The police are stepping up security measures and checks in Orchard Road and Gardens by the Bay during the festive season, especially on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (Dec 24 and 25) in view of the large crowds that are expected to turn up at the two areas.

The police said in a statement today that police officers, auxiliary police officers and security officers will be deployed for crowd control.

In addition, officers from the Protective Security Command and Emergency Response Teams will be on duty together with officers from the police divisions to ensure safety for merrymakers.

People are advised to co-operate with the police when they need to conduct checks on bags and personal belongings.

The police also remind women to stay vigilant against potential molesters as there were past incidents of assault after the victims' eyes were sprayed with party foam.

The public is also reminded to show consideration to others and avoid doing anything that might annoy others or compromise their safety. The police said it will not hesitate to take action against trouble makers.

As pedestrian movement is likely to be slow because of the large crowds, people are advised to follow instructions given by security personnel and directional signs.

Stay safe with these tips from the police:

- Look after your belongings at all times

- Be cautious of strangers when approached

- Stay close to your friends or move in groups

- Avoid contact with unruly crowds

- Report any suspicious characters and activities to the police by calling 999 or SMS to 71999

- Approach a police officer or dial '999' if you need urgent assistance

- For suspected terror activities, call 999 or call the Internal Security Department at 1800-2626-473

- Download the SGSecure App from Google Play Store or the Apple App Store to provide information to the authorities.

chenj@sph.com.sg

Parents are keen to see their pre-schooler succeed in school but they may not know how to create the environment for success. They may have misconcep- tions about their child's readiness for school, said Ms Zhang Gui Yue, a psychologist at the child development unit of the National University Hospital.

MISTAKE 1

Parents often equate school readiness with academic preparedness

Academic skills like reading and counting are crucial to school readiness but being good at schoolwork does not mean that your child can cope well with the transition and learning in school, she said.

Basic skills, such as the ability to work independently and follow classroom rules and routines, are more important. The lack of communication and self-help skills can lead to stress and anxiety, she said.

Ms Zhang advises parents to be positive and encouraging. "Rather than chasing academic excellence, it is more important to make learning and the school experience an enjoyable process," she said. "A happy and well-adjusted kid is more likely to learn better and achieve success in school."

MISTAKE 2

Some parents think their child will be ready for primary school, no matter what, just like his elder brother or sister

Every child is unique, said Ms Zhang. "Each child has his own temperament, learning style and abilities."

Some children develop certain skills earlier or later than others, while others need more time to adjust to a new routine and environment, she added.

She gives some suggestions on what parents can do to prepare their child for primary school:

1 COMMUNICATION

• Talk to your child about what to expect in school. He will feel more at ease if he is aware, ahead of time, of the environment and routines, and the need to buy his own food during recess time.

• Encourage him to talk about his perceptions, feelings and concerns about going to school.

•Get books and videos about school life, and go through them with your child.

•Most schools will hold an orientation session before the new school term begins. After the visit, ask your child if he has any questions and discuss possible solutions to problems.

2 SKILLS TRAINING

•Go through the various challenging situations that your child may face at school. Tell him when, where and how to seek help, if needed.

•Tell him about the changes in social relationships. For instance, he will be separated from his old friends and meeting new ones. Set up play dates with his pre-school classmates so that he can maintain the friendships.

• Teach him basic social skills, such as asking for permission and taking turns to do something.

•Get him to pack his school bag.

• Practise buying food at recess time with your child.

3 ADJUST TO A NEW ROUTINE

•Try to get your child adjusted to the new routine three to four weeks before the start of school. Get him to go to bed early and wake up early. Ample sleep and adequate nutrition are essential.

•Set up an after-school timetable with your child so that he can learn how to organise his time in a better way.

•Allocate time for homework, rest and play, and decide if there will be any restrictions on TV time in the evenings.

This article was first published on Dec 20, 2016.
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Changkat Changi Secondary School student Kevin Cheong went from being a self-proclaimed failure at Secondary 3 to scoring nine points for his N-level exams this year.

It is a huge change for the Normal (Academic) student who so hated school that he played truant and even blocked the school's number on his mother's phone to prevent his teachers from reaching her.

But a meeting with the school counsellor changed him, mended the mother-son relationship and set him on a course to clock 10 hours a day as he prepared for the N levels.

Kevin had to repeat Secondary 3 in 2014 after failing most of the subjects the previous year.

Feeling like an outcast, he lied to his mother, a single parent, and skipped school, spending most of his time playing console games.

"I kept asking myself, why am I waking up so early to go to school every day, when I'm not even doing well?"

Things did not improve when he took the N-level exams last year. He scored 18 points for the five papers he sat.

Because he had failed Principles of Accounts, his options were limited to a Nitec course at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE).

The 18-year-old decided to give the N levels another shot, studying for 10 hours every day. This time, he scored nine points.

It qualifies him for the Polytechnic Foundation Programme for Normal (Academic) students, a one-year course conducted by polytechnic lecturers which lets eligible students skip the O levels before entering a related diploma course.

The programme offers about 1,200 places.

Kevin intends to apply to Temasek Polytechnic to study law and management.

Of the 12,305 students from the Normal (Academic) course who collected their results yesterday, 75.2 per cent did well enough to be promoted to Secondary 5 and go on to take the O-level exams.

This is an increase from the 74.9 per cent who did so last year.

Of those who took the exam from the Normal (Academic) stream, 99.6 per cent passed, compared with last year's 99.5 per cent.

In the Normal (Technical) stream, 97.1 per cent of the 5,470 students who took the exams this year passed, compared with 96.6 per cent last year.

These Normal (Technical) students can apply to the ITE, or laterally transfer to the Secondary 4 Normal (Academic) course if they got an A for English and mathematics, and at least a B for one other subject.

They can then go on to Secondary 5 to take the O-level exams.

The first batch of students to graduate from Crest Secondary School, the first specialised school catering to Normal (Technical) students, also collected their results yesterday.

Students at the school take a four-year academic programme leading to the N levels, similar to their peers.

But they also learn vocational skills, and most graduate with an ITE Skills Certification in facility services, mechanical servicing, retail services or hospitality services.

At Crest, 98 per cent of its 198 graduating students passed the N-level exams, while 34 of them have accepted offers from the ITE via a scheme that considers their abilities related to courses and skills in leadership, sports or the arts.

This article was first published on December 20, 2016.
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He was 70 and suffered from several chronic ailments, but he believed in working hard.

Since 2008, cleaner Lai Seow Wah had worked at Singapore Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng, a columbarium in Bishan Lane.

On July 1, he climbed a ladder to clean some glass panels and refused to step down even when told to do so.

The next time his supervisor saw him, he was sprawled on the ground, injured. He died the next day, a coroner's court heard.

The inquest into Mr Lai's death heard that he was standing on a 1.8m A-frame ladder, cleaning the glass panels covering rows of ancestral tablets, when his supervisor told him to step down.

Some 5½ hours later, cleaning supervisor Lee Thim Tat was disposing of rubbish when he found Mr Lai lying face up on top of the fallen ladder.

The cleaner was conscious but could not speak and tried to sit up. He vomited once before the ambulance arrived and died the next day from a head injury.

Yesterday, State Coroner Marvin Bay said Mr Lai had not been specifically instructed to clean the glass panels as he was "old and walks with a limp". But he had insisted many times on doing it despite being advised otherwise.

The temple's operations manager, Mr Liu Khee Fang, had been especially concerned because Mr Lai would anchor one leg against the glass surface and stand with only one leg on the ladder.

The coroner said although no one witnessed the fall, it appeared to be inadvertent.

He said Mr Lai had suffered from multiple chronic conditions, including diabetes, hypertension and hyperlipidemia, and had undergone cataract and knee replacement operations. He also had an ankle fracture in 2010.

"Given this, Mr Lai's demise is a truly unfortunate misadventure.

"His sad demise underscores the importance of adopting safe work practices when working from height," he said.

A person who fails to keep at least three points of support on an A-frame ladder risks losing stability during movement and falling off. At least three points - two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand - should be on the ladder at all times.

The coroner advised persons with compromised balance or infirmities not to undertake such work unsupervised or without help.

elena@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on December 20, 2016.
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Something grew more slowly than Singapore's economy in the last decade, and it was good news for the environment.

From 2000 to 2012, the economy grew 5.7 per cent a year on average, while greenhouse gas emissions rose just 2 per cent a year, the National Climate Change Secretariat and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources said in a joint statement yesterday.

This means a 35 per cent reduction in "emission intensity", which measures a country's emissions relative to its economic activity.

This was one of the key points in a biennial report submitted to the United Nations last Friday in fulfilment of Singapore's obligations to the UN Framework Convention On Climate Change.

The switch from fuel oil to mostly natural gas, the cleanest form of fossil fuel for power generation, helped Singapore achieve the reduction.

The report also stated that most of the country's emissions in 2012 were from power generation - about 83 per cent - either for the grid or by large industrial companies generating their own power.

Transport, excluding aviation and international shipping, contributed about 15 per cent.

The warming effect of these emissions was equivalent to that of about 48 million tonnes of carbon dioxide - termed "carbon dioxide equivalent" - and carbon dioxide itself constituted about 97 per cent of it.

Singapore has also refined the procedure for calculating emissions. It now factors in land-use categories that absorb carbon dioxide, such as forests.

Such land categories absorbed 0.239 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2012, which offset 0.5 per cent of Singapore's emissions.

More refinements are in store. Last month, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean announced that the Government would be finding ways to enhance emission monitoring and reporting by big industrial energy users, just as the Paris Climate accord came into force.

The Government will work to reduce Singapore's emission intensity even further. By 2030, emission intensity should be 36 per cent less than it was in 2005, with a peak in emissions around 2030, said yesterday's statement.

Professor Subodh Mhaisalkar, executive director of the Energy Research Institute at Nanyang Technological University, said although renewable energy will play a bigger role in the future, its scope in reducing emissions is limited.

"We only have solar, and solar energy is limited because of humidity and rain and cloud... Renewables can only do so much.

"The biggest improvement that Singapore can hope for would be from energy efficiency," he added - whether in buildings, industrial processes or electric vehicles.

For example, NTU is working with government agencies like the Building And Construction Authority and JTC Corporation to design more efficient buildings that not only feature insulating materials but also consider human behaviour in the design, and use sensors and data analytics to optimise energy consumption.

Ms Nur Adibah A. Majeed, an environmental engineer at the Singapore Environment Council, urged the public to join the cause through actions such as taking public transport and reducing electricity consumption.

"We urge our nation to come together and contribute collectively by leading greener lifestyles... Every bit of action adds up."

This article was first published on December 20, 2016.
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Squeezed into the pages of a thick, crumbling leather-bound death register from the Bidadari Cemetery are the names of the war dead.

They run into the thousands. These were Singapore civilians who died between March 1942 and April 1944, and their names were penned in neat, cursive script by cemetery administrators.

The National Archives of Singapore (NAS) has pulled out the rare war record for display at its Memories at Old Ford Factory museum in Upper Bukit Timah Road, which will reopen to the public on Feb 16 after a year-long revamp.

Curator Fiona Tan, an assistant archivist at NAS, said: "Behind the death register's official entries are poignant and personal stories, many of which we perhaps will not know the full details of. The civilians' experiences during the difficult period are something to ponder."

Causes of death range from skull fractures to beriberi, while some entries detail the dead who were dug up from the civilian cemetery and re-interned at the Kranji War Memorial in recognition of their fight against the Japanese.

War records were largely destroyed by the Japanese administration prior to their surrender in 1945, so the Bidadari register is rare, said Ms Tan.

The NAS has been the custodian, with its mandate to care for and conserve public records. The register is undergoing conservation such as the repair of its half-bound leather cover and binding, among other things. It will be ready for the gallery's re-opening in February.

Earlier this year, the NAS, an institution under the National Library Board, decided to revamp its museum to make it more dynamic and exciting, moving away from a cluttered display of photographs and text-heavy explanations.

Ms Tan said that the revamped gallery aims to show the "diverse experiences and perspectives" of the war and occupation - through the use of more artefacts and newly conserved records.

The gallery highlights the lives of ordinary citizens and also takes in the perspectives of the Japanese and British forces.

For instance, to home in on the individual's experience, the NAS held a public collection drive in March seeking artefacts from 1937 to 1954. It received more than 400 items. Among them was a Malaya ration card and a 1940 graduation yearbook of the Chinese Military Academy. The yearbook is from Mr Lim Kheng Jun, 96, who has lent it to NAS.

Raised in Malaya, Mr Lim enlisted in the military academy in 1939 in response to a call for the Chinese in South-east Asia to fight in the Sino- Japanese War, which went on from 1937 to 1945. His photograph is in the yearbook.

Private collector Lim Shao Bin shared a 1939 Japanese map of "Singapore Town", which marks out 83 key areas such as municipal buildings and Japanese shipping lines.

Ms Tan said: "The map helped the Japanese to identify key government and commercial buildings such as the Japanese Embassy and the Supreme Court. It showed how prepared the Japanese were to invade Singapore."

Other artefacts that will go on display include export receipts of goods to Malaya from China which were issued during the pre-war period. These were clearly labelled as "national goods" to show they were not of Japanese origin, reflecting the sentiment on the ground.

Oral history records on the war which NAS has been collecting since 1981, two years after it was established, will also feature heavily.

Ms Tan said: "We're happy to continuously make our history more accessible. We're eager to showcase our records and community contributions that were made over the years."

melodyz@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on December 20, 2016.
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When Chong Hui Min collected her N-level results yesterday, she started crying.

"I waited for this for two years," Hui Min, 17, said several times as she looked at her results.

She read six subjects and obtained four distinctions, with an EMB3 score of 10 points.

Read Also: Student details fight with rare bone cancer on Instagram

The Junyuan Secondary School student put the national exams on hold last year when she was diagnosed with bone cancer.

She repeated Secondary 4 this year while coping with the side effects of her treatment.

Read Also: 'I know how painful it can be'

Hui Min's results qualify her for the one-year Polytechnic Foundation Programme, where students who pass all their preparatory modules move on to the first year of their chosen diploma.

Hui Min intends to study biomedical science at Singapore Polytechnic under this scheme. Her dream is to become a doctor, a goal reinforced by her brush with cancer.

Read Also: Bone cancer survivor postpones N-level exams for treatment, now aims to inspire others

Her tour guide mother, Madam Jean Lee, 54, is thankful to the school for its support.

Referring to Hui Min, she said in Mandarin: "She has matured a lot. At this stage of life, she wants to seize every moment."

Hui Min's co-form teacher, Madam Teh Sim Sim, 50, said she was proud of her student. "She's very tenacious and resilient," she said.

This article was first published on December 20, 2016.
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Jurong Country Club (JCC) will get to hand over its land to the Government on Feb 1 instead of the end of the year.

The Singapore Land Authority agreed to its request for the new date and to rent back part of the acquired land from then till Aug 31 to wind down its operations.

The 67ha site, which includes an 18-hole golf course, three swimming pools and eight tennis courts, will make way for the terminus of the high-speed rail (HSR) connecting Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

The rest of the land will be transformed into a mixed-use development of offices, hotels, retail outlets and residences.

An SLA spokesman told The Straits Times the Land Transport Authority is "coordinating closely" with the club and will start site preparation works, such as soil probes and tests, from next month "in order to meet the HSR completion date of Dec 31, 2026".

The extended rental is meant to help the club dispose of its remaining assets, such as office equipment, computers and furniture, said club president Bobby Wee.

He said tenders for the sale of big items, including course equipment, grass-cutting vehicles and utility trucks, had concluded, drawing bids from Malaysia and Batam, from which the club stands to gain more than $400,000.

Small items, such as paintings and club logo-stamped cutlery, will be sold or auctioned in-house.

The oil paintings include Jurong Country Club Golf Course, originally priced at $6,000, and Jurong Country Club Lake View. priced originally at $10,000, both by Taiwan-born artist Christina Chen Yu Ting.

Also going is a Tiger Woods oil painting originally priced at $1,888.

Weekly updates on the bids will be uploaded on the club's website. Bid results will be announced during the club's year-end party, to be held on New Year's Eve.

The party will be preceded by a carnival at 2pm and a mass walk on the course from 6pm to 7pm.

The day will also mark the last for golf, when more than 200 players are expected to turn up.

In May, members were informed that all facilities would shut at the close of Dec 31 and JCC will continue to exist as a registered club until further notice.

They were also told that the club would appeal against the $89.8 million awarded by the Collector of Land Revenue as compensation for the land acquisition.

JCC had sought $168 million based on the work of its own valuation consultants. Its appeal, being prepared by lawyers from Rajah & Tann, is pending.

The club president is expected to provide further details of its final activities and related matters in due course.

UP FOR SALE

Golf course equipment, grasscutting vehicles, utility trucks and other capital items have attracted bids totalling over $400,000.

Some 20 pieces of artwork to be auctioned off, including:

Tiger Woods oil painting (above) - original price $,1888

Jurong Country Club Lake View oil painting - original price $10,000

Heron Paradise and three other watercolour paintings by Khor Ean Ghee, each priced at $2,500

Swirls Of Life poster painting by Yoeng Wee Heng - purchase price not available

Remaining assets include office equipment, computers and furniture.

vijayan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on December 20, 2016.
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Come Jan 15, two-factor authentication (2FA) will be made compulsory for all SingPass users.

Currently, more than 100 government e-services such as the Central Provident Fund (CPF) and Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) require the mandatory 2FA to perform e-transactions.

So what is 2FA? It is the extra step a user has to take before logging in to an online account or making an online transaction.

It is usually in the form of a random code sent to a mobile device or via a token.

2FA is based on the idea that a second layer of security should come from something physically near the user, so a hacker cannot log in to your accounts with only a username and password.

Anyone who attempts to do so will be stopped by this second layer of security.

However, 2FA is not always foolproof.

If you opt for SMS one-time passwords and lose your mobile phone, hackers can get access to your accounts and information stored in your device.

Cyber security experts say using a token for 2FA is safer, even if it is more inconvenient.

Just remember to keep the token stored away in a safe place and never reveal the number generated to anyone.

This article was first published on December 19, 2016.
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When Crest Secondary School began in 2013, it had difficulty convincing parents that the school was a viable option for their children in the Normal (Technical) stream.

Their lessons would focus on application in a real-world context.

Said principal Frederick Yeo: "There wasn't a specialised school before this and it was a challenge helping them understand a curriculum that combines academics with vocational training."

With the release of the N-level results yesterday, Crest Secondary proved its students can still do well academically even when they learn through an applied approach.

Ninety-eight per cent of its 198 pioneer students passed the N-level exams, higher than the 97.1 per cent pass rate for the national cohort of 5,470 students in the N(T) stream.

All of its students will be able to join a Nitec course at the Institute of Technical Education (ITE).

The second specialised school for N(T) students, Spectra Secondary in Woodlands, will see its first batch sit the N levels next year.

At these schools, the four-year N(T) programme leads up to the N levels, as it does in other schools.

The difference is that students also learn vocational skills and can graduate with an ITE Skills Certificate in one of four areas - facility services, mechanical servicing, retail services or hospitality services.

Thirty-four of Crest Secondary's graduating students have accepted offers from ITE.

Mr Yeo said one of the school's goals is to help students regain their interest in studying, so they find going to school an enjoyable experience.

The school takes in pupils with PSLE scores ranging from less than 100 to 140.

Some of them have special needs such as autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

"In primary school, frequent failures were the norm for many of them, so we try to get them to see school in a different light," he said.

For example, learning English or mathematics is not restricted to a classroom.

At one of the school's specially constructed facilities, such as a bistro, students can practise language skills by playing the role of a waiter.

At its mini-mart, they learn maths and geometry by measuring the dimensions of items.

Crest Secondary is looking to strengthen its partnerships with primary schools to give their pupils more information about it.

One its students, Goh Kai Xin, 16, intends to study business at ITE.

She said of her time at Crest: "My friends in other schools always studied but they didn't have as much fun as we had... We had taster modules in areas like retail or hospitality and did more hands-on work."

This article was first published on December 20, 2016.
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Every day for the past 20 years, Madam Nancy Koh has been feeding the stray cats in her Beach Road estate, paying for the food out of her own pocket.

But this Christmas, the 77-year- old retiree is one of 47 so-called stray feeders who will get supplies of pet food from a donation drive during the festive season of giving.

Strays are decreasing in numbers with sterilisation, rehoming and culling efforts, but there are still tens of thousands of them, tugging at the heartstrings of animal lovers.

Administrative assistant Shirley Tan, 42, started the annual Christmas donation drive in 2013, inspired by another group that had pooled their bonuses to buy food for strays and animals in shelters.

The stray feeders who benefit are aged 40 to 80, mostly women. They include retirees, civil servants and real estate agents.

"I see myself as a facilitator of sorts, bringing the donors and the beneficiaries together," said Ms Tan. "This is something everyone can do."

She has garnered almost $9,500 in donations this year, reaching her goal of feeding about 4,500 animals from Christmas until the start of the new year by campaigning through Facebook and telephone.

The donations are a relief for Madam Koh, who lives alone and spends $200 to $400 a month on food for about 25 stray cats.

Between 2am and 5am every day, she can be found feeding the animals and cleaning up after the cats.

She chooses that time of day so it does not cause a nuisance to members of the public.

"It all started when a cat kept turning up on my sofa every evening after work," said Madam Koh.

"I tried to shoo it away but it kept coming back. I changed my mind and began to give it food. The more I fed, the more they came."

When a cat she fed for 16 years died three years ago, she cried for several months.

Once she took a sick animal to the vet, which cost her $1,200 as it had to be hospitalised for a week.

Human resource manager Desiree Lim, 36, and her family donated about $600 to Ms Tan's cause this year.

"I love animals and enjoy helping them. It can be very demoralising if you're trying and trying and nobody supports you," she said.

Most of the money goes to buying canned pet food, which is mixed in with kibbles - dry pellets of cat or dog food - or rice.

"Once they get used to you, they'll wait for you at the same time same place, rain or shine," said Ms Tan.

But not everyone approves of stray feeding. Retiree Ong Lian Choon, 60, who lives in Lorong 1 Toa Payoh, said: "They just put the food there and leave it. The leftovers have attracted flies and rats... and I'm allergic to cat fur."

She said there is an elderly woman who frequents the area with a pushcart.

The woman, unlike Madam Koh, leaves the packets of food for the strays she encounters but does not clean up after them.

This has caused problems. In 2014, the authorities blamed the Bukit Batok rat infestation on food left behind by stray feeders.

Strays can also threaten people. In October, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) installed cameras in Yishun after people complained of being chased by a pack of stray dogs.

Mr Ricky Yeo, president of animal welfare organisation Action for Singapore Dogs, said responsible stray feeders who clean up after feeding could play an important role in helping strays - especially dogs - be less aggressive towards humans.

The feeders could also make efforts to sterilise strays easier.

"The stray feeders are actually our eyes and ears on the ground, and they are the connection to the dogs.

It takes months, sometimes years, of feeding to get the dogs' trust," Mr Yeo said.

The Ministry of National Development and AVA are also working with animal welfare groups to rehome stray dogs.

One of their initiatives, Project Adore, was started in 2011 and rehomed 469 dogs in Housing Board flats as of last month.

This article was first published on December 20, 2016.
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She was riding pillion on her husband's motorcycle when she saw a car speeding against the flow of traffic towards them.

Before her husband could react, the Mercedes-Benz hit their bike, sending them hurtling through the air.

As Madam Janice Choo, 34, lay injured on the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE), her first concern was for the safety of her husband, Mr Teh Tze Yong.

Then, racked by pain in her left leg, her next worry was whether she would walk again.

The Malaysian couple, who live here, were among five people injured in the accident just before the underpass leading to the Tuas Checkpoint on Monday morning.

A Toyota driver was killed on the spot while his wife was injured. The Mercedes driver and a Mazda driver were also hurt.

Read also:  Injured wife may not be able to say final farewell

Businessman Lim Chai Heng, 53, was charged with causing death by reckless or dangerous driving at his bed in the National University Hospital (NUH) on Tuesday.

A video clip of the Mercedes hitting the motorbike has gone viral online.

When she saw the clip, Madam Choo could not believe the woman in the video was her.

She told The New Paper yesterday from her NUH hospital bed: "I cried a lot, but it was very hard to register that the video clip was of me.

"It made me realise how lucky I am." The administration officer said her husband was taking her to work at Tuas when the accident happened at about 8am.

"I remember seeing the car coming towards me. I was shocked but I could not do anything," she said.

"I remember thinking to myself, the car is definitely going to hit me."

IMPACT

The impact sent her flying and when she landed, her first thought was of her husband.

She said: "I wanted to find him to make sure he was all right. I was relieved when I saw him alive. I told him my leg hurt a lot. I did not know if I could walk again." Madam Choo has since undergone a five-hour operation on her fractured left leg.Her brother-in-law, Mr Teh Tze Wei, 29, said his brother has had two operations for fractures on both hands and injuries on three fingers.

The quality control inspector said he was unsure if Mr Teh will need to go under the knife again.

The couple, who registered their marriage in 2005 and held their wedding ceremony in 2011, are both warded at NUH but they have not been able to see each other due to their injuries

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Rozaidy

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Madam Choo is now worried how the injuries will affect their future.

Mr Teh had just started working as a driver at Yang Kee Logistics about a month ago.

Read also:  Crash 'permanently embedded' in victim's mind

"We will not be able to work for at least three months.

"I'm worried how we are going to pay the monthly rent for our home," she said.

The couple pay $650 a month to share a three-room flat in the Pioneer area with three relatives.

A Yang Kee Logistics spokesman told TNP it had been in contact with Mr Teh's family and will work closely with them "to render support through this difficult period".

Her parents, Mr Choo See Chan, 58, and Madam Choy Moy Chai, 62, drove eight hours from their home in Perak, Malaysia, to visit her and her husband at NUH.

Madam Choy said: "We never thought something like this would happen. We were worrying throughout the drive here."

The accident has made Madam Choo swear off motorcycles.

She said: "I feel too afraid to ride a motorcycle ever again."

This article was first published on December 22, 2016.
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Whenever Mr Tan Han Boon, 34, recalls the sight of the Mercedes-Benz charging towards him against the flow of traffic, it sends chills down his spine.

The project human resource manager, whose Mazda was badly damaged in Monday's accident on the AYE, said: "I think it is permanently embedded in my mind."

Mr Tan, who suffered abrasions and neck pain, thinks his car, which he bought in April for about $120,000, is beyond repair.

"I don't think it can be fixed, but this will be confirmed by the insurance company," he said.

Recalling the accident, Mr Tan said: "It was very unreal, like something in a movie."

He said he had swerved his car to the left to avoid the oncoming Mercedes, causing him to collide into a bus.

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1 dead, 3 injured in AYE accident

Source:

Lim Wee Teck

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After that, he lost track of whatever happened.

"After the accident, I remember a burning smell, my airbags were out and my glasses on the floor," he said.

Mr Tan later went to the hospital on his own for a check-up to set his mind at ease.

Read also: AYE accident victim flung from bike says: I was lucky

This article was first published on December 22, 2016.
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MALACCA: It has been almost seven decades, but an octogenarian still yearns to meet her long-lost sweetheart.

Leong Yeo Mooi, 85, was only 17 when she fell in love with Ah Yip, who she recalled fondly as "a dashing moustached man in his 20s".

It was love as first sight when he helped her parents install pipes at their home at the Rasah New Village in Seremban.

"At that time there were no mobile phones or even telephones," she said.

"I expressed my love to him through a letter when he came back to claim payment from my parents."

But her parents disapproved of her love for the odd-job worker.

It was the late 1940s and girls, Leong said, were not allowed to go on dates without their parents' consent.

So, Leong and Ah Yip met under a neem tree close to her house, she said.

"He would come every Monday and Wednesday when my parents, who sold metalware, were in Kuala Lumpur."

The couple lost touch, she said, when her parents arranged for her to marry a relative in Singapore when she turned 21.

"At that time Ah Yip had no proper job and my parents wanted me to have a bright future. I don't blame them," she said.

But she said Ah Yip was her first love who she never forgot.

Upon her husband's death in 2007, she decided to take a bus from Singapore to search for Ah Yip, but fell prey to a snatch thief.

A picture of Ah Yip, which she kept for years, was in that bag.

She wandered around before an MCA social worker found her and took her to the Tong Sim Old Folks home at Taman Rasah, Seremban.

"I have a son back in Singapore, but I have not been able to contact him until today," she said on Monday.

Now 85, and a resident of the home in Seremban, Leong said she was content spending her twilight years back in her hometown.

Leong expressed her Christmas wish to meet Ah Yip again at the Equatorial Hotel Malacca, which hosted a birthday party for her and three others from the home, on Monday.

The home's caretaker David Chong said he had tried to help Leong to look for Ah Yip for nine years, but never found him.

"She (Leong) is still waiting for Ah Yip to come," he said.

Earlier, hotel general manager Adrian Chung and his team also visited the home and handed over necessities to all 13 residents.

Chong said he was grateful for the assistance, adding that the home needed new beds and cooking utensils to meet the state Welfare Department's standards.

On Dec 6, The Star reported that the home was nearly forced to close due to financial constraints.

The clock is ticking for the last of the Rochor Centre residents.

Just eight days remain for them to move out of the iconic 39-year-old rainbow-coloured blocks.

The deadline given by the Housing Board is Dec 30.

There are some 30 households who are the final holdouts.

The other residents in the 567 units have vacated their flats, leaving the estate a veritable ghost town.

A silence lingers in the air. The flats are empty but the common corridors are full of furniture, mattresses and appliances left behind.

But when The Straits Times visited the four blocks on Monday and Tuesday, some residents had yet to leave - and said it would be tough for them to meet the deadline.

They include housewife Nargis Banu, 39, and her family of five.

Key collection for their new flat in a new Build-To-Order (BTO) project at Kallang Trivista in Upper Boon Keng Road began in April, but they collected their keys only on Nov 11.

This was due to her family's delays in securing a $150,000 bank loan for the new flat, said Madam Banu.

Then on Nov 22, an HDB letter came in the mail: "As most of your neighbours have already moved out, for your own safety and security, we urge you to return your flat by Dec 30.

"By returning your flat to us as soon as possible, you will avoid incurring additional expenses in holding on to two flats concurrently."

The Straits Times understands the "additional expenses" refer to the service and conservancy fees that Madam Banu will have to pay for both her Rochor and Kallang homes.

Her husband, who has been in talks with HDB for an extension, said he was verbally given additional time after Dec 30 to move.

Their contractor has been hard at work renovating their Kallang flat, she said. But judging by the state of her new home - the flooring is still not yet finished - meeting the new deadline does not seem likely.

Said Madam Banu, who has lived in their three-room flat for 14 years: "In the first place, we love it here and don't really want to move, but we've already digested that fact and come to terms with it.

"But now with this deadline, it seems like we are being backed into a corner."

In a statement, the HDB said it understands some residents collected their keys to Trivista later due to "individual circumstances, such as outstanding issues on bank loans, family issues etc".

It added: "For those who are unable to move out by the end of the year and requested an extension, we have considered their individual circumstances and will continue to work with them to vacate the unit as soon as possible.

For security reasons, we have advised the remaining residents to move out soon."

It was earlier reported that the 39-year-old estate in the Bugis area will be torn down by the year end to make way for the 21.5km North-South Corridor (NSC), which connects towns in the northern region to the city centre.

Yesterday, the HDB said the site will be handed over to the Land Transport Authority (LTA) only "when it is completely vacated".

An LTA spokesman said it has embarked on a call for tenders for the construction of the NSC. "Major construction works will commence in 2017 after the civil contracts are awarded, and the reconfigured NSC is expected to be completed around 2026," said the spokesman.

At Rochor Centre, cleaners sent by the Jalan Besar Town Council are still tidying up the estate, especially at the common bulky refuse disposal point on the fourth floor.

But there is still plenty of trash generated by the mass exodus of residents.

All businesses at the first three storeys, including the FairPrice supermarket, have left.

Corridor lights and lifts still operate though, and homes still have electrical and plumbing services.

A block away, Madam Kee Lian Hua, 65, said she also needs more time to move.

Her family collected the key to their BTO flat in September and knew of the urgency to move.

But there were just too many things to pack away, she said wistfully.

Her daughter has arranged for the movers to come only on Dec 29, the day before the deadline.

ngjunsen@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Dec 22, 2016.
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As 2016 draws to a close, it's that time of the year again to reflect on the days and months that have passed.

When it comes to local and global issues, what mattered?

AsiaOne went out on the streets to find out what stood out for you this year.

Was it Donald Trump's shocking US election win? Schooling's stunning Olympic triumph? Or perhaps, a perennial worry for exam-conscious Singaporeans - the PSLE?

Let's take a look!

on SPH Brightcove

on SPH Brightcove

It was marginally easier to get into some popular secondary schools this year, with the minimum entry requirements easing by one to two points.

For instance, at both Raffles Institution and Hwa Chong Institution, the cut-off dropped one point to 260 and 259 respectively.

The cut-off point is based on the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) T-score, which is aggregated from four subjects at the PSLE.

The score for entry to Methodist Girls' School's Integrated Programme dropped two points to 259 this year.

The cut-off for Dunman High School and CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' School's Integrated Programme was 257, a drop of one point for both schools.

The O-level track for CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' School remained at 253.

Fewer pupils sat the PSLE this year, down from 39,286 last year to 38,808 this year.

Raffles Girls' School bucked the trend among the popular schools, with its cut-off point going up a point to 261.

Nanyang Girls' High School had one of the highest cut-off points at 264, the same as last year's.

Students were informed yesterday of their secondary school postings and were told to report to the schools today at 8.30am.

Those applying for transfers should first report to their posted secondary schools, and submit an application to the schools that they wish to appeal to by noon today.

The results of the appeals will be made known to the applicants early next month.

But there is little option for those hoping to transfer to schools where they did not meet the minimum entry requirements.

The Education Ministry issued a directive last year to stop secondary schools from taking in these students.

Prior to this, schools could accept students with lower scores on appeal if they had vacancies.

But this left some secondary schools with fewer classes as students moved to the popular choices.

As in recent years, the ministry did not release this year's top score, which indicates how well pupils did compared with their peers.

Property agent Jolyn Tan's daughter was posted to Gan Eng Seng School yesterday, which was not her first choice.

Madam Tan, 46, is aware of the new rules and has not decided if they intend to appeal to get into another school.

"We will still go to the school for orientation and take a look at its environment before deciding," she said.

yuensin@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Dec 22, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

In a year when the main train operator was privatised, and ride-hailing apps revolutionised public transport, the bigger surprise for some was over a more private form of transportation - cars and the COE or certificate of entitlement premiums required to register them.

Why? Because they didn't fall when they were supposed to.

2016 started out with the usual litany of MRT and LRT train disruptions but long-suffering commuters got some good news in July when the government announced it would take over SMRT's rail assets for S$991 million under the New Rail Financing Framework.

This would lead to better service, said the transport minister, because trains could be added more quickly in response to demand, and existing rail assets would be replaced and upgraded in a more timely manner.

With the transfer of assets, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) would own the operating assets and share in an asset-light SMRT Trains' risks and rewards.

The aim is to allow the operator to achieve an average Ebit (earnings before interest and tax) margin of 5 per cent.

There was more good news for commuters a few days later, when the government said it would buy SMRT out for S$1.2 billion in a deal which valued the company at about S$2.5 billion.

Temasek Holdings, the majority shareholder which already owned 54 per cent of SMRT, had structured the takeover offer as a scheme of arrangement rather than a general offer.

The rationale was it wanted to take SMRT private rather than increase its stake.

And the reason for privatisation?

To allow SMRT to better fulfil its role as a public transport operator "without the pressure of short-term market expectations", thus enabling it to focus purely on rail service and minimise problems ranging from power faults to phantom signals.

Apart from rail, another kind of disruption was going on with ride-hailing apps.

Uber and Grab continued to strengthen their grip on the new age economy by upending the old taxi transportation model with their near-instant service.

But the activities of these cash-rich companies also moved beyond the public transport realm and encroached into car ownership when they began bidding for COEs for their private-hire business.

Through car rental companies, thousands of COEs were snapped up for brand new Japanese cars, which were then leased out to drivers at daily rates.

Then in May, the three-year-old loan curbs were eased, allowing buyers to borrow up to 70 per cent of the car price and pay it back over a maximum of seven years, instead of five.

As a result, COE premiums remained firm in a year when they were supposed to be on the downtrend because of expanding COE quotas.

For 2016, the total car registrations are expected to surge nearly 50 per cent from 2015 to an estimated 85,000 units.

The figure is still lower than many in the motoring industry had expected because of the high number of COE revalidations.

Many car owners have chosen to renew the COEs of their existing vehicles for another five or 10 years, thus whittling away at the size of subsequent COE quotas.

Still, COE premiums could yet soften given the extended economic gloom.

Especially for the big car category.

There is evidence that the mass luxury segment is coming under pressure from poor market sentiment, with the situation appearing more dire in the super sports car and ultra-luxury limousine business amid the continuing weakness in oil and gas, investment banking, and property.

But premiums for the small car category seem to be supported by strong replacement demand.

Or the deep pockets of the private-hire fleets.

The industry cannot no longer be certain about the latter as the LTA moved to block information regarding participating bidders in the twice-monthly COE tenders earlier this year.

When it comes to COE premiums, however, given the way things have turned out this year, it is probably safe to say not many will stick their necks out to predict where they are headed in 2017.

samuelee@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on December 22, 2016.
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Salmon, beef, ice and toys - these are just some of the treats Singapore's most well-known polar bear will enjoy as it turns 26 this month.

Inuka, whose birthday falls on boxing day, is getting a five-day birthday bash with the help of keepers at the Singapore Zoo.

The celebration started on Thursday (December 22), when Inuka found his climate-controlled den filled with over two tons of crushed ice and enrichment toys.

Inuka also got a special salmon and minced beef cake iced with peanut butter this year.

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2016-12-22 14:39:54

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Inuka celebrates 26th birthday with favourite treats

Source:

Wildlife Reserves Singapore

Guests at the zoo can catch Inuka exploring his ice cave for treats, or enjoying a special birthday enrichment session each morning at 10.25am, from December 22 to 26.

Born December 26 1990, the 505kg polar bear would be in his 70s in human years. He is currently on a special senior animal care programme, where a team of dedicated keepers takes care of his daily needs. There is even an enrichment programme to keep him mentally and physically occupied.

Part of Inuka's healthcare regime includes regular health examinations by the zoo's veterinary team. Health checks in the last three years showed age-related conditions like arthritis and dental issues. As a result, the polar bear is currently on long-term glucosamine and anti-inflammatory treatment for his arthritis.

In addition, Inuka also has dry eyes and an ear infection from time to time.

ljessica@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) is alerting members of the public to stop buying and consuming three health products which have been found to contain undeclared potent Western medicines, including the banned substance sibutramine.

The adulterated products are: Ananda Thukha Remedy for Diabetes, 1 Day Diet and Bee Brand Qi Li Xiang.

The advisory follows local reports of adverse reactions to the products.

A woman in her 60s who consumed Ananda Thukha Remedy for Diabetes for about three months was hospitalised after she was diagnosed with agranulocytosis, a serious blood disorder in which the patient has a low white blood cell count and is prone to falling sick from infections.

She had bought the product, marketed as a "medicine for complete cure of diabetes", from a shop in Peninsula Plaza.

The HSA has seized all the implicated products from the shop for further investigation.

In another case, a woman in her 30s experienced breathing difficulties, increased heart rate, and excessive sweating of palms after consuming 1 Day Diet for over a week.

The HSA said the reactions are caused by sibutramine, a prescription-only weight loss drug used in the treatment of obesity which has been banned from sale in Singapore since 2010 due to serious safety concerns.

The consumer had bought 1 Day Diet, labelled as a "100 per cent pure natural" slimming product with "quick effect" and "no side effect", online.

In a third case, a man in his 50s suffered low blood pressure and low levels of cortisol after he stopped using Bee Brand Qi Li Xiang.

These are symptoms typically associated with steroid consumption, the HSA said.

The product was purchased overseas by the man's wife to help treat his body aches. He had used it for about a month.

It is illegal to sell and supply complementary health products containing undeclared potent Western medicines or banned substances, HSA warned.

Those convicted of selling illegal health products may be liable for prosecution. They face a fine of up to $100,000 and/or a jail term of up to three years under the Health Products Act; a fine of up to $10,000 and/or a jail term of up to two years under the Poisons Act; or a fine of up to $5,000 and/or a jail term of up to two years under the Medicines Act.

huizhen@sph.com.sg