The weeks leading up to Hari Raya each year are busy for homemaker Suaidah Soib, 25.

The kitchen in her three-room flat turns into a production wonderland filled with cookies and cakes fresh out of the oven. Her baked goods are so good that friends and relatives pay her to bake a few extra.

Recently, the mother of one learnt that she can bake for a steady stream of buyers throughout the year and earn about $200 to $300 a month, thanks to a mobile app that connects home cooks with hungry buyers.

Madam Suaidah, who is known as Batter Chatter on the Hcook app, said the additional money helps to supplement her husband's income.

Hcook was launched in July by two friends and lists home-cooked meals for a pool of hungry buyers. The app features 200 home cooks and more than 1,200 listings of food, ranging from local cuisine to Thai and western dishes.

Registered individuals can upload a photo and list their food on the app, and interested buyers can place orders and collect them.They can also have the food delivered.

Hcook co-founder Renton Yap, 38, said the app enables home chefs to showcase their food and sell their wares to an online audience. He added that it is especially helpful to low-income women, who make up 10 per cent of the home cooks featured.

Madam Suaidah said: "With the extra income, I buy my child's milk and diapers. And since we just got a home, it helps with the household bills too."

Madam Herny Kamal, 38, who quit her interior design job in 2014 to focus on caring for her two children, now makes $500 a month by baking and selling cakes and cookies through Hcooks.

"I have always enjoyed taking photos of food I have cooked. The app gives me extra income to spend on myself and my kids," she said.

There are at least three such food apps in Singapore now.

Just last month, Share Food Singapore was launched with 200 home cooks, while Heartland Chefs has had 144 home-cook sign-ups since it was launched in October.

All the app makers said they adhere to the National Environment Agency's (NEA) guidelines for the Home Based Small Scale Business Scheme, where individuals can prepare small quantities of food for sale. A licence is not required from the NEA under these guidelines.

Mr Yap of Hcook said those who apply to be home cooks on the Hcook app are assessed by its staff, who visit interested cooks to make sure that their kitchens are clean and the bins are closed, and that the cooks have hygienic practices, including the separation of raw and cooked food.

These Hcook staff have taken the WSQ Conduct Food and Beverage Hygiene Audit course, which trains them in conducting hygiene checks.

Madam Herny said the app is a stepping stone to bigger dreams.

"The app gives me the motivation to start my own cafe. With the app, I am making more connections with other cooks and friends, so maybe I can start my own place one day," she said.

For more information, visit www.hcook.sg, www.sharefood.sg or www.heartlandchefs.com.

This article was first published on Dec 05, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

IPTL director Bhupathi confirms absence of American superstar for local leg of three-city tournament

Singaporean fans of Serena Williams are set to miss out on seeing the star yet again.

The world No. 2 will not be in town for the Singapore leg of this year's International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), which starts at the Singapore Indoor Stadium today.

This was confirmed by IPTL founder and managing director Mahesh Bhupathi yesterday.

Williams, who played for the Singapore Slammers in the IPTL's inaugural season in 2014, has not competed since early September after a defeat by Karolina Pliskova in the semi-finals of the US Open.

WITHDRAWALS

The 22-time Grand Slam winner qualified for the season-ending WTA Finals here in October, but withdrew for the second year running, saying she wanted to focus on recuperating from a shoulder injury.

The Straits Times had reported on Nov 25 that the 35-year-old American would return to action in Singapore to headline the home side, the OUE Singapore Slammers.

But, in a phone interview with The New Paper shortly after touching down in Singapore yesterday evening, Bhupathi said: "No, she is not coming.

"We've had some challenges this year and, unfortunately, Serena will not be here.

"But she has played the past two years with us, and we're looking forward to her competing again next year."

The third season of the IPTL, a mixed-team tournament using an abbreviated tennis format, kicked off last weekend with the Japan leg in Saitama.

This year, it features four teams playing in three cities, down from the five teams competing in five cities last year.

After the Singapore leg, the final will take place in Hyderabad, India, from Friday to Sunday.

Defending IPTL champions, the Slammers, and are up against the Japan Warriors, the Indian Aces and the UAE Royals.

Bhuphati had previously said that "economic challenges" contributed to the IPTL's downsizing and late confirmation of details, which have also seen ticket prices slashed by nearly 50 per cent.

But he promised the tournament would bounce back strongly next year.

Despite Williams' absence, top men's and women's players from the past and present will be in action over the next three days.

Aussie world No. 13 Nick Kyrgios will turn out for the Slammers while Serb former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic will star for the UAE Royals.

When asked about ticket sales, former doubles and mixed doubles Grand Slam champion Bhupathi said: "Honestly, I don't know, because I just landed here. I guess we will have a better idea tomorrow.

"But we saw last year that the fans (here) enjoyed the format.

"Last year, the final was in Singapore, and the tournament ended on a high with the Slammers winning it. Hopefully, the fans will return."

Tickets are available online at www.sportshubtix.sg, with three-day passes starting from $117 and matchday tickets from $42

This article was first published on December 06, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Three Malaysian motorcyclists were involved in an accident at the Second Link towards Tuas Checkpoint at about 5.10am this morning (Dec 6), which left one dead and two others injured.

Stomp contributor Mugal saw the aftermath of the accident near Tuas Checkpoint.

Said Mugal: "For the first bike, the rider was already covered with white plastic while for the other bike, two were badly injured."

He also noticed that the incident occurred at a pothole that have been there for quite a while and there was surprisingly many blue factory buses today.

According to The Straits Times, ICA had said in a press release that the accident took place during the morning peak period and traffic was building up.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to a call for ambulance assistance at about 5.09am, and dispatched an ambulance.

A man in his 50s was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

A male and female in their 30s, were taken to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital.

Visit STOMP for more stories.

Reader Gabriel Tham wrote in to askST: "Why does Singapore not have a mandatory retrenchment benefits scheme?

"First, it will make employers weigh the cost of retrenchment in the short term.

"Second, it will make employers think twice about over-hiring and then abusing the system."

Manpower correspondent Toh Yong Chuan answered:

This issue crops up from time to time, especially during economic slowdowns when retrenchments rise.

The government has always rejected suggestions of making it mandatory for companies to pay retrenchment benefits to workers who are laid off.

It has always maintained that it is not necessary for such payments to be made mandatory because the practice is already widespread.

According to its own surveys, as many as nine in 10 companies who retrenched workers paid such benefits. It would rather give companies and unions the flexibility to negotiate such payments, rather than prescribing it under the law, because the circumstances of companies that retrenched workers are different and there cannot be a one-size-fits-all approach.

This approach is consistent with the longstanding view by the government that if labour laws are rigid, such as making retrenchment payments compulsory, companies will be deterred from hiring workers on the onset and workers will be hurt.

The furthest that the government would go, for now, is to make it compulsory for companies to report to the Ministry of Manpower within five working days of laying off workers. The new rule, which kicks in from Jan 1, will make sure that retrenched workers get timely help, the government said when it announced the new rule last month.

The pressure on the government to make retrenchment payments compulsory will continue to increase. As workers become more educated, they will want to see their rights protected. The government will have to balance the desire for more protection by workers against the flexibility that it gives companies in hiring and firing.

This article was first published on December 5, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

This article was first published on Aug 2, 2014, and updated on Dec 5, 2016.

SINGAPORE - A murtabak food feud between Zam Zam and Victory Restaurant led to a slashing incident which left Victory Restaurant supervisor Liakath Ali Mohamed Ibrahim with a permanent scar.

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2015-09-30 22:58:06

Photo Gallery

Murtabak war? Slashing incident involves worker from competing restaurant

Source: The New Paper, Berita Harian, Lianhe Wanbao

Food feuds between rival restaurants or hawker stalls can heat up quickly, and leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

Here are some prominent ones from The Straits Times archives:

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Photo Gallery

6 prominent food feuds in Singapore

Source:

The Business Times

Lianhe Zaobao

The New Paper

The Straits Times

1. WHAT'S YOUR BEEF?

Brothers Anthony and Francis Tan both claimed they were the true successors of the famous Hock Lam Street beef kway teow.

Mr Anthony Tan said he had helped his father cook at their stall in Hock Lam Street since he was 12. He ran Original Popular Hock Lam Street Beef Kway Teow at Far East Square.

Mr Francis Tan, a former export trader who entered the beef noodles business much later, opened a shop at Purvis Street called Hock Lam Street Popular Beef Kway Teow.

He claimed that his father's recipe was passed down to him, while Mr Anthony Tan was helping his father serve customers at the stall.

2. MINCED MEAT MIX-UP

Mr Tang Chay Seng, owner of Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle in Crawford Lane, took his nephew Arthur Tung to court for trying to pass off his stall, Lau Dai Hua, as the original.

Mr Tang, who runs Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle, claimed that his nephew, Mr Arthur Tung Yang Wee, had passed off his pork noodles business as being linked to the Crawford Lane one.

Read also: 6 things to know about one Michelin-starred Tai Hwa Pork Noodle

The court dismissed Mr Tang's claims in 2010.

Mr Tang's stall was made one of two Singapore's first Michelin-starred hawkers in the inaugural Singapore Michelin Guide in July 2016.

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Photo Gallery

Tai Hwa Pork Noodle and Hong Kong Soya Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle awarded one Michelin star

Source:

AFP

The Straits Times

The Business Times

The New Paper

Shin Min Daily News

3. KATONG LAKSA KERFUFFLE

Katong laksa was popularised by brothers Ng Juat Swee and Ng Chwee Seng, who started selling the noodles in a coffee shop in East Coast Road in 1963.

Four rivals had popped up along the same stretch of East Coast Road by 1999, and many of them had names with "Katong Laksa" in it.

After the spurt of publicity about the feud, two of the original five stalls started franchise arrangements, resulting in branches being set up all over Singapore.

328 Katong Laksa at 53 East Coast Road was recently given the Bib Gourmand award. This is owned by Ms Nancy Lim.

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2016-07-14 12:16:47

Photo Gallery

Michelin Guide Singapore unveils its value-for-money list

Source:

Berita Harian

The New Paper

Lianhe Zaobao

The Straits Times

The Business Times

Karim Iskandar

A Noodle Story

Hjh Maimunah

Catherine Yang

Shishmahal

Peony Jade

Andre Hoeden

Instagram

4. BONAFIDE BEANCURD

The Rochor beancurd war is a tale of bitter business rivalry among the Koh siblings. It began in the 1960s when their parents peddled tau huay, a beancurd custard, from a pushcart in the Rochor and Beach Road areas.

After their father died in 1986, the stall had shop units in Selegie Road and Middle Road before settling in Short Street in 1998.

Disputes over control of the family business, however, saw the siblings set up their own stalls.

5. MEE POK CLONE WARS

Four hawkers were plying their noodle business within a few kilometres from each other. Each stall claimed to be independent, yet all were seemingly associated by name or ownership.

At the centre of this war is 132 Mee Poh Kueh Teow Mee, started by Mr Chan Sek Inn at the old Siglap market in the 1970s.

One stall owner was the brother-in-law of Mr Chan, another had worked for him for 10 years.

6. CHICKEN RICE CONTENDER

Mr Wong Liang Tai, former cook at the Tian Tian chicken rice in Maxwell market, set up his own stall nearby after being dismissed from the famous hawker stall.

Ah Tai Hainanese Chicken Rice saw long queues when regulars found out that it was set up by Mr Wong.

He was sacked by Tian Tian management, who said he shouted at staff. He said he felt under-appreciated.

This article was first published on Dec 05, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Some subscribers of Singtel broadband were still without Internet access yesterday, a day after the telco said all its services were fully restored on Sunday morning following an islandwide outage.

They were unable to restart their modems and routers to re-sync their connection to the servers despite following the instructions they received from the telco.

Singtel said yesterday the problem bugged "a small number of customers'' and its technician had gone to their home or workplace to fix it. The outage for Singtel fibre broadband customers started on Saturday morning, and the telco is still investigating why its servers could not send IP addresses to customers' modems to enable broadband connectivity.

Most of the 10 subscribers interviewed yesterday had their connection restored except for Mr Daniel Tan, 36, owner of convenience store Angel Supermart. He re-started his Internet equipment multiple times with no success, he said, adding that the outage cost him about $300 a day.

Info-communications Media Development Authority (IMDA), the regulator, is also looking into what caused the outage. "IMDA takes Singtel's service disruption very seriously," a spokesman said yesterday. "IMDA is investigating the cause(s) of the incident and the service recovery measures taken by Singtel," it said in a statement.

Most Singtel customers said they regained access to the Internet by following the telco's instructions but several said it took more than one attempt.

Freelance musician John Paul Kwan, 28, had to manually edit his router settings as his modem was working but not his router after he reset both. "It's strange as I found out that a filtering system was enabled when it shouldn't be, which blocked Internet access," he said.

Mr Alvin Pang, 43, who works in information technology, rebooted his modem twice to restore the connection yesterday afternoon.

An irate Mr Tan of Angel Supermart said there were long queues and unhappiness at his shop in Woodlands over the weekend.

He added that he hired extra people to man the cashier counter and to manually count the stock and replenish goods, work that typically was done automatically through an online system using cloud storage.

He said Singtel should let subscribers like him terminate their contract without penalty for "major breakdowns like this".

Mr Rene Loh, 49, said his daughter dipped into her data plan at another telco for Internet access to finish her school assignment.

She used 75 per cent of her monthly plan in a few hours. Still he is undecided on whether to switch to another telco. "It may be slower or have its own problems too," he said.

Read also: The day Singtel broadband went down
SingTel apologises for mobile and fixed broadband service disruption
Singtel handled Internet outage well: GPC chairman
Singtel broadband services restored, subscribers to get 10 per cent off bill for Dec

This article was first published on Dec 6, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Q What is your secret to looking fabulous?

A Eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, have enough rest and train hard. Having a positive mindset is important too.

Q Has there ever been a time when you were not fit and fab?

A This was during my national service in 2013. I had a bad fall and had to undergo surgery for a dislocated shoulder.

I took more than a year to fully recover. During that time, I could not exercise and kept eating as I was bored. As a result, I piled on 20kg and weighed 95kg at one point.

I shed the extra weight within six months by exercising regularly and watching my diet.

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Photo Gallery

Man lost 16kg in six weeks and won muay thai belt

Source:

The Straits Times

Grace Louise Tan

Simren Panoo

Q What is your diet like?

A Mainly steamed fish or chicken breast, with egg whites and a salad (without dressing) or vegetables that are stir-fried without oil.

I will snack on cashew nuts and almonds if I need to. Or, sometimes, I will have a bowl of granola with a scoop of peanut butter.

I avoid eating carbohydrates for dinner.

Q What are your indulgences?

A Occasionally, I go for buffet meals with family and friends.

Q How important is it for you to keep up with your fitness routine?

A It is very important. I have to train regularly because I don't know when my next fight will be. I want to make sure I'm always prepared.

Q What is the most extreme thing you have done in the name of fitness or diet?

A I lost 16kg in six weeks in order to fight in the 69kg weight category at the Johor Chief Minister Championship Belt in October last year.

I ate healthily and trained twice a day, five times a week. It was very tough. My mind was telling me to give up but I managed to persevere till the end.

Thankfully, I brought back the championship belt.

Q How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance?

A I am juggling work and school. I work as an instructor at Juggernaut Fight Club. I am also doing a degree in Sports Science at PSB Academy, a private education institution.

It's tiring but my passion for muay thai keeps me motivated. I finish work at 5.30pm on weekdays and attend classes at 7pm. To stay awake, I make sure to have a cup of coffee before class.

I will spend time with my family during the weekends.

It can be very difficult when I have to prepare for an examination while going on a strict diet and training at least twice a day for an upcoming fight. But I am determined to do well in my studies and also be a successful fighter.

Q What are the three most important things in your life?

A My family, muay thai and my studies. I am studying hard to get a good job after I graduate.

Q How has your active lifestyle influenced your family and friends?

A Some of my friends have joined the gym after seeing that I had lost weight and am keeping fit with a proper diet and training regimen.

Q What's your favourite part of your body?

A My arms. My least favourite part is my chest.

Q Would you go for plastic surgery?

A No. In martial arts, there is no need for plastic surgery to look good.

Q Do you think you're sexy?

A I have never thought of myself as sexy, although many people have told me that I look like the South Korean pop star Rain.

• Bio Box

• TERENCE TEO JIA JIN

  Age: 25

  Height: 1.85m

  Weight: 79kg

  Although Mr Teo has always been active, he had problems maintaining a healthy weight as a child.

  Despite playing soccer in primary school, he was placed in the Trim and Fit (TAF) club for overweight pupils.

  Joining the athletics team in secondary school helped him to lose weight and keep fit.

  His fitness level reached a new high in 2011 when he tried out muay thai. "I was so hooked on it that I trained five times a week," he said.

  Mr Teo has an elder brother who is a project manager. His mother is an insurance broker and his father works part-time as a warehouse supervisor and diving technician. 

This article was first published on Dec 06, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

In our annual Causes Week, back for its fifth year, we spotlight individuals and groups that are making a difference in the community, and look at how others might pitch in too.

Lawyer teams up with 10 of the coffee chain's outlets in food redistribution programme

Foreign worker Murugan Ganeshan was pruning plants outside Capitol Tower in the punishing 4pm heat two Saturdays ago when a woman approached him.

The Indian national was initially puzzled.

Then as lawyer Dipa Swaminathan, 44, explained that she was giving him free food from coffee chain Starbucks, he broke into a smile.

Mr Murugan, 46, who has been in Singapore for seven years, said he was delighted by her thoughtful gesture.

While most Singaporeans have Saturdays free, most foreign workers continue toiling, constructing buildings and fixing roads.

To bring them a little joy, Ms Swaminathan has teamed up with 10 Starbucks outlets to give away unsold food items to migrant workers in the stores' vicinity.

"As you know, they would never be able to go into Starbucks and get a drink or muffin. What better thing to do than to take perfectly good food destined for the bin and to give them a snack," said the Singapore permanent resident.

This food redistribution project started by chance in May, when Ms Swaminathan visited Starbucks' Singapore Polytechnic outlet to buy coffee for parents of players on her son's tennis team.

"I saw they had a whole container full of pastries and I knew that they close at 4pm on Saturdays. So I asked if they were throwing away all the food and if they could give it to me instead and I'll go pass it to migrant workers," she said.

She paid for her coffee, drove out, and passed the pastries to workers mending the road. A Facebook post she put up then went viral.

"Some people thought it was a donation initiated by Starbucks and they were saying they will start patronising Starbucks because it is doing such a good thing," said Ms Swaminathan, assistant general counsel at Singtel.

"Using that, I wrote to Starbucks - including their worldwide CEO - and said, 'You've got so much good publicity out of this, why not consider doing it in Singapore?'"

So from June, the Singapore Polytechnic outlet started passing the unsold food to the lawyer. And by October, the project had expanded to 10 Starbucks outlets in schools or in the business district - which are also stores that close earlier on Saturdays.

Through Facebook, Ms Swaminathan has mobilised a group of 10 to 15 volunteers to help her collect food from the various outlets each week, and later distribute it to workers nearby.

She estimated that each outlet passed the volunteers 20 to 30 items every week.

Each week, the food goes out at random to workers nearby.

"Literally within minutes, it's donated because there are migrant workers everywhere in Singapore," she said, adding that the random distribution allows volunteers to reach different groups of workers instead of heading to the same work sites each week.

Distributing the food immediately also means the pastry will not go bad before it reaches the workers.

In March, 7,600 Starbucks stores in the United States started donating ready-to-eat meals to food banks.

The coffee chain said it is thinking about how to extend this programme to Singapore.

"We are also encouraged that we have customers, like Dipa, who are passionate about these causes as well," said a Starbucks spokesman.

Ms Swaminathan has been helping migrant workers through several projects.

Each Deepavali, she collects money from friends to buy and distribute phone cards to foreign workers in Little India so they can call home.

She also collects raincoat donations for foreign workers who have to work through bad weather.

Mr Murugan said: "Usually, people here don't notice us and we don't receive goodies.

"But now, I'm happy to know there are (people) who care about us and appreciate our work."

This article was first published on December 6, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Insurer AIA Singapore will raise the premiums of its Integrated Shield Plan (IP) relating to private hospitals from 2 per cent to 23 per cent from Jan 25.

The move comes soon after rival Aviva raised its IP premiums by between 10 per cent and 25 per cent, while Prudential hiked its premiums by 8.8 per cent to 36.6 per cent.

The increases apply to IPs that cover private hospitals.

The other three IP insurers are AXA, Great Eastern (GE) and NTUC Income.

Industry observers believe it is only a matter of time before they raise premiums as well, although AXA may be the last to go as it began offering the policies only in May.

The insurers are raising IP premiums now that the 12-month moratorium - which was imposed when MediShield Life was introduced on Nov 1 last year - has expired.

AIA has started sending letters to affected policyholders, informing them of the increases.

The Prudential and Aviva premium rises start this month.

The AIA premium hike comes with some enhancements to the IP, subject to certain conditions.

They include offering the highest policy annual limit at $2 million and extending the pre- and post-hospitalisation benefits by up to 13 months. These are the longest in the IP market.

Ms Ho Lee Yen, AIA's chief marketing officer, noted that the need to increase IP premiums is a result of escalating claims costs.

"While AIA Singapore has been doing our best to actively manage the increasing claims costs internally, it has become necessary to increase the premiums of the AIA HealthShield Gold Max A for it to be commercially viable for us... Larger medical bills, greater healthcare consumption and the increased use of newer and costlier procedures which leverage medical technological advancements have resulted in an increase in medical costs and claims for IPs," she said.

It has been reported that NTUC Income plans to increase the premiums of some IPs next year.

GE said it is reviewing its IP premiums and plans, and is unable to provide any timeline at this stage.

Mr Andre Czanik, AXA Singapore's chief health officer, said it has no plan to increase IP premiums.

This article was first published on December 6, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

He may have been soft spoken by nature, but John Gibson's heart of gold will be a quality that family and friends will remember him fondly by.

The 29-year-old died after collapsing during the half-marathon of the Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore (SCMS) on Sunday morning. Gibson, who holds a British passport but was born in Hong Kong where he mostly lived, was about 1km away from the finish line.

College mate Gordon Tang said Gibson - or "Gibbo" as he was affectionately known - was active in university affairs while he was an undergraduate at the London School of Economics (LSE), where he earned first-class honours in mathematics and economics.

"Gibbo was probably one of the kindest souls I knew back in (university)," Tang told The Straits Times yesterday.

The duo lived in the same student hall during their freshman year, and both served in LSE's Association for British and Chinese University Students committee.

Added Tang: "He was very soft spoken and just really kind.

"He was always going out of his way to help friends.

Read Also: Runner, 29, dies 1km before finish line at Standard Chartered Marathon Singapore

"I definitely do have that impression of him even until today. Gibbo will be remembered very fondly by many of us."

Gibson may have picked up a passion for endurance sports in recent years, completing two triathlons this year, but he was known as more of a ballroom dancing enthusiast back in school, even entering competitions.

He had worked as a chartered accountant at PricewaterhouseCoopers in London and was to have received the results of his dissertation for a masters degree in international relations and diplomacy at the University of London's School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) yesterday.

His father Robert told The Straits Times yesterday: "He would be so happy to know that he got a distinction for this dissertation, leading to a distinction for the degree.

"He had worked very hard for this."

Gibson's parents were in Singapore yesterday, travelling from Hong Kong where they live, and were at the morgue. Gibson's father is a Briton while his mother is a Hong Konger.

There will be a memorial service in celebration of the late Gibson next Tuesday in Hong Kong.

His sudden death had come as a shock because he seemed to be "in excellent physical condition" and "went running regularly".

Said the late Gibson's godfather William Heller: "John was everything you could have wished for in a son - bright... sporty... considerate, charming, full of life and (a) sense of humour."

According to his sister Fredel, the runner had also completed a full-body check-up only months ago, when he was given a clean bill of health. Gibson has another brother.

The family had planned a "double celebration" to commemorate the completion of his master's studies and his birthday on Thursday.

Some took to social media yesterday to pay tribute to the late Gibson.

Shama Junejo, Gibson's classmate at the School of Oriental and African Studies, said on Twitter: "Deeply saddened and shocked on the sudden demise of my young friend..."

Island School in Hong Kong, where the late Gibson attended before leaving for college, also expressed condolences on Facebook:

"We are very saddened to learn of the tragic death of alumnus John Gibson during the (SCMS).

"The Association extends its deepest condolences to John's family, including Robert Gibson, Chair of the Island School Council.

"John and his family have been great supporters of the Island School community, and John no doubt will be dearly missed by many of us."

This article was first published on December 6, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

When the Singapore Council of Women's Organisations (SCWO) wanted new tables for its training room and cafe, it got them the free and easy way. A new online platform matched the charity to the Ibis Singapore on Bencoolen hotel, which had tables to give away.

Launched by local social enterprise Papayapaths, the H3Rs Giveaways Programme channels items donated by hotels towards charities, non-governmental organisations and social enterprises. H3Rs stands for Hotels Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

SCWO marketing and public relations executive Amanda Ho, 35, said: "In the past, when we needed furniture, say, for shelter residents who were going to be relocated, we would usually just blast it out in our newsletter and maybe on Facebook.

"The platform helps a lot because we can just go to the website and see what is available."

The programme is the brainchild of Papayapaths co-founder Muriel Boutin-Becuwe, 48, a French national who came to Singapore in 2004.

Alarmed by the growing burden of waste on the environment, the permanent resident decided to take the plunge and tackle the issue.

She left her job as a project manager with a multinational corporation to set up Papayapaths, a social enterprise which would help make the hospitality industry greener.

Ms Boutin-Becuwe's team spoke to hotels and organisations, and realised that most yearned to be more sustainable and reduce wastage but lacked an outlet.

She said: "We spotted an opportunity to collaborate with the hospitality industry to create a practical and socially beneficial solution for waste diversion."

Read also: ST's Causes Week back for second run

Using the platform is simple: Hotels are invited to list items they wish to donate - which could include anything from beds to leftover stationery. Participating charity organisations may post their requests. Both hotels and charities receive an e-mail whenever new items or requests are posted, ensuring that all parties are kept in the loop.

The platform therefore matches the donations with the corresponding requests, giving a new lease of life to items which would otherwise be discarded.

Papayapaths has conducted two successful week-long pilot programmes, during which two tonnes of items were given to the needy.

Over the past year, more than 100 hotels and charity organisations have expressed an interest in the platform, which Ms Boutin-Becuwe believes will save at least 100 tonnes of items over the next three years. It has also won the support of The Food Bank Singapore and the National Environment Agency.

Mr Kevin Teng, executive director of sustainability at Marina Bay Sands (MBS), said: "Marina Bay Sands is always looking for opportunities to donate leftover items to charity and the H3Rs Giveaways Programme makes it even easier for us to do so."

MBS has donated some of its furniture to Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support, which helps teen mothers, and plans to use the platform as a strategic part of its waste management planning for next year.

Said Mr Teng: "The platform effectively complements our waste management strategy... At the same time, it allows us to support a good cause."

This article was first published on Dec 6, 2016.
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Does a night's stay at the Marina Bay Sands (MBS) for $70 sound too good to be true? It is.

Several people who had booked rooms at that price were left disappointed after MBS informed them via e-mail that the price was an error.

Instead, it offered them the rooms at $450 per night with a $100 credit on their final bill.

Mr Joel Tan, 25, a project manager, is angry at the increased cost of his reservation.

He said he found the deal on MBS' website on Nov 28. He immediately booked a stay for March 31 to April 7. He received a confirmation e-mailthe same day but was informed on Monday about the change in price.

"I am disappointed that MBS is not honouring its obligations. It has to take responsibility for the mistake," said Mr Tan.

He told The New Paper he had booked the room for friends who are flying here in March.

He has yet to let them know about the change in price as he is waiting to see if MBS will do anything else.

Another customer, Mr Clarence Chen, 28, had booked a room from March 31 to April 7 for his family.

Mr Chen said he was disappointed when he received an e-mail about the new price.

He said: "I am now thinking of selecting another place for my staycation because of the way MBS tried to resolve and downplay its error in pricing."

When contacted by The New Paper, an MBS spokesman said the room rate error "arose in connection with a promotion for stays ending March 31, 2017".

"Only guests who booked through this promotional page and planned to arrive on 31 March were affected," said the spokesman.

She said no credit cards were charged upon booking. MBS is investigating the cause of the error, and it apologises for the inconvenience to its guests.

The spokesman added that MBS' terms and conditions state that the hotel has the right to correct the rate or cancel a reservation (after directly contacting the person) if the rate has been incorrectly posted.

The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) told TNP that as payment was not made at the time of booking, the hotel is likely to dispute the validity of the contract. It also noted that in MBS' terms and conditions, any reservation is subject to its confirmation.

NEGOTIATE

But Case added that consumers can attempt to negotiate for an amicable resolution since confirmation of the booking was received by the consumer.

In a separate case in December 2014, Singapore Airlines allowed about 400 passengers to fly business class although they had bought tickets at economy-class prices due to a pricing error.

This article was first published on Dec 7, 2016.
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A man in his 50s was killed at the Tuas Checkpoint after a crash between a lorry and two motorcycles. Two others were injured, and the 45-year-old lorry driver was arrested.

There has been a worrying rise in the number of deaths involving motorcycles, as well as heavy vehicles, including buses and lorries. These were up by 25 per cent to 20 from January to June, compared with 16 in the same period last year.

There were 463 fatal and injury accidents reported, up from 435.

Yesterday's enforcement action included the Ayer Rajah Expressway, West Coast Highway and Jalan Buroh, where on Nov 24, a 42-year- old motorcyclist was killed when he tried to squeeze his vehicle through a gap between two trucks.

During the police action involving covert officers from the Traffic Police Special Operations Team (SOT), a bus driver failed to keep to the left lane on the expressway, and a lorry driver used his mobile phone while driving.

Both were among 14 errant heavy vehicle drivers who were caught by officers in unmarked cars or "bikers" clad in black jackets. Four motorcyclists and three car drivers were also stopped for various offences.

"Heavy vehicles have a higher propensity to cause severe hurt or fatalities whenever they are involved in accidents," said Traffic Police Patrol Unit's deputy commanding officer John Chan. "In this aspect, heavy vehicle drivers must do their part, such as to check their blind spots and not speed."

The Straits Times accompanied a two-man team in an unmarked car yesterday. The team caught four errant motorists within 11/2 hours. Three were driving heavy vehicles and one, a mini bus.

The mini-bus driver swerved recklessly to switch lanes, causing a motorcyclist behind him to brake suddenly, while a lorry driver was caught for running a red light.

From January to September, SOT officers detected about 4,500 violations - a threefold increase compared with the same period last year.

The police have put the more effective enforcement down to their new 900cc "stealth bikes" that first hit the roads in May.

These bikes are more easily manoeuvred around heavy traffic to go after errant motorists, compared with unmarked cars.

Motorcycle accidents up

Every day, about 12 motorcyclists or pillion riders are hurt or killed in a traffic accident, the Traffic Police has said.

In the first nine months of this year, 3,835 motorcyclists or their pillion riders were involved in accidents, up 3.7 per cent from the 3,698 for the same period last year.

Speaking to reporters before a Traffic Police operation yesterday afternoon, Patrol Unit deputy commanding officer John Chan said: "Motorcyclists often suffer serious injuries or even death during accidents as they are not protected by the shell of their vehicles."

Some accidents caused by dangerous riding, such as weaving in and out of traffic, can be prevented, he said.

The number of fatal or injury accidents from January to September also went up by 4.5 per cent, from 3,264 to 3,410.

Clamping down on errant bikers has been a focus for the Traffic Police (TP) in recent months with outreach events and campaigns warning of the dangers of reckless riding.

One initiative the Traffic Police has rolled out to improve safety is a new message to motorcyclists to "think before you VROOM".

The acronym refers to being "Visible" by switching on the head lights, taking "Responsibility" by riding with caution, especially in wet weather, to "Obey" traffic rules and "Machine" - a reminder to do pre-ride checks on the motorcycle before moving off.

The Traffic Police has also been working with food delivery services to ensure that their riders are dressed in protective and bright clothing.

Read also: Man in his 50s dies in early morning accident at Tuas Checkpoint

This article was first published on Dec 7, 2016.
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What was supposed to be a four-year project to widen the roads around the Braddell Flyover has become a six-year nightmare for residents of about 10 nearby blocks in Bishan and Toa Payoh.

Originally slated for completion by 2015, the end of the project has been delayed to the first quarter of 2017, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) confirmed yesterday.

It is the second time the deadline for the Braddell Flyover project has been extended since work started in 2012.

Part of the delay was caused by a change in the contractor for the project and the difficulties associated with the handover, The Straits Times has learnt.

Hexagroup was awarded the first tender for $29 million in 2012, with a completion date of end-2015.

But financial difficulties at the local construction firm led LTA to terminate the contract in 2015.

It is not known how much had been paid to Hexagroup, which is in the process of winding up.

Read Also: Braddell Rd project hits bump as work comes to a halt

The current contractor, Feng Ming Construction (FMC), won the second $29.9 million tender that year to complete the public works by the end of this year.

The project includes the construction of a single-lane flyover for right-turning traffic from Lorong 6, Toa Payoh to connect directly with the Braddell underpass, towards Paya Lebar.

An officer from FMC familiar with the project said the company had to overcome unforeseen hurdles caused by the two contractors' different approaches to the job.

Both contractors had had to iron out payment issues during the handover period, which may have stalled progress, he added.

Finally, environmental constraints due to the hilly Bishan side of the worksite also made it difficult for FMC to speed things along, said the officer, who declined to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media.

"We had a 17-month period to complete the project when we first took over in 2015. It was very challenging," he noted.

"However, these unforeseen hurdles have already been overcome, so all we need is more time to finish the construction. The new deadline is based on our best estimate."

He said he was aware of the volume of feedback from residents.

Those living next to the worksite told The Straits Times they were frustrated with the lengthy work.

Read Also: New contractor appointed for stalled Braddell Road project

One 65-year-old resident, who wanted to be known only as Mr Chua, said: "We're tired of sweeping the floor of this construction dust every other day."

As the construction work has "dragged on", the retiree has been looking to sell his four-room flat and move to somewhere quieter.

"Even if the project is finished on time, the new flyover means there will be more cars going past next to our block," he said.

Residents were also unhappy about the many linkway diversions that made it a longer walk to get to the two temporary bus stops along the worksite.

An LTA spokesman said work is ongoing, and the main flyover structure is "substantially completed".

Temporary structures to minimise inconvenience and noise barriers have been erected.

"When completed, the flyover will allow traffic from Lorong 6 Toa Payoh heading towards Bartley Road and Paya Lebar to enter the Braddell underpass without joining traffic heading towards the Central Expressway."

This article was first published on December 7, 2016.
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Singapore and Malaysia will sign the bilateral agreement for the high- speed rail project in Kuala Lumpur next week, Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said yesterday.

Datuk Seri Najib told reporters in Iskandar Puteri, Johor, that Singapore had requested a bit more time as it needed the President's approval before inking the pact.

Both countries had been scheduled to sign the agreement at their Leaders' Retreat, initially planned for Monday.

The meeting was postponed.

Read Also: Singapore-KL High Speed Rail: What you need to know

Malaysia's national news agency, Bernama, cited Mr Najib as saying: "Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has called me and asked for a little bit of time to brief their President."

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Photo Gallery

Singapore-Malaysia ink landmark High Speed Rail MOU

Source: The Straits Times

Mr Najib added that, under the Singapore Constitution, the guarantee of such a project would need approval from the President.

"We will be signing the agreement next week. (PM Lee) is coming to Kuala Lumpur," Mr Najib said.

Singapore officials declined to comment, but The Straits Times understands that the signing will take place in Malaysia next week.

Read Also: 2026 start for S'pore-KL high-speed rail 'realistic but not easy'

PM Lee told Bernama in an interview last week that both sides had made "very good progress" on the agreement, which will spell out details of matters such as cost sharing and how the project will be built and operated.

Once signed, tenders for an advanced engineering study and works can be called.

The high-speed rail will cut travel time between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur to 90 minutes. Construction of the 350km line is expected to start in 2018, with trains running by 2026.

This article was first published on December 7, 2016.
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Industry group raises awareness following teen's suspected fatal electrocution.

Pressing a button at home regularly could save your life.

This is the "test" button, typically denoted by a "T" on the circuit breaker, a safety device found in all households and buildings.

If you press that button and all electricity cuts off, that means it is functioning. A working circuit breaker will cut off electricity in the event of a current leakage, like when someone touches a live wire, minimising the chances of fatal electrocution.

The Singapore Electrical Contractors and Licensed Electrical Workers Association (Seca) is calling for more awareness on circuit breaker maintenance, following the death of a 15-year-old boy who was apparently electrocuted while showering at home.

Tan Yao Bin suffered cardiac arrest and died despite attempts by paramedics who administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

It is believed that a cable along the shower head was exposed, in the incident at Block 233, Bukit Batok East Avenue 5.

Mr Ken Jung, vice-president of technical aspects at Seca, said: "We need to be proactive instead of reactive. We need more education and awareness on the maintenance of the circuit breaker at home."

He also cautioned residents not to do any repair work themselves and to engage a qualified electrician instead.

The Energy Market Authority (EMA), the power systems regulator, said the circuit breaker should be tested once a month.

"This should cause the breaker lever to trip immediately and flip down. If the lever does not flip down, contact a licensed electrical worker to look into this," an EMA spokesman said.

Explaining the importance of the circuit breaker, known as the Residual Current Circuit Breaker, Mr Jung said that it cuts off electricity when 30 milliamperes of current passes through its sensor. That has been regulated as a safe amount.

The Public Utilities Board, then the electricity authority, mandated that circuit breakers be installed in all homes by July 1985.

Mr Jung added that water is a good conductor of electricity and that without a working circuit breaker to cut off the electricity, it would find a path through the body to go to the ground.

"Any path it takes will burn the internal organs. If it goes through the heart, victims will typically die," he said.

Only 10 per cent of people who experience electrocution survive and, even then, they are likely to experience health problems.

The EMA advises residents not to touch an open electrical outlet or electrical switch with wet hands as this can lead to current leakage and potentially fatal electric shocks.

A spokesman said people also should not "piggyback" multiple plugs into one socket by using multiple adaptors, because overloading power points may lead to overheating and fire.

She also said residents should verify that those hired to do electrical works are EMA-licensed.

Mr Jung said Seca would like to work with the authorities to promote awareness of the role of the circuit breaker through videos and posters.

He added that other countries like Malaysia regularly use the media to educate their citizens on the importance of ensuring their circuit breakers are functioning.

Ms Hemavathi Panneerselvam, 29, said she thinks many people in Singapore, including herself, take safety for granted.

The accountant said: "We are lucky that in the past, our circuit breaker was working, even though we didn't check it.

"I will be checking it regularly, because now I know it can save lives."

Read also: Boy, 15, possibly electrocuted in shower

This article was first published on Dec 7, 2016.
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Shipping line APL has not received formal reasons for the seizure of nine Singapore infantry carrier vehicles, even after a third meeting between the company and the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department.

The armoured vehicles were detained on Nov 23.

In a statement sent out last night, the Defence Ministry (Mindef) said APL met the Hong Kong authorities from 10am to 4pm yesterday.

The company had its second meeting with the Hong Kong department for six hours on Thursday.

Both parties first met on Nov 29.

"We have not been provided formal reasons as yet for the detention of the Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicles," said Mindef in its statement.

It added that it had advised APL officials to "continue to extend their full co-operation" to the Hong Kong Customs department, to expedite the return of the vehicles.

The nine Terrex vehicles and equipment that were seized had been used in a Singapore Armed Forces military exercise in Taiwan, and were on an APL ship taking them back to Singapore.

The ship was in transit in Hong Kong when the vehicles were detained.

Read also: Mindef confirms 9 armoured vehicles seized in Hong Kong

Following this, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said Beijing is opposed to countries with which it has diplomatic ties having official exchanges with Taiwan, and asked Singapore to adhere to the "one China" policy.

Both Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen and Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan subsequently said Singapore fully believes in and respects this policy.

Dr Balakrishnan also said that Singapore's training arrangements with Taiwan are long-running and not a secret, with many Singaporean men having trained there since 1975.

The SAF conducts overseas training in a dozen or so territories, and hires commercial shipping lines to transport its military equipment. This is the norm for militaries during peacetime, Dr Ng said.

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Photo Gallery

SAF will overcome manpower issues through technology: Defence Minister

Source: The Straits Times, Mindef, tabla!, Berita Harian

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

This article was first published on Dec 7, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - As a boy in the 1960s, Mr Adaikalam Annadhurai served at Sri Muneeswaran Temple in Queensway, often helping with the preparation of food during Hindu festivals.

In 1970, the temple moved to its current location in Commonwealth Drive but the then 15-year-old devotee did not follow suit.

"I remember back then, I would also visit this small shrine next to the temple. It was left out of the move you see, so I stayed and prayed," said the 64-year-old civil servant.

Today, after more than 40 years, Mr Adaikalam is still praying at the shrine named Sri Thandavaalam Muneeswaran Alayam Shrine.

The shrine is located along the former Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) railway track, hidden from view under a flyover at the intersection of Queensway and Portsdown Avenue. It was built by former KTM railway workers, who used to live in a row of now abandoned zinc-roofed apartments.

Mr Adaikalam and his fellow devotees came to care for the shrine after the train services between Tanjong Pagar and Woodlands stopped in 2011 and the KTM railway land was returned to Singapore.

"After the workers left, electricity and water supply was cut off," said Mr Adaikalam. "We bought a generator for power, and water is carried to the shrine by the devotees."

In this episode of Living City, The Straits Times Video visits the Sri Thandavaalam Muneeswaran Alayam shrine.

This article was first published on Dec 6, 2016.
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Singapore's educators deserve applause for the Republic's showing in the latest international benchmarking test conducted by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Singapore's 15-year-olds took top place, outperforming their peers from 71 other countries and economies in using science, mathematics and reading skills to solve problems.

It shows that the deliberate curricular shifts Singapore has made over the years to emphasise higher-order critical thinking skills have worked in moving our students beyond mastering content knowledge to become problem solvers.

But beyond this, what we need to look out for is Singapore's placing in another Pisa 2015 test result that will be out by the middle of next year.

Besides assessing students' strengths in mathematics, science and reading, Pisa 2015 also assessed students on an important 21st century skill - collaborative problem solving.

It was part of the move in recent years by the OECD to broaden the test to measure other skills that are becoming increasingly crucial to thrive in the workplace.

To assess collaborative problem solving, students were asked to tackle a problem by collaborating with a partner, in this case, a software programme.

Students had to use their interpersonal and communication skills to engage the programme and pool knowledge and skills to complete a task.

Read Also: Singapore students top global achievement test in mathematics and science

As the OECD explained, the ability to collaborate is a vital skill as much of the problem solving work done in the world today is performed by teams in an increasingly global and computerised economy.

A University of Phoenix Research Institute study has also identified virtual collaboration as one of 10 key skills for the future workforce.

The OECD is looking at testing other skills as well. The next round of Pisa tests, in 2018, is likely to include a new measurement of global competence, which will look at how well students can navigate an increasingly diverse world, with an awareness of different cultures and beliefs.

Broadly defined as the ability to critically analyse global and intercultural issues to aid social cohesion, global competence is a game changer, according to Dr Andreas Schleicher, the education and skills director of OECD.

Writing in the media earlier this year, he said that increasingly, schools also have to ensure that children develop "the navigation skills and the character qualities that will help them find their own way through an uncertain, volatile and ambiguous world".

To assess global competence, students will be tested on their comprehension of a range of global and intercultural issues such as the environment, poverty, economic integration, inequalities and migration.

Read Also: Singapore students top ranks of best-performing students in the world

The test details have yet to be confirmed, but students may be asked how much they know about these topics and then given some source material to exercise their critical and analytical skills, for example, opinions on whether the sources are reliable.

When asked how the OECD picks which skills to test, Dr Schleicher said that the people who design the test look very carefully at the evolution of skills demanded in our societies.

Many of the skills that schools have traditionally emphasised, requiring students to master content, are becoming less important for success in the real world, he noted.

Read Also: Young Singaporeans top competency rankings while older citizens lag behind, study finds

In contrast, creative thinking, teamwork and social skills are becoming more important.

The OECD looks at how the world and the skills that people need are changing, and then tries to reflect that in its measures.

This article was first published on December 7, 2016.
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Here are the answers to the first graphic above:

Answer for meteoroid question: The meteoroid is attracted to the mass of Earth.

Answer for Mt Fuji question: 11am

Answers for Alan's Birthday Party question:

There are 12 possible correct solutions (6 solutions, each with a corresponding mirror image solution)

• Alan-Amy-Emily-Brad-Beth-Charles-Debbie-Frances (and its mirror).
• Alan-Amy-Emily-Brad-Beth-Frances-Debbie-Charles (and its mirror).
• Alan-Amy-Frances-Debbie-Brad-Beth-Emily-Charles (and its mirror).
• Alan-Amy-Frances-Debbie-Beth-Brad-Emily-Charles (and its mirror).
• Alan-Amy-Debbie-Frances-Beth-Brad-Emily-Charles (and its mirror).
• Alan-Amy-Emily-Charles-Beth-Brad-Debbie-Frances (and its mirror).

The 68-year-old cleaner had saved up for months and was ready to leave for her week-long Hokkaido tour on Monday night.

The plan was to go to the airport to meet the travel agent who had the air tickets for her group. But hours before the flight, Madam Teo Ino Meo allegedly received a text message from Sky Travel & Tours that it had shuttered and would stop all services immediately.

A visit by The Straits Times at 3.30pm to the company's office in the basement of People's Park Centre found the glass doors locked and the lights off.

A note on the door said business would resume on Thursday. It gave an emergency contact number, but calls went unanswered.

To Madam Teo's knowledge, there were 28 people in her tour group who had made travel arrangements with Sky Travel & Tours. She said she has not been able to get any explanation from the company so far.

Said Madam Teo in Mandarin: "I was so angry. My bags were all packed and I was ready to leave that night."

The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) said it had received seven complaints against Sky Travel & Tours since Monday.

Madam Teo, a widow, had booked the tour with a friend in August during a travel fair and had paid $500 as a deposit. About two weeks ago, they went to the agency to pay the balance of $1,900, and were given their itineraries.

"They said that everything had been confirmed," she added.

Her friend, Madam Beh Choon Ann, 80, said besides the money paid to the company, she had spent close to $300 on winter wear.

"It would have been our first time seeing snow," she said.

The two women have filed claims with the Small Claims Tribunals and have made police reports. They claimed they met others who had done the same.

Case executive director Seah Seng Choon advised affected customers to try to contact the agency regarding the status of their tour packages, and those who had bought travel insurance, to contact their providers.

Speaking in general, he also said travel agents should protect customers' interests by purchasing insurance for prepayments.

"We advise consumers to engage CaseTrust-Natas accredited travel agencies as they are committed to fair trading and transparency towards consumers," he said.

This article was first published on Dec 7, 2016.
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