy for 2024. https://t.co/FvDJPDqith

— ᐱ ᑎ ᑐ ᒋ ᕮ ᒍ (@Andr3jH) July 13, 2024

Vietcong? More like Vietkings

Reddit discusses (no drama though):

https://old.reddit.com/r/Bolehland/comments/1dwgx5k/in_your_opinion_which_local_cuisine_made_us_fat/

https://old.reddit.com/r/Philippines/comments/1dwllxh/whats_your_opinion_about_this_one/

!Pinoypride beating out

!Asians I'm surprised Thailand is so frickin fat but I refuse to ever travel there for moral reasons so I wouldn't know firsthand

Instagram: https://instagram.com/reel/C7tD1m1S8EJ/

Featured on WCGW: https://old.reddit.com/r/Whatcouldgowrong/comments/1du5r6f/a_social_influencer_mom_takes_her_4yearold_son_on/

sgraw thread: https://old.reddit.com/r/SingaporeRaw/comments/1du9nrj/a_social_influencer_mom_takes_her_4yearold_son_on/

turns out the mum and dad were on the news recently as the couple who took a sabbatical to take their son out of preschool to travel around the world

https://www.todayonline.com/features/stories-behind-parents-who-took-their-4-year-old-son-out-preschool-go-2-year-world-tour-2421636

Would have been a WPDcel in current year

However, the teenager began watching death videos in 2020, when Mr Chong said "there was no suggestion there was any underlying depression". Instead, it was the boy's own "misguided curiosity".

SINGAPORE: A teenager who was sentenced to 16 years in jail for killing his schoolmate with an axe at River Valley High School turned to the Court of Appeal on Monday (Jul 1) to seek a shorter prison term.

After hearing arguments for a full morning, the panel of three judges said they would take time to consider and would issue full findings in due course.

The young man, who turned 19 this year, cannot be named as he committed the offence when he was under the age of 18 and is protected under the Children and Young Persons Act.

He was 16 when he attacked 13-year-old Ethan Hun Zhe Kai in a school potty on Jul 19, 2021.

The appellant was sentenced in December 2023 for the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

At the Court of Appeal on Monday, he appeared in a white shirt, sported a buzz cut and had a sombre look on his face throughout proceedings.

His lawyers, Mr Sunil Sudheesan and Ms Joyce Khoo from Quahe Woo & Palmer, argued for his jail term of 16 years to be reduced to eight to 10 years instead.

Mr Sudheesan described the sentence as manifestly excessive and centred his arguments around his client's depression, which had resulted in two suicide attempts before the incident.

The lawyer said the teenager's decision on the day of the incident was "an irrational solution to his intention of suicide".

While some plan suicides around certain methods, the teenager's plan was to be killed by the police after the attack as he felt he was unable to take his own life, said Mr Sudheesan.

The appeal was heard by Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon and Justices Woo Bih Li and Belinda Ang.

CHIEF JUSTICE'S ISSUES WITH THE DEFENCE'S CASE

Chief Justice Menon told Mr Sudheesan that he was "struggling" with the lawyer's case, as the narrative of what happened, according to the statement of facts the teen pleaded guilty to, did not quite fit.

According to the statement of facts, the teen waited for students to leave, before preparing the potty and waiting for someone to enter.

After the victim - a random target - entered, the teenager put up tape to stop others from entering and proceeded to kill the boy.

"I mean that whole set of sequence of events does not suggest a picture of someone who was hoping to be confronted and apprehended and stopped," said the Chief Justice.

"On the contrary, it presents a picture of someone who was thinking about how to complete the act of killing, and it seems very much targeted at his plan towards taking the life of the victim, rather than anything to do putting himself in the way of law enforcement."

Chief Justice Menon pointed out a second issue that he found "rather troubling".

According to court documents, the teenager claimed he felt "catharsis and regret" after attacking the victim, and he decided to stop his plan of killing more people.

While the Chief Justice said it was "completely tragic" that a young person should feel that way in wanting to take his own life, he said he struggled to see what it was about his mental illness that was mitigating for his case.

In response, Mr Sudheesan explained that his client's plan to end his life was to attack someone in school and have the police kill him - therefore the steps taken to kill the victim were deliberate as planned.

However, after he killed the boy, he felt "catharsis and regret" and decided to stop his further plan of killing more people, said the lawyer.

As to the harm caused to the victim, the lawyer said he hated to use the term, but it was "collateral damage", and that the "poor victim was at the wrong place at the wrong time".

The defence lawyers said the teenager has been receiving treatment by taking anti-depressants daily since September 2021, with the dosage reduced after November 2022.

He also received psychotherapy sessions, attends religious fellowship and has religious counselling with a pastor, converting to Christianity while remanded.

His depression has been in remission since September 2022, a fact confirmed in June 2023, with no relapses since.

Mr Sudheesan said his client felt extremely remorseful for his actions, understanding that he has caused irreparable harm to Ethan's family.

He has expressed his remorse in a letter to Ethan's family.

"DISTURBING" POETRY

Chief Justice Menon said the sentencing judge had also referred to some poems written by the teenager that "disturbed" her and caused her to form the opinion that the poetry disclosed "a level of appeal" to the appellant to his form of dying.

In response, Mr Sudheesan said the psychiatrist did not weigh in on the contents of the poem, and that to say the poems show that school slashings appeal to the teen in the absence of an expert on the poems was "taking it too far".

The lawyer quipped that William Shakespeare had a line in his play Henry VI, Part 2, where he said "let's kill all the lawyers", but that did not necessarily mean this appealed to him.

"Well it might have, if he had gone and done that," responded the Chief Justice.

Justice Belinda Ang pointed out that the sentencing judge had named three major factors that contributed to the killing, and the appellant's major depressive disorder was only one of them.

The other two factors were his refusal to get external help, and his consumption of videos depicting scenes of human death at least half a year before the onset of the depression. Both of these were "matters well within his own control", according to the grounds of decision.

Amongst his replies, Mr Sudheesan said one cannot blame a 16-year-old for not getting help.

Deputy Public Prosecutors Kumaresan Gohulabalan and Andre Chong urged the court to dismiss the appeal.

They said the teenager did not dispute that the case - involving a killing of a student in a school in Singapore, is unprecedented and heinous.

"He accepts that the case involved a chilling degree of premeditation and cold logic in planning and preparing for the killing," wrote the prosecutors in their written arguments.

"He does not dispute that his diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD) was but one of three factors that contributed to the killing. Nor does he dispute that, despite his MDD, he understood that what he was doing was morally and legally wrong, and retained control over his actions."

Mr Chong argued in person that the chronology that led to the appellant's depression was important. He described how it all started in 2019, abated in between with periods of "rebound", and was followed by a period in 2021 where his stress increased exponentially.

However, the teenager began watching death videos in 2020, when Mr Chong said "there was no suggestion there was any underlying depression". Instead, it was the boy's own "misguided curiosity".

In response, Mr Sudheesan said: "Depression is not like a tap. You can't turn it off. You can't turn it on. The depths of depression can grip hold of the best of us."

After the hearing ended, with judgment reserved, the appellant's family members crowded around him where he sat behind a wall of glass in the dock in handcuffs.

They pushed their fingers through the slit in the glass to hold his hands and spoke fervently to him until they had to leave.

!asians it's doubly funny because "hei" = "black" in chinese so "heiniger" = black