SINGAPORE - Officers from the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) have foiled a man's attempt to smuggle more than 6,000 cartons of contraband cigarettes into Singapore.

In a statement on Friday (June 3), ICA said that they had stopped a Malaysia-registered truck with a 40-foot bitumen bowser and directed it to undergo checks at Tuas checkpoint on Thursday evening.

Officers had noticed anomalies in the scanned image of the truck's tank, which was driven by a lone 37-year-old Malaysian man.

When they opened the bowser's latch, officer's found 6,500 cartons of duty-unpaid cigarettes hidden in a modified compartment at the rear of the tank.

The potential duty and Goods and Services Tax evaded amounted to about $504,400 and $50,778 respectively.

ICA said that the man, cigarettes and truck were all handed over to the Singapore Customs for investigations. The vehicle may also be forfeited.

ICA explained that the same methods of concealment used by contraband smugglers may also be used by terrorists to smuggle arms and explosives into Singapore.

Therefore, the authority stressed that it will continue to conduct security checks on passengers and vehicles at Singapore's checkpoints.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

A Singaporean man who caused a deadly car crash while on holiday in New Zealand last year was sentenced to four months of home detention and 200 hours of community service on Friday (June 3).

Lew Wei Kiong, 30, was also ordered to pay reparations of NZ$27,000 (S$25,400) for emotional harm for the accident, in which a motorcyclist was killed, the Otago Daily Times reported.

Lew, who is a senior analyst at the Energy Market Authority, had last month pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated careless use of a motor vehicle causing death, and three charges of aggravated careless driving causing injury.

He was convicted of all four charges.

According to New Zealand media reports, he had been driving a rented Toyota Corolla onto the wrong side of State Highway 1, before crashing into two oncoming cars and two motorcycles on Nov 29 last year.

One of the motorcyclists, 39-year-old Craig Alan Chambers, died at the scene.

Lew's colleague, Ms Tay Hui Yun, was among three others who were seriously injured. She was subsequently airlifted to Dunedin Hospital and was transferred back to Singapore on Dec 19.

Lew had reportedly been driving at 120km per hour at the time of the crash, and did not brake.

According to Stuff.co.nz, Mr Chambers' wife, Nicola, addressed Lew directly in court, and told him: "You are solely responsible for my child being fatherless and me being a widow."

The Otago Daily Times reported that Judge Kevin Phillips had given Lew a lighter sentence due to his early guilty plea, and voluntary community work that he had already undertaken.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

A female diner lost her cool and went on an angry tirade against employees at a restaurant in Jem shopping mall on Friday (June 3).

A video of the incident was uploaded on Facebook by Euphemia Lee, which Stomp contributors Vanessa, Zaleha, Jennifer, Kel, Jane, Marcus, Candice, Corine and Kenny alerted the citizen journalism website to.

According to Lee, the incident started when a deaf and mute cleaner at the food court "misunderstood (the woman's) grunting when he asked if he could clear her tray for affirmation."

She reportedly then started cursing and said "that he should go and die and should not be given a coffin."

Lee said in her post: "She then continued eating until her husband returned, after which she insisted her husband drag the old man back to their table to apologise to her."

In the video, when the manager of the cleaning company stepped in to explain that the elderly man was deaf and mute, the woman continued screaming at him.

She said that the cleaner was better off being a "beggar".

Lee's video has garnered nearly 400,000 views and over 12,500 shares to date.

Lee said that she had "the gross misfortune of crossing paths with this disgusting, vile swine posing as a human being".

She added in her post: "I cannot understand how such an evil being can exist. She should start looking out for the Karma bus whenever she crosses the road."

Woman loses cool at deaf and mute cleaner at Jem food court

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Facebook video screengrabs

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Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has retracted 11 academic papers authored by researchers from the National Institute of Education (NIE), following investigations into research malpractice.

One particular researcher had a hand in all 11 papers.

Eight of the papers cite the lead author as Dr Noel Chia, a well-known local expert in the area of special-education needs such as autism, dyslexia and dyscalculia. He was listed as co-author of the three other papers.

Dr Chia, who had taught at NIE since 2006 and was promoted to associate professor two years ago, resigned in April.

Nine out of the 11 papers that came under investigation were published in the Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals (JAASEP).

NTU said it had carried out the investigation following allegations of research malpractice.

It found that primary data was not available to authenticate Dr Chia's research. It also said that it had doubts over "ethical approvals for the collection of the data".

Hence the move to retract all the papers which used the data.

The university's research integrity officer, Mr Tony Mayer, said Dr Chia had told the university that he had collected the data prior to joining NIE in 2006, through a Kuala Lumpur-based consortium called Pusat Pembelajaran Cacat (PPC).

One of his co-authors, Malaysian resident Esther Yap, was the intermediary between him and PPC. However, Dr Chia claimed that he had been unable to contact Ms Yap or other PPC officials.

NIE even hired an agency to track down Ms Yap and the Malaysian consortium, but even this drew a blank.

Dr Chia, despite declaring initially that he had returned all the primary data to PPC, late last year presented some data sample sheets that he said were used in his research.

But Mr Mayer said the investigation panel was still "unable to authenticate the research data".

He did not elaborate on what NTU meant by "doubts over ethical approvals", but he had told JAASEP that there may be "problems over the signatures of the parental consents".

"(NTU has) zero tolerance towards any form of research malpractice and will not hesitate to take action against anyone found to be lacking in research integrity," Mr Mayer stressed.

Meanwhile, the journal publishers in Washington D.C. have retracted not just the nine papers in question, but also the other papers that Dr Chia had previously published with them. The journal's editor, Dr George Giuliani, referred to a statement published earlier which stated that because of the uncertainty surrounding the prior research done by Dr Chia, it had made the professional decision to retract all of Dr Chia's articles published in the journal, in order to protect the integrity of the journal.

Educational therapists told The Straits Times that it is important for those conducting research on children with special educational needs to be rigorous and follow ethical standards.

Said one of them, who has over 10 years of experience in the field: "It is important for all researchers to be thorough and adhere to ethical norms, but more so for those conducting research in areas such as special education.

"Many parents of children with special needs follow the research closely and pin their hopes on some of these findings."

Among the research conducted by Dr Chia was the effectiveness of dimethylglycine, a dietary supplement, in treating children with autism spectrum disorders and severe speech delay.

Another paper looked at the effect of hypnosis on the academic performance of students with learning disabilities in school examinations.

The Straits Times was unable to reach Dr Chia for his comments.

This article was first published on June 4, 2016.
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Big plans to transform the Mandai area into a 126ha nature precinct by 2023 would have to include better ways to get there as transport options are now very limited.

Only two daily bus services, 138 from the Ang Mo Kio bus interchange and 927 from the Choa Chu Kang bus interchange, currently serve the Singapore Zoo and the surrounding Mandai area.

They take about one hour to arrive at the zoo.

Another service, 926, from the Marsiling and Woodlands MRT stations, the closest to the zoo, operates only on weekends.

An express bus service operated by Bus-Plus Services, a wholly owned subsidiary of SMRT, began a four-month trial run last Saturday and facilitates access from Bedok, Tampines and Sengkang, but it operates only on weekends and selected public holidays.

Basically, there is no convenient way of getting to the zoo without driving or taking a taxi, said Ms Zaitoon Bivee, who has taken her two-year-old son there by car four times.

"There should be express buses from different areas or free shuttle buses every 15 minutes from the nearest MRT station," said the 42-year-old adjunct lecturer.

Announced on Wednesday, the Mandai nature precinct will comprise the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, River Safari as well as the Bird Park, to be relocated from Jurong, and a new Rainforest Park, where visitors can walk along aerial walkways that stretch from the forest floor to treetop canopies.

What new Mandai will look like

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PM Lee Facebook

Conceptualised for eco-tourism, it will have eco-lodges where people can spend the night, as well as free nature trails, boardwalks, outdoor seating and playgrounds.

First announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2014, the redevelopment of the area is being overseen by Mandai Safari Park Holdings, a wholly owned unit of Temasek Holdings which is chaired by former Temasek chairman and Cabinet minister S. Dhanabalan.

The first phase of development, which is expected to begin later this year, will cost $1 billion.

Last year, the zoo hosted 1.7 million visitors, and the two safaris had about a million visitors each.

National University of Singapore transport researcher Lee Der Horng agreed that public transport to the zoo is currently "extremely poor".

He contrasted it with the Taipei Zoo which, although located about 10km away from the city, is easily accessible by a metro station directly outside the zoo.

Dr Lee said a "branch line" of the MRT could be built specifically to serve the eco-precinct, adding that autonomous vehicles could be used to ferry visitors within the nature precinct.

Ngee Ann Polytechnic senior tourism lecturer Michael Chiam said extending the MRT line may not be feasible. "Since it is not a residential area, the authorities would need to study whether it is financially viable to extend the MRT line to Mandai," he said.

He suggested that the eco-precinct be connected to the Park Connector Network to facilitate cycling into the area and that the authorities could study demand for buses, increasing the number and frequency of services as necessary.

The group chief executive of Mandai Safari Park Holdings, Mr Mike Barclay, said it is taking suggestions from the public on the rejuvenation of the Mandai area and exploring a "range of options" with the authorities to improve accessibility to the area.

"These include introducing shuttle buses from the upcoming Springleaf MRT station and direct bus services from key regions that are otherwise not well connected to Mandai," he said.

Located along Upper Thomson Road about 8km away, the Springleaf station on the upcoming Thomson-East Coast Line is slated to be completed in 2020.

Also under consideration are shuttle buses and trams to move people between the east node, where the existing attractions are located, and the west node where the new Rainforest Park and the relocated Bird Park will be situated.

This article was first published on June 4, 2016.
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As she lifted the sanitary pad bin in the women's toilet at Tampines MRT station, Madam Jumiati Amat noticed it was heavier than usual.

The 75-year-old cleaner, who was about to empty the bin of its contents at around 1.30pm yesterday, decided to open its lid to look inside.

What she saw gave her the shock of her life.

Lying motionless among the discarded pads and soiled tissues was a baby boy.

The boy, who was facing up, had been placed in a red plastic bag that was left open.

Still reeling from her macabre discovery, Madam Jumiati later told The New Paper: "The poor thing. His eyes and mouth were closed when I found him.

"When I saw him, I knew immediately that he was dead."

Madam Jumiati said she composed herself before lifting the baby from the bin and placing him on her cleaning trolley.

She then alerted two SMRT staff, who called the police.

"Of course, I was shocked, I never thought I would find a dead baby in the toilet. But I knew that I needed to get help," she said.

Madam Jumiati had earlier emptied the bin at around 7am. She was doing another clean-up in the afternoon when she found the body.

At the time, the toilet was empty and there was no sign that anything was amiss, she said, adding: "There was no blood, or any kind of bodily fluids or an umbilical cord."

"I don't think the baby was born in the toilet. He looked clean in the plastic bag, I think someone could have just dumped him here," she said.

Madam Jumiati said the boy was "not fair-skinned".

She also used her hands to indicate the length of the baby to be about 25cm, about half the length of an average full-term newborn.

At about 1.40pm, police officers arrived at the scene and cordoned off the area around the toilet.

Paramedics, who arrived shortly after, pronounced the baby dead.

When TNP went to the MRT station at about 2pm, a crowd of about 100 people had gathered near the entrance.

The crowd swelled to more than 300 by about 4pm. More than 20 police officers were at the scene.

Filled with people

Madam Mariam, the 71-year-old owner of a snack shop near the toilet, said she was disturbed that such an incident could have happened in the station, which is always filled with people.

"I couldn't believe it when people told me a dead body had been found, what more a dead baby," she said.

"It makes me sad to know such a thing could have happened."

At about 4.10pm, a body bag was carried out from the women's toilet and placed on a stretcher before it was taken away.

When asked how she was coping after her experience, Madam Jumiati said she was "shocked, but not scared".

The grandmother of three said: "It made me sad, but I knew I had to tell the SMRT officers so that something could be done."

The police said investigations are ongoing.

Newborn found dead in Tampines MRT toilet

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The New Paper, Shin Min Daily News, Twitter

DISPOSING OF CORPSE IS A CRIME

What happens if a baby is stillborn and the mother decides to dispose of the corpse in such a way as to conceal its birth?

Such a case happened last year, when an Indonesian maid hid her stillborn foetus in her bedroom drawer.

The maid, 33, was found out after hospital tests revealed that she had given birth recently. She confessed to her employers that she had given birth to a baby boy who was stillborn.

She was arrested for concealment of birth by secret disposal of a dead body, said a police spokesman.

It is against the law to secretly bury or dispose of the dead body of a child and conceal the birth.

Offenders can be jailed up to two years and fined.

Penalties for deliberately ending the life of a newborn child are even heavier - up to 10 years in jail and a fine.

Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support case worker Noor Haslinda, 40, told The New Paper that she had received two calls where the callers claimed their baby was stillborn and that they needed help.

Both calls turned out to be pranks, but Ms Haslinda said the same procedure applies as in real calls.

"We will call for an ambulance once we find out the locations. Together with another colleague, we will also go there to provide support," she said.

"The authorities have to be informed. There is no way one can run away from that responsibility as the baby's body has to be accounted for."

MOST CASES INVOLVE TEENS, MAIDS

While there are no statistics on cases involving the dumping of dead newborn babies, there were 21 abandoned babies identified here from 2006 to 2015.

A Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) spokesman, who provided the figures, told The New Paper: "Abandonment of a child under the age of 12 years old is a chargeable offence."

While the numbers are considered low, most of the reported cases involve teenage parents and foreign domestic workers.

Said Aware's programmes and communications senior manager Jolene Tan: "There are very strong pressures placed on both parties. Not just to hide their pregnancy, but also to not seek help and reach out to those around them."

Fear

She explained how expectant teenagers could be driven to conceal their pregnancies from their parents.

"It is this fear of family disapproval, and, in some cases, the fear of family violence, that could cause them to keep silent," she said.

Likewise, maids may fear having their work permits cancelled.

One condition for a maid working in Singapore is to not get pregnant or give birth here, unless she is married to a Singaporean or permanent resident with the approval of the Manpower Ministry.

Said Ms Tan: "(Both teenage parents and maids) may feel that they are very much alone in their situations."

Ms Frances Lee, senior manager of Care Corner Family Service Centre (Toa Payoh), told TNP that many factors may drive some parents to commit such "an act of desperation".

"There could be the lack of support, emotional capacity and knowledge of the resources that are available to them, not to mention their confusion. A lot of these factors could lead to the panic that the parents may be experiencing.

"They feel like they might have no one to turn to," she said.

But she stressed that many options are available to distressed and expectant parents.

"Even if they don't intend to keep the child, there are many other ways they could go about it, such as adoption, although many also choose to abort," she said.

When an abandoned baby is found, the police and MSF's Child Protective Service (CPS) will be involved in investigating the case and looking after the welfare of the child respectively, said the MSF spokesman.

The child will be placed under the ministry's foster care, pending further investigations from the police and the CPS, he added.

In instances where the parents have been traced, CPS will assess their ability to provide appropriate care.

"Should the police be unable to trace the parents and family, or if the family is assessed to be unable to provide appropriate care for the child, CPS would source for prospective adopters for the child," he said.

PAST CASES

October 2015

A 33-year-old Indonesian maid was arrested after she was found to have hidden a 15cm-long foetus in her bedroom drawer at her employer's home in Lorong Ong Lye. The foetus, which the maid claimed had died at birth, was believed to be five months old.

June 2009

A dead baby boy was found on a staircase landing between the second and third storeys of Block 334, Bukit Batok Street 32. He was found naked in a white plastic bag. There was no blood on the body and the umbilical cord had been cut.

August 2006

A premature baby was found dead in a locker at the FairPrice supermarket in the basement of Bishan Junction 8 mall. The baby, placed inside a bag, was found in a semi-decomposed condition.

March 2003

A newborn girl was found dead in a toilet at Commonwealth MRT station. She was in a grey plastic bag that had been left beside a rubbish bin in the women's toilet. The body was still bloody and wrapped in yellow cloth.

HELPLINES

Pregnancy Crisis Service: 6339-9770

Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support: 1800-833-6666 or SMS to 8111-3535

This article was first published on June 4, 2016.
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A ban on smoking in parks at public housing estates that came into force on Wednesday was still news to some smokers yesterday.

Three of the four people seen smoking at the Toa Payoh Sensory Park yesterday said they did not know about the new law.

A 58-year-old worker in a fruit stall said he had lost track of where he could smoke. "It's very confusing, we can't smoke here and we can't smoke there," he said in Mandarin. "I can't say the law is good or bad, but people should be given a place to smoke."

His refrain was echoed by others, that they had fewer places to smoke now under the new ban, which also covered reservoirs and parks in private housing estates.

But many smokers also said they did not smoke in parks anyway.

"We go to the park to exercise, not smoke," said Mr Ng Kim Chuan, a 46-year-old store supervisor.

The four were the only smokers among at least 80 people seen at the Toa Payoh park over a few hours in the afternoon and at the Bishan Active Park and Bishan North Neighbourhood Park at dusk.

From Wednesday, reservoirs and more than 400 parks, including those in private and public housing estates, were added to the list of smoke-free areas. The move comes three years after the smoking ban was extended to common areas such as void decks, sheltered walkways and linkways, and any area within a 5m radius of a bus stop.

Senior Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources Amy Khor told Parliament in April that the Government's long-term goal is to snuff out smoking in all public areas, to protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke.

To give smokers time to adjust to the new rules, those caught lighting up in reservoirs and parks in the first three months will be let off with a warning. But the National Environment Agency (NEA) said smokers who repeatedly flout the law can be fined. Last year, about 17,000 fines were handed out.

Retiree Tan Seng Kiat, 61, told The Straits Times he was aware of the ban and supports it, but may still smoke in the park at secluded spots. He suggested smokers be given a designated point to smoke.

Non-smokers welcomed the move. Ms Jenny Xie, 30, who takes her one-year-old son to a park near Toa Payoh Lorong 2 every day, said it would create a healthier environment for everyone.

This article was first published on June 4, 2016.
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Finance Minister and Tampines GRC MP Heng Swee Keat has responded well to "very complicated" surgery, and has recovered well so far, said fellow Tampines GRC MP Masagos Zulkifli yesterday.

He was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the launch of the Ramadan bazaar on the open field outside Tampines MRT station, accompanied by other MPs for Tampines.

"We are optimistic, although cautiously, that he will recover well. We are giving space and privacy to him and his family, so he can recover as fast and as well as possible," said Mr Masagos, who is also Minister for the Environment and Water Resources.

Mr Heng had suffered a stroke last month during a Cabinet meeting and was taken to Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Monday that Mr Heng is recovering well, after visiting him in the Intensive Care Unit at the hospital.

Heng Swee Keat in ICU after having a stroke

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The Straits Times, The New Paper, Facebook screengrabs

Yesterday, Mr Masagos said the Tampines GRC MPs are relieved that Mr Heng is progressing well.

He added that grassroots leaders and advisers have been stepping up support for Mr Heng's constituency so that although he is missing from action, residents "will not feel that they are missing the services that are due to them". He said that while the Tampines GRC MPs have not visited Mr Heng, they have been getting information from PM Lee and senior Cabinet members.

He also thanked former Tampines GRC MP Sin Boon Ann, who has stepped up to take over some of Mr Heng's duties.

"Because all of us carry the burden together, it has been made light for all of us," he said.

On the bazaar this year, the fourth so far, he said the Agency of Integrated Care, which deals with long-term care for the elderly, has set up a booth for the first time.

A spokesman for the event said that beyond giving out brochures, volunteers will take down the details of visitors to the booth and follow up. About 40,000 visitors are expected to visit the bazaar, which features about 100 lifestyle and food booths, she added.

This article was first published on June 4, 2016.
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A well-known production house has given notice that it is closing down, leaving its freelancers and contractors up in arms over hundreds of thousands of dollars in allegedly unpaid fees.

The Two Oceans Film Company, which started in 1998 and specialises in television commercials, made an application with the courts last month to wind up its business.

According to Ms S. H. Ngoh, 39, a make-up artist who has worked with Two Oceans and is rallying together other freelancers to try and recover their unpaid fees, the firm owes a total of over $180,000 to some 30 of them.

She believes there are more out there, as she started gathering them only on Wednesday, through Facebook and word of mouth, when she heard the news of the company's impending closure.

These freelancers comprise casting directors, grips, wardrobe stylists and art direction assistants, some of whom say they have not been paid for work done as far back as two years ago.

Ms Ngoh said: "The $180,000 is what we know so far. I'm sure there are others out there."

She said she is owed $9,200.

Mr Jason Tan, 35 , a lighting grip, said he is owed about $3,000 for work done earlier this year.

"The work we do involves a lot of manual labour, dealing with electricity and height. It's really not fair if we do not get paid for it," he said.

A contractor, Bert Lighting House, has also come forward to say that Two Oceans owes it more than $170,000.

Lawyer Nicolas Tang, who is acting for Bert Lighting House, said a letter of demand was issued on May 6 to Two Oceans requesting the sum and they later found out that the company had made a court application to wind up.

Mr Tang, the managing director of Farallon Law Corporation, said it would be filing an objection to the application.

Two Oceans counts as its clients big companies such as Marigold and McDonald's, and in 1999, it snagged the top prize in the annual Asian Advertising Awards in Hong Kong.

When contacted by The Straits Times yesterday, the firm's owner and managing director Koh Say Chong declined comment, saying it was a court case. Mr Koh is also the director of another company called Salt Films.

Last night, close to 20 freelancers met at Bert Lighting House in Kaki Bukit to seek legal help from lawyer Samuel Seow, who has said he will act for them.

Ms Ngoh said: "We are going to try and get our money back. Hopefully this will bring more awareness to the plight of free- lancers in general, who are sometimes victims of irresponsible business practices."

• Additional reporting by Clement Yong

This article was first published on June 4, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - A young boy's foot was caught between escalator steps near Toa Payoh HDB Hub earlier this afternoon (June 4) at around 1.15pm.

Citizen journalist Vivien, who had been at the scene, said the child was "screaming away" as Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) personnel and maintenance staff tried to free him.

It is unclear how the accident happened.

Boy's toes get caught in escalator near Toa Payoh HDB Hub

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Stomp, Video screengrabs

She told Stomp: "This happened at around 1.15pm at the outside area near Toa Payoh HDB Hub.

"The boy's mother was with the boy.

"He was eventually freed. You can see his shoe still stuck in the escalator in the pictures."

Facebook user Vivian Sng, who posted a video showing the boy being taken away after he was freed, said the child's feet might have been fractured.

A spokesperson for the SCDF told Stomp: "SCDF was alerted to a rescue case at around 1300 hours involving a child's toes being stuck in an escalator.

"SCDF dispatched one fire engine, one Red Rhino, one ambulance and two support vehicles to the incident site.

"SCDF released the child using hydraulic rescue tools and he was conveyed conscious to KK Hospital. The hospital was also alerted to be on standby to assist the child."

Visit STOMP for more stories.

Nee Soon Central Zone 1 Residents' Committee has responded to allegations concerning the identity of the woman who was involved in a dispute at a restaurant in Jem recently.

The woman made headlines after apparently verbally abusing a deaf and mute cleaner for mistakenly clearing away her food yesterday (Jun 3).

She was caught on video shouting at the cleaner's manager and demanding an apology, as well as making several other insulting statements.

Woman loses cool at deaf and mute cleaner at Jem food court

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Facebook video screengrabs

The video, uploaded online by Facebook by user Euphemia Lee and which several Stompers alerted us to, went viral and garnered numerous comments criticising the woman.

It was later rumoured that the woman was a Grassroots Leader at Nee Soon Central Zone 1 Residents' Committee. A picture perpetuating the rumour has also been circulating online.

However, the Nee Soon Central Zone 1 Residents' Committee has since responded to the incident and allegations on its Facebook page.

It said: "We note there is a post on facebook going around that the lady in the picture is a member of our committee.

"We would like to clarify that she is neither a member nor volunteer of our committee.

"We trust the above statement clarifies. Thank you."

Facts should be verified

MP for Nee Soon GRC, Dr Faishal Ibrahim, has clarified that the woman who went berserk on a deaf and mute cleaner at a food court in Jem is not from Nee Soon Central Zone 1 Resident's Committee or a grassroots leader in Nee Soon Central.

He expressed disappointment at some sites coming to this conclusion without verifying facts first. 

In addition, Stomp is looking for the woman who shouted at a deaf and mute cleaner and his manager at Jem. We would like to hear her side of the story.

If you are the woman or know her personally, please contact us at 9384 3761 or stomp@stomp.com.sg.

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SINGAPORE - The rain didn't stop a sea of pink from turning up at Hong Lim Park for the annual Pink Dot event on Saturday afternoon (June 4).

Fortunately the skies cleared in time for the party to get started.

Since kicking off in 2009, the annual event which advocates freedom to love for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community, has seen an outpouring of support.

While there are detractors among Singaporeans here, the group has continued to grow.

Instead of the annual light-up this year, attendees at Pink Dot 2016 were encouraged to pen down their heartfelt thoughts and encouragement for inclusivity on pink placards.

This year's event saw television host Anita Kapoor, comedian Liu Ling Ling and rapper ShiGGa Shay take the stage as ambassadors.

Local personalities and musicians like Charlie Lim, Gareth Fernandez and Hirzi Zulkiflie performed for the crowd while activists gave testimonials on discriminatory practices among other obstacles when expressing their identities in Singapore. 

In the lead up to the event, Pink Dot released a few videos detailing the struggles some locals face pertaining their identity.

One of them highlights The T Project, a shelter for homeless transgenders.

While the home has offered solace to the many who pass through its doors, it may have to close or relocate due to lack of funds.

In a nod to inclusivity, the corporate support for this year's Pink Dot is the largest yet, with a total of 18 corporate sponsors, including companies such as Google, Barclays, Twitter, Facebook and Apple.

debwong@sph.com.sg

Couples are borrowing heavily to splurge on lavish weddings. The result: frayed marriages once the big day is over

One couple's $110,000 wedding left them with a bill that took four years to pay off.

Another spent over $50,000 and their marriage almost ended.

Weddings are supposed to be memorable, not give the couple nightmares. But extravagant weddings are adding to the stress newly-weds face.

Mr John Vasavan, 56, a marriage counsellor for over 20 years, shared an example of a couple he had encountered in the early 2000s, who held a lavish wedding that almost cost them their marriage.

The couple held a 50-table wedding dinner that cost over $50,000.

As a result, they started their married life in debt, says Mr Vasavan, who is from Congruence Counseling Service Singapore.

Mr Vasavan, who has counselled over 50 couples, tells The New Paper on Sunday: "The wife described the wedding cost as 'exorbitant' and the couple were in debt right after the wedding.

"Despite that, they went ahead to buy a five-room HDB flat, changed cars three times over five years and also had a child."

Within five years, they had accumulated over $250,000 in debt.

"To avoid the wife's nagging, the husband borrowed from loan sharks and that led to a lot of complications."

The couple were on the verge of divorce before they sought marriage counselling.

Unusual? Not so, say other counsellors.

Mrs Chang-Goh Song Eng, head of Reach Counselling, says that while wedding costs are usually not the main cause of a divorce, they can lead to detrimental effects in the long run.

Read also: The real cost of a wedding in Singapore - $10,000 or $50,000?

How to save money for a Singapore wedding in 6 months

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

pixabay, The New Paper

FOUR-YEAR DEBT

Then there are the Lees.

This August, Mr Cayden Lee and his wife will be paying the last instalment of a four-year loan of $110,000 for their 2012 wedding. TNPS first reported their debt situation in 2014.

Mr Lee, now 35, had told TNPS then: "This is the real regret. We struggle from month to month just to make ends meet."

The hefty wedding bill was a strain on their marriage.

Mr Lee, who is an insurance agent, had said: "We have had more fights since our wedding than in the six years that we were dating.

"Most times, it was over money... and we'd end up blaming each other for the situation."

How did it all go so wrong?

They were smitten when they saw the glossy pictures and glitzy wedding must-haves in magazines.

They wanted a dream night, which included a bridal arch made with 999 fresh tulips from Holland, complete with a tulip-shaped balloon, for their wedding march-in. The arch cost nearly $12,000.

The bulk of the cost was the wedding banquet at a six-star hotel in the Marina Bay area - each of the 45 tables cost $1,688, before taxes.

The total bill? A whopping $110,000.

They had to top up their savings of $20,000 with a $45,000 loan from a financial institution with a repayment period of two years. Another $4,000 was borrowed from a licensed moneylender and $11,000 from a relative.

They also charged a total of $30,000 to their credit cards, says Mrs Lee, 30.

The housewife had said then: "When we first did our calculations, we were confident we could afford it. We gave ourselves a year or two, at the maximum, to work things out."

As a result of their debts, they had to put off their plans to start a family.

Mrs Lee recently tells TNPS: "That upset my in-laws greatly. They started to put pressure on me, instead of their son. It got to a point that I actually walked out for three months and even considered a divorce."

During the break in their relationship in March last year, she went to live with her maternal grandmother in Johor Baru.

"But Cayden came almost every day to visit and started wooing me all over again, with love notes." she recounts.

"In the end, I decided to give our marriage a chance."

The rising cost of loving

Wedding costs increase by up to 10 per cent each year, say wedding planners

Is it really that expensive to get hitched here?

Wedding planners The New Paper on Sunday spoke to say that a wedding costs an average of $50,000.

At the upper end of the spectrum, Singaporeans spend more than $110,000.

But even for the average couple, we're paying close to what Americans are paying, which a recent study has actually found to be extreme.

A 2015 study by US wedding planner The Knot found that Americans are spending six times more than Europeans - an average of US$32,641 (S$45,000) - on their weddings.

WHY SO MUCH?

Ms Michelle Poh, co-founder of Singapore wedding planning company Hitched Weddings and lecturer at the Institute of Certified Wedding Planners, says the price of a banquet table here increases by $100 every year.

"Ten years ago, the average cost of a table was less than $1,000 and now, it could cost between $1,500 and $2,000 on average," she says.

Industry players say prices have been going up by five to 10 per cent yearly due to rising food costs, inflation and standard of living.

But Ms Poh says that while wedding costs are increasing every year, Singaporeans are still willing to pay as it is the norm to hold weddings at hotels.

Another reason is that hotels tend to be able to accommodate the average number of guests at a typical Chinese wedding.

Ms Poh says: "Not many people can make do with a close and intimate wedding because our tradition is to invite all our relatives, even if they are distant relatives."

In the US, it is tradition for the bride's family to pay for the wedding, according to US bridal websites. But here, a young couple is expected to pay for their own wedding and hope for red packets to cover the cost.

Mr Vasavan says: "Every parent must be mindful that if they ask their children to invite a number of their relatives, it's only fair (that they) fork out some money... The reception is to tell the whole world that the couple is getting married.

"You can do it in a restaurant for a few hundred dollars per table, but we choose to do it in hotels for thousands because we Asians are more 'face-conscious'."

But he adds that the couple must discuss and consider what their parents want.

Mr Vasavan says: "At the end of the day, the most important thing is communication and striking a balance between the couple, family and in-laws."

Read also: 4 ways young Singaporean couples are keeping their wedding affordable

How much couples spend on their weddings

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The New Paper, , Ivan Tan from Ivan Tan Photography

Wedding prep stressful for couples: Counsellor

Mrs Chang-Goh Song Eng, head of Reach Counselling, says holding a wedding can really test a couple's relationship.

She says: "Just like other big-ticket items such as buying a house and a car, wedding costs can also cause a lot of stress.

"The wedding preparation is a time where many decisions need to be made, such as the budget, photography, dinner, gown and honeymoon.

"For couples, this is the time where the differences may surface."

There are couples who still bring up their wedding woes during arguments with their spouses many years later, she adds.

"It's sad to see couples planning a huge event to celebrate their love and end up ruining their relationship because of the disagreements."

It's the same in the US.

In 2014, two economics researchers from Emory University in Atlanta conducted a study to determine if there was a link between wedding expenses and marriage duration.

The study had a sample of 3,000 married, or previously married, couples.

They found evidence that marriage duration is inversely related to the amount spent on the engagement ring and wedding ceremony. In short: The higher the cost of the wedding, the shorter the marriage lasts.

To prevent the marriage from souring, Mrs Chang-Goh advises couples to "set it right from the beginning and balance out what they need and what they can do without".

She recommends that couples go for marriage preparation programmes before their wedding.

"We'll always remind couples to go back to the basic financial principles because these are crucial," she says.

"If they want the wedding to be memorable, does it necessarily have to cost a bomb?

"Sometimes they have to understand that the wedding lasts for a day but the marriage lasts for a lifetime."

To save money for flat, they 'got the basics'

They needed to save money to eventually buy a flat and renovate it.

So that meant forgoing a hotel venue for their wedding and having it at a HDB multi-purpose hall.

Customer service officer Nurul Haziqah Abdul Rahman, 26, and civil servant Mohammed Zahid Anuar, 27, spent more than $33,000 on their nuptials last Sunday in Bukit Batok.

Ms Haziqah tells The New Paper on Sunday: "My husband and I decided to hold a simple wedding so that we could save up for the renovation and flat."

The couple applied for a Build-To-Order flat three times but were unsuccessful.

They hope to get a four-room HDB flat in about six years and plan to get a HDB loan.

They have already started saving for the renovations, which they estimate would cost about $40,000.

So when it came to the wedding, they had to stint on some areas.

Ms Haziqah says: "I believe it's good to invest in a good photographer and videographer even though they cost about $2,000 each because the pictures will remind us of the happy memories.

"But for other things like decorations and food, we got the basics, nothing too extravagant."

The couple hosted 1,500 guests. They paid $800 over three days for the venue rental, and over $23,000 for food and decorations. Door gifts cost another $2,000.

Ms Haziqah bought one outfit for the solemnisation ceremony and rented another two for the wedding ceremony.

These three outfits and her husband's attire cost over $2,500.

PARENTS

Thankfully, her parents helped to pay for part of the catering cost.

She says: "If I had to fork out everything myself. I don't think it would have been possible.

"The toughest part comes when they (vendors) ask for payment... It's like our hard-earned savings are gone in a flash."

No need for loan, they've saved enough

Last month, Ms Liong Kai Wen, 26, and Mr Ronnie Tan, 31, walked into Carlton Hotel and booked their wedding lunch for next March.

Ms Liong says: "We've been working for about three to four years now, but this wedding will consume most of our savings."

"It's really expensive because everything goes by the thousands."

The couple opted for a wedding lunch because it is $200 cheaper per table, which means savings of about $6,000 for 30 tables.

Their wedding banquet costs over $30,000.

The other costs: about $4,000 for hiring a photographer and videographer, over $5,000 for the outfits and pre-wedding photo shoot, $2,000 for a photo booth and $2,000 for decorations and wedding favours.

Their total estimated wedding bill? Between $40,000 and $50,000.

The couple have saved enough and will not need to take a loan.

Mr Tan, a defence engineer, says: "We have to understand that this wedding is not just for us, but for our families too.

"Hopefully the red packets can cover the cost of the banquet."

The couple have applied unsuccessfully for a Build-To-Order flat five times over the last three years but hope to get a flat soon.

Ms Liong says: "Basically, the wedding (is the first of) other costly milestones.

"We still have to think about the renovation costs of over $50,000 when we get a flat, as well as the cost of having children."

seowyr@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 5, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Geylang Serai came alive in a dazzling display of lights and colour as the annual Hari Raya light-up there was launched on Saturday (June 4) night.

Despite a slight drizzle, 1,000 residents gathered on the field at Engku Aman Road to join in the festivities as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong launched the event marking the start of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month of fasting and prayer which begins on Monday.

(Photo: The Straits Times)

This year, the 2.8km stretch of lights and decorations features traditional and modern batik designs, and weave patterns of Malay crafts.

Themed "deepening our kampung spirit", the light-up includes a life-sized, kampung-style pavilion.

Concert hall officer Mohamed Zailani Muhamed Said, 54, brought four generations of his family to the light-up - from his 84-year-old mother to his 10-month-old grandnephew.

"Although we now live in an advanced society, it's important to keep gotong royong (the kampung spirit) alive," he said, adding that he invites his neighbours, friends and colleagues of all ethnic groups to his house for Hari Raya.

Marine Parade GRC MP Fatimah Lateef said the the light-up reflects Singapore's multicultural nature, and is a good chance for more to "understand why we fast and what Hari Raya is all about".

It is supported by all communities, including by Chinese temples and and Indian groups, she added .

In a brief speech, she encouraged Singaporeans to move beyond tolerating different cultures to embracing them like family.

During his speech, PM Lee recited a traditional Malay poem, known as a pantun, about the kampung spirit.

He told the crowd that he had last officiated the light-up launch in 2004, but had been there to "jalan jalan" (Malay for walk about) two years ago and was glad to be back.

Encouraging Singaporeans and tourists to enjoy the light-up, he said: "It's the way we grow in Singapore, it's the way we celebrate our multicultural heritage and richness in Singapore, the way we come together and enjoy each other's important days and come together more closely as one Singapore."

He added: "To all of you Malays, Muslims and non-Muslims, I wish you a happy Ramadan and a happy Hari Raya."

This article was first published on June 4, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - A minute of silence was observed at Tanjong Katong Primary School (TKPS) at 7.15am this morning (June 5), marking exactly a year after a deadly earthquake shook Mount Kinabalu and killed seven pupils and two teachers from the school.

The closed-door memorial event was attended by teachers and families of the victims, and lasted under 10 minutes, The Straits Times reported.

Sabah quake: Body of student Peony Wee, 12, arrives home

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, The New Paper

Principal Caroline Wu said it was "a very emotional morning", as some wept and others exchanged hugs.

A memorial football match was also held for the late TKPS pupil Ameer Ryyan Mohd Adeed Sanjay, who was among those killed in the quake.

In Sabah, families, ex-schoolmates and former teachers gathered at Laban Rata Resthouse on Mount Kinabalu to remember the victims.

They lit candles and lay painted pebbles on a table where they gathered, and read messages written by the the victims' loved ones and TKPS pupils.

The TKPS group was on a learning trip called Omega Challenge.

At 7.15am today, 20 Singaporeans started climbing Mount Kinabalu as part of Omega Challenge Braveheart, to pay tribute to the victims.

Tanjong Katong Primary pupils receive Braveheart Award

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times

huizhen@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - The month of fasting for Ramadan will start on Monday (June 6), the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) said in a statement today.

Mufti of Singapore, Dr Mohamed Fatris Bakara, wished Muslims in Singapore a blessed Ramadan.

Meanwhile, The Straits Times also reported that the annual tithe to be contributed by Muslims this year is $5.10 or $6.90 per person.

The rate is determined by using the average price of 2.3kg of the grade of rice that is generally consumed by the Muslim community, according to The Straits Times.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong uploaded a video on Facebook of his visit to Geylang Serai for the Hari Raya light-up and bazaar on Sunday evening. He can be seen greeting members of the Muslim community as the Hari Raya light installations coloured the night in the background.

The end of Ramadan, or Hari Raya Puasa, will be celebrated on July 6.

ljessica@sph.com.sg

While terrorism is a worldwide problem, one of the most urgent ways it threatens South-east Asia is in the Sulu Sea, where militants have kidnapped sailors and illicit arms are known to flow through.

Singapore, therefore, welcomes the proposed joint patrols between Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines in the water body in south-western Philippines, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said yesterday, on the last day of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, organised by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

"The proposed Sulu Sea patrols between Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines are a welcome initiative to deal with maritime terrorism and smuggling in the region and curtail the movement of extremists," said Dr Ng, who called for close collaboration to fight a "gathering storm" of terrorism in the region.

The defence ministers of those countries had agreed to step up co-operation in the Sulu Sea on the sidelines of the 10th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting in Laos last month. The porous and lightly governed Sulu waters, where the three countries have common sea borders, made the news recently following three kidnappings in as many weeks of sailors for ransom by the Abu Sayyaf militant group.

The group, which has declared allegiance to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also beheaded a Canadian hostage in April.

Indonesian Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu on Saturday pointed to the Sulu Sea as effectively a haven for radical groups from Malaysia, Indonesia, the southern Philippines and the Middle East, as well as for Uighurs from China.

"We face not only terrorism on the international scale but also that formed by... individuals and small groups from many countries," said Mr Ryamizard.

Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said it is hoped that the joint co-operation in the Sulu Sea replicates the successful Malacca Straits Patrol initiative - involving Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia - which has "ensured the safety of ASEAN's most vital trade channel".

Analysts said greater collaboration in the Sulu Sea makes sense, given that none of the regional countries can sufficiently patrol the vast space of 260,000 sq km alone.

"The capacity of the Philippine military to patrol the southern reaches is, to be frank, inadequate, and hence joint patrols make operational sense," said Associate Professor Kumar Ramakrishna, head of policy studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.

He added that such patrols can help weaken Abu Sayyaf, if part of a "more comprehensive political and socioeconomic package" for nearby Mindanao, a troubled region where many militant groups are based.

yanliang@sph.com.sg

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HERITAGE trails have become more popular in recent years and the slots for these walks can be filled up pretty quickly.

Despite their growing popularity, some organisers of these events have reported a worrying trend - a rising number of no-shows.

Kwek Li Yong, founder of civic group My Community which runs three free tours a month in Queenstown, said attendance has dipped from 85 per cent in 2009 to as low as 60 per cent.

"People are defaulting on their online reservations. For some tours, we might have 80 people who sign up but just half show up," said Mr Kwek.

A small number who drop out will use the group's online booking system to cancel their application. However, most of the no-shows ignore the group's reminder e-mails or reply only an hour ahead to indicate that they will not be turning up, said Mr Kwek.

Geylang Serai's Integration and Naturalisation Champions Committee, which organises heritage trails in the estate, said its worst no-show incident was in February, when just three of 12 participants showed up for a trail covering sites such as the former Geylang Fire Station in Paya Lebar and the former Queen's Theatre on Guillemard Road.

Committee chairman Lee Hong Ping said the trail went on despite the small turnout.

Organisers said that the bad practice of not turning up despite signing up is a waste of resources.

Mr Kwek said: "My Community's heritage tours are the fruits of our volunteers' labour. Each tour takes almost two years of preparation."

He said this involves purchasing licenses for old images, title deeds and conducting oral history interviews. It also involves getting approvals from the authorities to gain access to restricted sites, as well as training guides. The civic group, a registered charity, has spent close to $60,000 on organising these free tours, which run between three and four hours.

In response to queries, a spokesman from the National Heritage Board (NHB) said that while guided trails at this year's Singapore HeritageFest were well-subscribed with an average attendance rate of 80 per cent to 100 per cent, there were cases where participants signed up for multiple free tours that overlapped with each other.

She said this "denies others the opportunity to experience the tours".

The spokesman of Tiong Bahru Heritage Volunteers, a group which runs 2.5 hour walks in the Tiong Bahru conservation estate for free, said that while turnout has been growing for them, they understand that free heritage tours are often the hardest hit as there is no monetary loss for dropouts.

The longer lead time between registration and the actual event might also lead to a higher dropout rate, he added.

He said: "People may have signed up at a time when their schedules were still uncertain and when things happened along the way, the first activity to give up would be the free ones."

The NHB spokesman said as many Singapore HeritageFest's programmes are led by community volunteers, the board "hopes that participants will exercise responsibility in turning up for the programmes they sign up for".

My Community's Mr Kwek added: "The onus lies on the participants to reply to our reminders to inform us that they are unable to attend the tours so that we can forward their tickets to the hundreds on the waiting list."

melodyz@sph.com.sg

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