Reading Time: 6 minutesGetting “cheated” by errant retailers can be a frightening experience. Under the Penal Code, the punishment for cheating is incarceration for a term which may extend to 3 years, or a fine, or both. In one of the illustrations provided in the Penal Code, a person is guilty of cheating if he puts a counterfeit […]
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What can you do if you have been scammed online in Singapore?
Reading Time: 8 minutesThe present situation in Singapore Within this year itself, scams have hit 1,491 cases and a total of 102 people island-wide are under investigation for their alleged scams. The number of scams in Singapore has been skyrocketing. With the help of popular applications such as WeChat and Carousell, it has become easier for fraudsters to […]
Non-disclosure of conflicts of interest may be a crime in Hong Kong – procurement staff beware
Reading Time: 4 minutesIn both public and private sectors, employees of different levels might be empowered to make decisions on engagement of suppliers and contractors etc. It might be very tempting for such employee to procure contracts to be awarded to entities which he or his family members have interests. However, if no proper declaration of interest was […]
What will happen to my HDB flat after I get a divorce?
Reading Time: 5 minutesThe Department of Statistics Singapore has noted that divorce rates in 2016 were at a 10-year high. If you are currently undergoing divorce proceedings, we understand that it is a difficult process. One of your biggest concerns might be what would happen to your HDB flat after your divorce, given that it is likely to be […]
Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal clarifies what civil disobedience is and other aspects on unlawful assembly
Reading Time: 6 minutesIn a decision handed down recently, the Court of Final Appeal quashed the jail terms of Joshua Wong Chi Fung and his two allies imposed by the Court of Appeal but made it clear that the stricter sentencing guidelines laid down by the Court of Appeal will apply to future offenders involved in large scale […]
Hong Kong: How should the damages in fatal cases be assessed?
Reading Time: 4 minutesIntroduction In the recent judgment of Kan Wai Ling and others v Kan Chi Fai [2018] HKCFI 1024, the plaintiffs are the co-administratrices of the estate of the deceased who sustained fatal injuries in a traffic accident. The Court has decided on, among other things, (i) how the award for loss of dependency should be assessed; (ii) […]
Building and Construction: How Do Performance Bonds Work?
Reading Time: 4 minutesDid you know that performance bonds date all the way back to 2,750 BC? One might be surprised by the longevity of the performance bond, but this underlines its commercial usefulness, particularly in the context of building and construction. Although it may seem complicated and technical to most people at first blush, the performance bond […]
Myanmar Tax Alert: Myanmar Passes The 2018-2019 Union Tax Law
Reading Time: 4 minutesOn 25 September 2018, the Union Parliament (“Pyidaungsu Hluttaw”) enacted the 2018-2019 Union Tax Law (“2018-2019 UTL”) which provides clarity on the transition period regarding the change in the tax year of reporting along with tax rates and exemptions applicable to certain goods and services in Myanmar. For State-owned enterprises (“SOEs”), the 2018-2019 UTL is effective […]
Repealing Section 377A
Reading Time: 3 minutesWhat constitutional challenge does Section 377A of the Penal Code face? In Singapore the recent proposal to reform the Penal Code has once again left s 377A untouched. However, elsewhere the equivalent section has been invalidated. In a recent decision, the Supreme Court of India struck down a provision similar to s 377A, generating widespread […]
Time for Hong Kong to revisit the meaning of “dishonesty”
Reading Time: 5 minutesBackground “Dishonesty” is an element to be established by the prosecution in a number of criminal offences, including theft and conspiracy to defraud. R v Ghosh [1982] QB 1053 had been a landmark case formulating the two-stage test on “dishonesty” as a direction to jury (the “Ghosh directions”), which comprised of: Whether the defendant’s conduct was dishonest […]
Buying a Property in Singapore and unsure of terms?
Reading Time: 7 minutesSingapore has one of the highest home ownership rates globally (about 90% of the population). As such, most Singaporeans will be involved in at least one property transaction in their lifetime. Purchasing or selling a property for the first time can be a daunting experience, especially when one is confronted by the mountain of legal […]
What happens if my ex-spouse does not give me access to my child?
Reading Time: 4 minutesBackground We know that going through a divorce can be difficult, especially when it presents a whole new host of legal issues and terms you may be unfamiliar with. When there are children involved, you might be worried about issues of custody, care and control and access. These issues are increasing, given that divorce numbers […]