Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC has acquired a 95 per cent stake in a 47-storey trophy office building on New York's famous Wall Street from the Paramount Group.

It has formed a joint venture with Paramount to buy 60, Wall Street, in a deal valuing the 1.6 million sq ft skyscraper at US$1.04 billion (S$1.5 billion), or about US$640 per sq ft.

This means GIC's 95 per cent stake could be worth US$988 million, although the exact sum it invested was not disclosed.

Paramount, a New York-based real estate investment trust, has the other 5 per cent, the firms said in a joint statement yesterday.

The office property in Lower Manhattan is fully leased to financial giant Deutsche Bank, serving as its United States headquarters.

"This investment reflects our long-term confidence in downtown Manhattan, which is benefiting from over US$30 billion of recent public and private investments in infrastructure and new construction," said GIC's regional head of Americas Adam Gallistel.

Paramount will continue to manage the building.

Mr Albert Behler, chairman, chief executive and president of Paramount, said: "We believe GIC's commitment to 60, Wall Street is reflective of its confidence in Paramount's management team and the strength of the New York City real estate market."

GIC said the office tower is one of the top buildings in downtown Manhattan - "poised to benefit from the ongoing downtown renaissance".

Last November, Deutsche said it will renovate 60, Wall Street to create a more open environment for staff, ahead of a 2022 lease expiration, according to Bloomberg News.

The bank had bought the office tower in 2001, then sold it to Paramount in 2007 and leased it back.

This latest acquisition followed several deals GIC has cut in the US in recent years.

Real estate-related deals included taking up an equity interest in Denver-based Yes Communities, an owner and operator of manufactured home communities, in August.

It also tied up with two other investors last January to form a joint venture to acquire a portfolio of US student housing units for US$1.4 billion.

CIMB economist Song Seng Wun told The Straits Times that it is an opportune time for GIC to invest in America.

"It is probably not a bad idea to buy US dollar assets; we are already seeing a strong US dollar and a recovering US housing market... If the US economy grows a notch faster, perhaps in 2018, then it should spill over to the real estate market as well," Mr Song said.

wongsy@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on January 26, 2017.
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Carpark gantry service providers for Housing Board carparks will at times use cable ties to secure the barriers at some gantries, to avoid disrupting the parking system being used.

HDB clarified this after a report highlighted the use of cable ties on gantry barriers, with questions raised if this practice was safe.

It told The Straits Times on Tuesday that the Electronic Parking System (EPS) gantry barrier is "designed to be detachable upon being hit", to minimise damage to both the vehicle and the EPS system.

"Where the impact to the gantry barriers is minor, such as when vehicles bump lightly into them, they may become slightly dislodged," said an HDB spokesman.

"To reinforce these barriers and prevent them from falling off, the service provider may sometimes choose to use cable ties to secure them so that the EPS operation will not be disrupted."

The issue of cable ties was first raised by Mr Tan Tee Seng in a special features column in Chinese-language newspaper Shin Min Daily News earlier this month.

He said he had seen cable ties being used to secure the barriers.

"I saw bolts loosening and a barrier fall to the ground. It was put back and fixed with just cable ties," he added.

Mr Tan claimed that this happened repeatedly, with more cable ties being added each time the barrier came loose.

In response to the article, readers who noticed cable ties being used at the gantries near their homes wrote in to ask if the practice was safe.

Shin Min reported that cable ties were seen at gantries in areas including Bishan and Choa Chu Kang.

HDB first implemented the EPS in HDB carparks in 2004.

To date, some 1,500 out of the 2,000 existing HDB carparks have the system.

HDB also reminded motorists to "slow down when approaching the EPS barrier and to keep an adequate, safe distance from the vehicle in front" for the safety of all carpark users.

lydialam@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 26, 2017.
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Bangladeshi construction worker Islam Rafiqul will be going home, thanks to more than $11,000 in donations.

His employer, Geosray Engineering and Services, had ignored a Labour Court order to pay him $7,363 in wages that he is owed.

Read also: Labour Court can't make employer pay

The 42-year-old was stuck as he did not have the means to pursue other legal options.

Yesterday, non-governmental organisation Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) handed him a $1,250 cash cheque, from donations by readers who had read about his plight in The Straits Times last week. He also received $10,160 in cash from online fund-raising website give.asia.

The website circulated ST's report and raised $10,462 from 263 donors, said co-founder Aseem Kumar Thakur.

A sum of $302 was deducted by banks to cover credit card processing fees for donors who used cards to donate through the website.

Mr Aseem, a permanent resident who runs the website on a voluntarily basis, said donors were moved to help. "Nobody likes stories of injustice."

A law firm, which asked to remain anonymous, has also offered to help Mr Islam recover the debt from his employer on a pro bono basis, TWC2 said.

Mr Islam said he was "very happy" with the help. "The Singapore people (are) good (to me)."

He plans to use the money to buy a plane ticket home next week and save the rest. He also hopes to return here to work again.

"I (have) worked here (since) 1998. I like working here, not all bosses (are) bad," he said.

tohyc@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 26, 2017.
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Getting a potential heart problem checked out at the National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS) used to be a time-consuming process and, for most, the hassle would hardly be worth it.

NHCS found that seven in 10 people referred to it by the nine SingHealth polyclinics did not actually need to see a specialist.

Still, the tests must be done - if only to give patients peace of mind, said Professor Terrance Chua, the centre's medical director.

What he and his team have done over the past two years is to work with polyclinics to streamline the process - making it such that patients need make only two visits rather than three, and get their results much more quickly.

"This allows us to cut one visit, and patients won't be so anxious, wondering, 'Do I have something serious?'" Prof Chua said.

Previously, patients would go to NHCS to see a specialist after getting a polyclinic referral.

They would make a second trip to get tested, and a third to get the results and see a doctor again if necessary.

Now, Prof Chua and his team at the centre first review the referral forms sent in by the polyclinic to decide if the patient needs certain diagnostic tests.

This has resulted in one-third of patients now going directly for the tests without first having to consult a specialist, and returning a month or so later to talk to a doctor and pick up their results.

Apart from saving them the time needed for that extra visit, it also saves most people about $38, the cost of a specialist outpatient clinic consultation for subsidised patients.

As of November last year, around 2,200 patients had come under this new initiative, freeing up about 94 doctors' consultation slots each month.

One of these patients, Madam Koh Swee Ee, 70, has had high blood pressure for the past 10 years and experienced intermittent chest pains recently.

She went to a doctor at Pasir Ris Polyclinic in November last year and was referred to NHCS.

A month later, she underwent a test to check the function and blood flow of her heart, and received the results on Jan 7.

Everything was normal.

"It was not troublesome at all; everything was very convenient," said Madam Koh, who works as a cleaner.

"They told me that if nothing else happens, I don't need to go back."

As part of a broader Health Ministry initiative, NHCS is working with four SingHealth polyclinics on a similar pilot scheme, in which polyclinic doctors are the ones ordering the tests, instead of a specialist, for patients to undergo at the heart centre.

Some 327 tests had been carried out under this scheme as of November, three-quarters of which turned out normal.

This means patients can be followed up at their regular polyclinics, without having to go for more specialist check-ups.

"I think in Singapore, we're very worried about our rapidly ageing population," Prof Chua said.

"We have got to learn to provide better care with the resources we have."

linettel@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 26, 2017.
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SINGAPORE - Singapore's industrial production in December grew at the strongest pace in five years helped by a jump in the output of electronics and pharmaceuticals, data showed on Thursday.

Manufacturing output in December jumped 21.3 per cent from a year earlier, data from the Singapore Economic Development Board showed, far exceeding the median forecast in a Reuters survey that predicted a 9.5 per cent expansion.

On a month-on-month and seasonally adjusted basis, industrial production rose 6.4 per cent in December exceeding the median forecast which predicted a contraction of 5.8 per cent.

This comes after Singapore's industrial production in November rose at the fastest annual pace in more than 2-1/2 years as electronics output jumped, a welcome boost to an economy flirting with recession.

Read also: Singapore's manufacturing shows hints of recovery but worries remain

"The low base of last year has definitely helped ... but nonetheless just looking at the sequential growth, the strong end to the year reflects the underlying improvement in the global picture," said Song Seng Wun, an economist for CIMB Private Banking.

Manufacturing output in the electronics sector in December jumped 49.4 per cent, supported by the semiconductors segment, which recorded an increase in output of 94.0 per cent, the data showed.

"It's partially due to the base effect, partially due to the higher demand for electronic products," said Francis Tan, an economist for UOB, adding that the strength in industrial production could be sustained at least until the first half of 2017.

Read also: Singapore Q4 jobless rate rises to highest since 2010

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SINGAPORE - Transport operator SMRT Corporation, along with its wholly-owned subsidiary SMRT Trains, have announced the appointment of three new members to its respective board of directors.

In a statement on Thursday (Jan 26), SMRT said that Mr Seah Moon Ming, who is currently chairman of trade agency International Enterprise (IE) Singapore, has been appointed as a director and deputy chairman on both the boards of SMRT Corporation and SMRT Trains.

Mr Seah is also group chief executive officer of Pavilion Energy Pte Ltd and Pavilion Gas Pte Ltd, and was previously awarded the Public Service Star [BBM] in 2014.

SMRT also said that Mr Lee Fook Sun and Mr William Tan Seng Koon have been appointed to the boards of SMRT Corporation and SMRT Trains respectively.

The changes to the SMRT Corporation board came into effect from Jan 1 this year, while the changes to the board of SMRT Trains came into effect from Jan 25, 2017.

SMRT said that the new appointments are part of the progressive renewal of its respective boards.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

If taxis do not need to use booster seats or child restraints when picking up passengers with young children, Uber and Grab drivers should also not have to do so.

This was the general sentiment of readers who responded to The New Paper's article yesterday about this little-known requirement facing private car-hiring services.

The TNP report said Uber and Grab cars were not allowed to ferry children below 1.35m without the safety seats.

Taxis are exempted because they are considered public service vehicles under the Road Traffic Act.

Facebook user Arwen Ahmad said: "Taxis and private-hire cars are both cars, so where is the logic that only the latter needs booster seat? Are we all not concern about a child's well-being and safety?"

Potong Pasir MP Sitoh Yih Pin, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, told The New Paper that the key issue here is whether Uber and Grab cars should also be considered public service vehicles and therefore be exempted from having child seats.

He said this is an issue that should be considered and reviewed.

Mr Sitoh added that while private-hire car services do provide point-to-point transport services that are largely similar to taxi services, "they are, however, not the same".

"Private-hire cars are not required to abide by certain regulations imposed on taxis," he said.

Many readers on Facebook also asked if the insurance for private-hire cars are different from those of taxis.

Mr Anthony Chey, an insurance litigation partner at RHTLaw Taylor Wessing LLP said that taxis and private-hire cars have different types of insurance policies.

However, both would cover passengers in case of an accident.

Some readers also raised the idea of relooking whether taxis should also be required to have child seats as well.

Another Facebook user Kelvin Seet said: "Booster seats are for safety. Whether they are for public vehicles or not isn't supposed to be a factor. If that is the logic, that means safety isn't the priority for boosters."

Mr Gerard Pereira, manager at the Singapore Safety Driving Centre, said a child restraint or a booster seat is important in ensuring the safety of a child.

A child under 1.35m who is not in an appropriate child restraint or a booster seat could suffer serious injuries when an accident occurs.

"The seatbelt will tighten automatically when there is inertia. If the force from the seatbelt is too strong, there is a possibility that the child's bones may break," Mr Pereira said.

In response to parents who face difficulties with children staying still in child restraint and booster seats, he said: "Children should start being in child restraints and booster seats from a young age so that they can get used to it.

"An older child or a parent can be seated next to the child to distract him or her. Safety should never be compromised."

tanpya@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 27, 2017.
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A motorcyclist died on Wednesday afternoon on Admiralty Road after a collision with a prime mover.

The factory worker, 54, had three children between the ages of 17 and 24, The Straits Times reported.

He died on the spot.

His wife, a 40-year-old housewife, told Lianhe Wanbao she had prepared the ingredients for the family's reunion dinner today and was sad her husband would not be with them.

Yesterday, two non-fatal accidents occurred at Braddell Road.

The first involved a taxi, a white Volvo and a motorcycle at about 8am, with the taxi landing on its side.

An hour later, an Uber car collided with a lorry just one bus stop from the first accident.

Mr Koh Kar Koon, 50, a contractor from Fibrwrap Construction, was doing concrete-strengthening works with his workers when both accidents occurred nearby.

He and his workers pulled out the taxi driver and his passenger from the vehicle.

Mr Koh said in Mandarin: "After we heard the crash (of the first collision), we saw the taxi had flipped on its side. I was shocked at first, but we quickly ran over to help."

The passenger, Mr Tan Yong Qiang, 27, confirmed the rescue.

The customer care officer told The New Paper: "I'm so thankful no one was injured, especially since it is so close to Chinese New Year.

"It was a shocking experience I will never forget."

Mr Koh said: "I don't think I did anything noble. This is what we all should do as human beings to help each other when in need."

chualel@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 27, 2017.
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SINGAPORE - Ready your brollies if you are visiting friends and family over Chinese New Year.

Another monsoon surge is bringing rain to the region from Friday (Jan 27), the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Thursday.

NEA forecasts "occasionally windy conditions with passing showers in the afternoon" on Friday.

Periods of showers, heavy at times are expected on Saturday, the first day of Chinese New Year. The day is likely to be cloudy, with occasionally windy conditions.

The surge is forecast to gradually weaken on Sunday, when passing showers in the afternoon are expected. There will also be occasional wind.

The daily temperature during the weekend is forecast to range between 22 deg C and 32 deg C.

The monsoon surge refers to a strengthening of winds over the South China Sea, causing extensive rain clouds to form over the surrounding region.

On Sunday and Monday this week, a surge brought sheets of rain over the whole of Singapore, causing flash floods and traffic jams in many areas.

Read also: Multiple flash floods across island after downpour

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The Straits Times

Stomp

Lianhe Wanbao

Read also: Retailers at CNY bazaars hit by triple whammy
Rainfall this month tops last year's highest level

This article was first published on Jan 26, 2017.
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Mr Ng Kim Chuan is a self-taught Chinese herbalist who grows and gives away medicinal herbs at no charge.

In his yellow rubber boots and a wide-brimmed hat, Mr Ng works on the NTU Community Herb Garden.

His routine includes harvesting and distributing herbs to visitors, and conducting educational tours of the garden.

He grew up a short distance away from the garden. After school, Mr Ng and his brothers would help their parents farm vegetables such as four-angled beans, okra (lady's fingers), and chye sim.

Mr Ng always held an interest in traditional Chinese herbs, but only had the conviction to pursue this interest when his brother was diagnosed with lymphoma and faced expensive medical costs.

He wanted to help others facing the same circumstance, and saw a way through medicinal herbs.

Mr Ng began investing his money in a garden, despite objections from his family who were concerned about his health and financial well-being.

Even after undergoing knee surgery resulting from a fall, he remains determined and continues to work.

"When you do something that has meaning to you, you don't have time to think about pain," he shared in Mandarin. "You forget that it hurts."

The stories he is told from visitors who feel they have experienced health benefits as a result of the herbs motivates him and gives meaning to his work.

He estimates that he has shared herbs with over 4,000 visitors from around the region.

In his work, he acknowledges that there are those who question his motives and the medicinal value of herbs, and some who take advantage that these herbs are given for free.

In facing these challenges, Mr Ng turns to his mother's advice to be patient, have perseverance, and live with integrity.

"Take the herbs diligently, exercise daily and keep in good spirits", he encourages a visitor when she arrived to collect her herbs while we were at the garden.

"You'll get through this. Do your best to regain your health."

The NTU Community Herb Garden welcomes committed volunteers to:

- Translate plant information/labels from Mandarin into English

- Oversee worker safety at the garden

- Coordinate volunteers

- Coordinate orders and requests

- Fundraise

You can also contribute to the upkeep of the garden by donating to the NTU Community Herb Garden Endowment.

NTU Community Herb Garden is located on a small slip road off Nanyang Technological University's Jalan Bahar entrance in the western part of Singapore.

A story by Our Better World- telling stories to inspire good, an initiative of the Singapore International Foundation.

The preliminary job numbers for 2016 released yesterday were telling - and closely watched.

The first nine months of the year set the stage, with unemployment inching up and job growth slowing. In fact, in the July to September quarter, the total number of people employed in Singapore actually fell.

Yesterday's report for the full year was supposed to tell us just how soft the job market was in 2016, and indicate how it might shape up this year.

The good news first.

The economy may be slowing, but not to the extent of whittling down the number of people who hold jobs.

More people were employed in the fourth quarter of last year - 1,900 more to be precise - compared with the quarter before.

For the whole of last year, there were 16,400 more people holding a job in Singapore, compared with 2015. Of these, 10,700 were locals and 5,700 were foreigners.

But employment did not increase across the board.

In fact, it increased only in the service sector, which saw 43,800 more workers employed last year.

The manufacturing sector shrank by 15,700 workers last year, while the construction sector employed 11,300 fewer people. The manufacturing sector has been shrinking since 2014.

On the salary front, there was some relief for Singaporean workers.

The median income of citizens working full-time rose 0.7 per cent to $3,823 last year, up from $3,798 in 2015.

After taking into account negative inflation or the lower cost of living, the increase was even higher at 1.3 per cent.

One point that the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) took pains to underline in yesterday's report was that the incomes of the bottom quintile of Singaporean workers - the lowest-earning 20 per cent - rose from $1,617 in 2011 to $2,021 last year.

The good news did not extend to foreign workers, who had it rough last year. Foreign employment - the number of foreigners in jobs - fell by 2,500 last year. The number excludes maids. The jobs were shed mainly by the construction and marine sectors.

It was the first time since 2009 that foreign employment fell. That year, at the height of the global financial crisis, Singapore ended up shrinking its foreign workforce, excluding maids, by 8,900.

This is a sign of what foreigners working here can expect. As the economy slows, they will be the first to bear the brunt of job losses.

The bad news is that the tidings for this year are not very cheering.

MOM itself is not in the habit of predicting what the future holds, but analysts are somewhat downbeat.

For last year, the unemployment rate - which tracks the proportion of workers who are willing and able to work but cannot find jobs - was 2.1 per cent. This was the highest since 2010, and up from 1.9 per cent in 2015.

This year could be rougher, as OCBC Bank's head of research and strategy Selena Ling says that the overall unemployment rate could hit 2.5 per cent.

Even citizen unemployment - at 3.1 per cent last year - was the highest since 2010.

Total employment grew by 16,400 last year, but the growth was the lowest since 2003. It grew even less than during the 2009 global financial crisis.

Even the 1.3 per cent increase in real median income last year was a sharp dip from the 7 per cent increase the year before.

Redundancies - where excess workers were laid off through retrenchment or early termination of contracts - have been rising since 2011, and hit a six-year high of 19,000 last year.

Yesterday's preliminary data did not shed light on questions like how many of the laid-off workers were locals and how many were professionals, managers and executives.

The answers should come in the next few months as MOM crunches and releases more data.

Even so, some signs are clear.

The bright spots - like rising incomes and more locals in jobs - are starting to dim.

It is going to be a choppier ride in the job market.

tohyc@sph.com.sg

Read also: Singapore Q4 jobless rate rises to highest since 2010
'Expect more labour pains this year'

This article was first published on Jan 27, 2017.
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Singapore's privacy watchdog has fined PropNex Realty $10,000 after it inadvertently caused the personal data of 1,765 people to be leaked online. It is the second time the real estate industry has been in the news in the last three years over data privacy issues.

The Personal Data Protection Commission had fined an agent from Huttons Asia $27,000 in 2014 for sending text messages to numbers listed on the Do Not Call registry, which is covered under the Personal Data Protection Act.

The commission started probing PropNex in December 2015 following a complaint from an unnamed woman that her name and mobile number were in an unsecured PDF document freely available online.

She alleged that she and her sisters - whose numbers were also in the PDF file containing a list of do-not-call numbers - had been receiving unsolicited marketing calls and messages from telemarketers, including moneylenders.

In a decision paper issued earlier this week, the commission said PropNex had removed the PDF file in January last year, as told.

But by then, the file listing one item or all of the information - name, mobile number, residential address and e-mail address - of 1,765 individuals had been on the Internet for several months.

The PDF file was first uploaded in July 2015 on a computer system meant only for internal sharing by PropNex agents and staff. But the system had a huge security flaw: Although a password was required to access webpages hosted by the system, no password was needed to access documents such as PDF files.

A simple Google search would reveal the details in the PDF file.

PropNex did not detect the flaw for five months despite having periodic testing of its systems.

It was found guilty of failing to take reasonable security measures to protect the personal data in its possession or under its control. Organisations flouting the Act, in force since July 2014, can be fined up to $1 million.

The commission also directed PropNex to scan the system for more vulnerabilities, and banned the sharing of sensitive files on the system among its agents until the security flaw is fixed.

PropNex's holding company, P&N Holdings, said the leak was unintentional. PropNex spokesman, Ms Carolyn Goh, told The Straits Times: "Immediately after notification, systems and procedures were enhanced... All such information is now protected with a password."

Earlier this week, the commission fined JP Pepperdine Group, which operates Jack's Place and Eatzi Gourmet restaurants, $10,000 for failing to secure a webpage where its 30,000 members' personal data was hosted.

itham@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 27, 2017.
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To raise the quality of tutors in the billion-dollar tuition industry here, a group of tutors joined hands to form an association last month.

The Association of Tutors (Singapore) said it is also doing this to look after the welfare of tutors and their professional development.

Set up by economics tutor Anthony Fok and nine others, the body also hopes to "professionalise" the shadow education industry, which tutors said helps churn out top performers.

"I believe it is timely to set up an association for tutors to connect and collaborate," Mr Fok, 32, the association's president, told The Straits Times. "The ultimate benefit will always be geared towards the interest of students."

Mr Fok, who has been a full-time tutor for five years, is hoping tutors will attend meet-ups to share best practices, improve teaching standards and network with other players in the education scene.

Mr Fok, a former teacher, is one of a small but growing group of "super tutors" who earn at least $1 million a year in fees.

Private tutors have to register their centres for goods and services tax when their annual revenue crosses that mark.

"Tuition is a global phenomenon, not merely in Singapore," Mr Fok said. "It is fuelled by ambitious parents wanting their children to secure places at top schools."

Singapore boasts a reputation as an education powerhouse and its students are world champions.

Last month, the Republic topped a prestigious international benchmarking test.

Singapore's 15-year-olds were ranked tops for mathematics, science and reading in the Programme for International Student Assessment.

Tutors said they played a part in the success.

Singaporeans spend $1.1 billion a year on tuition, according to the Household Expenditure Survey released in 2014 - nearly double the $650 million spent in 2004.

Mr Fok said: "I am glad Singapore's tuition scene has not reached the mania in other (places) such as Hong Kong, where celebrity tutors, with their sophisticated hairdos and designer clothing, are treated like idols.

"Parents here choose tutors based on their academic qualifications, their experience and ability to deliver results."

But to grab a slice of this lucrative pie, tuition centres are upping their game.

Some guarantee A grades for national exams.

Others engage marketing teams to promote the tutors and set up branches in malls.

At least one offers a money-back guarantee if parents are not satisfied with the results.

There are some 600 tuition centres registered with the Education Ministry, up from about 500 in 2011.

Centres with 10 or more students must be registered.

A survey conducted by The Straits Times and research firm Nexus Link in 2015 found that tuition is seen as a necessity - seven in 10 parents enrolled their kids in extra classes.

Parents have longed for a tuition watchdog to flag bad tutors, including those with false credentials.

Housewife Alicia Wong, 43, who has two children in primary school, said: "Hopefully this association will improve the quality of tutors, so we can be better assured that they are good enough to guide our kids."

National University of Singapore economics lecturer Kelvin Seah said the association may raise the industry's standards if it supports tutor development - for example, keeping them up to date on curriculum matters and best practices.

"Whether tuition is necessary is debatable, but what is clear is that tuition has grown to be a considerable part of the Singapore education landscape," he said. "Given the growing numbers of students and private tutors, one cannot afford to ignore the welfare of the latter."

Dr Seah said while the association could bring greater transparency, it might cause problems too.

"Parents might wrongly perceive tutors who are not members of the association to be of lower quality, or parents may be overly optimistic about the quality of tutors who manage to acquire membership."

Maths tutor Gary Ang, 37, who is the association's secretary, said there will always be a few black sheep in an industry.

"But we should not forget the dedicated tutors who quietly helped students achieve their full potential behind the scenes," he said. "Setting up this association is the first step to formalise this respectable trade."

calyang@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 27, 2017.
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Some parents have voiced concerns that their primary school children are having lunch late due to later dismissal times as more schools switch to a single-session model.

Over the past week, a flurry of letters and comments, both online and offline, has cast scrutiny on how late it can be before children tuck into a proper lunch as more primary schools let them off only between 1.30pm and 1.45pm, instead of around 1pm previously.

A check with the Ministry of Education (MOE) found that about three in five primary and secondary schools now set aside time for pupils to eat packed snacks, like fruit or a sandwich in class, on top of the usual half-hour recess. But parents still worry that their kids are having their lunch too late.

Responding to queries from The Straits Times, MOE said it has been encouraging schools to provide two meal breaks - one longer, one shorter - since 2015. "Students benefit from having short breaks in school to maintain energy levels and focus," said an MOE spokesman.

At schools that have not introduced a snack break, students can seek permission to have snacks during lessons, MOE added. There are now 182 primary schools here which operate on a single-session model.

Schools dismiss pupils later because of later start times or to accommodate new programmes, such as enrichment activities, in curriculum time, though many dismiss pupils before 1pm about one day a week.

But some parents like Madam June Tan, 43, who has a Primary 2 son in St Stephen's School, feels that snack time does not suffice.

The boy has a half-hour recess break at 10.15am and a break of around five minutes to eat a packed snack at noon. But she said he can eat lunch usually only after 2.40pm as he has to take the school bus from the school in Siglap to their home in Simei, and is the last to be dropped off.

"It's difficult for him as he has to go for a few hours without food, and he doesn't have a good appetite by dinner time as he has his lunch too late," said Madam Tan, who is self-employed and has given feedback to the school about this.

But other parents like housewife Pauline Kum, 35, are happy enough with the additional snack break.

"We had to get used to the timings but if you plan ahead, you can prepare nutritious snacks that won't affect their appetite during later meals. They don't need large portions because they are still young," said Ms Kum, who has a Primary 3 daughter in Sengkang Green Primary School, where they usually finish school at around 1.45pm.

Unity Primary School usually dismisses its pupils at 1.30pm. Vice-principal Remund Koh said the introduction of a 10- to 15-minute snack break this year has been largely well received by parents and the school is monitoring the situation to see if there is need for adjustment.

"Most of our pupils stay within walking distance from the school and I don't think there is a need for us to introduce an additional lunch break, which will mean later dismissal times for pupils."

At Mayflower Primary School, a snack break for pupils at 12.30pm was introduced last year. The principal, Mrs Lim-Chua Siow Ling, said this move was made after feedback from parents.

"Our dismissal time is 1.45pm and a large number of pupils in lower primary take the school bus home. By the time they get back, it can be as late as 3pm," said Mrs Lim.

With the snack break, pupils will at least have an opportunity to eat something every three hours and keep their stomachs full, she said.

"If parents are concerned about whether a snack is substantial, they can pack something heavier, like a sandwich," she added.

yuensin@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Jan 27, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Lunar New Year is a special and joyous time of celebration.

Tonight, across Singapore, Chinese families are enjoying reunion dinners with loved ones.

In the coming days, we will visit one another's homes to exchange New Year greetings.

Over delectable snacks and yusheng, we will catch up with family and friends, especially those we have not seen for a while.

Many non-Chinese too join the festivities, visiting Chinese friends and enjoying the holiday.

Even as the years go by and the world changes, we keep alive these traditions, handed down to us through the generations.

They remind us of what is truly important in life.

What matters is not what we have, but whom we have beside us on life's journey.

New Year is also a time for thanksgiving and reflection.

We give thanks for the blessings big and small that we experienced this year, whether it is an extra red packet for a new addition to the family, or Ah Boy coming home to reunion dinner with a shaved head, or Uncle's new job.

We also take a longer look back, to remind ourselves how far our nation has come and what we owe to earlier generations.

Recently, I made pre-New Year visits to the wet markets in Teck Ghee, meeting residents and catching up with the stallholders, many of whom I have known for years.

We remark to each other that we are all growing old.

When we first went to Ang Mo Kio in the early 1980s, it was a brand new town, and we were young adults, starting out on life's journey.

Now, our children have grown up and we are proud of them.

They are striking out on their own, starting their own families, enjoying many more opportunities than their parents.

The days are long, but the years are short.

While we reminisce, we also look forward, to plan ahead and envision what we will do this year.

Because each New Year is renewal.

Many of us have spent the last few days "spring-cleaning" - sweeping away bad luck to ready our homes for good luck.

This emphasis on renewal is even sharper in this Year of the Rooster, whose crowing signals a fresh dawn.

For young couples, renewal means making a serious life decision to start a family and have children.

The Government is doing all we can to help families do this.

We have substantially expanded preschool, childcare and infant care places.

We are providing more affordable and good kindergartens.

We are shortening waiting times for HDB flats, so couples can set up home and start families sooner.

I hope that the New Year brings with it the lusty cries of many more newborn babies!

One important area of renewal for us all is the economy.

In Singapore, we have always grown by renewing ourselves, taking our economy in fresh directions, opening new markets and fields of business.

That is how we have stayed relevant to the world, vibrant and prosperous.

That is what we must do again now, at this moment when there is such uncertainty in the global environment.

The Committee for the Future Economy (CFE), led by Heng Swee Keat and S. Iswaran, has been working on this for the past year.

It will deliver its report soon, setting out strategies for growth in the next 10 to 15 years.

It will identify new and promising industries and sectors, and plans to ensure that our children and grandchildren will enjoy many opportunities when they enter the workforce.

The Budget will follow up with concrete measures to implement the CFE proposals.

The Budget will also respond to our more immediate economic needs.

Last year, growth was sluggish, although it picked up towards the end of the year.

I hope the pickup will continue through this year.

Economic restructuring is hard work for both businesses and workers.

We know this from experience.

It is not easy for workers to learn new ways to do things or to switch jobs.

Neither is it easy for businesses to change the way they work, or develop innovative products and new markets.

But we have to persevere with upgrading, because it is the only way to improve the lives of Singaporeans.

I am confident we can succeed.

We have done it before, and we have the wherewithal to do it again.

Here in Singapore, we tackle our challenges together.

Government, businesses and workers all play their part, coming together to plan ahead, support one another and seize new opportunities.

This is how our children and their children can dream bigger dreams than us, and live better lives than ours.

It has been so for every generation.

Two weeks ago, I presented an Edusave Merit Bursary to nine-year-old Adam Zafran.

When I met his father, Aziz bin Ahmad, I had a wonderful surprise.

Aziz had brought an old photo of me presenting him a bursary award in 1986, 31 years ago!

The bursary helped Aziz and his family back then.

Now he is doing well, and his son is following in his footsteps, studying hard and doing well in school.

There are many more stories like this one.

Together, they make up our Singapore story, each generation works hard to build a better Singapore for our children.

The New Year is about our future.

Ultimately, it is the future of our children and our loved ones that drives us to give of our best.

Let us approach this Year of the Rooster with renewed determination, vigour and hope, to build our future together.

I wish all Singaporeans a Very Happy Lunar New Year!

This article was first published on January 27, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Kidzania Singapore

From role-play activities inspired by the Year of the Rooster to Chinese New Year art and calligraphy, KidZania Singapore will be celebrating its first Chinese New Year with plenty of festive activities. Be sure to catch the special Wushu performances and Lion Dance City Parade. Just for the special festive season, your little ones can try out being a DJ too.

When: Jan 21 to Feb 12 2017, 10am-5pm

Where: KidZania Singapore, 31 Beach View

Price: Entrance fees apply

Website: www.kidzania.com.sg

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Photo Gallery

KidZania opens in Singapore

Source: AsiaOne, KidZania

Science Centre Singapore: Butterflies Up Close

Learn more about butterflies and their lifecycle at what is said to be Singapore's only indoor butterfly enclosure, where you and your little ones can explore over 16 different species of butterflies. The special Red Lacewing butterfly will be at the exhibition for the Chinese New Year period.

When: Now till Feb 12 2017

Where: Science Centre Singapore, Hall D, 15 Science Centre Road

Price: $10 for adults and children, $8 for senior citizens (Admission charges to the Science Centre apply as well)

Website: www.science.edu.sg

Singapore Philatelic Museum: Chicken and Egg: A Fowl Tale

Explore over 200 stamps dating from 1962 at the Singapore Philatelic Museum's Chinese New Year exhibition, and learn more about how the chicken has played a role in history. With hands-on exhibits, this exhibition is perfect for the family learn more about the different roles chickens and eggs have in different cultures.

When: Jan 20 to Jun 25 2017

Where: Singapore Philatelic Museum, 23-B Coleman Street

Price: Free

Website: http://spm.org.sg

S.E.A. Aquarium

Embark on the Trail of the Rooster (Hogfish) and learn more about what sea creatures are considered auspicious in the Chinese culture.

The interactive trail lets little ones get up-close with with threatened marine life. You can also catch underwater dragon dance performances daily.

When: Jan 21 to Feb 11, 2017

Where: S.E.A Aquarium, Resorts World Sentosa, 8 Sentosa Gateway

Price: Entrance fee to the aquarium applies

Website: www.rwsentosa.com/seaa

Jurong Bird Park

Learn more about the rooster and its family at the Fowl Trail at Jurong Bird Park, where you'll find them specially decked out for the Year of the Rooster. If you're lucky enough, you'll be able to catch new chick hatchlings at the Breeding and Research Centre too.

When: Jan 28 to 30 2017

Where: Jurong Bird Park, 2 Jurong Hill

Price: Entrance fee to the park applies

Website: www.wildcny.sg

Changi Airport

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Everyone's favourite critters are here to ring in the Year of the Rooster at Changi Airport. Catch Pokemon characters like Pikachu and Snorlax among the cherry blossoms at T2 and T3, and spend $128 in a single receipt to redeem limited edition Pokemon ang pows too. The kids can also visit a giant display bakery at T3 to see how their favourite Chinese New Year goodies are made.

When: Now till Feb 11 2017

Where: Changi Airport, Airport Boulevard

Price: Free

Website: www.changiairport.com

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Photo Gallery

Pokemon takes over Changi Airport for Christmas

Source:

AsiaOne

ION Orchard

Visit the mall's Chinese Garden and check out the interactive digital fish pond, where kids can 'touch' the fish and lily pads. Your little one can also win you shopping vouchers by counting the number of fishes and turtles in the pond. The roving God of Fortune will be walking around for photos too.

When: Now till 12 Feb 2017

Where: ION Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn

Price: Free

Website: www.ionorchard.com

River Hongbao 2017

Catch acrobatic and dance performances as well as daily fireworks at 9pm. There are also stalls selling both regional and local food, so you can munch on snacks while exploring the lantern displays.

When: Now till Feb 4 2017, 2pm-11pm

Where: The Float @ Marina Bay

Price: Free

Website: www.riverhongbao.sg

Istana Nature Guided Walk

Go on guided walks conducted by NParks volunteers and learn more about the greenery in the Istana grounds. There will also be a Chinese opera performance and puppet show.

When: Jan 29 2017, 10am-4pm

Where: Istana

Price: $2 for children aged three to 12, $4 for adults

Website: www.istana.gov.sg

Sentosa

Visit the 12 Chinese zodiac lanterns at Palawan Green, where each zodiac sign is accompanied by a love story. There will also be stilt walkers in Chinese Opera costumes and a circus act.

When: Now till Feb 26 2017

Where: Around Sentosa Island

Price: Entrance fees to the island apply

Website: www.sentosa.com.sg/cny

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Photo Gallery

The 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac

Source: The New Paper, AFP

Esplanade

A line-up of music performances including a guzheng and ocarina performance await at the Esplanade this Chinese New Year. There will also be wooden panels with carvings of the 12 Chinese zodiac animals set up, where little ones can create paper rubbings of the animals with crayons.

When: Now till Feb 28 2017 (performances until Jan 31)

Where: Pip's Playboc and Esplanade Concourse

Price: Free

Website: www.esplanade.com/free

Visit Young Parents for more stories.

Crowds ushered in the Year of the Rooster with a crowing start to the Chinese New Year on Friday (Jan 27) night, with festive songs, skits and crowd-pleasing fireworks at the countdown in Chinatown.

People thronged New Bridge Road and Eu Tong Sen Street, where the countdown was being held from 9.30pm till past midnight.

The party featured stage performances including musical numbers by Mediacorp artists Zoe Tay and Tay Ping Hui.

Some roads were closed and buses diverted for the annual party, and security was stepped up this year.

Dr Lily Neo, the adviser to Jalan Besar GRC which the precinct falls under, said in early January that some 40 tonnes of concrete blocks would be used to line roads for the first time during the countdown, to prevent vehicles from entering areas with large crowds.

At midnight, the standing crowd at Chinatown was treated to brilliant fireworks lighting the sky to usher in the new year.

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Photo Gallery

Year of the Rooster off to crowing start at Chinatown countdown

Source:

The Straits Times

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2017-01-26 18:19:37

Photo Gallery

China's Lunar New Year migration in 2017

Source:

AFP

Reuters

This article was first published on January 28, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Chinese New Year at the Yeo household is usually a busy affair - more so yesterday as relatives came adorned with their Chinese zodiac animals to usher in the Year of the Rooster.

The Yeos made the extra effort to be a bit different this year by getting everyone to wear T-shirts bearing their respective zodiac signs. The only animal not represented was the horse.

Ms Janelle Yeo, 25, said the family bought the T-shirts online for $24 each.

"Our family is a very spontaneous family, and we love doing things together," said Ms Yeo, a start-up founder. "So when my aunt came across this shirt online, it was very much a no-brainer to say, yes, let's all wear this together, and do something different and fun this 2017."

Yesterday, 26 members of the family crammed into a condominium unit near Pandan Gardens, jostling around two tables with a steamboat cooker at each end.

The eight families of the Yeo household, spread across four generations, hold a reunion lunch every year on the eve of Chinese New Year. This year, there is extra reason to celebrate - three-month-old Luna, their newest member and the only member of the fourth generation. Luna is the daughter of Ms Yeo's older brother Darrell.

The oldest member is Ms Yeo's grandmother, Madam Choo Geok Yian, 75. Most members of the tight-knit family live in the west, said Ms Yeo.

Apart from steamboat, lunch also featured several of Madam Choo's speciality dishes, including steamed carrot cake, fried yam balls, peng cai and curry chicken.

The Chinese New Year meals are special, said Ms Yeo. "This is the one time when we gather, spend time and eat together."

Only two Yeo members were absent from the festivities - one is studying in Britain and the other is doing national service.

Said Mr Bernard Yeo, 55, Madam Choo's son: "I get lots of compliments from relatives and friends saying your family is real special."

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2017-01-28 14:00:02

Photo Gallery

Chinese New Year celebrated all over the world

Source:

Reuters

AFP

376648

2017-01-28 11:26:39

Photo Gallery

Year of the Rooster off to crowing start at Chinatown countdown

Source:

The Straits Times

This article was first published on Jan 28, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Reader Tracy Ang wrote to askST: "In the Chinese New Year, we will welcome the Year of the Rooster. Are we allowed to keep roosters in residential homes in Singapore?"

Environment reporter Audrey Tan finds out.

It might be the Year of the Rooster, but the authorities are not granting any exceptions for owners of Housing Board flats to keep these animals at home.

However, those living in private residences may choose to do so, provided they adhere to certain rules, says the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA).

Owners of private residences can keep up to 10 chickens at home, and within bird- proof cages or enclosures only.

Such enclosures could include a fine wire mesh netting, which prevents the birds from having any contact with any other bird or animal outside the cage.

The AVA said the cage must also have a proper roof. This prevents the droppings, waste, feathers and other particles of other animals from entering the bird-proof cage or enclosure.

But as with any decision to take in an animal, potential owners must be reminded that having a pet is a lifelong commitment.

After all, abandoning a pet is nothing to crow about.

This article was first published on Jan 28, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Although they live apart, for this year's Chinese New Year, a pair of sisters have decided that their homes would have the same festive theme: plants, plants and more plants.

Between them, they have created more than 10 plant arrangements integrating Chinese New Year motifs such as firecrackers, mandarin oranges and Chinese gold ingots.

Cheryl and Iris Wee have always found typical festive decorations too garish.

Iris, 50, a housewife, says: "In the past, I did only minimal decorating because I don't like big, bright red decorations. They are just too much for me. But I am fine with plant arrangements. I like to be surrounded by nature - plants, flowers, trees - as it lifts my spirits."

Iris lives in an HDB executive apartment in Tampines with her shipping executive husband, 56; two daughters, aged 25 and 21; her mother-in-law, 94; and an Indonesian maid.

Her sister Cheryl, a 53-year-old housewife, lives in a condominium unit in Jurong East with her husband, 52, who works in the finance industry; and three children aged 25, 21 and 16. She meets Iris once a fortnight.

At Iris' place, the most prominent arrangement is a pot with a pineapple, three types of orchids, wood landscaping and artificial mandarin oranges as ornamentation.

Another plant arrangement is a platter laden with pineapples and decorated with ferns, pumpkin, garlic, artificial mandarin oranges, chillies and peach blossoms.

On one of the living room walls are air plants arranged with pink coral vine flowers. On the table is a vase of purple pussy willow and fresh cherry blossoms.

Many of these are joint creations - done together when Cheryl visits - and make use of their self-taught landscaping skills.

Iris, an avid trekker, says: "When you are frequently exposed to nature, you naturally develop an eye for what looks good."

Cheryl, who volunteers with Cosy Garden, a community garden in Bukit Batok, adds: "Through the arrangements, we try to create a sense of balance and calmness in the home.

"We also get inspiration from my fellow volunteers and Pinterest."

The sisters, who have another sister and two brothers, have been interested in plants from a young age. Their late grandmother kept plants in her backyard and their late father was a bonsai enthusiast.

Most of their plants are bought from local nurseries, which the sisters frequent.

Iris' succulents, ferns and air plants, for example, come from World Farm in Bah Soon Pah Road and her orchids come mainly from Song Orchids in Choa Chu Kang.

The plants cost about $300 altogether, but Iris says: "It is a small amount for the joy these plants have brought us."

About 25 members of their extended family will be at Iris' place today, as her mother-in-law lives there. Iris says: "We bond, catch up and, of course, exchange ideas about plants.

Six porcelain fish are mounted on a wall near her living room window, a reference to the auspicious Chinese saying "nian nian you yu" (which means "abundance year after year").

Bought from a home furnishing store in Guangzhou, China, for less than $100 altogether, they were put up last year.

Iris says: "The fact that they are not bright red also means we can put them up for the rest of the year - another advantage of not being too gaudy."

376659

2017-01-28 14:00:02

Photo Gallery

Chinese New Year celebrated all over the world

Source:

Reuters

AFP

376648

2017-01-28 11:26:39

Photo Gallery

Year of the Rooster off to crowing start at Chinatown countdown

Source:

The Straits Times

This article was first published on Jan 28, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.