SINGAPORE: Former Singapore President Halimah Yacob expressed concerns over the ongoing assault in Palestine in a Facebook post on Sunday (29 Sept).

She referenced a speech by UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the UN General Assembly on 24 September, where he condemned global impunity and warned of escalating violence in Gaza and Lebanon.

Quoting Guterres, she reiterated his remark that “the level of impunity in the world is politically indefensible and morally intolerable.”

Mdm Halimah highlighted the worsening situation in Gaza, noting the devastating toll on civilians, particularly children.

She cited the loss of over 41,000 Palestinians, including 14,000 children, and emphasised that more lives are being lost daily due to starvation, untreated injuries, and disease.

Mdm Halimah further underscored the destruction of vital infrastructure, including homes, schools, hospitals, churches, and mosques, while nearly the entire population of 2.3 million has been displaced.

Concluding her post, Mdm Halimah criticised the failure of international humanitarian law, stating, “International humanitarian law is meant to uphold humanity, but it’s obviously failed.”

UN report highlights humanitarian crisis in Gaza amid ongoing conflict

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) released a report on Friday (27 Sept), detailing the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza as Israeli bombardments continue.

The air and land strikes have resulted in further civilian casualties, widespread displacement, and the destruction of critical infrastructure.

In September alone, at least 11 schools sheltering displaced people have been hit, with nearly 100 fatalities reported.

Displaced residents are enduring harsh conditions in overcrowded tents and damaged buildings, with limited access to food, water, and basic necessities, according to recent UN assessments in Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis.

Nearly 90 per cent of humanitarian movements between northern and southern Gaza in September have been blocked or delayed.

On 23 September, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) called for an end to the violence in Gaza, stating that more than 2 million Palestinians are without essential services, including food, water, shelter, and healthcare.

The IASC also highlighted the severe impact on women and girls, as well as the ongoing risk of famine.

According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, over 41,500 Palestinians, including 16,500 children, have been killed, with more than 96,000 injured and over 10,000 reported missing since the conflict began.

Guterres condemns global impunity, warns of escalation in Gaza and Lebanon

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking at the UN General Assembly on Tuesday (24 Sept), condemned the increasing disregard for international law by governments and groups across the world.

He criticised those who believe they are “entitled to a get out of jail free card.”

Guterres highlighted the alarming trend of governments acting with impunity, stating that they “can trample international law” and “invade another country, lay waste to whole societies, or utterly disregard the welfare of their own people.”

He described this as “politically indefensible and morally intolerable.”

With the nearly year-long conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza threatening to spread into Lebanon—where Israel targeted over 1,000 Hezbollah sites—Guterres issued a strong warning.

He stated that “Lebanon is at the brink” and stressed that the country must not “become another Gaza,” highlighting the severe risks for regional and global stability.

Guterres further emphasised the unprecedented level of destruction in Gaza, noting that the speed and scale of the violence are unlike anything he has witnessed during his time as Secretary-General.

The Secretary-General called for immediate international mobilisation to secure a ceasefire, the unconditional release of hostages, and the initiation of an irreversible process toward a two-state solution.

He warned that actions undermining this goal, such as expanding settlements and land grabs, are unsustainable, questioning what alternative exists if the world allows a one-state reality where a significant Palestinian population is denied freedom, rights, and dignity.

SINGAPORE: More than 950,000 Singaporean households residing in Housing Board (HDB) flats will receive U-Save and service and conservancy charges (S&CC) rebates in October, as part of the permanent GST Voucher (GSTV) scheme and the Assurance Package.

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) announced on Monday (30 September) that these rebates form the third quarterly disbursement for the 2024 financial year.

The rebates are designed to help lower- and middle-income households cope with the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and rising cost-of-living expenses.

According to MOF, the U-Save rebates will cover about eight months of utility bills for those living in 1- and 2-room flats, and around four months of bills for households in 3- and 4-room flats.

For this round of disbursements, households in one-room and two-room flats will receive a total of S$190 in U-Save rebates.

Households in three-room flats will receive S$170, while those in four-room flats will get S$150.

Five-room HDB households will receive S$130, and households in executive or multi-generation flats will receive S$110.

No action is required by residents, as the rebates will be automatically credited to households’ utilities accounts with SP Services.

Similarly, the S&CC rebates will be credited directly by town councils.

Additionally, MOF noted that a portion of the rebates is intended to cushion the impact of rising utility costs, specifically due to the increases in carbon tax and water prices.

On Monday, SP Group, Singapore’s electricity grid operator, announced that electricity tariffs will decrease by 2.6% for the upcoming quarter, from 1 October to 31 December, due to lower energy costs.

This means that the electricity tariff will drop to 29.10 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) before GST, down from 29.88 cents in the previous quarter.

As a result, the average monthly electricity bill for a family living in a four-room HDB flat will decrease by S$3, from S$114.92 to S$111.92.

In a separate statement, City Energy, which produces and retails piped gas, announced a decrease in gas tariffs by 0.45 cents per kWh for the same period.

The new gas tariff is set at 22.97 cents per kWh before GST, down from 23.42 cents.

Both electricity and gas tariffs fluctuate quarterly, influenced by the volatility of global fuel prices.