SINGAPORE - Beware of a fake Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) website that is phishing for visitors' visa reference numbers and passport numbers.

ICA said in a statement today (March 23) that the site, www.singapore-epass.com/login.html, is fake and advises the public "to exercise caution so that you do not unwittingly fall prey to such fake websites."

ICA said to only use its official website at www.ica.gov.sg for all informational and transactional needs concerning ICA matters. It pointed out "that access to the official ICA website remains unaffected and no data has been compromised."

A police report has been made about the fake website.

Just yesterday, it was reported that some Singtel subscribers had received phishing e-mails, seemingly sent by the telco, telling them "Your Singtel bill is now available for download".

Singtel said it was aware of the issue and advised recipients of these e-mails to delete them immediately.

Last week, 13 People's Action Party (PAP) MPs were affected by fake Facebook accounts.

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

The accounts have since been deleted.

Be careful on the Internet everyone!

spanaech@sph.com.sg

Two local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have reported to the United Nations (UN) that the Bangladesh government is not doing enough to protect the interests of its workers in Singapore.

The Humanitarian Organisation for Migration Economics (Home) and Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) sent a report to the UN Committee on Migrant Workers earlier this month on Bangladeshi workers' plight.

The UN panel meets in Geneva next month to review Bangladesh's commitment to protecting its workers under the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

The Bangladesh High Commission in Singapore has refuted the report.

Its spokesman told The Straits Times that the mission is keeping a close eye on the recruitment process and, among other things, checks on workers' living conditions.

The two NGOs have said that one shortcoming of the Bangladesh government is its failure to regulate recruitment agents.

"Workers may be lured by deceptive recruitment practices and find, upon arrival in Singapore, that wages and working conditions differ from what was promised back home," they said in a statement accompanying the report.

The Bangladesh government also failed to prepare its workers before they arrived in Singapore, the NGOs claimed, and it did not work with the Singapore Government to improve work and living conditions.

"The absence of support and assistance by the Bangladesh mission leaves some Bangladesh nationals in precarious conditions.

"Many workers, especially those who have been cheated by recruiters, often return to Bangladesh not knowing how to seek redress. They are not aware of their legal rights."

There are about 160,000 Bangladeshi workers here, with most working as construction workers, shipyard workers and cleaners, earning less than $20 a day.

"As much as we would like the Singapore Government to do its part, TWC2 wishes also to impress upon the Bangladesh government that it too has a responsibility to its own citizens," said TWC2 treasurer Alex Au on the purpose of the report.

Home's social worker Stephanie Chok, who worked on the report, said that the report could lead to greater co-operation between Bangladesh and Singapore in protecting the workers, as the issues cut across national boundaries.

The high commission, refuting the report, said that it has approved 14 recruiters who can send workers to Singapore and is intensively monitoring the hiring process.

"The high commission is actively engaged in ensuring maximum welfare of the expatriate workers," its spokesman said, adding that its officials make regular visits to dormitories to check on the workers' welfare and living conditions.

Workers also get legal and financial aid and counselling when they face problems such as salary disputes and work injury compensation, the spokesman added.

"The High Commissioner himself listens to the workers and passes necessary directives to the official concerned in ensuring the workers' welfare," said the spokesman.

Singapore's Manpower Ministry, when contacted, said that there is in place "a comprehensive set of legislative, administrative and promotional measures to protect the rights of all our foreign workers, regardless of nationality".

"Singapore reviews its regulatory framework periodically to ensure the well-being and rights of foreign workers are safeguarded," it added.

tohyc@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 24, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

SINGAPORE - 11 fluffy puppies were found hidden in a modified fuel tank of a car by Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers.

A Malaysia-registered car driven by a lone 43-year-old Malaysian man was directed for further checks by ICA officers when he arrived at the Woodlands Checkpoint at about 9pm yesterday (March 23).

When the puppies were found, the driver, puppies and car were referred to the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA), said a statement by ICA and AVA today (March 24).

Investigations are ongoing.

The statement said "animals that are smuggled into Singapore are of unknown health status and may introduce exotic diseases, such as rabies, into the country."

The importation of any animals or live birds without an AVA permit is illegal and carries a maximum penalty of $10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year.

ICA and AVA would like to remind travellers against bringing live animals, birds and insects into Singapore without a proper permit.

The public can refer to AVA's website or download AVA's mobile app, SG TravelKaki, for more information on bringing back animals from overseas travels.

spanaech@sph.com.sg

Works by two foreign-born, Singapore-based artists currently on show here not only give an idea of how they see the island republic, but also how they use their art to bridge understanding and build relationships.

Panagiotis Kotsidas

Panagiotis Kotsidas calls himself a street photographer, using photography as a way of exploring a space and as a shield as he observes what's happening around him.

Since he came to Singapore from New York City to work as an engineer in 2013, he's been taking photographs of life around him, going to far ends of Singapore like Kranji and even out at sea.

Hundreds of film rolls - and not digital files - later, Mr Kotsidas has teamed up with award-winning poet Shivram Gopinath to present I Know You're Upset, a photo book and exhibition featuring Mr Kotsidas's photos and Mr Gopinath's poetry.

"It was very much a collaboration where we selected my photos together, and had many discussions about the narrative of the photo book," said Mr Kotsidas, a 33-year-old Greek.

Eighteen of the 45 photos in the book were picked for the exhibition at UltraSuperNew, a new creative agency headed by Mr Gopinath.

The 2015 and 2016 Singapore National Poetry Slam champion had written poems as reactions to the photos.

"The idea behind the photos is of a foreigner trying to discover the ethos and psyche of Singapore," said Mr Kotsidas.

"And the photos contrast with what foreigners think of Singapore in general: a super clean tropical island."

At the gallery, Mr Kotsidas displayed six 50 by 50cm prints on the left wall and a number of smaller prints on the right.

He photographed local communities as well as "sleazy expats".

The exhibition title I Know You're Upset is tongue-in-cheek because he reckoned that some of the images he had taken might not sit well with those who see them.

"The whole idea was to create a collection that makes you feel that something is a bit off about the space."

Mr Kotsidas said of a photo of two birds in cages, shot against a perfect backdrop of blue sky and sea: "It seems like they're in a perfect environment, but at the same time, they're trapped. I think many people around me can relate to that."

In another photo, there's a Caucasian man sitting in a boat next to two women whose faces are outside the frame. "This, to me, is representative of a 'certain group' in Singapore."

Lavender Chang

Taiwan-born Lavender Chang first came to Singapore with her parents, for her to pursue tertiary education.

To learn more about Singapore, the art graduate embarked on a quest to find out about hawker food that reminded Singaporeans of home.

She would arrange and take photos of the cooked ingredients of the dishes, dissecting them visually.

Ms Chang, who learnt drawing and painting in school, majored in photography while at Temasek Polytechnic.

The series A Dissection of...... was in response to an anti-immigrant rally she saw at Hong Lim Park, which made her think about how she felt welcomed in Singapore.

"I saw one of my Singaporean friends taking part in the rally, which was a shock to me as I remember her as very friendly," said Ms Chang.

So she started the food series because she believed that it would be a good way to know a person, finding out what they love to eat and how the dishes trigger memories.

The exhibition at The Arts House, which opened last week, features a few works from A Dissection of......, mounted on plastic chairs and arranged to look like it's a local coffee shop.

The series is part of an exhibition called Pet Me, Pet Me, Look At Me, Love Me, which looks at the role of the written word in the conceptual practices of Ms Chang and fellow artist Liana Yang.

Ms Chang is notably varied in her work, having done several time-based, process-driven works.

The latest to premiere at the Arts House is a series called All The Lights We Cannot See, based on conversations Ms Chang had with seven people, in which they talked about their deepest, darkest secrets.

It's a project she started in 2012, but the work is being presented only now because she wanted to conduct a second round of interviews - a year or two after their initial meeting.

"I wanted to see if their memories or emotions would be different a year after they first shared them with me," said Ms Chang.

And the second meeting benefitted the project.

One of the interviewees could provide only sketchy details at their first meeting, but gave her full story at the follow-up interview.

"Some of them said they felt better after sharing with me," said Ms Chang.

The "secrets" are written out on paper, photographed and presented in a video projection.

"It's no longer just text - I've captured a portrait of the secret, photographing the person."

Although it was a challenging project because of the persuading she had to do and the emotions involved, Ms Chang said the idea fascinated her - unearthing the secrets was like holding a mirror to herself, a process on which her works are centred on.

I Know You're Upset photo exhibition at UltraSuperNew

• 13, Bussorah Street, from now till April 14, Mondays to Fridays, 10am to 7pm.
• To buy the limited-edition photo book, go to https://i-know-youre-upset.myshopify.com

Pet Me, Pet Me, Look At Me, Love Me exhibition

• Arts House, from now till April 12, 10am to 10pm daily.
• There is a curator's tour on April 8, 2 to 3pm

uihoon@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 24, 2017.
Get The Business Times for more stories.

In a conversation with outgoing National University of Singapore (NUS) president Tan Chorh Chuan on Tuesday, Harvard University president Drew Faust was struck by how alike their challenges are.

Harvard is ranked the world's sixth-best university, while NUS is 24th globally and Asia's best.

Speaking exclusively to The Straits Times after that meeting, Professor Faust said: "I had a great conversation with Chorh Chuan… Here we were, (from universities that are) 9,000 miles (14,500km) apart, and thinking about so many of the same issues. It was overwhelming."

These issues, she added, included lifelong education, data science, what undergraduates expect of grading and, in general, what students should know to thrive in a future with robots and other forms of pervasive technology.

On the last, Prof Faust mused: "We just ought to let the 11-year-olds run the world because their attitude is 'This is just how it is'. When you're older, it's 'I have to learn this, I have to adjust to it'. But for 11-year-olds, it's like breathing."

She herself was eager to learn more from Singapore on two scores: How data science is evolving at NUS and how Singapore will make its new general education system work.

Her university is revving up "on every level" for the digital future, from creating robotic bees to pollinate plants, to studying the impact of digital media on society, privacy and security.

"What we're doing, what we're researching, what we're thinking, is very much informed by these new circumstances."

Then there are Harvard's 90 online courses, whose topics range from neuroscience to poetry and which are part of a global teaching project that it initiated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Over three million people - half of them outside the United States - have taken the courses, she said.

Asked if she would explore with Singapore institutions the sort of "global international alliances" that are a key prong of Singapore's economy, Prof Faust, 69, said that she would let that happen "naturally" between her individual colleagues and universities here.

She noted how Singapore's top leaders, including Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong - who has a Master of Public Administration from Harvard - and founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, engaged and advised Harvard for many years.

"That's been extremely important over the years," she stressed, adding that there are about 130 Singaporeans studying on her campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

As to how much of an impact Singaporeans have made on Harvard, she said that they have much to contribute to discussions there, especially on issues like how Singapore deals with traffic congestion, land reclamation and climate change.

Prof Faust became the first woman to head Harvard in 2007 and is celebrating her 10th year this year as its 28th president.

Among the biggest feathers in her cap in that time was ensuring that brilliant minds from straitened circumstances have a place at her university, chiefly by increasing financial aid.

As she told Fast Company magazine in 2014, one-fifth of her students came from families earning less than US$65,000 (S$91,000) a year, with three out of five of them receiving financial aid - up from nearly half (48 per cent) before she became president.

"We try to create a community in which everyone feels that this is a place where they belong and that Harvard belongs to them," she said.

Broadening access to Harvard thus is also her salvo to the increasingly anti-expert and anti-elite. Noting that Harvard's motto is Veritas - Latin for "truth" - she said that she is countering the clear "resistance to expertise and facts" today by extending such financial aid to foreign students too.

About a quarter of Harvard's student population is from outside the US.

Continuing to welcome these students, she stressed, is her way of "enlisting people in feeling that we have legitimacy, that we are not closed off on some arbitrary basis".

Embracing diversity is "extremely important" to her too, because she has benefited from it.

"The idea that Harvard has a female president would have been unimaginable such a short time ago, and so I embody a kind of change in the community," Prof Faust said.

She said some at Harvard, who might have initially reacted to that change with thoughts like "Umph, a woman. What's this about?", adjusted quickly because they saw that if they helped her to succeed, Harvard would succeed too.

Still, she had other bumps to overcome, which she did by "listening hard" to colleagues and stakeholders.

Recalling her first days as president, Prof Faust said: "I could hear little noises like, 'Maybe she's too nice.' I think I've now educated the community that you can be both nice and tough, and that nice is a good thing… Nice and strong are not contradictory."

suk@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 24, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Singapore - Five years ago, renowned Singaporean violinist Siow Lee Chin was driving alone to Georgia, in the southeastern part of United States, when a massive 18-wheeler lorry slammed into her car.

Her left arm was badly broken, but when paramedics arrived at scene, all she could think of was saving her violin.

"It was in the day, I couldn't leave my violin under the sun, it would be ruined," she said.

2012 was a particularly trying year for Siow Lee Chin. Not only did she survive thyroid cancer and a serious car accident, she also had to cope with the deaths of two loved ones - her patron Lady Yuen-Peng McNeice and her father Siow Hee Shun.

In the fourth episode of "The Newsmaker", Siow Lee Chin, who came back from the US to Singapore for a few local events in March, shares how she overcame the odds to continue pursuing music, and the lessons her late father taught her in this journey. She also offers some advice for budding young talents and their parents.

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.

SINGAPORE - Singapore's only panda family might soon welcome a new member, if Kai Kai and Jia Jia, the two pandas housed at the River Safari's Giant Panda Forest, successfully mate.

This will be the giant pandas' third attempt at natural mating. Their previous attempts in 2015 and 2016 proved fruitless, while attempts at artificial insemination also failed.

But the pandas are not the only ones working hard this mating season, which typically occurs from March to May.

Keepers at the River Safari have also finetuned their techniques to stimulate the pandas' mating instincts, said the Wildlife Reserves of Singapore (WRS).

These methods include moving the pandas - which were housed separately - into each others exhibits last November, to stimulate hormonal changes when the pandas smell the scent of the opposite gender. Previously, the move was done two months later, in January to prepare the pandas for mating.

The temperature and daylight hours at the 1,500 sq m park - specially designed to resemble the natural habitat of the pandas in Sichuan, China - have also been adjusted to replicate the seasonal transition from winter to spring in their homeland and trigger the breeding cycle of the pair.

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Photo Gallery

Kai Kai, Jia Jia gear up for second try at making a baby

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

During an annual check-up - which included collecting urine samples, dental and eye checks, as well as x-rays of female Jia Jia's abdomen - veterinarians also gave both pandas a clean bill of health.

While the pandas will be courting in full view of visitors to the park, the actual deed will be done behind closed doors.

Once Jia Jia's oestrogen level drops, the giant pandas will be taken out of their respective exhibits for three days to allow natural mating in the dens, said WRS.

However, should this attempt prove unsuccessful, veterinarians have again collected Kai Kai's semen via electro-ejaculation for artificial insemination to increase the chances of breeding the pandas.

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

When a woman discovered her husband had videos of her friends in bathrooms on his mobile phone, she reported him to the police.

Kevin Chin Thain Min, 35, was arrested on March 3 last year.

Yesterday, he was sentenced to 14 days' short detention order - a community-based sentencing.

He had pleaded guilty to four counts of insulting modesty and one each of theft and house trespass. Another 12 charges were considered.

The court heard that the freelance motoring journalist had filmed two women he had developed a crush on.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Tan Yanying said that sometime in June 2014, Chin stole the key to a friend's home.

Between October and December 2014, he used the key to enter her home and installed the camera inside a small crack in the bathroom's false ceiling. As a result, he was able to record videos of the woman in the shower and undressing.

Chin also developed a "crush" on another female friend and had planned secretly to film her in various states of undress or take upskirt videos of her when giving her a lift in his car.

Sometime in June 2014, he invited the second victim to his home and secretly filmed her using the toilet.

In another incident involving the second victim, the court heard that Chin was with her in a test car when he used a mobile phone to record a video of her undergarments.

Chin's wife found videos and images of her female friends, including the first victim, when she was using his mobile phone in July 2015.

She later found that he had placed various spy cameras, some of which were hidden in everyday household items, and kept an assortment of women's underwear.

She reported him to the police.

His lawyer Tan Hee Joek said the father of one, who is now not working, suffers from two types of paraphilic disorder - voyeuristic and fetishistic disorder, which a psychiatrist said caused him to commit the offences.

He said Chin is being treated and attending therapy and counselling. Chin's wife, a legal counsel, has forgiven him.

This article by The Straits Times was published in The New Paper, a free newspaper published by Singapore Press Holdings.

Mr Samuel Ang, 38, got a pleasant surprise when he was declared S.E.A. Aquarium's 10 millionth visitor since its opening in 2012.

The financial services consultant visited the aquarium at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) yesterday with his wife Claire, 37, and their 13-month-old daughter Beatrice at 10.50am. They were specially led to the Ocean Dome by RWS staff.

They were each presented with a S.E.A. Aquarium annual pass by RWS vice-president of attractions Jagdesh Kumar which will give them free access to the aquarium for a year.

The family also received a gift hamper containing merchandise such as sea creature plushies and stationery.

Read also: Poison arrow frogs leap into S.E.A. Aquarium

The 10 millionth visitor at the attraction was determined by estimates based on forecasts of visitor arrivals compiled by RWS.

Mr Ang said he felt "overwhelmed" by the unexpected announcement.

Read also: This Singaporean aquarist dives with more than 100 sharks daily

His family also got to take photos with Mai, the manta ray mascot. "Beatrice's favourite animal is the manta ray, so it's quite a coincidence," Mr Ang said about the meeting with the mascot.

He had taken his family to Sentosa on a three-day, two-night staycation from Sunday to celebrate his and his daughter's birthdays, which fall on Feb 22 and Feb 28 respectively.

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Photo Gallery

Behind the scenes at S.E.A. Aquarium

Source: AsiaOne

The couple plan to use the pass to visit the aquarium monthly. They first visited the attraction on a date five years ago, and yesterday's visit was their third.

Mrs Ang, a financial consultant, said she likes the aquarium because it is child-friendly. "The floor is carpeted, which makes it easy for kids to move around," she said.

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Photo Gallery

Vibrant poison arrow frogs at S.E.A. Aquarium

Source:

The Straits Times

Other visitors will also get to enjoy some perks. From now till April 9, children aged between four and 12 visiting the aquarium on a one-day ticket will enjoy a free upgrade to a child annual pass. They have to be Singaporeans or permanent residents.

Home to 10,000 marine animals across 800 species, the S.E.A. Aquarium was named second-best aquarium in Asia in the 2015 TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice Awards.

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

Cyclists will be able to travel safely alongside cars from April 22 when the island's first on-road bicycle lane opens in Changi East.

There will be a 10km-long, dedicated 2m-wide lane for two-wheelers on both sides of the extended Tanah Merah Coast Road.

The bicycle lane, which can fit two cyclists riding abreast, will be demarcated from the vehicular carriageway.

Raised chevron-shaped markings will help alert motorists when they veer into it, and red markings will also alert cyclists to look out for turning vehicles.

The cycling lane will also be diverted behind bus stops to minimise interaction between buses and cyclists.

While on-road cycling lanes were launched on Sentosa last year, this is the first time that they are making a debut on a public road on the mainland.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said new bicycle lanes will provide an alternative for cyclists who frequent the 6km Changi Coast Road, which will close on April 22.

LTA made clear, however, that it does not have plans to build more on-road cycling lanes.

"Given the lack of land in Singapore, LTA will focus on building off-road cycling paths. They are much safer for the majority of cyclists and personal mobility device users," said a spokesman.

Under the National Cycling Plan, the Government will build 700km of cycling paths by 2030 - in a bid to reduce car usage.

While neighbourhoods such as Tampines have cycling paths, these are separated from the road infrastructure.

Works to extend and widen Tanah Merah Coast Road, which started in 2014, are meant to facilitate construction of a third runway at the airport and Terminal 5.

The road was widened from a dual two-lane road to a three-lane road and extended to hug the eastern coastline and link to Aviation Park Road.

There will be a new park connector running along the extended Tanah Merah Coast Road, linking the one coming from East Coast Park and another one along Aviation Park Road.

adrianl@sph.com.sg

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

KUALA LUMPUR - He climbed through a ventilation shaft in a toilet at a prison in Singapore, hid under an expressway and swam across the Tebrau straits from Woodlands to Stulang Laut.

It seemed that notorious Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) bomb maker Mas Selamat Kestari, who was also a Singapore's Internal Security Act (ISA) detainee, hatched the perfect "prison break" in February 2008.

But it was not to be, since not long after crossing the Tebrau Straits, Malaysia's Counter Terrorism Divi­sion (E8) was hot on his heels.

"It was one of the most interesting arrests we made of a JI militant.

"He escaped from a detention centre in Singapore on Feb 27, 2008 but was later caught in Johor Baru on April 1, 2009. We detained three former JI members - Matin Anon Rahmat, Johar Hassan and Nurrohman - and their interrogation led us to a house in Johor Baru, where we discovered Mas Selamat hiding," Deputy Comm Datuk Ayob Khan said in an interview to mark the 210th Police Day celebrations, which takes place today.

The Bukit Aman Special Branch Counter Terrorism Division head said during interrogation, Mas Selamat revealed that he started preparing for his escape a month ahead by exercising and trying to solicit information on roads outside the Singaporean prison from his wife during family visits.

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Photo Gallery

How Mas Selamat escaped from Singapore

Source:

Ministry of Home Affairs

The Straits Times

The New Paper

Berita Harian

"He started to stock up extra small packages of butter to be used as food and obtained extra clothing from his wife.

"On Feb 27, 2008, he escaped through the camp's toilet ventilation window and scrambled through the perimeter fence," he said.

Mas Selamat claimed that he hid under an overhead bridge along the Pan Island Expressway for five days before making his way towards Woodlands using a monsoon drain under cover of darkness.

He then swam across the Tebrau Straits to Stulang Laut in Johor Baru on the night of March 2, 2008.

"He kept himself afloat with the aid of empty mineral water bottles and landed at Stulang Laut at about 5.30am on March 3, 2008," revealed DCP Ayob.

"After day break, he walked about 10km towards Pelangi Plaza before boarding a bus to the house of Matin in Ulu Tiram.

"He later moved to another hideout at Kampung Tawakal, Skudai, belonging to Johar.

"Mas Selamat stayed there for about a year before we finally caught up with him," he said.

The trio of Mas Selamat, Matin and Johar had several terror plots in mind, including kidnapping Singa­porean Chinese in Johor as hostages in return for the release of all JI detainees in Singapore.

"If their request was not met, all the hostages were to be 'slaughtered' and video-taped for distribution to the international community," said DCP Ayob.

Counter terrorism intensified its operations against JI from 2001 until 2007.

"We were the first agency along with Singaporean authorities to uncover the JI network in South-East Asia," he said.

Mas Selamat still remains one of the most high profile arrests for the division, which has been around for almost 30 years but started out only as a small sub-section within Special Branch in 1990.

"In the beginning, the focus of the small sub-section of the department was more towards foreign terrorists threats who operated in Malaysia.

"I become the unit's leader when I was transferred to Special Branch in 1993.

"The unit continued to expand especially after the attack on the World Trade Centre on Sept 11, 2001 until it became the E8 Division it is today," added DCP Ayob.

Commuters should expect a short interruption in their train journeys tonight, when trains on the North- South Line (NSL) stop running for 10 minutes at around 11pm.

This is to accommodate the first test of a new and upgraded signalling system by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and train operator SMRT during passenger service hours.

During the 10 minutes of stoppage, the trains and the network will be switched over to the new system.

This system will be in use until midnight, when passenger service ends.

Thirty trains will be in service during the switchover, and announcements will be made to explain the situation to passengers - both in the trains and on the platforms.

Most trains will pause at the platforms of the 26 NSL stations, with a few on the tracks in between stations.

The trains' lights and air-conditioning will continue to work during this period. SMRT added that service staff will be deployed to assist commuters.

SMRT's director for station operations for the North-South and East- West lines, Mr Siu Yow Wee, said that apart from the delay, passengers should not feel any difference and train services should function normally after the switchover.

Tomorrow morning, the old signalling system will be back in use.

The LTA said tonight's test will help it decide when to extend trials to longer service hours, and eventually make the full switchover to the new signalling system.

The complete switchover was slated to take place at the end of last year but was delayed as the authorities wanted to do more tests on the system.

The current fixed-block signalling system has been in use for 30 years, since the NSL started operations.

The new communications-based train control (CBTC) system will allow trains to run closer together, and arrive at intervals of up to 100 seconds during peak hours, instead of 120 seconds currently.

Train doors will also open and close automatically, instead of being controlled by the train captain.

Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said earlier this month that there could be teething problems with the new system.

Singapore Institute of Technology Assistant Professor Zhou Yi said the new CBTC system relies heavily on communication between various equipment and devices.

He noted that testing during passenger service hours was indeed necessary.

"Operations during passenger service can be different. For instance, the commuters' weight will dynamically affect the total mass of the train, which affects the speed control," he said.

adrianl@sph.com.sg

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

Big democracies and even entire continents may face the temptation of looking inward, but this so-called solution leads to a dead end, visiting French President Francois Hollande said yesterday.

He urged world leaders to resist protectionism amid an uncertain world, and to show people who fear globalisation that the best way forward is still an international order based on rules.

Delivering a lecture on the second and final day of his state visit to Singapore, Mr Hollande defended the international system of rules and co-operation created after World War II. It has prevented further conflict and brought about prosperity, he argued.

However, this global order is now being threatened by those who do not want to open their economy, he said in French in his 30-minute lecture titled "France and Singapore, Strategic Partners in a Fast-changing World".

Voters will have the final say in this clash of visions, said the outgoing French President, who will not seek re-election when his term ends in May.

Far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, considered one of the front runners to succeed Mr Hollande, is campaigning on an anti-immigrant and anti-European Union platform.

In an uncertain global climate, populists can tap into legitimate fears that people might feel, and "be tempted to impose solutions that might be contrary to the interests of our country", Mr Hollande said.

But leaders must explain the consequences of such inward-looking actions, he told about 1,000 officials, academics and students at the Singapore Lecture organised by the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute.

He said: "We must explain what the closing down of borders is all about. What the building of a wall means. What unfair and inappropriate trade policies might mean, because it will target nationals of only one country, for instance."

While he did not provide names, it was a clear reference to the anti-immigration platform adopted by supporters of Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, and to American President Donald Trump, who wants a wall along the United States-Mexico border.

He acknowledged that sections of the public have understandable fears about globalisation.

Leaders thus need to reassure people that trade can be fair, said Mr Hollande.

He made the case for "regulated globalisation" based on the sovereignty of nations but with a place for international organisations, particularly the United Nations.

"Those who attack the UN are diminishing the ability of world governance to find solutions for conflicts," he said.

"They cannot be strengthening their own nations to the detriment of the system of international regulation."

He said that it is also very easy for populists to tell the public that imposing duties and taxes on foreign goods and services will protect jobs, but such policies will harm countries because it strikes at the heart of what enabled world growth for the past 60 years - the refusal of protectionism.

If goods and services cannot be freely exchanged, and technology and knowledge freely moved between countries, this could mean fewer jobs overall, he added.

This is why leaders must show that the only solution for a fairer world is multilateralism, compliance with international law, respect for independence and openness, said Mr Hollande.

"We are not powerless and indifferent. We can act, and it is up to states to do so," he said.

France shares these principles with Singapore, said Mr Hollande, who concluded by stating that France wants to retain its presence in Asia.

This prompted Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who moderated the session, to thank him for his "clear and forthright statement of support for a rules-based order".

Earlier in the day, Mr Hollande met Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who hosted a lunch for him.

He also spoke at the France-Singapore Innovation Forum and had an orchid named after him. The Dendrobium Francois Hollande, a hybrid species, has light chestnut-brown petals.

Mr Hollande departed for Malaysia last night, and will visit Indonesia next on what is likely his last foreign tour as president.

charyong@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 28, 2017.
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Expatriate growth in Singapore may have tapered off due to tighter control of the inflow of foreign labour, but demand at international schools here continues to climb, going by a study by International School Consultancy (ISC) Research.

In many other South-east Asian countries, demand is even stronger, driven by the local population, said Sami Yosef, head of South East Asia Research at ISC Research.

In Singapore, international school enrolment jumped 12 per cent from 47,000 in 2012 to 2013, but the increase has eased off thereafter.

The official number as of May 2016 stands at 59,900 students, up 27 per cent over the entire period.

Across South-east Asia in general, about 94,000 more students were enrolled in international schools in 2016 compared to 2012, a 34 per cent increase.

The research consultancy released the data in a report on March 9, ahead of the International Private Schools Education Forum conference in Kuala Lumpur on March 22 to 24.

As of the first quarter of 2017, Singapore ranks third in South-east Asia for the number of students enrolled in international schools, with 63,789 students.

Malaysia and Thailand top the table with 71,589 and 65,928 pupils enrolled, respectively.

The data also showed that the number of international schools in Singapore increased by about 32 per cent from 65 in 2012 to 86 in 2016.

The Business Times reported earlier this month that at least five international schools have added to their capacity by expanding their current campuses or moving to new locations between 2015 and 2020.

ISC Research recorded a 39 per cent growth in the number of international schools in South-east Asia from 725 to 1008 over the same period.

The consultancy defines international schools as those delivering a curriculum wholly or partly in English outside an English-speaking country.

In countries like Singapore, where English is one of the official languages, an international school is one that is international in its orientation and offers an English-medium curriculum other than the country's national curriculum.

Mr Yosef said that the international school market in South-east Asia has continued to grow despite cutbacks in expatriate workforces after the oil and gas market slump in late 2014.

In many South-east Asian countries, the demand for international education appears to stem from the local populations, he added.

The slower growth among international schools in Singapore may be attributed to the Ministry of Education (MOE)'s policy of not allowing Singaporean students to enrol at international schools here, except when approved under special circumstances.

"In Thailand's premium international schools (the leading international schools, typically with the highest school fees), the number of Thai students is growing at a faster rate than that of expatriate students," said Mr Yosef.

ISC Research sampled 306 international schools throughout South-east Asia and found Thai and Malaysian to be the most prevalent nationalities in current enrolments, each making up 12 per cent.

Students of American and South Korean heritage each make up 6 per cent of students at international schools in the region, with British students coming in at 5 per cent.

International schools in Malaysia that BT spoke with said that local student enrolment has increased slowly, but is now a significant part of the school populations.

At the Marlborough College in Iskandar, school fees are comparable to those at international schools in Singapore, ranging from RM77,000 (S$24,000) to RM177,500 annually.

Despite the hefty price tag, about a quarter of the student population consists of local students, said master of Marlborough College Robert Pick.

The numbers are even higher at Excelsior International School, also in Iskandar, with 60 to 70 per cent of the students holding Malaysian passports.

Lai E-Lan, senior vice-president of strategic planning and administration at Excelsior, said: "Many parents recognise that children need to be global citizens and have the life skills that enable them to do so in the future - international schools provide the environment, platform, resources and support in this area."

Melaka International School (MIS), has also seen a significant shift in the pattern of parents opting to send their children to international instead of national schools, with a student population that is 71 per cent Malaysian.

MIS vice-principal Anu Thiruselvam said parents are drawn to aspects such as the English-medium education and UK curriculum, as well as their focus on each child's learning ability and a low student-teacher ratio to help students perform better academically.

However, while enrolling local students is not an option for international schools here, they can be rest assured that mainstream schools have not been eating into their share of the education market.

International students make up only about 5 per cent of the student population in Singapore's mainstream schools, a number which MOE says has remained fairly constant over the past years.

Students seeking admission to mainstream schools at the Primary 2 to 5 or Secondary 1 to 3 levels are required to take a test on English and mathematics in the Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS).

The number of applications for the AEIS ranges from 3,000 to 3,500 yearly, with passing rates varying from year to year.

For successful applicants, subsequent placements depend on available vacancies and the applicants' declared residential area in Singapore.

"(The AEIS test) helps to ensure that international students admitted to our mainstream schools are able to cope with the requirements of the Singapore curriculum," said MOE.

leilal@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 28, 2017.
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If you've come across a promotional package for ride-hailing services that looks too good to be true, it's probably a scam.

A 47-year-old man was arrested last Friday (March 24) for his suspected involvement in a series of scams involving cheap 'Grab/Uber promotional packages'.

The police said on Tuesday (March 28) that they received at least nine reports last month from victims who were introduced to the promotional deals by word of mouth.

To purchase these packages, the victims were asked to contact the seller on Whatsapp, and then instructed to transfer money to bank accounts.

However, they were unable to redeem the rides after making payment. The seller also became uncontactable.

The victims were cheated of at least $7,700, the police said in a press release in February.

A person found guilty of cheating may face a jail term of up to 10 years and will also be liable to a fine.

Members of the public are advised to purchase rides only from official sources. When in doubt, they should call the anti-scam helpline at 1800-722 6688 or visit www.scamalert.sg.

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A fire broke out at Samsung Experience Store in Ang Mo Kio Hub (AMK Hub) basement early Tuesday morning (March 28), affecting the business operation of some of the nearby units too.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said the fire was sparked off by contents measuring 1m by 2m in Samsung unit's storeroom. It was put out by the shopping mall's sprinkler system and SCDF officers who arrived at the scene after the fire was discovered at 1.25am.

A statement from AMK Hub said: "The fire sprinkler in the storeroom was activated and the fire was put out within minutes. No one was injured."

The mall is open for business except for the area with some units near the Samsung store, which has been cordoned off for cleaning and public safety.

Samsung said in a statement its store will remain "temporarily closed during this period". It is assessing the damages and working with the authorities to find out the cause of the fire.

One of the nearby units affected is Fitness First gym, which has informed members on its Facebook page that its outlet is "temporarily closed" due to the fire. It hopes to resume operations as soon as possible.

chenj@sph.com.sg

Pet shops and pet farms will face tighter licensing regulations from Saturday.

The new rules will improve the housing and management of animals, enhance traceability of animals and accountability of pet businesses, and improve healthcare, Singapore's Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said in a press release yesterday.

The changes include:

• If two or more dogs are kept together, they must be compatible and be able to move, turn around without hitting the sides of the kennel, stand upright, lie down and stretch.
• All retired breeding dogs must be kept separately from breeding dogs and segregated by sex.
• Puppies must be microchipped by nine weeks old and kittens microchipped by 12 weeks old.
• All breeding dogs must undergo an annual health check by a licensed veterinarian.

Ms Jessica Kwok, group director of AVA's animal management group, said: "We sought feedback from key stakeholders such as pet businesses, animal welfare groups and the Pets Enterprises & Traders Association, Singapore, to seek suggestions and understand concerns."

This article by The Straits Times was published in The New Paper, a free newspaper published by Singapore Press Holdings.

A local firm has been warned by the Personal Data Protection Commission after a staff member disclosed personal information of a former employee in a WhatsApp group.

The commission, which probed the case in 2015, found that a director at Executive Coach International had shared highly sensitive information about the former employee's drug problem and "issue with infidelity" with more than 50 members of a closed WhatsApp group. The group comprised staff and volunteers. The firm provides life and executive coaching services to individuals and corporate clients.

The former employee said she had disclosed her personal details to the director in his capacity as her employer, teacher and coach.

Read also: Cyber attack likely mitigated, US Homeland Security says

Under the Personal Data Protection Act, it is an offence to collect, use or disclose personal data from an individual without consent. Breaches can draw penalties of up to $1 million or an order to ensure compliance, among other things.

This is the first case where a breach under the Act has been committed via an instant messaging platform. The firm argued that the director had disclosed the data in his personal capacity and not as an employee, adding that the data was known only to him.

The commission in its decision grounds issued last week said the company's ignorance of what happened was immaterial under the Act, highlighting that the director was a senior member of the firm.

Read also: Some agencies delinked ahead of deadline

It added that the disclosures were made in the context of an ongoing spat arising from her unamicable departure from the company.

The director had expressed his disappointment with her and claimed she had tried to undermine his authority and convince others to leave the company.

This, the commission decided, meant the personal data was disclosed in the course of work by the director, and the "disclosure is treated as a disclosure by the organisation for which the organisation is responsible".

It added the disclosures were internal and not to the public at large.

It ruled that a "calibrated" approach should be taken based on the circumstances of the case, and issued a warning to the company for breaching two sections of the Act.

Responding to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesman for the firm said yesterday that the company respected the commission's decision and regretted the incident. The spokesman added: "Since the incident, strict internal measures have been implemented to ensure that it never happens again."

This article was first published on Mar 29, 2017.
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Although many parents of those with disabilities worry about what will happen to their children after they die, few have taken action by opening trust accounts to look after them.

When Mr Ong Yeow Ping, 38, who has intellectual disability, lost his mother in 2004, for example, he inherited her four-room flat, savings and insurance payouts.

But the money ran out in 2014, after being used to pay for his fees at Metta Home for the Disabled and the expenses of his elderly father, who died in 2012.

Mr Ong needed to sell the flat to fund his stay at the home, but his late father's relatives had moved in and they refused to leave. He also lacked the mental capacity to authorise its sale.

Read also: Depression will be world No.1's disability by 2020, warns Malaysian mental health group

His cousin Tan Ngan Seng, 55, a retired civil servant, then opened an account for Mr Ong with the Special Needs Trust Company (SNTC) and applied to be Mr Ong's deputy - which allowed him to sell the flat.

Under the Mental Capacity Act of 2008, a deputy can make decisions for those with mental disability, and the SNTC account allowed Mr Tan to create a trust fund for Mr Ong.

When the four-room flat was finally sold last December, his father's relatives relented and moved out. The $313,236 from the sale was credited into Mr Ong's trust - an amount that can fund him for the rest of his life, according to a care plan drawn up by social workers and Mr Tan.

SNTC, a non-profit fund, was started in 2009 to allow family members to park monies and assets away to support their loved ones with special needs. The accounts can also be opened by children whose parents have acquired disabilities in old age or through accidents.

As of this month, 447 SNTC accounts have been opened. Two years ago, there were 300 accounts.

Read also: Puppy love: therapy pooches bring peace of mind at Spanish psychiatric centre

There is no official central registry of people with disabilities, but the Ministry of Social and Family Development estimates that 3 per cent of the resident population of 3.9 million have disabilities. That works out to 117,000 people thought to have disabilities.

Earlier this month, in the Committee of Supply debate, Social and Family Development Minister Tan Chuan-Jin said SNTC will step up on outreach efforts to address caregivers'"major concern" about how their children with disabilities will be cared for after they die.

When an account is set up, social workers and caregivers look at how much a trustee needs for food, transport and medical services, among other things, and determine how the money will be spent when the trust is activated.

Mr Tan Ngan Seng took the advice of a lawyer to set up an SNTC account for Mr Ong so that the court would know how he intended to use the proceeds from the sale of the flat. "He has the mental capabilities of a three-year-old," said Mr Tan, who is also Mr Ong's caregiver.

Mr Ong's account is one of 19 that have started paying out money to the dependants.

Read also: Singapore book for special needs kids lauded

Each month, the payment of his fees for Metta Home comes from SNTC. And if Mr Tan needs to draw additional funds, say, if his cousin fell ill, the withdrawal has to be approved by SNTC to ensure that there is no misuse of funds.

SNTC general manager Esther Tan said: "This means the deputy will not need to account to the relatives on how the monies are used, because SNTC takes over the disbursement of monies from the trust."

She said: "It is also good for me. I'm relieved that there is long- term financial security for Yeow Ping for the rest of his life."

A trust fund requires just $5,000 to be started, and caregivers are encouraged to pledge the proceeds from the future sale of their homes to it. They can also make a minimum top-up of $500 at any time and the Government subsidises the set-up and activation fees.

Ms Tan said: "Our priority is to reach out to elderly parents or caregivers so that they can make plans, including setting up an SNTC trust, make their will and appoint deputies for their special needs dependants before they pass on."

Read also: Beggar pretending to be one-footed arrested in Indonesia

She said targeting elderly caregivers was especially crucial so that cases like Mr Ong's can be avoided.

To do so, SNTC will partner grassroots leaders to reach out to Pioneer Generation Singaporeans with special needs dependants. It will also collaborate with hospitals, senior activity centres and family service centres, said Ms Tan.

An SNTC account is a crucial safeguard, she said. "Even if you can find somebody you trust to take care of your child when you die, what if the child outlives his caregiver?"

And if the person with disability dies, a residual beneficiary named by the parents - for example, an able-bodied brother - will inherit the unused portion.

This article was first published on Mar 29, 2017.
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Three weeks ago in Parliament, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan raised the possibility of higher bus and train fares.

Mr Khaw said it was not sustainable for taxpayers to keep on subsidising the cost of operating Singapore's public transport system. He said that over the next five years, the Government expects to subsidise bus services by almost $4 billion. It expects to spend another $4 billion or so replacing ageing rail assets in the same timeframe.

"And all this is on top of about $20 billion we will be spending to build new public transport infrastructure," he added.

Mr Khaw said the Public Transport Council (PTC) will review the fare formula when it expires later this year.

"They will consult widely," he said. "I am confident that they will decide wisely."

To say that fares should keep pace with cost will not go down well with commuters, even if it may be perfectly legitimate economically.

The argument is an old one, and has been relied on for practically all the fare revisions in the past. Unfortunately, it has become unconvincing, given that operators have had an unbroken profitability record.

True, running a bus operation on its own has occasionally been unprofitable. But if ancillary activities such as advertising, rental and engineering are included, both the incumbent transport companies have been in the black.

Taken as a whole (as it should be), with other core businesses such as rail, taxis and chartering, SMRT's after-tax margins have ranged from 5 to 19 per cent in the last decade, while equivalent margins at ComfortDelGro have hovered around 7.5 per cent in the same timeframe. Also, when the fare formula was last reviewed in 2013, an energy component was introduced to better reflect costs faced by operators.

So, how should the formula be further tweaked so that commuters share the cost of running a public transport system with taxpayers? The question is trickier because, as Minister Khaw pointed out in his speech three weeks ago, "commuters are taxpayers too".

Before we attempt to answer that question, we should ask a more basic one: Should taxpayers subsidise public transport?

And the answer to that is clearly "yes". Public transport is a costly business because of the enormous infrastructural and operating assets involved.

It is an inherently cost-inefficient business too, because in catering to peak demand, there is a lot of underutilisation during off-peak hours. For instance, average bus occupancy throughout the day is merely 20 per cent, even if buses are packed in the morning rush hour. Yet, because public transport is also the most efficient way of moving the masses, it has to be affordable to the masses. So, the Government - or more rightly, taxpayers - have to pick up the slack.

In the recent overhaul of the bus industry, and the move to transform the rail sector, policymakers have deemed it necessary for the Government to assume a more active and direct role in making public transport the choice mode among Singapore residents.

This entails beefing up the bus and train fleets quickly, assuming ownership of all fixed and operating assets and ensuring their timely renewal, and regulating a more competitive environment. For this, it will have to dip more into the public coffers.

Without a doubt, questions will now be raised on whether tax revenue - of which vehicular taxes alone account for some $9 billion a year - is not already sufficient for such an endeavour.

Attempting to answer that will invite more questions on how government funds are apportioned, and even whether certain ministries can curtail their spending. It would be a futile exercise, and one which might be encouraged if the Government hangs on to its "costs are rising, so must fares" argument.

A better way to frame the argument would be to form a relationship between price and service quality. People would be more willing to pay more for better service than to pay more so that a service provider can recover its cost. That is just intuitive.

A 2011 study by American Express reaffirms this. It found that 73 per cent of people were willing to pay more for good service.

But what is good service? In the public transport sphere, that is relatively easier to quantify. There are a number of measurements to gauge service standards, such as reliability, punctuality and comfort level in the rail network.

A new real-time tracking system for buses will soon allow the authorities to do likewise for buses. These figures should be audited and published.

If the PTC can tweak its formula to include a service-quality component, it will have a more persuasive tool to convince commuters why they should pay more (or not). It will also be a more effective tool to ensure the regulators do a proper job of maintaining or even raising service standards.

To do this, the council must first be seen as independent. Its close relationship with the Transport Ministry (council members are appointed by the Transport Minister) casts some doubt over this.

Now that the Government collects bus fare revenue, it is even more important for the PTC to be seen as unbiased, and not as an extension of a government body.

Ideally, the Land Transport Authority's (LTA's) regulatory role should be transferred to the PTC. Right now, the LTA is responsible for awarding bus contracts, collecting fares and regulating service standards. That is not ideal, even if the conflicting roles are taken care of by different departments. Hopefully, all these structural anomalies can be addressed by the time the new fare formula is put to paper.

christan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 29, 2017.
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