A fight broke out at an auto-repair shop in Jurong on Wednesday (May 25), with a woman using an umbrella to hit a man.

A number of contributors sent in photos and videos of the incident to citizen journalism website Stomp.

According to Stomp, the altercation occurred at 'Fix It Auto', a car workshop along Soon Lee Street in Jurong.

It is unclear what escalated the disagreement, but a Stomp contributor said that the fight was due to a parking lot dispute, and that someone's car had been blocked.

The parties involved can be heard spewing Hokkien vulgarities at each other.

Woman uses umbrella to stop group of men from fighting at Jurong car workshop

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Video screengrabs

In the two-minute clip, a man wearing a grey shirt can be seen pushing another man, who appears to be a mechanic at the workshop, to the floor.

Dissatisfied, the mechanic then gets to his feet and continues grabbing the other man, who looks like he is trying to walk into the workshop's office.

The fight then flares up again, with blows and kicks exchanged, Shin Min Daily News reported.

At this point, a long-haired woman also gets involved. She swings a white umbrella that she is carrying at the mechanic, and later is also seen kicking him.

The entire incident was captured on video by closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras at the workshop.

The video was picked up by Malaysian social media channels, who shared it on Facebook where it has been viewed over a million times.

A Mandarin caption accompanying the video pleaded for Singaporeans not to bully Malaysian workers.

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SINGAPORE - The Health Ministry (MOH) is urging parents in Singapore to ensure that their children have received vaccination against measles, after recording nearly three times more cases this year compared to last year.

In a statement on Thursday (May 26), MOH revealed that there have been a total of 50 measles cases reported as of May 21 this year. In contrast, the same period in 2015 saw just 17 cases.

There were 40 local cases, of which 34 involved children. 17 involved children under the age of one who were not due for the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination, while 14 cases were between one and six years and had missed their vaccination.

MOH stressed that the best preventive measure against measles is vaccination, which is compulsory in Singapore under the Infectious Diseases Act.

Under the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule, children should be given two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination. The first should be given when they are one year old, with the second at 15 to 18 months.

"It is important to ensure that young children receive two doses of MMR vaccination on time" the ministry said, adding that parents should bring their children to be vaccinated if they had not yet done so, or missed the vaccination schedule.

MOH also advised people who have not yet been vaccinated to do so, especially if there is a baby being cared for at home.

The vaccination is available at polyclinics, where it is fully subsidised for Singaporeans. It is also available at private general practitioner and private paediatric clinics, where Medisave can be used.

Measles is a highly infectious disease, and is spread through air droplets and direct contact with nasal and throat secretions.

Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat and rashes, but a patient could already be infectious before the onset of the symptoms.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

A RAIL worker survived a 750-volt electrical shock yesterday in what appeared to be another serious safety lapse at SMRT.

In an incident that came just two months after a pair of SMRT trainees were killed by a train while they did maintenance work on a track, a contractor sustained burns while working on a power-supplying third rail.

The incident happened at around 1.50am near Sembawang station.

Like the two dead trainees, the injured man was in his 20s. He was rushed to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in a Singapore Civil Defence Force ambulance.

He has since been discharged after being treated for electrical burns to his left hand.

SMRT spokesman Patrick Nathan said: "Three SMRT staff along with two contractors were on the track by the platform of Sembawang MRT Station to conduct maintenance work during engineering hours.

"One of the contractors was using a third rail gauging bar to measure the height and distance of the third rail from the running rail, to ensure the correct positioning of the third rail which supplies power to the trains.

"While carrying this out, the contractor sustained a burn injury to his left hand."

Mr Nathan said "the necessary approval was given to the team to access the track for the maintenance work".

"Our findings show that the contractor proceeded to an adjacent sector instead, for which prior approval had not been sought and where the traction power had not been switched off," he added.

The incident triggered a circuit breaker at the switch room at Sembawang station which activated a fire alarm.

According to former SMRT employees, there are several layers of protection for workers on the track.

Beyond authorising access, workers must also be told where they can go.

Short circuit devices are also installed, so that in case a third rail is accidentally switched on, workers are not electrocuted by the 750 volts of direct current.

The Land Transport Authority said it would investigate.

On March 22, Nasrulhudin Najumudin, 26, and Muhammad Asyraf Ahmad Buhari, 24, were killed by a train travelling at 60kmh near Pasir Ris MRT Station.

The pair, who had joined SMRT just two months earlier, were part of a team of 15 who were sent to check on a potential equipment flaw.

Last month, SMRT admitted that safety lapses led to the tragic incident.

christan@sph.com.sg

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2 SMRT staff die in incident on MRT tracks

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Stomp, The Straits Times, Berita Harian

THE Workers' Party (WP) is holding its party conference this Sunday to elect a new team to its top decision-making body, in a bid to pave the way for leadership succession.

Last month, the party took the unusual step of appointing 28 new cadres - party members with voting rights to elect the Central Executive Council (CEC) - bringing the total number of cadres to around 130, party sources said.

New cadres are typically not inducted in such large numbers, and fewer than 10 new cadres were added in the previous round of cadre admissions two years ago.

The latest batch of 28 include candidates in last year's general election and WP grassroots activists, and are mostly aligned with WP chief Low Thia Khiang's focus on leadership renewal, sources said.

They include Marine Parade GRC candidates Dylan Ng and Firuz Khan and Nee Soon GRC candidates Cheryl Loh and Ron Tan.

Party insiders said admitting them as cadres gives Mr Low the assurance that those earmarked for leadership positions can be elected into the CEC. He will also have a firmer hand in determining the timetable for succession, they added.

On Sunday, Mr Low and party chairman Sylvia Lim are expected to retain their positions unopposed, as they have the confidence of a majority of the CEC and most cadres.

Neither Mr Low or Ms Lim has been challenged since they assumed their positions in 2001 and 2003 respectively.

Succession planning is a top priority for Mr Low who made leadership renewal in the WP a key message at last year's general election.

He had identified the WP's candidates in East Coast GRC and Fengshan as future leaders of the party, and all eyes will be on signs of the next secretary-general or chairman emerging among them.

In particular, Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) Daniel Goh, part of the WP's East Coast team, has been helping out at Mr Low's Meet-the-People Session, while NCMP Dennis Tan, who stood in Fengshan single seat, has been assisting Mr Low in his administrative duties.

Analysts said it was worth watching CEC moves for indicators of who might be next to lead the party.

Institute of Policy Studies deputy director Gillian Koh said: "As the leading opposition party, some attention will be given to whether there will be new faces in its governing committee and if there are indications of leadership succession beyond just the positions that Mr Low and Ms Lim hold."

ziliang@sph.com.sg

rachelay@sph.com.sg

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SINGAPORE - A Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight from Singapore to Shanghai was delayed for four hours on Thursday (May 26) due to a technical problem.

Flight SQ830, an Airbus 380-800, was due to depart Changi Airport at 9.45am but left at only 1.46pm.

The 327 passengers and crew on board took a different aircraft to their destination.

Mr Lee Beng Hai, 69, told The Straits Times that he sent his friends to the airport at 7.20am, and the group of about 20 people were still waiting for the plane to depart at 1.30pm.

They were initially told there the plane had a computer glitch, then that there was problem with the landing gear, the retiree said.

"After initial repairs, the plane was said to be ready for takeoff but then it was aborted again due to the landing gear problem," he said.

Passengers were told to disembark and wait for another plane, he wrote in an e-mail.

His friend questioned if the plane should have had a "full system check" before boarding, he added.

A spokesman for SIA said the plane "experienced a technical issue with the landing gear system while it was on ground".

"The aircraft returned to gate twice for engineering checks, after which a replacement aircraft was deployed."

All passengers were served light refreshments prior to boarding, SIA said. Mr Lee said these included biscuits, and that his friends were given a report on the cause of the delay.

This article was first published on May 26, 2016.
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A 13-YEAR-OLD boy fell from the 10th floor of a Housing Block flat in Bendemeer and died on Wednesday night.

Secondary 2 student Muhammad Aidil Zahid was with a group of friends from a nearby secondary school, Chinese evening daily Lianhe Wanbao reported yesterday.

They had been playing football when he and three others went up Block 24.

He fell from the 10th floor at about 6pm and landed on a platform at the second floor.

Police told My Paper yesterday that a "13-year-old boy was found lying motionless" and pronounced dead by paramedics.

Aidil's mother, who gave her name as Anna, rushed to the scene and broke down when she saw the body.

The 34-year-old housewife said he was a carefree boy who was close to her.

She told Wanbao that he was on probation as he had been involved in a case of theft and had to be home by 6pm. When he did not return by then, she felt that something was wrong.

Residents said they heard boys shouting before the accident occurred.

Madam Lin, 77, who lives on the 10th floor, said she heard agitated fighting among a group of teenagers at the stairs and one of them shouting "tolong tolong", or help in Malay, before a loud thud was heard.

The boy's principal told Wanbao that the school has contacted the family to give support.

myp@sph.com.sg

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SOME students in Singapore will not be receiving complete report cards for the first half of the year, due to a fault in a centralised web-based system that tabulates their results.

The School Cockpit System, as it is called, is managed by a vendor and serves all public schools here - more than 350 of them - from primary school to junior college, as well as the Millennia Institute.

It is not known how many schools were affected by the recent glitch.

Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao reported on Wednesday that a back-end fault in the system affected procedures for teachers who usually key in students' test scores to compile report slips before the June school holidays.

It cited some teachers, as saying that their schools were making alternative arrangements such as tabulating the results manually, giving them out after the holidays, and updating parents about their children's progress during the meet-the-parents sessions.

The School Cockpit System, launched in 2001, is used to implement administrative duties such as monitoring students' academic results and attendance records.

It is meant to help improve the productivity of teachers by easing these day-to-day work processes.

In response to queries, the Ministry of Education said it was alerted last Monday that schools were experiencing system slowness.

"Interim checks show there is a malfunctioning of a backend system component, and the team is working to resolve the issue and restore the system," said a spokesman.

"In the meantime, we have in place alternative plans to help schools continue with their work.

"Schools will be able to prepare and generate simplified versions of result slips so teachers can give parents an update on their child's progress and development at the end of the school term."

These result slips will consist of subject marks and grades, teacher's remarks, student's conduct and overall scores.

Details such as students' attendance records and their height or weight will not be included, although these can be printed out by schools if necessary.

Schools will hand out these simplified slips in the coming weeks, or after the June holidays.

Some parents contacted said they would not be concerned even if their children's results were given out later.

Cindy Hiang, an administrative executive, said her Secondary 1 son's teacher told parents that the students' results would be out by this week.

"I haven't heard if my son's school would be affected.

"But I'm not really concerned how he is graded," said the 42-year-old.

"If the grades come back later, I won't pester the teachers."

ateng@sph.com.sg

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Though the Monetary Authority of Singapore has eased restrictions on motor vehicle loans, car buyers are cautious and concerned about how the move will affect certificate of entitlement (COE) prices.

Interior designer Daphne Gan believes it could lead to more people bidding for COEs and driving premiums up. "I did my calculations and, even though the cost of entry to the car market is cheaper, I won't be paying less in the long run," said the 33-year-old, who drives a nine- year-old Honda Accord.

Mr Shahjehan Ismail Kutty, a 48-year-old finance manager, whose COE on his Kia Rio expires in August, said: "I would still have to fork out quite a bit as long as the COE remains high."

Graphic designer Farhan Hassan, however, said the easing of restrictions has made the prospect of buying a car more attractive.

"The new loan restrictions put the car we want a little within reach," said the 33-year-old, who hopes to buy a Honda Vezel after he gets married next March.

National University of Singapore transport researcher Lee Der Horng said the move will influence more people to buy cars, including those who were previously on the fence about entering the market.

However, he added that the authorities were sending "mixed signals" as making it easier for people to buy cars was not in line with the push towards a car-lite society.

Deputy chairman of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport Ang Hin Kee said encouraging a car-lite society is an ongoing process and will not happen overnight.

He added that lifting the previous restrictions will make it easier for the average buyer to compete for COEs against companies such as Uber-owned Lion City Rental, which has secured about 1,700 car COEs in the last two months.

"Lifting the restrictions makes it easier for those who are self-employed and others who need their own vehicles," said Mr Ang, who is also an MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC.

GPC for Transport chairman and MP for Potong Pasir Sitoh Yih Pin noted that the restrictions are still not at their pre-2013 levels, when the maximum loan was 80 per cent of a car's price and the loan tenure was 10 years. "Whether this will have a significant impact on demand for cars and, consequently, COE prices remains to be seen."

Mr Ang Wei Neng, who is also a member of the GPC for Transport, said there are considerations beyond just financing a car purchase and that prospective buyers should do their sums.

The MP for Jurong GRC said: "I would caution people to be prudent before deciding to buy a car. "

This article was first published on May 27, 2016.
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She claimed they didn't flee the accident scene.

And that they had left only because "someone had already called an ambulance", and he wanted to accompany her home, as she was unwell.

"We didn't flee," said the girlfriend of the teen driver allegedly involved in a hit-and-run accident at the junction of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 5 and Ang Mo Kio Industrial Park 2 on Saturday that killed Madam Lau Lee Kiau, 46.

"(He) actually got out of the car and asked the woman on the ground: 'You okay?' and she nodded.

"As someone had already called the ambulance, (he) decided to see me home first.

"We hailed a taxi and he took me home," the 15-year-old told Chinese newspaper Shin Min Daily News yesterday (May 26).

Divorcee killed in traffic accident, leaving behind son, 17, and daughter, 13

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Lianhe Wanbao, / Facebook

Madam Lau, a factory supervisor, was on her way to work that morning when the 17-year-old teen, who did not have a driver's licence because he was underaged, crashed his car into the motorcycle she was riding pillion on.

The motorcyclist was the divorcee's boyfriend, a 56-year-old plumber. His spine was fractured in two places and he broke his right leg and ankle in the accident.

The teen allegedly fled the scene, but was arrested later the same day. He is out on police bail.

Madam Lau died later at Tan Tock Seng Hospital and was cremated yesterday.

A harrowing 30-second video of the crash, captured by an in-car camera, was also put up on the Facebook pages of Shin Min Daily News and Roads.sg on Wednesday (May 25).

Under the law, motorists involved in an accident in which a person or animal is injured, or where another vehicle or structure is damaged, have to stop their vehicles. They must also render necessary assistance.

The penalty for hit-and-run accidents is a fine of up to $3,000 or up to 12 months' jail.

The teen's girlfriend said they had known each other for only two weeks and the youth was sending her home to Ang Mo Kio after she had spent the night at his flat in Redhill.

"It was the first time he drove me home. I was not well and was asleep in the car. The crash woke me up suddenly," the girl said.

She said her boyfriend was still shaking from the shock of the accident while they were in the taxi on the way to her place.

"He was crying and blaming himself. After he saw me home, he told me he was going to the police to surrender himself," she said, adding that she lost contact with him after that.

She had tried calling and texting him since Saturday, but to no avail because "he was probably in police custody".

The girl said her boyfriend was guilt-stricken after the accident.

That was also how Mr Ong Jun Jie, the teen's cousin, described him to The New Paper yesterday.

IN FEAR

"My cousin has not left his home for fear of what the public might do to him after what the netizens said online. They called him a murderer and a killer... My cousin is now very emotional and depressed about the whole thing," said Mr Ong, who declined to give his age and occupation.

He added that the teen's parents are considering taking him to the Institute of Mental Health for treatment and counselling.

When TNP asked to speak to the teen driver, Mr Ong said he would check with him. But by press time, he did not return our call.

Following the accident, Madam Lau's son Toh Wei Xue, 17, told TNP that the driver, whom he called "heartless", knew who he is and "he knows that I know that he is the culprit, but he has not even apologised".

Both the driver's girlfriend and cousin claimed he had wanted to but only returned home yesterday.

When contacted, police said the teen was arrested on the day of the accident and was released on police bail the same day.

juditht@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 27, 2016.
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They were so realistic that some people thought she actually killed dragonflies to make the wings of her clay fairies.

But polymer clay sculptor Lim Qi Xuan, 24, said: "I am not so cruel.'' The wings of the models were actually made from paper.

Ms Lim achieved the realistic look after experimenting with materials such as paper, resin and paint.

She enjoyed playing with model clay as a child but serious interest only began when she joined The Apprenticeship Programme organised by Noise Singapore in 2013.

"I was encouraged to do something that excites me but couldn't pursue in school," said Ms Lim, who did visual communication at the School of Arts, Design and Media in NTU and graduated in 2014.

As for the unique sculptures she makes, she says she has always been interested in "hybrid creatures and the tactility of flesh".

Singaporean graphic designer creates unique sculptures

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The New Paper, Monster Gallery and Mulan Gallery

FAIRY TALES

"As much as my work freaks people out sometimes, they can always relate to them in one way or another. People associate my works with themes of mortality, or our relationship with other living creatures," said the freelance graphic designer, who tries to find time to sculpt once a week.

Inspired by fairy tales, fantasy stories and science fiction, Ms Lim's delicate sculptures can take from one day to a week to complete.

"As I am very particular about details I can spend hours obsessing over one small portion of the work," said Ms Lim.

She said her parents were initially apprehensive about her work, but have now grown used to it.

"Sometimes they still walk into my work space and question my liking for such morbid subjects," she said.

Still, her mum has turned into an art critic of sorts.

Ms Tan Ai Tin, 52, said: "She talks to me about her ideas so I know about it even before it is made. The first time I saw her work - a foetus - I was still criticising it on its lack of proportions."

Madam Tan now thinks her daughter's work is special.

"I think her work is ... different from works that I see around Singapore. Art is about finding that special voice that will stop people and make them listen to you.

"I think Qi Xuan found that voice with her sculptures. She has a natural talent for sculpting, considering that she doesn't have any formal training or direct influences around her."

But Ms Lim is as realistic as her sculptures.

"I don't think my sculptures are the kind of works people want sitting in their living room," she said.

Ms Lim has exhibited her work at several exhibitions, including the ArtScience Museum's Sunday Showcase in 2014, the Kult Gallery last year and at the Mulan Gallery last month.

wanglx@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 27, 2016.
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We all know the drill. You fall for someone, take it to the next level by going on dates and enjoying the first few months of giddy affection.

But what happens if you end up in a long distance relationship instead?

A new short film by homegrown film maker Boo Junfeng touches on that subject and it has been gaining quite the attention online, racking up almost 400,000 views on YouTube since it was uploaded on Monday (May 23).

Viewers were evidently impressed by the clip with some even sharing their personal experiences with long distance romance in the comments section.

The 3-minute film, titled "Goodbye, Hello" is about John and Emily, two Singaporean youths that go from being platonic friends to an actual couple separated by distance.

The film literally takes viewers through the many goodbyes and hellos that the two experience - especially since Emily leaves Singapore to study in New York.

She starts seeing someone in New York but alas, it was not meant to be as that relationship did not work out (because the guy cheated on her, well, no surprises here).

Emily tearfully confides in John and soon, the two embark on a long distance relationship involving the mandatory Skype video calls.

And what better way to share their happiness than to announce their union on Facebook?

Ah, young love.

We're not going to lie. We were half-expecting a tragic ending to their relationship. By tragic, we mean John and Emily not reaching the classic BTO flat application stage and barely making it through their 'Netflix and chill' nights.

Boo's short film seems to present the idea that long distance relationships may not necessarily be as difficult as society deems them to be. Studies have also suggested that long distance love is actually "stronger" than what people think.

A research by City University of Hong Kong found that people in long distance relationships reportedly feel "emotionally closer" to their partners as compared to those in more 'traditional' relationships.

Many of us are probably accustomed to the idea that it is better for a couple to at least reside in the same country for a relationship to work.

The film, which is actually an advertisement Boo directed for Singtel, is a refreshing take on the marred idea of long distance relationships.

"When I was first presented with this idea, I thought it was quite interesting because I've been in a long distance relationship," Boo said.

"A lot of it is in appreciating that there is a distance and we need to accept that. Whenever we are together and or when we are connected, that space becomes very special."

*Spoiler alert*

So what was the best part of "Goodbye, Hello"? It was when John proposes to Emily with an actual ring (like real men do) after singing her a song during one of their video conversations.

It's a nice ending to a great advertisement that is both heartwarming and real.

Oh, and the name of the song John crooned to his missus? "The Girl From Katong" - written by local indie band Serenaide.

Altogether now: Aww.

ssandrea@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - Building owners still have some way to go to make their properties more accessible, connected, green, smart, productive and high-tech.

This was National Development Minister Lawrence Wong's message to more than 2,000 industry players at the BCA (Building and Construction Authority) Awards 2016 on Thursday.

In his speech, he set out three broad directions that buildings of the future must take.

First, buildings must be designed for all ages and abilities - to ensure an inclusive society. They also need to account for changing demographics. Singapore's proportion of seniors is set to double by 2030. At present, there is still a lot of room to install elderly-friendly features at older private sector buildings, he said.

For new buildings, universal design can be incorporated during the design stage. Because it is more difficult to retrofit existing buildings, BCA has set up an Accessibility Fund to help private building owners defray the bulk of costs for adding accessibility features.

Second, Mr Wong wants buildings to be environmentally sustainable. Buildings are a major source of carbon emissions, with about a quarter of Singapore's total emissions generated by buildings and the energy they consume. There is thus a need to cut back on energy usage and carbon emissions from buildings.

According to Mr Wong, only about 30 per cent of Singapore's buildings are "greened". This means they are energy and water efficient, sensitive to their surrounding environments, and providing a high quality indoor environment for users. This is a far cry from the nation's aim to have 80 per cent of all buildings greened by 2030.

He beseeched private building owners to tap on BCA's enhanced green building schemes which will help them manage the initial cost premium for energy efficiency projects in their existing buildings.

Builders can also do more with smart devices and data analytics. The government needs the industry to continue test-bedding smart energy efficiency solutions. Mr Wong hopes that the industry will be convinced that green buildings do make business sense, and are the right way forward.

Thirdly, Mr Wong said many of the industry players' construction methods are still labour-intensive and time-consuming, and Singapore cannot continue like this in the long run. It is not sustainable to rely heavily on foreign, low-skilled manpower, he said.

There is thus a need to adopt the Design for Manufacturing and Assembly approach, which refers to a range of methods, such as prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction, cross laminated timber and structural steel - in short, more productive construction methods.

With more work mechanised and done off-site, the industry can then build faster, more safely, and with less impact to the surrounding environment. It will also create better career opportunities for Singaporeans and attract more young people to join the sector.

In the longer term, the government has major infrastructure plans to transform Singapore's urban landscape. For instance, building the new Jurong Lake District as its second Central Business District, the Greater Southern Waterfront after the planned relocation of the City Terminals and Pasir Panjang Terminal to Tuas, and the re-development of Paya Lebar Airbase.

Mr Wong said these plans will take several terms of government to complete, and will need the help of a strong and capable construction industry to realise. He assured the industry that the government will work with them to drive the changes in the building sector.

The event also gave out awards to honour the industry's best. This included the inaugural BCA Green Mark PlatinumSTAR Champion award - given to the Nanyang Technological University.

It is the latest category introduced to recognise developers and building owners who have 50 or more building projects with the highest BCA Green Mark Platinum rating.

This article was first published on May 27, 2016.
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He was on his usual route to a bus stop near his home on Wednesday morning (May 25) when he was pinned down and punched.

The attacker wanted to snatch his sling bag, but Mr Leong Kok Cheong, 56, a dish collector at a coffee shop, tried to resist.

As a result, Mr Leong was badly injured, with a swollen left eye, cuts on his knee and forehead, and a broken left arm.

He was also left $60 poorer.

The robbery happened when Mr Leong was on his way to work at about 5.30am near Block 230B, Tampines Street 24.

The robber came up from behind, put a belt around Mr Leong's neck and pulled him backwards.

Mr Leong, who has speech difficulties, was interviewed through his older brother, Mr Vincent Leong, 59, an insurance executive.

Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao reported that the robber was described as about 1.65m tall and small-built.

After Mr Leong fell, the robber pinned him down with one hand and tried to remove Mr Leong's bag with his other hand.

The bag contained a wallet, a tablet and a change of clothes.

Mr Leong refused to let go of his bag, which infuriated the robber.

The blows stopped only when the robber managed to take Mr Leong's wallet from the bag.

The robber then fled the scene.

Although Mr Leong was in great pain, he went back to his home in the same block to ask his older brother for help.

FRANTIC

The older brother woke up to frantic knocking and was shocked to see his brother's swollen face.

The older Mr Leong told The New Paper yesterday (May 26): "The robber was so aggressive to beat my brother up like this, without even considering the pain that he was causing.

"My brother was so confused by the attack that he did not even say a word while he was beaten," he said.

Mr Leong was taken to Changi General Hospital and given two weeks of medical leave. He works eight hours a day and is paid daily, earning about $1,000 a month.

"He has no medical benefits and has no choice but to go without pay for a while," added the older Mr Leong.

As construction for the Downtown Line is ongoing in the vicinity, there are a lot of hoardings around and the area is poorly lit.

The older Mr Leong said his brother has been taking the same route without any trouble, usually in the early morning and late at night.

His brother is coping well after the attack and will not avoid the route in the future.

"But I told him to be more careful," he added.

The police have arrested a 49-year-old man, who is believed to be involved in a case of robbery with hurt.

With the description of the suspect provided by the victim, and images retrieved from police cameras, officers from Bedok Division managed to trace and arrest the suspect at about 4pm the same day, according to a police statement issued yesterday (May 26).

The suspect is expected to be charged in court today (May 27) with robbery with hurt.

If found guilty, he will face up to 20 years in jail and at least 12 strokes of the cane.

This article was first published on May 27, 2016.
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He was flamed online for mishandling a husky. Gawkers then appeared outside his house after his address was revealed online.

Finally, the glare from the public got too much to bear and Mr Alan Chiam, 41, and his wife even told their youngest son, nine, to stop going to school on Tuesday (May 24).

"I didn't want him to go to school and have people taunt him. It would affect him negatively," said Mrs Peline Chiam, 44.

Mr Chiam, a dog rescuer and boarder, shot to notoriety after video clips of him mistreating a husky went viral on Monday (May 23).

That night, he apologised for his actions.

Read also: Man caught on video punching and kicking dog says his consicence is clear

On Wednesday evening, he repeated the apology as he spoke to The New Paper from his home - a rented terrace house that now houses seven dogs, three of which are his.

"I admit I made a mistake. And I'm ready to face the music," he said.

Mrs Chiam added: "We are not saints. Everyone makes mistakes."

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Facebook video screengrabs, The New Paper

Recalling the incident that morning, Mr Chiam said it was the first time their husky, which joined the family when it was just two months old, grew so aggressive.

"I know the husky's temperament very well," he said.

What happened

On Monday morning, because he was expecting some contractors to fix a glass panel at the front of the house, Mr Chiam had moved his husky, golden retriever and Japanese spitz to a space behind the house.

Mrs Chiam, a housewife, said: "The weather's getting hot and we wanted to install air-conditioner for the dogs."

She believes the sudden change of environment and the hot weather were stressing the husky.

When Mr Chiam saw that the husky looked like it was about to attack his helper, he "hit the husky" in a moment of panic.

Mrs Chiam told TNP: "After my husband did that, he came to apologise to me. He knew it was wrong."

Had the husky bit their helper, the injury would have to be reported, possibly resulting in the dog being taken away, she added.

Again, she emphasised that she and her husband were not professional dog trainers.

"We learnt how to take care of dogs from our experience with the first few dogs we took in," she said.

The Chiams' dog rescue journey began late last year, when they took in their first dog. Gradually, more and more people started approaching Mr Chiam to adopt or foster abandoned dogs.

Now, they are relying on their savings to get by. Food alone costs the family around $4,000 to $5,000 every month.

Occasionally, Mr Chiam takes on part-time jobs. He declined to reveal what he does.

The couple also offer boarding services and customised menus for dogs, but Mrs Chiam said those are not steady streams of income.

"(My husband) doesn't really charge people who are his friends," she said.

TNP got a glimpse of the dogs' living condition at the Chiams' residence on Wednesday evening.

The dogs were allowed to walk around freely. One of the fridges in the kitchen was packed with frozen salmon fillet and tuna.

"We don't feed them kibble. We feed them food cooked from scratch," said Mrs Chiam.

"We have two fridges here, one for human food and one for dog food. The helper used to help to prepare the food but ever since my husband found a fish bone in the tuna, he took over the preparation of the fish," she said.

The cabinets in the house were filled with dog-related items such as shampoo, treats and medication.

"Anyone who comes to my home will know that it's kept very clean. There's no smell. My mother is a stickler for cleanliness, so we are always cleaning," said Mrs Chiam.

Though passionate about their cause, the brouhaha over the alleged dog abuse has left Mr Chiam and his wife discouraged. She said: "We are not looking for people to repay us. We just feel it's very meaningful. Our family is united because of the dogs."

"We often walk the dogs together. We are not spending any money, just taking the dogs for a walk together makes us happy."

The comments online sting, but the couple try not to be too bothered by them. They have stopped keeping track.

Their son, who reads every single comment posted, tells the couple: "We have to be strong."

Mr Chiam said: "There is a silver lining. Through this incident, I know who my true friends are."

He added that all he wants now is for his husky, which was taken away by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore for assessment of injury, to return.

He said wryly: "What's most ironic is, I saved so many dogs, but I failed to save my own dog."

HE DEVOTES HIS LIFE TO CARING FOR DOGS

Their dog rescue journey began late last year.

Things picked up gradually and at one point, Mr Alan Chiam and his wife Peline looked after 36 dogs.

"My husband never hesitated. We have both elderly and young (people) in this house," said Mrs Chiam, 44, whose parents live with them.

"Despite knowing that the dogs may bite, nobody in the family objected."

Back then, they lived in a Tampines HDB flat converted out of a three-and four-room flat.

They started renting the terrace house only last month after complaints from their Tampines neighbours.

Mr Chiam said: "Someone complained to HDB. I had to move here because of my dogs."

In February, Mr Chiam quit his job to care for dogs full time. He wanted to lead a more meaningful life, partly due to an accident in 2011.

He said: "I was in intensive care unit and on life support for 11 days. I'm now on lifelong medication."

The couple refused to reveal his exact ailment.

Mrs Chiam said firmly: "I don't want people to think we are trying to win their sympathy."

Harder

Mr Chiam also found it harder to juggle his job, which he refused to disclose, and dog rescues.

"I gave it very serious thought since the accident in 2011," he said.

"I decided to walk out of my comfort zone. I took a gamble.

"To commit myself to these animals, I'd rather quit. I'm very lucky my family are all supportive."

Since then, his days have been devoted to dogs - developing recipes, preparing their food, bathing and grooming the dogs.

EDUCATION IS CRUCIAL

Anyone in the pet industry - retailer, groomer, trainer or boarding operator - should be educated, said Dr Kang Nee.

This means graduating from a properly accredited or reputable school that follows international standards of animal welfare and ethics, said the certified dog trainer and animal behaviourist who has a PhD in Zoology from the National University of Singapore.

They should also be certified by independent and reputable organisations with internationally acceptable standards, and also continue to keep up with the best practices in their field.

"In other words, working with animals needs to be regarded as a proper profession, where education, credentials, ethics and such are crucial.

"Unfortunately, many people think just because they've had dogs, love dogs or trained a dog to 'sit' qualifies them to be in the profession. It doesn't," said Dr Kang.

As for Mr Alan Chiam, who was shamed online for his actions towards his husky, she believed that the dogs in the videos showed many signs of stress, which could be from the environment.

Stressed

But the husky was clearly stressed by what the man did, Dr Kang pointed out.

"While he thinks he didn't hurt the husky physically, he did not account for stress, which the husky and the golden retriever showed in their body language in the videos - rounded back, tucked tail, closed mouth, avoidance, stiff posture, ears back."

This article was first published on May 27, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - The first official meeting between a sitting Singapore Head of State and the Pope at the Vatican will happen on Saturday (May 28).

President Tony Tan Keng Yam will meet Pope Francis, as part of his eight-day state visit to Italy and the Holy See that started on May 22.

Commenting on Dr Tan's visit, Archbishop of Singapore William Goh said: "We have a government that is secular but not secularised, as it recognises the important role that religions can play in the moral development of our peoples.

"We are truly grateful to her for championing religious harmony, which is especially crucial at a time when religious extremism is threatening the peaceful coexistence of peoples."

This year marks 35 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and the Holy See.

In 1986, Pope St John Paul II visited Singapore; the first for a Pope.

The special envoy of Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Renato Raffaele Martino, also visited Singapore in 2006 to mark 25 years of diplomatic relations.

grongloh@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - A fight at a Jurong car workshop has exposed the sour relationship between the shareholders of the garage, and how it culminated in a fight that went viral online.

The dispute that was thrust into the public eye started innocently as a carpark dispute on Wednesday morning (May 25), and later escalated into a shoving match involving around seven men and four women.

Caught in the crossfire is the staff from Fix It Auto Pte Ltd.

According to Shin Min Daily News, the director of neighbouring insurance company Terri Links Pte Ltd, who was also in the fight, is one of the three shareholders of Fix It Auto.

A woman, who was seen hurling vulgarities and using an umbrella as a weapon in the video, is understood to be an employee with Terri Links.

Woman uses umbrella to stop group of men from fighting at Jurong car workshop

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Video screengrabs

It started as a carpark dispute

Garage staff told the Chinese evening daily that they were opening the workshop at 8.51am on Wednesday when they discovered a car from Terri Links parked outside their premises, and it was obstructing a client's car.

A Fix It Auto employee proceeded to park a van in front of Terri Links located next door, and requested that they move that car that was blocking the auto-repair shop.

Tempers flared as both sides refused to budge. Three employees from Terri Links then decided to push the van to the middle of the road (pictured below).

Workshop director wanted to do an audit

At 8.55am - four minutes after the carpark dispute started - the director of Terri Links, Mr Lai (pictured), 40, stomped from his office to the auto-repair shop with the intention to audit its accounts.

Mr Lai, who is also a shareholder of Fix It Auto, was stopped by the garage employees. Both parties then started to jostle, and more people from both sides joined in the fight.

It was then when the lady with the umbrella rushed in and started hitting Fix It Auto employees with the brolly.

Speaking to Shin Min Daily News, Mr Lai insisted that he did not instigate the fight, and tried to disassociate himself from the lady with the umbrella.

He denied knowing the reason behind the woman's action.

Mr Lai also revealed that he used to be an ordinary shareholder of Fix It Auto. After discrepancies were discovered in the car workshop's accounts, he accepted that position of a director to audit the workshop's accounts.

"However, I was stopped by the other directors from entering the workshop. This isn't the first time I have been prevented from entering," Mr Lai told Shin Min Daily News.

He had previously made three police reports regarding the discrepancies in the books of Fix It Auto, and had stated his intention to relinquish his position at the workshop.

Dispute started in 2015

Miss Ang, 44, who works with Fix It Auto, told Shin Min Daily News that the dispute started in September 2015.

Then, Mr Lai's brother had opened a competing auto-repair shop nearby without informing the other two shareholders of Fix It Auto.

Unhappy that they were not informed about the competing auto-repair shop, the other two shareholders requested that Mr Lai sell his stakes in Fix It Auto, but the talks broke down.

It was then when the situation went downhill.

In January this year, Mr Lai even advertised the services of his brother's car workshop in front of his insurance company, which is next-door to Fix It Auto.

Miss Ang told Shin Min Daily News that Mr Lai appeared at Fix It Auto with the 'umbrella' lady before, although there was no altercation then.

In May, one of the shareholders served a lawyer's letter to Mr Lai, requesting him not to enter the workshop's premises when the other shareholders are not present.

It was because of this that led the car workshop employees from blocking Mr Lai's path on Wednesday.

After the altercation, three people were later hospitalised. Two of the injured are brothers (pictured above) working at the car workshop, while the remaining person is an employee from Terri Links.

A police spokesperson told Shin Min Daily News that they were notified at 8.53am of an affray at Soon Lee Road. Investigations are ongoing.

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RELATED: Woman uses umbrella to stop group of men from fighting at Jurong car workshop

Freelance writer and translator Goh Beng Choo has launched an online petition to have the term"Chinese helicopter"removed from the Oxford English Dictionary (OED).

She and the 185 other like-minded Singaporeans who had signed the petition as of 10pm yesterday say that the term - used in the 1970s and 1980s to describe a Chinese-educated person who spoke and pronounced English poorly - is degrading and insulting.

"Chinese helicopter" was among 19 new Singapore words added to the OED in its quarterly update in March. Others included shiok, teh tarik, char siu, sabo, blur and sotong.

The dictionary itself defined "Chinese helicopter" as being a derogatory term for a Singaporean whose schooling was conducted in Mandarin Chinese and who has limited knowledge of English.

The petition by Madam Goh, 64, a former Straits Times bilingual journalist, was first posted on Monday on the petition website Change.Org

Madam Goh, the wife of Cultural Medallion writer and novelist Yeng Puay Ngon, told The Straits Times yesterday that the term was an insult to the Chinese-educated here. "With it in the dictionary now, it will give the impression that it is an acceptable term, when actually it is insensitive and highly derogatory."

Among those who supported the petition was Singaporean Michelle Tan, who said in a comment: "Very ignorant and arrogant of those who have coined and spread the use of this word."

The term appears to have been derived from a mispronunciation of "Chinese-educated".

"Cheem" Singlish phrases in charades competition

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HoodChampions via Facebook

Madam Goh and those who signed the petition are not the only ones upset. Former civil servant and National Institute of Education lecturer Tan Teng Lang e-mailed OED's world English editor Danica Salazar asking for the term's removal.

In her e-mail on Friday, seen by The Straits Times, Ms Tan, who now lives in Canada, said the term "had long degenerated into a label that equated Chinese-educated Singaporeans with inferior quality and low status in society. It was blatantly intended to belittle, humiliate and demean someone on the basis of his less fluent command of English".

She added: "'Chinese helicopter' is unequivocally a painful reminder of their long and difficult struggle to find their rightful place and dignity in the Singapore society. Fortunately, by the 1980s, this highly derisive term had mostly lapsed into disuse with the closure of Chinese schools. Not many younger generation Singaporeans have heard of 'Chinese helicopter', much less understand its meaning. My friends and I are therefore shocked and saddened that an almost forgotten Singlish term now resurfaces in the OED, rubbing salt into an old wound that never healed."

Dr Salazar, 32, who was in Hong Kong yesterday, said when contacted that she was aware of the petition but could not comment on it.

But in comments carried in The Sunday Times of May 22, she said the process of including new words is "very exacting and rigorous".

Yesterday, Madam Goh said she would write to and present the petition to the dictionary's editorial board some time after the number of supporters passes a minimum 200 mark.

Embrace your national identity with Singlish emojis

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This article was first published on May 28, 2016.
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