They saw smoke spewing out of the windows of a fifth-storey flat and decided to investigate.

When they got there, they realised there was a fire in the flat's kitchen.

To their shock, an elderly man inside the unit appeared oblivious to the fire.

Mr Rahizam AB Rahim, 46, told The New Paper yesterday: "My brother-in-law and I rushed to the flat and we saw the uncle sitting on the floor by the gate.

"He was trapped inside and all I could think of was getting him out of there.

"I asked him, 'Uncle, are you okay? Please open the gate. I've come here to help you. Can you give me the padlock key and I'll help you open the gate.'"

But the man, who was in his 60s, mumbled something incoherent and remained on the floor, leaving Mr Rahizam at a loss over what to do next. The incident happened on Sunday at around 1.50pm at Block 116, Jalan Bukit Merah, when Mr Rahizam, a technical assistant, was about to leave for a wedding.

The father of eight was at the carpark with his brother-in-law. He was waiting for his wife and kids to come down when they saw thick, black smoke coming out of the kitchen window of a unit on the same floor as his. They decided to check it out.

"When we stepped out of the lift, a crowd of people had gathered near the unit, but they didn't dare go up to the gate.

"When I got to the gate, I could see flames coming out from the kitchen."

BOLT CUTTER

Just as Mr Rahizam was contemplating how to get the elderly man to safety, a neighbour stepped forward with a bolt cutter.

Mr Rahizam tried to cut the padlock with the bolt cutter but found it too difficult. He eventually used the cutter to break the aluminium windows and grilles to allow another neighbour to climb inside to help the man.

But the resident refused to leave the flat through the window.

The neighbour then got out of the flat as the heat was getting intolerable and he had burned one of his hands, Mr Rahizam said.

"The uncle was very stubborn. He was covered in sweat and mumbling to himself," he said.

"I told him again to give me his flat keys and this time, he walked slowly to a room and came out holding a pair of jeans.

"At first, I was worried that he was going to lock himself in the room, but luckily he didn't."

The elderly man rummaged through the pockets of the pair of jeans and finally produced the keys.

Mr Rahizam asked him for the keys and he complied.

"The fire was so intense that I couldn't touch the padlock on the gate with my bare hands. One of the neighbours passed me a T-shirt to hold the padlock," he said.

After Mr Rahizam opened the gate, he helped the man out and sat him down while another neighbour got him a glass of water.

By then, firefighters had arrived and quickly put out the fire.

Mr Rahizam said that when he moved into his flat four years ago, the man was already living there.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The New Paper, Lianhe Wanbao, Stomp, Mr Rahizam AB Rahim

WIFE NOT HOME

Neighbours said the man lives with his wife, but she was not home at the time of the fire.

A housewife, Mrs Russell Santiago, 41, who lives next door to the man's flat, told TNP that she was cooking lunch when she smelled smoke.

"I thought it was nothing. It didn't occur to me that it was a fire until I heard an explosion," she said.

When she looked out of her window, she saw residents in the opposite block and people at the carpark below pointing to the unit next to hers.

To her horror, she saw fumes coming out from her neighbour's kitchen window and promptly left the flat with her husband and two sons.

A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) spokesman said it was alerted to the fire involving the contents of a kitchen at 1.50pm. SCDF officers put it out using two compressed air foam backpacks and a water jet.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

This article was first published on April 19, 2016.
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Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong arrived in Israel from Jordan yesterday, on the second leg of his week-long trip to the Middle East.

His first stop here was the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he met its leadership and received an honorary doctorate.

Speaking at the ceremony and thanking them for the honour, he took stock of Singapore's long friendship with Israel, in particular the role it played in helping build a credible and professional Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

"Without the IDF (Israel Defence Forces), the SAF could not have grown its capabilities, deterred threats, defended our island, and reassured Singaporeans and investors that Singapore was secure, and had a future," he said. "We will always be grateful that Israel helped us and stood by us at a time of great need."

PM Lee Hsien Loong explores Petra and Israel

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The Straits Times, Ministry of Communications & Information, PM Lee's Facebook page

PM Lee also expressed the hope that Israel and the Palestinians will take steps to resume direct negotiations and work towards a just and lasting two-state solution.

He noted that over the years, Singapore's relationship with Israel has broadened beyond defence and security to collaborations in technology research and development.

Yesterday, PM Lee witnessed the signing of three agreements between the university and Singapore's National Research Foundation, the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, respectively.

Hebrew University president Menahem Ben-Sasson said awarding the doctorate to PM Lee was to recognise his longstanding leadership as a champion of economic and civil reform, his investment in education, research and development, as well as his warm support of Israel-Singapore friendship and of the Jewish community in Singapore.

Singapore, he noted, was a model of a state run by scholars, "where the PM is himself in charge of research and innovation".

In his speech, PM Lee noted that ties between the people of Israel and Singapore began long before both became independent.

The earliest Jews in Singapore arrived in the 19th century, mostly from the Middle East, and their descendants have contributed out of proportion to their numbers in the country. Among them Singapore's first chief minister David Marshall.

Mr Lee noted that renowned physicist Albert Einstein visited Singapore in 1922 , met the local Jewish community and urged them to contribute to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, which was set up in 1918 and opened its doors in 1925. The Jewish people in Singapore raised some £750 - worth about S$400,000 today. Israel, he added, reflects a remarkable human talent and "the indomitable spirit to overcome overwhelming odds" - from irrigating the desert to revolutionary advances in technology.

Singapore had much in common with Israel. Both are young nations that had to integrate diverse groups to create a common sense of nationhood, and both are determined to thrive despite their circumstances.

But there are also striking contrasts, he said. Israel can trace 5,000 years of Jewish history and its identity is as a Jewish state, while Singapore "is emphatically not a Chinese nation, but a multiracial, multi-religious society".

Israel had to fight several wars to defend its right to exist, while Singapore has been fortunate never to have been at war with its neighbours, except during the Konfrontasi period - when Indonesia waged an undeclared war in the 1960s to oppose Malaysia's formation.

Mr Lee noted that the Israeli-Palestinian problem is complex, and a solution remains elusive.

"Progress will require enormous imagination, determination and political leadership on both sides - as well as getting the stars aligned, in the right places in the firmament, with the great powers supporting you," he said. This is why he was also visiting the Palestinian National Authority in Ramallah this week "to signal our friendship with both Israel and the Palestinians", he added.

He also noted that the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew once told an Israeli general who helped start the SAF that Singapore learnt two things from Israel: "How to be strong, and how not to use our strength." PM Lee said he was also moved by former Israeli PM Shimon Peres' vision, in a recent interview, of Israel in 2048 - 100 years after its founding. Mr Peres believes 2048 will be much better for Israel and the Middle East, where borders will become less relevant and science and technology will transform societies, connect peoples and force them to become more open-minded to the world.

"Today, such a Middle East looks a long way off - more distant even than 2048," Mr Lee said. "But I sincerely hope that one day, Mr Peres' vision will be realised. Swords will be turned to ploughshares, Israel and your neighbours will live side by side in peace and prosperity, and your friends in Singapore and around the world will rejoice with you too."

Yesterday, PM Lee also visited Jerusalem's Old City. He will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today.

This article was first published on April 19, 2016.
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The first public hearing on the review of the elected presidency yesterday was dominated by two issues: Whether Singapore should have a minority-race president from time to time, and what should be done to ensure this.

Said Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon: "The real question is whether there is a concern that a minority president may be unelectable because of the reality of our racial mix in society and whether that's an acceptable state of affairs."

He chairs the Constitutional Commission appointed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in February to review the office. The issue is one of three the commission is studying. The other two are the eligibility criteria of candidates, and the experience of those appointed to be the president's advisers.

CJ Menon and seven commission members asked those invited to the hearing to elaborate on the views they had submitted earlier to the commission. Five Singaporeans and the Association of Women for Action and Research spoke on it.

While all agreed on the importance of having a minority-race president from time to time, to reflect Singapore's multiracialism, they had different ideas on how to achieve it.

During the hearing, CJ Menon said the president's role is a "fairly unique innovation that involves the executive creating a check and balance upon itself".

This is because many of the powers vested in the president, like vetoing the decisions of the executive, typically fall entirely within the executive branch of the Government.

He also made clear that the commission's task is to study proposed changes to the presidency and make recommendations.

When the changes should take effect is a political question best left to the Government, he added. He was replying to law don Eugene Tan, who said that with the next presidential election due by August next year, changing the criteria for candidacy "so late" could add an unnecessary political edge to the polls.

The commission received over 100 submissions and invited 20 individuals and groups to speak at the hearings. Only the Workers' Party declined to participate. Said CJ Menon: "We have carefully considered all the submissions and will have regard to them as we proceed with our work in the months ahead."

There are three more hearings. The report is expected to be submitted by the third quarter of this year.

This article was first published on April 19, 2016.
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The High Court has dismissed an appeal by a former China tour guide to set aside a decision to recognise a new will made by a wealthy widow, which would result in her assets going mainly to charity instead of to him.

Yang Yin, 42, had argued that there was a procedural failure in the proceedings as the judge had denied his lawyers the chance to cross-examine witnesses who had given evidence to support the application for the new will.

Yang failed to get the application reheard.

In April last year, the Family Justice Courts had recognised a new will made by 89-year-old widow Chung Khin Chun, under which most of her assets - estimated to be worth $40 million - would go to charity.

The new will replaced an earlier one made in 2010, in which Yang stood to inherit everything.

The new will was recognised based on evidence given by several witnesses that Madam Chung had made the 2010 will under the undue influence of Yang, among other factors.

In his appeal, Yang said he wanted a "retrial" so that these witnesses could be cross-examined before the court decides whether undue influence had been exercised in the making of the 2010 will.

He also wanted to call on two key witnesses - the lawyer who had prepared the 2010 will and a prior one in 2009, as well as the doctor who had examined Madam Chung before she executed either will.

Tussle over widow's $40m assets: A look at Madam Chung’s bungalow

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, Raymond Tan

However, in her judgment, Justice Judith Prakash pointed out that Yang had been given opportunities to indicate if he wanted to call, cross-examine or subpoena witnesses, but chose to leave that decision to the courts.

Justice Prakash also noted that Yang did not rebut "serious" allegations that the earlier will was made under undue influence and fraud.

"Nowhere in his affidavit did the appellant (Yang) actually assert, for instance, that he had allowed (Madam Chung) free choice in her decisions," said Justice Prakash.

"This was a surprising position to adopt, at any stage in the proceedings, in response to allegations which were both serious and specific," she added.

The high-profile case involving Yang and the wealthy widow unfolded in 2014 after Madam Chung's niece, Madam Hedy Mok, evicted Yang's wife, who had been living in her aunt's house for about a year with her two young children.

Yang is currently in remand after being denied bail in October 2014.

Tussle over widow's $40m assets turns ugly

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, Madam Hedy Mok, Lianhe Wanbao, Madam Chang Phie Chin

Yang faces more than 300 charges for allegedly falsifying receipts at his company and allegedly misappropriating $1.1 million from the estate of Madam Chung.

His criminal trial is scheduled to start next month.

Contacted yesterday, Yang's lawyer Irving Choh said he would be getting instructions from his client on whether to appeal against the latest High Court decision.

Madam Mok told The Straits Times that her aunt is "happy" that there is progress in her case.

"We should respect her wishes," she said, referring to her new will.

kcarolyn@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 19, 2016.
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The issue of race dominated the first public hearing of the Constitutional Commission to review the elected presidency yesterday.

The people who gave their views agreed Singapore should have a minority-race president from time to time to reflect its status as a multiracial society.

But they differed on how to achieve this outcome, and proposed a variety of solutions.

Singapore Management University law don Eugene Tan, 46, said that installing a legal framework to ensure a minority president would undermine the president's legitimacy and amount to affirmative action, which he said "is not in our DNA".

"Maybe I'm idealistic, I'm just very uncomfortable with institution design that engineers certain outcomes," he added. Instead, candidates should be required to show a track record of championing multiracialism, he said.

Associate Professor Tan also suggested candidates must garner a specified percentage of minority votes to win the presidential election. Ballots can be colour-coded according to the voter's race, he said, but conceded such a system may compromise voting secrecy.

The Association of Women for Action and Research, represented by its officials Corinna Lim and Jolene Tan, also did not favour measures to ensure the election of a minority president.

Ms Lim argued that the eligibility criteria to run for the office should be made less stringent, so that a bigger pool of people would qualify and naturally include more people of minority races and women as well.

The other four individuals who appeared before the commission suggested specific courses of action.

Institute of Policy Studies senior research fellow Mathew Mathews, 41, said if Singapore did not have a minority president for a number of terms, the next election should be reserved for minority candidates.

Chief Justice Sundaresh Menon, who chairs the commission, said the provision had a "natural sunset" as it would not be invoked if Singapore progressed towards a race-blind society and elected a minority president of its own accord.

Dr Mathews acknowledged some might criticise the move as tokenism, but pointed out that it was up to the minority president to win people over by doing a good job.

In-house legal officer Edwin Yeo, 42, proposed what he called a hybrid system that combined aspects of appointing and electing a president.

A presidential council could be set up to identify one candidate in consultation with the prime minister.

The candidate must then be approved by Parliament and face a nationwide election, in which Singaporeans would simply vote "yes" or "no" on the ballot. Such a framework allows the presidential council to put up a minority candidate, who, if elected, will have the people's mandate to fulfil his custodial role.

It also avoids the divisiveness of pitting candidates against one another, which Mr Yeo said happened in the 2011 Presidential Election.

But a commission member, Justice Tay Yong Kwang, said the process could repeat indefinitely should a candidate fail to get elected. "It's going to be very wearisome for the public. They will go, 'Oh no, another election? This is the 10th time'," he said to illustrate his point.

Academic Loke Hoe Yeong, 31, and law firm intern Brian Chang, 26, suggested a two-person ticket in which one of the candidates would have to be from a minority race.

Mr Loke said the second candidate could become the Speaker of Parliament, while Mr Chang said he or she could be chairman of the Council of Presidential Advisers.

This article was first published on April 19, 2016.
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Six months after he died from a blaze he had unknowingly started, Mr Rizalludin Hassan's four young children still miss him dearly.

"They look for their father still, (especially) my four-year-old son," said his widow, Ms Nurul Asyikin Norman, 34, of their children aged one to nine.

The IT engineer, 34, was trying to light two aromatherapy diffusers in his master bedroom toilet on Oct 13 last year, when he unknowingly ignited vapours from an essential oil fluid, causing a flash fire.

He had second-degree burns on more than 80 per cent of his body and died in hospital nine days later.

Yesterday, State Coroner Marvin Bay found Mr Rizalludin's death to be a "tragic misadventure".

The extensive burns he suffered were from an "inadvertent flash fire", the coroner said. "The circumstantial, forensic, testimonial and scene evidence points to the demise ... to have arisen from an entirely accidental event."

In his findings, the coroner warned users of aromatherapy diffusers to be mindful of the volatile nature of aromatherapy essential oils, and to adopt precautions when handling the fluids, particularly when refilling diffusers from high-volume refill containers.

Given that the lowest temperature at which the fluid's vapours will ignite is 16 deg C, refill containers should not be left uncapped for extended periods of time, he said.

Father of 4 dies of burns after essential oil diffuser explodes

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Berita Harian

The refilling of diffusers, he added, "should also not be undertaken in any confined or unventilated spaces, where the vapours might build up to levels that can prove hazardous in the presence of any potential ignition source".

And refill containers should also be kept "a significant distance" away from an ignited diffuser or any open flame, the coroner said.

Ms Nurul Asyikin, her mother and her mother-in-law sobbed as Mr Bay read out his findings.

Asked how the family was coping, Ms Nurul Asyikin, a school teacher, said outside the court later: "We have a lot of support from family, especially my husband's parents, friends and the public. We will try to recover."

She added that the inquiry had brought back "painful images".

On whether the family was considering a civil suit against the company that sold the diffuser, she said they have not decided, although they have consulted a lawyer.

Earlier yesterday, Shiang's International operations manager Chok Wai Chen testified that the company, the brand owner of the Avita diffusers Mr Rizalludin used, required buyers to attend a safety briefing. But Ms Nurul Asyikin told him she never attended one.

Mr Chok said the oil refill fluid had to be imported as a kind of "dangerous goods" and a "flammable liquid", but he said yesterday he was unaware that the liquid's vapours were also flammable.

amirh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 19, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - A panel of experts in power supply systems has completed its review of Singapore's MRT network and given a list of recommendations to improve it, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) in a statement on Tuesday (April 19).

According to LTA,  the Independent Advisory Panel (IAP), which was appointed last December, recommended several changes to operating standards and recovery actions to improve rail reliability.

It added that in the longer term, the design of the rail system should provide for a maximum downtime of five minutes during faults, and that the system should be up and running within 20 minutes.

Here are a few recommendations:

1. Mitigate problems before they occur

- Monitor power equipment to detect faults early

- Consider replacing critical power supply assets five years before the end of specified lifespan

- Increase maintenance regime for assets due for replacement until they are fully replaced

2. Perform recovery options without affecting system performance

- Establishing a system which will allow operators to pinpoint exact fault locations quickly

3. Restore system performance quickly before fault escalates to power outage

- Enable faster switch-over to alternative power supply in the event of a loss of power supply

- Conduct exercises to hone operators' familiarity with response and recovery efforts

- Create a database to facilitate fault diagnosis for future incidents

Touching on the recommendations, LTA said that it is working with operators on the replacement schedule for ageing power assets.

It has also tested and will implement the Intelligent Fault Identification System for the Downtown Line, Thomson-East Coast Line and future lines. LTA will also expand this system to all existing lines.

It will also be replacing the voltage system to isolate power trips.

LTA added that it will work with operators to conduct technical exercises in a simulated live operating environment to improve recovery response.

Read the full report here. 

debwong@sph.com.sg

The nightmare began with a ringing in Mr Muhammad Khairul Ikwan's ears last July.

Then he developed a migraine so severe he could barely stand and had to crawl to the toilet.

Doctors discovered he had Stage 4 colorectal cancer, which had spread from his intestines to his brain.

At age 23, the young man has lost much of his vision, hearing and hair, and no longer parties as he once did with friends.

But the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Nafa) graduate is not wallowing in despair. Instead, he is launching an exhibition of 87 art pieces at the school on Thursday.

Titled Hope, the works represent his experience battling his illness.

He said: "I want people to see that hope can be anything - even negative things, like illness, can become positive things as well.

"I don't want people to see pain as a hindrance to stop them from what they want to do in life. "

Jointly organised by Nafa and HCA Hospice Care, the exhibition fulfils one of Mr Khairul's greatest wishes under the Star Pals palliative care programme for youth with life-limiting illnesses.

Mr Khairul is the second of four children. His mother is a secretary in a law firm, while his father is a safety supervisor in a shipping company.

Ms Nur Alwiyah, 25, a customer service officer at a call centre, said her brother is expected to live about nine more months .

Said Mr Khairul: "It's shocking to go from healthy to seriously ill, but anger won't make the illness go away."

He now has chemotherapy fortnightly and wears a stoma bag to collect his waste, which goes out of his body through a hole in his abdomen.

In the four months he spent on art, he had to battle the side effects of chemotherapy, such as fatigue and vomiting but he soldiered on.

He used to listen to music while painting, but having lost most of his hearing. He now reads song lyrics or poetry for inspiration.

His favourite work in the exhibition is a series titled Spirits & I (Eye), a set of six watercolour paintings.

Three are in red and have an eye motif, which he describes as "surgical, with veins", while three in blue are "water spirits rising up".

"Because of my affected vision, I am going through so much pain. But at the same time, there are so many people lifting my spirits," he said.

Apart from paintings, he is also exhibiting mixed media works with synthetic hair, photographs, a video and a fabric piece.

Calling art a therapeutic outlet, Mr Khairul said his role model is Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, who uses her artwork as a way to express her mental illness.

The exhibition, which is free, will be at the Nafa on-air gallery from April 21 to 25.

And he is already dreaming of his next project, a photography exhibition with himself as the subject.

He said: "What's the point of giving up when you're still living? The only moment you give up is when you're dead.

"If I can recover, it will be a miracle, but if I can't, I will just keep on fighting, make more works of art and leave a legacy."

His art show is expression of hope despite pain

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times

This article was first published on April 19, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - A new SMRT bus loop service will ply between Bukit Panjang LRT station and Choa Chu Kang North 5 from April 24.

Service 979M will provide residents of Choa Chu Kang North 5 with a direct connection to the station from 6am to 11.30am daily.

This temporary route will be integrated into service 979 when modification and widening of the junction between Stagmont Ring and Woodlands Road is completed.

ljessica@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - No major incidents were reported on the North-South Line for 100 days as of April 18, Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said in a blog post on Tuesday (April 19).

At the same time, the Downtown Line also crossed the 178-day mark in which no major incidents have been reported.

"For us in the rail industry, clearing 100 disruption-free days is no mean feat: it requires everyone to do everything right. Any misstep can cause a disruption," Mr Khaw wrote.

"The entry of NSL is especially inspiring as it is our oldest line. Its success gives us confidence that with hard work and strong determination, we will improve our rail reliability," he added.

But the minister also warned that lapses could also bring progress "back to square one".

He said that challenges in the rail industry are "especially daunting", as there are concurrent efforts to expand rail capacity, upgrade the power system, replace ageing assets, and stabilise the existing system to make it more reliable. On top of that, many of these engineering tasks have to be carried out during the three to four engineering hours per day.

"But our colleagues on the ground are undaunted. They are pressing on, and putting in their best efforts, all thanks to the continued support of commuters and residents during the early closure of the North-South and East-West Lines," he wrote.

ljessica@sph.com.sg

The People's Action Party (PAP) town council that manages Punggol East constituency has countered that the Workers' Party (WP) town council is being misleading, in an ongoing exchange over the transfer of sinking funds.

Mr Zainal Sapari, chairman of the Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council (PRPTC), yesterday took issue with the Aljunied-Hougang Town Council (AHTC) for implying that his town council had been slow in the transfer of the funds.

The issue arose following a change of hands in the constituency. In 2013, the WP won Punggol East in a by-election. In last September's general election, the PAP won it back.

Mr Zainal recounted in a Facebook post that PRPTC had made two transfers totalling $18 million in sinking funds to the former Aljunied-Hougang- Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) within four months of losing Punggol East.

He said this amounted to 80 per cent of the $22.5 million due to AHPETC, renamed AHTC after last year's election.

His town council made a third transfer of $3 million in May 2014, after submitting the constituency's audited financial statements.

The final $890,092 was transferred in September 2014, after PRPTC "helped (AHPETC) to understand their queries about the accounts", he added.

Mr Zainal was responding to AHTC chairman Pritam Singh, who said on Monday that PRPTC had taken more than 20 months to hand over the sinking funds.

Mr Zainal said: "The media release by AHTC is misleading to infer (sic) that PRPTC was slow in transferring the sinking funds to AHPETC."

The saga started after Punggol East MP Charles Chong said last Thursday that AHTC had not handed over all the sinking funds after last year's election.

Mr Chong said that AHTC had transferred only an "interim amount" of $10 million, and the exact amount due is being worked out.

Mr Singh replied that AHTC will hand over the sinking funds in several instalments, just as PRPTC had done.

He said AHTC will ensure all sinking funds are transferred to PRPTC "in due course".

Yesterday, Mr Zainal noted that PRPTC had transferred 80 per cent of the sinking funds to AHPETC within four months of the Punggol East constituency being lost.

"Compare that to the current situation, where PRPTC has received only $10 million of sinking funds from AHTC and it has been more than four months since the handover date," he said.

He added: "I hope AHTC can get their qualified accounts in order and make the second interim sinking fund transfer as soon as possible."

This article was first published on April 20, 2016.
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When Swiss-born Madam Karine Hoffer, 54, moved to Singapore 11 years ago, she took proactive steps to get to know the city better.

The best way, she decided, was to volunteer her time.

The mother of three began conducting tours at the local museums. In 2013, she joined the Istana as a volunteer guide when it began offering guided tours on open house days.

The 147-year-old Istana is open to the public up to five times a year: on Chinese New Year, Labour Day, Hari Raya Puasa, National Day and Deepavali.

"Volunteering has helped me be more accustomed to Singapore culture. It's a wonderful opportunity to learn about the place you live in, and its people," Madam Hoffer said. She was among 97 people who attended a tea reception President Tony Tan Keng Yam hosted yesterday at the Istana to thank volunteers who help at its open house.

Dr Tan said the Istana open house is "extremely popular" and the most recent one held during Chinese New Year in February attracted about 21,000 people.

"It's good to open up the Istana so that people can see the buildings and grounds and learn a little bit about the history as well as the artefacts here. But to do that, we need volunteers to help us. The Istana staff alone cannot do it because of the number of visitors," he said.

The Istana volunteers include guides from the National Parks Board and National Heritage Board, and the Singapore Scouts Association. They conduct tours of its buildings and the biodiversity found on its grounds, help register visitors, and provide activities like face painting for children.

Dr Tan said he hopes more will come forward to be volunteers, not just at the Istana, but for various causes across Singapore.

"I believe that encouraging Singaporeans to volunteer is good for Singapore, good for volunteers and good for society," he said. "Everybody can help... If we all do so, it makes Singapore more cohesive."

Also at the reception was 60-year-old Madam Chia Bee Lian, who, like Madam Hoffer, conducts guided tours of the Istana.

Volunteering at the national monument allows Madam Chia to combine her love for learning, heritage, and mingling with people: "I love to learn about things. Each time I conduct a tour, I will read about the place again. When I conduct tours for young children, they treat me like their grandmother. There's a personal connection."

This article was first published on April 20, 2016.
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Earlier today, SMRT Services has just announced that it is partnering with 2 Getthere Holding to bring in automated vehicle systems into Singapore. This could happen as early as end of the year.

According to the press release, what we might be seeing end of the year are Group Rapid Transit (GRT) vehicles being tested on the roads.

"The new Singapore-based JV, called 2getthere Asia Pte Ltd will market, install, operate and maintain the Automated Vehicle systems for customers in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific. The JV aims to showcase 2getthere's 3rd Generation Group Rapid Transit (GRT) vehicle capabilities in Singapore by the end of the year."

These GRT vehicles are able to carry up to 24 passengers each, and can operate as a low-cost automated transit system that can cater for up to 8,000 passengers per hour in any single direction.

What we also do know is that these GRT vehicles, which are similar to automated minibuses, can travel at a speed of 40km/hr. These vehicles are earmarked to be designed for airports, campuses, residential, resort and industrial park networks.

Here's a look at the automated vehicle:

According to 2 Getthere Holding too, the height of the vehicle allows for the air-conditioning to be integrated into the roof, while leaving ample room to accommodate standing passengers comfortably.

The interior configuration is flexible, featuring either 8 or 12 seats while allowing up to 8 to 12 standees. There are also automated doors featuring a wide opening to accommodate wheelchairs can be integrated at both sides of the vehicle.

The GRT is also fully electrical, typically equipped with a LiFePO4 battery. The vehicles are completely driverless and automatically guided by 2getthere's proven magnet based navigation system. There are key safety feature to ensure security of passengers, including an obstacle detection system.

Managing Director, SMRT Services Colin Lim shared that "there is a growing national push to implement future mobility solutions that can meet our first and last-mile connectivity needs in Singapore.

As part of the JV, SMRT Services will leverage on our experience in installation, operations and maintenance of transit systems to realise these solutions locally. The Automated Vehicles will complement our existing multi-modal transport operations to bring about seamless connectivity for commuters".

So yes, all the talks about driverless cars in the future, it is happening and it is already here.

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High service standards set Changi apart from many other airports but meeting them comes at a cost.

For ground-handling firms like Sats and Dnata, which are paid by airlines to process passengers and baggage, the pressure to meet stringent targets set by the airport is intense.

Growing traveller numbers and rising manpower costs have made their job tougher in recent years.

As competition between airports intensifies, the challenge for Singapore players is to strike a balance between sustainable operations and the need to keep Changi flying high.

It's no easy task.

Growing pressure on ground handlers could explain why the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), which sets service standards, revised them from April 1 - the first change in seven years.

When it comes to getting bags from aircraft, for example, the clock starts ticking when the plane stops.

A worker rushes to offload as many bags as his small vehicle can carry. The first must hit the baggage belt within a stipulated time, which used to be 12 minutes. The last had to arrive within 25 minutes.

This explains why there is usually a gap between the first few bags arriving and the next wave. This is neither cost-effective nor efficient.

The CAAS, which has never published the service standards, did not provide details of the recent changes but sources say a couple of minutes have been added at each end.

For check-in, there are also standards for the maximum waiting time to get to the front of the counter and the time taken to process each traveller.

Before April 1, the maximum queue time allowed was 10 minutes for all travellers - full-service or budget.

Those flying budget carriers can now expect to wait a little longer.

The changes should help take some pressure off ground-handling firms, which can be fined for non-compliance.

It also reduces tension between airlines and ground handlers, insiders said.

Problems can and do occur when an airline, for example, refuses to pay for extra check-in staff and counters. The ground-handling firm, which must meet CAAS standards, sometimes ends up bearing the extra cost.

Whatever the operational difficulties, it is critical for Singapore to maintain its status as a key aviation hub.

The stakes are high: The aviation industry accounts for 6 per cent of Singapore's gross domestic product and hires about 55,000 people.

With the demand for air travel in the Asia-Pacific set to soar in the coming decades, airports around the region, including those in Hong Kong, South Korea and China, are beefing up resources to cash in.

Changi Airport has Terminal 4 coming up next year and T5 by the end of the next decade. This will boost total capacity from 66 million passengers a year now to 85 million.

To keep travellers coming, Changi must not only improve its infrastructure and facilities but also ensure quick and seamless check-in and baggage operations.

People will become more well-travelled and expectations will continue to grow. Airlines and ground handlers may see costs rise and margins shrink. But compromising standards is not an option.

The big push towards self-service options for check-in, baggage tagging and aircraft boarding is a key step in the right direction.

The recent revisions to the service standards will no doubt worry some travellers, who already complain that service levels have been slipping at Changi over the last few years.

But it is also true that for the majority of those who are well-travelled, Changi still ranks among the world's best airports.

The challenge is to keep it that way.

This article was first published on April 20, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Polling day for the Bukit Batok Single Member Constituency (SMC) by-election will be on May 7.

President Tony Tan Keng Yam issued the writ of election on Wednesday (April 20).

Nomination day for the election will be held on Wednesday, April 27, and the nomination centre will be at Keming Primary School. There will then be nine days of campaigning before the mandatory cooling-off day on May 6.

The by-election was triggered by the resignation of People's Action Party (PAP) MP David Ong on March 12 due to a 'personal indiscretion'.  It was later reported that he had an alleged extra-marital affair with a grassroots volunteer, Wendy Lim.

The contest for the single seat is likely to be a straight fight between PAP's Murali Pillai and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) secretary-general Chee Soon Juan.

By-election battle for Bukit Batok SMC

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, The New Paper, Lianhe Zaoabao, Berita Harian

At the general election last year, Mr Ong won the seat over SDP's Sadasivam Veriyah and independent candidate Samir Salim Neji.

In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean had advised President Tony Tan to issue the writ of election. Mr Teo is currently acting Prime Minister as PM Lee is on a working visit to the Middle East.

"Now that the Budget is out of the way, we are calling this by-election to enable residents of Bukit Batok to have their own MP as we work together to improve Singaporeans' lives," he wrote.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, Berita Harian, Shin Min Daily News

seanyap@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - A large fire broke out on Jurong Island on Wednesday afternoon (April 20), and was put out after a prolonged operation involving 150 personnel.

In a Facebook post, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that they received a call regarding an oil tank fire at Tembusu Road on Jurong Island at about 3pm.

SCDF said that the affected tank contained light crude oil, and was about 40 metres in diameter and 20 metres high. The intensity of the fire also caused the tank to fold and buckle.

According to Reuters, the tank belongs to petrochemical producer Jurong Aromatics.

SCDF dispatched five fire engines, three red rhinos, one ambulance and 29 support vehicles comprising approximately 150 personnel to fight the fire.

The operation took about five hours, before the fire was finally extinguished at 7.45pm. SCDF described the operation as a "race against time", due to the need to prevent the fire from spreading to its immediate surroundings.

A contributor to citizen journalism website Stomp said that the fire is suspected to have been caused by a lightning strike.

A number of netizens also posted photos and videos of the incident, which showed the fire and a column of thick, black smoke in the air.

Huge blaze on Jurong Island after oil tank catches fire

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Stomp, Facebook screengrabs

jurong island blaze it pic.twitter.com/DSRr5v2oqV

— raiiiiiiiii/// (@RaihanAmr) April 20, 2016

More to come.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

Got yourself a hoverboard for Christmas but a concerned family member berated you with 101 ways you could end up seriously injured?

Or maybe you got yourself into a cycling mishap and need to take a time-out to muster the courage to power those pedals again?

Call it clumsy or crazy, one thing's for sure, it isn't cool sitting on the bench because the fear factor has you by the neck.

But now NTUC Income has launched an insurance policy to cover those who ride on personal mobility devices such as e-scooters, skate-scooters, skateboards, wheelchairs, hoverboards and even bicycles.

In a press statement, the insurer calls the Personal Mobility Guard insurance policy an "industry-first". It covers a whole of unfortunate outcomes including accidental death, permanent disability, medical expenses against injuries and third-party liability when one meets with accidents when riding, mounting, or dismounting such personal mobility device or bicycle in Singapore.

The difference with this coverage when compared to personal accident policies is that it offers third-party liability protection. This basically means if you're in-line skating at East Coast Park and you happen to slam into another skater, your insurance can help pay for their damages or injuries.

via GIPHY

So if you own a personal mobility device, think of this policy as your very own invisible safety net that's there to catch you when you fall - literally.

via GIPHY

The insurer cited the increasing number of accidents involving such devices as its main reason for launching the insurance plan, backed by statistics from the Ministry of Transport showing 27 road accidents involving power-assisted bicycles in 2015 - six higher than the previous two years. 

The Personal Mobility Guard, which is priced at $96 per year, will run parallel with the Government's decision to boost active mobility in Singapore.

It will be available at www.income.com.sg/PMG from April 25, 2016.

mldas@sph.com.sg

If you felt that the weather was a little too hot to handle in the last couple of days, you were not overthinking it.

As forecast in Meteorological Service Singapore's (MSS) fortnightly weather outlook issued last Friday (Apr 15), the country has been experiencing significantly warmer temperatures over various parts of the island over the last few days.

The highest daily maximum temperature recorded was 36°C on Tuesday (Apr 19) and as of 3pm today, it was 35.1°C. Both temperatures were recorded at Choa Chu Kang, announced the National Environment Agency in a joint statement with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social and Family Development and Ministry of Manpower.

For two days, Apr 17 and 18, the daily maximum temperatures recorded at weather stations islandwide ranged between 31.4°C and 36.4°C and between 31.3°C and 35.8°C respectively.

Also on the aforementioned days, the daily mean temperatures recorded were very high at 30.3°C and 30.9°C respectively. Both temperatures were recorded at Tai Seng.

But the highest daily mean temperature recorded so far this year was 31.3°C at Pasir Panjang on Tuesday. Over at the Changi climate station that same day, the daily mean temperature recorded was 30.6°C. This surpasses the highest ever recorded daily mean temperature of 30.2°C back on June 22 last year.

The long-term mean monthly temperature for April is 28.0°C.

According to the government agencies, warm temperatures are common during the inter-monsoon months of April and May when there is strong solar heating and the winds are generally light.

Climatologically, April is the warmest month of the year.

However, unlike how it has been in Malaysia, the temperature in Singapore is not likely to reach 40°C due to the moderating effect of surrounding seas.

MSS forecasts that high temperatures can still be expected for the rest of the week, although a gradual easing is likely.

On that note, more showers may be expected closer to the weekend.

Members of the public are advised to take precautionary measures to minimise the risk of heat-induced illnesses during warm weather.

ssandrea@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - A former Mediacorp producer was sentenced to two weeks jail for slapping, spitting and hurling vulgarities at two police officers.

Ms Zhao Xiaotian, 26, admitted to slapping Sgt Muhammad Fahmi Osman, and spitting twice at Sgt Muhammad Hafiz Kamsari on April 26 last year.

According to Chinese evening daily Lianhe Wanbao, on the day of the incident Ms Zhao had gone to Tanjong Beach Club on Sentosa Island at about 1pm to meet her friends. They had drinks and remained there throughout the evening.

At about 8.30pm, a security guard heard a sound coming from the swimming pool area. When he went to check, he found that Ms Zhao was topless in the pool.

He asked her to put her bikini top back on, and she compliedd with his instruction. But she once again took off her top and went back into the pool soon after that.

Noticing this, the guard asked her to produce identification, but she refused to co-operate and started behaving aggressively, prompting him to call the police.

Ex-Mediacorp producer jailed 2 weeks for slapping, spitting at police officers

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, Facebook screengrabs, Lianhe Wanbao, internet

When the two police officers arrived at the scene, they again asked Ms Zhao for identification. But she remained uncooperative, and started spouting vulgarities before placing her black bikini top on Sgt Fahmi's shoulder.

When the officers warned her about her conduct, she slapped Sgt Fahmi across his face.

Following her actions, the officers decided to arrest Ms Zhao, but she continued to put up a struggle. When Sgt Hafiz tried to restrain her in the back seat of the police vehicle, she spat at him twice.

According to Shin Min Daily News, her blood-alcohol level was found to be 121mg per 100ml of blood.

Ms Zhao's lawyer, Mr A. K. Nakoorsha, said that she was a first-time offender, and deeply regretted her actions. The New York University graduate also decided to give up drinking following the incident, Shin Min reported.

He added that she will be appealing her sentence, and was allowed bail of $10,000.

seanyap@sph.com.sg