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NTU student dies from freak accident in Slovakia; parents donate organs to patients there

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A Singapore student who was on a university exchange programme in Europe died last Friday (Nov 25) after he was hit on the head by a tree while driving in Slovakia.

Mr Justin Tan, 23, a third-year mechanical engineering student from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) was on exchange in the Czech Republic.

He was attending VSB - Technical University Ostrava in the east of Czech Republic, and had travelled to neighbouring Slovakia.

He was "hit on the head by a tree that fell on the car he was driving during a storm," said NTU President Bertil Andersson in an e-mail to students.

Mr Tan was found unconscious by a rescue crew, and did not regain consciousness in hospital.

Professor Andersson said that Mr Tan's family flew to "be by his side" on Wednesday, and he died on Friday.

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ESN VŠB - TU Ostrava is deeply saddened to inform about the untimely passing of JUSTIN TAN HONNG TZE, student of Nanyang...

Posted by ESN VŠB - TU Ostrava on Monday, 28 November 2016

"Although faced with the tragic loss of their precious son, Justin's parents have decided to donate his organs to benefit other patients in Slovakia," he said. "Justin will be lovingly remembered for his outgoing personality and kind heart."

Mr Tan was also a national athlete who represented Singapore in the 2011 South-east Asian Games in sport climbing.

"Together, let us offer our deepest condolences and sympathies to Justin's family and friends, and give them our strongest support during this difficult time," said Prof Andersson.

Prof Andersson also thanked members of the public, first responders and hospital staff who helped Mr Tan, as well as the staff of VSB - Technical University Ostrava.

The Czech university also published a post remembering Mr Tan.

"We would like to express our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Justin on their loss," it said.


This article was first published on November 28, 2016.
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Tuesday, November 29, 2016 - 09:17
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Sparks seen on Scoot passenger plane during descent to Singapore from Sydney

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Sparks were seen flying from one of the engines of a Scoot passenger plane returning to Singapore from Sydney on Saturday (Nov 26).

According to Shin Min Daily News, passengers on flight TZ001 first heard a loud sound from the Boeing 787 Dreamliner before they noticed sparks from the engine on the plane's right wing.

A passenger's friend described the incident in a post on social media with an accompanying video.

In response to media queries, Scoot told The Straits Times on Monday (Nov 28) that the incident took place during the plane's descent to Singapore. This "necessitated a shut-down of the right engine".

Its flight crew then contacted the Singapore Air Traffic Control Centre and requested fire services to be on stand-by upon landing.

Scoot said that the aircraft landed as scheduled and fire services subsequently confirmed that there was no engine fire.


This article was first published on November 28, 2016.
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Its spokesman said: "The cause of the incident is currently under investigation. Safety is of utmost importance to Scoot and we will spare no effort to ensure the well-being of our guests."

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Tuesday, November 29, 2016 - 09:33
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Plaster falls 12 storeys from HDB block in Hougang

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In the latest case of building parts falling from Housing Board buildings, a slab of plaster fell 12 storeys from the top of a block in Hougang on Sunday (Nov 27) morning.

No one was injured, but plaster fragments were seen atop some vehicles parked nearby.

Resident Andy Loh, 39, heard a loud noise on Sunday. "I went down to check and saw all the (plaster) scattered on the floor," he told The Straits Times.

The slab seemed to have hit a lorry which was parked nearby, and dented its roof, added Mr Loh, a sales manager who lives on the second floor.

The block, which dates back to 1991 and contains just 60 executive maisonette units, falls under the purview of Ang Mo Kio Town Council.

Residents expressed varying degrees of concern.

"What if it had fallen on someone's head? I hope the authorities can check buildings which are older than 20 years," said a 48-year-old housewife who wished to be known only as Madam Lee, in Mandarin.

Second-floor resident Tan Wee Kiat, 22, was less concerned. "If I drove, I'd be bothered, but I'm not that worried," said Mr Tan, who works in retail. "Nobody wants this kind of thing to happen, but how is anyone supposed to foresee it?"

When The Straits Times visited on Monday morning, the area had been cordoned off and a gondola was present.

Asked about the incident and what was being done, an HDB spokesman said only that the HDB was informed on Sunday that a piece of plaster had fallen from the external facade of the block.

"The plaster is part of the facade and is non-structural," she added. "HDB is in touch with Ang Mo Kio Town Council on the matter."

Earlier in October, a piece of wall facade fell more than 10 storeys from a 51-year-old block in Circuit Road. A sunshade in Tampines was also partially dislodged in September. No one was injured in any of the incidents.

Read also: Non-structural wall feature falls off roof of HDB block in MacPherson 


This article was first published on November 28, 2016.
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Tuesday, November 29, 2016 - 09:56
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Singapore to start proceedings to recover armoured vehicles once reasons for detention are clear: Ng Eng Hen

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SINGAPORE - The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Government will start proceedings to recover the armoured vehicles seized in Hong Kong once the reasons for their detention are made clear, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.

Speaking to reporters at Choa Chu Kang camp where he was briefed on a new military blimp, Dr Ng said officials from shipping firm APL will meet Hong Kong customs officials on Tuesday (Nov 29).

The nine Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles and other equipment were en route on an APL vessel from Taiwan to Singapore after a military exercise when they were seized last Wednesday (Nov 23) in Hong Kong.

Dr Ng said officials will monitor the meeting closely, and hopes the reasons and legal basis for the detention will be made clear there.

Officials will decide on the next steps based on its outcome, he added.

He also urged people not to speculate on reasons for the seizure.

"Until the facts are established, any speculation is premature, unwarranted and I think indeed unfair on the Hong Kong authorities or any other country. We should all wait for the facts," he said.

Dr Ng, who said the Terrex vehicles do not contain any controlled military items which require special permits, added that the Terrex has been transported by commercial carriers ever since it was introduced.

He said that Singapore has not suffered any loss or detention of equipment prior to this incident.

Using commercial carriers to transport military equipment is a norm for militaries of other countries, Dr Ng said. This is the most cost effective way to transport equipment, as only commercial carriers with their vast networks have the capability, he added.

On Monday, China has voiced unhappiness over the vehicle seizure incident and called on Singapore to adhere to the One China policy.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said in Beijing that the Chinese government is opposed to countries with whom it has diplomatic ties to have any form of official exchanges with Taiwan. China regards Taiwan as a renegade province.

Dr Ng said that "Singapore fully respects and supports the One China policy", and will continue to act in a manner consistent with this policy.

He cited the positive role the Republic has played in improving cross-strait relations, citing two meetings between Taiwan and China that were hosted here - the 1993 meeting between China's envoy Wang Daohan and Taiwan's Koo Chen-fu, and the 2015 meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and then-Taiwanese leader Ma Ying-jeou.

Asked if this incident would affect Singapore's training arrangements overseas, Dr Ng said: "Our training overseas has never been secret, people know where we train openly. We adhere to the One China policy.

"Any training matters between us and other countries are bilateral," he added. "We should not unnecessarily, until the facts come out, muddle the picture and impute various motives. So let's wait for the facts."

He added that the SAF will continue to train overseas based on existing agreements between countries.

roysim@sph.com.sg


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Wednesday, November 30, 2016 - 07:44
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In court: Children of late tycoon who own Bukit Timah Shopping Centre units worth $68m

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SINGAPORE - The children of a Malaysian property tycoon are tussling in the High Court over four family-owned companies, one of which owns 32 units in Bukit Timah Shopping Centre valued at about $68 million.

Eight daughters of the late Mr Loong Yoke Phin, who collectively hold 49.84 per cent of the shares in the four companies, have sued their only brother and his four sons, as well as another sister, for minority oppression.

The eight sisters, aged 64 to 54, are seeking to cash out their stake either by selling their shares to the defendants at a price to be determined by independent valuers or by winding up the companies.

Among other things, they allege that the majority camp - eldest brother Long Shin, 66, his four sons, and third sibling Sweet Ying - had excluded them from management of the companies and had denied them dividends from rental income of more than $5.4 million.

Sweet Ying died from cancer at the age of 62 on Jan 14 (16), a week after the lawsuit was filed. Her son has been named as a defendant in her place.

The defendants, represented by Senior Counsel Lok Vi Ming, contented that the suit amounts to an "abuse of process" as the family disputes have been resolved in a settlement agreement signed in June last year (15).

But the plaintiffs disagree.

Their lawyers from Lee Bon Leong & Co argue that the document was just an interim agreement and they still had the right to file proceedings if the parties failed to reach a final settlement.

A hearing to determine whether the 2015 agreement is legally binding started in the High Court on Tuesday (Nov 29).

The eight sisters have filed similar proceedings in Malaysia dealing with companies and properties there.

Their father willed his wife and son larger stakes in the companies compared to his daughters. The matriarch later gave her shares to her son before she died.

Each sister has 6.23 per cent, their brother holds 39 per cent and each of his sons holds 1.23 per cent.

The eight sisters claim that after the death of their father in 2008, with their majority control, their brother and third sister ran the companies to benefit themselves.

But the defendants say that the companies, while family-owned, were never meant to be family-run. When he was alive, the patriarch made all final decisions and made it clear to his children that there can be "only one tiger on any mountain".

The patriarch had instructed his son to take charge after his death and told his daughters to support their brother. The defendants say the patriarch wanted his business to continue after his death and never intended his companies to be wound up.

The trial continues.

selinal@sph.com.sg


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Wednesday, November 30, 2016 - 08:22
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Aung San Suu Kyi to visit Singapore this week

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SINGAPORE - Myanmar's state counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi arrives in Singapore on Wednesday (Nov 30) for a three-day official visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Her visit takes place during the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Singapore and Myanmar, and reciprocates Mr Lee's trip to Myanmar in June.

The high-level trip comes amid growing co-operation between the two countries, and coincides with the mutual lifting of visa requirements for their citizens. The waiver takes effect on Thursday (Dec 1).

While here, Ms Suu Kyi will call on Acting President J Y Pillay and Mr Lee. She will be given an official welcome at the Istana, where she will be hosted to an official dinner by Mr Lee.

Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong and Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean will also host her to meals.

This is Ms Suu Kyi's first visit to Singapore since assuming the post of state counsellor in April this year (2016), in the new civilian government that came to power last November (2015).

She was last here in September 2013 while she was leader of Myanmar's opposition and head of the committee on rule of law, peace and tranquillity of Myanmar's Lower House of Parliament.

During the visit, Ms Suu Kyi will attend IE Singapore's Global Conversations dialogue with Singapore businesses. In addition, she will visit the Singapore Botanic Gardens where an orchid will be named after her, a traditional honour for visiting foreign leaders.

Ms Suu Kyi, who has pledged to tackle corruption at home, will also receive a briefing by the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau while here.

On Thursday (Dec 1) evening, she and Mr Lee will be the guests-of-honour at the opening ceremony of the Asian Civilisations Museum's new exhibition of Myanmar artefacts. Titled "Cities and Kings: Ancient Treasures from Myanmar", it will run for three months.

She will end her trip on Friday (Dec 2) with a visit to a hawker centre, where she will be hosted to breakfast by Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan.

Officials have been tightening regulations on street hawkers in Myanmar's largest city and former capital Yangon, and Yangon Chief Minister Phyo Min Thein and Myanmar officials visited Singapore in July (2016) to study how Singapore builds and operates its hawker centres.

Ms Suu Kyi will be accompanied by Union Minister for Commerce Than Myint, Kyaw Tin and officials from Myanmar's Ministry of National Planning, President's Office and Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

charyong@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on Nov 29, 2016.
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Wednesday, November 30, 2016 - 09:00
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1 e-identity for 3 telcos' web services

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Wouldn't it be nice to have the one password that rules them all on your mobile devices?

The three local telcos - Singtel, StarHub and M1 - believe they have the solution in an e-identity that will allow consumers to do away with managing multiple passwords when accessing online services on their mobile devices.

The service, dubbed Mobile Connect, will be tied to a customer's mobile number and may be launched as early as the second half of next year.

Mobile Connect can be used to access a host of online services, including the customer's telco account and for online transactions.

The three telcos here would not reveal their online partners but said the service will target all industries, including finance, e-commerce, entertainment and government services.

Administrator Diana Lee, 42, said while the idea is good, she is concerned about security.

"What if I lose my phone and the SIM card? My number is known to many people," she added.

With Mobile Connect, consumers will be prompted to enter their mobile number when logging in.

If consumers log in from their mobile phones, their telcos will verify over the cellular or Wi-Fi network that the mobile number entered matches the credentials on the SIM card.

They may be prompted to also enter a code, which they must remember.

When logging in via the computer or tablet, consumers may also be prompted to enter a one-time password delivered to their mobile phone.

Even so, businessman Harry Chew, 46, prefers the security offered by fingerprint and iris scanning, available in many phones today.

Such biometrics technologies are more advanced than the use of one-time passwords, which can be hijacked.

The three telcos said customers should secure their phones with a passcode or fingerprint scanning.

Customers are also advised to report the loss of their phones to the telcos immediately to block any unauthorised use.


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Wednesday, November 30, 2016 - 08:47
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Singapore students top global achievement test in mathematics and science

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SINGAPORE - Singapore students are the world's best in mathematics and science, according to a global benchmarking study released on Tuesday (Nov 29).

Primary 4 pupils and Secondary 2 students here topped both subjects in the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), a widely recognised achievement test by policymakers and educators worldwide.

Around 12,600 students here took part in the latest test which was conducted in Singapore in October 2014. Students across all schools - 179 primary schools and 167 secondary schools - as well as streams were included in the sample.

Primary 4 pupils achieved the highest mean score of 618 in mathematics, with Hong Kong coming in second with a score of 615. The same pupils also attained the highest score of 590 in science, ahead of South Korea which had 589.

Source: International Association For Evaluation Of Educational Achievement, TIMSS
Table: Straits Times Graphics
Source: International Association For Evaluation Of Educational Achievement, TIMSS
Table: Straits Times Graphics

Secondary 2 students who took the test were also ranked first with top scores of 621 and 597 for mathematics and science respectively, beating South Korea and Japan.

Source: International Association For Evaluation Of Educational Achievement, TIMSS
Table: Straits Times Graphics
Source: International Association For Evaluation Of Educational Achievement, TIMSS
Table: Straits Times Graphics

The results also showed improvements by Singapore students on various fronts from reasoning and application abilities to progress made by weaker students. This is the second time that students here outdid all other countries across all four categories in the study, which takes place every four years. The last time it did so was in 2003.

In a statement on Tuesday (Nov 29), the Ministry of Education (MOE) said that the findings show that schools' efforts to impart higher-order thinking skills to students and programmes that cater to their learning needs are bearing fruit.

MOE said the test results also highlighted the progress made by academically weaker students. The proportion of students with the lowest score of below 400 was much smaller than the international average. For example, in the Primary 4 mathematics test, only 1 per cent of Singapore students scored below 400. The international average was 7 per cent.

The latest round of TIMSS by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement tested more than 582,000 students from 64 education systems.

Singapore has taken part in every cycle of TIMSS since its inception in 1995.

Here are some sample questions from the study:

Photo: International Association For Evaluation Of Educational Achievement, TIMSS
Photo: International Association For Evaluation Of Educational Achievement, TIMSS
Photo: International Association For Evaluation Of Educational Achievement, TIMSS
Photo: International Association For Evaluation Of Educational Achievement, TIMSS


This article was first published on November 29, 2016.
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Wednesday, November 30, 2016 - 10:58
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He loses 30kg so he can donate kidney to sister

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Ms Sheralyn Tay first found out in 2001 that her kidneys were failing but she never thought she would one day need a kidney transplant.

She took medication and continued with her activities as usual.

But in 2005, her health took a turn for the worse and her doctor told her that she needed a new kidney.

"I started feeling really unwell... and I was getting really tired," said Ms Tay, 35, who runs her own writing consultancy firm. She also noticed crystals forming on her skin.

She later found out that it was because of the build-up of waste products like uric acid in her body.

When her younger brother, Mr Alphonsus Tay, 32, volunteered to donate one of his kidneys after hearing about his sister's condition, it offered her a lifeline.

Photo: The Straits Times

"I was already prepared to donate my kidney when I saw her health deteriorating," said Mr Tay, who runs his own marketing consultancy firm. "She's my sister. I have two kidneys, so I wanted to give one to her."

After nearly a year of evaluation, doctors certified in 2005 that he was fit to go ahead with the procedure. He was overweight, so he had to lose about 30kg before he could donate his kidney. Today marks the 11th anniversary of the transplant.

Ms Tay said she is now enjoying life without dialysis. In 2005, she had to quit her job as a journalist so that she could go for dialysis three times a week.

Looking back on the experience, she said: "You're exhausted, you have a headache, you're dizzy and you feel like throwing up. It's terrible. It was like you're breathing, but you're not really living.

"Since the transplant, I've just gone on and lived my life. When they say it's a gift of life, it's not an understatement."

Mr Tay said he hopes that his example will encourage more people to step forward as kidney donors.

Although he now has only one kidney, he said he does not feel any different compared with before the surgery.

The only thing that has changed, he said, is that he now takes better care of his health.

He said: "I owe it to my sister to take better care of myself. You have to because it's a way of making sure the recipient won't regret the decision to receive your kidney."


This article was first published on Nov 30, 2016.
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Use of shipping lines by militaries the norm in peacetime: Eng Hen

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Use of shipping lines by militaries the norm in peacetime: Eng Hen

Singapore has used commercial shipping lines to transport military vehicles and equipment overseas for decades as that is the most cost-effective and efficient method, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen yesterday.

It is the norm for militaries to use commercial carriers to ship equipment or vehicles for peacetime training. Many defence companies also do it to deliver hardware to customers or for exhibition displays, he added.

"Only commercial carriers and their vast network of inter-connected ships and ports have the capability to transport heavy vehicles around the globe," Dr Ng told reporters during a visit to Choa Chu Kang military camp.

He was addressing the detention of nine Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) armoured vehicles in a Hong Kong port.

The nine Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) armoured vehicles in a Hong Kong port.Photo: The Straits Times

The Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles and other equipment were being taken on an APL vessel from Taiwan to Singapore after a military exercise, when they were seized last Wednesday.

Before the incident, the SAF has not "suffered any loss or detention of our equipment", Dr Ng said.

The SAF conducts overseas training in about a dozen territories abroad, including the US, Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan.

Asked if there were concerns of any sensitive information on the Terrex vehicles that might have been compromised, Dr Ng said the vehicles did not contain any controlled military items that would require a specialised and dedicated means of transport.

In a separate interview yesterday, Chief of Army Melvyn Ong also said the APL shipment did not have any sensitive equipment or ammunition - only combat vehicles, radios and small arms.

APL has shipped SAF military equipment since the 1990s, Major-General Ong added.

Read also: Seized vehicles should be melted down, says Global Times

Dr Ng noted that many shipping lines carrying the military equipment of various countries call at the port of Hong Kong.

There was nothing unusual in APL using Hong Kong as a transit point, he said, adding: "The carriers that we had appointed before had used Hong Kong frequently without any incident."

When the SAF appoints shipping lines, they are given specifications of military equipment so they know what they are carrying.

The contract terms also state clearly they have to comply with international and port of call regulations, Dr Ng said. "It is their core business to understand what the rules are, to apply for permits or to comply with the regulations of each individual port."

Last Saturday, a report by Hong Kong's FactWire news agency said the APL container ship had docked in Xiamen in mainland China before transiting in Hong Kong.

The report said the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department was tipped off by its mainland counterparts about the nine SAF armoured vehicles, leading to their seizure in Hong Kong. It also said APL did not have the "approval notice" for military vehicles.

Yesterday, Dr Ng said the Terrex vehicles were taken off the ship in Hong Kong after Hong Kong Customs officials "raised queries with regard to full compliance" by APL.

There should not be speculation on why the armoured vehicles were detained, he added.

"Until the facts are established, any speculation is premature, unwarranted and I think indeed unfair to the Hong Kong authorities or any other countries."

Read also: SAF deploys team to Hong Kong to secure seized armoured vehicles

China lodges protest over SAF vehicles

Singapore will not allow any single issue to hijack ties with China

roysim@sph.com.sg


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Housing choice linked to retirement comfort

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The MAS calculated that the monthly mortgage repayment for a S$380,000 housing unit - as represented by a Housing and Development Board (HDB) five-room, build-to-order flat - stands at about S$1,400.

By comparison, the mortgage repayment for a S$1 million housing unit is almost three times as much at S$4,000.

The choice of a home relates to the income replacement rate (IRR), which suggests that a net IRR of 53-78 per cent would generally be enough for individuals to maintain a comfortable living standard during retirement.

A study commissioned by the Ministry of Manpower in 2012 found that median-income couples who bought HDB four-room BTO flats would have IRRs of about 70 per cent.

However, if they purchased larger flats, such as an HDB five-room BTO flat, their IRRs would fall to about 60 per cent.

And that naturally falls even further for those living in private homes.

MAS was clear that circumstances may vary across individuals depending on factors such as income growth, savings rate and investment strategy.

Retirement costs are also a function of government policies, with the Department of Statistics Singapore separately saying that the consumer price index for retiree households fell by the most among all types of households in 2015 on lower accommodation and healthcare services costs.

But MAS underscored the trade-off between housing "consumption" and retirement savings, and noted that households tend to underestimate their retirement expenditure.

They would also need to plan for unforeseen life events such as illness.

"To retire comfortably, households must consider their housing choice as part of their retirement planning," it said.

What compounds the issue is the seemingly daunting nature of retirement planning, which has led many people to put it off.


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Singapore has one of the lowest tax-GDP ratio among Asian economies: OECD

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Taxes in Japan were much higher with the total tax burden equal to 32 per cent of GDP while income and profits taxes represented 10.2 per cent of GDP and goods and services taxes 6.3 per cent.

For South Korea, the respective burdens were 24.6 per cent, 7.2 per cent and 7.4 per cent.

"Apart from Singapore, the tax-to-GDP ratios for the remaining five Asian countries in 2014 were higher than in 2000 - in part due to tax reforms and the modernisation of tax systems and administrations," the report noted.

"The share of corporate income taxes as a percentage of total tax revenues in all six countries was higher than the OECD average of 8.8 per cent."

This share ranged from 12.8 per cent in South Korea to 52.6 per cent in Malaysia in 2014, although in each country the share was lower than in 2013.

"In contrast, the share of value added tax (VAT) to total tax revenues in 2014 remains lower than the OECD average of 20 per cent in all countries - due to generally lower VAT rates, except for Indonesia where the share was 32 per cent."

Singapore experienced a decrease in its tax-to-GDP ratio by 1.6 percentage points over the period from 2000 to 2014, mainly due to several decreases in corporate income tax rates, the OECD said.

"The four South-east Asian countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore) rely principally on taxes on goods and services and taxes on incomes and profits, which together make up more than 75 per cent of their total tax revenues.

"In contrast, the tax structures of Japan and South Korea are more evenly split between the main categories of tax revenues in 2014, similar to the OECD average."


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Customer satisfaction up for tourism and F&B Sectors: report

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The scores for other sub-sectors such as hotels (72.5 points) and travel & tour services (68.7) showed no significant change, while online travel agencies (67.7) was added as a sub-sector this year.

Top-ranking hotels include Marina Bay Sands (77.2) and Shangri-La (75.6).

Meanwhile, in the F&B sector, bars and pubs reported a score of 72.7, or 3.75 points higher, outperforming the overall F&B sector average.

The score for food courts edged up 2.74 points to 69.2, and the score for cafes and snack bars increased 2.64 points to 70.7.

Fast-food restaurants showed no significant change in score.

In the cafes and snack bars sub-sector, Starbucks (72.7 points) and Delifrance (72.2) were among the top contenders, with order-taking process, ability to accomodate special requests and staff attentiveness singled out as key attributes.

Ease of making reservations and waiting time to be seated were key differentiators that affected perceived quality and loyalty for the restaurants sub-sector, which scored 69.8.

The shortage of talent was one of the topics that came up in a panel discussion on Tuesday at the event to release the CSISG results.

The hotelier and restaurateur behind Unlisted Collection, Loh Lik Peng, highlighted the need to create an attractive work environment with career progression for staff, as well as the need to empower them by giving them the autonomy to make decisions.

The study was conducted between July and October, with over 8,560 surveys completed.


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SAF regular serviceman dies after found unconscious at foot of building in Chong Pang camp

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SINGAPORE - A Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) regular serviceman was found unconscious at the foot of a building in Chong Pang camp this morning.

A statement today (Nov 30) from Ministry of Defence (Mindef) said three medics arrived on site at 11.26am and commenced resuscitative efforts immediately.

The serviceman was evacuated via an SAF ambulance to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) at 11.36am and arrived at 11.43am.

An SAF Medical Officer continued to resuscitate him en route to the hospital.

The serviceman was pronounced dead at 11.50am at KTPH, said the statement.

"The Ministry of Defence and the SAF extend their deepest condolences to the family of the late serviceman," said the Mindef statement.

The SAF is assisting the family in their time of grief and is investigating the incident.

A police investigation will also be conducted.

spanaech@sph.com.sg

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Tharman Shanmugaratnam named chairman of G30 group of leading global economists

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SINGAPORE - Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam has been appointed the next chairman of the prestigious global body of top financial experts known as the Group of Thirty (G-30).

He will be the first Asian to chair the G-30.

The Washington-based private group is made up of leading economists and policymakers from across the world, and seeks to deepen understanding of international economic and financial issues.

Mr Tharman's term will begin on Jan 1, 2017 and run for five years, the G30 said in a statement on Wednesday (Nov 30). He succeeds outgoing chairman and former European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet.

Mr Tharman, 59, is also Coordinating Minister for Economic and Social Policies, and chairman of the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

He said of his appointment: "It will be a real privilege to succeed Jean-Claude Trichet, whose knowledge, wisdom and warmth have made him a role model for so many of us, in the G-30 and beyond.

"I look forward to working closely with my colleagues in the Group as we continue to inform and influence dialogue within the global economic and financial community."

G-30 Board of Trustees chairman Jacob A. Frenkel welcomed Mr Tharman's appointment, saying: "We are confident that Tharman will successfully pursue the Group's mission: to deepen understanding of key international economic and financial issues and, thereby, contribute to the quality of public policy decision making."

Mr Frenkel, who chairs JP Morgan Chase International and is a former Bank of Israel governor, was himself reappointed to chair the G-30 board.

The G-30, which was set up in 1978, hosts invitation-only forums for senior industry leaders. It also puts out reports on topical issues such as unregulated shadow banking and capital markets, and oil's impact on the global economy, that are studied in depth by policymakers.

Its members are from both the public and private sectors, and include influential economists such as Dr Paul Krugman, Mr Lawrence Summers and Dr Raghuram Rajan, former Federal Reserve governor Ben Bernanke, European Central Bank president Mario Draghi, and People's Bank of China governor Zhou Xiaochuan.

In 2008, Mr Tharman became the first Singaporean to be inducted into the G-30. He was Singapore's Finance Minister from 2007 to 2015, and chairman of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) international monetary and financial committee from 2011 to 2015.


This article was first published on November 30, 2016.
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Thursday, December 1, 2016 - 09:00
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Halimah Yacob: Jobseekers must be willing to change

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That was Madam Halimah Yacob's wake-up call to those who have lost their jobs amid the economic uncertainties.

"I know it's really very challenging, if you've been an engineer for years, to try to move to another sector.

"But you will have to do that. Because this sector is producing fewer jobs, and manufacturing has become more automated," said the 62-year-old Speaker of Parliament.

In a wide-ranging interview, the unionist-turned-politician, spoke to The New Paper on Tuesday about jobs and the economy, and her thoughts about the changes to the elected presidency.

The number of layoffs this year is expected to top last year's, when 13,440 workers lost their jobs, Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say told Parliament last month.

The reasons have been well-documented - disruptions in several industries and jobs evolving faster than workers can be retrained for them.

Against this backdrop, concern over job security is starting to creep in among her constituents at Marsiling-Yew Tee, Madam Halimah said.

"I've seen cases of people losing their jobs, retrenchments... This is something we really need to monitor.

"Most, I find, are able to manage on their own in terms of getting an alternative job.

"What they do need is temporary support when they have no income to tide them over," she said.

In her 33 years in the labour movement, Madam Halimah has seen many cycles of retrenchment.

CRISIS

She said: "I cannot forget those years, especially the crisis we had in 2008 and 2009.

"I really understand where they are coming from. I really empathise with them.

"They are not just a digit because retrenchments, loss of jobs, affect them personally, very poignantly."

The silver lining in the gloomy economic outlook is that there are jobs available, and Singapore has proactive labour market policies to help those who are retrenched.

They include job-matching through Workforce Singapore, looking for jobs through the revised Jobs Bank, and reskilling under the SkillsFuture initiative.

Madam Halimah said: "This form of technological disruption has been going on for a while, except the pace will hasten and it will continue."

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Thursday, December 1, 2016 - 08:58
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First female president? No comment for now, says Halimah Yacob

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She has been touted as someone who could make history by becoming Singapore's first female president. But Madam Halimah Yacob, 62, simply laughed when the topic was brought up.

"I think it is still a long way off," she said, referring to the next presidential election (PE), which is expected to be held by next August. She is now focused on her two roles: Speaker of Parliament and Member of Parliament for Marsiling-Yew Tee.

The next PE will be reserved for Malay candidates - a mechanism triggered when a candidate of a certain race has not been a president for five consecutive terms. This has been criticised by some as tokenism. But Madam Halimah disagreed.

"When you say it is tokenism, it means that it is symbolic, it is perfunctory. The point is, all candidates, regardless of an open or reserved election, will have to qualify."

In a time when multi-racialism is being tested around the world, she urged sceptics to look at the changes in the context of preserving multi-racialism, one of Singapore's strengths.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said the Government has no specific candidate in mind. He told Malaysian news agency Bernama on Monday: "There is no shortlist. It depends who comes forward. It is not for the Government to arrange. It is for the candidates to come forward."

Madam Halimah ticks all the boxes of the eligibility criteria for public sector candidates.

Political pundits see her as the front runner partly due to her popularity on the ground.

She became the first Malay female MP in 2001, then minister of state in 2011. Two years later, she became the first female Speaker. As a veteran unionist, volunteer and politician, she won over many with her dedication to single mothers, low-income families, the elderly and the disabled.

But when asked if she has considered running in the PE, she said cautiously: "At this moment, I would not want to comment... To me, it doesn't matter what capacity you serve in.

"The most important thing is that you're serving from your heart, and that you're also serving the people and Singapore."

 

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Thursday, December 1, 2016 - 09:01
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Foreign worker heroes honoured

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Retiree Connie Tan was reading at her home in Sunset Place, Clementi, when she saw lightning strike outside her window.

When she checked a while later, she realised that a room on the third storey of her house was on fire.

She told The New Paper: "I immediately called 999. Then I tried to use a hose to douse the fire. It was spreading very fast."

While trying to fight the fire, she heard two foreign workers shout: "Madam, come out."

Mr Marudapillai Jayavelu, 46, and Mr Rengasamy Kabilarasan, 26, who were working on the roof of a house on the opposite side of the road, had climbed over the gate to check if there were people stuck inside the burning house.

They entered the house and evacuated the occupants. None of them was injured in the Nov 10 incident.

Mr Jayavelu and Mr Kabilarasan were awarded the SCDF Public Spiritedness Award yesterday for their selfless act.

When TNP informed Mrs Tan about the award, she said: "I'm grateful to them even though I cannot recognise them because everything happened so fast. I wanted to thank them and give them hongbao that day."

The award was presented by Madam Michelle Liem, chairman of the Bukit Timah Citizens' Consultative Committee at a ceremony held at First SCDF Division Headquarters.

Mr Jayavelu said: "I feel very happy to be able to receive this award because it is not something that everyone gets."

Mr Vince Selvam, 22, director of Starlight Building Maintenance Services, the workers' employer, said: "We feel very proud of them and we will be taking the two of them out for a nice dinner."

Colonel Alan Chow, commander of First SCDF Division, said: "This is a commendable act. In times of emergency, we need people like that to come forward and render assistance to others."

Mr Jayavelu said: "We were not scared of the fire. SCDF had already been alerted then, so we just wanted to check if anyone was hurt."

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Thursday, December 1, 2016 - 09:09
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He is allegedly paid by Zam Zam boss to slash rival

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The owner of Singapore Zam Zam allegedly hired a secret society headman to slash a rival's face, a court heard.

Zackeer Abbass Khan, 45, the owner of the well-known murtabak restaurant in North Bridge Road, had been having a dispute with a neighbouring murtabak restaurant.

He allegedly paid $2,000 to his business associate, Anwer Ambiya Kadir Maideen, who is purportedly a headman of the Sio Ang Koon secret society.

Anwer then allegedly told his secret society member, Joshua Navindran Surainthiran, to carry out the vicious assault.

It left the victim, Victory Restaurant supervisor Liakath Ali Mohamed Ibrahim, with a permanent scar.

Mr Liakath had a 7cm cut over his right upper lip, which extended to his right cheek, and a part of the cut went through to the inner surface of the lip.

On Tuesday, Joshua, 23, was sentenced to 6½ years' jail and six strokes of the cane for the slashing with a knife and other crimes.

He pleaded guilty to five charges - one of causing grievous hurt, two of rioting, and one each of disorderly behaviour and using criminal force against a policewoman.

Five other charges were taken into account in sentencing as part of his plea bargain.

Read also: Murtabak war? Slashing incident involves worker from competing restaurant

A district court heard that on Aug 22 last year, Mr Liakath, 52, stood outside Victory to tout for customers. He had previously worked for Zam Zam from 1985 to 2004.

When a policeman came by at about 6pm, Mr Liakath said he was touting for customers because staff from Zam Zam were doing so.

Zam Zam staff Koleth Navas, 29, overheard this and an argument broke out between him and Mr Liakath.

The policeman told them to stop arguing before leaving.

Shortly after, Zackeer allegedly threatened Mr Liakath in Tamil that he would "do him" within a week, the court heard.

Koleth Navas and Zam Zam's chef supervisor Koleth Abdul Nasir, 41, both also allegedly threatened Mr Liakath.

Zackeer later contacted Anwer, 46, who owns As-Safeera Restaurant at Block 301, Serangoon Avenue 2, the court heard.

Anwer in turn told Joshua that Zackeer had asked for Mr Liakath's face to be slashed, in return for $2,000.

Joshua got his older brother Joel Girithiran Surainthiran, 24, allegedly also a Sio Ang Koon secret society member, to help him in the slashing.

Joshua also asked his friend Ramge Visvamnathan, 19, to help him act as a lookout.

Joel, Ramge, Zackeer, Anwer, Koleth Navas and Koleth Abdul Nasir have all been charged with engaging in a conspiracy to cause grievous hurt to Mr Liakath and/or criminal intimidation by threatening to hurt Mr Liakath.

The cases for all six are at a pre-trial stage.

This is not Joshua's first brush with the law.

He was arrested for gang fight in 2013 and also for assaulting two people in Clarke Quay the same year.

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Thursday, December 1, 2016 - 09:45
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This was how Singapore looked like 32 years ago in 1984, according to Google Earth

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We see it everyday, but don't really think about it much - Singapore is always in the constant state of change. It is only when we zoom out to a more macro perspective that the gravity of how much an entire country can change in the span of a short period of time hits us.

Google Earth Timelapse

Since 2013, Google has been releasing timelapses from the satellite views of earth as seen through Google Earth.

Through this, we have had the opportunity to watch the world transform on our screens, all of which have happened while we were growing up, and not knowing what's happening out in the world.

For the most part, we get to marvel at how fast major cities around the world change and grow throughout the 21st century. Road networks get more complex, bridges are built, and buildings get taller.

This is how much San Francisco has changed in three decades.

Image Credits: Google Earth
A timelapse of San Francisco's transformation.Photo: Google Earth

Unsurprisingly, the most change tends to come out of Asia. With globalisation as a driving force in modernising the traditional Asian landscape, the tale of backwater villages and towns being turned into mega cities within the last 30 years is a commonly recurring theme.

Here we have a look at how Dalian has transformed.

Image Credits: Google Earth
A timelapse of Dalian's transformation.Photo: Google Earth

A Look At Singapore In The Past 22 Years

Unfortunately, Singapore didn't quite make the cut to be a featured image on Google's blog post.

But as always, the good thing about Google is that they are not stingy with their maps. On the interactive Google Earth map, you can navigate to any corner of the Earth and watch how the terrain has changed in the last 22 years.

So of course, we turned our sights to Singapore, and this is what we found.

A timelapse of Singapore from 1984 to present day.Photo: Google Earth

Singapore is a country whose land mass has significantly increased in the last 22 years.

From the island of Pulau Tekong, all the way down the southern shores of Singapore, land reclamation has been profound, and the density of buildings in the country has also increased by a lot.

Reclamation in the north-east of Singapore.Photo: Google Earth
Reclamation in the south of Singapore.Photo: Google Earth
Reclamation in the west of Singapore.Photo: Google Earth
Reclamation in the east of Singapore.Photo: Google Earth

Look around, though, and you will see that our neighbours Malaysia and Indonesia are pretty much clearing forests all in the name of progress.

This is sadly a common occurrence worldwide, and Google Earth has made it worryingly simple for us to see how the human race has ravaged mother Earth.

Of Climate Change and Deforestation

Looking at how cities change and grow only seeks to deflect the actual problems that we are supposed to deal with in the world.

Our progress has come at a price, and it is one that may soon be irreversible.

Image Credits: Google Earth
Image Credit: Google Earth

Sights like these in Bolivia are very common in developing nations. with entire forests being cleared for the sake of farmland and industrial use.

Image Credits: Google Earth
Image Credit: Google Earth

Popular Science has gone even deeper by seeking out coastal towns and cities on Google Earth and have found that as compared to 22 years ago, the sea levels have been rising, and marshes and swamps are being flooded already.

They also looked at our ice caps, and the findings are quite worrisome, with the glaciers of Alaska showing clear signs of receding.

If you'd like to check out the effects of climate change for yourself, head on over to the Google Earth Engine here, and read up on their blog post while you're at it.

We see it everyday, but don't really think about it much - Singapore is always in the constant state of change.

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Thursday, December 1, 2016 - 09:46
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See how land reclamation has changed Singapore in past 32 years
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<iframe width="100%" height="600" src="https://earthengine.google.com/iframes/timelapse_player_embed.html#v=1.31401,103.84425,9.939,latLng&t=0.00" frameborder="0"></iframe>
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