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Braddell Road flyover project deadline extended to June

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After having been delayed three times, the troubled Braddell Road flyover project has a new deadline.

It is now slated to be completed by June, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said yesterday. Its original deadline was end-2015.

A spokesman for LTA told The Straits Times that it had been working closely with the public works project's main contractor, Feng Ming Construction (FMC), to "rectify, review and improve" safety measures after a stop-work order (SWO) stalled progress on Feb 23.

Safety inspectors from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) discovered several safety violations during a random spot check at the worksite. The SWO was lifted on March 8, and the works have now fully resumed, said LTA .

FMC director Lim Hong Beng told The Straits Times his firm would complete the project at all cost.

He said in Mandarin: "There is no need to worry that we will abandon the project - this is a government job, and it shall be completed. True gold does not fear the test of fire."

But he declined to comment on revelations about another SWO that was issued to his company from July 11 to Aug 4 last year at the same worksite, because of a height-related safety issue.

The Straits Times also found that another public works project contracted to FMC to widen a 900m portion of the Alexandra Canal has been delayed as well.

Started at end-2014, it was due to be completed last year.

The deadline has been pushed back to the third quarter of this year, because of the need to divert services in the constricted area, said national water agency PUB.

Since the Braddell Road flyover project was commissioned in 2012, it has been fraught with delays.

The first contractor, Hexagroup, ran into financial difficulties. This resulted in a temporary stoppage of work.

FMC won the second tender in 2015. Works were expected to be completed by the end of last year, but were again extended, to March.

These delays and issues surrounding FMC have raised questions as to why it was picked in the first place, especially since the two firms appear to be linked (see other report).

This comes even as the authorities step up penalties for SWOs, following concerns over high numbers of workplace fatalities.

Last year, 130 SWOs were issued. Six were handed out in the first two months of this year.

More than 1,300 inspections are carried out each month.

Five demerit points were issued for each SWO for the Braddell site, bringing the total number of demerit points awarded to FMC to 10, said an MOM spokesman.

Any contractor that accumulates 25 demerit points will be barred from tendering for new jobs.

Applications for foreign workers' work passes will also be denied, and the business will be placed under a surveillance programme.

LTA will also review the reasons for project delays, and "evaluate if there is a need to seek compensation from the contractor", its spokesman said.

The executive director of the Singapore Contractors Association, Mr Lam Kong Hong, said that while MOM's spot checks do disrupt operations, those that manage their worksites well are usually spared targeted inspections.

Repeated delays put spotlight on firms' connection

The repeated delays to the Braddell Road flyover works have tossed up the question of why Feng Ming Construction (FMC) won the second public tender to complete the project, which was left behind by Hexagroup when it ran into financial woes.

Explaining the tendering process, a spokesman for the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said it looks at contractors'"safety, financial capacity, availability of technical personnel, proof of management standards and project track records, before they are allowed to bid for public-sector construction projects".

FMC was one of three bidders that met its requirements and was awarded the tender as it submitted the most cost-effective bid at $29.9 million, the spokesman said.

Checks by The Straits Times show that FMC, which was established in 1989, has a good track record in completing multimillion-dollar construction projects for government agencies.

But company records show a link between FMC and Hexagroup, which is currently winding up. FMC director Lim Hong Beng had co-owned a company, Lim Hong Beng Construction, with Hexagroup director Lim Hong Lam in 1984. And the second Hexagroup director, Mr Lim Hong Leong, had served as director of FMC from 1997 to 2006.

Read also: Braddell Rd project hits bump as work comes to a halt

When asked if they were relatives, because of their similar names, Mr Lim Hong Beng neither confirmed nor denied the relationship. He said in Mandarin: "In this industry, a lot of local companies are linked by family ties, but this should not matter as they are completely different entities."

The LTA also said that both companies were not related at the time of the tender bid. "Based on records by the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority, Hexagroup and FMC were separate commercial entities with no common directors and shareholders when FMC submitted its tender bid in March 2015," said the spokesman.

Mr Robson Lee, partner at law firm Gibson Dunn, said there are no government procurement rules against re-awarding incomplete tenders to firms with family ties.

But he added that this case raises questions about whether the public tender process was fair to the other bidders.

"The spirit of the public tender process is that bidders should not have an advantage of having more information than what is in the tender," he said. "This could be information about the projected cost of the project, for example."

ngjunsen@sph.com.sg

WORKPLACE SAFETY

130

Stop-work orders issued last year.

1,300

Inspections carried out each month.


This article was first published on March 17, 2017.
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Freshmen at NTU assured of 2-year stay on campus

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Freshmen who stay at halls of residence at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) usually have to compete with one another and take part in as many extra-curricular activities as possible to stay on campus for a coveted second year.

But the incoming batch of freshmen will have it much easier.

The freshmen enrolling in the 2017/18 academic year, which begins this July, will be guaranteed a room for two years, said NTU president Bertil Andersson at the annual State of the University address yesterday.

"A residential experience is part of the holistic education we offer here at NTU," he said.

Since 2012, NTU has guaranteed every freshman the opportunity to live on campus for a year. It will be expanding the programme this August for students to stay on into their second year.

Professor Andersson said: "Demand (for campus living) has always been high and we have been doing a lot of construction in the last few years to meet the demand."

In August, three new halls will open in Nanyang Crescent, providing accommodation for 1,820 more students.

Hall rooms are currently awarded to seniors based on a competitive entry-point system, where students take part in hall and university activities to earn points. There is usually a cut-off point to qualify for a room in the second year.

This system has deterred some seniors, such as third-year biological sciences student Koh Wei Yi, 22, from re-applying to stay on campus after their guaranteed stay during their freshman year.

"I had other commitments outside and was not interested in joining activities just for the sake of getting points," said Ms Koh, who stayed on campus only during her first year.

Last September, NTU opened three new halls which offered 2,100 more places to students.

With the upcoming halls, about 14,200 undergraduates will be able to live in 24 halls across the campus, fulfilling over 90 per cent of the current demand.

Typically, halls regularly organise their own sports, recreational, and social activities, such as Hall Day celebrations and inter-hall games.

Prof Andersson said: "Talk to any NTU graduate and they will tell you that living on campus is something not to be missed."

Miss Tan Li Yun, 19, a first-year business student, agreed. "One of the best things about hall life is playing sports or just hanging out with friends after classes," she said.

One prospective student is already looking forward to hall life.

Siti Aisyah Daniyah Mahmood, 18, who visited the NTU campus during the school's Open House two weeks ago, said: "The idea of staying at a university campus is really exciting."

Associate provost for student life Kwok Kian Woon feels that the new halls will allow more students to "experience community life and learning beyond the curriculum".

"They will enjoy a vibrant campus life, which is the hallmark of NTU's holistic education," he said.

raynoldt@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on Mar 17, 2017.
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How a 14-year-old girl was trafficked to Singapore and locked up

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It is something that people wouldn't normally think could happen in Singapore.

Unfortunately, human trafficking does happen in this city-state.

A recent report and video by Our Better World, an affiliate content platform of non-profit organisation Singapore International Foundation, tells the story of how 14-year-old Lilis was trafficked to Singapore to work in a brothel.

Lilis was deceived into thinking she would leave her home country of Indonesia to work as a "babysitter or at cafes".

In the video interview, Lilis said she was invited by two friends to come over to Singapore for work. Her mother had just died and she wanted to help ease the family's financial burden.

Lilis' identity was concealed in the video for her safety.

Before arriving to Singapore, Lilis made a stop in Batam and was informed of what her real job entailed.

She was being trafficked into sex work. The young girl was sent to a brothel to solicit men, whom she was asked to serve and visit hotels with.

"I was told (by my agent) that I had to wear revealing clothes," Lilis said.

"I told them I couldn't - I couldn't do that. But they forced me to do it."

Fear, sadness and anger - these emotions are what Lilis felt all at the same time.

Prior to her tell-all interview with Our Better World, Lilis admitted that she had never spoken to anyone about her predicament. Not even about her own feelings.

She used to share a room with four other women who shared the same 'job' as her. However, she couldn't go anywhere else and stayed locked up in the room without a key of her own.

A man asked for Lilis one day and her agent pushed for her to go along with him.

When she was finally alone with the man, who reportedly hailed from Malaysia, Lilis broke down and said she "couldn't do this".

It was then that he realised that Lilis was there against her own will, according to Our Better World.

"He asked me to run, to escape and stop doing this," Lilis shared.

Lilis saw her chance and ran away first thing the next morning.

She hailed a cab and as luck would have it, her driver could converse in Malay and she told him everything that had happened to her.

The cabbie immediately offered to bring her to a police station, said Lilis. And he did not charge a fee for the ride.

After her agent's subsequent arrest, Lilis received help from Hagar, a charitable organisation that seeks to help women and children in need.

Volunteer social worker from Hagar Singapore, Ms Wei Ng, told Our Better World: "These girls from countries in Asia who are in Singapore could have been trafficked ... The trauma they have been through will stay on forever and scar their lives if they're not helped or rescued from this trade."

When Lilis first met Ms Ng, she revealed that her life had changed for the worst when her mother died and her family members "did not think she was of any worth".

Ms Ng added: "It's so important for us to help them regain trust in others again so that they can be helped further."

And Lilis appreciates the support she's been receiving.

"I am happy and grateful that there are people willing to help," she said.

Hagar Singapore helped Lilis return home with the support of a local partner, according to Our Better World.

She trained to be a beautician and is now an apprentice at a beauty salon.

And just like anyone of us, Lilis has aspirations as well. She now dreams of doing hair and makeup for the stars.

ssandrea@sph.com.sg

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UniSIM is now Singapore University of Social Sciences

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SINGAPORE - SIM University (UniSIM) has been renamed the Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) as part of its restructuring plans to become the country's sixth Autonomous University.

Read also: UniSIM may be 6th autonomous university

The name was chosen to reflect the school's mission of driving lifelong learning anchored in disciplines with a strong social focus, Minister for Higher Education and Skills Ong Ye Kung said in a statement released by SUSS today (March 17).

"What will be most unique about the University is its tradition of applied education, and outreach to adult learners, all of which will be kept and strengthened," he added.

Read also: UniSIM a popular pick among working adults

SUSS is under the ambit of the Ministry of Education and is no longer part of the SIM Group, which comprises SIM Global Education, SIM International Academy, SIM Professional Development and Platform E.

But SUSS will continue to share the SIM campus at 461 Clementi Road.

The university will have two distinctive features: the social sciences and continuing and lifelong education. It will continue to retain a limited offering in other areas such as business and engineering. The range of programmes for fresh school leavers and adult learners previously offered will also be continued.

huizhen@sph.com.sg

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Fake Facebook accounts created in the names of at least 13 PAP MPs

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SINGAPORE - At least 13 People's Action Party (PAP) MPs, including Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Chan Chun Sing, have been affected by fake Facebook accounts in the last few days.

on Facebook

Some of my friends had alerted me of an FB account posing as ‘Chan Chun Sing’, bearing my photos and name, requesting to...

Posted by Chan Chun Sing on Friday, 17 March 2017

Most of the fake accounts - bearing the MPs' names, profile photos and banner covers - popped up between Thursday night and Friday morning (March 17) but were deleted shortly after the MPs were alerted to them by grassroots leaders and residents.

Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC MP Alex Yam, who is the PAP's executive director, said in a Facebook post on Friday that the PAP's communications team had been made aware of "a spate of spoof social media accounts of various MPs, about two to three daily".

Creators of the fake accounts mirrored those of public figures', added friends, then attempted to phish for information through Facebook's messaging service, he said.

Mr Yam encouraged users to look out for a blue tick - Facebook's symbol of verification - on MPs' profiles, and alert MPs if they come across suspicious accounts.

MacPherson MP Tin Pei Ling, who was one of those affected, also took the opportunity to educate residents on how to spot fake accounts on Friday morning.

on Facebook

#FakeAlert There was a fake account impersonating me on FB. The fake account had the exact same profile picture and...

Posted by Tin Pei Ling 陈佩玲 on Thursday, 16 March 2017

She alerted residents to the absence of a blue tick against the name of the fake account, and said the impersonator had made dubious requests.

"The fake account had also been sending out friend requests to many of my contacts and 'fans' of this page. It also sent out bait messages, in an attempt to get FB users to click on links purporting to give out goodies (phishing)," she wrote in a Facebook post.

A screenshot of the fake account showed that the impersonator had reached out to one of Ms Tin's contacts, saying: "I really appreciate everyone and will continue to serve you in taking this great singapore (sic) to the greatest place we ever desire."

He or she then asked if the contact had ever heard of the "FB reward bonus", and asked if he wanted the link to the claim the reward.

Said the real Ms Tin: "I don't sound like this. This sounds like a phishing message."

Fengshan MP Cheryl Chan also posted on her official Facebook page on Wednesday (March 15), warning of an unknown account that had been sending messages and friend requests to Facebook users on her behalf.

on Facebook

Dear All, I have received notices that an unknown account has sent message and Friend requests on my behalf to you....

Posted by Cheryl Chan on Tuesday, 14 March 2017

"Please ignore those requests and report the illegitimate account to Facebook as I did not send any from my official account," she wrote.

Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng, who was also among those affected, said the sudden spate of attacks may prompt the MPs to take collective action: "We'll see whether we can work with Facebook to see if the fake accounts are coming from the same IP address, and make a move from there."

The other affected MPs were Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MP Chee Hong Tat, Tampines GRC MP Desmond Choo, Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Chia Shi-Lu, Jurong GRC MP Ang Wei Neng, Jalan Besar GRC MPs Heng Chee How and Lily Neo, and Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Darryl David, Punggol East MP Charles Chong and Holland-Bukit Timah GRC MP Sim Ann.

This is not the first time PAP MPs have had to deal with fake accounts.

Last June (2016), Minister of State Koh Poh Koon warned residents about a fake Twitter account bearing his name tweets and seemingly promoting an online coupon site and an education site.

In 2015, a scammer created a fake Facebook profile of Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob, saying that Madam Halimah was in trouble and needed money, and asked friends to transfer money to her.

In 2014, a Facebook account in Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Zainal Sapari's name was set up to ask for money.

Mr Yam told The Straits Times that his team regularly monitors the social media accounts of branch chairs, and report suspicious accounts as and when they are detected.

But this recent spate, he said, is "a little more concerted as new spoof profiles are set up as old ones are taken down".


This article was first published on March 17, 2017.
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The Newsmaker: SQ006 stewardess Farzana Razak offers an apology to the pilots

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Kuala Lumpur - It's hard to forget flight SQ006, even more so for Farzana Abdul Razak, one of the cabin crew who survived the deadly ordeal.

On the night of Oct 31, 2000, Los Angeles-bound Singapore Airlines flight SQ006 taxied into a closed runway at Taipei's then-Chiang Kai-shek Airport. It crashed into construction equipment during take-off and caught fire, killing 83 of the 179 people on board.

Madam Farzana was only 18 years old and just months into her new job at that time. Her dreams and aspirations went up in flames together with the ill-fated aircraft, when 45 per cent of her body was severely burnt by the blaze.

She underwent 11 skin graft operations to remove the scars, but that was just the beginning of the road to recovery - one that was mired by anger and a long bout of depression.

In the third episode of "The Newsmaker", Madam Farzana looks back and recounts her ordeal. She also has a word for the pilots who caused the deadly mishap.

on SPH Brightcove

About "The Newsmaker":

"The Newsmaker"(封面人物) is one of 10 SPH-produced short form digital video series as part of a pilot Public Service Broadcast initiative. In this 13-part series, people who have made news headlines in the past share with the host Fred Lai (Content Producer, Chinese Media Group Digital) how the news events changed their lives and how they have been coping since then. All episodes come with English subtitles.

This series is also available on the zaobao.sg website and mobile app.

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Last HUDC estate of Braddell View privatised

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SINGAPORE - The last Housing and Urban Development Company (HUDC) estate of Braddell View has been privatised, officially ending the programme that was started in 1974 to build more upmarket, yet affordable public housing for middle-income families.

Comprising 918 flats and two shops, the estate has been converted into a strata-titled estate that is managed and maintained by its Management Corporation Strata Title.

Individual owners in the estate will own their respective strata units, as well as the common property as tenants-in-common.

Spanning 106,120 square metres, Braddell View was the largest of the 18 HUDC estates, and the only one completed in two phases. It sits on two land parcels under two state leases, each with different expiry dates - hence the lengthy privatisation process.

Read also: Light at the end of the privatisation tunnel

Over 80 per cent of flat owners - more than the 75 per cent mandate required - had agreed to the privatisation as of Jan 28, 2014.

The privatisation of HUDC estates was announced in 1995 as part of the Government's effort to meet the rising aspirations of Singaporeans to own private housing. It also gives flat owners greater control over the management and maintenance of their estate.

huizhen@sph.com.sg

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Taxi operators get green light to implement surge pricing

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SINGAPORE - Taxi operators here have been given the green light to implement the controversial surge pricing system, which subjects fares to demand.

The Land Transport Authority and Public Transport Council said in a joint statement today (March 17) they have "no objections to the proposals" submitted by taxi companies and Grab on the fare structure also known as dynamic pricing.

The authorities were informed that this will be introduced as an additional option for commuters to book a taxi, on top of the current metered fare taxi bookings.

Grab and SMRT Taxis today announced a partnership to roll out the surge pricing system for bookings made via Grab soon.

Metered fares will continue to apply for street-hail pickups as well as phone and GrabTaxi bookings, the companies said.

Grab is also working with Trans-Cab, Premier and HDT to introduce surge pricing.

Read also: Older cabbies not keen on surge pricing

Singapore's largest taxi operator ComfortDelGro will not implement surge pricing for now.

"Instead, we will introduce a flat fare structure which will be similar to our taxi metered fares for trips booked via our mobile applications. This new fare option will roll out in about two to three weeks' time," a spokesperson said in a statement.

Surge pricing, used by private-hire car services offered by Grab and Uber, has drawn flak for being exorbitant when demand is high. During off-peak hours, however, dynamic fares are usually lower than metered fares.

huizhen@sph.com.sg

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Driver 'beats red light', cuts across multiple lanes - in front of 2 traffic cops

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SINGAPORE - A driver was caught on video appearing to beat a red light and cutting across multiple lanes - all in front of two traffic policemen on patrol motorcycles.

The driver, who had stopped at a traffic junction with other vehicles waiting to turn right, suddenly signaled that he intended to switch to the left lane.

He then moved ahead by filtering to his left. The lights for his right-turn lane was red at that time but the lights for driving straight in other lanes were green.

on Facebook

Fantastic driver 🤣🤣😂

Posted by Raymond Chew on Thursday, 16 March 2017

The incident was captured in a video posted on the Singapore Taxi Driver Facebook page on Friday (March 17).

It is believed to have taken place in the Lavender area on Wednesday (March 15) at about 9pm, according to the timestamp on the video.

In the video, the two dumbfounded traffic policemen are seen exchanging glances before switching on their strobe lights and giving chase.

When contacted, the traffic police said that they are still looking into the matter.


This article was first published on March 17, 2017.
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Mini Cooper catches fire shortly after driver parks car in Tiong Bahru

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SINGAPORE - A car caught fire in a Tiong Bahru carpark on Thursday (March 16), just minutes after the driver alighted.

Ms Ariel Ong, 42, who was picking up her two children from their tuition class, parked at Block 18A, Jalan Membina.

Just after she got out of the car, the engine started emitting smoke, Lianhe Wanbao reported.

She called the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for help immediately.

Within minutes, she heard a bang and the engine burst into flames.

Firefighters put out the fire using two hose reel jets and one compressed air foam, SCDF said.

The car parked next to Ms Ong's Mini Cooper suffered some heat damage.

Ms Ong told Wanbao that the car was only 4½ years old.


This article was first published on March 17, 2017.
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Trailer truck driver arrested for driving against traffic on ECP

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SINGAPORE - Two trailer trucks got into trouble in separate road incidents on Friday (March 17).

No one was injured in either. Both incidents were captured on videos and photos circulating on social media.

The police have arrested a 32-year-old man for the offence of Dangerous Driving.

Earlier in the morning, the Traffic Police received information that a trailer truck had driven dangerously along East Coast Parkway (ECP) towards MCE, Marina Coastal Expressway, (AYE, Ayer Rajah Expressway).

The blue and red trailer truck from Rio Logistics was caught on video camera driving against traffic on the ECP near the entrance to MCE.

on Facebook

Trailer truck XE131U (RIO Logistics (S) Pte Ltd) going against the traffic at the entrance of west bound MCE from ECP just this morning on 17 March 2017 around 8am. (Video Credit: Samuel Lee)

Posted by Beh Chia Lor - Singapore Road on Thursday, 16 March 2017

A line of cars had to stop while the truck made a U-turn which blocked the entire expressway, a video uploaded on road safety community page Beh Chia Lor showed.

The police said in a news release on Friday that through follow-up investigations, the identity of the male driver was established and he was arrested.

In the second incident, a second trailer skidded and crashed into the road divider along the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) towards the exit to the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) towards Tuas at around 3pm.

The prime mover became detached from the trailer and folded back, a phenomenon called "jack knifing".

The Straits Times understands that the trailer truck skidded on the wet road surface as the driver started to turn left.

He tried to brake, lost control of the vehicle and hit the railing by the side of the road.

Motorists convicted of Dangerous Driving will lose their driving licences, and will be fined up to $3,000 or be jailed for up to one year, or both.

In the case of a second or subsequent conviction, motorists will be fined up to $5,000 or jailed for up to two years, or both.


This article was first published on March 17, 2017.
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Singapore rebuts Economist report on free speech for misrepresenting protesters

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SINGAPORE - The Government has reiterated its reasons for taking action against a group of protesters in Hong Lim Park, after The Economist magazine cited the 2014 case in an article on free speech in Singapore.

The protesters were taken to court for disrupting a charity event and not because they were criticising the authorities, Singapore's High Commissioner to Britain Foo Chi Hsia said in a letter published in the magazine's March 18 issue.

"They were not charged for criticising the Government, but for loutishly barging into a performance by a group of special education-needs children, frightening them and denying them the right to be heard," Ms Foo wrote.

This is the second time in a week that the Government has responded to a foreign publication that wrote about the case.

On Saturday, Reuters news agency wrote that six people "were charged with creating a public nuisance while protesting against a compulsory tax savings scheme".

Read also: Singapore says Reuters report on water price protest misleading

But the police clarified a day later that their protest had disrupted a charity event at an adjacent lawn. The six, who included blogger Han Hui Hui, were charged for public nuisance with common intention in October 2014, and subsequently convicted.

Last month (Feb 2017), the High Court upheld the conviction and sentence of Han and two others .

In her letter, Ms Foo said The Economist's report in its March 11 edition, titled Grumble And Be Damned, "alleged a lack of free speech in Singapore".

But she noted that Singaporeans have free access to information and the internet, including to international news outlets such as The Economist and the BBC.

"We do not stifle criticism of the government. But we will not allow our judiciary to be denigrated under the cover of free speech, nor will we protect hate or libellous speech," she said.

Opposition politicians have also successfully gone to court to defend their integrity and correct falsehoods purveyed against them, she noted.

"In no country is the right to free speech absolute," she said. "When this right is extended to fake news, defamation or hate speech, society pays a price. Witness the Brexit campaign, and elections in America and Europe."

"Trust in leaders and institutions, including journalists and the media, has been gravely undermined, as have these democracies. In contrast, international polls show that Singaporeans trust their government, judiciary, police and even media," she added.

"Singapore does not claim to be an example for others, but we do ask to be allowed to work out a system that is best for ourselves," she said.


This article was first published on March 17, 2017.
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Breaches of licensing found at 2 St James Power Station outlets, 40 people checked

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It was 2.30am in the wee hours of Saturday (March 18) at St James Power Station, but the music had stopped at a few of its clubs. Police officers in vests stood by the entrances, ensuring that no one left the outlets.

Inside, there was a low buzz of chatter as patrons looked around curiously, their half-empty beer towers and emptied shot glasses still on the tables. Officers screened the customers, leading a few of them out for further checks.

Club operations staff, spotted by The Straits Times, were showing the police their security officers' passes, and accounting for whether their other employees were registered as staff.

Two of the outlets there were found in breach of public entertainment licensing conditions, said police on Saturday.

A total of 40 people were checked during the joint operations conducted by the Clementi Police Division, supported by the Criminal Investigation Department, Traffic Police and Central Narcotics Bureau.

The enforcement, which started at around 2am, took place at six entertainment outlets in St James Power Station, while the Traffic Police set up a roadblock in the vicinity of Telok Blangah Road.

Two people were also arrested for using abusive language against public servants.

Nightlife complex St James Power Station came into the spotlight last Sunday (March 12) when a 35-year-old man died after a stabbing incident that took place there between 5.45am and 6am.

Four men have since been accused of being part of a group that killed Mr Satheesh Kumar Manogaran.

One of them was a part-time waiter at Postbar - an outlet at the nightspot.

Preliminary investigations showed that the attack took place after a dispute between Mr Satheesh Kumar and an unidentified staff member at Postbar. Another man was also injured in the attack.

Said Superintendent Lim Han Woon, commanding officer of Bukit Merah West Neighbourhood Police Centre: "Police take a serious view against illegal activities. This multi-agency joint operation led by the police is an ongoing effort to clamp down on these activities."

He added: "We will continue to work closely with our enforcement counterparts to ensure offenders are dealt with in accordance to the law."

On Saturday morning, 22 motorists were checked by the Traffic Police as well, at their roadblock. No arrests were made.


This article was first published on March 17, 2017.
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Overcoming trauma of terror attack

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Grassroots leaders and volunteers across Singapore will be trained in psychological first aid, to help residents overcome the shock and mental distress following a terror strike.

Psychologists and counsellors from the newly formed Human Emergency Assistance and Response Teams will teach community responders how to identify and support those suffering from psychological trauma after an attack.

These professionals from the Home Team, Ministry of Social and Family Development and Institute of Mental Health will train responders from all 89 constituencies, to ensure each area can support affected residents and their families.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the initiative yesterday at an event in Teck Ghee to raise awareness about SGSecure, the national movement to increase the public's preparedness and resilience in the fight against terror.

Recent terror-related incidents in the region show the threat is serious, Mr Lee said, calling on Singaporeans to strengthen community bonds to minimise the repercussions of an attack. Terrorists would aim not just to hurt people, but also to divide Singaporeans, he said.

That is why Singaporeans should get to know their neighbours and make friends with people of other races. Every little act counts, he added, from holding the lift door open to offering snacks to others.

"The stronger our kampung spirit, the less able the terrorists will be to break us," said Mr Lee at Emergency Preparedness Day in his Teck Ghee ward, organised as part of the SGSecure outreach to neighbourhoods.

He encouraged residents to acquire life-saving skills such as using automated external defibrillators (AEDs), which have been installed at 55 housing blocks in Teck Ghee. The Government aims to install one AED for every two blocks islandwide eventually.

General manager Chong Hwa Heng, 48, was among the residents who learnt how to use an AED yesterday. "It's good to be prepared just in case of emergencies, you never know when you might need to use this skill," he said.

Mr Lee also urged residents to download the SGSecure mobile application, which has been updated with new features. The app can now provide users with customised alerts on emergency incidents occurring in specific locations in Singapore - such as office buildings, shopping malls or residential blocks - by keying in the relevant postal codes. This will inform subscribers of any emergency situation near the specified location.

It will also send subscribers news alerts on terror incidents in specific regions that Singaporeans have key interests in, for instance South-east Asia, East Asia and Europe.

Financial administration officer Iliya Shazni, 29, tried the improved app, and said he will use it to keep track of incidents near his home, his mother's workplace, and his younger sister's school. "It'll give me better peace of mind knowing that I'll be informed should any danger arise near them," he said.

Mr Lee also joined residents in viewing an exercise where "terrorists" attacked coffee shop patrons with firearms. It showed residents running for cover, assisting casualties, and calling the police, which dispatched their emergency response teams to take out the threat.

With the terror threat at a high level, the Government has stepped up its outreach to raise awareness and prepare residents to respond effectively in the event of an attack.

Community volunteers and Home Team officers have visited more than 50,000 households since the official launch of the SGSecure movement last September.

The authorities plan to engage schools and workplaces next.

ziliang@sph.com.sg


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Growing pool of PE, art and music teachers

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Physical education (PE) is much more than just helping students keep fit, as it embodies good values and important life skills such as hard work, perseverance, integrity and teamwork, said a teacher.

PE teacher Joel Prathiev Vinson was drawing on his experience during his schooling years to speak of the subject's importance.

Now, the First Toa Payoh Primary School teacher, who has been in the profession for over six years, hopes to use his PE lessons to inculcate good values in the next generation.

The 31-year-old, who also teaches foundation mathematics, said: "I believe the outcome of education is not about grades, but the process each student goes through that guides him to make the right decisions as he grows up."

Mr Joel, who is also the head of department for discipline, is among a growing pool of PE, art and music teachers.

The number of such teachers has jumped by nearly 20 per cent in the past five years, as Singapore's education system moves towards becoming more holistic.

There are some 3,700 trained PE, art and music teachers now, up from about 3,100 teachers in 2012.

And the recruitment of such teachers is ongoing, said the Education Ministry, even as the overall teaching force remains stable.

The ministry has been steadily growing the pool of teachers "who have the personal qualities, aptitude and passion for teaching these subjects".

"Our PE, art and music curriculum plays a critical role in the holistic development of our students, as they cultivate the physical and aesthetics aspects of our students," a ministry spokesman said.

PE, art and music teachers make up more than a tenth of the current teaching force.

Overall, the teaching force has stabilised at more than 33,000 trained education officers since 2013, said the ministry.

An eight-year recruitment drive since 2004 has helped it build up the teaching force significantly.

Now, the ministry has switched gears and is focusing on replacing teachers who have called it quits and recruiting teachers in specific subject areas, such as art and music.

Observers and experienced educators said that the hiring of more PE, art and music teachers is encouraging, as it reflects the overhaul of an education system which has had a strong focus on marks instead of a child's holistic development.

National University of Singapore economics lecturer Kelvin Seah said it will also go towards helping to nurture students' talents and interests in non-academic pursuits.

"It will provide students with a more balanced and all-rounded educational experience," he noted.

"It also demonstrates the Gov- ernment's commitment to shifting away from a system which narrowly emphasises academic achievement to one which recognises and nurtures non-academic talent."

Mr Ng Eng Kee, 52, the head of department for aesthetics at Paya Lebar Methodist Girls' School (Secondary), said: "To maximise the potential of each of our students, the move towards a holistic education is inevitable. To be successful, students need to have skills and knowledge in both academic and non-academic areas."

Ms Tan Shin Shin, the subject head for art at Tampines Secondary School, said: "Being a teacher is also about spending time to find out more about my students and helping them grow."

The 37-year-old, who has 11 years of teaching experience, added: "A more holistic education will make students more future-ready, and enable them to express themselves and think out of the box."

calyang@sph.com.sg


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Pasir Ris residents 'cry fowl' after AVA culling

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Another fowl culling has ruffled feathers. This time it is the killing of free-roaming chickens in the Sungei Api Api area in Pasir Ris.

It comes barely a month after the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) took similar action in Sin Ming estate in Thomson, sparking a heated public debate.

Residents of the private estate beside Sungei Api Api said they used to see flocks of 10 birds or more until around two months ago, when the culling began.

Now, only scattered groups of two to three birds remain, said lawyer Chia Boon Teck.

"There used to be more than 100 birds. Residents now wake up to a lifeless Sungei Api Api," said the 53-year-old, who lives in a semi-detached house in Riverina View, just beside the river.

Read also: Culling may cause more harm than good: Study​

Mr Chia and other residents in the area are angry that the AVA had culled the chickens without informing or discussing it with them.

They said the birds are the native red junglefowl, because they have grey legs - one of the distinct characteristics of this bird, which is an endangered species in Singapore.

The Straits Times saw about 20 of these birds during a visit to the estate last Thursday.

The AVA, however, said it was "highly unlikely" the birds are the red junglefowl, usually found on Pulau Ubin and in the western catchment area near Lim Chu Kang.

In January, the AVA culled 24 free-roaming chickens in Sin Ming after it got 20 complaints about noise, and concerns over avian flu.

The move sparked a public outcry that culminated in Minister of State for National Development Koh Poh Koon assuring MPs in Parliament that it was done only as a last resort.

In the case of Pasir Ris, an AVA spokesman said it has been receiving feedback about the "growing free-roaming chicken population" since January last year.

She also said if these feathered flocks were left unchecked, they could pose a threat to public health in the event that bird flu is brought here by migratory birds.

The AVA declined to disclose how many complaints were received and chickens killed.

Mr Chia, who is vice-chairman of the neighbourhood committee, said it was "regrettable" that the AVA did not work with them to look into the complaints.

Other residents, like account director Faisal Salim, 49, are dismayed, saying that without the chickens, the "kampung atmosphere" of the estate is gone.

"You can't get the flora, fauna and fowls of this place in many estates in Singapore," said Mr Faisal, who has lived in the area for 10 years.

Read also: Chicken culling issue raises need for more awareness

Housewife Fiona Oliveiro, 46, said her maid had seen men catching the birds with nets in late January. The Straits Times had also spotted bird control experts catching the wild chickens last month.

The birds crow in the morning, but residents have learnt to live with it, Ms Oliveiro said.

Retiree Ng Cher Peng said some people find the birds an annoyance when they fly into their gardens and roost there. But they do not return when chased away, he added.

"If the AVA wants to cull, it should cull the mynahs and pigeons, which are more of a nuisance," said the 62-year-old.

Mr Louis Ng, an MP for Nee Soon GRC and an animal welfare advocate, said the AVA needs to share details on how it plans to manage free-roaming chickens.

"The population of these birds will control itself as long as there is no external food source. The key is to not cull the chickens, but to tell residents not to feed them," he said.

Read also: Chicken culling issue raises need for more awareness

Keeping close watch on free-ranging chickens

dansonc@sph.com.sg


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NUS students help seniors age well at home

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Each day, retired construction worker Goh Chek Eng needs to take a mind-boggling array of pills: 11 in the morning and 4½ at night, for a host of health issues ranging from high blood pressure to diabetes. He is also in charge of his 72-year-old wife's medicine for hypertension and chronic kidney disease.

It is hard enough for the 74-year-old to remember to swallow his pills, let alone recall which to take with or without food. "I get a headache trying," he said in Mandarin, adding that he used to just down them randomly when he "felt" he needed to, a practice which could be even more harmful than skipping the medication altogether.

Students from the National University of Singapore's (NUS) pharmacy department are helping people like Mr Goh make sense of their medicine. They drop in on elderly Telok Blangah residents who have been identified by social workers as struggling to manage their chronic illnesses.

The endeavour, which has been expanding steadily since it began in December 2014, complements a national effort to help older folk age well at home, and keep them out of hospital. Across the island, nurses provide community health screening and home visits for at-risk seniors, while several towns, like Yishun, have been made dementia-friendly.

During their visits, the students help the old folk decipher letters from hospitals or polyclinics, and sort out their medication. Each senior is monitored for at least a year.

The Community Health Angels Mentoring Programme (Champ), formed through a collaboration between NUS and charity Montfort Care's @27 Family Service Centre, started with nine students and today, has trained 80. Montfort Care plans to expand the programme to its Kreta Ayer and Marine Parade family service centres too.

Social worker Micki Sim said the students, armed with medical knowledge, are better placed to help with health issues. For example, in Mr Goh's case, he was able to get his vision problems rectified quickly after the student volunteer caring for him wrote a memo to an eye specialist.

"If you tell me about dark vision, I would not understand what caused it and would need to refer the client to a polyclinic, which could delay the intervention," Ms Sim said.

The students also free up social workers to focus on other areas, such as finances or depression.

Dr Yap Kai Zhen, Champ's director, said the aims of the programme include letting students apply what they have learnt to real-life situations, and for them to understand the needs of seniors better. Teaching seniors how to manage their medical conditions properly will, in turn, reduce the strain on hospitals and long-term care services.

NUS student Tan She Hui, 24, said: "As a pharmacist in the future, I will definitely check on the patient's medication compliance before making any changes to his medication because I now realise what a common problem it is."

Mr Goh has learnt to organise his medication using a plastic container with multiple pockets according to the day and the time he has to take them. The students separated the remaining stock of his medicine into two bags, labelled with the Chinese words for morning and night as he does not read English. "I don't just take them carelessly any more... The students have helped me and my wife a lot," he said.

samboh@sph.com.sg


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S'pore boosting capabilities to counter chemical attacks

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Imagine that terrorists have just released a large amount of highly toxic nerve gas at a major event attended by thousands.

Casualties ensue, but emergency services know exactly how to react.

They use portable kits to rapidly screen hundreds of people who show no symptoms yet, so only those who have been exposed are hospitalised. They use real-time data on wind movements to quickly move people away from the toxic plume. Meanwhile, samples are rushed to a state-of-the-art laboratory to accurately identify the chemical used and help track down the perpetrators.

At the heart of a concerted effort to develop these capabilities is Singapore's defence research organisation DSO National Laboratories, which has enlisted scientists specialising in everything from biochemistry to atmospheric physics, to make it hard for terrorists to create mass panic and mass casualties using chemical means.

Dr Loke Weng Keong, director of DSO's Chemical, Toxins, Radiological and Nuclear Defence Programme, said: "It is a means to assure the public in a very fast manner that 'you're safe, you can go home'. It makes it (chemical agent) less attractive as a terrorist option."

Otherwise, he noted, people may have to be quarantined en masse even though they may not have been poisoned, which will stoke public alarm and overwhelm hospitals.

Fears of a chemical attack on civilian populations are very real. In 1995, for instance, 12 people were killed and thousands more injured when Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo released sarin gas, a nerve agent, in the Tokyo subway.

Nerve agents were in the limelight again last month when North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's half-brother Kim Jong Nam was reportedly killed with the poison VX.

DSO's portable test kits - small enough to fit into a couple of suitcases - can screen blood samples from up to 100 people within an hour for the presence of nerve agents and other toxins.

The samples are treated with reagents in rows of small vials and put through a spectrophotometer, a machine that analyses whether chemical agents are present.

Previous kits could do so only for fewer than 10 people at a time, and could take more than two hours to get results.

The kits are the result of a collaboration with Singapore-based company Prestige BioResearch.

It will be about three more years before the technology can be scaled up for use in hospitals and for first-responders such as police and civil defence forces, said Dr Loke.

In another DSO department, engineers and computer scientists are working on the Hazardous Material Decision Support Tool (Hazmat), a system that can track wind speed and direction in three-dimensional space, in real time, to predict the dispersal of a toxic plume of chemicals. This will help emergency services contain the spread and move people away from danger.

A crucial part of the system is a light detection and ranging, or lidar, machine that emits a rotating laser. The beams are reflected back to the machine by the dust particles in the air, generating a picture of air movements within a radius of several kilometres from the machine, much like how radar tracks aircraft.

Last year, DSO put Hazmat through its paces in a desert in the United States, where a real chemical agent was released.

The agency was among participants from several countries invited by the US in a joint exercise to test their technologies.

Preventing an attack is also crucial. Associate Professor Roderick Bates, an expert in chemical synthesis at Nanyang Technological University, said that many chemical agents kill fast, citing the example of Mr Kim Jong Nam.

Said Prof Bates: "He lived only for a very short time after the attack and in that space of time, he would have had to seek help, be diagnosed, and have the antidote delivered and administered.

"That is the problem."

This is where Singapore's tight regulation of substances that could be used to make these chemicals comes in, Prof Bates pointed out.

"It would be difficult to obtain the key chemicals without alerting the authorities."

linyc@sph.com.sg


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Good Chance Popiah's founder, 98, still passionate about Peking opera and sports

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A lifetime of friends and exercise and a passion for the arts could well be the secret to living long and living well.

Former Singapore national basketball player, pioneer Peking opera singer and restaurateur Hor Chim Or celebrated his 98th birthday earlier this month.

And, on that special day on March 11, he launched his memoirs, Good Chance, Hor Chim Or, at his Good Chance Popiah Restaurant in Jalan Besar before some 50 invited guests and family members.

All those present were, as usual, eagerly waiting to hear him sing.

So, after a brief introduction on the 200-page memoirs in Chinese with English translations - by founder and president of the Chinese Opera and Drama Society Bian Huibin - the microphone was passed to the birthday boy.

Mr Hor stood slim and straight at his full 1.8m height. With a walking stick in one hand, he moved quickly and steadily to centre stage.

Before breaking out in song, he told his audience - several of whom were already shouting out titles of songs they wanted him to sing - that "playing basketball and singing Peking opera have been my two best loves all my life".

He sang a couple of his favourite laosheng or old male roles from Peking opera classics, such as Hong Yang Dong from the opera Female Generals Of The Yang Family, to the delight of the audience.

Later, he told The Straits Times in Mandarin that the secret to still being able to sing forcefully and beautifully was his passion for Peking opera. As a boy, he had listened to it on the radio and gramophone.

He made his debut as a Peking opera performer when he was 19.

"My youth as an athlete and basketball player also helped," he pointed out.

He still exercises for at least 40 minutes every morning, and sings opera every Saturday afternoon at the Singapore Amoy Association in Bukit Pasoh with a group of enthusiasts and musicians.

Mr Hor Chim OrPhoto: The Straits Times

One of the early members of Singapore's first amateur Peking opera group Ping Sheh soon after it was formed in 1940, Mr Hor also founded another group, Tian Yun Peking Opera Society, in 1992.

Today, he is the oldest living Peking opera practitioner in Singapore following the death of Madam Phan Wait Hong last September at the age of 102.

Both were recipients of the Singapore Chinese Opera Institute's inaugural Prestige Orchids Awards in 2014 for their contributions to Singapore Chinese opera, especially in the early years.

Mr Bian, 53, of the Chinese Opera and Drama Society, said Mr Hor's memoirs followed Madam Phan's, which were published 15 years ago by the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

"I decided to publish Mr Hor's book because his nearly 100 years' life is almost as long as the development of Chinese opera in Singapore and he not only witnessed most of that period, but was also an active participant," he explained.

The book also shed light on less-known facets of Mr Hor's life.

Despite little formal education, for instance, he was publisher of a weekly newspaper, Gongshang Daobao, and a movie magazine in partnership with friends between 1959 and 1969.

Before that, he had worked in various Chinese newspapers, including the now-defunct Nanfang Wanbao and Nanyang Siang Pau.

He also played for the newspapers' basketball teams, representing them in tournaments both here and abroad.

He was a marketing and advertising man in his two publications, leaving editorial matters to his other partners. The publications folded eventually due to stiff competition.

Mr Hor, who was born in Singapore to a candle-maker from Zhangzhou in Fujian province, went into the restaurant business in 1977 when he and his wife started selling popiah, using his mother's recipe.

Today, there are two restaurants - one in Jalan Besar, the other in Jalan Bukit Merah - which are managed by his grandchildren.

Mr Hor's memoirs were written by Shen Jihua, a publisher and writer for many Chinese clan associations' magazines in Johor, who spent over a year interviewing him.

Besides his life story, the book includes his involvement in the basketball scene both here and abroad between the 1930s and 1950s, and in helping to set up Nanyang University in the 1950s .

There is also a chapter on his wife, Madam Huang Bixia. She was his childhood sweetheart whom he married in 1943 during the Japanese Occupation here, when he was 23 and she 21.

Madam Huang, who died of kidney failure in 1997, aged 80, shared his love of the arts and sports. She was not only a good pianist but also a national swimmer who represented Malaya in an international meet in China in 1948 .

The couple have four children - three girls and a boy - who are in their 60s and 70s.

Eldest daughter Hor Ching, 72, who is single and lives with her father in a two-room Housing Board flat just above their restaurant in Jalan Bukit Merah, said: "My dad has had an eventful and interesting life. My wish is for him to have many more good years ahead."

She also takes him to the McDonald's outlet at Chinatown Point every weekday afternoon to meet his friends.

What does Mr Hor think is his secret to longevity? "Exercise daily, eat moderately, be happy and show no anger," he said.

wengkam@sph.com.sg

Call the Chinese Opera and Drama Society at 62923393 to order the book at $12 a copy.


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Laughter as medicine

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Anyone who thinks clowns are scary has not met these guys.

With their red noses and white face paint, rainbow-coloured outfits and oversized shoes, the Caring Clown Unit (CCU) has brought nothing but love and laughter to the sickest children at KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

This group of volunteers, formed in 2004, visits the paediatric wards every last Saturday of the month to sculpt balloons, perform magic tricks and basically be silly, to try and make a child smile.

With ages ranging from 26 to 62, the 11 active members are a motley crew, with different personalities and from various walks of life, counting among them a policeman, vehicle mechanic, handyman, polytechnic lecturer as well as two housewives, three retirees and two business and marketing executives.

They believe that care clowning is a form of diversion therapy that can help heal one's body and spirit, especially if a person feels trapped in a predicament and loses the joy and happiness of living.

Housewife Ellen Toh, who has three children, is one of the four pioneer clowns in the group. The 61-year-old former teacher is "Tellie", a clown who tells stories and carries a rubber chicken as part of her signature act.

Raed also: Terminally ill Sunderland fan, 5, wins goal of the month

The pioneer clowns met 13 years ago at a local clown camp and discovered they shared a desire to bring cheer to patients. Thus was the CCU born, available to organisations that need their special brand of TLC.

"After more than a decade of walking the wards as a clown, I have come to realise it is not a one-way traffic of dispensing cheer," said Madam Toh.

Seeing the children's steely resolve in times of great discomfort, their innocence and smiles despite their pain, as well as the unconditional love of their caregivers, inspires the volunteers and constantly reminds them to count their blessings.

"Life is a two-way carriageway of give and take, hope and despair, joy and sadness, laughter and tears," Madam Toh added.

Caring for a mother with dementia, she understands the challenges of a caregiver and being a clown reminds her to face each new day with humour and courage.

Besides its KKH gig, the group also does clowning at birthdays, a tie-up with Star Pals (Paediatric Advance Life Support) - a palliative service dedicated to improving the quality of life for seriously ill children in the comfort of their homes.

A child with a terminal illness is sometimes not even aware of what is going on, so it is often those around them who draw comfort from the clowning.

"It's sad to know that the child may be celebrating his or her last birthday, but I try my best to sing, dance and bring colour to the party and smiles to the caregivers. I hope our presence will give the families some nice memories," said Ms Tan Shumin, who at 26 is the youngest member of CCU and the one who handles administrative matters.

CCU has also worked with The Boys' Brigade, Institute of Mental Health, Melrose Home Children's Aid Society, Society for the Physically Disabled and Saint Andrew's Community Hospital, among other groups.

Where CCU does not clown about is in its conduct and training. Because the unit's work concerns mainly children, senior members take great care in running background checks on interested applicants, observing them for at least a year before they are allowed to become an official member.

Read also: A mother's story with daughter's terminal disease: 'I couldn't accept this'

They are conscientious about adhering to the rules and regulations of the facilities they visit, and members take maximum precaution to minimise the risk of spreading disease. For instance, they are not allowed to take up assignments if they are not feeling well or suspect they may have a virus.

It is the member's responsibility to attend all training conducted by CCU and be committed to practice. Everyone must be able to perform a minimum of five magic tricks with a selected theme or storyline, produce a minimum of three balloon figures within 10 minutes and juggle a minimum of three objects for at least a minute. Members are also expected to conduct their own research and practice in addition to the official training.

To hone their skills, seven of them are headed to Bangkok for an international clown convention organised by the World Clown Association at the end of the month.

Because they just had to, the group came up with "the 10 Clownmandments" when they first came together. Pinned to the noticeboard in the volunteers' room at KKH, members read each statement aloud before they go to the wards. The first Clownmandment declares "I clown because I care", and - in their firm conviction that laughter is the best medicine - they seriously do.

VIDEO

The Caring Clowns from Through the Lens on Vimeo.


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