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Ex-tour guide’s ability to make decisions for widow suspended

SINGAPORE — Chinese national and former tour guide Yang Yin’s powers granted under the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) to make decisions for wealthy widow Chung Khin Chun were temporarily suspended by the courts yesterday.

(From left) Ms Hedy Mok (niece of Mdm Chung Khin Chun) and lawyer Raghunath Peter Doraisamy during a press conference on Sept 23, 2014. There have been calls for more safeguards to the Lasting Power of Attorney scheme, in light of a high-profile legal tussle involving Mdm Chung who granted an LPA to tour guide Yang Yin. TODAY file photo

(From left) Ms Hedy Mok (niece of Mdm Chung Khin Chun) and lawyer Raghunath Peter Doraisamy during a press conference on Sept 23, 2014. There have been calls for more safeguards to the Lasting Power of Attorney scheme, in light of a high-profile legal tussle involving Mdm Chung who granted an LPA to tour guide Yang Yin. TODAY file photo

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SINGAPORE — Chinese national and former tour guide Yang Yin’s powers granted under the Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) to make decisions for wealthy widow Chung Khin Chun were temporarily suspended by the courts yesterday.

However, Madam Chung’s niece, Mdm Hedy Mok, 60, has been allowed to remain as her deputy to pursue legal proceedings against Mr Yang, 40, on behalf of her aunt.

But she is required to inform the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) — a division of the Social and Family Development Ministry that protects the interests of those lacking mental capacity — of the steps that she will take as deputy.

These interim decisions were made by the Family Justice Courts after a closed-door status conference on the OPG’s application for the court to declare whether Mdm Chung has the mental capacity to revoke her LPA. The 87-year-old widow was diagnosed with dementia this year.

The OPG, represented by the Attorney-General’s Chambers, has asked the courts to appoint an independent medical expert to evaluate Mdm Chung’s mental capacity. In its application, the OPG had also sought to temporarily suspend the powers of Mdm Mok as her deputy and Mr Yang as her proxy decision-maker under the LPA.

Yesterday, only the parties’ lawyers were present at the conference, which lasted nearly two hours.

The next hearing is expected to take place in seven to 10 days, according to Mdm Mok’s lawyer Peter Doraisamy.

Mdm Mok, 60, is in a tussle with Mr Yang, 40, over the control of her aunt’s assets, which include a S$30 million bungalow in Seletar Hills.

Mdm Mok had gone to the State Courts to get Mr Yang’s LPA revoked. It emerged last week that she had also filed a High Court lawsuit claiming damages for his alleged breach of duties under the LPA.

Mr Yang, who moved into Mdm Chung’s home in 2009, is being investigated by various government agencies.

The Ministry of Manpower has begun a probe into his Employment Pass and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority is looking into his status as a permanent resident here.

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