SINGAPORE - The highest temperature recorded on Monday (Jan 9) was 35.1 deg C, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said.

Singapore has been experiencing hotter and drier weather over the weekend, but this is expected to ease in the next few days, NEA said in a weather advisory on Monday evening.

Over the weekend, temperatures above 33 deg C were recorded at some weather stations.

The highest temperature recorded as at 3pm on Monday was 35.1 deg C at Sembawang, while it reached 34.5 deg C at Ang Mo Kio on Sunday.

"The dry weather can be attributed to moisture in our surrounding region being drawn into a low pressure system over southern Thailand," NEA said.

This resulted in fewer clouds and warmer temperatures over Singapore.

"The warm conditions are expected to ease in the next few days, with the return of localised thundery showers in the afternoon," NEA added.

chuimin@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 09, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - She started wearing make-up and women's clothes, and liked boys in secondary school.

When she was 18 years old, she realised that she was a transgender person after she learnt about the term.

After serving National Service, Sherry Sherqueshaa made the transition from man to woman.

Plying her trade on the streets, she and other sex workers would often get shouted at.

"We always thought that this was part of a sex worker's life, to be humiliated and called names, especially for those of us in the transgender community," said the 25-year-old.

Three years into the trade, she met Ms Vanessa Ho, director of Project X, a non-governmental organisation which advocates for the rights of sex workers.

Ms Ho saw Ms Sherqueshaa's passion in changing public attitude towards the transgender sex worker community and offered her a job.

Ms Sherqueshaa left the sex trade and joined Project X in 2014 as a youth programme coordinator, organising events and gatherings for sex workers to share their experiences.

"I hope that in years to come, people would be more accepting and welcoming of the transgender community, not just in employment but schools and families," she said.

Now, she is the researcher and writer at Project X but continues to reach out to sex workers at night, informing them of their legal rights, where to go for medical issues and helping them find jobs if they want to leave the sex trade.

This article was first published on Jan 09, 2016.
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I refer to the report "Nabbed for driving against traffic" (The New Paper, Jan 7).

Among the three drivers assisting the police with investigations is an 85-year-old man who allegedly drove against traffic along Bedok North Street 1 on Dec 28.

This brings up an issue: Why is there no upper age limit for drivers in Singapore?

Once we reach 60, our hands and legs start to lose flexibility. Our eyes may not see as clearly, and our ears start to not hear properly. To allow this group of people to drive is already risky, let alone an 85-year-old man.

Elderly drivers cannot quickly control and analyse road situations, which are unexpected at times. When they are not paying attention - for example, closing their eyes for a few minutes when waiting for a change in traffic lights - accidents can occur.

Of course, they do not do this deliberately. It is because they tend to get tired easily, even when they drive for just a short period of time.

So in my view, Singapore should pass a law that forbids people above 75 from driving.

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You can also write to us at The New Paper, 1000 Toa Payoh North, Level 6, Annexe Block, Singapore 318994.

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This article was first published on Jan 10, 2017.
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Two more radicalised foreign domestic workers were sent home between Dec 18 and yesterday.

In all, seven foreign maids have been radicalised and repatriated in the past two years, said Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam in a written reply to a parliamentary question yesterday.

He was responding to a question from Dr Fatimah Lateef (Marine Parade GRC), who asked for an update on the issue, after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reported on Dec 18 that five maids had been sent back under such circumstances in the last two years.

All seven maids were radicalised through the Internet, said Mr Shanmugam.

"They did not have plans to carry out acts of violence in Singapore at the time they were investigated," he said. "However, their interactions with others showed that they had bought into radical ideologies and were on a dangerous path."

He added that their presence here "posed a security concern" and they were repatriated to their home countries.

No further information on the cases was given.

"Our security agencies will continue to monitor the situation closely and will investigate individuals in Singapore who are suspected of being radicalised, both foreign and local," said Mr Shanmugam.

On Dec 18, the MHA revealed that it had investigated 70 foreign workers who were radicalised while working here in the past two years.

Five of them were maids.

This came after Indonesia's anti-terror police rounded up four women on suspicion of terrorism, one of them Dian Yulia Novi, 27, who had worked in Singapore between 2008 and 2009 as a domestic worker.

dansonc@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 10, 2017.
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Polytechnic graduates from last year's cohort have outperformed their seniors when it comes to pay and employment rate.

Fresh poly graduates had an employment rate of 90.6 per cent last year, up from 88.9 per cent in 2015.

Those who landed full-time jobs enjoyed a median pay of $2,180, up 3.8 per cent from $2,100 in 2015.

These were the findings of the latest annual graduate employment survey by the five polytechnics released yesterday.

However, more polytechnic graduates may be finding it harder to land full-time employment or prefer to work part-time while pursuing or waiting to start further studies.

Those with full-time jobs fell from 57.9 per cent for the class of 2015 to 55.8 per cent for those graduating last year, continuing a downward trend for at least three years in a row.

Meanwhile, those taking up part-time or temporary employment rose from 31 per cent in 2015 to 34.8 per cent last year.

A joint polytechnic spokesman said: "Employment rates are affected by various factors, and it is reasonable to expect some fluctuations from year to year. The increase in overall employment rate shows our graduates continue to be sought after by their respective industries."

The survey polled 10,541 of the 14,004 fresh polytechnic graduates.

They were asked about their employment status as at Oct 1 last year - about six months after their final exams.

Also surveyed were 5,106 of the 9,212 graduates from 2013 who completed their full-time national service (NS) between April 1, 2015 and March 31 last year.

About 95 per cent of them had found employment - 3.9 per cent higher than in 2015.

Of these, 70.2 per cent had full-time jobs while 25.2 per cent were on part-time, temporary or freelance ones.

The survey also found that fresh graduates and post-NS graduates from the Health Sciences category had the highest median gross monthly pay in their respective cohorts - $2,400 and $2,800 respectively.

Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP) graduate Lee Hong Xuan, 20, received a job offer from architecture firm Woha several months before graduating last May.

Ms Lee, who had interned at Woha during her third year in poly, is now a project coordinator at the firm with a monthly pay of $2,700.

She plans to study architecture at the National University of Singapore in about two years.

On her decision to get some industry experience first, she said: "In design, it's not just about textbooks."

Fellow NYP alumnus Seah Guang Yong, 27, who studied Multimedia and Infocomm Technology, is now an IT administrator at Commerzbank.

He got the job a month before graduation.

Mr Seah, who draws a monthly salary within the range of $3,000 and $3,300, recalls the time spent scouring through the classified ads and JobStreet.com.

"I sent a lot of resumes," he said.

tohwenli@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 10, 2017.
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There is a significant risk that the water level in Johor's Linggiu Reservoir could fall to zero if 2017 is a dry year, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan yesterday.

The water level in Linggiu Reservoir stood at 27 per cent as of Jan 1, he said in a written reply.

Its water level has dropped drastically over the past few years, from 84 per cent at the start of 2015 to the lowest recorded level of 20 per cent in October last year.

Should the Linggiu Reservoir fail, there will be "many more occasions" when it will not be possible for national water agency PUB to draw its entitlement of 250 million gallons per day from the Johor River, he added.

Mr Seah Kian Peng (Marine Parade GRC) had asked whether the recent low water levels would affect the ability of both countries to meet their obligations under the water agreement.

Dr Balakrishnan said the water supply to Johor's Semangar and Loji Air water treatment plants will also be affected, adding: "This will cause severe problems for both Malaysia and Singapore."

The Government is watching the situation closely and has raised the matter with the Malaysian government, most recently at last month's Leaders' Retreat.

Singapore will cooperate with Malaysia to achieve a "mutually beneficial outcome", he said.

Officials will discuss and identify possible solutions, he added.

"Our agencies have an excellent working relationship, and will continue to work closely together to sustain our water supply," he said.

Read also: Water levels in Linggiu Reservoir hit new low

Use less water, PM Lee reminds as Johor reservoir dries up

Water level in Linggiu Reservoir drops to record low: Masagos

This article was first published on Jan 10, 2017.
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Singapore continues to encourage all parties, including the Myanmar government and the international community, to work together to foster a long term-solution to the Rohingya refugee crisis, Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said yesterday.

This is so that the affected communities can rebuild their lives, he added.

Dr Balakrishnan was responding to parliamentary questions from Mr Louis Ng (Nee Soon GRC) and Mr Muhamad Faisal Abdul Manap (Aljunied GRC) about Singapore's response to the plight of Rohingya Muslims fleeing a military crackdown in Myanmar's Rakhine state.

The operation was launched after attacks on police posts in October last year.

Singapore's position is that every government must ensure the safety and protection of all its people regardless of race or religion, said Dr Balakrishnan.

At the same time, it is also the right and responsibility of every state to secure its borders and maintain internal security, the minister added. He noted that issues of race, language and religion are sensitive and complex everywhere, including in Singapore.

And in the Rakhine state, inter-communal relations have deep historical roots and are highly complicated, he said.

"These issues are not going to be resolved easily or quickly in the short term. Patience, restraint and time will be required to build trust among the different communities, to foster racial harmony, and to restore peace and stability for the long term," he added.

Last month, Singaporeans raised more than $350,000 for humanitarian support to affected communities in the Rakhine state, as well as those affected by the earthquake in Aceh.

"The funds for the Rakhine state will be channelled through Myanmar-based organisations to assist all affected communities, regardless of ethnicity or religion," said Dr Balakrishnan.

But he stressed the need for a political solution. "Having any area in South-east Asia where there is an unresolved festering conflict, especially one that involves race, language or religion, poses an immediate and urgent threat (not just) to the country, but also to South-east Asia as a whole," he said.

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Pressure on Myanmar over abuses of Rohingya minority in Rakhine

Source:

AFP

Reuters

Dr Balakrishnan also updated MPs on the ASEAN foreign ministers' informal meeting he attended in Myanmar on Dec 19 last year, during which Myanmar's State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi briefed her counterparts on the Rakhine situation.

He said the meeting was open, frank and constructive, and was timely and useful in helping ASEAN to better understand Myanmar's efforts in addressing the sensitive and complex situation.

The discussions focused on making sure that humanitarian aid would reach the communities in need, said Dr Balakrishnan.

He added that after the meeting, the Myanmar government indicated it would grant the necessary humanitarian access and continue to keep ASEAN informed of developments in the Rakhine state.

charyong@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 10, 2017.
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We've all cancelled a taxi/GrabCar/UberX booking at least once in our lives.

It's inevitable, given the unpredictability of life in the few minutes you spend waiting for your ride. Perhaps another viable option arrives before your driver does, or perhaps you have a last minute change in plans or destination.

But if you have made a cancellation in the last few days, you'll realise that there is something new. Grab sends an email to your registered email address with a counter on cancellations you've made. It looks something like this.

On January 5, Grab Singapore's blog released a announcement about a new cancellation fee for those who cancel bookings too often. According to the official release, the latest feature is part of their "ongoing effort to make driving and riding with [Grab] a better experience".

Rest assured that the fee does not come with every cancellation, but will kick in if there are more than 10 within a week. After which, $2 will be charged to the passenger's GrabPay account. As for Non-GrabPay passengers, they will need to enable GrabPay, otherwise they will not be able to make any further bookings.

Grab promises to give sufficient notice in the form of warning notifications before this fees are deducted.

And it's not just passengers, Grab will also be measuring driver performance based on their cancellation rates, among others. Low ride cancellation rates will translate to incentives and perks for Grab drivers.

Underlying motivations

The range of private car options available for Singaporeans, ranging from taxi apps to Uber and Grab certainly gives users a lot of flexibility in terms of making (and cancelling) bookings afterwards.

But what many of us do not fully realise is that each time we cancel a booking (as drivers and passengers), it creates inconvenience for the other party. This comes in the form of loss of earnings for drivers already en-route, and a loss of trust for passengers waiting for their ride to arrive.

As noted by Grab, the cancellation threshold will be adjusted accordingly over time, with the main goal of encouraging people to make a booking and stick with it to create a "fairer platform for drivers and passengers".

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GrabTaxi CEO wants to build Southeast Asia's greatest tech firm

Source:

Their FAQ section clarifies any concerns that passengers may have.

1. Why do I have to add GrabPay as a payment option for cancellations?

It helps make the cancellation fee payment more seamless. Using GrabPay, passengers will also get an e-receipt with the fee reflected, ensuring transparency.

2. Are you profiting from the cancellation fees?

Absolutely not, this is not a profit-driven initiative. This is to create a fair marketplace for our drivers and passengers. It also lets us accurately predict demand for drivers so we can allocate rides more efficiently.

3. Will I be charged a cancellation fee if the wait time for the driver is too long?

We understand there are valid reasons for cancellation - plans (and the weather!) can change rapidly in Singapore. This is why our fee will not apply to every single cancellation, but only after the cancellation threshold has been exceeded.

We can all agree that when we are panicking about not getting a car, the idea that other app users are out there cancelling the ones they do get leaves us with a bad taste on our tongues.

So let's all try to be better passengers and respect the bookings we make.

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SINGAPORE - ​The GCE O-level examinations results will be released on Wednesday (Jan 11).

For those getting their results, an important decision awaits.

Junior college or polytechnic?

First, you have to look at the basic entry requirements.

For junior colleges, your L1R5​ -​ English and five relevant subjects - should not exceed 20 points.

For the polytechnics, your L1R4​ -​ English and four other subjects - should not exceed 26 points.

​However, for popular poly​technic​ courses such as biomedical science and banking and finance, you need to score below 12 points to stand a chance of getting in.

If you qualify for both ​junior college​ and poly​technic​ but still undecided on which route to take, my advice is to think about ​your academic preferences.

Are you strong in ​academic subjects? Do you love mathematics​,​ physics and English literature​, and​ love delving deeper into these subjects? If you ​prefer ​a structured curriculum and​ a ​school-like environment, maybe the ​junior college route would be more suited for you.

​But​ if you are inclined towards a learning approach that is more hands-on, that involves more project work, then you may be more suited to the polytechnic route.

If you have decided on going to a poly​technic, how do you choose between the many different courses that polytechnics offer?

My advice is to go to the open houses held by the poly​technic​s​ and​ talk to the guidance counsellors.​ ​They will ask you about your academic and non-academic interests​, which will​ be an indication of the kind of careers that might suit you.​ ​

For example, for students who apply for hotel and tourism management or events planning, it would help if you are outgoing and love interacting with people.

Similarly for those who apply for media and communications, besides the ability to speak and write well, it would help if you love interacting with people.

Students often ask me if it's easier to get into the local universities through the ​junior college route.

​The fact is, over 70 per cent of junior college students enter local universities every year, while only about 20 per cent of polytechnic graduates get a place.​

But with the setting up of the Singapore University of Technology and SIM University, there are now more places and niche degree courses, such as digital animation, game design and physiotherapy, available to polytechnic graduates.

This article was first published on January 9, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Another two gas cooker hob models are being recalled by Electrolux, after the appliance maker's initial recall of four models last week.

"As a precautionary measure, we voluntarily extend the product recall to include the following flexi glass gas hobs that run on town gas - EGT9038CKP and EGT8028CKP," Electrolux said in a statement on Tuesday (Jan 10).

"We strongly advise customers with these models to stop using the gas hobs," it added.

The Swedish company had last Friday issued a recall for four gas cooker hob models - EGT9637CKP, EGT7637EGP, EGT7637CKP, EGT7627CKP - following reports of the glass tops shattering and small explosions when in use.

Standards authority Spring Singapore said that at least one user was scalded as a result, and urged customers who bought the affected models between 2014 and last year to stop using them immediately.

In its statement, Electrolux said that customers affected by the product recall will be compensated with a cheque for $700 or $800 (depending on the model), or a product replacement.

It will also be giving customers a $100 voucher as a goodwill gesture.

Affected customers can e-mail Electrolux (customer-care.sin@electrolux.com), call its customer service hotlines or submit their contact details on the company's website.

Electrolux also said that it is meeting with property developers to establish the most efficient solution for consumers with kitchens fitted with any of the affected product models, and added that it is contacting customers who have registered their warranty details.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - The once bustling neighbourhood of Dakota Crescent is now a ghost town.

Abandoned items such as furniture, clothes and crockery were left below the blocks.

Most of the flats are empty.

Residents were asked to vacate by Dec 31 last year (2016) to make way for new developments in Mountbatten, but not all have moved out.

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Last residents of Dakota Crescent

Source:

The Straits Times

"Only three people are staying on this level," said retiree Vincent Chan, 70, who has been living in Dakota Crescent for almost 60 years.

"Actually I wanted to move out before Christmas but they don't have the key, so what can you do," he added.

He is among a handful of people who are still waiting to collect the keys to their new homes in nearby Cassia Crescent.

About 10 per cent of the 400 affected households have not yet received their keys.

The Housing Development Board said it is working closely with the grassroots leaders and social workers to render further assistance to tenants who need more help in moving out.

"I'm getting my keys on Jan 13, most probably I'll move in after renovation. But this time around Chinese New Year, nobody will do renovation. I think they will allow me only one month from the 13th to move, so I'll have to move in first," said Mr Chan, who lives in the flat with his wife, Madam Vipaporn Chamdeumthanaporn, 63, and their son.

Read also: Some haven't moved out of Dakota Crescent

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Dakota Crescent resident of 57 years holds walking tours

Source: The New Paper

This article was first published on January 9, 2016.
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An impatient Subaru driver was caught on video cutting across double white lines, going against traffic, and running a red light as well.

The video was posted on the Roads.sg Facebook page on Monday (Jan 9), where it has since been viewed 39,000 times.

The user who posted the video was startled that the driver committed three traffic offences in just a matter of seconds.

Netizens who watched the video wonder what could have warranted the Subaru driver to be so impatient to flout traffic rules.

Hours after the video was posted, a user appeared to identify himself as the driver of the car in a comment to the post.

He wrote: "I am the driver of the Subaru and yes I admit I committed the wrongdoings. To the public I apologise for my foolish and dangerous act. I will observe the rules and regulations strictly in future. As for the punishments I am willing to answer for them. Thank you."

Read also: 1 dead, 3 injured after car goes against flow of traffic on AYE

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Vehicle caught going against traffic along AYE towards Tuas

Source:

Facebook video screengrabs

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1 dead, 3 injured in AYE accident

Source:

Lim Wee Teck

Rozaidy

Facebook screengrabs

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SINGAPORE - First he crashed his car into a lorry. Then, he allegedly hit out at a traffic police officer.

And if that was not enough, he reportedly flashed his middle finger at policemen as he tried to run away.

He was eventually arrested, and now the 24-year-old man is due to appear in court for allegedly assaulting a police officer, the police said in a statement on Tuesday (Jan 10).

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Photo Gallery

Man allegedly punched policeman, flashed middle finger at officers

Source:

Lianhe Wanbao

According to Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao, the incident occurred when a grey Honda ran into the back of a lorry at the junction of Riverside Road and Admiralty Road on Monday morning.

Following the accident, the lorry driver and his passenger were both taken to Khoo Teck Puat hospital.

But while traffic police officers were arresting the male car driver for his suspected involvement in traffic and drug-related offences, the man resisted and punched one of the officers, the police said in their statement.

He then tried to escape, and as he was running away, turned to flash his middle finger to taunt the four officers who were giving him chase.

However, he soon ran out of breath after about half a kilometre, and was subsequently detained, Zaobao reported.

If charged, the man may be jailed for up to seven years, fined, caned or face a combination of those punishments.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

The Central Provident Fund Board is investigating local S-League clubs for possible non-payment of CPF contributions to their Prime League footballers.

A CPF Board spokesman told The Straits Times last night: "The CPF Board takes a serious view of employers who do not fulfil their CPF obligations to their employees.

"Investigations are ongoing and CPF Board will not hesitate to take action against any football club that failed to make the requisite CPF contributions for their players."

ST understands that at least one club had failed to pay the contributions for up to five years. The Prime League team is the reserve side of each professional S-League club, largely featuring young players below 21. There are six local S-League clubs, excluding the Young Lions.

One general manager of an S-League club, who declined to be named, explained that Prime League players are employed on contracts which pay them a maximum of $300 in training allowances which help to cover meal and transport costs. "The club was notified by the CPF Board in November and we duly paid up the shortfall in CPF contribution the following month."

He added: "The club pays a training allowance of $100 to $200 to its Prime League players, but we were unaware that we had to declare this to the CPF Board. However, the club respects the wishes of the board and we will follow their policy from now on."

He declined to reveal the amount that was due, but said that the club had made full restitution.

Another club manager said: "The rule has not been clear, and we had hoped there would be some direction."

An S-League spokesman said: "The S-League understands that the clubs had in the past been under the perception that the 'allowance' paid to the Prime League players did not necessitate CPF contribution.

"The respective clubs concerned are in the process of resolving the matter with the CPF Board. We are confident that the clubs will be able to quickly and fairly resolve this matter. The S-League shall provide the relevant assistance to the clubs where possible."

This is not the first time S-League clubs have been in the spotlight over employment issues.

Some local clubs are known to offer 11-month contracts instead of a full-year deal to players to avoid paying the 13th-month bonus.

In 2014, the S-League implemented a controversial age-restriction rule that capped the number of Singaporean players aged 30 and above to five for each local club. The policy was rescinded after anti-discrimination watchdog Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices said that the rule was discriminatory.

meng@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 11, 2017.
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Motorists who flout traffic laws, such as illegally modifying their vehicles or driving recklessly, could face harsher penalties.

Under the Road Traffic (Amendment) Bill introduced in Parliament yesterday, maximum fines for these offences will increase.

Those caught altering their vehicles illegally can face a fine of up to $5,000, a jail term of up to three months, or both. Currently, the maximum fine is only $2,000.

For those caught a second and subsequent time, the penalty is a fine of up to $10,000, a jail sentence of up to six months, or both. This is double the current $5,000.

The revised punishments will be aligned with similar offences in the Active Mobility Act, which spells out penalties for users who illegally modify their personal mobility devices and bicycles.

Fines for motorists who drive recklessly or dangerously will also be steeper. The current penalty under the Road Traffic Act is a fine of up to $3,000 and a jail sentence of up to a year, or both.

The proposed changes to the law will see the fine raised to $5,000.

For repeat offenders, the current penalties are a fine of $5,000 or a jail term of up to two years, or both. The proposed changes will increase the fine to $10,000.

A specific punishment is also being proposed for motorists who leave their vehicles on the road in a way that can "cause danger, obstruction or undue inconvenience to other users of the road or to traffic".

Motorists caught will face fines of up to $2,000 or a jail term of up to three months, or both. Those convicted a second or subsequent time can be fined up to $5,000, given jail time of up to six months, or both.

In the light of the development of self-driving technologies, changes to the law are also being proposed that will make it an offence for an individual to hinder or obstruct any trials involving autonomous vehicles.

As to what constitutes an interference, the text of the draft law says: "For example, curious bystanders may deliberately throw objects or walk in front of autonomous motor vehicles that are on trial, so as to test the reaction of the vehicle's sensors." The maximum fine for such an offence will be set at $5,000.

This article was first published on Jan 11, 2017.
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SINGAPORE - The Serangoon Plaza branch of 24-hour mall Mustafa will close down in February, with stock and staff to be transferred to the neighbouring Mustafa Centre main store.

Last February (2016), The Straits Times reported that Serangoon Plaza was slated for demolition at the end of 2016 or early in 2017, with the site to be redeveloped.

This was after the building was bought in an en bloc sale in 2003 by Feature Development, which is developing the 19-storey Centrium Square on the site, a mixed development including office, medical and retail units.

Media reports now confirm that Serangoon Plaza's tenants will move out by early February. These include retailer Mohamad Mustafa & Shamsuddin (MMS), which occupies three floors and about 70 per cent of the total retail space in the building.

According to reports, a notice at the entrance of Mustafa's Serangoon Plaza branch said the store will close on Feb 1, with all merchandise being moved to neighbouring Mustafa Centre instead.

Mustafa had been leasing space at Serangoon Plaza since 1985. The closure of that 65,000 sq ft branch reduces Mustafa's total retail space by about a quarter, with the remaining Mustafa Centre store having over 200,000 sq ft.

This article was first published on Jan 10, 2016.
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After five years as a property agent, Mr Rylan Peh, 32, called it quits last month.

He was not the only one to do so.

In an industry battling stagnant demand and a new do-it-yourself culture, 3,200 agents let their registration lapse last year, according to figures from the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) yesterday.

This brings the number of registered property agents in Singapore to 28,397 as at Jan 1, continuing a three-year slide as housing prices and transaction numbers fall.

It is down from the 31,783, 30,830 and 29,262 agents at the start of 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Said Mr Peh, now a part-time management associate at a logistics firm: "In my heyday in 2011 and 2012, I could earn $10,000 a month, which was not even the highest among the agents. But things started to slow down in 2013. I have no choice but to move on."

The industry is contending with both short- and long-term forces.

Most immediately, a sluggish economy has dulled buyers' appetite.

Private property prices fell 3 per cent last year while Housing Board resale prices were down 0.1 per cent.

Transaction volumes are also expected to remain modest.

CEA's director for policy and licensing Heng Whoo Kiat said the trend of fewer agents points to a "slight consolidation of the industry, given the current property market sentiments".

Government efforts to lift industry standards have also had an impact.

Fewer new agents entered the market last year: 1,189, compared to 1,299 in 2015 and 3,006 in 2014.

ERA Realty key executive officer Eugene Lim attributed this partly to higher entry barriers.

For example, the mandatory Real Estate Salesperson test administered by the CEA is now conducted every four months, instead of every alternate month as was the case when it was introduced in 2011.

"I've also heard that it is harder; I think the CEA is trying to raise the standard of the industry," said Mr Lim.

The statutory board did not reply to queries on this.

In the long run, the industry is also beset by the same disruptive forces that are upending many others.

Mr Heng noted that "technological innovations, consumers' lifestyles and preferences in handling their property transactions are changing".

For instance, more buyers are cutting out the middlemen, said Mr Lim, pointing to the abundance of information available on property portals and government websites.

He said: "If you're an agent specialising in serving buyers or renters, you might want to change business direction soon."

Some observers are more sanguine, saying the industry is shedding part-timers while building a core group of "career" agents.

Knight Frank managing director Tan Tee Khoon said his company, which hires only full-timers, experienced a 10 per cent growth - from 621 agents at the start of last year to 683 now.

Said Dr Tan of the jump: "We focus on hiring career salespersons - agents who want to eke out a living in real estate."

One agent who is in it for the long run is Mr Eddie Ng, 39, who marks his seventh year in the business this year.

"It has been a difficult few years but, at the end of the day, if you know how to keep your customers, they will eventually come back or refer you to their friends," he said.

rachelay@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on January 11, 2017.
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Students who are called to the police station for interviews while they are in school will be accompanied by a school officer familiar to them. These officers could be their teachers, the year head or a school counsellor.

Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng announced this in Parliament yesterday, as he updated the House on what the Ministry of Education (MOE) is doing to provide more support to students who are being investigated by the police.

Mr Ng said that the measures follow recommendations made by a multi-agency committee which had studied State Coroner Marvin Bay's suggestions to mitigate the risk for young suspects.

Coroner Bay had presided over the case of North View Secondary School student Benjamin Lim, who was found dead on Jan 26 last year, hours after being questioned at Ang Mo Kio Police Division for allegedly molesting an 11-year-old girl in a lift.

Benjamin was not accompanied by school officers to the police station, as it was not the practice then.

The Ministry of Home Affairs last week announced a new scheme that will allow Appropriate Adults, who are independent, trained volunteers, to accompany young suspects during police interviews.

Mr Ng said the school officer will make sure that there is a "proper handover" at the police station as far as possible.

But if no Appropriate Adult is present, the school officer would "have to make a judgment call to stay with the young person until such an adult shows up", he said.

Whether the school officer will remain at the police station throughout the whole period will also depend on the circumstances at the time, he added.

Besides these measures, the school will provide the police with relevant information on the student being investigated, which will help them better understand the personal circumstances of the student, said Mr Ng.

He also said the police will inform the student's parents of the arrest as soon as possible.

The measures will go into effect next month in all primary and secondary schools, as well as junior colleges.

Non-Constituency MP Daniel Goh asked whether the school counsellor could be with the student throughout the police interview.

But Mr Ng said the school counsellor would be known to the student, and would not be considered a neutral party. Appropriate adults are required to remain neutral and not advocate for either side.

leepearl@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 11, 2017.
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Lush sofa seats in cosy corners, spacious dining halls and a playground are among the improved features at the new premises of palliative care provider Assisi Hospice.

Caregivers can take time out on the seats to grieve or rest, while patients can comfortably dine with their family in the halls, away from their beds.

Children have a chance to escape to the playground.

The new Assisi Hospice premises are located just beside its previous site, next to Mount Alvernia Hospital in Thomson Road.

Yesterday, all patients were moved from the old three-storey building.

More than 50 clinical staff were involved in the move.

A spokesman for the hospice said it engaged five ambulances and used three of its vans to ferry patients to the new premises.

"Every bed-bound patient in an ambulance was accompanied by a family member and a clinical team comprising a doctor and a nurse," the spokesman added.

Patients on wheelchairs were ferried by van.

The new six-storey building will be able to serve more than 2,000 patients a year, double the 1,000 patients it has been serving.

There are now 85 beds, up from 37.

Assisi Hospice, which started out as a wing in Mount Alvernia Hospital in 1969, occupied its old premises for more than 20 years.

Among the new facilities is a dedicated ward for dementia patients.

The ward features auto-locking doors, to prevent patients from wandering away or getting lost, and high contrast navy-blue toilet fittings, to allow them to better recognise the fixtures.

Ms Anita Fam, chairman of Assisi's board of directors, said the rooms in the new building also have wider doors to allow patients to be wheeled in on their beds.

Ms Fam said the move was first broached some nine years ago.

She described the new building as "more home-like".

"What is here is what I feel is the reality of a dream dreamt by many people many years ago, and what we feel should be the hallmark of quality hospice care," she added.

Mr Mok Kim Cheong, 64, a liver cancer patient, is motivated to get fit enough to walk because of a new garden that features leaves and flowers of different textures.

"Taking walks in the sensory garden, which is warm and inviting, will be a respite for me and I want to get well enough for visits to the garden."

jalmsab@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on January 11, 2017.
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Singaporeans are known to be overachievers, but they lag behind when it comes to sleep.

Four in 10 people, or 44 per cent, lack sleep on weekdays, according to a study by SingHealth Polyclinics. They had less than seven hours of rest a night.

Meanwhile, 26 per cent failed to clock enough sleep on weekends.

The rate of 44 per cent is higher than that in countries such as the United States, where studies found that between 35 and 37 per cent slept less than seven hours daily.

In Singapore, the sleep-deprived tend to use mobile devices in bed or in the bedroom, the study found.

They also tend to hold full-time jobs, smoke, and have caffeinated drinks two hours before turning in.

Based on these findings, the researchers plan to come up with a checklist for patients who experience sleep-related problems.

Dr Tan Ngiap Chuan, one of the authors of the paper, said: "If the patient has a sleep issue, what we can do, given that we already know the common factors, is to quickly go through these factors.

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8 ways sleep can solve your problems

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"If we are able to identify a modifiable factor, such as taking caffeinated drinks before sleeping, then we can have a very quick solution for these patients."

The SingHealth study, which was published in the international journal Medicine in August last year, involved 350 people aged between 21 and 80.

They were approached at Sengkang and Bukit Merah polyclinics, and were interviewed using a standardised questionnaire.

People who reported having enough rest tend to have regular sleeping times, do not smoke, and are retirees or unemployed.

In addition, more Chinese participants had adequate rest, compared with Malays and Indians.

While mobile devices were partly to blame for robbing people of much-needed sleep, their effect was dampened on weekends.

More people who use mobile devices in bed were able to get enough sleep on weekends, compared with those who did not, the study found.

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8 in 10 Singapore are sleep-deprived: Study

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Dr Tan Ee Ju, who has a practice in Toa Payoh, agrees that insufficient sleep is a common problem.

"Students may develop poor sleep habits because of school work, exam preparation and the Internet, and take these habits into their adult life," he said.

"Parents should cultivate good sleep habits and patterns in their children when they are young," he added.

A lack of sleep can lead to health problems such as headaches, fatigue, poor focus, hypertension and anxiety issues.

Bank manager Poon Sau Peng, 59, who sleeps five to six hours a night, has dozed off at work.

She said: "I have fallen asleep at work meetings, especially if I'm not participating actively. Sometimes I even snore. My colleagues have to pinch me to wake me up."

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6 types of common sleep disorders

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This article was first published on Jan 11, 2017.
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