Ten new proposals to promote the learning of English and mother tongue among young children have received grants from the Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism.

The projects include a bilingual children's television programme produced by Mediacorp; a YouTube edutainment series run by ex-TV host Diana Ser; and the translation of English picture books into Chinese, Malay and Tamil by publisher Epigram Books, The Straits Times reported.

This brings the total number of proposals which the fund has supported to 45, with $10.3 million in grants awarded, the Education Ministry said yesterday.

The Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism was launched in 2011 by former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew to promote bilingual teaching and learning.

To date, it has received over 220 proposals.

Education Minister (Schools) Ng Chee Meng, who is the fund's chairman, said: "The fund will continue to enhance the pool of locally developed and culturally relevant resources that support bilingual teaching and learning.

"We are now exploring new frontiers with novel projects like a bilingual television programme and an online video series.

"We hope such new initiatives will provide more interesting and interactive experiences for our children's learning of mother tongue languages," he added.

The fund is also looking to develop a reading series for children aged between five and 10.

Yesterday, it launched a call for proposals to develop a "systematic set of mother tongue language graded readers for pre-school to primary school children".

The content of the readers should be set in the Singapore context and feature local elements that will allow children to better relate to the story, it said.

Details can be found at www.bilingualism.sg/call-for-proposals/call-for-proposals.

This article was first published on Jan 4, 2017.
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When Mr Goh Chok Tong was first sent to the new constituency of Marine Parade in 1976 as the People's Action Party (PAP) candidate, there was no party branch in the area to assist him.

Fortunately, Mr Fong Sip Chee, who was contesting in Kampong Chai Chee, donated $2,000 to get him started.

Several market stallholders -fishmongers and pork sellers among them - also chipped in.

With their assistance, Mr Goh won the seat with 78.6 per cent of the vote, kick-starting a political career in which he served as prime minister from 1990 to 2004.

Recounting how the branch was built from scratch as he marked 40 years as MP, he reminded party activists that the PAP can never take voters' support for granted.

"Going forward, we must not assume that we will always poll more than 70 per cent in our Marine Parade ward. We should not even assume that we will always win," Mr Goh, 75, who is now Emeritus Senior Minister, said in a speech at a dinner last Friday.

He posted the text of his speech on Facebook on Monday.

It was at the constituency that Mr Goh experienced a few emotional high points: Winning his first electoral contest, and later the 1992 by-election.

The low point came in 2011, when his GRC team was returned with 56.6 per cent of the votes, an outcome he did not expect: "I felt the deep disappointment and gloom in our supporters... It was a lesson in the vagaries of elections."

He learnt that the track record of a party or candidate did not matter as much as the mood of the people.

 And now that Singapore was a "settled democracy", he said, the prevailing politics and mood of the day will count for more in elections.

On why the PAP should not assume it will always prevail at the ballot box, Mr Goh said younger voters also have a "less instinctive, and more transactional" bond with the party, compared with the pioneer generation who lived through Singapore's early struggles.

Moreover, he added, opposition parties will grow and attract better-qualified members.

As for Marine Parade, Mr Goh said he would not be around for the next 40 years, and "it will be difficult for a new person to get the same support as me for various reasons".

He won the seat 11 times in 10 general elections and one by-election. How the party will perform in the constituency will depend on the younger team that has been handed the baton, he added.

At the national level, he said, the fourth-generation leadership is also taking shape, and its members are honing their political and leadership skills. "They will make mistakes just as their predecessors did, but they must find and conquer their own mountain," he added.

As for what he hopes to leave behind, he said: "Marine Parade must continue to be the best home in the land... We must never hand over our lives' work on a silver platter to some opposition party which had never even spent time here."

Retiree Ong Bock Eng, 79, who has lived in Marine Parade for about 30 years, credits Mr Goh for the good living environment there.

She said her son has asked her to move in with him in Bedok, but she cannot bear to leave her community. "Life is good here, and this will always be my home," she said.

At the dinner at the Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy Hotel attended by 350 grassroots leaders and party activists, Mr Goh thanked past and present party stalwarts like Mr Tan Kin Lian, who stood in the 2011 Presidential Election, and Mr S. Puhaindran, who ran the ward on Mr Goh's behalf when he was busy with Cabinet duties.

PAP branch secretary Yusof Lateef, 48, said: "Mr Goh's message was clear: The party must never cease working for the people. We celebrated, but when the next Meet-the-People Session comes along, work starts anew."

Book publisher Tan Wu Cheng, 77, a grassroots leader and Marine Parade resident for about 40 years, said Mr Goh's words on renewal had got him thinking about how to attract more younger volunteers. "We have to pass on our work to the next generation," he said.

This article was first published on Jan 04, 2017.
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Cinemas at The Cathay resumed operations yesterday evening following a fire that broke out in one of its projector rooms on New Year's Eve.

As a result of last Saturday's fire, about 550 people were evacuated by staff at the Handy Road building.

One employee, a man in his 30s, was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital for smoke inhalation.

He was discharged on Monday.

A Cathay Cineplexes spokesman said the "small fire", which happened at around 6.30pm, was put out by sprinklers before the Singapore Civil Defence Force arrived.

The fire was caused by an electrical distribution box in the projector room of Hall 6, on the seventh floor.

It took about two days for staff to clear up the damage and dry the floor of the room.

Read also: More than 500 cinemagoers evacuated, 1 person taken to hospital after fire at The Cathay

Cathay Cineplexes will also be replacing the damaged electrical distribution box.

The spokesman added that the cineplex's seven other halls and projectors there were not affected.

"We do regular maintenance for all of our systems and electrical distribution boxes.

"This was an unfortunate, one-off incident and we will continue to be vigilant and step up checks," said the spokesman.

In a Facebook post yesterday morning, Cathay Cineplexes said it will continue to offer refunds for tickets booked for shows scheduled until 11.59pm today at The Cathay.

Refunds can be done at all seven Cathay Cineplexes outlets.

Patrons will have to present their ticket stubs.

For online bookings, refunds will be done directly to the credit card used for the transaction.

This article was first published on Jan 04, 2017.
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SINGAPORE - With its two 18-hole golf courses, Raffles Country Club (RCC) in Tuas has been a go-to place since it was opened in 1988 for golf enthusiasts who sign up to be its members.

But all that will soon be thing of the past as the RCC sits on land the Government plans to acquire for the upcoming Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) and the Cross Island Line's western depot.

Both the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Singapore Land Authority (SLA) made the announcement today (Jan 4) in a statement issued to the media.

The statement said that the RCC site is the "most suitable location" to run the HSR tracks after the bridge crossing and to place the tunnel portal leading to the underground tunnels that would take the HSR to the Jurong East terminus.

The high speed rail between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur is expected to start running in 2026 and will cross the Straits of Johor via a bridge.

The site will also be used for HSR crossover tracks and a siding facility to temporarily house a train near the border for safety or operational reasons, the statement added.

The RCC site may be used for train testing facilities. Further details of the projects will be given after detailed feasibility and engineering studies.

On the club's website, an announcement was made too, stating that the land the club currently occupies must be made vacant by July 31, 2018 and that it will be acquired by the Singapore government in preparation for the HSR.

The announcement also read: "We would like to assure you that the Club has been contacted by the relevant Government agencies and we will provide members with a more detailed update in due course."

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Singapore-Malaysia ink landmark High Speed Rail MOU

Source: The Straits Times, The Star/ANN, AFP

stephluo@sph.com.sg

For several months last year, Bangladeshi worker Ali Paresh and nine of his countrymen toiled 10 hours a day, six days a week to build the new extensions at Park View Primary School and Elias Park Primary School.

"It was very hard work. Even though it was raining we didn't stop working because our boss wanted to build the schools fast," said the 41-year-old, whose employer has allegedly not paid him or his nine compatriots since last July.

As a result, his two sons aged seven and nine may have to drop out of primary school in Bangladesh this year as their father could not send money home.

Mr Paresh, who began working for Heng Shun Construction from the middle of last year, said he stopped receiving his wages about two months into the job.

The 10 construction workers lodged a complaint with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in October last year, claiming their employer owed them about $4,000 each in unpaid wages.

Their monthly basic salary is $650 and they can earn up to $1,000 per month with overtime.

Their complaint is due to be heard behind closed doors at the labour court today.

Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra) records show that Heng Shun Construction was set up in March 2014. It is owned by Mr Qian Yufei, a Chinese national in his 40s who is a Singapore permanent resident. The firm has two other shareholders, both of whom are Chinese nationals based in Jiangsu and Liaoning in China.

The company, which has a paid-up capital of $100,000, does not have a physical office here. Letters to the firm are sent to a shell office at International Plaza.

When contacted, Mr Qian admitted that he owes the 10 Bangladeshi workers their salaries, but denied not paying them for up to four months. "It is one or two months at most," he said in Mandarin over the phone. "Maybe $1,000 each, because their salary is low."

He claimed that he has a cash-flow problem because he has not been paid by two main contractors. "I would have paid them if I have the money," he said.

He also blamed the workers for being impatient and complaining to MOM without giving him a chance to pay them.

"I will be closing down the company soon and I will try to pay the workers in my personal capacity," he said. "I have been working in Singapore for 16 years and I got my permanent residency in 2008. I won't run away."

Social worker Jevon Ng, from the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (Home), said such cases of unpaid salary involving foreign workers are "very common" and could increase, given the economic slowdown.

The workers approached Home for help last month and received financial aid of $40 each as well as counselling.

MOM has arranged for the workers to stay at a shelter run by the Migrant Workers' Centre, an advocacy group for foreign workers that is backed by the National Trades Union Congress.

Mr Paresh is hopeful that he will get his salary back. "Singapore has good laws. I want to work here. I want my boys to study," he said.

tohyc@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 4, 2017.
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From wigs and pets to everyday objects such as books and mobile phones, more travellers are leaving their items at the airport.

Last year, ground handler Sats, which manages about eight in 10 flights at Changi Airport, recovered more than 38,000 items on planes - or more than 100 items a day.

This is higher than the 32,000 items found in 2015 and more than double the number recovered in 2014.

Another 40,000 reports were lodged last year by people who had lost their belongings at the three passenger terminals.

Some of the items left behind included sweaters, jackets, books and personal gadgets, as well as more unusual items such as X-ray films, dentures, surfboards and breast pumps.

Airlines said that travellers sometimes see this as a convenient way to discard unwanted items.

In many cases, however, owners eventually remember they left something behind and make arrangements to recover the items.

A hamster in a cage, for example, was eventually reunited with its owner.

When owners do not turn up, attempts are made to track them down. For instance, if something is found in the seat pocket of an aircraft, attempts are made to reach the passenger who was in that seat, said Sats.

When Sats has difficulty contacting the passengers, the items are sometimes returned to the airline's head office after about a week.

Items that are not claimed are typically kept for about three months before being donated to charities such as The Salvation Army and the Singapore Red Cross.

In the past two years, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has donated about 6,300 items to The Salvation Army.

These are inspected and valued before being sold at the charity's thrift and online stores, said Mr Nicholas Tan, retail and marketing manager of Red Shield, The Salvation Army's social enterprise arm.

For example, mobile phones are tested to make sure they are working well. Those secured with passwords that cannot be cracked are typically taken apart and the components sold.

The charity made about $90,000 from selling items donated by SIA in the past two years, Mr Tan said.

Airlines said they do make announcements to remind people to ensure they have all their belongings with them before disembarking.

"To avoid unnecessary anxiety, passengers are advised to check under their seats, seat pockets and the overhead compartments thoroughly before disembarking," said the spokesman for Sats.

karam@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 4, 2017.
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AS we embark on 2017, the Singapore economy has just delivered a nice little new year present.

Its 1.8 per cent year-on-year growth in the fourth quarter (based on advance estimates), beat just about every economist's forecast and demolished some, including the measly 0.6 per cent by Reuters, based on a poll.

Full-year growth for 2016 - also 1.8 per cent - was another upside surprise, besting the government's own forecast of 1 to 1.5 per cent and again, ahead of the consensus.

Read also: Singapore ranked 6th most competitive city in the world

But cheering for 1.8 per cent growth is being grateful for small mercies. While it is better than expected, it is still the lowest growth number since 2009, the time of the Great Recession. Moreover, there are legitimate doubts that even this relatively modest level can be sustained, let alone bettered, in the years ahead.

For one thing, much of the growth last year was manufacturing-driven. The manufacturing sector was the star of the fourth quarter, expanding by 6.5 per cent over the same period of the previous year. However, the expansion within manufacturing was not broad-based, being concentrated in just two clusters - electronics and biomed. Other manufacturing clusters showed negative growth.

Moreover, manufacturing is notoriously volatile. The sector as a whole contracted in three of the last six quarters. This would not be so bad for overall growth if the other sectors were firing nicely, but they are not. The services sector grew just 0.9 per cent last year, while construction eked out 1.3 per cent growth.

Barring policy surprises, there is little prospect of either services or construction turning buoyant in 2017. So we must continue to rely on volatile manufacturing.

That said, we can't rule out the possibility that it will have another decent year. If president-elect Donald Trump delivers on his pro-growth agenda, if his administration (with the help of the US Congress) refrains from putting protectionist policies in place, if China is able to contain its economic slowdown and if ASEAN economies continue their rapid growth, the Singapore economy - and its manufacturing sector - stands a chance of at least matching last year's performance.

Read also: Singapore's 2016 Q4 growth fails to stir economists

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2016-02-02 20:03:22

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5 things Singaporeans should do in the 2016 economic slowdown

Source:

But if some or all of the above do not happen, that bet is off. In the worst-case scenario where US protectionism becomes a reality and China's growth takes a big hit, things could get much worse.

Adding to the gloom would be a cycle of rising US interest rates, which has already started, and could be prolonged, especially if a Trump administration goes for high growth amid low unemployment, which could raise inflation fears at the US Federal Reserve.

In Singapore's domestic economy, there continue to be sectors suffering from chronic weakness, particularly oil and gas, as well as retail and property. The latter two could be further hit by tepid private consumption as well as disruption from e-commerce - which is set to make more inroads with the growing presence of big players like Amazon and Alibaba.

What then are the options for policy? The big near-term event on the policy calendar is the release of the much-awaited report of the Committee on the Future Economy (CFE) this month. But this is likely to contain recommendations for longer-term restructuring - which will be vital to spur innovation and future growth, but will not have much of a short-term impact.

For that we must look to the budget in February. While external demand is out of policymakers' control, there is limited scope to boost domestic demand. Singapore's fiscal space is however narrowing. As Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat cautioned when he presented last year's budget, "the longer term picture will grow more challenging as we expect expenditure needs to grow faster than revenues." It is unrealistic, then, to expect the Finance Minister to come up with a generous fiscal boost in the form of handouts every time growth is sub-par.

What needs boosting are the engines of the economy, and this needs more work on the supply side. Three areas need special attention. One is business costs, which are still too high for too many SMEs in particular.

Another is access to skills - especially those vital to build an innovation-driven economy. While the upgrading of local skills deserves the emphasis it gets, this will bear fruit over the medium term. For the short term - the next 3 years at least, Singapore must ease companies' access to foreign skills which has become increasingly difficult over the last five years and which could well be one reason for the slow growth we have seen.

A third area is more aggressive policies to incentivise companies to internationalise, especially within fast-growing ASEAN.

Finally on trade: Under the incoming Trump administration in the United States, the Trans-Pacific Partnership - which once held out the promise of expanded commerce in our region - can be counted as dead in the water or at best, in deep cold storage.

Fortunately Singapore had the foresight to negotiate a network of 21 free-trade and economic partnership agreements, including with some of the world's largest economies. There is one more trade agreement on which negotiations will hopefully start, and soon. That is with the United Kingdom, which is set to leave the European Union and will no longer be covered by the EU's trade agreements.

The UK is about to start negotiating its own network of FTAs. Given that Singapore is its biggest trading partner in South-east Asia with the largest number of British companies in the region, a UK-Singapore FTA should be high on London's priority list. Given that the UK is Singapore's largest market and biggest investment destination in Europe, such an agreement should be high on our list too.

This is another space to watch in 2017.

This article was first published on Jan 4, 2017.
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As part of efforts to encourage the sending of greeting cards during the four major festivals, the Singapore Post is offering lower postage rates for Chinese New Year.

The festive rates will be applicable for stamped and franked greeting cards posted between Saturday and Jan 29, The Straits Times reported.

It will cost 70 cents to send a greeting card weighing up to 40g to anywhere in the world, allowing customers to save as much as 65 per cent on postage.

For greeting cards to Malaysia and Brunei, rates will remain unchanged at 50 cents for cards up to 20g, and 70 cents for cards up to 50g.

The festive rates for non-standard size greeting cards sent locally is 30 cents for cards weighing up to 20g and 37 cents for up to 40g, down from 60 cents.

It is the 16th year such a promotion is offered during Chinese New Year, alongside Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali and Christmas.

Stamps for greeting cards can be bought at all post offices, Self-Automated Machines, postal agents and stamp vendors located islandwide.

This article was first published on January 4, 2017.
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Ex-offenders at the Pertapis Halfway House in Geylang Road used to walk more than 20 minutes to the nearest polyclinic in Geylang East Central for a check-up.

And because of that, some of them would postpone treatment.

But now a team of doctors and nurses visits them at the halfway house in a white seven-seater car.

The team from Mount Alvernia Hospital sees patients at Pertapis Halfway House, as well as HighPoint Halfway House in Geylang Lorong 23, and the hospital plans to take its mobile service to more halfway houses this year.

Although a mobile medical service has previously been used to care for the elderly, this is the first time it is being used to reach out to ex-offenders at halfway houses.

The halfway house initiative is supported by the Yellow Ribbon Project, which helps ex-offenders reintegrate into society.

So far, the medical team has seen about 50 ex-offenders at the two halfway houses.

Yellow Ribbon Project secretariat Denise Chow said: "We realised there is a group of ex-offenders who will wait until their illnesses become more serious before seeing a doctor. With this, they can now get help at an earlier stage."

The mobile clinic provides preventive care, such as flu vaccinations and health screening for chronic diseases.

The team also conducts general practitioner consultation and dispenses medication for ailments such as the common cold, flu, fever and pains, said Ms Anthea Neo, senior manager of community outreach at Mount Alvernia Hospital.

The team, made up of volunteers and staff, sets up a makeshift clinic or health screening area at any available space in the halfway houses, she added.

Discussions are underway with several halfway houses here to fix a schedule for regular visits, with a focus on primary care services.

Separately, the team aims to have health screening at the halfway houses at least once a year.

Although the car has provided the team with more flexibility, residents of different halfway houses may have to gather at one place to be seen by the medical team.

"We have to look at the needs of the community and figure out the logistic details first.

As some of the halfway houses are quite small, we may need to combine a few of them at a time," Ms Neo said.

Ex-offenders sometimes find it difficult to receive medical attention because of accessibility and cost, said Mr Thajudeen Muhd Equban, a caseworker at Pertapis Halfway House.

Ex-offenders have to get approval before they can leave the halfway house to see a doctor, he said.

Mr Thajudeen added: "The nearest clinic is Geylang Polyclinic, which is around a 20-minute walk away, and they will have to be accompanied too."

A polyclinic visit can cost around $20, which some ex-offenders may not be willing to spend, he said.

Some of the ex-offenders were initially hesitant to approach the mobile clinic when it turned up in May last year, but Mr Thajudeen and his colleagues were on-site to explain the initiative to them.

On the day of the free clinic, the medical team saw about 15 of the 70 residents.

A 35-year-old ex-offender, who wanted to be known only as Mr Rozaidi, said: "I feel happy and assured about my health. I don't have to worry so much about my health, and can focus on being a better person."

This article was first published on Jan 04, 2017.
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She enrolled her younger son in infant care when he was seven months old, but did not send him to the pre-school regularly.

The 34-year-old mother of two boys, who wanted to be known only as Madam Liang, suffers from depression and was sometimes rough with her sons, which caused difficulties with her husband, who runs a fibreglass business.

The family of four survive on an unstable income of about $2,000 a month, with Madam Liang sometimes taking on odd jobs such as working as a bus attendant.

Her younger boy spent most of his time at home until Ms Nicole Kin approached Madam Liang last July, to persuade her to send him to infant care.

Madam Liang said she was worried about leaving her son in childcare because her older son, who is now nine and in primary school, had been bullied at another pre-school.

Ms Kin, 26, assured her she can drop in at the pre-school at any time to observe how they treat her son.

She also arranged for the family to be given aid in the form of necessities like diapers and milk powder.

Now, the boy goes to school every day and Madam Liang is at ease enough to go back to work.

Madam Liang said in Mandarin: "Nicole told me not to worry, and that I can always drop in to check on him. I realise the teachers are very patient; they have taught him to walk, talk and sing."

Ms Kin is one of eight child- enabling executives trained in social work or early childhood currently based at 10 pre-schools, to monitor the development and attendance of children from low-income families.

In total, the eight executives support 250 such children aged 18 months to six years.

This enhanced support for preschools is part of the KidSTART programme - a three-year pilot started last July to make sure young children from low-income families are not disadvantaged in their education and development.

Touring My First Skool in Boon Lay Drive, one of the pre-schools in the programme, Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin said executives such as Ms Kin play an important role.

"Now you've a dedicated person reaching out to the families, getting to know them and building up the relationship," he said yesterday.

At the Boon Lay Drive pre-school, 25 of its 93 children are from low-income families.

Ms Kin is the child-enabling executive at the Boon Lay Drive pre-school and monitors these 25 children, whose attendance has gone up from 60 to 80 per cent.

Previously an educational therapist for children with special needs, Ms Kin attributes her rapport with the parents to her being able to link them up with government aid agencies such as the social service offices.

"They see me as a resourceful person because I work with community partners, so they feel I'm a contact point they can rely on for help with finances and family issues," she said.

Enhanced support in the form of a dedicated person to help children from needy families will be rolled out to nine more pre-schools this year.

This part of the programme complements two other KidSTART components: home visits for those under a year old, and supported playgroups for those aged one to three.

Over three years, KidSTART will support 1,000 children from low-income families living in Kreta Ayer, Bukit Merah, Taman Jurong, Boon Lay and Geylang Serai.

This article was first published on Jan 04, 2017.
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It was "a long-running one, spanning close to 12 years and leaving a number of written judgments in its wake", said Judge of Appeal Tay Yong Kwang of the case that saw Singapore's United Overseas Bank (UOB) and one of the bank's vendors sued for millions of dollars over patent infringement.

While the Singapore bank was found to have infringed the patent of a currency conversion system, it escaped the full extent of the claims levelled against it.

The long-running suit was brought by Irish currency conversion provider Main-Line Corporate Holdings against UOB and the other party, First Currency Choice (FCC), in 2004.

Main-Line had once been a corporate vehicle holding the intellectual property assets of Irish financial services provider, Fintrax Group.

Main-Line had been in talks with UOB between July 1999 and June 2000, over providing its automatic currency conversion system to the bank.

Main-Line's patent, "Dynamic Currency Conversion for Card Payment Systems", covers a method and system of determining the operating currency of a payment card at the point of sale between the merchant and the cardholder.

It converts the value of the card transaction from the currency of the country where the point-of-sale system is located to the currency of the card's country of issue, and presents both values for cardholder to choose.

"This is in contrast to the common technology where the foreign cardholder has to choose his preferred currency manually at the POS terminal, which accordingly carries the potential of operator error," said Justice Tay, in his judgment out just days ago, which assessed the damages in this case.

The talks between Main-Line and UOB concluded without a deal being struck.

Meanwhile, FCC - a Singapore company whose main business then was the provision of dynamic currency conversion to its clients - had approached UOB with its currency conversion system; they inked a multicurrency exchange agreement (MEA) deal in October 2001, where UOB would make FCC's system available to its merchants.

It was decided, in an earlier trial on liability, also heard by Justice Tay, that both UOB and FCC had infringed Main-Line's patent between May 2002 and December 2007.

FCC's card currency recognition system performed the same function as Main-Line's patented system.

UOB and FCC both appealed this finding, but their actions were dismissed by the Court of Appeal.

Main-Line then sought as remedy an account of profits from UOB and damages from FCC.

It sought against UOB:

• a 3 per cent "uplift" on converted transactions;
• the commissions UOB received from FCC under the MEA; and
• the profit UOB earned from acquiring new merchants or retaining existing merchants as a result of using FCC's system.
• From FCC, it sought, among other things:
• damages, as measured by the lost profits it would have earned from entering into a similar agreement with UOB;
• exemplary damages resulting from patent infringement amounting to S$34.5 million.

The "uplift" refers to the administrative fee or mark-up stipulated in cardholder agreements that an issuer earns when the issuer's card is used overseas and the currency needs to be converted.

It was decided, in this case, that the uplift was 3 per cent of the original transaction value.

Justice Tay decided that Main-Line's claim against UOB for the 3 per cent uplift was "unmeritorious".

He said that UOB had forgone the 3 per cent uplift for a commission from FCC of about 0.5 per cent of net turnover.

"The bank's focus was not purely on profits and losses but also providing quality services to their merchants . . . I find that the 3 per cent uplift went to FCC and, accordingly, the plaintiff's claim against UOB for this head of profit fails."

He also dismissed Main-Line's claim that UOB earned profits from acquiring new merchants or retaining existing merchants as "pure conjecture".

As for the commissions paid to UOB, it was not disputed that this amounted to S$3.158 million, which represented the general commission rate of 0.5 per cent of an estimated net turnover of S$627 million over the period.

Justice Tay then decided that UOB could deduct from these profits an expense amount calculated using UOB's expense ratios (ranging from 34.7 per cent to 41.4 per cent of income); this brought the commission earned down to S$1.962 million.

This was the only amount he deemed UOB liable for; but, as the bank had already paid a sum of S$1.962 million to Main-Line at an earlier stage of these proceedings, the judge ruled that "I make no further award on the plaintiff's claim against UOB".

As for Main-Line's claims against FCC, Justice Tay decided that "the measure of damages due to (Main-Line) should be a quantum equivalent to its loss of profits arising from FCC's actions".

"It is therefore not unreasonable to proceed on the basis that FCC's revenue stream under the MEA could have been that of the plaintiff's but for FCC's infringement of the patent."

He did not agree, however, that Main-Line would be entitled to the entire quantum of FCC's revenue stream under the MEA and assessed the damages payable by FCC in this regard, after taking out the relevant cost components, to be S$4.795 million.

As for the exemplary damages of S$34.5 million sought by Main-Line, Justice Tay ruled that, "(Main-Line) has not shown that FCC's actions were particularly egregious . . . Therefore the plaintiff's claim for exemplary damages against FCC is dismissed."

UOB was represented by Eddee Ng of Tan Kok Quan Partnership; Main-Line by Wong Siew Hong of Eldan Law LLP; and FCC by Oh Pin-Ping of Bird & Bird ATMD LLP.

michquah@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on January 4, 2017.
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When protecting yourself against dengue or Zika, an insect repellent could be your best defence.

A team of students from Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) has made applying such repellents easier by developing a body wash that wards off insects, including mosquitoes and ticks, for up to eight hours.

It was part of a school project for the molecular biotechnology students.

While there are such body washes in the United States, the team said it is the first to be developed here.

"We thought it would be a hassle-free way to protect yourself against mosquitoes," said Ms Teo Seok Yee, 20, who has since graduated from NYP and is now studying biological sciences at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

She added: "The idea is to keep mosquitoes away so hopefully this will prevent any unnecessary illness or deaths associated with dengue and Zika."

In order to test its effectiveness, the students tried the wash on themselves.

They visited MacRitchie Reservoir on four occasions, spending four to five hours hiking each time in relatively similar conditions, and using the repellent wash before heading out.

They then went out on another day without using the wash.

"There was a decrease in the number of mosquito bites we got when we used the repellent wash... That was our indication that something must be working " said Ms Teo.

The idea was conceived when Ms Lam Ching Man, a former NYP student who also worked on the project, was thinking of developing a repellent that would protect chilli or garlic plants from pests like ants.

The team later decided to develop one that would work for humans instead, said Ms Lam, 20, who now studies food and human nutrition at Newcastle University.

They spent $3,000 on the prototype.

The key was finding out what would make the ingredients "stick" to human skin and ensuring that the ingredients were of low enough concentration not to cause chemical burns and yet still be effective.

Both Ms Lam and Ms Teo also worked with students from NYP's School of Business Management to market the product, which has been on sale since last September.

So far, more than 20 bottles have been sold on their online store, www.chaperone.com.sg

Made of citronella, lemon eucalyptus and tea tree essential oils, the price of the Deet-free MOX Body Wash starts at $12.90.

Mr Benson Ong, a lecturer at NYP's School of Business Management, said he believes there will be demand for it.

He added: "Many people we interviewed during our market survey said they did not like having to spray something on their skin because the substance could get into their nose or ears."

Associate Professor Roderick Wayland Bates, from NTU's School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, said: "The wash is more convenient for children and parents and most importantly, it does not contain Deet, which has been used by millions as mosquito repellent since it came on the market in the 1940s. It is a synthetic chemical, so some people may have concerns about using it."

kcarolyn@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 04, 2017.
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It was their first day of school yesterday and the little ones at Princess Elizabeth Primary School were given their very first assignment during morning assembly.

"Be brave, be curious, ask questions," said Education Minister (Schools) Ng Chee Meng, addressing the 210 Primary 1 pupils, as well as their parents and teachers.

"If there's anything you don't know, put up your hand and ask. Don't be afraid to ask questions, because asking questions is the most important step towards learning."

One brave young soul did just that.

He raised his arm enough to be noticed - but not too much.

Mr Ng swiftly responded: "Do you have a question, young man? You raised your hand, right? Do you have any question for me?"

The child, wearing his new uniform and a brave smile, squeaked out his question in a barely audible voice.

Mr Ng smiled and said, to laughter: "The young man just said he has forgotten everything he has learnt from kindergarten.

"What he says is actually very true. Many of the things we learn - whether it's mathematics or science - we can forget. One of the very important things is not just intellectual education, it's also about values and teaching them life skills as well."

It was a good start for the pupils, and it did not hurt that they could turn up at 10am, instead of 7.30am.

Extra effort to help new pupils settle in

Programme manager Faridah Abdul Karim, 40, took time off work to accompany her six-year-old son Muhd Fazil Yazid to school.

She said: "The great thing is, the school started later and there was no morning rush."

Even though Muhd Fazil's three older siblings also attended Princess Elizabeth Primary, Madam Faridah said that every child's experience is different.

"It always feels like the first time we are doing everything, even though it's our fourth one."

Schoolmate Aishwarya Bavanandhi, six, was excited about going to the "big" school as well as the book her teacher gave her.

This year, there are about 37,500 Primary 1 pupils across 190 schools.

Some schools put in extra effort to help their new pupils settle in.

At Unity Primary School, for instance, pupils were greeted by two animal mascots at the school gates.

The school is also running a carnival on Friday, allowing Primary 1 pupils and their parents to get to know the school better through team-building games.

Over at Westwood Primary School, a photo booth was set up for parents and their children to capture this milestone.

And pupils at Concord Primary School can look forward for the first time to a three-week "transition programme" - free from homework.

Principal Tonnine Chua, 49, said that teachers will weave in "kindergarten strategies... a lot of singing and dancing" during this period to help pupils ease into school life.

"There is no hurry," she added.

Muhd Fazil's schoolmate, Tristen Tan, six, said he was "excited" to start school.

Between mouthfuls of bee hoon at the canteen during recess, he added: "I'm quite a nerd, I like reading lots of encyclopaedias... I want to learn every fun subject."

Mr Ng said that while having a strong academic foundation is important, children should also be able to learn in informal spaces, to be more independent and capable of exploring beyond schoolwork.

He hoped that this informal learning would foster a "joy of learning" and lead pupils to a sense of "innate curiosity, wanting to explore, discover and be in charge of their learning".

tohwenli@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 04, 2017.
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SINGAPORE - It's the new year and a good time to try something new.

If you've not used your SkillsFuture credit yet, here's how you can make the most of it.

All Singaporeans above 25 years old will get $500 in credit. You don't have to apply for it and it does not expire.

There are over 16,000 courses, from Chinese restaurant cooking to 3D animation at LaSalle College of the Arts to a master's in nursing.

You can also go for Japanese floral arrangement, baking or learn how to DJ in a club.

However, be careful when you sign up.

Check if the organisation is legitimate or whether the institution specialises in that subject matter.

Find out more about the credentials of the people teaching the course and whether that company is well-known in the industry.

If the course you are interested in costs more than $500, you will need to pay the balance.

But if you're an NTUC union member for instance, you can tap on the Union Training Assistance Programme (UTAP) to help defray some of the costs.

Do note that the SkillsFuture credit is for personal use only.

This means your employer cannot use it to offset any company training costs.

The Government will make periodic top-ups to the account, although the timing and amount of the next top-up has yet to be decided.

So if you're hoping to pick up a new skill this year, you'll have $500 to help you do so.

on SPH Brightcove

on SPH Brightcove

This article was first published on Jan 2, 2017.
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SINGAPORE - The annual River Hongbao festivities will run from Jan 26 to Feb 4 this year at the Floating Platform @ Marina Bay.

Visitors can expect new displays with a modern twist during the 10-day event, as well as the the quintessential God of Fortune and the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac.

An interactive mobile application will also be developed for users to send Chinese New Year wishes, which will appear as writings on sky lanterns on their mobile screens.

Virtual reality glasses will also be available in limited quantities for visitors to experience a realistic 360-degree view of the flying lanterns.

Admission is free, and the event will be held from 2pm to 11pm daily.

There will also be rides and game booths to look forward to, as well as handicraft and food stalls. Not to mention fireworks displays on all the 10 days of the event.

This year's River Hongbao will feature more local elements and programmes, including a recreation of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve right on the floating platform.

Local artistes will also take centre-stage in nightly entertainment shows, together with performances from overseas troupes.

Local singer Nathan Hartono will kickstart the festive extravaganza on Jan 26 with a live band performance.

Another highlight will be performances by local getai artistes Marcus Chin, Wang Lei and Hao Hao on Feb 1 and 2.

Audiences will get to enjoy performances from overseas troupes as well, such as the highly acclaimed Chongqing Song and Dance Troupe, Chongqing Acrobatic Art Troupe and Hwa Kang Dance Troupe from Taiwan's Chinese Culture University from Jan 26 to 30.

There will also be an exhibition called "The More We Get Together: Major Festivals in Singapore", where unique festive preparations, traditional customs and foods of Chinese New Year, Hari Raya Puasa, Deepavali and Christmas, as well as their common themes are featured.

River Hongbao 2017 is jointly organised by the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations, Singapore Press Holdings, Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Singapore Tourism Board and the People's Association.

Is it a trend these days to drive against the flow of traffic?

Yet another driver was seen going in the wrong direction on a one way road at Gateway Drive, near Westgate mall.

A clip of the incident was posted on Roads.sg today (Jan 4).

The video shows a driver travelling along the one way road, in the direction of the mall.

But the driver is unexpectedly forced to swerve out of the way of another driver who is going against the flow of traffic.

The incident comes hot on the heels of two other incidents that happened just last month in Singapore.

On Dec 19, a Mercedes driver was speeding at 120km/h against the flow of traffic on the AYE and caused a trail of destruction that left one man dead and four others injured.

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1 dead, 3 injured in AYE accident

Source:

Lim Wee Teck

Rozaidy

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Four cars, one motorcycle and one bus were left damaged during the horrific accident.

The 53-year-old Mercedes driver believed to have been suffering from depression was arrested for causing death by a rash act.

Another Mercedes driver was seen going against traffic at Bedok North.

On Dec 30, police gave chase when a man suspected of drink driving evaded a roadblock in Serangoon.

He drove against traffic before crashing into a lamp post and a street electrical box as he attempted to speed away.

Read also: Man in his 80s drives Mercedes into side of restaurant in Chinatown

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Two container vessels, one of them Singapore-registered, collided off a port in Malaysia's Johor Baru on Tuesday (Jan 3).

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) said it was notified by the Johor Port Authority (JPA) of a collision between a Singapore-registered container vessel Wan Hai 301 and a Gibraltar-registered container vessel APL Denver off Pasir Gudang Port at 11.50pm on Tuesday.

One of the bunker tanks on the APL Denver was reportedly damaged and spilled approximately 300 tonnes of oil, MPA said in a press release on Wednesday.

JPA has deployed four anti-pollution craft and an oil boom to contain the oil spill.

Some oil patches were spotted in Singapore, with the spillage contained off the western of Pulau Ubin.

Traces of oil in water off Pulau Ubin after container vessels collide near Johor

MPA said it has activated eight anti-pollution craft with dispersant spraying capabilities to clean up the oil.

There have been no reports of injury and traffic in the East Johor Straits and Singapore's port operations remain unaffected, MPA said.

As the tide is expected to move eastwards in the evening today, NParks has set up oil absorbent booms to protect the mangroves and mudflats along the north-eastern coasts of Pulau Ubin, including Chek Jawa Wetland.

"In addition, booms have also been set up to protect the mangroves at Coney Island Park and Pasir Ris Park," said an NParks spokesman.

This article was first published on Jan 4, 2017.
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In golfing terms, businessman Low Yi Cheng, 47, was hit with a double bogey yesterday.

The avid golfer got a sense of deja vu when he found out that Raffles Country Club (RCC), which he had joined last month for $33,000, has been acquired by the Government.

In a joint statement yesterday, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Singapore Land Authority (SLA) announced that RCC site will be handed over to the Government by July 31 next year.

The 143 ha of land will be used for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR), Cross Island Line's Western depot and other transport-related needs.

It will be the second time Mr Low will lose his golf course.

He had turned to RCC after his previous club, the 67ha Jurong Country Club (JCC), was vacated to make space for the Singapore terminus of the HSR last November.

Like many of the 2,600 RCC members, he had thought only a portion of the club, which has two 18-hole golf courses, would be acquired by the Government.

The club, which opened its doors in 1988, had put renovation plans on hold over the past few years pending the Government's announcement, according to several members.

Mr Low said: "JCC was like a second home, and I couldn't get over the loss, and now I am dealt another blow.

"But life goes on, I am just going to enjoy the next 1½ years at RCC."

He said he would "tentatively" get $44,500 as compensation from JCC and is concerned about the payout from RCC.

Businessman Edwin Pereira, 32, who was a member of JCC, and holds membership to RCC, is also upset.

He grew up at JCC, and his father transferred his RCC membership to him in 2014.

OTHER CLUBS

Mr Pereira, who is considering two other clubs, said: "I am going to put in between $40,000 and $60,000, and I don't want to make the wrong choice.

"Now that two clubs are closed, there will be an increase in demand for club memberships.

"But there is also an increase in fear that your country club might close down."

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Singapore-Malaysia ink landmark High Speed Rail MOU

Source: The Straits Times, The Star/ANN, AFP

In a press conference at LTA's Hampshire Road office yesterday, SLA chief executive officer Tan Boon Khai stressed that golf courses were not being targeted for land acquisitions.

But he said that development plans here are taken into consideration when they review the lease of golf clubs.

The fate of the RCC employees, who found out only yesterday that they would possibly lose their jobs, is also uncertain.

Mr Desmond Choo, executive secretary of the Attraction, Resorts & Entertainment Union, assured them in a Facebook post that they would be fairly compensated. (See report on Page 4.)

Compensation to RCC will be based on market value for the acquired land at the date of acquisition yesterday.

It is still unclear how RCC will compensate its members.

The club did not respond to TNP's queries at presstime.

RCC member John Mo, 52, who paid $45,000 for a membership in 1998, is also concerned about the payout and is not sure if he will invest in another golf club.

The engineer added: "I was just telling my wife that I want to play more actively this year.

"But what to do, it is the Government's policy for the long-term development of our country."

tnp@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 5, 2017.
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Alternative sites could have been chosen for the new depot and stable facilities for the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) and Cross Island MRT line (CRL), but none are as suitable as Raffles Country Club.

The golf club, which occupies an elongated plot measuring 2km end-to-end, is right next to Tuas Second Link, offering both the right size and location needed for the facilities, said the Land Transport Authority and experts.

HSR trains will cross from Malaysia into Singapore via a high bridge west of the Second Link before going underground towards a passenger terminus in Jurong East.

Mr Rajan Krishnan, chief executive of KTC construction group, said that because of the high bridge - built 25m above the water - "much more land on our side is needed for trains to approach the tunnels on a gradual gradient".

"The construction cost (of a bridge crossing) is much lower than going undersea, but it requires higher land take," he noted.

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Photo Gallery

Singapore-Malaysia ink landmark High Speed Rail MOU

Source: The Straits Times, The Star/ANN, AFP

The golf club's site is also close to the western end of the proposed CRL.

Mr Krishnan said this made it doubly efficient for a CRL depot to be located there as well.

"I would pick Raffles Country Club over say, the industrial and commercial sites in the vicinity (to acquire)," he added.

Raffles Country Club golf manager Dennis Ee said there are alternative sites, but he could see why the club was the more suitable choice.

"There's Safti (Military Institute) and Tengah Airbase for instance, but those are crucial defence installations," he said.

"There are industrial plots on the other side of the road, but the Government would have to deal with a lot of stakeholders, versus only one in the case of Raffles Country Club."

Still, Mr Ee said that the whole 36-hole golf club being acquired came as "a surprise".

"We thought only nine or 18 holes would be acquired," he said.

Raffles Country Club is the latest golf club to go after Jurong Country Club - entirely or in part - in the next few years as Singapore reprioritises its land use needs.

The Republic has among the highest concentration of golf courses in the region, with 18 clubs occupying 1,500 ha.

Even so, Singapore Land Authority chief executive Tan Boon Khai said yesterday: "We're not targeting golf courses for acquisition."

christan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 5, 2017.
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Help will be available for Raffles Country Club (RCC) employees who lose their jobs when the club closes, said NTUC youth development unit director Desmond Choo.

RCC announced on its website yesterday that it has to hand over its 143ha site to the Singapore Land Authority by July 31 next year for the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur High Speed Rail (HSR) and the new Cross Island MRT line's western depot.

The HSR, which will cross the Johor Straits via a bridge, is scheduled to start running in 2026.

RCC's lease of the land was due to expire in 2028.

Mr Choo, who is also the executive secretary of the Attractions, Resorts & Entertainment Union (AREU), wrote in a Facebook post yesterday: "Our workers at the country club would likely lose their jobs. Some might face difficult times.

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Photo Gallery

Singapore-Malaysia ink landmark High Speed Rail MOU

Source: The Straits Times, The Star/ANN, AFP

"If retrenchment is inevitable, AREU will work closely with the RCC management to ensure the affected workers are fairly compensated and treated for their loyal service to the club.

"Our union leaders and industrial relations officers will be on-site to guide workers through these difficult and uncertain times.

"Together with NTUC's e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), we will provide job placement assistance and retraining to them."

RCC is the second club to be acquired by the Government to make way for the 350km HSR project.

JURONG COUNTRY CLUB

The first was Jurong Country Club (JCC), which shuttered on Dec 31, 2015. The 67ha site in Jurong East will become the Singapore terminus for the HSR.

The club, which was offered $89.8 million for the acquisition, is appealing against the offer and asking for $168.1 million instead.

JCC's 112 employees have been told about their compensation benefits: a lump sum dependent on their years of service and current salary, a $1,500 training grant for courses to boost their skills, and an extra year of union membership.

This article was first published on Jan 5, 2017.
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