Just 30 days after Gleneagles Hospital in Kota Kinabalu opened its doors for the first time, staff there got word of a terrible accident.

An earthquake had just struck Mount Kinabalu and several people were badly injured.

"We had actually opened ahead of schedule and because of that, we were able to help," said Mr Jean-Francois Naa, the hospital's chief executive.

"Things never happen by chance."

Yesterday, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan expressed his gratitude to all those who had helped Singapore in the aftermath of last June's earthquake, which killed 18 people.

Ten of them were Singaporeans.

"In this time of great tragedy, Singapore... appreciated that we had a true friend in Malaysia, especially the people of Sabah," he said at a special reception in Kota Kinabalu.

"The support and assistance rendered to us by all of you here brought immeasurable relief and consolation."

Dr Balakrishnan's guests included relatives of the guides who had died protecting Singaporean pupils, as well as representatives from various Malaysian government agencies and other organisations that had pitched in to help in the immediate aftermath.

The 6.0-magnitude earthquake claimed the lives of seven Primary 6 pupils from Tanjong Katong Primary School.

8 S'poreans dead, 2 missing in Sabah quake

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The Star/ANN, Sabah Info Facebook page, Tanjong Katong Primary School

Two teachers and a Singaporean adventure guide also died.

Many of those at yesterday's reception spoke of how things are slowly returning to normal on the mountain, although measures have been taken to minimise casualties in the event of another quake.

Mr Richard Soibi, who is chairman of the Mount Kinabalu Guides Association, said that previously, there would be one guide for every six climbers.

Now, the ratio is one guide to five climbers.

Every two climbers under 16 years old will be accompanied by one guide.

"The Sabah park management is still worried about the risk," said Mr Soibi, who was at the reception with seven mountain guides.

"This way, it's easier for us to take care of people if anything happens."

Ms Quek I-Gek, who is marketing director of Mountain Torq - the company that manages the Via Ferrata trail on the mountain - said that a new clip system on a single continuous line has also been installed along the longer circuit.

Typically, climbers on the Via Ferrata trail have to clip and unclip their harnesses every few metres as they progress along the rock.

The new system means people can move along the rock face more quickly in an emergency.

Mr Yassin Miki, who manages Kinabalu Park, said that climbers have been trickling back to the mountain since it was fully reopened in December.

There were more than 3,000 climbers last month, up from around 2,000 a month between December and February.

Now, the number of climbers allowed on the mountain at any one time is limited to around 120, down from the previous 220.

This is partly because some of the lodgings along the way up have been badly damaged and can no longer be used.

"We will keep some of them the way they are, so we can show visitors what happened during that time," Mr Yassin said.

Dr Balakrishnan is on a three-day working visit to Sabah and will fly back today.

During the trip, he met his Malaysian counterpart, Datuk Seri Anifah Aman, to reaffirm the close ties between both countries.

Dr Balakrishnan also met Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman and other Sabah ministers.

linettel@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 3, 2016.
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Ascending steep slopes, navigating tricky obstacles, and tackling narrow tracks - these are several of the challenges cycling enthusiasts can take on at a new 1.6km mountain biking trail.

The trail is part of the 17ha Chestnut Nature Park (South), which also has a 2.1km hiking trail.

The park, next to the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, was opened by the National Parks Board (NParks) yesterday. It is the first here with both trails for mountain bikes and hikers.

When the 64ha Chestnut Nature Park (North) is completed by the end of this year, it will boast a total of 5km of hiking trails and 6km of biking ones.

From the middle of this year, park users can also look forward to a kiosk where they can rent bicycles.

Yesterday, NParks also launched the Friends of the Parks scheme to encourage greater community stewardship of green spaces.

Selected parks under the scheme will each be headed by a community of up to 10 members from various interest groups, such as hikers, bikers and researchers.

They will play a role in promoting responsible use of the parks through ground-led initiatives.

Chestnut Nature Park, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and the Park Connector Network will be the first to get such a group. The existing Friends of Ubin Network for Pulau Ubin will also come under the scheme, but will continue operating without any changes.

Said Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Desmond Lee, who attended the opening yesterday: "The community may propose and organise meaningful activities that they would like to carry out... and suggest ideas, such as conservation, recreation and horticultural projects."

More than 100 mountain bikers yesterday tried the moderately challenging trail at the park for the first time, and many were pleased with the experience.

Avid cyclist Jonathan Wong, a 32-year-old sales manager, said it is a good training ground for beginners who are trying to grasp basic bike-handling techniques.

"It is made for riders of all abilities," he said. "Bikers can ride closer to nature and get a good workout in the process."

A group of mountain bikers tested the trail a few weeks ago. Based on their input, tweaks were made to improve safety while keeping the trail challenging.

The northern portion of the nature park includes a supposedly tougher biking trail.

Last year, NParks closed the popular Butterfly Trailas parts of it fell within the construction site of the nature park.

Mr Wong Tuan Wah, NParks' director of conservation, said the trail is currently undergoing biodiversity assessments and restorative works.

"We have to wait until these studies have been completed before we can formulate any plans," he added.

calyang@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 3, 2016.
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Greater inclusiveness for people with disabilities and more support for their caregivers.

These will be part of the focus of the third Enabling Masterplan - a blueprint to guide the development of policies, programmes, services and other support for those with disabilities. A 22-member committee to develop the five-year plan was announced yesterday by Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin at the Enabling Village in Lengkok Bahru.

Chaired by Ms Anita Fam, a board member of the National Council of Social Service, it comprises people from the public and private sectors, including people with disabilities and caregivers. They include Ms Chia Yong Yong, president of voluntary welfare organisation SPD, which supports people with disabilities, and Ms Denise Phua, president of the Autism Resource Centre.

The third masterplan will look into a more seamless transition through stages in life - within the education system and towards employment - for people with disabilities. It will also look into support for caregivers.

"Even if you help with employment, that makes a lot of difference (to families)," said Mr Tan. Individuals may be left without a job after completing school, leaving families "stretched", he added.

Ms Fam believes more can be done to ensure caregivers know of the avenues of help available, by having resources that are more easily obtainable.

There is also a need to alleviate their worry that no one will be around to care for their loved ones if they are no longer around.

Mr Keh Eng Song, chief executive officer of the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled Singapore, said: "Caregiver support will be increasingly important because we want them to be empowered, and not be dependent on service providers all the time."

Mr Tan also reiterated the need to incorporate national policies and schemes, such as SkillsFuture and Smart Nation, into the new plan.

For example, under SkillsFuture - a movement to boost skill levels and promote lifelong learning - new modules will be developed for people with disabilities.

"Some of the employers have specific needs, therefore we develop specific training modules so that those with disabilities are trained and can move in quite seamlessly to their jobs as well," Mr Tan said.

The masterplan will build on the progress made by previousplans.

This includes making more community facilities and public transport services more friendly for those with disabilities, and improving their career prospects.

byseow@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 3, 2016.
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How will primary school leavers be sorted into secondary schools if the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) aggregate score is scrapped and replaced with simple grade bands such as A, B and C?

This is the question at the top of parents' minds when asked about the long-awaited change to the national exam, which could be announced some time this year.

Still, most parents and educators agree that removing the aggregate score will reduce stress on pupils, and instead of chasing that final few marks, they can focus on a more holistic development of their skills and interests.

Expressing the most common complaint about the current scoring system, parent Lee Kah Cheng, a 37-year-old IT manager with a seven-year-old son, said: "Our kids should not be defined by a single score and have their future determined by that."

On one popular education forum, parents even discuss starting PSLE "training" for children from as early as Primary 3.

National University of Singapore lecturer Kelvin Seah said a banding system is likely to lower the pressure children face in the lead-up to the national exam, and encourage a more flexible and diverse education.

"Although the aggregate score is a sharper indicator of pupil performance, it leads to a very competitive situation because every point matters. But the move to grade bands will likely reduce the risk that children are too finely sorted by academic ability at a young age. After all, pupils who score anything between 90 and 100 marks, for instance, will get the same grade."

A similar point was stressed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong during his 2013 National Day Rally when he first revealed that the major revamp of PSLE grading was in the works. "At the age of 12, one examination, four papers and you want to measure the child to so many decimal points... It is a distinction which is meaningless and too fine to make," he said.

NEW GRADING SYSTEM - HOW COULD IT WORK?

In his speech, PM Lee said that students could be given letter grades and placed in "wider bands" - the way O- and A-level examinations are marked. Most educators and parents hope that the new grading system will be more like the A levels, where the grades are fewer and bands are wider.

In the O levels, which children take at the end of secondary school, grades are divided into A (1,2), B (3,4), C (5,6), D7, E8, and F9. A grade of C6 or better is considered a pass at the O levels.

Grades for the A levels, which students sit at the end of junior college, consist of A, B, C, D, E, S and U - with S signifying an O-level pass but an A-level fail. The PSLE also provides grades A*, A, B, C, D, E and U, but these matter less compared to the aggregate score.

One issue that educators raised is whether the new PSLE grading method will be based on a child's actual score, or will the score be weighted against those of his or her peers.

The current aggregate system does exactly that. It involves working out a child's so-called T-score for each subject - English, Mother Tongue, mathematics or science - by ranking his score within the cohort.

That, critics say, turns the PSLE into a direct competition between pupils, and pushes parents into trying to outdo each other by giving their children more tuition and at an earlier age.

Associate Professor Jason Tan, an education policy expert at the National Institute of Education, believes the new grading system may be set against a bell curve.

"Our exam system here is a norm-referenced one, where a student's performance is ranked in relation to other students' performance, which means that there will be a spread of different scores in a cohort," he said.

Dr Timothy Chan, director of SIM Global Education's academic division, said: "The focus should not be on how one performs relative to others, but how well the person himself performs in the exam."

Educators said this will be more in line with the efforts of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and schools to move away from an over- emphasis on grades.

Since 2012, MOE has not named the top PSLE scorer. A year later, it stopped revealing the highest and lowest scores in the cohort.

Primary schools have also been recognising their best performers in groups rather than individually. They celebrate the achievements of those who overcame odds in their lives or did well in non-academic areas such as sports.

LESS TRANSPARENCY IN SECONDARY SCHOOL POSTINGS?

For all the brickbats against the PSLE aggregate score, some parents feel that it provides a clear-cut system for allocating pupils to secondary schools, which set cut-off points depending on applications.

A one-point difference in aggregate score may mean that a child is posted to one secondary school instead of another - too fine a sieve according to many, but there are those who believe it is fair and provides transparency.

Said 44-year-old housewife Lydia Sim, who has two daughters aged 11 and 13: "The aggregate score doesn't leave room for speculation. Those who work harder to achieve better marks than their peers should not be robbed of a chance at entering good schools."

So how would the posting exercise work if PSLE scores are simply grade bands?

Each grade may carry a certain number of points, and these can be used to decide which secondary school a child qualifies for - the way O-level grades are converted into points for admission into polytechnics and junior colleges. But these would still mean larger numbers of pupils with similar scores.

"If there are many students with the same grades, how will schools determine who is more deserving?" asked Mrs Wong Xue Ling, 41, a housewife, whose daughter is in Primary 6.

This has raised worries that schools will give higher weightage to non-academic achievements and this could possibly translate into greater pressure to send children for enrichment classes.

Ms Candy Lau, 46, a technical manager whose daughters are in Primary 5 and Secondary 2, said: "On top of doing well in their studies, do primary school children also have to excel in areas such as public speaking, art or music to stand out from their peers?"

Administrative manager Siti Abdullah, 40, who has a nine-year-old son, is worried schools will select students based on hard-to-measure attributes such as leadership potential. "These are young kids. It would be quite stressful for them if the non-academic areas - the fun stuff - become part of the criteria for admission into a school," she said.

Some wonder if schools will also be given greater autonomy in choosing who to admit, and this could even involve interviews.

"Popular secondary schools may have to select students based on other aspects such as community service, co-curricular activity performance, leadership potential and resilience, which may be more subjective," said Dr Seah.

Educators hope parents can take the changes in the right spirit, and not simply force children to replace one form of tuition with another.

One parent who posted on the KiasuParents forum also wondered if a pupil who scored 90 marks in each of the four subjects will end up being rated higher than another who scored 99 in three subjects but 85 in another, and if that was fair.

Educators agree there is no perfect system, but most believe the move away from aggregate scores is a positive one. Parents whom The Sunday Times spoke to agreed.

Engineer Daniel Yeo, 45, whose son received his PSLE results last year, said a grade banding system will definitely take some pressure off parents and children.

"Most parents have been waiting for this for a long time," he said.

Additional reporting by Wong Shiying

THROUGH THE YEARS

1960

PSLE is introduced. Pupils are told only if they passed or failed.

1973

T-scores are introduced, but not revealed to pupils.

1980

Letter grades A, B, C and D are used. Pupils have to pass at least three out of the four subjects - English, Mother Tongue, Mathematics and Science. It is compulsory to pass English.

1981

Grade A* is introduced.

1982

T-scores are issued to candidates, and the overall highest and lowest scores are printed on result slips.

2004

Direct school admission at the secondary level is introduced. The scheme allows pupils to secure places in secondary schools based on their talent in sports, the arts or academics, before their PSLE results are released.

2012

The Education Ministry (MOE) decides to stop announcing the top PSLE scorer, to cut excessive competition and stress.

2013

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announces in his National Day Rally speech that the T-score will be replaced with wider grade bands, such as those used in the O- and A-level exams.

MOE does not reveal the highest and lowest scores achieved by pupils in a cohort, to encourage them not to compare results.

calyang@sph.com.sg

ateng@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 3, 2016.
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A Singaporean man was arrested yesterday in connection with separate alleged attacks on three female madrasah students near an MRT station the morning before - incidents which drew widespread condemnation from ministers, MPs, religious leaders and the public.

Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim called the alleged attacks "totally unacceptable" in a Facebook post, adding that the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) is working closely with the madrasah to help the students, who have been counselled, as well as assisting the police.

The students, aged 14 to 16, were making their separate ways to Madrasah Al-Ma'arif Al-Islamiah in Geylang around 7.20am when the 48-year-old man allegedly accosted them near Paya Lebar MRT station.

The school's discipline mistress Nisha Mohd Hussein posted on Facebook that the first girl was allegedly kicked on the left thigh, the second was allegedly hit with a plastic bag containing "a heavy item" and the third was believed to have been hit in one of her eyes with the bag.

At 9.50pm yesterday, police revealed that a Chinese suspect was in custody. The swift arrest was praised by Deputy Prime Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security Teo Chee Hean. "As a society, we should stand together against all forms of violence against innocent persons, especially if there may be racial or religious undertones."

Dr Yaacob said: "We should never tolerate any forms of aggression towards anyone, especially the innocent. We must stay calm and united and not let this incident divide us."

Last Friday night, Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam posted on Facebook in response to the alleged attacks that "we will get to the bottom of it and ensure that justice is done".

Just two days before, after a closed-door meeting with 60 students from the six full-time madrasahs, or Islamic religious schools, here, he highlighted that feedback from Muslims indicates they are concerned about the rising Islamophobia in Singapore. He called on Singaporeans to reach out to their Muslim neighbours to build social cohesion and prevent prejudice against Muslims from developing.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu said yesterday: "An attack on the innocent can never be condoned. My thoughts are with the young girls and I hope they recover soon."

On the madrasah's Facebook page, members of the public shared their support for the students and called on Singaporeans to stand united and respect one another's race and religion. In its own statement, Muis called for the public to "stay calm and let justice take its course".

Similar calls were made by Muslim MPs, who said it is best to wait for investigations to be completed.

Mr Zainal Sapari, an MP for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC, said this seems to be an isolated case as he has not heard of similar incidents.

That was a view shared by Mr Zaqy Mohamad, an MP for Chua Chu Kang GRC. "Even so, we can never take our social fabric for granted. How we react as a society against Islamophobia and incidents like these will be the true test of the investment we have made in multiracialism."

Ms Rahayu Mahzam, an MP for Jurong GRC, said that while "the fear that Islamophobia will creep into our community is real... I have faith that the non-Muslim community knows that Singaporean Muslims strongly reject terrorism..."

Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circle (IRCC) leaders said the quick condemnation of the alleged attacks from ministers indicated that the Government will not tolerate such behaviour. Mr Anthony Au, vice-chairman of Bukit Batok East IRCC, said: "We cannot let our guard down against any possible disharmony and, as Singaporeans, we need to look after one another regardless of race and religion."

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigations and Intelligence) and Criminal Investigation Department director Tan Chye Hee said yesterday: "Any person who caused hurt to others on the basis of their race or religion will be dealt with severely in accordance with the law."

- Additional reporting by Calvin Yang

This article was first published on April 3, 2016.
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Denmark and the Republic of Korea are two countries that have committed significant state resources to boosting birth rates. But the results are strikingly different.

Denmark managed to reverse a decline in birth rates that started in the 1960s and fell to a low of 1.38 in 1983. From the 1990s, its total fertility rate (TFR) has hovered at around 1.7. It's not at replacement level but neither is it worryingly low, at least for now.

Korea, on the other hand, has seen its TFR decline steeply from the 1960s and remain stubbornly around 1.2 since the 2000s.

MARRIAGE AND BIRTH TRENDS

The two societies hold fundamentally different views towards marriage and parenthood which reflect their respective shared values.

It is not uncommon for Danish couples to live together and have children first, before deciding whether or not to marry. Among Danish women, the average age at first birth is about 29 years, and the average age at first marriage is 32 years.

It is the opposite in Korea - the average age at first marriage is 29.8 years, while the average age at first birth is 31 years. In recent years, couples are also marrying and having children later in life, a development officials attribute to weakened job prospects and a heightened sense of insecurity among the young.

Danish women start earlier and have more children on average. The same is true in other Nordic countries.

As in most East Asian societies, Koreans have clear preference to embed child-raising in well-established family structures. Childbirths outside of marriage have remained below 2 per cent.

Singapore is culturally similar to our East Asian neighbours in that marriage comes before having children. Marriage as an institution and precursor to parenthood remains a firmly held value among Singaporeans, and is an aspiration we will continue to strongly support.

But many young couples in Singapore have an added aspiration - home ownership before marriage or at least before a child is born.

Unlike for couples elsewhere, or their parents who tended to live in rented or shared housing after marriage, home ownership is within reach of most young Singaporean couples today. As a result, more are choosing to wait.

With each successive generation too, young women in more developed Asian economies have enjoyed improved opportunities in education and work, much like their Nordic sisters.

In the process, they gained financial independence and shook off the stigma of singlehood. Increasingly, it seems that marriage and parenthood are nice to have but not essential.

WORKPLACE AND PARENTING NORMS MATTER

In helping young couples achieve both career and parenthood aspirations, the support of employers and co-workers feature heavily.

Even in Denmark where 60 per cent take up paternity leave entitlements, a minority of workplaces send discouraging signals to fathers.

It is worse in Korea which has similar paternity leave provisions but sees less than2 per cent usage. Expectations to participate in after-work socialising add to the already-long work hours.

Nonetheless, the overall workplace culture in Denmark gives strong support to family life. There's deeper recognition among corporate leaders that a family-friendly work environment makes them more attractive as employers, promotes productivity and is good for business.

In all societies, parents want to do what's best for their children.

However, cultural differences seem to make parenting a more resource-intensive and stressful experience for Asian parents. Sociologists have observed a pattern of "intensive parenting".

State-funded subsidies can be as generous as in the Nordic countries, but the benefits can be negated by Asian parents funnelling the savings to more intensive pre-school or beyond-school preparation, for example.

These factors together contribute to the trends in TFR in the Nordic countries, East Asian societies and Singapore.

REASONS FOR CHEER

Against this backdrop, there are still reasons for cheer.

Last year, there were 23,805 marriages in Singapore, the second-highest in more than a decade.

We also had 33,793 SG50 babies, the highest in more than a decade.

TFR was 1.24, slightly higher than the average TFR of 1.22 in the first half of the decade.

One curiosity is the slight dip in TFR from 1.25 a year ago, despite more births.

The reason is that TFR measures the average number of births per woman of child-bearing age (aggregated across five-year age groups of the women).

While more babies were born, the number of women entering the peak child-bearing age groups (25-39 years) had also risen. These women were born in the decade starting from 1988 and are mostly children of our Baby Boomer generation. The oldest of this cohort was just 27 years old in 2015. Given that more in this cohort are choosing to marry later, their babies have yet to arrive. This explains why TFR may not see an uptick even with higher births.

MAKING CONDITIONS MORE FERTILE

In the last few months, I have asked to meet a variety of people to understand the current context behind marriage and parenthood in Singapore. They come from all walks of life and include parents with few or many children, social scientists, students, social media activists as well as employers.

Research on other countries' experiences have also provided useful insights.

My sense is that in comparison to other East Asian societies, conditions in Singapore are reasonably fertile for marriage and parenthood.

We have sound economic fundamentals. Even as the economy undergoes structural change, employment levels remain high. Couples have access to affordable public housing and good quality education for their children. Families are getting more support in caring for seniors, particularly in healthcare.

There is no silver bullet - no single policy intervention - that will boost birth rates.

The key lies in strengthening Singapore as a great place for families.

Government action is needed to give parents better assurance of help, for example, through legislating adequate leave provisions or organising childcare.

But government alone will not move the needle.

Equally vital are positive attitudes towards marriage and bringing up children, and a strong sense of community support for parents particularly from employers and co-workers.

Collectively, we must make marriage and parenthood more achievable, enjoyable and celebrated.

Then, wedding bells will ring and storks will come flying.

• The writer is a Senior Minister of State, Prime Minister's Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Transport

This article was first published on April 3, 2016.
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Pay for funerals in instalments.

And not just your own funeral.

Yes, there are schemes that allow people to make regular, upfront payments to a group fund to ease the burden of families who cannot afford it.

Khairat kematian is a scheme where people can sign up to ensure that their last rites will be executed without complications.

It operates on a principle of mutual benefit; everyone pitches in a small amount for the person who needs the money.

Engineer Yahya Ahmad, 57, is a believer of this practice.

Four years ago, he started setting aside $5 a month to ensure that when he dies, all funeral arrangements will be carried out for him at no extra charge.

All the necessary procedures,such as prayers, bathing the body, embalming and even transport to the burial ground, will be included.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Singapore Funeral Services, Sinaran Baharu, Yahya Ahmad

NO WORRY

Says Mr Yahya: "I no longer have to worry about what will happen when I pass on as everything is settled."

These schemes are carried out by Muslim burial service organisations.

Mr Yahya belongs to the Persekutuan Kebajikan Islam Teluk Kurau, which has been carrying out this scheme for more than 60 years.

The organisation has over 5,000 subscribers to the scheme, which also covers spouses.

Teluk Kurau's administrative executive, Mr Ariffin Yusoff, 65, says the concept of khairat kematian has been around since people were living in the kampung.

The average cost of a Muslim burial is around $1,400. Mr Ariffin says that some people have been paying Teluk Kurau for more than 20 years.

"In a way, those who sign up for this not only help themselves, they also help other members of the community (who can't afford a funeral)," adds Mr Ariffin.

He says about 10 other Muslim burial service organisations have this khairat kematian scheme.

More than 120 people have signed up for the two-year-old scheme offered by Persatuan Kebajikan Islam Sinaran Baharu .

Mr Roslan Sambri, the 52-year-old director of Sinaran Baharu, says: "It helps to lessen the worry for the person who signed up, and also you get to help people who might be in need.

"It is what we encourage in Islam - to support one another."

Sinaran Baharu and Teluk Kurau are both Mutual Benefit Organisations registered under the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.

"We regularly submit reports about our company, and all the money we collect goes to the appropriate avenues," says Mr Ariffin.

"This is money that people have entrusted to us. We are not going to misuse it."

"We were put on this earth to not just think about ourselves," says Mr Ariffin.

"This way I get a peace of mind, but also I get to help people at the same time."

Going out on your own terms

Singapore Funeral Services (SFS) launched a monthly instalment package for pre-planned funeral services about two years ago.

Funeral director Hoo Hung Chye says about 200 people have signed up for this package.

Mr Hoo says: "Funerals can be expensive so we want to reduce the financial burden placed on family members."

Customers who sign up for the plan, called Legacy, pay $138 a month for 10 years.

The three-day, two-night service includes a void deck enclosure with tables and flowers, a wooden coffin, a Mercedes Benz to take the coffin to the crematorium and an air-conditioned bus to transport about 45 mourners.

CUSTOMISABLE

The $13,888 Legacy package is just one of the options available, says Mr Ho. SFS can customise the package too.

Many of those people who sign up for the prepaid plans live alone or are in their 50s and older.

Mr Hoo says such services are offered overseas and it is time Singapore followed suit. (See report, below.)

"If you take a look at the global market, people have been doing it for a long time. Death has always been taboo but people are opening up," he says.

"With this option, people can continue living their lives without it at the back of their minds."

Customers can pick everything - from coffins to music choice.

Direct Funeral Services (DFS), offers the pre-planned service because it helps avoid disagreement later.

Ms Jenny Tay, the company's managing director, says: "Sometimes, there is a conflict over what the deceased would have wanted, especially when it comes to religious rites.

"Pre-planning avoids this and lets people decide what's best for them."

While these plans can be made in advance, customers cannot pay upfront for everything.

"We only allow people to prepay things for which the service has been done, like importing a particular coffin. For any services that have not been delivered, the payment will be settled after," says Ms Tay.

Overseas 'try before you die' practices

JAPAN

The practice of funeral planning has become so popular in Japan that there is an annual festival.

The Shukatsu festival sees as many as 50 different coffin companies and businesses exhibit their products and services for visitors to try ahead of their funeral.

Visitors can test coffins for comfort, try on their funeral make-up and even the outfits they want to be buried in.

Shukatsu, which loosely translates to "preparing for one's end", is a yearly hit with visitors. Last year, the festival, which is held in Tokyo, attracted more than 5,000 people.

There are even Shukatsu tours so people can travel to different locations to have their funeral portraits taken and see where they would like their ashes scattered.

There are also tours to local cemeteries and homes for the elderly. The tours are so popular, there are waiting lists.

UKRAINE

In Ukraine, people lie in coffins to get used to them.

Mr Stepan Piryanyk, a coffin producer whose company makes about 1,000 coffins a month, has set up a special room for coffin therapy - where people can rest in a coffin and experience being dead.

According to a BBC report, people can choose to pay about $30 for 15 minutes to experience death. While they are in the coffins, the sound of a waterfall and birds fill the room.

"When a person lays here, it should be like confession. Maybe he will lie down and think about their actions, and repent," says Mr Piryanyk.

This article was first published on April 03, 2016.
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The divisive, populist politics that has gripped the United States and other parts of the world of late could become a Singapore problem too, if people start to feel similarly disenfranchised, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Speaking to the Singapore media as he wrapped up a week-long working visit to the US, Mr Lee said the mood on the ground in America has soured against the political establishment because citizens no longer feel that current systems are addressing their needs.

"It's because the population feels anxious, feels unsettled, feels angry and doesn't feel that the existing political leadership and process are articulating or addressing those emotions," Mr Lee explained.

"They may be emotional; they may not actually be helping to solve the predicament they are in, but there are real concerns which people have and which the governments have got to try and solve."

Singapore, he said, is not immune to such pressures.

"These are pressures which build up and they could build up in Singapore because, as a developed economy, we face some of the same challenges as they do.

"And if we are unable to address that, people will feel like there is no other avenue to have their concerns seen to, and their feelings spoken for. Then I think we can have a problem," Mr Lee said.

The Prime Minister had similarly raised concerns about the political climate in the US during an interview last week with The Wall Street Journal editorial board.

He said the presidential campaign thus far had put forward the most "extreme menu of choices" he has seen in a US election, and expressed worries that the country could retreat from its leadership position in the world.

He said he is now cautious about the prospects of the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement, which was signed in February this year by 12 countries, including Singapore.

"What is very clear is that the mood in America is very troubled. That's why you have candidates expressing very extreme views, because it's not really a solution… it's just that 'I'm very angry, I'm hitting out and I want satisfaction'," Mr Lee said, in reference to some of the rhetoric in the US presidential campaign.

"In that mood, I think it's not easy to make a case why a complicated agreement 1,000 pages long is good for America.

"It's much easier for people to raise anxieties and negatives, and sour the public support."

Mr Lee said it is now unlikely the deal will even be put up for ratification by the US Congress before the presidential election in November, leaving a two-month window in the lame-duck session that follows to get it passed.

"But it's a very short period of time, the congressmen have not focused on this and you will have to make a very big decision as a lame-duck Congress. It's not easy," he said.

When questions turned to Singapore's politics and the upcoming Bukit Batok by-election, Mr Lee would not be drawn on when the polls might be.

"When it happens, you will know," he said with a smile.

jeremyau@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 3, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

SINGAPORE - You may have seen him in his police uniform outside supermarkets, provision shops and other retail outlets.

In fact, many women have even swooned over the more than 800 standees of Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Ryan Koh who became the Singapore Police Force's poster boy to fight shop theft more than a year ago.

But sorry ladies, the cop who has been bestowed the nickname "Yan Dao (handsome in Hokkien dialect) policeman" is officially off the market.

Handsome cop of anti-crime standee in new shop theft prevention video

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Facebook video screengrabs

A Facebook post made on Saturday afternoon read "Sorry ladies...poster boy is taken today", and included two photographs of ASP Koh with whom appeared to be his bride, both gamely posing alongside the famous standee.

The post was made by a netizen named Tan Shiwei, who tagged the St Andrew's Cathedral as what seems to be the wedding venue.

It has since been shared more than 880 times and received over 1,300 likes.

While details of ASP Koh's wife are not clear, reactions to the post have been wide-ranging.

One netizen wrote of ASP Koh's new wife: "The only crime that the bride commited was stealing his heart. Congrats to both of them!"

Another wote: "My wife is sooo sadddddd."

Even satirical writer-actor and self-proclaimed "blogfather of Singapore" Mr Brown wished the couple happy nuptials.

In a Facebook post, he said: "Everybody wish our favourite ‪#‎CardboardConstable‬ a blessed and happy marriage! So cute!"

In a New Paper report published on Feb 18 last year, ASP Koh said that he rarely gets recognised in public probably because he does not "wear the peaked hat and do that (stern) expression all the time".

He added that friends and family update him whenever his standee is featured in new memes. He also said that he felt that the standee was a "new and unconventional method" of getting the word out on crime prevention.

prabukm@sph.com.sg

While most people her age are slowing down, 64-year-old Gloria Lau is speeding up.

Since her first marathon in 2007, she has run in about 20 marathons in over a dozen countries across all seven continents.

Come April 9, the mother of two will take part in the North Pole Marathon. When she first attempted this last year, she did not complete the full distance of 42.195km.

She managed to cover 28km, and qualified for the Half Marathon Grand Slam Club - for those who complete a marathon on each of the seven continents and half a marathon on the Arctic Ocean.

She has been running to raise funds for charity - she said people can tell her which charity they want to donate to, and she will match the amount dollar for dollar. Through various marathons, she has matched about $150,000.

She told The Straits Times: "I feel it's unfair to contribute only to the causes I support. Any cause is a good cause."

When she took part in the North Pole Marathon last year, she was the oldest runner to attempt it. This year, besides Ms Lau, two other Singaporeans will be taking part in the race.

For Ms Lau, despite having run in Antarctica, she sees running in the North Pole as a different challenge.

She doesn't have cold feet for bold feat

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The Straits Times, Gloria Lau

"In Antarctica, the snow is more dense. But the snow in the North Pole is like icing powder. The moment you put your foot in, you just sink. Snow got into my shoes, and after a while, they became totally drenched," she said.

Her goggles also fogged up last year, and when she switched to sunglasses, her face was exposed and she developed frostbite. The wind chill also meant that temperatures fell further to about minus 55 deg C.

Given the low visibility and the slight hypothermia she developed, she decided not to stretch her run out to a full marathon.

Now equipped with a more suitable pair of shoes, she is determined to complete the full distance.

"I've only done full marathons overseas. It wasn't my plan to do a half-marathon," she said.

She was not always a sports enthusiast. She started exercising regularly when she was 56, after her doctor told her to do weight- bearing exercises as she had low bone density. She took long walks, but that got boring, so she started jogging and eventually ran in her first marathon in Perth in 2007, completing it in 4hr 50min.

Ms Lau, who runs a property development business, enjoys running overseas and sees it as a way of taking in the sights in ways not possible if one were to travel by car.

She has been running a marathon a month since last November.

"That also means I don't really have to train any more!" she said.

She hopes to motivate others in her age group to stay active. "In my daily life, I can deal with anything now after putting myself through all these challenges."

To support Ms Lau's fund-raising efforts, e-mail her at gloria235id@yahoo.com

OTHER STORIES:

- Blade Runner takes another stab at Everest race

- Heading to the North Pole for a good cause

- 'Crazy antics' to support bone marrow donor effort

This article was first published on April 4, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Parliament has begun its debate on the 2016 Budget statement delivered by Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat on March 24.

The Budget debate will last for nine days from Monday (Apr 4), and MPs will express their opinions and raise concerns on the proposals and initiatives that were announced.

According to The Straits Times, Mr Heng will respond to MPs' points on Wednesday (Apr 6), before Parliament votes on the Budget for the financial year starting in April.

Ministers will then present the budgets of their individual ministries in the subsequent Committee of Supply debate.

Follow AsiaOne's updates of the debate:

seanyap@sph.com.sg

He had to give up his bid to become the first athlete with a prosthetic leg to conquer the gruelling Tenzing-Hillary Everest Marathon last year when the Nepal earthquake struck in April last year.

But para-athlete Shariff Abdullah - Singapore's "Blade Runner" - is taking another stab at the race this year, with another goal to boot.

Together with a group of young people, he hopes to raise $15,000 for Club Rainbow, a charity that helps chronically ill children. His 17-year-old daughter, the youngest of three girls and a Club Rainbow beneficiary, suffers from liver cirrhosis, which leads to the hardening or scarring of the liver.

Flanked by about 90 volunteers, Mr Shariff, 48, led a run for the charity effort at the Tampines Eco Green park yesterday morning, with Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng also joining in.

As part of the Miles for Good movement, participants ran 5km, pledging to donate $1 for every kilometre run, and in turn getting friends or family members to match the amount raised.

Having raised $1,500 so far since the drive started last month, organisers hope to meet the $15,000 target by the end of next month. They will hold two more runs, in the Botanic Gardens and the Central Business District this month and the next.

"Shariff had always wanted to give back to the community, but did not have the capacity to do so. We wanted to do something for children, and we thought we could collaborate," said Mr Elson Leong, 26, an entrepreneur who led the project with 15 others who had gone for an Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) course last year.

Mr Baey said their efforts show how experiences like OBS can strengthen teamwork and a sense of social responsibility among youth.

"After spending 21 days together, they formed a special bond, have common interests and faced setbacks together. We hope that this will be something that all young people going through OBS in the future will experience," said Mr Baey, who is Parliamentary Secretary for Culture, Community and Youth.

Last week, the ministry announced that the capacity of OBS will triple by 2020, giving all Singaporean youth a chance to attend an OBS camp while in school.

Meanwhile, Mr Shariff looks forward to planting the flags of Singapore and Club Rainbow at the end point of the Nepal marathon in May.

"It's going to be a tough run because of the altitude and the difficult terrain. I need to train twice as hard as the able-bodied, but I believe that, with the right mindset, I can do it," he said.

To donate to Miles for Good, go to https://give.asia/movement/milesforgood2016

This article was first published on April 4, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Three months ago, two cousins became the first Singaporeans to run seven marathons in seven continents over seven consecutive days.

Now they plan to run yet another marathon, in the North Pole.

Mr Ong Tze Boon, 47, and Mr Ong Yu-Phing, 46 - the son and nephew of the late former President Ong Teng Cheong - will join Ms Gloria Lau, 64, as Singaporeans running in the North Pole Marathon on Saturday.

In January, the Ong cousins took part in the World Marathon Challenge (WMC), running 295km in seven continents in seven days.

Through the WMC and the North Pole race, they hope to raise funds for five charities that support mental health: Alzheimer's Disease Association, Caregivers Alliance Limited, Samaritans of Singapore, Singapore Association for Mental Health and We Care Community Services.

"Mental health is very under-appreciated as a social cause," said Mr Ong Yu-Phing, an IT director at an environmental design solutions firm Ong & Ong.

The cousins have already raised around $200,000, including $25,000 from the firm's philanthropic arm, Ong Foundation. All funds raised will go to charity.

Having run in the Sahara desert, which has similar terrain to that in the North Pole, Mr Ong said he was more concerned about the cold.

He said: "If you don't run, you'll get very cold. If you run and sweat too much, you also get very cold."

It could be a challenge to strike that balance, he said. The temperature is expected to be about minus 45 deg C.

For Mr Ong Tze Boon, group executive chairman at Ong & Ong, he will take four goggles to the North Pole. When he ran in Antarctica, his only pair of goggles fogged up, so he ran 10km without goggles.

"I started getting snow blindness. I couldn't see the terrain. Everything was white to me. The only orientation I had was Yu-Phing because he was wearing black."

But he is excited to take part in the North Pole race. Completing it would allow them to join 73 members of the Marathon Grand Slam Club - for those who complete a marathon on each of the seven continents and the Arctic Ocean - and boost their fund-raising drive.

To donate, go to runwithyourheart.ongfoundation.org

This article was first published on April 4, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

It will be their first long-distance trek, but Mr Gerrard Lin and Mr Ng Junwei hope that for each of the 1,000km they complete, one person will sign up with the Bone Marrow Donor Programme.

The two 33-year-old men plan to take on the Bibbulmun Track from Albany on the south coast of Western Australia to Kalamunda in the Perth Hills. They aim to complete the route - which can take up to 12 weeks to finish - in just 20 days.

They also hope to raise $50,000 for the programme through donations.

It will not be the first time that Mr Lin, a fitness instructor dubbed "Ah Siao" for his "crazy" antics, will have gone the extra mile to rally support for the donor programme, which he has volunteered with for around eight years.

In 2012, he ran the Standard Chartered Marathon while pulling a 14kg tyre.

Two years later, he ran 31 marathons in 31 days in his March Marathon Madness campaign. That resulted in about 200 sign-ups - almost double the average number.

There are around 57,000 people on the registry, which is connected to an international database, yet there is only a one in 20,000 chance of a patient finding a match.

"This is a trip that is parallel to what a patient might go through," said Mr Lin, referring to the difficulties and unexpected challenges that might come their way. "After 20 days, even if we've suffered, we can go back to our lives. But what about that person waiting for a transplant?"

On average, the pair will trek 14 to 18 hours each day on a trail that will take them across beaches, swamps and forested areas. They have been training since January, when Mr Ng, a track-and-field coach, mooted the idea.

They meet three times a week for two to five hours each time - with a 10kg backpack on their shoulders - to run or climb staircases at places such as MacRitchie Reservoir and Mount Faber.

When Mr Lin first started 30km runs with the training pack, he said, his shoulders had a "stinging, needle-like pain."

But that has not stopped him from pressing on in his spare time.

He will take on the persona of "Ah Siao" on the walk, wearing a wizard's hat and a signboard explaining to strangers what the challenge is about.

"It's really not about the physical toughness or technical difficulty of it," said Mr Lin. "When you undergo a journey that is way beyond what you have done in your life, it is more about doing it from the heart."

Ms Jane Prior, chief executive of the Bone Marrow Donor Programme: "The value of 'Ah Siao' is that he's a challenging voice. When you meet the character out at an event, he's always berating people for not stepping up.

"If we can power him by getting a thousand new donors to sign up, that's a giant leap for the register - and that's another 1,000 chances to save a life."

To find out more about the Bone Marrow Donor Programme, go to http://bmdp.org/be-a-donor

This article was first published on April 4, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

BURIED deep in the Singapore government's Budget 2016 - past the Corporate Income Tax Rebates section, beyond the Enhancement to Revitalisation of Shops Scheme, and the assistance for small and medium enterprises - lies a scheme that I think will do more to boost the success rate of Singa-pore's entrepreneurs and startups than any tax break could.

The SG-Innovate scheme promises to "match budding entrepreneurs with mentors, introduce them to venture capital firms, help them to access talent in research institutes, and open up new markets".

As the co-founder of a fintech (financial technology) firm myself, I know exactly how challenging this process can be, and how useful good advice and mentorship are.

Many of the challenges that new startups face are well known, but some are less obvious. Most entrepreneurs are confident that, based on the strength of the business plan, they will secure funding - the idea is simply too good to turn down!

In reality, the level of detail a venture fund (or any other smart investor) requires can be jaw-dropping, resulting in investment proposals that can run into hundreds of pages of financial forecasts and micro-detail.

Success can bring its own unforeseen challenges. The holy grail for many startups - especially those in technology - is scale, and the ability to expand quickly and sustainably is central to their long-term survival. But this in itself is devilishly difficult; how do you expand a popular product without sacrificing quality? How do you hire the right people to drive this expansion? What kind of debt should you take on?

Wealth management

For startups which have developed an as-yet-unknown product or service, the challenge is even more daunting, as our own experience demonstrates. We developed an online platform linking wealth managers to investors. Think of the wealth management industry, and technological innovation is probably the last thing that comes to mind. The industry remains highly conservative and traditional, with a close-knit coterie of wealth managers referred to high net worth individuals through word-of-mouth - usually following a whisky at the polo club.

We wanted to open up the wealth management industry to a wider range of income levels, more transparently and efficiently, through the power of the mobile phone and Internet. We were the first company to attempt to do this, and so in addition to the usual startup challenges, we also had to contend with a highly technology-averse mindset that existed within the industry, and no forerunner that we could point to in order to establish credibility - we had a typical first-mover disadvantage.

That is why the guidance of a team of mentors - many of whom helmed other first-mover startups - was (and still is) absolutely vital to the success we enjoy today. Advice given via a quick phone call or WhatsApp message has saved us hours in wasted time, strategy guidance has helped us save money, and we continue to pick their brains for our forthcoming expansion into Asia and beyond. It is for this reason that Budget 2016's mentorship schemes will provide disproportionate benefits to the next class of entrepreneurs.

Room for improvement

However, while SG-Innovate and other government schemes like this are a great start, there are still ways in which we can improve. One of the main differences between the United States and Singapore - beyond the obvious - is the acceptance of "new". By this, I mean a willingness among corporations large and small to embrace new products and services much more eagerly than their counterparts in Singapore.

This attitude ensures that there is a market for goods and services provided by relatively unknown startups and entrepreneurs. The open-mindedness of decision-makers within these larger firms and government makes it easier for the startup owner to get a foot in the door, and make that all-important first sale which then leads on to bigger things.

In Singapore, "new" is seen more as a risk than an opportunity. Mindsets, especially among larger firms, are quite conservative with decision-makers erring on the safe side, preferring to keep the status quo rather than adopt an unknown product. This limits the market for firms which have developed something that may create benefits for consumers, firms and government, but is too innovative and "different" for established firms to feel comfortable adopting.

So while the current support programmes that Singapore has are excellent, looking ahead, I think we need to develop incentives for companies in Singapore to adopt products and services from local startups that they perhaps would not otherwise. This could come in the form of tax breaks or risk-sharing programmes, and of course we would have to define which startup would qualify for this in a way that maintains healthy competition. If this could be done efficiently, we could see the next evolution of Singapore's startup ecosystem.

• The writer is co-founder and CEO of findaWEALTHMANAGER.com, an online services that matches investors to wealth managers

This article was first published on April 4, 2016.
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She never loses her smile even when faced with difficult diners

Buffets can bring out the worst in people, says Ms Amal Ashik, who helps run one of the biggest and most well-known buffet spreads here.

The 25-year-old, who has worked in restaurants since 2009, says she's seen all sorts of kiasu (Hokkien for afraid to lose out) behaviour, including stowing away of food and attempts to take it home.

But be warned. Restaurant staffers can and do spot such behaviour.

SEE ALSO: Video: Chinese tourists shovel up prawns with plates at buffet in Thailand

Ms Amal says: "Yes, there are those who try to walk out with pastries hidden between paper towels. We let it slide sometimes.

"But if they try to take away crabs, for example, then we have to step in."

This is because the food may not be safe for consumption after being handled in this manner and the restaurant could be liable.

The New Paper on Sunday approached the assistant manager at Carousel at Royal Plaza on Scotts for her stories after a video of tourists clamouring for prawns at a Thailand buffet went viral and drew the ire of netizens.

In the video, they could be seen shoving their way to the tray of prawns and shovelling up piles of the crustaceans with their plates instead of tongs.

Many slammed the tourists for being uncultured and wasteful - plates of prawns were left untouched at the end of their meal.

Chinese tourists in Thailand go prawn-crazy at buffet

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Facebook screengrabs

Ms Amal says it's an extreme scene. "My jaw dropped when I saw the video. I was shocked that this kind of thing could happen.

"Here, at most, you get a long queue of people."

Her role as manager means she makes sure that the food counters are topped up so diners do not need to rush, especially at the popular seafood segment.

But this does not stop diners from making a beeline for the food when they spot the refilling happening.

Besides kiasu customers, there are also the occasional difficult ones.

"Guests may sometimes get upset when they are allocated a table that they do not like, or when walk-in guests are told that the restaurant is fully booked."

"An overbooked restaurant, power failure and miscommunication on specific arrangements are examples of what could go wrong in a day of work," she says.

Ms Amal also keeps an eye out for unsupervised children who run around the restaurant, posing a hazard to themselves and other diners.

When problems occur, it is her job to make sure the restaurant operations still run smoothly, from making reservations to handling feedback.

But if diners abuse the employees, the hotel has an anti-harassment policy in place and a security team on standby.

Hotel buffet still popular

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The Straits Times, The New Paper, Berita Harian, Carousel, Marina Mandarin Singapore, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International Inc, Tiffany Cafe & Restaurant

"Sometimes, in order to maintain composure during a challenging situation, such as when I had a guest staring me down, we sing a song in our heads to keep ourselves smiling."

In most cases, diners leave happy, she says.

Last year, Ms Amal and her colleagues helped a male diner surprise his girlfriend with a marriage proposal at the restaurant, holding up large cards that spelled "Will you marry me?" while performing a choreographed dance.

"The whole restaurant applauded when she agreed," she says.

Another time, she caught a diner trying to take away food but soon realised that she was taking food back into the hotel room for her companion, who was ill.

So Ms Amal offered to take the food up to their room instead, to the gratitude of the customer.

These are experiences that make the stressful days worth it, she says.

"I have never considered a career change and even pursued further education in the food and beverage industry," adds Ms Amal.

"I love my job."

Cheapest hotel buffet lunches in S'pore

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SoShiok

SECRETS OF THE TRADE

1 Smile so much that your face hurts. Having to always portray a pleasant, approachable demeanour is an integral part of customer service.

2 Keep a mirror in the office - service staffers have to look presentable and project a good image. Spend at least 10 minutes on personal grooming before hitting the restaurant floor.

3 For those high-octane moments, a shot of espresso helps to fuel your day, or learn to take a deep breath when the going gets tough.

ngjunsen@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 3, 2016.
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The Naked Finn

Block 39 Malan Road, Gillman Barracks

April 2 (11am-5pm)

A year ago, seafood restaurant The Naked Finn moved from its little shack at 41 Malan Road (which now houses the bar Nekkid) to a full-fledged restaurant just down the street, and this Saturday, it celebrates its first anniversary with a mini farmers' market.

Some of the products on sale will include locally-farmed barramundi from Kuhlbarra, line-caught coho salmon and lingcod from Alaska imported by The Naked Finn, coffee from Birdy's Brew, honey from Cerana Honey, and sauces from Mekhala Living. They will also be handing out recipes created using raw ingredients from the market, such as a steamed barramundi using a filet from Kuhlbarra, and two sauces from Mekhala Living.

Open Farm Community Social

Market #4

130E Minden Road

April 2-3 (10am-4pm daily)

A trip to the market at Open Farm Community doesn't necessarily just mean filling your bag with edibles for the week, it could easily involve a whole day's activities. For instance, you could participate in one of their yoga classes, bring a picnic basket to lay out on the lawn, or grab a bite from the gourmet food truck - Kerbside Gourmet.

Some of the products on sale include live oysters from Sea Farmers at Ubin, cold-pressed juices with Chinese herbs from Flashjuice, handmade soy and beeswax candles from Candles Of Light, and organic skincare from FrankSkincare.

W.E. x Togetherly

435 Orchard Road

(Isetan, Level 1, Wisma Atria)

April 20 to June 30 (11am-9.30pm daily)

This semi-permanent pop-up by Workshop Element (W.E.) and Togetherly promises to add some indie flair to Orchard Road. The 12,000 sq ft space at Wisma Atria holds over 50 vendors and labels.

Expect quirky finds such as knitted accessories from It Takes Balls, leather pieces from Forest Child, and handmade accessories by Curious Creatures.

As with other Togetherly events, visitors are encouraged to participate in the book exchange, so bring a tome, wrap it at the booth and leave a note for the next reader.

Local musicians such as Jill-Marie Thomas and Victoria Ho will be performing on weekends, and watch out for air plant workshops by Crafted Identity among other programmes.

Retro Factory's Vintage Flea Market

315 Tanjong Katong Road (Reservation at Vicki's)

Early May

If you're a fan of the older things in life, wander down to the Retro Factory's vintage flea market on Tanjong Katong Road on the first weekend of May. Instead of the usual iPhone cases or handpainted canvases, you'll find a little slice of history.

The market will feature around 20 vendors hawking vintage cameras, typewriters and gramophones. If shopping isn't your thing, dance along to jazzy tunes played by guest DJs or sway along with local swing dancers from Dapper & Dames Vintage.

rachloi@sph.com.sg

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avantin@sph.com.sg

An 11-year-old boy was injured in a hit-and-run accident involving a taxi at Teck Whye Lane on Friday (Apr 1).

Stomp contributor Benitha's brother-in-law was involved in the accident. She said after her family members and her tracked down the taxi driver, he was apparently 'not remorseful'.

She recounted: "It was a broad daylight at about 11.50am. My brother-in-law, who is only 11 years old, was crossing the road without any pedestrian crossing at Teck Whye Lane near CCK Polyclinic.

"My mother-in-law and sister-in-law were waiting for a taxi on the opposite side of the road where the incident took place.

"That's when my mother-in-law heard a big loud bang and to her horror, she saw her own son hit and flung three metres away by a taxi."

According to her, after realising that his mother and sister had hailed a cab, he crossed the road to meet them.

Benitha added that the boy checked if there were any oncoming vehicles first before crossing the road. After he saw that there weren't any cars, he crossed the road and the taxi then came at a fast speed and hit him.

"My sister-in-law ran to the taxi and asked the taxi driver to answer for his actions but without any second thought for the small kid who was lying on the road, he drove off immediately with a passenger inside.

"Another taxi driver from Comfort helped my mother-in-law and injured brother-in-law into his cab and managed to bring him to KKH."

The Stomp contributor and her husband rushed down to the hospital. They took down the taxi number and called the police. They also called the taxi company to look for the driver. 

She added: "The taxi driver's explanation was not even buy-able..the explanation which the taxi driver gave was that his passenger was rushing and asked him to drive off.

"They (taxi company) didn't even give us a proper answer about the state my 11-year-old brother-in-law is in.

"Now he has an injury on his head and cast on his right leg and is not walking around properly due to muscle injury on the left side of his body.

"It has been four days and the taxi driver did not have the courtesy to call up and ask or even come down to visit my brother-in-law.

"The taxi driver's negligent act has caused both my mother-in-law and her 11-year-old child to have sleepless nights."

Visit STOMP for more stories.

SINGAPORE - Commuters' perceptions towards the quality and affordability of the public transport system here have improved, according to a poll by the Government's feedback unit, Reach.

To gauge public sentiment on key public transport issues, Reach conducted a telephone poll from Feb 29 to March 4 with 1,200 randomly selected Singapore residents aged 15 and above.

Overall, 80 per cent of them agreed that Singapore has a good public transport system, up from 74 per cent last year. 66 per cent agreed that public transport in Singapore is generally affordable, up from 63 per cent last year.

On bus services, 37 per cent felt that wait time has improved compared to a year ago, while 10 per cent said it is longer. 29 per cent felt that it is less crowded on buses while 20 per cent felt it is now more crowded.

About six in 10 respondents said they were confident that the Government's efforts will help improve the reliability of train services.

Also, half of all the respondents are supportive of moving towards lower car ownership in Singapore.

huizhen@sph.com.sg