Two road accidents in just four months.

Will they have any adverse impact on Rui En, who will receive the All-Time Favourite Artiste award at the Star Awards this Sunday?

The answer, in a nutshell, is not much.

The All-Time Favourite Artiste award is given only to those who have won the Top 10 Most Popular Female or Male Artiste award 10 times, and is an indication of her popularity and longevity as a star.

Rui En is also in the running for four other awards, including Best Actress and Favourite Female Character.

Rui En knocks down bike in alleged drink-driving accident

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The New Paper, Lianhe Wanbao

"Her quality of work will speak on her behalf and will probably overshadow the incident. I doubt (the incidents) will affect her popularity very much," said Artist.Entertainment talent agency founder Wendy Ho.

An artist liaison officer with a media company here, who declined to be named, agreed.

And with the Star Awards looming, he thinks "there is no such thing as bad publicity".

"There will be more attention on her this year, and in terms of votes, it might not be a bad thing for her," he added.

See also:Co-star: She looked tired on set

Beam Artistes head and lawyer Samuel Seow thinks that the general public will usually "forgive and forget after a while".

Mr Seow brought up the examples of celebrities who had brushes with the law, like Christopher Lee and Terence Cao.

In 2007, Lee was jailed for four weeks, fined $4,500, and banned from driving for three years after he was found guilty of drink driving and hit-and-run charges.

In 2006, Cao was banned from driving for two years and fined $4,100 after failing a breathalyser test.

Both actors have maintained their successful acting careers.

Mr Seow said: "Rui En has had a very successful upswing in her career which has lasted many years. Many may have forgotten that she started out as a singer under Hype Records, but never really made it big until after many years of toil.

"I remember speaking to (Hype Records head) Ken Lim about her many years ago, and he told me that Singapore was not ready then for an artist like her with an attitude.

"Singaporeans eventually embraced her. I don't think her loyal fans will be affected by this incident."

Rui En 'black face' at Star Awards draws online brickbats

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The New Paper, Twitter, SGAG, facebook, MediaCorp

'COOL' PERSONA

Mr Seow said Rui En has always had a "cool" public persona, and did not think that "she has a reputation for being spoilt or rude".

He advised her to "remain strong" and "focus on supporting the overall objectives behind her image".

He also added that "honest, swift and credible action can save her brand from long-term PR damage".

"In this world of social media, the audience resents it when artists do not come clean quickly and they don't like to be 'cheated', as seen in the recent controversy over Rebecca Lim's 'retirement publicity stunt'.

"As the saying in the PR world goes, 'Tell it first, tell it fast'."

Rui En puts on 4kg to play an 'auntie'

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Shin Min, Lianhe Wanbao, facebook, The New Paper, My Paper, MediaCorp

This article was first published on April 15, 2016.
Get The New Paper for more stories.

As a Singaporean who has lived and worked in London for nearly 10 years now, making the decision to finally move back home was not an easy one. After all the deliberation, one thing was abundantly clear - Singapore is my home.

It is where friends, family and fond memories reside. It is where I come from, it is where I must return, and considering my age - 31 - it was better to do so sooner rather than later.

With my resignation tendered last month, my fiancee and I found ourselves with quite a bit of spare time on our hands, and thus we set out to travel around Europe for as much as our backpacks and budgets would allow before returning to Singapore for good.

Friends will remember me as a diehard free-market libertarian with a strong anti-government bent and a fondness for tau hway (soya bean curd) and bak chor mee (minced pork noodles).

The second trait hasn't changed; but the first has swung considerably. I now believe in the need for strong government oversight alongside a largely free-market framework.

The primary reason for that change is the time I have spent in Europe; the experiences here have led me to rethink the role of government and the onerous task of policymaking which we too easily criticise or take for granted in Singapore.

A recent trip to the Scandinavian countries of Norway, Sweden and Denmark, just as the refugee crisis was reaching fever pitch in Europe, brought to life an issue that was, until then, just something you saw happen to other people on TV.

I saw some questioning of the so-called Scandinavian or Nordic model, a socio-economic system characterised by big government, and a generous welfare state - public spending accounts for 40 to over 50 per cent of gross domestic product in the Scandinavian nations of Norway, Sweden and Denmark, as compared with the less than 20 per cent in Singapore and Hong Kong.

This system has historically been lauded for its egalitarian attitudes and high moral ambitions, including an open-door immigration and asylum policy; generous unemployment benefits and maternity-related incentives, as well as the provision of high-quality, universal public services and infrastructure.

The past two years, however, have been testing for Scandinavian generosity as an eruption of geopolitical unrest and economic malaise have sent millions fleeing their homes in Africa and the Middle East in search of a better life in Europe.

Some of these refugees have ended up in the Scandinavian countries, travelling from the warm Mediterranean countries they first landed in, Greece and Italy, and travelling north, presumably seeking the countries with the most generous welfare entitlements, like any rational economic actor would do.

Last year alone, Sweden took in more than 160,000 asylum seekers, with another 160,000 expected to arrive this year (up threefold from about 50,000 in 2013).

The migration agency expects this influx could cost it around 60 billion kronor (S$10 billion) annually, or 1.5 per cent of GDP, and to put this figure into perspective, that is almost how much Sweden spent on healthcare (70 billion kronor) and education (70 billion kronor) respectively last year.

But apart from the financial cost incurred, the crisis has exacted a toll on society as a whole. In many cases, new migrants had difficulty picking up the local language and are physically isolated from the rest of society.

In October, a bus carrying 60 refugees reached Limedsforsen, a Swedish village that the refugees considered "too cold" and too remote. They refused to disembark. The village is 400km north-west of Stockholm and had a population of just over 400 inhabitants.

Understandably, some citizens are asking why valuable taxpayer dollars are spent housing, clothing and feeding a large population of people to whom they feel little ethnic or ideological connection, whose majority religion they associate most closely with unspeakable acts of terror and who seem unwilling or unable to integrate with the broader community in their adoptive country.

Indeed, the rules in effect today were written in a different time, for a different world - before the Syrian conflict created the biggest migration push into Europe since World War II - and the Scandinavians, in a dramatic policy U-turn earlier this year, have begun to toughen their stance.

Norway has begun to deport some 5,000 refugees to Russia, Sweden has outlined plans to expel about 80,000 from last year's cohort, while Denmark has enacted controversial laws to allow the seizure of cash and valuables from migrants to help pay for their stay .

Yet, while we were walking the streets of central Stockholm, we saw a number of young activists holding a "refugees welcome" banner. Such public displays of support belie a smouldering resentment: The latest poll in Sweden now indicates that roughly 55 per cent of the population believe the country should not take in any more refugees (up from only about 30 per cent in September).

While international observers have criticised the policy moves as inhumane and local politicians have invoked the moral imperative to help those in need, I find myself on the side of those favouring a tougher stance.

In my opinion, a government should always place the interests of its people first (that is, those who directly contribute and/or are indigenous to that community) before aspiring to nobler goals further afield .

That is not to say that we shouldn't be donating money and offering help to victims of natural and man-made disasters abroad - after all, charity begins at home but it doesn't end there. Rather, it is to acknowledge that in the absence of a utopian world of limitless resources, promising relatively generous benefits and then throwing the barn door wide open is not charity; it is folly.

There is a lesson to be learnt here about sustainability and how our policymakers need to take tail risks and long-term effects into consideration when introducing new laws. Policies which are popular and/or that appear feasible in the short term often spiral out of control over time, and repealing them at some later date can prove not just difficult or impossible, but also deeply unfair - case in point: Is a refugee arriving today any less deserving of asylum than one that arrived two years ago?

Ten years ago, I started my "Journey to the West", believing, perhaps naively, that free markets and open borders were unquestionably desirable, and society could be relied upon to take care of itself and uphold the basic tenets of a civilised democracy. Examples from across the world, past and present, have convinced me that is evidently untrue.

Instead, I believe we need a strong government with an equally strong moral compass because we rely on our politicians to make important decisions on our behalf - decisions that will affect not just our lives, but those of generations after us. These decisions will be imperfect and, in some cases, unpopular. But if they are made honestly, transparently and with the long-term interests of Singapore at heart, they should be made regardless.

With Singapore's Jubilee year SG50 just passed, I look forward to celebrating SG100. And if the situations in Europe and the United States are any guide, we will not get there by having a weak and indecisive government, prone to having its policymaking process corrupted by corporate lobbying and myopic populism.

The writer was until recently director of Investment Companies Research at Cantor Fitzgerald in London. He is co-founder of 31-East.com, a start-up that aims to tackle waste, corruption and inefficiency in the property sector.

This article was first published on April 15, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

SINGAPORE - Sentosa Express, the monorail that goes around Sentosa as well as out to HarbourFront, will have its operating hours affected due to upgrading works from May 1 to Dec 31, 2016.

The operating hours will be shortened between Mondays and Thursdays, with train services beginning at 7am and ending at 10pm. The last trains currently set off from Beach Station and Sentosa Station at 12am.

For the convenience of guests, Sentosa Express' operating hours for Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, eve of public holidays and public holidays will remain unchanged, with services starting at 7am and ending at 12am, said a release by Sentosa.

Guests arriving and exiting Sentosa during the affected nights can utilise a temporary shuttle bus service.

Running at 15-minute intervals, the shuttle buses will ferry visitors between the HarbourFront Bus Interchange and Sentosa's Beach Station, with stops en-route at VivoCity, Resorts World Sentosa and Merlion Plaza.

This shuttle bus service will be free for all guests.

As an additional option, guests may also choose to enter or exit the island via the Sentosa Boardwalk.

The Boardwalk is open 24 hours, with Island Admission charges waived until Dec 31.

Visitors to Resorts World Sentosa may also choose to utilise the RWS8, 188R and 963R public bus services.

spanaech@sph.com.sg

It quickly became the joke of the week for many, but the bridal studio behind those badly-taken wedding photos was not only willingly acknowledged the part they played, they spinned the laughable situation into an advertising spiel of their own.

In a Facebook post on April 13 (Wednesday), Feline Wedding posted four images compiled from the wedding of Ms Jaclyn Ying and Mr Kelvin Tang, which went viral earlier this week.

"Plan out a wedding photo shoot that flaunts your everlasting love with Feline Wedding, " the post read.

Ms Ying had shared some of their wedding photos in a post on Facebook on April 10 calling it a "PSA" (public service announcement). She stated that she "just wanted to share some of these hilariously bad photos with everyone" without any intention of shaming anyone.

The photos, which were either taken at odd angles or edited with strange filters, quickly drew the attention of netizens all across Singapore, evening spawning a series of hilarious online memes.

Hilarious mishaps in wedding photography

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

facebook

Although the photographer and studio were not named, a netizen identified as Mr Chung Siew Goh said in a Facebook post on April 12 that he was the one who had taken the photos.

Calling the post unfair, he said that he had given the couple over 900 photos but they had chosen to highlight 20 unflattering ones.

Feline Wedding quickly followed up a day later by uploading new photos of the couple on their big day on its Facebook page.

These new photos featured the couple in more flattering angles and natural poses. Compared to the batch of photos released by the couple, the photos on Feline Wedding's post were also edited more professionally and did not feature any odd filters.

Commenting on its own post, Feline Wedding said: "We may not (be) the best but here we have done our best".

On Thursday, the company also apologised for the matter, adding that it would ensure all photos are checked and cleaned up before releasing them to clients in future.

"We are not trying to be famous from this post. In fact, we just wish to share better photos from the 900 (shots)."

They added that they had agreed to re-edit the couple's photos, but the couple chose to share the photos online before they could rectify the situation.

Many former customers left words of encouragement for the studio, and shared their own positive experiences with the staff there.

According to information provided by forummers on Singapore Brides, the bridal boutique has sold packages at its roadshows for prices ranging from $3,288 to $3,588.

Such a package typically includes a complete pre-wedding photoshoot package, wedding day gowns and suits, photo print-outs, make-up and hair styling and other miscellaneous items.

One customer wrote that she was also given the option of having a photographer on her wedding day for an extra cost of $700.

ljessica@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - The two men involved in a fistfight at the taxi stand of Bugis Junction in November last year were charged in court today (April 15).

The former Land Transport Authority (LTA) officer, Tan Hock Guan, 51, and Uber driver, Goh Kok Ling, 60, were charged with causing an affray that disturbed the public peace, reported ChannelNews Asia.

For that, both could be jailed up to one year and/or fined up to $5,000.

In a video of the incident, Goh and Tan were seen throwing punches at each other. Their fight had to be broken up by a bystander. The video went viral a few hours after it was posted online.

Both of them also face a second charge for verbally abusing each other.

Man in LTA uniform seen beating a Uber driver

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Facebook screengrabs

In court on Friday, Tan said that he intends to plead guilty to both charges, while Goh said that he would plead guilty to the first charge, but would claim trial to the second charge.

Tan's case would be mentioned on April 29, reported local media outlets. 

Goh said he intends to engage a lawyer. He will next appear in court on May 9.

Tan could face up to six months' jail and/or be fined $5,000 for verbally abusing Goh.

Goh, on the other hand, could face a stiffer penalty of up to one year's jail and/or a fine of up to $5,000 for verbally abusing Tan, as he did so while Tan, who was then a public servent, was trying to carry out his duty as a traffic enforcement officer, reported ChannelNews Asia.

Both men are out on bail for $5,000, reported The Straits Times.

maryanns@sph.com.sg

There are two types of taxi drivers in the world - the good and the bad.

The good? They're the ones with responsibility and superb driving skills. The bad? They're the sneaky ones who deliberately take the long-cut to boost their cab fare.

I used to think that finding a top-notch taxi driver in Singapore is as rare as a good hair day for Donald Trump.

Well, not anymore. A Vulcan Post reader, Audrey, recently emailed us her recent encounter with a good-hearted taxi driver in Singapore and it has restored my faith in humanity.

Meet Adrian

Meet Adrian Chew, a Singaporean taxi driver who goes the extra mile to ensure the comfort of his passengers. Not only does he encourage them to request for their preferred radio station to tune into, but he also sets the air-con temperature to suit their comfort in an effort to make them feel more at home.

There's a notebook at the back for the passengers to pen their feedback on. As you might expect, it's full of praises and doodles.

I contacted Adrian on WhatsApp, and from our brief chat, I found out that he's been working as a taxi driver for around eight years.

When I asked how he felt reading the positive comments left on his notebook, he said, "I'm really glad and consoled that my efforts are appreciated. I feel encouraged to do more. And of course, most of all, the job satisfaction."

Former addict

Adrian also revealed that he's a recovering drug addict for the past 14 years.

"I've been in and out of the Drug Rehabilitation Centre (DRC) prison. Three years after my last release, I volunteered there. I became a taxi driver immediately upon fulfilling the mandatory crime free period required by the agencies."

He continued, "The Roman Catholic Prison Ministry (RCPM) counselled me whilst I was in my last incarceration. Five years down the road, I stopped because of my health. I contracted hepatitis C."

(Hepatitis C is a potentially life-threatening disease that affects the liver. It's usually resulted from sharing infected needles. Some of its common symptoms include nausea and fatigue.)

From our interview, Adrian divulged that he's currently going through the interferon treatment. Unfortunately, it comes with a price. Interferon can cause flu-like symptoms such as muscle aches, chills and pains.

Adrian didn't beat around the bush. He confessed, "My liver is hardening. [The treatment] has many side effects. It tires me easily."

Photo: Audrey via Vulcan Post

However, the humble taxi driver doesn't ask for much. Come hell or high water, he's determined to atone for his past mistakes.

"I don't earn a lot of money working as a taxi driver. I only need to support my parents and family. I'm happy with a simple life. I try my best to provide in my own terms of atonement for the hurt and shame I've given them," Adrian said.

"All addicts' past are almost the same." He shared.

Like his passengers, Adrian treasure the cab rides he had with them. The intimate talks they've shared in his taxi are one of the important things that will always remain close to his heart.

"I share my past to remind myself, to glorify God whom has salvaged me from hell, and to encourage my passengers especially when they share their deepest pain with me. I've made many friends, even though the taxi ride was only 30 minutes. These are my memorable moments."

Adrian provides an impeccable service. To paraphrase from an established British author, rock bottom became the solid foundation on which he rebuilt his life. But it's really his kindness, resilience and spirit that makes him unstoppable.

Vulcan Post is all about living life with a digital edge, up and coming startups, and people who inspire conversations.
Visit Vulcan Post for more stories.

A burst water pipe at PARKROYAL on Kitchener Road caused part of the ceiling at the hotel lobby to collapse earlier this morning (April 14) at around 11.45am.

Stomp contributor Fred, who had been at the scene, shared video clips showing the moment the ceiling fell, as well as ponding in the area.

Said the contributor: "This happened at the hotel lobby's guest-sitting area.

"The water pipe burst, causing part of the ceiling to collapse.

"A hotel staff slipped but no one was injured. They are still clearing the water after turning pipe off."

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Stomp

Visit STOMP for more stories.

SINGAPORE - No Singaporeans are affected in the 6.5-magnitude earthquake that hit south-western Japan on Thursday (April 14), the Minister of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has confirmed. 

"We have verified with the Japanese authorities that no Singaporeans were affected by the earthquake thus far," said MFA in a statement on Friday (April 15). 

The Singapore Government also expressed condolences to the families who lost loved ones in the quake and wished the injured speedy recovery.

Strong quake strickes southwestern Japan

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

AFP, Reuters, REUTERS/Kyodo

MFA also said that the Singapore Embassy in Tokyo has contacted most of the registered Singaporeans in the affected areas and will continue to contact remaining Singaporeans.

Singaporeans in the affected areas who require consular assistance may contact:

- Embassy of the Republic of Singapore (Tokyo)
Telephone: (+81) - 3 - 3586 9111/2
Duty Officer no: (+81) - 90 - 3208 4122
Email: singemb_tyo@mfa.sg

- Ministry of Foreign Affairs Duty Office (24-hour)
Telephone: (+65) 6379 8800/8855
Email: mfa_duty_officer@mfa.gov.sg

maryanns@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - From June 5 to Dec 18, train services at 13 stations along the North-South and East-West Lines will start an hour later on Sundays, except on public holidays. 

Train services will start by 7am instead of the usual 6am. 

SMRT said in a statement on Friday (April 15) that this is to enable project teams, track patrol teams and maintenance teams to gain the equivalent of 29 additional maintenance nights over the six-month period. 

Currently, they have about three to four hours of engineering hours each night to carry out works to renew and upgrade the system, in addition to carrying out regular maintenance needed for daily train operations.

Managing Director of SMRT Trains, Mr Lee Ling Wee said that the company's priority is to ensure rail renewal works are carried out safely and in the shortest time possible to improve rail reliability.

"Extending our limited engineering hours by an additional hour once a week allows our engineers to gain additional track access to work on their respective projects and carry out maintenance work," Mr Lee said.

"We seek the understanding and patience of commuters and the general public as we do our very best to complete the various renewal programmes with minimal impact to our train services," he added. 

Commuters are encouraged to plan their travel from 7am on Sunday mornings, where possible.

For commuters who must travel before 7am, they can use the existing bus services to get to other train stations; or use the Circle Line and Downtown Line to get to the city.

A new parallel bus service will also ply the route from Joo Koon to Bukit Gombak in both directions, said SMRT. 

More information of the new parallel bus service and fares will be made available within the next few weeks.

maryanns@sph.com.sg

For the first 25 years after independence, research and development (R&D) was not a key concern in Singapore, though maths, science and technology were important parts of the school curriculum right from the start.

The next 25 years, however, saw "a quantum jump" in research investments and achievements here, according to a new book launched yesterday by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean.

Titled The Singapore Research Story, the book is part of a series by World Scientific Publishing to commemorate the country's 50 years of nation-building.

Investments in R&D began in a big way in the mid-1980s with the expansion of Singapore's universities and the creation of research institutes here, said Mr Teo, who chairs the National Research Foundation (NRF).

These have paid off, he said, with researchers here now collaborating to "produce best-in-class research".

The Republic is known these days for water research, with more than 180 water companies and 26 research centres.

It is also a leader in gastric cancer research, pioneering new surgical techniques, for instance.

And Singapore will press on to strengthen its R&D capabilities by grooming researchers, scientists and engineers who can develop solutions to global problems.

Mr Teo said the Government is investing in R&D to secure the country's future, by raising productivity and catalysing new areas of growth. This will create good jobs and more opportunities for Singaporeans.

The 302-page book, written and edited over 11/2 years, also offers nuggets on some notable Singapore innovations.

They include the now ubiquitous thumb drive, which Singapore firm Trek2000 launched in 2000.

One of the book's editors, NRF chief Low Teck Seng, said: "As we move into this five years, which is the starting point of our next 25 years, clearly the drive must be to see how we capture value from the investments we have made in research and technology in the last 25 years."

Professor Hang Chang Chieh of the National University of Singapore, also an editor of the book, said the next chapter is to innovate and promote entrepreneurship and would require a "greater sustained national effort".

"But as in the first lap of developing research from scratch, Singapore has the confidence to build the requisite skills and capacity for this new phase of knowledge-based economic development," he said.

This article was first published on April 16, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

There will be more certificates of entitlement (COE) in the coming months and this is expected to drive vehicle prices down further.

There will be 9,634 COEs a month, on average, from May to July. This is a 15 per cent increase from the previous three-month quota period.

Car COE numbers will rise by 14 per cent to 8,384 a month.

But the single biggest expansion will be in the commercial vehicle category, which goes up by 40.7 per cent to 456 a month.

The growth in COE supply, fuelled by the scrapping of old vehicles bought during the last supply bonanza about a decade ago, is expected to continue for another 18 months or so.

Bumper crop of COEs from May

There will be more certificates of entitlement (COEs) in the coming months which should, in turn, drive vehicle prices further south.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced yesterday that there will be 9,634 COEs a month, on average, from May to July. This is a 15 per cent increase from the previous three-month quota period.

Car COE numbers will rise by 14 per cent to 8,384 a month. This includes the Open category COE, which is almost exclusively used to register bigger cars.

The big car COE supply will rise by 21 per cent, while the small car quota will go up by 9.3 per cent.

Overall, the single biggest expansion will be in the commercial vehicle category. It goes up by 40.7 per cent to 456 a month.

Motorcyclists will see an 11.4 per cent increase in supply, to 794 COEs a month.

That the COE supply would grow is no surprise. The trend, fuelled by the scrapping of old vehicles bought during the last supply bonanza about 10 years ago, is expected to continue for another 18 months or so.

But the quantum of the latest increase was somewhat of a surprise.

Mr Ron Lim, general manager of Nissan agent Tan Chong Motors, said: "The numbers look much higher than expected. March deregistrations must have been very high."

Indeed, according to data just released by the LTA, 13,580 vehicles were scrapped last month - 46 per cent more than the average of the preceding two months.

The figure would have been even bigger if not for a small wave of COE extensions. About 10 per cent of expiring car COEs are extended, when owners pay the so-called prevailing quota premium - a moving average of COE prices over the previous three months.

Previously, extensions seldom amounted to more than 5 per cent of an expiring batch of COEs.

The current trend to extend COEs is driven by relatively high car prices - which have not fallen fully in tandem with COE prices - restrictions on car loans, and rental companies which are building up a fleet of private-hire vehicles in response to third-party taxi apps such as Uber and Grab.

Still, the COE supply ahead will be enough to soften premiums further.

Mr Neo Nam Heng, chairman of diversified motor group Prime, said: "This latest supply should make many consumers happy."

Besides the increased supply, he said prices will be driven down by other factors, such as the weakening economic outlook, and the easing of monetary policies.

The latter, he added, would raise the cost of car imports and erode profit margins. That in turn, will suppress the ability of motor companies to bid for COEs, weakening premiums further.

This article was first published on April 16, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Just over three years ago, the Transport Ministry removed taxis from the certificate of entitlement (COE) bidding process to take some heat off car bidders.

Now, three years after third-party taxi app provider Uber arrived, the heat is back on.

During last week's COE tender, Uber-owned Lion City Rental submitted more than 800 bids, which accounted for 11 per cent of the total bids made for car COEs.

According to market talk, Lion City is looking to put 1,800 new cars on the road in anticipation of growing demand.

Rival company Grab is also expected to do the same.

The two already have between them some 10,000 cars - mostly old vehicles.

But in recent months, both have started sourcing for new vehicles, and are jostling with private car owners for fresh COEs.

Now, with the Government announcing "light touch" regulations governing third-party taxi apps, the proliferation of private-hire vehicles will accelerate.

Most of the taxi companies are also starting up private-hire subsidiaries to compete with Uber, Grab and other small players like Smove and Tribecar.

This will only intensify the competition for COEs, which explains why car premiums have not fallen in tandem with the growth in supply.

If the demand for private-hire services continues to grow, taxi operators are likely to shrink their cab fleets and switch. Again, this will fuel demand for COEs.

Most private-hire cars are smaller vehicles, so the pressure will be greater on COE Category A bidders (cars up to 1,600cc and 130bhp).

But some are gunning for Open Category too, such as Lion City.

At the last tender, more than 200 of the company's Open bids were disqualified because they had identical values, which sources said was a move to manipulate the market.

The Land Transport Authority said: "As there were more than 237 bids with the same next lower bid amount, awarding the COE to all these bids would exceed the quota.

The 237 unallocated COEs will be carried over to the first open bidding exercise in May 2016."

Uber was not reachable for comment.

Car-Sharing Association (Singapore) president Lai Meng said: "The fast growth in the private-hire car services like Uber and Grab is a validation of the sharing economy."

This article was first published on April 16, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

A mystery buyer has offered $17.5 million for the ageing Beauty World Food Centre in Bukit Timah.

The sum was offered by investors through real estate agency PropNex, whose spokesman told The Straits Times that the final amount is still being negotiated.

The figure was reported by Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao yesterday, but PropNex declined to name the buyer.

If the sale is confirmed, the new operator could redevelop the outdoor hawker centre, located on the fourth floor of Beauty World Centre, into an air-conditioned food court.

Many stallholders have agreed to sell their stalls as they are growing old and their children have no interest in taking over the business.

One of them, who wanted to be known only as Mrs Goh and is in her 70s, has been running a fruit and drinks stall at the food centre for 30 years.

"I am planning to retire. I am getting old," she said in Mandarin.

Mrs Chua Yow Ngoo, 61, who sells hokkien mee and char kway teow, is also likely to pull down the shutters in about a year's time.

Mrs Chua, who has run the stall with her husband for about 30 years, has sold their unit for $500,000.

But the couple have no plans to retire. "I want to open shop in a school canteen so I can rest more on weekends and school holidays," she said.

Built in the 1980s, the Beauty World Food Centre houses a total of 41 hawker stalls, many of which used to operate at the old wet market nearby.

Stall owners said they were notified shortly after the new year that investors planned to buy the facility.

In recent years, several major coffee shop chains have also expressed interest in buying the centre, but could not agree on a price, Zaobao reported.

Hawkers have sent a representative to talk to the buyer.

Those who wish to continue doing business at the site will have to rent a space from the new operator. Some are already searching for new locations.

This article was first published on April 16, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

SINGAPORE - A searing 36.7 deg C was recorded in Seletar on Wednesday (April 13), the hottest temperature seen in Singapore in 10 years.

Singapore experienced significantly warmer conditions in the first two weeks of April, when the highest daily maximum temperature ranged between 34.1 and 36.7 deg C.

The latter was recorded at Seletar, and is the highest daily maximum temperature recorded so far this year and also the highest in the last ten years, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Friday in a press release.

As of April 14, the mean monthly temperature for the month was 29.4 deg C, which is 1.4 deg C warmer than is usual for April.

The unusually warm conditions are expected to persist for the rest of April, even as inter-monsoon conditions have set in and are forecast to persist for the rest of April and into May. Light and variable winds are typically seen in this period.

While more rain is expected, the daily maximum temperature could reach a high of up to 36 deg C on a few days, NEA said.

On most days, it may range from 33 to 35 deg C.

Short thundery showers are expected in the afternoon on five to seven days.

Pre-dawn rain and "gusty winds" caused by a Sumatra squall may visit on one or two days, NEA said.

The rainfall for April is expected to be near average, after two months of dry weather.

In the first half of April, rainfall was below average. The highest rainfall of 126mm was recorded around Jurong. Rainfall was lowest around Admiralty, where 20mm - 82 per cent below average - was recorded.

Read:

Water level in Johor reservoir supplying water to S'pore hits new low

Beat the heat with these cooling drinks

10 ways to beat the heat

Additional reporting by Melissa Lin

This article was first published on April 15, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Temperatures reach 39.5 degrees in Malaysian state

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

NSTP, The Star/ANN, The StarTV screengrabs

Mr Tommy Lim, 58, visits his sister's niche once a year for the annual Qing Ming Festival.

This year was no different.

But when the taxi driver and his mother, 86, arrived at his sister's niche at Mount Vernon Columbarium last Friday morning, they were shocked to find that the marble plaque on the niche had been broken.

They had a bigger shock when they realised the urn containing her ashes had vanished.

He told The New Paper: "We were so upset and my mother started crying. Her first words were, 'Who took her?' I was also very angry. How could someone's ashes go missing?"

He showed TNP what was left of his sister's niche at Mount Vernon Columbarium on Wednesday.

Only the lower portion of the plaque - bearing his sister's name Lim Hwee Huang and the dates of birth and death - was still intact.

His elder sister had died at the age of 30 in a car accident 30 years ago.

Mr Lim said: "We had no choice but to offer prayer and burnt offering to an empty niche and we did it with a heavy heart."

He had intended to relocate his sister's ashes to a temple in Aljunied, where he had bought a place for her, his father, his mother and himself.

His father's ashes are now at Lim Chu Kang Cemetery. Mr Lim said: "But if my sister's ashes are lost, how will we have a family reunion?"

The next day, Mr Lim reported the matter to Mandai Columbarium.

Both columbariums are managed by the National Environment Agency (NEA).

Mr Lim said: "They told me there is nothing they can do. They have no security, no CCTV footage, and it is a space open to the public."

He said the management at Mandai Columbarium told him the ashes could have been illegally removed.

Mr Lim said he was shown a photo taken in April last year of his sister's niche still intact and another photo taken last October showing it damaged.

WHY NOT INFORMED?

"This means her ashes must have gone missing during those six months. But why weren't we informed?"

Mr Lim made a police report on Monday. A police spokesman confirmed the report and said the investigation is ongoing.

An NEA spokesman told TNP that it is in touch with the next-of-kin and is assisting the police with their investigation. (See report above.)

Mr Lim said his cousin helped him contact NEA on Tuesday.

NEA got back to him yesterday to ask if it could give his registration information for the niche to the police.

Mr Lim said his mother is still upset, but told him that if they are unable to recover the ashes, they will stop praying to his sister.

"My mother told me, 'Thirty years ago, I lost my daughter. Thirty years later, I lost her ashes.'

MOVING ON

"Though she is sad, she is practical and we know that life goes on," said Mr Lim, who did not want TNP to speak to his mother in case she becomes more upset.

By reaching out to TNP, Mr Lim hopes that anyone who might know where his sister's ashes are will come forward.

He wondered if the ashes could have been stolen or if someone had mistakenly relocated the urn, because Mount Vernon Columbarium, which has about 20,000 niches, is undergoing a relocation programme to make way for the Bidadari housing estate development.

NEA announced last October that the next-of-kin should claim the ashes by June 30, 2017, so they can be relocated to other government-managed or private columbariums.

Mr Lim, who is the contact person for his sister's niche, said he had not requested to claim the urn containing her ashes and did not receive any notification that it had been relocated.

"If it had been really relocated by mistake, part of the marble plaque would not have been left behind and the 'hole' would have been covered with a white board," he said.

Mr Lim hopes his experience will alert others with niches at Mount Vernon Columbarium to check that the ashes of their loved ones are safe.

He also appealed to whoever might have taken his sister's ashes: "All I ask is that you return them to us. I won't be angry with you."

NEA: No application to remove urn

The National Environment Agency (NEA) is aware of a case where an urn containing ashes was removed from a niche at Mount Vernon Columbarium.

Responding to queries from The New Paper, an NEA spokesman said it had not received any application for the cremated remains at the niche belonging to Mr Lim's sister to be removed.

The spokesman said the agency is in touch with the next-of-kin and is assisting the police with investigations.

The agency said there had been previous cases where the next-of-kin removed the urn from the niche without first applying to NEA. These cases were resolved after further investigation.

When TNP went to Mount Vernon Columbarium on Wednesday, there was no sign of closed-circuit television cameras at the blocks housing the niches.

The NEA website states that the columbarium is open from 7am to 5.30pm daily. But Mr Lim said that when he and his mother went there last Friday at 5.15am, the gates were open.

"Anyone can go in and out as they please. I just hope that I can alert others to my case so they can go and check on their loved ones' niches," he said.

Other columbariums use CCTVs, guards

It is important that the deceased can rest in peace so their families can have peace of mind, said Mr Dennis Ng, 48, the general manager of a private columbarium, Nirvana Memorial Garden Singapore.

"Paying respects to deceased loved ones is very important in our culture, and in turn, we also want to provide the deceased with a good place to rest with dignity," he said.

He said Nirvana has security features such as closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras in all its three buildings and two resident monks and a caretaker to look after the place every night.

Nirvana has about 30,000 niches in closed quarters and the doors to the rooms that contain the niches are locked from about 5.30pm to 8.30am every day.

In front of each block of niches, there are glass doors that are locked every night.

"Not just anybody can open the door and walk in.

"Our customers won't like it if anyone can come in and open the niche doors or vandalise them. We want to give them total peace of mind," Mr Ng said.

Another private columbarium, All Saints Memorial Chapel, houses more than 27,000 niches and has CCTVs and security guards who patrol the area.

Its operations manager, Mr Samuel Chia, 47, said its caretakers and cleaners are responsible for reporting any damage to the niches. The niches, which are in closed quarters, are open to visitors only between 8am and 7pm every day.

NEXT OF KIN

"Only the next-of-kin or persons whose names are on the forms (used to book the niche) can make changes or relocate the ashes. The authorised person also has to be present when changes are being made," he said.

Mr Ng said Nirvana has a similar system: Only the purchaser of the niche or someone with an authorised letter from the purchaser is allowed to make requests for relocation.

"It's sad (for Mr Lim and his mother) that a loved one's ashes is missing. It's something valuable... I would also be very worried if I were them."

This article was first published on April 16, 2016.
Get The New Paper for more stories.

tammei@sph.com.sg

More visiting graves at night for Qing Ming

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Lianhe Wanbao, The Straits Times

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Reuters

SINGAPORE - The police have received around 400 reports about scam phone calls.

The police said in a statement today that members of the public first received calls from persons claiming to be employees of courier companies or banks in China.

They were told that their identities had been used to send parcels containing fake passports or weapons, or were used to apply for overseas credit cards.

They were then referred to another caller claiming to be a customs officer, a police officer or a government official from China.

They asked to provide their personal particulars including name, identification number, address, passport number and bank account numbers.

Some complainants were threatened with legal action and were instructed to remit monies to China so that the authorities would not pursue the matter.

The police said victims have lost more than $1 million to this scam till date.

The police advise members of public to take precautions when they receive unsolicited calls, especially from unknown parties.

Related: Beware of parcel phone scam

Police advice:

- Ignore such calls.

- Ignore caller's instructions.

- Do not provide any name, identification number, passport details, contact details, bank account or credit card details to the callers. Such information is useful to criminals.

- Do not make any funds transfers as no government agency will instruct payment through a telephone call and direct you to pay to a third party's bank account.

Call the police: If you have any information related to such crime, call the police hotline at 1800-255 0000, or dial '999' for urgent police assistance.

spanaech@sph.com.sg

Top 7 scams in Singapore and more

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

www.scamalert.sg

Hundreds of local men fell for sex scams and lost thousands

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The New Paper, Internet screengrabs, Lianhe Wanbao, Stomp

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Lianhe Zaobao, Shin Min Daily News

SINGAPORE - In the 1970s, Mr Teo Chee Hean was a young Naval Officer serving onboard the first of three classes of warships to be called Sovereignty. Nearly 50 years later, Mr Teo was onboard the Sovereignty again, but this time as Deputy Prime Minister, to officiate the ceremony launching Singapore's latest warship.

At the press of a button, Mrs Teo Poh Yim, wife of Mr Teo, smashed a bottle of champagne on the hull of the Sovereignty in accordance with naval tradition, signalling the launch of the second out of eight Littoral Mission Vessels (LMVs) built for the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).

"The name Sovereignty has a deep personal meaning for me, as I had sailed with the first RSS Sovereignty as a young naval officer in the 1970s," Mr Teo shared in his speech today at Benoi Shipyard, site of the launch ceremony.

OTHER RELATED STORIES:

- Singapore Navy starts building first of 8 coastal warships

- Singapore Navy announces names for new warships; first vessel to be launched July 3

The eponymous RSS Sovereignty was a 'B' Class Patrol Craft, safeguarding Singapore's territorial waters in the 1970s. It was replaced by a Fearless-class Patrol Vessel in the 1990s.

Before he launched his political career, Mr Teo was the Chief of Navy until 1992, having climbed up the ranks as an SAF scholar.

"I also had the privilege of being involved in shaping the programme for the Fearless-class patrol vessels, which the ship we launched today will replace.

"It is thus especially meaningful for me to be here at the launch of the new LMV, Sovereignty, version 3.0 today," said Mr Teo, who is also the Coordinating Minister for National Security.

The Singapore Navy's Littoral Mission Vessel

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Mindef, Republic of Singapore Navy, AsiaOne

The LMVs are designed and built locally by ST Marine, in collaboration with Swedish defence giant Saab Kockums AB, after a contract was inked with Singapore's Ministry of Defence in 2013.

Construction on Independence, the first LMV, started in Sept 2014, and the first LMV was launched on July 3, 2015, also at ST Marine's Benoi Shipyard.

Both Independence and Sovereignty are expected to be commissioned in 2017, after completing its sea trials.

Remarkably, the two warships have been built on time and within budget, a rarity in expensive defence projects where cost overruns and delays are the norms in other militaries.

The LMVs are bigger than the Fearless-class warships it will be replacing - nearly 30m longer at 80m, and 2.5 times heavier.

"The LMV will be an integral part of RSN Task Groups and be able to support the full range of SAF (Singapore Armed Forces) missions well," said Mr Teo.

"The longer endurance of the LMV, and its systems which are designed for reliability and maintainability, will allow it to conduct operations that are more persistent, and at longer ranges and further distances."

The LMV can sail continuously for up to 14 days, covering 3,500 nautical miles (6,482 km), with speeds in excess of 27 knots (50km/h). The Fearless-class ships had speeds in excess of 20 knots (37 km/h) with a shorter range and endurance.

"At the high end (of maritime threats), we have helicopters and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles). As for the lower end of the threat, we have things like water cannons and long range acoustic devices," Mr Teo said.

Reflecting the growth of the RSN, Mr Teo said: "I have seen our defence forces grow from the beginning, and how each evolution has brought more capability, more effective forces and also more efficient use of resources and our manpower. That is a continuing commitment to our defence. So that one part is very important.

"But I am also very conscious that no matter what equipment we have, it is the tenacity, the resilience, the willingness of our people to defend Singapore which ultimately, can make the difference. That will always be required."

grongloh@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - The River Safari could soon be home to a baby panda after artificial insemination was carried out on giant panda Jia Jia on Wednesday (April 13).

This followed another failed attempt at natural mating with male panda Kai Kai and a decision was made to carry out artificial insemination to help Jia Jia conceive, Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) said in a statement on Friday (April 15).

Assisting the vets at River Safari was a team led by Prof Ng Soon Chye, an obstetrics and gynaecology specialist internationally renowned for his expertise in reproductive medicine.

From now until around September, vets and keepers will have to wait to conclude if Jia Jia is pregnant through ultrasound scans.

Giant pandas have delayed implantation during pregnancy and vets cannot confirm pregnancy until the later part of the panda's gestation period.

Dr Cheng Wen-Haur, chief life sciences officer at WRS, said: "The past few days have involved very intensive observation and monitoring of the pairs which culminated in the artificial insemination of Jia Jia. Our female panda is timid by nature and our focus now is on her after care."

After a failed attempt last year, the giant pandas had started to show signs that they were entering mating season at the end of March, said WRS.

It noted that the duo had displayed classic courtship behaviour for weeks. Kai Kai was scent-marking his exhibit and chirping to get the female's attention, while Jia Jia was sleeping more and, when awake, would be restlessly pacing about.

Artificial insemination being carried out on Jia Jia. PHOTO: WILDLIFE RESERVES SINGAPORE

These displays were encouraging signs to the keepers and vets that their methods of stimulating breeding cycles and interest had been successful.

Mating season for giant pandas is typically from February to May, and the couple, here on a 10-year loan from China, showed signs in January that their breeding season was starting.

Pandas' mating instincts are brought on by hormonal changes in response to seasonal variations, such as temperature changes and increasing day length from winter to spring.

River Safari's keepers and vets have employed a number of measures since November to trigger the breeding cycles of the pandas.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Wildlife Reserves Singapore, The Straits Times, The New Paper, My Paper

These included varying the daylight hours and temperature in the panda exhibit to simulate the transition from winter to spring in the pandas' homeland in Sichuan, China.

In addition, keepers introduced each panda to the other's exhibit and den, as well as placed them side-by-side for short periods of time so that the pair could smell each other's scent. Their reaction would indicate their receptiveness to the opposite sex.

Urine samples from Jia Jia were also collected to check the hormonal levels which would also indicate when she is ready to mate.

This article was first published on April 15, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) announced today that it has agreed to implement interim remediation plans recommended by independent accountants hired last month.

The Workers' Party-run council said these include a policy management process, a governance and internal control framework, guidelines for staff in its finance department, and an accounting manual, said council chairman and Aljunied GRC MP Pritam Singh in a media statement which was also posted on its website.

The town council also plans to install a new accounting system.

Yesterday, KPMG submitted its first monthly progress report on AHTC to the Housing Board (HDB), after an apex court ruling in January required the town council to appoint a Big Four firm to fix its accounting and governance lapses.

HDB said it is reviewing the 42-page report, which was released by AHTC on Saturday (April 16).

On Thursday, the Ministry of National Development (MND) disbursed about S$12.9 million in Service and Conservancy Charges (S&CC) grants to AHTC, a day ahead of the town council making its remaining sinking fund transfer of over S$9.1 million.

Town councils must fulfil sinking fund obligations in order for S&CC operating grants to be released.

Mr Singh said that AHTC had instructed its bankers to transfer $9,134,374.06 to its sinking fund bank account.

He said: "In effecting this transfer, AHTC has fulfilled all of its outstanding sinking fund transfer obligations."

AHTC has been implementing remedial measures progressively to address the outstanding non-compliances, or audit issues, brought up in the KPMG report, he said.

Read also: Court order town council to appoint a Big 4 firm

chenj@sph.com.sg

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

AsiaOne, The Straits Times