Neighbourhood shops may be a familiar aspect of Housing Board life, but many have been grappling with poor business of late and are exploring new ways to keep afloat.

Owners of these heartland businesses cite the sluggish economy and rising competition from neighbourhood malls and e-commerce as some reasons for their struggle.

Mr Yeo Hiang Meng, president of the Federation of Merchants' Associations, Singapore (FMAS), said footfall at HDB shops has quietened considerably this year.

"It usually picks up after Chinese New Year, but there seems to be fewer people now," said Mr Yeo, 60, who also chairs the Toa Payoh Central Merchants' Association.

"(Because of) the (strong) Singapore dollar... many find it cheaper to buy things from abroad and online instead," added the owner of a jewellery shop in Toa Payoh.

Mr Ho Kim Long, 40, who owns video and CD chain Veegoo, said sales across his four outlets in Ang Mo Kio, Jurong East, Marine Parade and Tampines have dipped by about a third in the past year.

"Meanwhile, my employee salaries and rent are increasing. Things are not looking good."

Ang Mo Kio Constituency Merchants Association president Peter Lai has noticed more empty shops in his neighbourhood.

"Usually, all of them would be rented out, with people waiting to take over leases before they are over," said Mr Lai, 65, who is also vice-president of FMAS. "But now, for every 100 shops, about three to five are empty. And they sometimes stay that way for a year."

There are altogether 14,640 HDB shops, of which 8,500 are sold. The other 6,140 are rental shops, the Housing Board said.

Singapore Polytechnic's retail lecturer Sarah Lim said HDB shops, just like malls, may face a manpower shortage. "Not many Singaporeans want to work the long and wrong hours," she said, referring to how these shops usually stay open on weekends and public holidays.

The HDB started the Revitalisation of Shops scheme in 2007 to provide partial funding for upgrading and promotional events.

This was enhanced earlier this week, with the upgrading budget for each shop raised to $35,000 and the co-payment portion for shop owners reduced. New funds to form merchants' associations and engage consultants for upgrading were also introduced.

Meanwhile, the FMAS organises training and awards to encourage innovation among heartland enterprises. Shops have also devised their own ways to stay in the game.

Ms Pia Chew, 42, who started clothing store Dustbunny Vintage at a Bukit Purmei block five years ago, offers personal styling and tailoring services to add value to her customers' experience.

She has also turned to social media to reach more people. "My customers find it convenient to look at pictures of my clothes on their phones," said Ms Chew.

Later this year, close to 400 HDB shops in Tampines could be wired up with Wi-Fi hotspots that allow customers to visit a dedicated online portal to browse for shops and ongoing promotions.

"We want them to come into our neighbourhood and feel like it's just like a big shopping mall," said Tampines Merchant Association chairman Kwek Hong Lim, 39.

For all the challenges they face, heartland shops seem set to stay.

In HDB's latest Sample Household Survey in 2013, 89.9 per cent of respondents said they were satisfied with HDB shops and neighbourhood centres - up from 89.1 per cent in 2008.

Ms Lim said such shops will remain relevant as they "cater to the immediate needs of residents, and shopkeepers know you by name".

She added: "Don't underestimate the value of a personal touch. HDB shops have their nostalgic charm - most of us grew up with them and they're part of our heritage."

yeosamjo@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 12, 2016.
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A Singaporean who, together with his Vietnamese wife, earned a tidy sum of $25,000 to $28,000 a month from vice was jailed for 33 months yesterday.

Quek Choon Leong, 34, and Huynh Thi Kieu Trang, 35, had operated a large-scale and sophisticated enterprise with 32 prostitutes and 10 other staff for two years until their arrest in July 2013.

Huynh was serving a 29-month jail sentence, having admitted to 34 of 103 vice-related charges last year, but was brought back to court to face nine charges for similar offences committed while she and her husband were out on bail for the earlier offences.

She pleaded guilty in April this year to three of the nine charges while Quek admitted to 33 of 97 charges, which were mainly for living on prostitution earnings and harbouring women for prostitution.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Zhou Yihong said Huynh first came to Singapore in 2005 and got to know Quek, a hawker. She began visiting regularly and living with Quek, at a lodging house in Tembeling Road.

In 2006, a housemate advised Huynh to source more Vietnamese women to rent out rooms to. She succeeded in securing tenants and would have five or six staying at her lodging house at any point in time.

Afew months later, Quek went to stay with friends in a condominium in Geylang while Huynh returned to Vietnam to give birth to their first child.

In Vietnam, she told acquaintances she would be able to rent them a place to stay in Singapore. A few did come after she had returned.

Around early 2010, Huynh got involved in another enterprise whereby she would meet women arriving at the airport, offer them a place to stay while they worked as hostesses, and collect money from them to remit to her contact in Vietnam.

After the couple were kicked out of the condo following a police raid, they rented two lodging houses in Geylang. Later, they began to hear from a lodger, a freelance prostitute, that she earned more from vice than as a hostess.

In early 2011, Huynh suggested to her husband that they propose that their tenants work as prostitutes under them. Quek initially disagreed but relented after his wife told him it was "trade practice" for prostitutes to hand over $10 per $70 to $80 earned from each customer.

To run the enterprise, the couple recruited several helpers, including two agents in Vietnam to procure attractive women. Each woman would pay Huynh $450 a month, raised to $600 in 2013, for lodging. They signed a tenancy agreement, with a set of "rules" imposed by the couple.

Huynh would arrange for the women to solicit customers in Geylang and hire lookouts for law enforcement officers so she could warn her workers.

On average, the couple had about 20 women working under them per month, and received prostitution earnings of $25,000 to $28,000.

Quek used part of the earnings to gamble at the Resorts World Sentosa casino, converting chips worth between $23,630 and $29,000 on three occasions in June and July 2013.

DPP Zhou said investigation showed that in October 2014, Quek rented a unit in Changi Road at $3,000 a month. They were on court bail at the time.

And some time before early August last year - weeks before she was jailed - Huynh again arranged for three Vietnamese women to come and work as prostitutes.

For that, she was given an additional 10 months' jail in April this year which will take effect after she finishes her current jail sentence.

This article was first published on May 12, 2016.
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A director of an Indonesian company suspected of contributing to last year's haze did not turn up for an interview with the authorities here, even though he was served with a legal notice to attend it when he was in Singapore.

But the director, who has since left Singapore, can be detained if he tries to enter Singapore again.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said yesterday that it has obtained a court warrant against the director to secure his attendance when he enters Singapore. It did not name him or his company, which is believed to have started fires or let its concessions burn.

"This means that if the director enters Singapore, he can be detained by NEA officers for the purpose of investigations," said an NEA spokesman, adding that the move is in accordance with Singapore's Transboundary Haze Pollution Act.

The Act, passed in 2014, was wielded for the first time last year to punish those responsible for causing or condoning fires if burning results in unhealthy levels of haze here. Those found guilty can be fined up to $100,000 a day, capped at a total of $2 million, for causing unhealthy haze, defined as a 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) value of 101 or greater for 24 hours or more.

NEA sent six Indonesia-based firms notices under the Act asking them to explain steps they are taking to put out and prevent fires on their land. NEA's latest move comes after Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said in April that only two firms had replied. Referring to the same director who missed the interview, Mr Masagos said the director, who is from one of the other four firms, had been served a notice to give information about his company's steps to mitigate fires on its land and prevent a repeat of last year's haze.

This article was first published on May 12, 2016.
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The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) will take in 467 students this year, a record high for the institution.

The figure, a 20 per cent increase from last year's intake of 386, is close to its intake capacity of 500.

Previously, its intakes had ranged from 280 to 340, raising questions about whether it was being too selective.

SUTD, which took in its first batch of students in 2012, said then that it was going for "quality, not quantity" because of its rigorous curriculum, developed with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States.

It received 3,055 applications this year, an 18.4 per cent increase from last year. About 40 per cent of its intake this year are females.

Besides having good grades, applicants must write a 500-word essay about themselves.

They are also invited to submit portfolios, videos and personal blogs to support their applications.

Shortlisted applicants then face a panel interview.

SUTD president, Professor Thomas Magnanti, said: "This is our fifth batch and I am very heartened by the record number.

"We look forward to nurturing them over the next 3½ years into becoming holistic engineers and architects who identify and solve society's problems not just from a technological aspect but also with an eye for design, relevance and usability."

In response to queries, an SUTD spokesman said that it looks for "bright and well-rounded students with a passion for technology and design".

She said the rise in the number of applications could also be due to its outreach efforts, ranging from school visits and workshops to its open house.

Other factors include its expanded overseas programmes and the positive employment outcomes of its pioneer graduates last year.

SUTD, Singapore's fourth university which partners MIT and China's Zhejiang University, offers specialisation in four areas: architecture and sustainable design; engineering product development; engineering systems and design; and information systems technology and design.

Some new undergraduates said they were attracted by its broad- based approach, which requires students of all disciplines to take common subjects such as physics and humanities.

Mr Leong Hei Kern, 22, who graduated from Singapore Polytechnic in 2013 with a grade point average of 3.99 out of 4, said the common curriculum helps students to understand each other's specialisations.

"Your classmate could be an architect or engineer in the future," said the Public Service Commission scholar, who added that working together across specialisations can help to create products that are both user-friendly and functional.

Former Raffles Institution student Afiffah Ab Ghapar said: "I like that architecture is taught in a technologically-driven way."

The 18-year-old, who scored six As in her A levels, spent a week in January attached to architecture students at SUTD as part of a job shadowing programme organised by the Building and Construction Authority.

"Design is not just about aesthetics; there could be other aspects that require skills like coding and software programming," she said.

"It's challenging, but it made me think that if I had that knowledge it would make me stand out."

This article was first published on May 12, 2016.
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When Mr Chua Kai Lun stepped into the world of unicycles out of curiosity more than a decade ago, little did he know that one-wheelers would become his passion in life.

In 2002, the technical services engineer saw street performers on unicycles and wondered how to ride one.

He did an online search and found a local shop that sold unicycles for $100 and he bought one.

The 34-year-old is considered one of the pioneers in local unicycle group Singapore Unicyclists, a registered interest group in Bedok Community Club.

Mr Chua said there are about 80 unicyclists in Singapore; but an active group of 30 meet regularly to ride together.

These advanced riders, who have at least two years of experience on a unicycle, meet on Thursdays to play hockey - while on their unicycles.

They form two groups and go head-to-head in a multi-purpose court in Bedok.

For a more hardcore experience, they go to Pulau Ubin or Coney Island on the weekends.

The youngest mountain unicyclist in the group, Eugene Sia, 15, loves the thrill of navigating different landscapes.

Riding high on one wheel

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The Straits Times

He said: "Mountain unicycling is challenging and yet very satisfying when you can clear different obstacles, unlike flat, boring pavements."

He picked up unicycling at 13, when he borrowed a unicycle from his cousin.

He got the hang of riding it after five days, "riding pillar to pillar" at void decks.

Mr Chua said there is no age barrier to being a unicyclist. However, a rider must be least 1.4m tall and able to reach the pedals.

The Singapore Unicyclists' youngest rider is 10 and the oldest is almost 70, and members come from all walks of life.

Mr Chua said: "With the increase in the popularity of personal mobility devices such as the electric unicycle, we see an increase in people coming to try the sport.

"However, with the steep learning curve, it will probably remain as a low-profile sport in Singapore."

Currently, those who are interested in picking up unicycling can go to the Kallang or Bedok community club for free lessons.

Mr Chua said it takes about 20 hours of practice to be able to ride a unicycle.

He added: "Unicycling is a completely safe sport, and the learning phase is actually the safest phase."

The most common injury is a "pedal bite", when the pedal hits the rider's leg, so newbies are encouraged to use shin guards to prevent such accidents.

As cool as it looks, riding a unicycle is not about "the attention you get or being unique", said Mr Chua.

"It is the feeling of being in control of something that your instinct tells you is impossible to master. That feeling is very addictive."

jamiekoh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 12, 2016.
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Walk into any HDB mom-and-pop shop and chances are there will be an elderly uncle or auntie behind the counter.

The heartland enterprise scene is often associated with old shopkeepers plying traditional trades such as sundry stores and medical halls.

But this is morphing as a younger generation enters the scene. Their average age is 48, down from 50 five years ago, said the HDB.

And many of them are breathing new life into the heartlands by setting up cafes, ice-cream parlours and gentleman barber shops.

Secondary school buddies Muhammad Tirmidzi Saad and Melvin Koh, both 31, opened The Black Tie barber shop at a Jurong West HDB block last month.

"We wanted an HDB space so we can be closer to and serve the community. All of us grew up in Jurong and this is like our kampung," said Mr Tirmidzi.

The vibe is youthful, to say the least. The store manager and all three barbers are no older than 26 and sport the latest hipster fashion of bow ties and suspenders. But the shop preserves traditional elements like a barber pole, and its vintage football theme pays tribute to football stars of yore such as Kenneth "King Kenny" Dalglish and Fandi Ahmad, whose photos dot the walls.

"Not many of our generation want to become barbers. But we want to carry on this trade," said Mr Tirmidzi.

Other youngish entrepreneurs cite affordable rents, a steady customer stream of residents and the relaxed atmosphere as some reasons for setting up shop in HDB neighbourhoods.

Mr Douglas Tan, 23, who founded cafe Tolido's Espresso Nook in Lavender three years ago, said: "It's homely here and we have lots of regulars who either live above us or in the blocks nearby."

The owner of leather accessories shop onlyBrown, Mr Kelvin Cheong, 43, is renting a third of an Everton Park unit for about $2,000 each month. "The rent is lower than what we would have to pay in some malls," said Mr Cheong, who opened his store last August.

Surprise also plays a part in drawing customers. Said Mr Cheong: "There is a pet store and stalls selling tau huay and ang ku kueh along this stretch. Nobody expects a shop like mine in an HDB block."

Shopkeepers are flexing their creative muscles in other ways, too. Mr Muhammad Zulkefly Jainul Abidin, 27, and his wife may have opened cold-press juice shop Fruit Depot only last month, but they already have a customer loyalty card.

"They get a free item after buying four drinks," said Mr Zulkefly, who also sells smoothies and waffles at his Depot Road shop.

"It makes sense because we are targeting more or less the same crowd - residents and nearby office workers - every day," he said.

The fever of youth is also heating up at the Ang Mo Kio Constituency Merchants Association, which has been actively recruiting younger members for ideas on how to survive in a worsening retail climate.

While most of its committee members used to be over the age of 50, now more than a third are in their 30s and 40s.

With young members such as Mr Mark Lim, 31, who owns a women's clothing store, on board, the association is exploring fresh ways to draw people.

Recently, they gave out lucky draw coupons to customers who reached a minimum spend at participating shops.

Association president Peter Lai, 65, said: "We let our younger shop owners take charge of activities. We hope they can apply their fresh ideas to attract more youngsters.

"We need to become one with them or we will get left behind."

The central perk of a once sleepy neighbourhood

Keeping Tolido's Espresso Nook jiving are (from left) founder and head barista Douglas Tan, assistant chef Liew Khar Kheng and head chef Lee Ker Voon.

A shop selling pails and pots, a salon offering cheap haircuts and a cafe serving latte with foam art may have little in common, but these adjacent businesses at Block 462, Crawford Lane have grown to be friendly neighbours.

Mr Douglas Tan, 23, may have set up cafe Tolido's Espresso Nook there with his mother just three years ago, but already feels like it is his second home.

"Our neighbours are all very warm and nice," he said.

"They help us water our plants when we close for a few days. They even feed Lucky - the neighbourhood stray cat that we adopted."

Indeed, the kampung spirit is alive and well for the stretch of shops in Lavender even though the owners are far apart in age.

They support each other's businesses too. Mr Tan, his chef partners Lee Ker Voon, 39, and Liew Khar Kheng, 31, and their two other full-time staff members all have their hair cut at the block's salon.

"We bought all our pots and pans from the store next door, and get our posters printed at the print shop a few doors down," said Mr Tan.

Meanwhile, their neighbours occasionally come over for a cup of coffee.

For Mr Tan, such intimacy is a nostalgic throwback to the mamak shops he grew up with in the 1990s, and one reason why he and his mother chose to set up shop in an HDB block.

"We thought it would be quirky to bring a Western vibe into the heartlands. We wanted the neighbourhood to have a place that serves breakfast all day."

Residents in the area seem to appreciate this, and many have made the cafe their regular haunt.

But the No. 1 fan title would have to go to a young man in his 20s, who lives in Block 463 and stops by every morning without fail for his long black, said Mr Tan.

"He was already here when we were still renovating, waiting for us to open," he recalled.

Next door, mixed-goods shop owner Tan Hong Lee is glad that Tolido's moved in.

"We mostly rely on long-time customers," said Mr Tan, 63, who opened his eponymous store more than 30 years ago.

"But it's a good thing that young people are setting up shop beside us. They are drawing more people to our sleepy neighbourhood."

A suitably stylish addition to an up-and-coming area

From left: Este Bartin’s co-founders Barry Lim and Justin Loy with their tailoring assistant Benedict Teo. There are plans for another store, also in a heartland area.

Business partners Justin Loy, 33 and Barry Lim, 35, met as teenagers and bonded over computer games like Redmoon.

But they had another common interest - dressing well. This led to them setting up door-to-door tailoring business Este Bartin in 2013.

For two years, they would go to people's homes by appointment and take measurements. But the duo soon found themselves searching for a brick and mortar outlet.

"We wanted a store front so people could come to us and there would be more of a walk-in crowd," said Mr Loy.

They found a space at Block 128, Toa Payoh Lorong 1 last year, and rented the partitioned unit for $1,300 a month.

The rest of the unit is occupied by a massage parlour and a salon.

It may be a modest shop which sees only about two to five customers each day, but the young entrepreneurs are content for now.

Popular dessert cafes along the same stretch of shops, such as Creamier and Frozen, help get the tailors noticed, especially by nearby residents. "We wanted a heartland location so that customers find it more convenient to drop by," said Mr Loy. "Why go to the malls and fight with the big boys?"

While the men are offering a traditional service long a staple in HDB estates, they present a youthful twist. Their shirt designs, with flowers and paisley, cater to the trendy, and their tailoring assistant Benedict Teo is only 23.

But they can be old-fashioned too. "We consulted a fengshui master who said east is a better direction for us, so we added 'Este', the Spanish word for 'east', to our name," said Mr Lim.

The second word Bartin is a portmanteau of Barry and Justin.

Insurance agent Andy Lim, 46, learnt about the tailors on Facebook last year and has since had five shirts and two pairs of trousers made at the shop.

Mr Lim lives in Choa Chu Kang but does not mind the commute. "The service here is very personal. These young people are brave to start their own business and I want to support them," he said.

Mr Tan and Mr Lim plan to open another store, and are adamant that it will also be in the heartland. Said Mr Lim: "HDB neighbourhoods are getting more neglected. We should come back and make them more lively again."

This article was first published on May 12, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Blogger Amos Yee has been arrested again.

News website TODAY reported that Yee's former lawyer, Mr Alfred Dodwell, confirmed that Yee was arrested on Wednesday (May 11). Mr Dodwell was contacted by Yee's mother for help.

Yee was being probed in December for making religiously offensive remarks online in November.

According to TODAY, Yee did not report to a police station when instructed to do so then. Police said that Yee left Singapore "and remained overseas for a prolonged period until his return in April". The blogger was last spotted attending Bukit Batok by-election rallies held by the Singapore Democratic Party early this month.

When served a Warrant of Attendance upon his return to report, he failed to do so again.

TODAY also said that Yee uploaded a video last week of the police presenting him a warrant to appear before the police for investigation on Tuesday.

Yee was found guilty on May 12, 2015, of uploading an obscene image and making remarks intending to hurt the feelings of Christians in a video. He was sentenced to 4 weeks jail on July 7, with his sentence backdated after spending nearly 50 days in remand.

sinsh@sph.com.sg

Amos Yee sentenced to 4 weeks in jail

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The Straits Times, The New Paper, Reuters, AFP, Lianhe Zaobao

Police arrest Amos Yee, the teen behind anti-Lee Kuan Yew video

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, , YouTube screengrabs

SINGAPORE - The Prime Minister's Office said in a statement today evening (May 12) that the Finance Minister, Mr Heng Swee Keat, collapsed during a Cabinet meeting today.

Mr Heng, 54, was taken to hospital immediately, the statement said, after he collapsed at 5.34pm.

A CT scan showed that he had suffered a stroke.

The statement said that doctors are attending to him.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a Facebook post that three doctors in the Cabinet attended to Mr Heng, who he called a "valuable member" of his team, when he collapsed. An ambulance was called immediately, and Mr Heng was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said that Cabinet members are "expectedly shaken" because of Mr Heng's collapse. He said they managed to resuscitate Mr Heng, but the Finance Minister and his family "will now need all our prayers and support as he undergoes critical procedures and treatment for the stroke".

sinsh@sph.com.sg

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The Straits Times

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The Straits Times

See also: Heng Swee Keat 6th in ranking of Asia Pacific finance ministers

SINGAPORE - The boss of a famous bak chor mee stall in Bedok North's Fengshan Market and Food Centre has reportedly died.

Lianhe Wanbao reported that the family of Mr Sim Chee Huat, the boss of Xing Ji Rou Cuo Mian at Block 85 Bedok North Street 4, said he passed away from illness.

Mr Sim, who passed away on Wednesday (May 11) at about 2.15pm, is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Xing Ji is famous for its soup noodles and has been around for 70 years, according to the report. It started as a push-cart business at Old Changi Road, and moved into Fengshan Food Centre in 1976.

As the stall opens until the wee hours in the morning, it is popular with people looking for supper. It has also won numerous awards.

Some stall keepers at Fengshan Food Centre were surprised to learn that Mr Sim had died, Wanbao said.

sinsh@sph.com.sg

From ramps incorporated into main routes around the estate to large light switches that are easy to reach within flats, Housing Board project SkyVille@Dawson has many user-friendly features.

These have helped the estate in Dawson Road, Queenstown, become the first public housing project to clinch the Building and Construction Authority's (BCA) highest award for inclusive design.

SkyVille@Dawson is one of three Platinum winners of the BCA Universal Design Mark this year and among 25 winners in all - ranging from homes to malls to parks - announced by the BCA yesterday.

"Universal design is about addressing the needs of as many people as possible, including those with disabilities and the elderly," said Mr Teo Orh Hai, the BCA's acting group director for building plan and management.

That includes ramps and corridors wide enough for wheelchairs, as well as facilities catering to people of all ages, such as playgrounds that incorporate fitness stations for older adults.

But universal design also extends to subtler touches, such as large, clear signs to help people find their way around, and adequate seating.

At Bedok Mall and Bedok Residences - a Gold Plus winner - plenty of seating is available throughout the integrated mall and private apartments, giving shoppers and residents places to rest. The development is one of four projects by developer CapitaLand that received Universal Design Mark awards this year.

Another is CapitaGreen, the first stand-alone office development to achieve a Platinum award.

"Universal design is not only about hard physical features, but it's also about taking users into account," said Mr Tan Jwu Yih, director of the BCA's universal design department and one of the assessors for the awards.

Citing SkyVille@Dawson's use of sky gardens to create community spaces in each block, he said: "The designer has understood how users can enjoy and use the space."

The third Platinum winner is the refurbished Enabling Village, a community space with retail, lifestyle and training services for people with disabilities. Its features include an interactive directory that can be adjusted in height to suit wheelchair users, for instance.

The awards will be presented at the BCA Awards ceremony on May 26 at Resorts World Sentosa.

This article was first published on May 13, 2016.
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Are cats our new social media influencers?

It seems like it with a new, hilarious interpretation of the recent fiasco beverage manufacturer Marigold experienced with its Peel Fresh campaign, where social media influencers such as Naomi Neo and Tan Jian Hao touted their juices.

The campaign has been criticised for using these stars to promote a message as if it's coming from them.

Ms Neo's Instagram post drew more attention as she stated that she is "always carrying around a carton of (her favourite) Marigold Peel Fresh juice (cos Juices > Water any day)".

Comments ranged from snarky to outraged, with Instagram user @isyahiran_ replying, "Idk (I don't know) who in the world would walk around with a carton of juice in their hands but ok", while @riondude said "Say hi to diabetes for me". 

In response to ONE FM 91.3's post about Naomi Neo, Facebook user Jazz Lange said: "Why carry a liter of juice when I'm way too cool to sweat in this crazy weather?" while user Sophie Wong said: "Diabetes that's what you'll get if u drink nothing but fruit juice my friend".

RazorTV parodied Neo's post, with a carton of Magnum ice cream, stating it is ice cream, not juice that keeps them "cool and collected".

The Cats of Singapore Facebook page also responded with a parody of Neo's post, using a cat to "endorse" a carton of Marigold Peel Fresh juice even "though it's about 25% of (its) body mass".

The page further made fun of Neo's seeming unrehearsed, organic post by having the cat "end" its own post with: "And pour it out into a puddle on the floor before I can drink - uh...what's my line again?"

Meow.

prabukm@sph.com.sg

It was an unlikely friendship but Annie Tan, 87, and Danish expatriate Pernille Vedersø Bussone, 36, have formed a strong bond thanks to a special trishaw which takes them across the neighbourhood, allowing them to explore Singapore and meet new people along the way.

During their weekly meetings, Annie (or Auntie Annie) and Pernille talk about all things under the sun - where they come from, what their childhoods were like and where they would like to go in future.

It also gives Auntie Annie a chance to feel the wind in her hair - something many young and able people take for granted.

Their friendship is all thanks to the Cycling Without Age movement, which was born in Denmark in 2012 and has since expanded to over 20 countries.

Special trishaw brings Singapore grandma and Danish expat together

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Our Better World

It began when its founder, Ole Kassow, decided that he wanted to bring the joy of cycling to people who have lost the ability to do so because of their age.

Not only did the rides foster a connection between the young and old, they gave the elderly a chance to revisit and remember the places they once knew, to share stories about the past and to see how life had changed.

Singapore's ever-changing city is home to Cycling Without Age's first Asian branch, and anyone is welcome to rent the trishaw for free or volunteer to take seniors out for a trip down memory lane.

Pernille, who moved to Singapore with her family in 2014, works as head of the non-profit group full-time.

She first met Auntie Annie at the Salvation Army's Family Services Centre, and they have been going on their trishaw rides since August 2015.

Their families have since become close friends, and Auntie Annie makes Peranakan treats for Pernille's children, while Pernille brings Auntie Annie's family Danish Christmas cookies.

Video by: Our Better World

The Salvation Army was the first to adopt Cycling Without Age at their Family Services Center in Beo Crescent, and the elderly folk who visit the centre have been enjoying their rides through the neighbourhood.

Social Work Assistant Chris Wong, 38, said that the trishaw has put smiles on the faces of many elderly folk at the centre.

In a video produced by Our Better World, a storytelling initiative of the Singapore International Foundation, one elderly man tells Chris that the ride he gave was "very good", while the elderly woman next to him said: "I love, I love".

Referring to the elderly folk who go for rides on the trishaw, Chris says: "They need companions, and they'll really appreciate you bringing them out even if it's a short stint of 15-30 minutes. They'll love it".

Find out more about how you can get involved on Our Better World.

ljessica@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - Singapore's anti-corruption agency said Friday it was helping French authorities investigating possible fraud in Japan's Olympic bid after a company based in the city-state was linked to alleged irregularities.

French investigators have said they suspect that $2 million (S$2.75 million) paid to Papa Missata Diack, son of disgraced athletics supremo Lamine Diack, was aimed at getting support for Tokyo's 2020 Olympics bid.

They said two payments were made in 2013 to an account held by Black Tidings, a Singapore-based company linked to Papa Diack.

Diack junior was employed by the International Association of Athletics Federations as a marketing consultant.

"The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) is working with the French authorities on this case," CPIB said in an emailed response to AFP queries.

"As investigation is still ongoing, we will not be able to comment further." Singapore's CPIB is a government agency that investigates and prosecutes corruption in the public and private sectors.

A business profile of Black Tidings lodged with Singapore's Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority shows the company as a sole proprietorship registered in 2006.

It listed its main activities as adverstising, business and management as well as marketing consultancy services.

However, the company's registration lapsed last year.

The company's registered address was a fourth-floor apartment in an old government-built housing estate located in a suburban working class district, an AFP reporter discovered Friday.

The reporter knocked on the door but no one opened it despite the television being turned on and voices being heard from inside.

Japan on Friday said it would question Tokyo 2020 Olympic officials following the French probe.

The International Olympic Committee chose Tokyo over Istanbul and Madrid as host for the 2020 Games in 2013.

He may be 70 years old, but his thirst for knowledge is unquenchable.

Yesterday, adjunct lecturer Johnnie Chia Swee Hock added a diploma in Digital Advertising Technology and Analytics from Temasek Polytechnic to his list of academic achievements.

He became the oldest-ever student to graduate from the poly, says Temasek Polytechnic.

The inspirational lifelong learner boasts a master's degree in Social Sciences (Economics), three bachelor's degrees and five diplomas.

He had started out with a Bachelor of Arts (Economic and Philosophy) in 1971 and added two more accounting-related degrees along the way, as well as an Association of Chartered Certified Accountants professional accounting qualification.

Mr Chia also has diplomas and certificates in a variety of fields ranging from computing to food hygiene.

Commenting on what motivated him to pursue his fifth diploma, Mr Chia said that if he sees a "need, now or in the future, he would take up the challenge".

The content covered in the latest diploma also adds value to his teaching job with the School of Business Management in Nanyang Polytechnic, where he specialises in marketing.

He has taught there since 2001.

To him, data analytic is somewhat like a "sub-speciality" of marketing and he wanted to learn more to highlight its relevance to his students, in contrast to how traditional textbook marketing is taught.

He also uses the knowledge gleaned from his diploma to help his friends improve their website traffic.

Mr Chia said that his friends, who are about the same age as he is, are tech-savvy and run their own websites.

At the Temasek Polytechnic yesterday, he was carrying a copy of Midnight's Descendants, a book about the 1947 partition of India and how it affected India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

When asked, Mr Chia said he always has a book with him as he is constantly eager to learn something new.

"Part of my DNA is to spend time studying and reading books," he said.

"If you keep exercising your brain, learning will be effortless."

CODING

In his free time, Mr Chia also explores different computer programs and writes codes for websites.

Having a supportive wife helps, too.

When asked about what she thinks of her husband's commitment to learning, she enthusiastically said: "It's very good! I encourage him to keep learning."

But if you think he is all brain, note that Mr Chia appreciates the importance of brawn as well.

He runs up Mount Faber Hill three to four times a week, lapping up the challenge of running uphill.

What next for Mr Chia? He said he will be applying for a diploma at Singapore Polytechnic, but has not yet decided on the course of study.

This article was first published on May 13, 2016.
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A new programme aimed at inspiring innovative solutions focused on the needs of the elderly and those with mental health issues was launched today (May 13).

Called LeapForGood, the initiative is seeking applications from individuals or social enterprises and organisations in Singapore to address specific challenges faced by the elderly and those with mental health issues.

Participants with the best social enterprise proposals will each receive a grant of up to $100,000 from the Singapore Centre for Social Enterprise (raiSE) to implement their ideas.

The programme will provide support from start to finish, from identifying challenges individuals face, to ideation of solutions, and prototyping and piloting of the ideas.

It will partner with seven voluntary welfare organisations in order to find tailored solutions to specific needs. "By putting the users - the elderly and people with mental health issues - at the heart of the design process, it will enable us to generate better solutions," said DesignSingapore Council executive director Jeffrey Ho.

The programme is jointly organised by raiSE, the National Council of Social Service and DesignSingapore Council.

LeapForGood is now open for participation, with the first workshop on social needs discovery taking place on June 11. This is part of a series of workshops and clinic sessions that help prepare potential participants for their applications. Participants must submit applications by July 17. More details can be found on www.raise.sg/leapforgood.

xiuhuil@sph.com.sg

Home Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam has slammed a Facebook user for asking whether there would be a by-election in Tampines group representation constituency (GRC) after Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat suffered a stroke yesterday.

Mr Heng is an MP for the GRC.

Facebook user Raymond Tan's response to Mr Shanmugam's Facebook post on what had happened to Mr Heng received a sharp rebuke from the law minister.

"Raymond tan, i don't know what sort of person you are. Have no sense of compassion and what is right and what is wrong? To ask about whether there will be by-election in the circumstances you mention (I can't even bring myself to repeat your words?) Are these words people will even use? Do you not think about his wife and children?" wrote Mr Shanmugam.

He added: "I feel sick."

Related: Heng Swee Keat has an incredible workload

But Raymond Tan refused to back down. In his reply, he asked the minister why he was "so emotional".

He wrote: "Well you (can't) deny there is such a possibility right? Be rational. Why (should) you be so emotional?"

His remark incensed other users with some calling him a "beast" and "worse than a beast".

Some pointed out that it was "unethical" of him to ask such a question.

In his rebuttal, Raymond Tan asked: "What has this got to do with ethics? I am just asking a rational question." He also said: "We must be prepared for worst case scenario".

Heng Swee Keat in ICU after having a stroke

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, The New Paper, Facebook screengrabs

Mr Heng's condition has become stable after a successful surgery last night. He is still being watched in an intensive care unit at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

After visiting Mr Heng today, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote on Facebook: "Visited Heng Swee Keat at the ICU in Tan Tock Seng Hospital this evening. He was sedated. His condition is stable, but he will remain in the ICU for some time. He is in very good hands, like all patients at the National Neuroscience Institute (NNI).

One netizen, who identified himself as a stroke patient, agreed with others who believed that Mr Heng, who is well-known for having boundless energy, would recover.

Former Senior Minister of Trade and Industry and National Development Lee Yi Shyan, who had a mini stroke in May last year, hopes Mr Heng would recuperate well.

"Swee Keat advised me to go slow and that doing 'less is more'. Yet he works so hard himself. I really wish he will recover soon and completely," Mr Lee posted on Facebook.

Read also: Stroke led Lee Yi Shyan to rethink and change gear

chenj@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - A uniformed officer has been filmed shouting and gesturing angrily at a motorcyclist at the Woodlands Checkpoint.

In a video shared on Facebook page Roads.sg, the officer can be seen shouting at a motorcyclist, telling him to apologise and indicated that the barrier would not be lifted unless he did so.

While it is unclear why the officer got so worked up, he can be heard saying that the motorcyclist had thrown something at him.

His colleague then asks the motorcyclist for his passport and when there was no response, the officer said: "Eh, give la, don't understand ah?"

Another motorcyclist tries to intervene but the officer said: "Not your problem (sic)...I'm talking to him".

In a statement on Friday night (May 13), the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) confirmed that the officer in the video was from the ICA.

The authority said that the incident had occurred at about 7pm on May 10, adding that it was investigating the matter.

"As Singapore's front-line ambassadors, our officers are constantly reminded to be professional when discharging their duties. At the same time, ICA seeks the co-operation of all travellers to comply with the instructions of our officers at the checkpoints," ICA said.

The video on Roads.sg has been shared 199 times since it was uploaded on May 11.

Last November, a uniformed officer from Land Transport Authority was also filmed fighting with an Uber driver at Bugis Junction.

Both the officer and the driver were charged in court in April this year.

Man in LTA uniform seen beating a Uber driver

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Facebook screengrabs

ljessica@sph.com.sg

Singapore has reported its first imported Zika case, Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported on Friday (May 13).

The news channel quoted the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) as saying that a 48-year-old man, who is a Singapore permanent resident, had travelled to Sao Paulo in Brazil from March 27 to May 7.

After developing a fever and rash, the man was admitted to Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital on May 12 and isolated, CNA reported.

He tested positive for the Zika virus infection the next day and is due for transfer to the Communicable Diseases Centre at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

The authorities reportedly also said that the patient was "currently well and recovering".

His family is being screened for the virus, while his residence at Watten Estate is not considered an active cluster, the ministries said.

While NEA has intensified vector control operations to control the Aedes mosquito population in the area, it said that residents of Watten Estate, Hillcrest Arcadia, The Arcadia and Watten Hill Condominium should monitor their health for any symptoms.

ljessica@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - Salmonella contamination has been determined as the cause of mass food poisoning among 231 people who ate food prepared by Kuisine Catering in February, Lianhe Wanbao reported on Friday (May 13).

Initial reports said that about 130 people were known to have become ill after consuming food from the caterer, but a total of 231 are now linked to the case.

The alarm was first sounded when 33 people fell ill after a birthday party in February. Later, more affected consumers said they experienced vomiting and had diarrhorea after consuming food prepared by the caterer from Feb 12 to 14.

In its latest report, Lianhe Wanbao reported that the company has since shut its business, and its signboard has been removed from the space it occupied in Jurong.

According to the Chinese daily, authorities found that the eggs used by the company were contaminated with salmonella enteritidis, which can be caused by improper food handling.

A probe also found that there were expired food items in the kitchen, and that the company did not keep temperature records for its freezers and chillers.

No lapses in hygiene were found among suppliers that the company used, Wanbao added.

It is believed that all affected consumers have since recovered.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Lianhe Wanbao

ljessica@sph.com.sg