Singapore is switching gears to shore up its internationalisation efforts, and is urging other member states of a failed Pacific Rim trade pact to do the same.

But even as the city-state works to grow its external pie amid plans to restructure its economy, observers warned of risks down the road for Singapore's growth and also its financial stability as the US retreats from world trade.

US President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order to withdraw the world's largest economy from the 12-member Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

The pact needs at least six countries representing 85 per cent of economic output of the Pacific Rim grouping to be ratified; Mr Trump's order effectively killed the deal.

Leaders of TPP member countries, however, have in recent days held out hope that there would be some way in which the deal can still be ratified.

Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) struck a different tone on Tuesday. Its spokesman, in response to queries from The Business Times, said: "The US has indicated that it will pull out of the TPP agreement. Without the participation of the US, the TPP agreement as signed cannot come into effect."

Instead, the MTI is looking at other regional integration initiatives such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the proposal for a free trade area of the Asia-Pacific.

"Singapore will continue to participate in these initiatives," said the spokesman.

"We will have to discuss the way forward with the other TPP partners. Each of the partners will have to carefully study the new balance of benefits."

The TPP's demise comes just days before Singapore is expected to introduce a seminal report on how it will restructure its economy as its workforce ages and cost of labour rises.

Expanding overseas is expected to be a key pillar in the Committee on the Future Economy (CFE) report. Singapore's leaders have been urging firms to do so in CFE-related events.

Song Seng Wun, economist at CIMB in Singapore, noted that with the TPP out of the picture, there are now fewer ways in which Singapore can participate in global trade.

"Even though we have a free-trade agreement with the US, there's this huge obstacle in the way now, we really have to find our way around it," he said.

And if Mr Trump's decision on Monday is indicative of more protectionist measures to come, observers are worried about risks to global fiscal stability and in Singapore.

This is because, when combined with fiscal stimulus, America's retreat from global trade may result in higher domestic consumer inflation.

This will prompt the US Federal Reserve to raise interest rates faster, said Chang Wei Liang, foreign exchange strategist at Mizuho Bank in Singapore.

"To us, this could pose a more severe test for emerging Asian currencies than trade alone."

Faster rate hikes also spells trouble for Singapore's "domestic-facing industries, which are weighed down by high household leverage", said Joseph Incalcaterra, HSBC's economist in Hong Kong.

But for now, the immediate financial fallout from the TPP's demise seems limited; capital markets and currencies held relatively steady on Monday and Tuesday on both sides of the Pacific.

It was also not expected to have dealt a big blow to global trade, as global trade flows were already weakening in the months before, said observers.

Mahamoud Islam, senior Asia economist at Euler Hermes in Hong Kong, noted that early trade data showing that US dollar-denominated exports over the full year in 2016 fell in China by 7.7 per cent, in South Korea (-5.9 per cent) and Singapore (-4.9 per cent).

"We expect a limited improvement in 2017," he said.

Alice Fulwood, Singapore-based economist at UBS, said the TPP's death knell is also unlikely to have impacted companies' decisions because it was uncertain that the US could ratify the deal even before Mr Trump signed the order.

"This uncertainty will likely have prevented companies and individuals from acting on expectations that it (the TPP) would proceed."

However, early rumblings from the US' exit from the TPP could be seen in Japan's stock market and a dip in the US dollar.

Investors seemed to be spooked by Mr Trump's focus on protectionism, as seen by his order to withdraw the US from the TPP on his first full day in office, as opposed to fiscal stimulus.

This notion was further reinforced by US Treasury Secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin's comment that an "excessively strong dollar" is not good for the economy in the near term.

Emmanuel Ng, foreign exchange strategist at Singapore's OCBC, warned of the prolonged effect of the US' protectionist overtures in a Tuesday note.

If Mr Trump does not follow up with fiscal stimulus, "expect the broad US dollar to continue to capitulate lower across the board", he wrote.

Meanwhile, political repercussions were starting to be felt from the TPP's failure.

After having drummed up domestic support for the TPP, leaders from member countries are now faced with the stark reality of having to deliver on the promises of the pact.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull reiterated his focus on workers on Tuesday: "Losing the United States from the TPP is a big loss ... but we are not about to walk away from our commitment to Australian jobs."

This article was first published on January 25, 2017.
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The misuse of industrial space has become rampant, and with tenants having settled into units in new strata projects offering office-like designs and proximity to transport nodes, the trend has become even more conspicuous.

Businesses ranging from law firms and real-estate agencies to accounting and tax advisory firms, recruitment agencies, training providers, commercial schools and boutique investment firms have taken up units in industrial premises such as Oxley BizHub, UB. One, AZ @ Paya Lebar, CT Hub in Kallang, and One Commonwealth.

Market watchers are decidedly split in their views on how hard the government should come down on this issue.

The Business Times visited various industrial premises and found so many businesses operating there which fall outside the approved uses for industrial space, that it would be unfair to single out some names and leave out others.

For example, other than office users, Oxley BizHub in Ubi houses a pay-per-use study area, a spa and even a geomancy-service provider.

CT Hub in Kallang has become a hub for the offices of religious organisations.

Industrial units in these projects zoned Business-1 (B1) are mostly sold to investors and end-users.

It is clear that the unauthorised trades operating there are drawn to these B1 developments by their lower rents vis-a-vis commercial property rents and proximity to MRT stations.

Current asking rents in Oxley BizHub are around S$2 to S$3 per square foot (psf) a month; at CT Hub, industrial units available for rent now start at S$3 psf.

Rents for office space in Paya Lebar Square, on the other hand, are between S$4 and S$6 psf, based on online listings.

But under the guidelines of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), buildings approved for industrial use are meant primarily for activities such as manufacturing and warehousing; certain types of e-business and media activities may also be allowed.

Under a 60-40 rule, at least 60 per cent of total gross space of the development has to be used for core industrial activities, and up to 40 per cent for ancillary uses.

In strata projects, units also have to comply with the 60-40 rule.

A check by BT found that, among the religious organisations that have huddled in CT Hub, only one has obtained written permission for the factory units it owns to be primarily used for video production and storage.

Over at WCEGA Plaza, an older strata B1 building in Bukit Batok Crescent, at least six units are used as places of worship.

URA guidelines bar the conversion of factory units into places of worship or offices for religious organisations, though the common facilities of the building or the ancillary spaces within each factory unit can be considered for religious use in a "limited and non-exclusive" way.

Amid slowing economic growth and generally high commercial rents in Singapore, these unauthorised users of these spaces have found empathy among some industry watchers.

Chia Siew Chuin, CBRE director of industrial and logistics for Asia, said the government should first offer cost-effective alternatives before deciding to enforce its planning guidelines and clamp down on these users.

"The various government agencies should long have studied this issue together with the private sector to update and redefine the trades that are allowed in industrial premises," she said.

Concurring with her, SLP International executive director Nicholas Mak said the owners of these industrial units may have found themselves weighing between leasing the space to an unauthorised user and defaulting on their mortgage.

On the other hand, International Property Advisor's key executive officer Ku Swee Yong said that having office users in B1 space will raise rental costs for legitimate B1 users, many of whom are struggling small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

"Office landlords are also losing corporate tenants who are happy to operate in the grey area of leasing B1 space slated for factory use and operating their business there," he said.

At the same time, there are also B1 landlords who are willing to accept office users under a "factory use" lease contract.

The playing field is thus tilted against rule-abiding parties.

Mr Ku added: "Honest property agents are struggling, in this economic downturn, to find landlords and tenants with solid integrity who will stick with the government guidelines."

The downturn in the residential market may have catalysed this problem.

When multiple rounds of residential cooling measures sent investors piling into the industrial segment between 2010 and 2013, the unwitting ones among them snapped up strata units in industrial developments in the hope of getting high rental yields - and some of these were sold by housing agents unfamiliar with the rules for industrial space.

But industrial brokers say that the majority of the occupants should know better, because the government stipulated in 2012 that sale-and-purchase agreements or tenancy agreements must spell out the approved use of the property.

A spokesman from the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) told BT that property agencies and agents must be fully conversant with and must comply with the relevant rules and regulations on property transactions.

"CEA can take disciplinary action against property agencies and agents if they are found to have facilitated property transactions that led to the unauthorised use of industrial sites," he said.

Clearly, the misuse of industrial space has been exacerbated by the proliferation of shoebox units in projects built without the right specifications for genuine industrialists.

But even in older industrial buildings such as Halcyon Building in Jalan Pemimpin and Midview City in Sin Ming, non-authorised users can be found.

An industrial broker who declined to be named remarked that there is no urgency for the relevant authorities to clean up unauthorised industrial-space users because there may be no other takers for the space amid receding demand among industrialists.

The authorities are also perceived to be sensitive to the plight of SMEs amid the economic downturn.

In response to BT's queries, a URA spokeswoman said: "Where unauthorised uses in specific industrial units are brought to our attention, these will be investigated and enforcement action will be taken on both the operator and property owner if an infringement is ascertained. For example, we more recently took action against a number of units in industrial buildings such as Oxley BizHub, Midview City and CT Hub."

One Pemimpin, where URA reportedly undertook enforcement action on unauthorised trades back in 2013, was about 30 to 40 per cent vacant when BT visited it this month.

Meanwhile, net demand for industrial space islandwide has withered, dropping 66.2 per cent year on year in the first nine months of 2016 to about 1.13 million sq ft, based on JTC's data on change in occupied space.

This was mainly due to negative net demand in the Central Region (stretching from Bishan to the Southern Islands and Queenstown to Marine Parade) and the East Region.

CBRE's Ms Chia noted that high vacancies in these projects could be due to the already ample space in the B1 market.

The sputtering manufacturing sector still faces headwinds despite an uptick in output in the fourth quarter.

Because of relocation costs, industrialists may be put off moving into newer projects, even if these are built to suitable specifications, she added.

BT's observations bear this out. At 9 Tagore Lane and North Spring BizHub in Yishun, newly completed ramp-up factories offer access to every floor for trucks.

The units here have been sold out by developers - but lie largely vacant.

lynkhoo@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on January 25, 2017.
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Singapore is the 7th least corrupt country in the world, according to Transparency International's latest annual review.

The island city-state moved up one spot from 8th in 2015 to 7th this year in the Corruption Perceptions Index 2016. However, it's score of 84 points was one lower than last year, according to Transparency International's report, which draws on a mix of business and government sources for its rankings.

Singapore was also the only Asian state to make the top ten of least corrupt countries.

Meanwhile, Somalia, South Sudan, North Korea and Syria are perceived to be the most corrupt countries.

Somalia has held the undesirable title as the world's most corrupt country for the past ten years, with a score of 10, which ranks countries' public sector from zero to 100.

Countries with a lower score are deemed to be more corrupt, and are generally characterized by impunity for corruption, poor governance and weak institutions, the report said.

Second from the bottom is South Sudan, a relatively new country which only gained its independence from Sudan six years ago, with a score of 11. The third most corrupt country is North Korea, followed by Syria, a war-torn country which is presently seeing a massive outflow of refugees.

Countries in the Middle East suffered the worst declines on the corruption index, led by Qatar which fell 10 scores from the previous year due to scandals such as FIFA's decision to host the World Cup 2022 in Qatar amid reports of migrant workers abuse, Transparency International said.

The German lobbying group warned that more countries' scores fell instead of improving from the previous year, creating a "vicious circle between corruption, unequal distribution of power in society and unequal distribution of wealth," the report said.

The continuous cycle of corruption fueling social inequality has led to disenchanted citizens across the globe, who then turn to populist politicians, Transparency International said.

But, populist leaders are likely to worsen the issue of corruption.

"In countries with populist or autocratic leaders, we often see democracies in decline and a disturbing pattern of attempts to crack down on civil society, limit press freedom, and weaken the independence of the judiciary," Jose Ugaz, Chair of Transparency International, said in a media statement.

"Instead of tackling crony capitalism, those leaders usually install even worse forms of corrupt systems," Ugaz added.

Hungary and Turkey, which are experiencing the rise of autocratic leaders, have seen their corruption scores fall, while Argentina having ousted a populist government late in 2015 is showing signs of improvement, Transparency International said.

The Berlin-based non-governmental organisation called for governments to step up on "deep-rooted systemic reforms" that target corruption.

Such reforms need to include the disclosure through public registries of those who own companies and sanctions on those who aid in the movement of corrupt money flows across borders, the organisation said, pointing to the Panama Papers, which was 11.5 million leaked documents that revealed how businesses, wealthy individuals and even politicians exploit offshore tax regimes.

European nations were among the highest ranked on the Corruption Perceptions Index, occupying four out of the top five slots.

Denmark and New Zealand were tied in first place as the world's cleanest countries, followed by Finland, Sweden and Switzerland.

The top 10 ranked nations perceived to be the least corrupt are:

1. Denmark

2. New Zealand

3. Finland

4. Sweden

5. Switzerland

6. Norway

7. Singapore

8. Netherlands

9. Canada

10. Germany

And the most corrupt countries as ranked on the Corruption Perceptions Index 2016 are:

1. Somalia

2. South Sudan

3. North Korea

4. Syria

5. Yemen

6. Sudan

7. Libya

8. Afghanistan

9. Guinea-Bissau

10. Venezuela

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Photo Gallery

Football officials detained as US corruption probe rocks FIFA

Source: AFP, Reuters

SINGAPORE - Singapore's business watchdog, the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (Acra) will soon have a new chief.

Mr Ong Khiaw Hong will take over as chief executive from Apr 1 this year, the Finance Ministry (MOF) said in a statement on Wednesday (Jan 25).

He will also assume the position of Chief Executive - Designate at Acra from Mar 1.

Mr Ong is currently Deputy Commissioner (Corporate and Services Group) at the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, and has previously also served in the Education and Defence Ministries.

A recipient of the Public Service Administration Medal (Gold), Mr Ong will succeed Mr Kenneth Yap, who has been Acra chief since Feb 1, 2013.

MOF said that during Mr Yap's tenure at the helm, Acra had stepped up its efforts in providing a reliable and responsive regulatory environment for businesses.

The ministry also cited his efforts in raising Acra's service quality bar through the revamp of its business registration portal BizFile+, as well as his efforts in reducing business compliance costs through various initiatives.

Mr Yap, who is a legal service officer, will return to the legal service to assume his next appointment.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - A private education institute will be shuttered after it was found to have repeatedly breached regulations under the Private Education Act.

In a statement on Wednesday (Jan 25), the Committee for Private Education (CPE) said that private beauty and wellness services school Edes Academy will have its registration cancelled from Feb 9. It will not be allowed to offer private education courses with immediate effect.

The school will also have to refund the full course fees to existing students or place them in other schools by Feb 9.

According to the CPE, investigations revealed that Edes had failed to maintain proper student attendance records, with absent students being indicated as present.

Moreover, it failed to inform the Committee of changes on its management, a mandatory requirement under the law.

The school also did not publish information about its teacher-student ratio and members of its academic board on its website, which is required as part of information transparency for current and prospective students.

The CPE stressed that it will not hesitate to take errant private education operators to task if they contravene the Private Education Act and its regulations.

"While the private education sector has improved over the years, students need to be discerning when choosing the private education institute they enrol with, as errant ones still exist," said Mr Brandon Lee, Director-General (Private Education) at SkillsFuture Singapore.

He also encouraged members of the public to continue providing feedback to improve standards in the private education sector.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

The newly issued PAssion Silver Concession Card combines the current purple Senior Citizen Concession Card for public transport and the black-and-white PAssion ez-link card into a single card.

The card makes it easier for seniors to stay active and be engaged in the community.

In the eighth episode of askST, Straits Times reporter Priscilla Goy answers readers' questions about the Silver Card, such as user privileges and how to apply for it.

Cardholders will enjoy discounted rates for People's Association community club activities and facilities, and at merchants such as Cold Storage.

They will also get concession fares on public transport.

The card is free and only for Singaporeans aged 60 and above.

The new card replaces the Senior Citizen Concession Card for Singaporeans aged 60 and above because the two cards have the same function of giving cardholders public transport concessions.

Permanent residents aged 60 and above are still eligible for the Senior Citizen Concession Card.

The video also explains how seniors can go about applying for the new Silver Card.

This article was first published on January 24, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - As Singapore prepares for Lunar New Year celebrations at the weekend, the older generation in the fast-changing city-state is worrying who will take over traditions such as making costumes for the lion dance and baking"nian gao" steamed cakes.

Tham Wing Thong is working with 15 employees in Tai Chong Kok bakery, founded in 1935, to turn out "nian gao", a sticky rice flour cake customarily eaten during the festive season.

"Keeping tradition helps us Chinese retain our culture,"says Tham, 79, the son of the founder.

"Nowadays, society has changed with a new generation of people, so it is now on the shoulders of us, the older generation, to retain the tradition and pass it on."

Read also: Preserving Tai Chong Kok's 80-year-old mooncake legacy

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Photo Gallery

Preserving Tai Chong Kok's 80-year-old mooncake legacy

Source: AsiaOne

Henry Ng, one of Singapore's few remaining makers of lion dance costumes, says interest in the craft spurred him to carry on the tradition, but his children show little interest.

"I think nowadays the markets are based more on technology and they are changing," he says, adding that his children would do better to get jobs making use of their classroom educations.

Ng started in the trade in the 90s, after tiring of his office job, and makes all his creations by hand, from the bamboo frame that shapes the lion's head to intricately-painted faces, producing about 60 to 70 heads for lion dancers every year.

Each costs about $1,250, roughly six times more than factory-made ones, and takes anywhere from five days to a few weeks to make.

Read also: The endangered lion in the lion city

With no one for the craftsmen to pass their skills down to, however, their patrons will eventually feel the loss.

"I've eaten at that 'nian gao' place for almost my whole life, so it brings back very nice memories," said a customer at the Tai Chong Kok bakery who gave her name only as Jane, a student in Australia who is back home for the holidays.

People go crazy for barbecue pork this time of year in Singapore, with lines typically forming round the block for the grilled treat.

This year however, people are buzzing about the lines of foreign workers - most, if not all in blue-collar jobs - standing in line for their employers, at just S$5 ($3.50) an hour.

Some have deemed this exploitation, while others say it's fair game.

Some of these workers told news outlet Today that they were happy to earn extra cash.

"I slept three hours (last night)," said Pandiyaraj, a sewer maintenance worker, who was back in line for a second day.

The 28-year-old started queueing at 5:15am together with his three colleagues for his supervisor, and bought 50kg worth of the pork.

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Photo Gallery

How bak kwa is made

Source:

The New Paper

For this, he earned S$5 (US$3.50) an hour, or S$30 over two days. He also received half a day off.

But one migrant worker welfare group in Singapore says it is an exploitation of cheap labour and demeans workers.

Many of Singapore's foreign workers typically come from parts of South Asia such as southern India and Bangladesh, and are here on a work visa.

And that's the grey area. Strictly speaking, they can only perform work in the occupation stated on their Work Permit cards - which wouldn't be standing in line for barbecue pork.

"Foreign workers can hardly say no to their bosses because their employment is dependent on the goodwill of their employers," Jolovan Wham of the Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics pointed out.

But many on social media disagreed with Wham, saying that the workers might be in need of spare cash. "As long as the workers are willing to earn that extra money, why not? To us [the money] is nothing but [to] the workers it's extra bonus," said one commenter on Facebook.

Read the full article here

Mashable is the go-to source for tech, digital culture, and entertainment content for its dedicated and influential audience around the world.

SINGAPORE - The decision to release nine Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) armoured vehicles reflects the good and friendly relations between Hong Kong and Singapore, said Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen.

Speaking to reporters after an event on Wednesday (Jan 25), Dr Ng said shipping firm APL has given its assurance to expedite the return of the Terrex infantry carrier vehicles once they are released by the Hong Kong authorities.

"Hopefully the Terrexes can leave Hong Kong soon, and arrive in Singapore to celebrate reunion for Chap Goh Mei," he said.

Chap Goh Mei, or the 15th night of Chinese New Year, is the last day of Chinese New Year celebrations. This year, it lands on Feb 11.

APL has also said it will transport the Terrex vehicles directly from Hong Kong to Singapore without making any stops, Dr Ng said, adding that it would take about a week to ship the equipment back.

Read also: Hong Kong to return 9 SAF Terrex vehicles to Singapore: MFA

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SAF armoured vehicles seized in Hong Kong port

Source:

Factwire

On Tuesday, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Hong Kong's Chief Executive Leung Chun Ying had replied to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's letter to inform him that the Hong Kong authorities have completed their investigations and will be releasing the Terrex vehicles to Singapore through carrier APL.

Hong Kong Customs had, on Nov 23, detained the nine Terrex vehicles and other equipment on board a container ship transiting there. The vehicles were bound for Singapore after an SAF military exercise in Taiwan.

The shipment was impounded because vessel owner APL failed to provide appropriate permits for the vehicles, the South China Morning Post reported.

Earlier this month, Dr Ng told Parliament that PM Lee had written to Mr Leung to request that the vehicles be returned.

Hong Kong Commissioner of Customs and Excise Roy Tang said on Tuesday that Hong Kong had completed its investigation of the suspected breach and that the investigation might lead to criminal prosecution.

On Wednesday, Mr Tang told reporters the shipper could move the vehicles after all relevant paperwork had been completed, Reuters reported.

"We did not identify any information which points to the possibility of the Singapore government being involved in the breach of the licensing conditions," Mr Tang added.

This article was first published on January 25, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - The Court of Appeal has agreed to hold off judgment in the case of two Sarawakians convicted of murder for the 2010 Kallang slashings.

This, in the light of the recent arrest of the final suspect, who had been on the run for six years.

The court, comprising Judges of Appeal Chao Hick Tin, Andrew Phang and Judith Prakash, was ready to deliver its verdict on Wednesday (Jan 25) on the fate of Micheal Garing, 28, and Tony Imba, 38.

However, the court agreed to defer the judgment till Feb 27, to give defence lawyers the opportunity to interview the alleged accomplice in prison.

Micheal and Tony were part of a gang that went on a late-night robbery spree in the Kallang area in May 2010, severely injuring three victims and killing a fourth.

In 2015, Micheal was sentenced to death for murdering 41-year-old construction worker Shanmuganathan Dillidurai, while Tony was sentenced to life imprisonment and 24 strokes of the cane.

A third gang member, Hairee Landak, 23, was sentenced in 2013 to 33 years' jail and 24 strokes of the cane for armed robbery with grievous hurt.

Read also: Remaining suspect in 2010 Kallang murder, violent robbery case arrested

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Photo Gallery

Kallang slashing: Rampage for cash claims 4 victims

Source: The Straits Times

The fourth, Donny Meluda, went on the run but was arrested earlier this month in Malaysia and handed over to Singapore police on Jan 18. He was charged with murder on Friday and has been remanded for further investigations.

While on the run, he changed his name to Abdul Rahman Abdullah.

In the case of Micheal and Tony, multiple appeals were filed. The prosecution appealed against Tony's sentence, Micheal appealed against his conviction and sentence, while Tony appealed against his conviction.

The appeals were heard in September last year.

On Wednesday, at a hearing for the Court of Appeal to give its decision, lawyers Ramesh Tiwary and Amarick Gill, acting for Micheal and Tony respectively, asked the court to defer delivering its judgment.

Mr Tiwary said he wanted to apply to be allowed to interview Donny after the police have completed investigations.

"His testimony would be relevant... whatever he says may undermine the prosecution's case or assist the defence," he said.

The prosecution did not object.

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Photo Gallery

Body found on banks of Kallang River

Source: The Straits Times

This article was first published on January 25, 2016.
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The Meteorological Service Singapore told The New Paper yesterday that the highest rainfall levels in Singapore this month were recorded on Jan 23 at Kallang (106mm), Buona Vista (105mm) and Queenstown (100.8mm).

This is compared to the highest level recorded on Jan 22 last year, in Buona Vista (72.4mm).

The wet weather this month has caused flash floods in Singapore but has improved water levels at the Linggiu Reservoir in Johor, from 20 per cent last October, to 30.8 per cent yesterday, said the PUB.

The level of the reservoir, which is Singapore's main source of water in Malaysia, is up from the 27.5 per cent a week ago and is a marked improvement from the historic low of 20 per cent recorded last October.

This article was first published on Jan 26, 2017.
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The $160 million Sentosa Gateway Tunnel, the construction of which was delayed for a year, could open as early as April.

The two-lane tunnel starts at the stretch between VivoCity and St James Power Station, and goes under Telok Blangah Road, before forking out into two single-lane roads - one to Lower Delta Road and the other to Keppel Road.

It will allow motorists leaving Sentosa to bypass the busy junction between Sentosa Gateway and Telok Blangah Road, as well as the one at Telok Blangah Road and Kampong Bahru Road.

The tunnel only goes one way.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) had said previously that motorists who use the tunnel can halve their travel time.

Travel time on the surface level will improve by a quarter.

LTA said yesterday that it has completed the structural, electrical and mechanical works for the project and is now in the final stages of work, such as road surfacing.

The tunnel is then scheduled for testing works before it can be opened to the public "shortly thereafter", an LTA spokesman added.

Tests include running through procedures for vehicle recovery, in the event of a breakdown, for example.

TRAFFIC VOLUME

The project was announced in 2008 to cope with the expected increase in traffic volume with the launch of Resorts World Sentosa in 2010, along with new residential and commercial developments on Sentosa.

Work started in 2010 and was targeted to finish at the end of 2015.

But the complexity of the construction forced the delay.

The road tunnel is located just 1.6m above the North East Line MRT tunnels and about a metre away from the foundations of the West Coast Highway Viaduct.

Extra care had to be taken to ensure that the surrounding structures were not affected by the tunnelling.

Dentist Justin Ang, 41, who lives on Sentosa, said: "Traffic out of Sentosa can be slow moving during the weekends.

"With the tunnel, I can bypass the traffic junctions and cut down on my travel time to Lower Delta Road."

Businessman Adrian Koh, 39, who shops at VivoCity, said: "When you exit the mall carpark and get onto Sentosa Gateway, it is usually quite congested.

"I have to wait for two to three traffic light cycles before I can clear the junction with Telok Blangah Road."

This article was first published on Jan 26, 2017.
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If you enjoy checking and using social media on your mobile phone as you go about your daily life, you are certainly not alone.

A report on social media and digital trends that has just been released shows that seven in 10 Singaporeans are active social media users on the go - more than double the global average of 34 per cent.

The Republic ranked third, behind the United Arab Emirates (99 per cent) and South Korea (83 per cent).

The report, titled Digital in 2017, was produced by Hootsuite, a social media management platform, and We Are Social, a social media agency.

It compiles data of studies of online behaviour from over 200 countries and territories conducted by organisations such as GlobalWebIndex, GSMA Intelligence, Statista, and Akamai.

The report also said that more than three in four Singaporeans now use social media, up 22 per cent from last year, with 800,000 new users joining.

Again, this growth, ranked 10th in the world, was more than the global average of 21 per cent, with Saudi Arabia topping the list at 73 per cent.

Singapore's average fixed Internet connection speed, at 18.2mbps, was also found to be close to three times the global average of 6.3mbps.

The findings come as telcos here were reported to be closing in on 1Gbps mobile surfing speed and bringing Singapore closer to 5G services - which are 10 times faster than 4G ones.

While there are obvious benefits of being connected, the proliferation of connectivity online could also be a double-edged sword, said National University of Singapore sociologist Tan Ern Ser.

"They allow us a greater reach and access to information and social networks, regardless of time and space.

"However, they can also lead to over-distraction, waste of time or echo chambers of misinformation or propagation of prejudices, stereotypes, and hatred," he said.

PRecious Communications managing director Lars Voedisch shared that sentiment, noting how a recent video of rats in a restaurant made its rounds on social media purporting to be a scene at an eatery here.

Dr Michael Netzley, a social media expert from Singapore Management University, also said there could be ramifications of becoming a "truly networked society".

First, overuse of mobile devices or laptops means users are in a state of continuous partial attention, he said.

This, coupled with the constant switching between tasks, could leave users with a reduced mental bandwidth - similar to an eight-year-old's - allocated to any task or situation, he said.

Mr David Freer, vice-president of consumer Asia Pacific at Intel Security, said the widespread use of social media could also lead to cybersecurity issues.

"People are connecting to social media via their Smart TVs or fitness trackers, which store plenty of personal information or metadata that is highly attractive to cybercriminals.

"Yet many new Internet of Things devices coming to market have weak or no security," he said.

He advised users to surf wisely, such as to always fact-check articles online with reliable news sources or to flag inappropriate content to the social media platform and authorities.

Dr Netzley said: "The responsibility to seek out diversity online is an individual responsibility.

"So any effort to create a smart nation filled with people who are smart about using technology must ultimately (educate) individual users and the choices they make."

rloh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 26, 2017.
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On her 18th birthday yesterday, Jameen Chong had the chance to tour the Singapore Press Holdings' Print Centre to see how newspapers are printed.

It was Make-A-Wish Foundation's (Singapore) present to the teenager, who had wanted to a journalist since she was young.

Accompanied by her family, cancer-stricken Jameen, who was in a wheelchair, was taken through the process, from printing to packing of the newspapers.

To make her wish come true, Jameen's words were also put together in a column published in The New Paper yesterday.

Jameen's mother, Ms Cecilia Ng, 45, told reporters yesterday: "She would be so happy if she knew all this was done for her."

TNP first reported on Jameen's condition yesterday.

The teenager was diagnosed in September 2014 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

A month later, a blood clot was found in her brain, robbing her of her mobility, motor control and central function overnight.

Doctors later found her to be in a "persistent vegetative state", said Jameen's older sister, Janice, 21.

Jameen was referred to Make-A-Wish by the Children's Cancer Foundation's branch at KK Women's and Children's Hospital last November.

When volunteers from Make-A-Wish visited Jameen and her family, they learnt about her aspiration to be a journalist - one who would visit developing countries, report on war-related issues and get her reports published.

Ms Ng, a mother of three, said of the visit to the Print Centre: "I liked how the papers were transported (before being packed). It looked like a dragon moving."

BIRTHDAY PARTY

The session ended with an intimate birthday party for Jameen, where she "blew out" the candle on her cake with the help of her sister, who fanned a calendar to snuff out the flame.

Commenting on the reporters who were whipping out their notebooks to jot down notes as they interviewed her, Ms Ng said: "I can imagine Jameen doing all this."

Make-A-Wish (Singapore) chief executive officer Judy Lim said they hope to gain the community's support in helping to grant wishes for children battling life-threatening medical conditions.

Their wishes "offer them hope, joy and strength when they need it most".

To refer a child to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, e-mail programmeservices@makeawish.org.sg

fjieying@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 26, 2017.
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Singapore - An 85-year-old man, who was riding a power-assisted bicycle, was killed after a sideswipe collision with a car along Brickland Road towards Bukit Batok West Avenue 5 at around 6.50am on Sept 1, last year.

In an inquiry into Mr Law Ching Heng's death on Wednesday (Jan 25), State Coroner Marvin Bay found his death to be an unfortunate traffic misadventure.

He pointed out that in recent months, his court had seen two earlier cases involving the deaths of cyclists on power-assisted bicycles, also known as electric bicycles.

Coroner Bay said, users of motorised bicycles are subject to particular risks, as they are capable of attaining high speeds and are not easily seen on the road.

He added: "The risks are compounded by the fact that the bicycle operators may not have received any formal training on handling their power-assisted bicycles.

"Both cyclists on power-assisted bicycles, and motorists who encounter these vehicles, should be mindful of the vulnerabilities and unique handling characteristics of these vehicles, particularly when they are operated on major roads."

As for the latest case, the court heard on Wednesday that senior technical executive Suleiman Ibrahim, 54, was sending his 13-year-old daughter to school when the accident occurred.

As he was driving at the left-most lane while exiting Kranji Expressway, the girl saw Mr Law cycling on Brickland Road on their right and alerted her father.

Mr Suleiman stopped his car and saw Mr Law fall off his bicycle.

He told the court on Wednesday that neither he nor his daughter heard Mr Law hitting his car.

He called an ambulance and Mr Law was rushed to the National University Hospital where he died from multiple injuries about 12 hours later.

Coroner Bay said: "At this point, Mr Law may have lost control of his power-assisted bicycle, leading to a side-swipe collision against the front left side of Mr Suleiman's car.

"Alternatively, a side-swipe collision had occurred as Mr Law's power-assisted bicycle and Mr Suleiman's car converged, causing Mr Law's loss of control and his fall onto the road."

After the accident, investigators found a strand of raffia string around the crank shaft of the bicycle, near the pedals.

The coroner added: "Police could not exclude the possibility of an entanglement with the power-assisted bicycle's crankshaft contributing to instability in handling, and even possible loss of control.

"In these circumstances, it was unclear whether the collision occurred before or after the loss of control of the power-assisted bicycle."

Mr Law's son, daughter-in-law and their three children were in court on Wednesday but they declined to comment when The Straits Times approached them.

This article was first published on January 25, 2017.
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SINGAPORE - Police are investigating the case of a boy who is accused of approaching sellers online to test drive cars, and then refusing to pay when he got involved in accidents.

To make matters worse, the boy is believed to be below the legal driving age.

The Straits Times was not able to verify his age but social media postings about the case say the teenager in question is 15.

Facebook user Donovan Hafidz warned car sellers and car dealers in a post on Tuesday (Jan 24) to "beware of this 15-year-old boy going around, pretending to be interested to buy your car".

He alleged that the teenager requested to test drive his friend's car and wound up crashing it, refusing to pay for damages.

The police confirmed with The Straits Times on Wednesday (Jan 25) that a report was lodged and that investigations are ongoing.

Mr Hafidz in his post said his friend was a first-time car seller and was not aware that he should check the buyer's driving licence to ensure it is valid before the test drive.

In his post, which he has since deleted, Mr Hafidz wrote: "The individual below has been going around Carousell and Sgcarmart, targeting mostly direct sellers who are an easy target for him to have his joy ride."

He added screenshots of messages from several other Facebook users who allegedly also had the same experience with the teenager.

In some instances, the boy had allegedly told sellers he had lost his IC and driving licence.

On his Facebook page at 7.44pm on Wednesday, Mr Hafidz explained that he had removed the post at the request of the teenager's parents.

"I'll let the school and police settle on the act that he has committed. Thank you," he wrote.

Asked about his post by The Straits Times, Mr Hafidz said: "We've settled the case."

This article was first published on Jan 24, 2017.
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SINGAPORE - A 56-year-old woman who advertised exceptionally good exchange rates for foreign currency only to hand over just a fraction of the money, was on Wednesday (Jan 25) arrested.

The woman was involved in two separate cheating cases involving the exchange of foreign currencies, the police said in a news release on Wednesday (Jan 25).

In both cases, she asked the victims to transfer money to her bank account.

She then met them and passed them a fraction of the agreed amount of foreign currency, promising that she would give them the remaining money later.

She would then stop communicating with the victims.

Police officers from the Tanglin Division identified the suspect after extensive ground enquiries and follow-up investigations.

They arrested her along Scotts Road on Wednesday.

She will be charged with the offence of cheating, which carries a fine and a maximum jail term of 10 years.

lydialam@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 24, 2017.
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Employers are paying their migrant workers $5 an hour to queue to buy bak kwa, and this could breach the terms of their work permits.

On Tuesday morning, workers were seen queueing outside Lim Chee Guan in Chinatown.

The outlet is known for its long queues during the Chinese New Year season.

An unnamed migrant worker said his boss told him and another worker to skip their usual duties and be in line at the store at 8am.

He told Shin Min Daily News that each of them received a $10 meal allowance.

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Photo Gallery

How bak kwa is made

Source:

The New Paper

Migrant worker rights groups view the practice negatively. Migrant Workers' Centre chairman Yeo Guat Kwang said: "We have not heard specific complaints, but we do not think this is an advisable practice."

He said that while employers can ask workers for favours, they may need to consider two factors if the task takes many hours to complete.

First, deployment for an activity other than that stated in the work permit is not allowed, he said.

And as the tasks are not officially permitted, "does it mean the worker is precluded from employment protections while waiting in the queue if any unfortunate accident happens?" he asked.

"Our caution to employers should therefore be to strictly deploy workers only in the jobs stated in their work permits. To do otherwise might, technically, be interpreted to be wrongful deployment," he said.

A Ministry of Manpower spokesman said: "Foreign workers are generally allowed to perform only jobs stated in their work pass applications. Employers are advised not to ask their foreign workers to run non-work-related errands such as queueing to buy bak kwa."

Read also: Migrant workers paid $5 an hour to queue for bak kwa

josehong@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 26, 2017.
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It is not uncommon to see tourists taking a leisurely cruise on a bumboat down the Singapore River.

But Singaporeans have, by and large, given such boats a miss, despite a bid by the authorities to promote water taxi services along the river.

Now, a new entrant hopes to shake things up.

Water B, which started operations on Jan 1, is offering shuttle services and sightseeing cruises as the second river taxi operator.

Singapore River Cruise has been plying the river since 1987.

What Water B hopes to do differently is to get more locals on board by getting businesses along the river to package its cruise services with their offerings.

It is also working with schools to provide educational boat tours for students.

"We hope to carve a niche for ourselves by targeting the local market," said Mr Kieu Kim Sen, director of marine transportation services company York Launch Services, which runs Water B.

Besides taxi and cruise services, it offers platform boats for special events that can be converted into a floating bar or restaurant if needed, he added.

His firm had won a tender by the Urban Redevelopment Authority last year, in another bid by the authorities to get those who live and work in the area to use bumboats as an alternative mode of transport.

Water B takes over from former operator Singapore River Explorer, which ceased operations on Jan 1 last year after its licence expired.

Singapore River Explorer had said the area served by the boats was too small to attract daily commuters.

For now, Water B appears to be testing the waters. Its services, routes and prices are similar to those of Singapore River Cruise.

Its five landing points, marked by red kiosks, are between Jiak Kim Street and Clifford Pier.

For $25, visitors can take a 40-minute cruise on bumboats down the river and around Marina Bay.

A shuttle service between the points runs from 8am to 10am, and 5pm to 7pm, at 10-minute intervals.

Each ride costs $5.

For now, three of its five kiosks are open during off-peak hours.

This is to allow its 70 employees, including ticketing staff, boat captains and deckhands, to familiarise themselves with the work environment, said Mr Kieu.

The remaining kiosks will open from next month.

Mr Kieu said the response has been lukewarm so far, but he is hopeful things will pick up.

Water B will add another eight boats to its fleet of 12 by the end of June.

Meanwhile, Singapore River Cruise general manager See Toh Yew Leong said it is operating as usual and "will continue to innovate and adapt".

Without giving details, he said it plans to introduce "integrated experiences" by collaborating with trishaw operator Trishaw Uncle, the Chinatown Heritage Centre, and food and beverage operators along the river.

mellinjm@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 26, 2017.
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The Year of the Rooster may not be here yet, but for many early birds, celebrations are already under way.

Over the past fortnight, zi char eateries and restaurants have seen more customers opting for early Chinese New Year reunion dinners.

Common reasons include wanting to go away on holiday during the long weekend, and wishing to have separate reunion dinners with different sides of the family.

Traditionally, the reunion dinner, a time when families gather to usher in the new year, takes place on the eve of Chinese New Year, which falls on Friday, Jan 27, this year.

Most of the 12 zi char eateries The Straits Times spoke to said they have had more people having reunion dinners earlier, compared with the same period last year.

Mellben Seafood's Toa Payoh outlet has seen a 20 per cent increase. After receiving more inquiries from customers, it launched its yusheng a week earlier last Friday.

One of its diners on Tuesday was civil servant Daniel Ng, 41, who was there with 11 relatives. He said: "Everyone has their own commitments... The best way to avoid a clash is to (have the reunion dinner) earlier."

At Uncle Leong Seafood last night, there were already some families and companies tossing yusheng.

Among them was logistics manager Mark Yee, 38, who was there with his family. He said: "It's less crowded now, and we have holiday plans. We're going off to Phuket on Jan 26."

Ah Orh Seafood Restaurant has seen a 30 per cent increase in the number of people having early reunion dinners compared with last year.

One customer, who wished to be known only as Ms Wong, had a reunion dinner with six family members last Saturday.

Said the 29-year-old private tutor, who will be on holiday in Myanmar over the long weekend: "We don't really like moving around during the Chinese New Year period because it's crowded everywhere."

She added: "Our main (aim) was just to eat with our grandmother. It's the right (group of) people, so we can do it any day, it doesn't have to be the day on the calendar that tells you to celebrate."

Coffee shops, too, have seen an increase compared with last year.

Kheng Keow Coffee Merchants Restaurant & Bar-Owners Association, which represents more than 300 coffee shops, said there has been an increase of more than 20 per cent. Said its chairman Lee Khia Foo, 55: "You eat earlier, (so) you can get a restaurant seat."

Foochow Coffee Restaurant and Bar Merchants Association, which has about 400 coffee shops, has seen a 10 per cent to 15 per cent increase.

Its chairman Hong Poh Hin, 69, said: "This year, the economy is not very good. Customers' budgets are a bit lower, so probably they are 'downgrading' from restaurants to coffee shops. Instead of spending more than $1,000 at a restaurant, they spend $500 to $600 at a coffee shop."

Even so, restaurants, too, have been reporting higher numbers.

Moi Lum Restaurant, which has been fully booked since December, has seen a 5 per cent increase, attributing this to how customers could not find seats at a later date.

Yan Palace Restaurant, fully booked since November, has also noticed an upward trend.

Crystal Jade has seen a 10 per cent increase in bookings across all its restaurants during the festive period. Said its spokesman: "We have many regular customers who have made early bookings with us since (the) end of last year."

tohwenli@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 26, 2017.
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