The man who robbed a Western Union remittance outlet in Ubi Avenue 1 on Tuesday (Aug 1) at around 10.50am has been arrested.

The suspect, a 56-year-old Singaporean, was apprehended at Pasir Ris Drive 6 on Aug 3, at 10.35pm.

It was earlier reported that the man, who was wearing a face mask, had entered the bank armed with a knife, demanded money from an employee and then fled.

According to The Straits Times, about $4,000 was handed to him before he made his getaway on a bicycle. However, he dropped some of the money during his escape and got away with an amount of $1,071.

More than 130 officers were involved in tracking the robber down, said the police.

Besides combing CCTV footage from public and police cameras to establish his identity, they also went door-to-door in the surrounding estate.

A red bicycle, four 4D tickets, black shoes, dark blue trousers and a green face mask were recovered from the suspect, but no cash was found.

Preliminary investigations showed that he spent almost all the money, including on 4D tickets.

Meanwhile, police are still trying to locate the knife and white helmet.

If convicted of armed robbery, the man is liable to a jail term between two and 10 years, and at least 12 strokes of the cane.

Reputed as a leading electronics, IT, furniture and bedding retail chain, Harvey Norman is a one-stop shop for all your home furnishing needs - and yes, that includes beds too.

In fact, did you know that their Millenia Walk outlet has the biggest bedding range in the city? We didn’t as well, until we went down to the store to suss it out for ourselves and were amazed at their collection.

Here are five things about Harvey Norman's bedding range that we found out when we visited Millenia Walk:

1.  They have something that suits every budget

Harvey Norman's Millenia Walk outlet is home to the largest bedding range in Singapore. There are more than 100 mattresses and 100 bed frames to choose from, with prices starting at around $1,000 to over $20,000. There's definitely something for every budget here.

Those living in the east can check out the newly renovated Parkway Parade outlet, which has recently expanded to include a furniture and bedding section at a new additional ground floor unit.

Sofa beds and kids' bed frames are also offered in both stores.

2. Wide selection of brands

Apart from major labels such as King Koil, Simmons and Tempur, you can check out these three renowned mattress brands that are sold only at Harvey Norman stores in Singapore:

Back-Pedic

Harvey Norman's house brand, which uses Australia-inspired technology for its mattresses. Prices range from around $688 to over $3,000.

Ernest Hemingway

The namesake brand of the late American novelist makes mattresses using the "finest materials and highest quality craftsmanship". Prices range from around $1,500 to $8,000.

Hilker

From Germany, Hilker mattresses are known for their spring technology system. They come in both the affordable and prestigious ends, with prices ranging from around $1,500 to $20,000.

3. You can get premium mattresses at crazy cheap prices

By crazy cheap, I mean a Sealy queen-sized mattresses for just under $1,000.

Harvey Norman's factory outlet at Viva Business Park, which just opened in mid-July, is where you can snag heavily discounted items like that, along with bed frames, pillows and other bed accessories.

Like a typical factory outlet, this is where discontinued models and display sets go to at bargain prices. But it is also special in that it carries entry-level products across all the brands, including premium brands, carried by Harvey Norman that you won't see in the Millenia Walk or Parkway Parade outlet.

Over 80 mattresses and 80 bed frames, kids’ bedding and sofa beds can be found at this factory outlet, where prices are slashed by up to 90 per cent.

4. Customise to your heart's content

If fixed bed sizes are either too small or too big for you, go in between.

Bed frames can be tailored according to your preferences as well. Apart from the height of the headboard, go dizzy with the 2,000 colours and fabric choices made by Australian company Warwick, an exclusive partner of Harvey Norman's.

The customisation services are available at all the three Harvey Norman outlets with the bedding section (Millenia Walk, Parkway Parade and Viva Business Park).

5. Freebies and promotions

After investing a good sum of money on your dream bed, you'll want a mattress protector to guard it with.

The good news is that you don't have to spend again when you buy a mattress from Harvey Norman, because it comes with a mattress protector and two pillows of the same brand you’ve purchased.

Also, look out for the monthly promotions by Harvey Norman to get more bang for your buck. Ongoing right now is the option to top up just $188 for a storage bed frame which otherwise retails at $1,899. This promotion ends on Aug 31.

Singaporean celebrity Michelle Chong recently took to Facebook to share her thoughts about how "Singapore would be a better place if people really just take pride in their work"; making the observation that "people here generally don't care about what they do", in her view.

Chong's post sparked a debate among netizens - many agreed with Chong, while others offered up reasons for this lack of pride including being over worked and underpaid, a lack of appreciation by bosses, and the influx of foreign talent.

Human Resources reached out to HR leaders for their views - if they observe a lack of pride in employees' work, and what can be done to change or prevent this issue. Here's what they have to say:

(All views are personal, and not necessarily representative of the organisation that they represent.)

Manoj Viswanathan, regional head of HR, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and Middle East, Nestle Health Science

I would restrain myself from making a sweeping statement either affirming or negating the view regarding lack of pride in employees in Singapore. I see a significant percentage of employees who take pride in what they do. They try to do their best in what they do and are very happy with what they do. Having experienced various cultures, I find employees here no different.

I think this is more than a workplace culture issue. If everyone is able to do what he or she likes, as Michelle Chong is able to do, then I am sure you would see more passion and pride. I think Singapore's core DNA needs a transformation for this to be achieved.

It has to start from the education system. We need to encourage and allow kids to build skills and develop in areas they have a natural inclination, interest or passion from an earlier age.

We need to encourage and allow kids to build skills and develop in areas they have a natural inclination, interest or passion from an earlier age.

- Manoj Viswanathan, regional head of HR, Asia, Oceania, Africa, and Middle East, Nestle Health Science

When they grow up as adults and are able to do what they are good at and comes somewhat naturally, you will see passion and pride. For example, I am not sure if you will see passion from an artist or a sportsman if he or she is made to a do a 9-8 compliance job, stuck in a chair in the office.

One of the immediate things which we can do as HR practitioners is to ensure we hire the right people with the right motivation, attitude and aptitude for every role in the organisation.

What I mean is we shouldn't hire just for skills and experience but also for interest and passion for the job. Skills are the easiest to train or teach. Rather, we should hire someone very high on interest and passion for the job and medium on skills than the other way around.

Another thing is managers and leaders have to make an effort to understand the strengths and weaknesses of individual employees under their remit. What drives and inhibits performance would be different for everyone.

We also need to let creativity flow - with certain rules and guidelines, of course. Individuals need to be recognised and appreciated for bringing diversity of thought, and not necessarily the end output. I believe this will definitely bring more passion and pride to the job.

Read also

Michelle Chong's rant about S'poreans who don't take pride in their jobs divides the Internet

James Foo, head group HR, ABR Holdings

There are bound to be people who don't take their work seriously, who find the way and time to 'eat snake' and/or have a 'bo-chup (don't care) attitude'. From my observation, these people normally don't stay long in a company because they cannot 'survive long'. I feel the existence of people who don't take pride in their work will continue till they learn their lesson or get out to be their own boss.

Having said that, I strongly believe that majority of the staff members do take pride in their work. But this success does not come overnight - it is a result of an ongoing HR initiative that was rolled out regionally across our brands as part of our employee retention strategy, some of which include:

Briefing staff on their job scope and responsibilities

Staff are briefed on their job scope and responsibilities, making them fully aware of their work is important in contributing to the success of the business. This has to be done otherwise junior staff might think that their role is not significant so there is no point in putting in extra effort etc.

Respect

It is part of the company culture to treat each other with respect.

Having monthly focus group sessions

Our monthly focus group session gives employees the opportunity to receive feedback on a regular basis. We also conduct monthly reviews of performance and apply corrective order both ways (management and operation staff) to give encouraging words and recognise work-well done. This helps motivate employees and keeps pride at its highest level.

Transparency

At times, employees - especially junior employees - may feel that they are the last to know what is going on with the company. Hence, we encourage all our managers to make time to share the company progress with employees (good or bad); to engage staff, while getting their views, and suggestions. This will make them feel more involved in the company, and in turn, they will show more loyalty and become more engaged.

Gareth Ling, chief talent officer, Singapore, GroupM

In professional services, pride must run through everything that we do, and having a purpose in your work creates pride. With more Millennials in the workforce, regular feedback and recognition is crucial. We have a thriving internship programme which aligns Gen Y and Z with expectations of corporate life early.

At GroupM, we practice a culture of continuous feedback using tech like Reflecktive! This means, instead of annual performance reviews, we're constantly checking in with employees, and aligning their work with their personal drivers.

With more Millennials in the workforce, regular feedback and recognition is crucial.

- Gareth Ling, chief talent officer, Singapore, GroupM

We call out great work all the time and celebrate it with awards etc., and in the event of a challenge or misaligned expectations, we're able to call it out early and manage it, decreasing the chances of employees losing motivation and pride.

Singapore - Singapore Airlines said Friday it is offering cabin crew unpaid leave in a cost-cutting measure as it struggles to keep up in an increasingly tough market.

The city-state's flag carrier has been battling strong competition from Asian low-cost carriers and Middle Eastern airlines, which now boast modern fleets and top-quality inflight services.

The airline, which posted a net loss in the fourth quarter of the last financial year, has launched a wide-ranging review and refused to rule out job cuts.

The company said it had offered its cabin crew the option of taking unpaid leave between September and November this year due to a "temporary surplus of crew".

Read also

Singapore Airlines CEO signals job cuts loom in business review

"Having temporary surpluses or deficits of cabin crew is not unusual due to the nature of our business, and this voluntary scheme over a specific period of time is to ensure that we efficiently manage crew resources and operational requirements," a spokesman said.

The spokesman added the airline now plans to offer the option from time to time in the future.

Singapore Airlines did not say how many of its 8,200 crew members had so far taken up the offer or how many staff they hoped would choose to partake in the scheme.

It last resorted to the measure in 2009, after the global financial crisis.

Aviation analyst Shukor Yusof of Endau Analytics told AFP it showed "legacy carriers" were finding it harder to survive.

"(Singapore Airlines's) business travel segment has been hit hard and more are turning to low cost carriers," he said.

InstaScram celebrates our country's alternative skyline, bringing you the thrill of enjoying Singapore from high vantage points, coupled with the adrenaline from the perspectives of these riders of their very, very fast motorcycles.

Motorbike prices have risen in Singapore for high capacity bikes, with the introduction of the Additional Registration Fee (ARF) in early 2017. Needless to say, this adds a heavier financial commitment to Singaporeans who are big bike owners, or those who dream of owning a big bike.

Our very own Avengers team assembled to ride, mounting motorcycles over 1,000 CC, of different makes and models, representing the subset of Singaporeans who are unwaveringly passionate about riding big bikes every day. Be it for touring, track sessions, joyrides, or just in their daily commute to work.

We celebrate the nation's birthday by riding to two carparks in Singapore with high vantage points. One of the architectural cityscape, and the other that combines a park and a sea view.

The People's Park Complex is a 31-storey building located in the heart of Chinatown, with six levels of a shopping centre, which opened to the public in October 1970, before the 25 residential floors above opened in June 1973. Back in the day, it cost a cool $16.5 million.

It was first built with the purpose of providing a permanent, urban and modernised alternative to the People's Park Market, which was established in the 1930s in Chinatown. During the period between 1930 and 1967, the People's Park Market was a testament to the multi-racial hustle and bustle of street shopping that is synonymous with Asia. But, it was wrought with various problems. From gangsters, to electrical short-circuits and fires, shops and stalls were destroyed, and the public called for improvement.

Thus, the People's Park Complex plan was set in motion. This was the first building in Singapore that housed an atrium to accommodate sellers, and a spacious rooftop carpark, the very one InstaScram explored in this episode. The iconic slab-block tower, with its bright yellow and grimy green colour combination, stands out from the low-level architecture around Chinatown.

The rooftop carpark has seen a resurgence of interest on social media due to the numerous genres of photographs taken there, from fashion to vehicles and the Chinatown architecture. And not forgetting, the alternative social space, Lepark, which opened in 2015. A new generation of youths and adults flock to this F&B hangout, for a number of reasons: the Asian fusion style food, craft beers, live music gigs, pop-up events, and even outdoor movie screenings.

One wonders if people still visit the People's Park Complex for the travel agencies, beauty parlours, jewellery shops, and textile stores? With the newer malls of Orchard Road and the streets of Bugis just a few train stops away, it would be interesting to see what the future holds for the grungy, classic walls of People's Park Complex. Even if it's for different reasons from the past, whether it's the efforts of Lepark, the appeal of this photogenic carpark, or for a general sense of nostalgia, it's pretty clear that this building still remains fresh in the minds of the people.

Next, we ride to another carpark tucked away in the west of Singapore, which presents a unique vantage point like no other. A short walk from this carpark takes you to Jurong Hill Tower, with an expansive view of Jurong Island and the port on one side, and the district of Jurong on the other.

It is not coincidental that Jurong was built with its own shipyard and port. Jurong was originally a large swamp with small plots of land, and home to the indigenous 'sea people' of Singapore, or 'orang laut'. They would row traditional Malay boats, or kolek, to get from one island to another. With the industrialisation of Jurong beginning in 1961, the government relocated the residents, before levelling the hills and draining the swamps. Shortly after, the shipyard was established and started operations in 1964.

This 3-storey lookout tower opened in 1970, costing $100,000, a hefty price tag back then. It was built in the Jurong Hill Park, to be use as an official 'scouting' location for foreign dignitaries and investors, to offer them a bird's-eye view of Jurong's industrial potential. In fact, the place was visited by so many well-known people, there is actually a Garden of Fame right outside the tower, consisting of 30 trees planted between 1969 and 1984. Queen Elizabeth II, then Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau, and Spiro Agnew, Vice-President to President Nixon of the United States, are among those who have planted trees.

And many locals might remember the Hill Top Japanese Restaurant, located at the base of the lookout tower. Unfortunately, the eatery closed sometime in 2014, and the lookout tower now provides a breezy, chill-out spot for romantic couples, and the "westies" in Singapore.

These vantage points show a different side of Singapore, other than the skylines of our tourist spots and central business district. Interesting nuggets of history can be learnt, from Jurong's booming industrialisation, to the heyday of street shopping during the 1970s in downtown Chinatown. And if Singaporeans can't bring you to the best views in Singapore, who else will?

Follow @instascram_sg on Instagram for more of the best photogenic places in Singapore, and Facebook for more updates!

SINGAPORE - Uber Technologies Inc said on Friday it has taken action to fix defective cars that it had rented to drivers in Singapore and was coordinating with regulators in the city state to resolve any concerns.

The Wall Street Journal earlier quoted internal Uber emails and documents showing the ride-hailing firm had rented more than 1,000 defective Vezel sport-utility vehicles, manufactured by Honda Motor Co, to drivers.

Honda recalled the model in April 2016 for an electrical component that could overheat and catch fire. Uber managers in Singapore were aware of the recall when they bought the vehicles, the report said.

Read also

Uber knowingly leased defective Honda cars to drivers in Singapore

"As soon as we learned of a Honda Vezel from the Lion City Rental fleet catching fire, we took swift action to fix the problem, in close coordination with Singapore's Land Transport Authority," Uber said in a statement.

"But we acknowledge we could have done more-and we have done so," it said, adding it had hired three experts at the rental firm to ensure it fully responded to safety recalls.

Singapore's Land Transport Authority had no immediate comment.

The latest incident adds to a growing list of problems affecting the San Francisco-based firm, which has been beset by complaints about its workplace culture, a federal inquiry into software to help drivers avoid police and an intellectual property lawsuit by Waymo, the self driving car unit of Google parent Alphabet Inc.

SINGAPORE - "I, take you to be my wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward; for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part." 53 years ago, a young Mdm Kang Ngo Hwee (79) entrusted her life to the man she loved, Mr Poh Khuat (78).

Married in 1964, the couple's life was not exactly smooth sailing. Despite all the hardship, Mr Poh and Mdm Kang, who have three children together, led happy lives.

Little did they know that fate will eventually put their vows to test.

It began when Auntie Kang confused sugar with salt. But they dismissed it as part of aging. One day, she went missing. Fortunately, Uncle Poh managed to find her and brought her for consultation. It was only then did they realise she had dementia.

Auntie Kang was diagnosed with dementia in 2003. The news crushed their world. Auntie Kang was devastated. She used to be the wonder woman in the house, the super mum, the outstanding hawker chef. But now, even the most trivial tasks seem impossible without others' help. She felt hopeless and helpless. Angry at herself, Auntie Kang did the unthinkable - she resorted to self-mutilation.

Hurting herself with needles not only failed to relieve her psychological pain, it also broke Uncle Poh's heart. She is his wife, his pillar of support for over five decades and yet, there is absolutely nothing he can do to help her.

As the exact causes of dementia are unclear, it remains incurable till today. For the past 14 years, the couple has done everything they could to relieve the symptoms or slow the onset with treatment. Yet it is inevitable. Auntie Kang no longer recognises the man she loves, at least not until Uncle Poh speaks, for she only remembers his voice.

The Struggle

"When she first started losing her mobility, sometimes after I changed her diapers, we would hug and cry in each other's arms," cried Uncle Poh. "It is a terrible yet unspeakable feeling."

As days go by, not only did Auntie Kang lose her ability to speak, she can no longer recognise the love of her life.

Just when life seemed to have reached rock bottom for Uncle Poh, he was diagnosed with stage 2 lung cancer. Instead of worrying for his health, what mattered more to him was his wife's well-being.

As Uncle Poh had to begin his daily chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments, he could no longer take care of his wife round the clock. Left with no other choice, he admitted Auntie Kang into a nursing home.

"Why not seek help from your children?" asked host Ken Low. "It is easy to leave her with our children, but what would happen to their lives? They have their own financial burden because they have kids to raise as well. So I will take care of her until I am unable to do so. Taking care of your wife is the responsibility of every husband," Uncle Poh replied calmly.

To make sure that his wife would receive the best care, Uncle Poh dragged his sick body to visit and monitor how several nursing homes operate. Some did not provide ample care to the patients and left him worried.

Even though Uncle Poh approves of the standard of care provided by the current nursing home Auntie Kang resides in, he still takes care of her meticulously everyday. When asked for a reason, Uncle Poh sheepishly answered, "it is not that I don't trust the nurses, but she has some habits only I know of. Sometimes I just look at her and I know what she wants, without having her to voice out her requests."

The Promise

"Aiya, it has been so long, I don't remember if she proposed to me or I proposed to her!" A cheeky Uncle Poh laughingly exclaims.

Memory loss does not seem to have made Uncle Poh's love for his wife falter. He visits Auntie Kang more than five times a day at the nursing home, occasionally holding a special bouquet in his hands.

"The 'Hwee' in her name means flower in chinese, so she loves flowers a lot. She is starting to not recognise me but I still tease her with flowers. Flowers make her smile and seeing her smile makes me smile." Although they have been married for over five decades, Uncle Poh still blushes like a young boy meeting his lover for the first time when he presented the flowers to his wife.

Applying moisturizer for his wife has become part of Uncle Poh's daily routine after she lost her ability to take care of herself. Despite Auntie Kang's personal hygiene practices have already been well taken care of by the nurses, Uncle Poh will still painstakingly remove her dentures and brush her teeth again. "Aiya, I wear dentures myself too, so I know how difficult it is to clean them properly. If not, later there are cavities in the teeth how?" Seeing how meticulous Uncle Poh takes care of his wife, one cannot fail to see his love for her.

"Aren't you sad when your wife does not respond to you or treat you coldly?" asks host Ken Low. "There are times I fought back my tears because I don't want to cry. Crying upsets her, I cannot bear to see her cry," Uncle Poh says.

"Ultimately, she is my wife. From the day she gave me her hand, I promised to take care of her forever. This is my responsibility and this is what marriage is all about. You are supposed to take care of each other till the end. Even if she does not recognise my voice in future, I will still take care of her forever."

The Dream

"Even though I know it is impossible, my dream is for her to recover," cried Uncle Poh. "Yet I know her illness is incurable. I feel so terrible about it."

However, Uncle Poh wishes to take a trip down the memory lane with Auntie Kang and revisit places special to them. He hopes that by doing so, it can help bring back some memories to Auntie Kang.

The Challenge

As Auntie Kang is wheelchair bound, the places need to be wheelchair-friendly. A special vehicle is also required to transport Auntie's wheelchair around. Details of the trip need to be thoroughly planned, so as to be able to highlight important parts to stimulate and revive her memories.

Although the team and Uncle knows that reviving memories is scientifically impossible for dementia patients, they are still willing to take the plunge as long as there is a possibility.

The Surprise

Three years ago, Uncle Poh wanted to surprise Auntie Kang by bringing her out to somewhere special to commemorate their 50-year union. He eventually dismissed the idea of celebrating their golden wedding anniversary due to financial constraints.

Never did Uncle Poh imagine the surprise awaiting them - a wedding photoshoot.

Amidst the makeover, an excited Auntie Kang keeps biting her lips. "She feels very touched. But she is unable to express herself in words," Uncle Poh explains with tears in his eyes.

Throughout the photoshoot, Auntie Kang can be seen grinning from ear to ear. One cannot say for certain whether she remembers her wedding 53 years ago, but you can definitely see the happiness in her eyes.

"A photograph takes an instant out of time, captures beautiful moments, and freezes them eternally." Unfortunately, Auntie Kang will forget everything one day. Hopefully these photographs can help her relive their fond memories and provide Uncle Poh with the strength to continue on optimistically.

Watch the tear-jerking video to witness their undying love.

For more stories on "Live Your Dream", please visit: www.zaobao.com/zvideos/live-your-dream

About "Live Your Dream" 

"Live Your Dream"（完成一个梦） is one of 10 SPH-produced short-form digital video series as part of a pilot Public Service Broadcast initiative. In this 13 episode series, host Ken Low Yong Kian (Digital Content Producer, Chinese Media Group Digital) will try his best to fulfil people's dreams no matter how challenging it may be. All episodes come with English subtitles.

This series is also available on zaobao.sg website, as well as the mobile app.

Singapore - "I want to represent Singapore in competitions overseas," says a determined Issac Koh when asked about his biggest dream.

The 7-year-old has been practising taekwondo since the age of 4. He was introduced to the sport by his father Mr Edwin Koh, who is also a taekwondo exponent.

Coach Mr Ernesto Guzman Jr. sees the potential in Issac and hopes to help him achieve his dream.

"Issac is one of my best students...Issac is very different because he is very focused on his training and he likes to learn a lot," said Mr Ernesto.

At last year's National Poomsae Taekwondo Championships, Issac won a silver medal. This year, he strives for gold. Will he succeed?

Get the answer and more in the pilot episode of "A Little Somebody".

About "A Little Somebody":

"A Little Somebody"（我是小某某） 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, children between the age of 7 and 12 are given the opportunity to showcase their talent in different fields. While encouraging the young to pursue their interests, this series also hopes to inspire viewers to continue learning in life.

"A Little Somebody"is also available on the zaobao.sg website and mobile app. All episodes come with Chinese and English subtitles.