SINGAPORE - How much do we actually know about Mr Lee Kuan Yew's early life? Who was he behind the public persona? What did he like to eat?

About Mr Lee, a new guided tour by local tour firm, Tribe, aims to show the person behind the fiercely private man, starting with his early life.

The tour weaves through locations associated with Mr Lee, such as his long-time home in Oxley Road, and lesser known spots, such as one of his favourite Peranakan restaurants.

It goes through various themes of the late former prime minister's personal life, exploring Mr Lee as the eldest son in his family, a life-long learner, family man and loving husband.

Tribe co-founder and tour curator Jason Loe, 42, believes that the story of Mr Lee's political life is already known to most. He kept his family life, however, far from the spotlight.

"There's so much interesting material about Mr Lee, and more so about his private life,"

Laden with details gleaned from months of research, the four-hour tour offers glimpses of the frugal and studious family man that stood in contrast to his giant political persona.

PM Lee launches Zaobao's commemorative book "A Tribute to Lee Kuan Yew"

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Berita Harian, The Straits Times

The tour proceeds mostly by bus, and stops around Singapore to trace Mr Lee's Peranakan heritage, political roots and his greatest love - his wife Madam Kwa Geok Choo.

About Mr Lee reveals details from Mr Lee's life: what he liked for breakfast, how cold he liked his beer and why he gave up smoking.

Participants can also eat at one of Mr Lee's favourite restaurants, from which he ordered otak-otak and other dishes for Istana events.

Mr Loe and his co-founder Ms Cheong Yoke Chun, 43, began research for the tour in late last year (2015), and their inspiration came with Mr Lee's passing on March 23 last year.

"Last March was quite special for us - there was a very different air about things," said Mr Loe. He hopes that this tour would be his small contribution to Singapore.

S'pore Orchid hybrids named after Lee Kuan Yew and wife

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The Straits Times, NParks, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

All the money earned from March's tours will go to The Straits Times School Money Pocket Fund, to help children from low-income families through school. After that, 10 per cent of earnings each month will go to charity.

The tour runs every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Mandarin-speaking tours are available on weekends. Tickets from $30 available at www.tribe-tours.com .

This article was first published on March 17, 2016.
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Scientists say it is unlikely that a return of the haze is to blame for a burning smell noticed by residents across Singapore over the past few days.

Even though there have been land fires in peninsular Malaysia and Indonesia, Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings show that these hot spots are unlikely to be the cause of the acrid stench.

As of 7pm yesterday, the 24-hour PSI reading stood in the good to moderate range of 49 to 58.

"During the last two weeks, the PSI has been around the low moderate range, which reflects the typical air pollution conditions of Singapore," said Dr Erik Velasco, a research scientist from the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology.

"When haze from wildfires in neighbouring islands starts affecting Singapore, the PSI moves to the high levels of the moderate range, reaching unhealthy levels on some occasions."

Dr Santo Salinas, a senior research scientist at the Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing at the National University of Singapore, added: "The smell could be due to local burning. So far, the hot spots are very few in Malaysia and Riau, Indonesia."

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it has responded to four small bushfires here since last Saturday, the largest of which was only 1.5m by 1.5m in dimension.

All were extinguished with either a hose reel or buckets of water and they are thought to have been too small to be behind the burning smell.

Banker Berlina Lim, 47, noticed the smell at her Hougang home last Saturday and on Tuesday night.

"It was bad enough that both my mum and I thought someone was burning incense downstairs at my block," she said.

"Subsequently, I read on a friend's Facebook account that the haze is back. I would be concerned if it worsens or continues."

The north-east monsoon conditions are expected to weaken over the next two weeks, giving way to the inter-monsoon period.

A spokesman for the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said the period between April and May is typically characterised by prevailing winds that are light and variable in direction.

"During this period, the winds could occasionally blow from the west or south-west, bringing in any haze from Sumatra," he said.

"Whether Singapore is affected by transboundary smoke haze would also depend on other factors, including the location and extent of the fires in Sumatra, and the occurrence of rain."

Singapore suffered from one of its worst bouts of haze last year with the extended El Nino season - a weather phenomenon which causes temperatures in the Pacific Ocean to rise, affecting weather patterns in the region.

The rising temperatures and drier weather in turn make fires harder to put out.

The MSS said it is unlikely that the haze has returned, with the spokesman adding: "Over the past few days, the prevailing winds over our surrounding region were blowing from the north-east and fewer hot spots were detected in Sumatra."

This article was first published on March 17, 2016.
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This week, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced the introduction of a standard B1 plan for those who want basic medical insurance coverage at the B1 level. That's one class above the B2 level that MediShield Life covers. At B1, patients can choose their doctors and enjoy air-conditioned rooms.

The new B1 standard plan is one of several Integrated Plans(IPs) that people can buy to enhance their MediShield Life coverage. It is the most basic of IPs. The problem is that it is anything but standard.

The so-called B1 standard plan, which becomes available on May 1, comes with different premiums, depending on which insurer a person buys the plan from.

MOH said it created this standard B1 plan in response to public feedback on four aspects of insurance coverage related to the launch of MediShield Life last November. They are:

Demand for affordable IPs that provide coverage beyond subsidised treatment;

Concern about the affordability of IP premiums over time;

Flexibility to reassess choice of IP over time and downgrade to a cheaper plan if needed, with many saying B1 would be enough;

Confusion about benefits since different plans offer different things.

The question is, does the introduction of the standard B1 IP address these concerns? In my opinion, the answer is "No".

Let's look at each of the four concerns in turn.

AFFORDABLE IPS

MOH has decided to leave it to insurance companies to decide on the premiums they want to charge. All MOH has insisted on is a set of standard, no-frills benefits.

As a result, premiums for the identical product do vary, by as much as $1,863 a year.

One wonders if some of these insurers are charging high premiums to discourage people because they really do not want to offer this standard IP, whether because they already have their own B1 plans or because they see little profit in this.

Furthermore, these premiums will remain unchanged only for two years, after which insurers are free to raise premiums.

So while this standard B1 plan might be affordable today, there is no guarantee that it will remain so in future.

In fact, the president of the Life Insurance Association of Singapore, Mr Khoo Kah Siang, has already warned of future hikes, saying: "IP premiums are not guaranteed and therefore different insurers may raise premiums differently over time."

The only concession to keeping this IP affordable is that it comes with no frills, so premiums will likely be lower than for those B1 IPs that come with bells and whistles.

Having said that, depending on insurer and age group, there are premiums for this standard no-frills B1 plan that cost more than some as charged B1 plans and even Class A plan for people of the same age group.

That is rather inexplicable.

AFFORDABILITY OF IP PREMIUMS

People worry about IP premiums rising over time and how they can afford to keep paying, especially after retirement, says MOH.

Yet, the premiums for the standard B1 plan for people over age 75 already exceed the Medisave withdrawal limits for most in this age group. They will have to top up in cash and that makes the plan less affordable to them.

The MediShield Life Review Committee had recommended that "the premiums for the Standard Integrated Shield Plan should form the basis for setting Medisave Withdrawal Limits" for such plans.

In the spirit of this recommendation, the full premiums for this plan should be payable by Medisave. But given the huge difference in premiums of almost $2,000 for older age groups, that is surely not possible.

To address people's concern about runaway premiums, MOH could have set a cap of a certain percentage increase a year. But it has not.

NEED TO REASSESS CHOICE OF IP OVER TIME

Many people are of the view that B1 class treatment would be sufficient for them once they have retired. With the introduction of the new standard B1 plan, all those who have bought or intend to buy IPs will be able to downgrade to a B1 plan if they wish.

In my view, there are better ways to achieve this end but, at least, this particular public concern has been addressed.

CONFUSION ABOUT BENEFITS

This concern, unfortunately, remains.

That's because with the introduction of the standard B1 plan in May, there will be a total of 12 B1 plans. True, three no longer accept new policyholders. That leaves nine B1 plans to choose from.

People's confusion over the different plans on offer could have been addressed if the standard B1 plan had replaced all existing B1 plans, so there is only one set of benefits for people to look at.

But doing so could have upset those who are on "better" B1 plans. After all, the standard plan comes with no frills, while some of the existing B1 plans offer more coverage, although at higher premiums.

For example, several existing B1 plans cover pre- and post- hospital treatment for up to 120 days. Some cover bills "as charged" with no treatment cap, so long as the treatment takes place in a public hospital B1 class.

With the plethora of B1 plans, it has just become harder to decide.

How important are pre- and post- hospital coverage? Is it worth paying slightly more for an "as charged" plan?

After all, MOH has said that the standard B1 plan would cover only 90 per cent of big B1 bills. The question people will ask is: Will that be enough for me?

Currently, fewer than 500,000 people, or just 19 per cent who have IPs, have opted for B1 coverage. By adding more B1 plans, is the ministry simply splitting the risk pool further? Will this result in greater premium fluctuation?

Looking at various IP categories today, generally the insurer with a larger market share tends to charge lower premiums while the insurer that has the smallest number of policyholders charges the most.

That makes sense, since one immense bill - if shared among a small pool of policyholders - could send premiums sky-rocketing. Knowing that, those insurers with fewer policyholders would need to protect themselves with higher premiums.

That same bill, shared by a large number of policyholders, would have a smaller impact. As these insurers face lower risks, they can afford to charge a lower safety margin.

By extension, diluting the B1 market could result in higher than necessary premiums.

If instead, all those who want the standard B1 plan form just one pool, then there is not only greater long-term stability, but it will also mean that everyone within an age group pays the same premium for the same benefits - instead of the current system where some pay more and others less for exactly the same coverage.

With health insurance, it's not a matter of just picking the cheapest on the market.

That's because the majority of older people have developed some chronic ailments that might result in exclusions should they change to a different insurer.

One way of ensuring both standard benefits and premiums is if the Central Provident Fund (CPF), which manages the basic MediShield Life, also runs this standard plan. It could then allow for people to downgrade from a higher IP with no penalty.

Alternatively, if the CPF does not want to administer the scheme, it could tender it out to one of the five insurers to manage. The other four would get a commission for passing on their existing policyholders who opt for the scheme.

That way, there will be only one standard B1 scheme, making it easier for people to choose an insurance plan that suits them best. With a larger pool of policyholders, premiums can also remain more affordable over the long term.

It will also not eat much into existing IP business as more than four in five people are choosing IPs that cover Class A or private hospital treatments.

Some would also prefer to choose as charged B1 plans that offer more coverage.

The standard B1 IP will serve, as originally meant, as a safety net for those who want more than subsidised care.

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This article was first published on March 17, 2016.
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As corporations, agencies, community groups and individuals begin to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of Mr Lee Kuan Yew on March 23 last year, the Government yesterday released guidelines on the appropriate use of his name and image.

The Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth noted in a statement that since the founding Prime Minister's death, individuals and organisations have commemorated him in different ways.

And in response to feedback, it looked into ways to encourage the appropriate use of his name and image, and yesterday released three broad guidelines:

Mr Lee's name or image or likeness may be used for the purposes of identifying with the nation, including on works of art or publications, or items for charitable purposes, in accordance with the law.

Mr Lee's name or image or likeness should be accorded dignity and respect.

His name or image or likeness should not be used for commercial exploitation or be assumed or taken to indicate any kind of official endorsement of products or services.

The ministry will continue to monitor the use of Mr Lee's name and image.

In May last year, the Government said it was looking to legally protect Mr Lee's name and image to prevent its commercial use and exploitation. The guidelines are timely given the many activities taking place on and around the March 23 anniversary.

Businessman Jaromel Gee, 25, is planning a candlelight rally. The event banner features a black and white silhouette of Mr Lee's face.

He welcomes the guidelines as "there have been instances of organisations exploiting Mr Lee's name and image for their own gains". "But Mr Lee belongs to Singaporeans, and if they want to use his name and image they should be able to do so within reasonable means," he said.

This article was first published on March 17, 2016.
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If you've bought a Gothem lamp base from furniture giant Ikea, immediately stop using it and bring it back to any of its stores for a full refund.

In a statement on Thursday (March 17), Ikea said that it is recalling all Gothem floor and table lamp bases due to the "risk of electric shock", after some examples of damaged cables in the lamp bases were found.

"Damaged cables can lead to the metal body of the lamp base becoming electrically live and thereby being a safety hazard," said the statement.

One thing to note: The Gothem lamp bases have not been sold in Singapore and no incidents have been reported here.

While Ikea said it has not received any reports of people getting hurt, it has received reports from two customers and one store co-worker who have gotten electric shocks.

All three models of Gothem lamp bases - two table lamp bases and one floor lamp base - are affected and Ikea urges all customers to return it to any Ikea store even if the lamp base is working.

The Gothem lamp bases can be returned to any Ikea store for a full refund. Proof of purchase is not required for the refund, added the statement.

For more information, contact Ikea's customer relations at 6786-6868.

sujint@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - You probably thought that they would be discarded after they were used even in a historic event.

But no, the artillery shell casings from the 21-gun salute fired during last year's State Funeral procession of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew were collected and are being given to people and organisations closely associated with him.

In a statement released today, the Prime Minister's Office said: "The Government has decided to present the shell casings to the eulogists at the State Funeral service, the organisers of the State funeral and institutions and organisations that have been closely associated with Mr Lee."

PM Lee Hsien Loong said in a Facebook post this morning that he had asked the SAF to collect casings so that they would be "be presented to people, institutions and organisations that were closely linked to Mr Lee".

Among the recipients will be the Singapore Parliament, Singapore Armed Forces, the Singapore Police Force, the People's Association, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB), the Housing and Development Board (HDB), the National Parks Board, and PUB, Singapore's national water agency.

Singaporeans who will be given the casings include Old Guard leader and former education minister Ong Pang Boon, and former senior minister of state for education and environment Sidek Saniff.

PM Lee wrote: "My deep thanks to all of them for the roles they played in my father's life and for their contributions to the nation."

The death of Mr Lee on March 23 last year saw a week of unprecedented national mourning.

The solemn funeral procession on March 29 was accompanied by booming sounds from the 21-gun salute fired at the Padang by four ceremonial 25-pounder howitzers from the Singapore Artillery's 21st Battalion.

Casings can be viewed at CPIB exhibition, HDB gallery

The CPIB said the shell casing it received will be displayed at its exhibition "Declassified - Corruption Matters", to be held from April 7 to May 22 at the Plaza @ National Library.

The exhibition on Singapore's anti-corruption drive will also highlight the CPIB officers' experiences in their fight against corruption. It will be launched by PM Lee on April 7.

"Recognising the CPIB's instrumental role in keeping the system clean, the late Mr Lee backed the Bureau with the resources, the legislation and the independence to carry out its work without fear or favour," said CPIB in its press statement today.

The casing that HDB is receiving will be displayed at the HDB Gallery in the HDB Hub in Toa Payoh.

Dr Cheong Koon Hean, HDB CEO, said: "The late Mr Lee Kuan Yew is the key driver of public housing in Singapore. His vision of a home-owning society has given Singaporeans a tangible stake in the nation. Without his vision, Singaporeans today would not have a home they can call their own, upon which they can build their family and lives. Nor would HDB have the privilege to house almost an entire nation."

Related:

At least 100 events to honour LKY in March

The enduring ideas of Lee Kuan Yew

Japan confers top honour on Mr Lee

chenj@sph.com.sg

Shell casings from gun salute for Lee Kuan Yew's funeral to be given to selected recipients

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

MCI, Mindef, The Straits Times

S'pore Orchid hybrids named after Lee Kuan Yew and wife

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, NParks, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The team behind citizen journalism website Stomp received an accolade from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) on Thursday (March 17) for helping an elderly man who had fallen down while crossing a road.

SCDF's assistant director of public affairs Lieutenant-Colonel Leslie Williams presented the Stomp team, led by editor Mr Azhar Kasman, with the Public Spiritedness Award, which is given out to members of the public who have displayed courageous or outstanding deeds that save lives.

The presentation was carried out at Singapore Press Holdings' News Centre.

On March 7, Mr Azhar and his team were driving out for a late lunch when the car they were in reached the junction of Braddell Road and Bishan Road at about 4.30pm.

An elderly man was crossing the road halfway when the lights turned green in favour of motorists. The man then stopped walking, stood at the crossing in front of a lorry and suddenly fell on his back.

By this point, some vehicles had started moving off even though the man was still lying on the road.

Mr Azhar and his colleagues, whose vehicle had been behind the lorry, stopped their car and turned on the hazard lights before getting down to assist the elderly man.

The lorry driver and his passenger also alighted from their vehicle to help carry the man to the side of the road. Mr Azhar then called an ambulance and waited with the elderly man until paramedics arrived.

The Stomp team later posted details and photos of the incident on their website.

Mr Azhar said: "I was surprised when I heard about the award. I feel honoured, but the reason why we shared this story is to inspire others to help people in need whenever they can.

"In fact, there are many people out there more deserving of this award because of the kind deeds they have done. Often, their acts go unnoticed."

sujint@sph.com.sg

A panel formed to develop rules and a code of conduct for cycling and the use of personal mobility devices has recommended that bicycles be allowed on footpaths.

Personal mobility devices (PMDs), excluding electric bicycles, as well as personal mobility aids like motorised wheelchairs, should also be allowed on footpaths, but with a speed limit of 15kmh, said the panel.

PMDs refer to kick-scooters, electric scooters, electric unicycles and electric hoverboards.

Previously, bicycles and PMDs were not allowed on footpaths.

The 14-member Active Mobility Advisory Panel formed last July, is chaired by Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim and released its findings and proposals in a report on Thursday (March 17).

It is the culmination of work which included an extensive public consultation, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and public surveys.

Where cycling and shared paths such as Park Connector Networks are concerned, the panel recommends that PMDs, personal mobility aids as well as bicycles and electric bicycles be allowed to be used, but with a speed limit of 25kmh.

The panel also recommends that only bicycles and electric bicycles be allowed to continue being used on roads.

While the panel said it supports allowing bicycles and PMDs on all paths, it recommends setting a maximum weight, size and speed limit, in order to further enhance safety for pedestrians.

Specifically, all bicycles and PMDs used on public paths and roads should not weigh more than 20kgs, must not exceed 70cm in width and motorised devices must not go faster than 25kmh.

Strong feedback from focus-group discussions raised concerns on the dangers of illegally-modified electric bicycles. This is why the panel proposes that the Government consider registering such bicycles to facilitate identification and enforcement against errant riders.

The panel also called for stronger public education and enforcement efforts to raise public awareness on safety and to ensure adherence to rules.

"The Government should also continue to build dedicated cycling paths to further reduce conflict and improve safety," said the report.

The Ministry of Transport said in a statement that it will study the panel's recommendations and issue a response in due course.

sujint@sph.com.sg

The Special Select Committee has nominated nine persons to the President to fill the Nominated Members of Parliament (NMP) vacancies, said a statement from the Office of the Clerk of Parliament on Thursday (March 17) evening.

They are:

1. Mr Azmoon Ahmad, 54

2. Ms Chia Yong Yong, 54

3. Mr Thomas Chua Kee Seng, 62

4. Mr Ganesh Rajaram, 49

5. Mr Kok Heng Leun, 50

6. Ms Kuik Shiao-Yin, 39

7. Assistant Professor Mahdev Mohan, 37

8. Associate Professor Randolph Tan Gee Kwang, 52

9. Ms K Thanaletchimi, 50

Submissions closed at 4.30pm on Feb 23 and a total of 41 proposal forms were received by closing time.

Each proposal form had to be signed by a proposer and a seconder and by no less than four others, whose names appear in a current register of voters.

Each applicant was also required to submit a curriculum vitae form which included an essay on the kind of contribution he or she hoped to make as an NMP and to submit written references from two referees sealed in separate envelopes to the Committee.

The Committee also decided that it would continue the practice of inviting the seven functional groups to submit names of suitable candidates for consideration.

These groups are namely: the business and industry; labour; the professions; tertiary education institutions; social service organisations; civic and people sector; and the media, arts and sports organisations.

Of the total of 41 proposal forms received, 17 names were submitted by these functional groups. The other 24 were individual applications.

Of the nine who were selected, four have served previous terms as NMPs. They are Ms Chia, Mr Chua, Ms Kuik, and Assoc Prof Tan.

The Special Select Committee said in its report: "Most of the persons proposed were of a high quality and this made the selection of nine candidates a challenge."

President Tony Tan Keng Yam will present Instruments of Appointment to the NMPs at the Istana on March 22 and they will take their oath when Parliament next sits on March 24.

sujint@sph.com.sg

Singaporean couple Koh Joo Beng and Janet Koh have spent the last eight years chasing solar eclipses, a quest which has taken them off the Chilean coast to Easter Island and on a Pacific Ocean "eclipse cruise".

The Kohs' latest adventure took place on the Indonesian island of Tidore last Wednesday, where they caught a total solar eclipse at one of the world's best spots to view the event.

They left Singapore on March 5, sat through two flights and endured hours of waiting in between to reach the island of Ternate last Monday. The island is located in the east of Indonesia.

Then at 5am last Wednesday, lugging six cameras, two tripods and a telescope, they took a 20-minute ferry ride to nearby Tidore island.

Their reward - an awe-inspiring sight and some spectacular photos.

With fine weather and clear skies, the conditions were optimal, said Mr Koh, 55, who is the director of research and development at a design and manufacturing firm here.

"I captured some of my best shots which documented the eclipse from start to finish," he said.

Total eclipses occur when the Sun is completely covered by the Moon when viewed from the Earth's surface.

On Tidore island, the entire eclipse lasted over three hours, with around three minutes of totality - when the Sun was completely covered by the Moon, producing a rim of light.

As a shadow came over the island that morning, the pair were left open-mouthed. They were there with hundreds of other eclipse chasers from Britain, the United States, Denmark, and Hong Kong, and fellow Singaporeans.

"You look up in the sky, you see this bright shimmering light and this black dot in the centre," said Mrs Koh, 59, a retired manager.

"It leaves you speechless."

But besides the spectacular sight, the tourists had another treat.

Solar eclipse on Mar 9

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Reuters, AFP, The Straits Times, Berita Harian, Muhammad Tirmidzi Q, The New Paper

They were hosted by none other than the sultan of Tidore, who opened his palace grounds to the tourists and set up massive tents to provide his guests with shelter from the hot sun.

"We were even invited to tour his beautiful palace, which was literally very cool," said Mrs Koh.

There was also free flow of cold drinks, dance performances and a sumptuous lunch buffet. The event ended with a tree-planting ceremony to commemorate the spectacle.

So where will their hobby next take them? The answer is Oregon.

On Aug 21, 2017, a total solar eclipse will be visible in the continental United States for the first time since 1979, and the Kohs are all ready to catch it as it reveals itself to the Oregon coast.

"We have not physically started planning, but psychologically, we have started preparing ourselves," said Mr Koh.

The pair say they are just as excited as they were on their first solar eclipse chase in 2008, when they stood awestruck in the shadow of the Moon on a sand dune south of the Gobi Desert.

"Every eclipse is an adventure," said Mrs Koh.

"We try our very best to put ourselves in the right place, then cross our fingers and hope that all goes well and we will once again catch that breathtaking sight," said Mr Koh.

This article was first published on March 18, 2016.
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Volkswagen is facing its first lawsuit from a Singapore car owner who is demanding a full refund on his car because of the manufacturer's massive emission cheating scandal.

Businessman Sanjay Samnani, 44, wants Volkswagen Singapore to take back a VW Touran seven-seater he bought last April.

Just five months after his purchase, the motoring giant admitted fitting 11 million of its diesel cars with software that could detect when they were undergoing emission testing. On the road, however, the cars were found to emit up to 40 times their declared levels of nitrogen oxide.

Mr Samnani, who is filing the suit together with his mother through Parwani Law LLC, said: "We bought the car believing that it was environmentally friendlier. Now that this (cheating case) has happened, we feel ashamed of driving the car.

"It's a reputation thing."

Before resorting to filing a writ on Monday, Mr Samnani approached Volkswagen Singapore for a refund but was rejected.

He then tried to sell the car to Volkswagen's own used car division, Das WeltAuto, last November, but the company has not got back to him with a quote.

Volkswagen is facing similar legal actions in a number of countries.

In California, more than 500 suits have been filed since news of the scandal broke. The US Department of Justice is also filing a suit against the Volkswagen Group.

South Korea's Environment Ministry said in January that it would file criminal charges against VW's Korean unit. Earlier this month, France started a formal investigation into the German group.

But on Wednesday, a German court in the north-western city of Bochum threw out a lawsuit by an owner of a VW Tiguan demanding that the dealer who sold it take it back.

Initially, the court ordered the two parties to try and find an amicable settlement. But when they were unable to do so, the court was compelled to issue a ruling, finally finding in favour of the dealer.

The court was reported to have reasoned that the dealer did not fail in its duties. The dealer "cannot be made responsible for a fault committed by the carmaker", the ruling read.

But in the case of Volkswagen Singapore, the retailer and manufacturer are one and the same.

Mr Seah Seng Choon, executive director of the Consumers Association of Singapore, said: "Consumers are right to pursue the matter in court as this is a blatant attempt to misrepresent the fact.

"Consumers have the right to seek redress under the lemon law and they should do so to send a strong signal to the business that its deliberate misrepresentation is absolutely unacceptable."

A Volkswagen Group Singapore spokesman said: "We are in contact with the customer but are currently unable to comment on this topic as it is the subject of an ongoing internal and external review in Germany."

christan@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 18, 2016.
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When founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew died last March, there was sadness across the country. But people did not despair or feel helpless, and investors did not lose confidence in Singapore, said People's Action Party (PAP) chairman Khaw Boon Wan.

He credited the calm response to Mr Lee's "meticulous planning and effective execution".

Indeed, it was due to his leadership that "Singapore crossed a major milestone without any mishap", Mr Khaw said yesterday, at an event to mark the first anniversary of Mr Lee's death on March 23 last year, at age 91.

The commemorative event, held at the party's headquarters in New Upper Changi Road, was attended by about 250 PAP MPs and party members.

Said Mr Khaw, who is also Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Minister: "(Mr Lee) did his utmost to build enduring institutions and imbue in the people running them the values of integrity, meritocracy, sound governance and timely succession planning."

Mr Lee was a founding member of the party and its first secretary-general.

Mr Khaw also unveiled an artillery shell casing from a 21-gun salute for Mr Lee's state funeral, which Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong gave to the party.

S'pore Orchid hybrids named after Lee Kuan Yew and wife

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, NParks, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Mr Khaw said the gift "is a permanent reminder to all party members of the ideals which Comrade Lee Kuan Yew brought to the party, and his selfless dedication to improving the lives of Singaporeans".

He added: "He showed us the way forward, how to ensure Singapore's relevance to a world (that is) full of surprises and risks. We cannot predict the future, but we can prepare our people so that, come what may, we can always prevail."

Like Mr Khaw, Mr Ng Kah Ting, who was Punggol MP from 1963 to 1991, said Mr Lee searched hard for new blood to take over the running of the party and Singapore.

"From the 70s onwards, he began to look for younger and newer talent to take over from him and his team," said Mr Ng, 76.

Mr Lee handed the reins to Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong in 1990, after 31 years at the helm.

Mr Ng added: "(Mr Lee) was relentless and uncompromising in his persistent casting of his net for such people... That's the pragmatism and unselfishness of Comrade Lee Kuan Yew. He believed it was his duty to do the correct thing."

Shell casings from gun salute for Lee Kuan Yew's funeral to be given to selected recipients

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

MCI, Mindef, The Straits Times

Young PAP member Nicole Leong, 32, who described herself as a member of the generation that received the fruits of the pioneer generation's labour, said: "Mr Lee and his team strived to overcome many hardships and setbacks so that we could thump our chests and announce to the world that we have arrived."

The event closed with the crowd reciting the National Pledge and singing the National Anthem. They also sang the emblematic National Day Parade song Home.

Yesterday's event is among a long list of events that individuals and groups will hold in the coming days to remember Mr Lee.

This article was first published on March 18, 2016.
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Thrill-seeking sports and activities are not exactly the most common type of activities conducted in Singapore.

But a hair-raising point-of-view video shot by a group of parkour practitioners performing such stunts has been gaining the attention of Singaporeans online.

The two-minute clip shared online by London-based parkour group Storm Freerunning is a first-person perspective of two men leaping over walls and stairway railings at what appears to be an estate with HDB blocks and a playground.

Near the end of the video, one of the practitioners even appears to jump over the wall from the second storey of a block onto the ground.

The video only mentions that the pair are in Asia, but many netizens on the page identified Singapore as the location based on the distinctive blocks of flats seen in the background.

One commenter even identified the location as being in Bishan.

Video shows Parkour group performing stunts around Singapore HDB block

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Facebook video screengrabs

The video, which was posted onto Facebook last week, has been viewed over 300,000 times.

Parkour, which originated in France, is a sport that involves moving rapidly around urban obstacles using a combination of running, jumping as well as gymnastic rolls and vaults.

The sport is growing in popularity here, with an estimated 300 practitioners, The Straits Times reported. And despite the extreme stunts and breathtaking jumps performed in parkour, many local instructors have defended the sport's safety and explained that high-level stunts are only performed by practitioners who have undergone years of training.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

A TEAM of researchers from India and the National University of Singapore (NUS) has discovered a new species of narrow-mouthed frog in the laterite rock formations of India's coastal plains.

The frog, which is the size of a thumbnail, was named Microhyla laterite (M. laterite) after its natural habitat.

The discovery by the research team, led by Mr Seshadri K.S., a PhD student from the Department of Biological Sciences at the NUS Faculty of Science, was published in the prestigious journal PLOS One on March 9.

Laterite rock formations are prominent landscape features in the Deccan Plateau of India.

They are broadly considered as rocky areas as they are usually devoid of trees and other vegetation and are, therefore, classified as wastelands. These areas are often used for dumping activities and are heavily mined for construction materials in the form of bricks.

Said Mr Seshadri, the lead author of the journal paper: "By naming the frog after its habitat, we hope to draw attention to the endangered rock formations that are of ecological importance. M. laterite can potentially be used as a mascot to change peoples' perception about laterite areas."

The frog was first spotted in laterite habitats in and around the coastal town of Manipal in Karnataka's Udupi district by independent researcher Ramit Singal - one of the authors of the journal paper. He was then conducting field surveys as part of his citizen science initiative "My laterite, My habitat".

He brought it to the attention of Mr Seshadri and his team, who worked together to describe the frog.

The 1.6cm amphibian is pale brown with prominent black markings on its dorsum, hands, feet and flanks. It has a call that can be easily mistaken for that of a cricket.

To ensure the validity of the frog as a new species, Mr Seshadri and his team studied the genes, body structure, colouration and vocalisations of four individual frogs.

They also compared the results with data of closely related species.

The team has suggested that the frog be classified as critically endangered as its geographic range is narrow, within an area of 150 sq km in south-west India.

"In spite of its geological heritage, laterite areas in India receive very little protection from any legislation.

Given the threats these fragile habitats are facing, there is a strong imperative to conserve them," said Mr Ramit.

Since the frog appears to be restricted to laterite rock formations along the west coast, the researchers intend to conduct further research to determine the evolutionary ecology of the frog, and to test for an association with laterite formations.

"How amphibians persist outside protected areas is not known.

This critically-endangered frog can be used as a basis for declaring its native laterite habitats as 'conservation reserves' or 'biological heritage areas' under existing legislations in India, allowing us to further our knowledge and understanding of amphibians," said Mr Seshadri.

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A TYPICAL day for Mr Mohamed Abbas' parents begins at 5am as they prepare ingredients to take to their stall in a canteen at Outram Secondary School. It was also where he studied and hung out every day after lessons to help his father, 48, and mother, 47. He would also help them prepare for the next day, even on a Sunday.

"I watched them stand and work in a hot environment for long hours. They were very hardworking and committed," said Mr Mohamed, who sees his parents, who came from Tamil Nadu, as role models.

Now, the 25-year-old Singaporean has a dream - to work hard and set up his own company so that they can retire at the age of 55.

"And I'm happy I'm on the path towards it," Mr Mohamed told tabla!

His hard work has paid off. He was recently featured in this year's Forbes 30 under 30 in the finance and venture capital category.

After secondary school, he pursued a diploma in banking and finance at Singapore Polytechnic before he did his National Service.

In the army, he met Mr Hizam Ismail, 25, and they became good friends. During one of their conversations, they discussed how their friends and neighbours had unpleasant experiences when they approached licensed moneylenders to get short-term loans.

One of his friends told Mr Mohamed: "I just wanted to know what the interest rate and late payment fee was over the phone but the licensed moneylender told me to go down. The whole process was very long and this was just for one lender.

I had no choice but to borrow from them because I didn't have time to go around comparing the rates."

Mr Hizam and Mr Mohamed decided to find out if the process was indeed so time-consuming.

They went to a licensed moneylender to ask what the interest rate was for a loan. "The process of just finding out what the rate was required us to go down and wait for half an hour," said Mr Mohamed.

He added that there are about 170 licensed moneylenders in Singapore and it would be tedious and time-consuming for a borrower to research, collate and compare the rates.

The duo thought they could set up a company to solve the problems that borrowers were facing. In March last year, they launched Onelyst - a website that lets consumers apply for loans and compare loan offers from licensed moneylenders.

Users fill in an application form before they receive up to 10 loan options for comparison. After choosing the offer they think is best they receive an approval form before they collect their loan from the licensed moneylender.

The start-up currently works with 42 licensed moneylenders in Singapore and it earns its revenue by charging them a monthly subscription.

But why a platform for licensed moneylenders and not banks? Explained Mr Mohamed: "Friends and neighbours we spoke to were going to licensed moneylenders because they didn't have a perfect credit history and were shunned by banks. Bank rates are quite affordable for people with good credit history but I wanted to help a vulnerable community make informed borrowing decisions."

He started the company while he was doing his degree in business with a major in banking and finance at National Technological University.

He enrolled in 2012 and was due to graduate last year but he took a two-year leave of absence in 2014 to work on the start-up.

He will return to school next year to complete his degree. His co-founder has a degree in economics and finance from RMIT University.

Said Mr Mohamed: "Initially, juggling studies and working on the start-up wasn't easy. I slept only about four hours a day and I couldn't go out with my friends either because I was busy or too tired."

Then there was the issue of funding. He and Mr Hizam took part in a business plan competition called NTU Ideasinc.

In 2014 where they pitched the idea for the start-up and emerged among the top 10 from 100 teams. They received a sum of money from Spaze Ventures, a seed capital firm and start-up incubator that provides funding and mentorship.

Finding a co-founder who was an expert in the IT field was also a challenge for the founders.

"Hizam and I are good in business, economics and finance but not IT and Onelyst is an IT platform," said Mr Mohamed. After four months, they found IT expert Prakash Raja, who is now the chief technology officer. Together, they lead a team of seven in departments such as marketing, sales, IT and content writing.

Talking about his being named by Forbes, he said: "My parents were very happy and proud that I made it to the Forbes list and it made me happy to see them smiling about my achievement," he said.

The start-up also has a social responsibility component.

Loan applicants who are found to have many debts will be referred to counsellors.

Mr Mohamed has plans to replicate the Onelyst model in Malaysia and Hong Kong, "where the non-bank lending markets are much bigger than Singapore". He also intends to start another platform on the website for business loans in the middle of this year.

amritak@sph.com.sg

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ON MARCH 20, Hindus will come together at Sri Srinivasa Perumal temple in Serangoon Road to celebrate Gita Jayanti from 7am to noon.

Gita Jayanti, which celebrates the birthday of the Bhagavad Gita, is where the full 18 chapters of the Gita are recited.

This year, the celebrations are led by Singapore Sindhi Association in association with other Hindu organisations and temples under the auspices of the Hindu Endowments Board.

About 1,000 people are expected to turn up at the event.

The guest of honour will be Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry) S. Iswaran.

Gita Jayanti celebrations began in Singapore in 1997, as a one-day event with about 100 devotees chanting the full Gita.

It has now evolved to include various programmes such as the havan (fire prayer), international seminars, essay and art competitions and a cultural show, which caters to people of all ages. These programmes are held throughout the year.

The international Gita forum, which was held on Oct 24 last year, saw eminent scholars discuss the importance of Gita Jayanti.

Said Singapore Sindhi Association president Vashi Khialani: "Gita Jayanti celebrations are unique and very much in tune with Singapore's multicultural approach.

The celebrations unite all the various Hindu temples and organisations together to glorify the Bhagavad Gita.

"It is accepted by all as the most important Hindu teaching of how to live in peace and harmony among diverse social elements and yet be ready to defend our Dharma (righteous way of life) when the need arises."

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Job seekers can look forward to an array of jobs and internship opportunities at the STJobs Express Fair 2016 held this weekend, where they will have the opportunity to meet close to 100 hiring companies face-to-face.

Visitors can also take advantage of the free career coaching sessions to help them build a solid foundation for their career.

Limited time slots are available so those interested are required to pre-register at www.stjobs.sg/express.

All visitors can attend free on-site seminars during the two-day event held at Suntec City Convention & Exhibition Centre, to learn more about the trends and outlooks of Singapore's job market from industry experts.

Eligible participants also stand a chance to win $3,000 worth of attractive prizes in the daily lucky draws.

Singaporeans and permanent residents may attend both days while foreigners with work or student passes from local institutions are invited only for the second day of the event.

Ms Ang Ying Hui, ST Jobs's senior product manager, said: "As the one-stop career portal, STJobs organised the STJobs Express 2016 to be an express pass for a successful career.

"From discovering personality traits to understanding the challenges in the market as well as job opportunities, the fair will make it easier for people to find jobs that are suitable for them."

For more information, go to www.stjobs.sg/express.

Event details

Date: March 19, 2016 (Open to Singaporeans and permanent residents only)

         March 20, 2016 (Open to Singaporeans, permanent residents, and foreigners with valid work passes or student passes from local institutions)

Time: 10am to 6pm

Venue: Suntec City Convention & Exhibition Centre, Halls 405 and 406 (Level 4)

The country's network of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras will be significantly expanded over the next four years to deter those plotting terror attacks in Singapore.

The Straits Times reported that that the Government will also pass laws, where necessary, to require building owners and organisers of major events to beef up security, said Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam.

In his speech to senior Home Team officials at a closed-door forum on Friday (March 18), Mr Shanmugam added that the threat of a terrorist attack in Singapore is at its "highest level" in recent times and that the CCTV expansion is among three key initiatives rolled out to fight the threat of terrorism.

"The terrorism threat to us is real," he noted, said a Channel NewsAsia report.

"We will take all precautions to prevent an attack from taking place in Singapore. We, the Home Team agencies, will do our utmost and we hope we never have an attack."

Mr Shanmugam said that police cameras will be installed at 10,000 Housing Board blocks and multi-storey carparks by this year.

Next, such cameras will be put up at common heartland areas, in crowded areas such as town centres, hawker centres and walkways to major transport nodes.

Footage from other CCTVs will also be made available to the police on demand, including those at commercial buildings with high footfall, government buildings and on the public transport system.

Additionally, a special response police unit is being formed to beef up Singapore's security response to a terror threat. These Emergency Response Teams will be able to respond to attacks carried out simultaneously at multiple locations.

The third initiative to fight terrorism outlined by Mr Shanmugam involves the development of a new national programme called SG Secure later this year.

It will be a revamp and expansion of the existing Community Engagement Programme, which has been in place since 2005, reported Channel NewsAsia.

As part of SG Secure, the Home Team will work with partners to raise awareness and train different groups of Singaporeans to play an active role in keeping Singapore safe.

sujint@sph.com.sg