For a mall known for its digital products, it may surprise some that one of the tenants who has stayed the longest is a watch retailer.

Passions Watch Exchange has been at Funan DigitaLife Mall for 25 years.

Madam Helen Tan, the shop's senior director, says that in recent years, the shops have been hit by declining sales, stiff competition and rising rent.

In 2012, she sold her house to sustain the business.

She says rent would increase by at least a few hundred dollars each year and has gone over $10,000 a month, compared with five years ago.

The single mum of three tells The New Paper on Sunday: "If it weren't for my three children, the business would have folded long ago."

The 71-year-old runs the business with two of her children, Ms Annie Tee, 49, and Mr Jonathan Tee, 42.

Passions deals with pre-owned luxury watches from brands like Rolex and Cartier, and Madam Tan says the business has been suffering losses for five years.

She says Passions started in a corner of her now-defunct furniture shop in Sembawang Shopping Centre.

"I got Jonathan to help out at the store but he expressed no interest in furniture. Instead, he would resell vintage collectibles like watches in a corner of the store," she says.

Placing her children's interests before hers, Madam Tan closed the furniture shop and expanded her son's hobby into a registered business at Funan DigitaLife Mall in 1991.

Farewell, Funan

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The Straits Times

She recalls former employees trying to pocket some of the earnings instead of recording down the sales transactions made.

She adds: "They thought I was a pushover because I am a woman. I knew what they were doing, but I turned a blind eye to them."

REPUTATION

Passions, a pioneer in the pre-owned luxury watch industry, built a reputation for having a good collection of pre-owned watches and saw customers from all over the world. This was in the early 2000s and the mall was a popular haunt.

But when the 2008 global recession hit, Passions suffered.

Madam Tan says: "We would be lucky to have customers, since we were offering luxury goods that were not a priority during an economic downturn."

The emergence of pawnbroking chains further affected sales, and business has hit a flatline.

The Fullerton Hotel has offered them space to operate the business on its premises.

"My intention was to see through the end of the business in Funan, but you can never predict the future.

"We shall see how it goes at Fullerton, as it is a different landscape there," says Madam Tan.

Yet, she remains confident.

Madam Tan says: "My customers are like family. They will follow me to wherever the business moves to, I have no worries about that."

Optical shop moving to Plaza Singapura

Moving out may seem like a dreadful affair for most tenants, but not for Mrs Moey-Chong Bee Soon.

After 26 years at Funan DigitaLife Mall, she's confident her regular customers will continue to patronise her optical shop, B.S. Moey-Chong Optometrist & Contact Lens Practitioner, after it moves to Plaza Singapura in July.

All tenants are required to move out of the mall by June 30.

Mrs Chong's eyes light up when she talks about customers who have become good friends.

"Many of my customers bring their families here... Some already have grandchildren," says Mrs Chong, who is the shop's director and optometrist.

"Many customers are regulars, and eventually we become friends.

"It reminds me of why I love my profession."

Despite her hectic schedule, Mrs Chong will always strike up a conversation with her customers when they call.

Lately, calls have been pouring in daily, with customers asking for the address of her new outlet.

Over the last 20 years, there have been about five optical shops at Funan DigitaLife Mall, but now only hers remains, she says.

"There was a lot of competition but eventually all of them moved out. I'm glad we stayed," she adds.

She says being in the business district made it convenient for customers.

Given a choice, she prefers to stay.

She says they were given a six-month notice before all the shops had to move out.

"We are thankful for the past and looking forward to the future at Plaza Singapura," she adds.

Watchmaker: 'I'm reluctant to move but...'

Mr David Tan has been a watchmaker for 60 years.

He started at 19 and never changed jobs.

He tells The New Paper on Sunday: "In this day and age where machines are triumphing over labour, my skill set is a rare find."

And despite his children's pleas, he refuses to quit.

The 79-year-old plans to work until his body fails him.

He says he feels obligated to use his skills to help people repair their watches, especially the older and obsolete ones.

"This is not like the sales industry where you can replace people easily," he says.

But the closure of Funan DigitaLife Mall has forced him towards an uncertain future.

He says: "(All the shops) scrambled to find a new location.

"Some moved to Peninsula Shopping Centre. Some went to the Raffles area and Plaza Singapura. They want to remain in the town area."

Excellent Watch, the shop he works at, has yet to find a new home, but he plans to carry on working for his employer of 30 years.

Mr Tan says: "I'm reluctant to move, but wherever the business moves to, I'll go.

"I'll miss the times when Funan was a hot spot for tourists. The tour buses would drop them off here for shopping.

"They poured in like a flood."

This article was first published on June 05, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - A temporary restricted area will be established around the National Stadium on some dates from June to August for the National Day Parade 2016 (NDP 2016).

This is to ensure the safety of low-level aircraft participating in the aerial flypast for NDP 2016, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore in a statement on Monday (June 6).

The restricted area will encompass the National Stadium and its surrounding areas, and will extend from ground level to 4,000 feet above mean sea level.

During the stated dates and timings, unauthorised aerial activities such as flying of unmanned aircraft, kite-flying, and hoisting of captive balloon, are banned within or into the temporary restricted area. They may endanger the aircraft participating in the aerial flypast as well as people and property on the ground.

The reserve dates may be utilised in the event of poor weather conditions.

If found guilty of conducting unauthorised aerial activities within or into the temporary restricted area, a first-time offender can be fined up to $20,000. For subsequent offences, an individual can be fined up to $40,000 or imprisoned for up to 15 months.

For more information on NDP 2016, visit www.NDP.org.sg.

minlee@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - The woman who verbally abused a deaf and mute cleaner at the Jem shopping mall food court on Friday (June 3), is apparently someone well known to property agents in a bad way.

According to a post made on a Facebook page called Tributes to Dr Goh Keng Swee, the site administrator who identified himself as a property agent said that Madam Fong and her husband were alleged "phony buyers" who bought two to four properties from "Propnex and Huttons agents". 

He also claimed that all of Madam Fong's husband's cheques "bounced" as the accounts had already been "closed for his SC & OCBC cheque books".

The site administrator went on to warn other realtors of Madam Fong and her husband, whose name is allegedly Chong Meng Chew, asking them to "STRICTLY accept ONLY cashier's order" from the couple.

Another netizen, Alan Koh, claims to work for a property developer and commented on the thread that the couple started making their rounds at showflats over a decade ago.

He wrote: "They have made a name for themselves...didn't know they made a return...this time with a vengeance."

Madam Fong earned netizen's vitriol for her verbally abusive rant against the cleaner after he misunderstood her and cleared her food before she had finished eating. 

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

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Facebook video screengrabs

She proceeded to call him names, saying that he was better off being a "beggar" after his supervisor told her he was handicapped. 

Video footage of the incident was posted by Euphemia Lee on Facebook and has since been viewed over 1.5 million times.

The address and mobile phone numbers of the couple was also provided in the post, although it was later masked. 

However, forum users on a thread in Hardware Zone, uploaded screenshots of the the couple's home address and mobile phone numbers. 

According to The Independent, Facebook user Dave Teo also identified the couple, saying that they allegedly went around viewing "show flat(s) and placed 5% deposit(s) (which eventually bounced)". He added that they couple would allegedly also ask the "closing" realtor to treat them to an expensive dinner.

Some Facebook users replied to Dave Teo's post, seemingly affirming his account.

According to Chinese newspaper Shin Min Daily News, Madam Fong explained her actions on Sunday (June 5), saying that she had been down with the flu and had gone to the foodcourt for lunch after leaving work early. 

She also claimed that her food had been contaminated by dirty objects. However, before she could take a photo of her food to lodge a complaint, the cleaner had removed it.

In the report, Madam Fong further added that she was not apologising for the incident and that she was not to be blamed.

prabukm@sph.com.sg

He will be celebrating his 100th birthday in two weeks, which makes him one of the oldest Singaporeans around.

But with the month of Ramadan starting today, Mr Othman Nasir will not be having his usual birthday celebrations on June 20 because he will be fasting.

He told The New Paper that he wants to observe Ramadan because he is still capable of fulfilling his obligations as a Muslim.

His daughter, Madam Norlela Othman, 44, who is the youngest of his 10 children, said her father often fasts throughout Ramadan despite his advanced age.

Mr Othman, who was born in Batu Pahat in Johor, moved to Singapore in 1939 to serve in the British army.

His time spent in the army is what made him a disciplined and responsible man and father, said Madam Norlela.

Speaking from Mr Othman's four-room flat in Tampines, where he has lived since 1984, the mother of four daughters said: "He was a strict father when we were growing up, especially with his words."

It is this discipline that may have contributed to his longevity.

He eats plenty of vegetables and fruits. When he eats meat, it is mostly fish.

He also leads a relatively stress-free life, spending his free time reading the Quran.

Mr Othman still looks healthy at his age. Other than gout, he has no major illnesses.

His memory remains good although his hearing has weakened and his speech has slowed down considerably.

He used to be able to walk with the help of a walker, but has been using a wheelchair since a fall last year.

"If I were to tell my life story, it would be too long," Mr Othman told TNP in Malay, with a chuckle.

After leaving the army, Mr Othman worked as a messenger.

He was then at a security company for 25 years before retiring in 1997.

Mr Othman has only vague memories of kampung life in Malaysia and Singapore, but he said he prefers life in Singapore today - everything is easier here.

His domestic helper, who wanted to be known only as Ms Setyani, has looked after him for eight years.

"Every two weeks or so, we take him out to get some fresh air," said the 32-year-old Indonesian.

HARI RAYA CLOTHES

Madam Norlela, who works as an airline ticketing officer, said her father often asks to be taken to Geylang Serai and Beach Road, to places he remembers fondly.

"He used to take his children to Geylang during Ramadan to look for Hari Raya clothes" she added.

"And his old army quarters was at Beach Road."

When asked about the birthday celebrations, Madam Norlela said she has nothing planned, but it is likely that her siblings and their families will break fast together with Mr Othman on that day.

The last day of Ramadan will be on July 5 in Singapore, the day before Hari Raya Puasa.

This article was first published on June 6, 2016.
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As 20 Singaporeans paid tribute to victims of the Sabah earthquake yesterday morning, family members of two trainers who died did the same on a platform near the Via Ferrata trail, where boulders fell during the disaster.

Trainers Valerian Joannes and Ricky Masirin had been guiding Tanjong Katong Primary School (TKPS) pupils, who were on a school trip, on the trail last year when disaster struck.

To remember them, 12 of the trainers' family members observed a minute of silence at 7.15am - the same time that Singaporeans at Laban Rata and TKPS did so. That was the moment the earthquake had struck.

The group then said prayers and sang hymns before embarking on the Via Ferrata trail themselves.

Spraining her ankle four days before the family members' Mount Kinabalu climb did not stop nurse Jessica Veronica Sikta, 26, fiancee of the late Mr Joannes: "To be able to finish the Via Ferrata trail was a new hope for me."

Mr Joannes had planned to take her on the trail, where he worked, in November last year - it was on his bucket list.

While she could not go there with him, she feels blessed to have completed it with his family. But Ms Sikta believes that Mr Joannes and the other victims would not want their loved ones to wallow in sadness: "Life must go on, with all the memories that they made with us."

Mr Joannes' brother Vanleorant, 26, also made the climb last weekend to Laban Rata on Mount Kinabalu, where climbers rest before heading for the summit. He took the trip to remember his brother and the job he did.

For Ms Priscilla Justin, 28, girlfriend of the late Mr Masirin, climbing the mountain and completing the Via Ferrata where disaster struck brought a jumble of feelings: "I felt happy, blessed and sad."

But she has to "keep moving on", she said. "He's already passed away; I can't see him. What I can give him are only my prayers."

Said Ms Quek I-Gek, 43, marketing director of Mountain Torq, which manages the Via Ferrata trail: "One year on, we are glad that things are going back to normal.

"The fact that the Singaporean and Sabahan families can get together and do a tribute - it was a very emotional reunion."

Both sides had climbed Mount Kinabalu on Saturday, and rested at Laban Rata before hitting the summit early this morning.

"It shows everybody that boundaries don't mean anything, as long as we all have the heart and passion to go for our dreams," she said.

Well-wishes, messages stream in at site set up at Tanjong Katong Primary School

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, Berita Harian, Facebook screengrabs

They climb mountain in tribute to loved ones

"Ten lives have passed on, but they are still pushing us on," said Mr John Quok, who was among a team that climbed Mount Kinabalu a year after it was hit by an earthquake that killed 10 Singaporeans. His son Elliot survived the quake.

Mr Quok was among parents, schoolmates and relatives of victims who paid tribute to their loved ones at 7.15am yesterday - the time that the disaster struck.

Eighteen people died, including seven Primary 6 pupils from Tanjong Katong Primary School (TKPS) who had been on a school trip.

Yesterday, the Singaporeans gathered at Pendant Hut in Laban Rata, 3,289m above sea level on Mount Kinabalu, where they stayed.

They lit candles and laid painted pebbles on a table before observing a moment of silence for the victims.

A number from the group were going to make the ascent to Mount Kinabalu's summit around 1.20am today - the time most set out to be able to catch the sunrise. Some parents will also attempt the Via Ferrata trail, where some from the trip last year had lost their lives.

Clasping hands with her family members, Mrs Karen Jhala, 49, closed her eyes and cried. She had lost her daughter Sonia during the disaster.

Other parents struggled to hold back, but the tears fell anyway, when the group took turns reading messages from friends and family of those who died.

Ms Mimi Engstrom, 49, mother of survivor Tristan, read out a message from the family of victim Ameer Ryyan Mohd Adeed Sanjay.

"The precious, wonderful memories are what will get mummy and daddy through these difficult months since you left us to a better place," she read tearfully. "We hold on tight to the memories, from the time you were our firstborn to the last hugs and kisses the night before you left for the fateful adventure."

Sonia's brother Dillen Jhala, 16, told the room: "Whether you're going to climb up to the summit tomorrow, what matters is bringing yourself to go on this expedition - it brings you one giant leap closer to those that have passed."

Mr Quok said during the tribute: "I am humbled by the people who climbed for those who have passed away."

He added that the children, including survivors Elliot and Chantal, completed the climb to Laban Rata in 61/2 hours, ahead of the adults. "They will bounce back - they are very resilient. And never underestimate their potential.

" I think as parents, we have to let them grow up, and let them reach their best potential," added the 45-year-old, who works in private equity investments.

The team had split up into smaller groups for the ascent and the last of them arrived at Laban Rata around 12.20am yesterday, completing the final leg in darkness.

For them, it was a 15-hour trek.

"There were several times I just really wanted to give up," said Ms Karishma Jhala, 19, Sonia's sister, who was in the last group to reach Laban Rata. She added that her climb helped her to develop a newfound respect for all the pupils who made the climb last year.

After the tribute, survivor Chantal Phuay, who last year said she wanted to return to Mount Kinabalu and has now achieved her goal, presented a token to Mountain Torq trainer Hajiris Sulomin, 41, who saved her during the incident.

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

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The Straits Times, The New Paper

Tears and hugs at school's memorial

At 7.15am yesterday - exactly a year after an earthquake shook Mount Kinabalu and hurtled rocks on an expedition from Tanjong Katong Primary School (TKPS) - about 50 people, from schoolmates to family members of the victims and survivors, observed a minute of silence at the school in Seraya Road.

Some wept openly while others exchanged hugs at the closed-door memorial ceremony, which lasted under 10 minutes, in the school hall.

After that, the families and schoolmates proceeded to the art room, where some of them painted on pebbles condolence notes on those who had died.

After the remembrance event, TKPS principal Caroline Wu said, while holding back tears, that it had been "a very emotional morning".

"While the surviving students have progressed on to their respective secondary schools, this being the first anniversary, it is understandable that emotions ran high.

"We are very appreciative of the support, care, concern and generosity shown by the public during the past year," she said.

On June 5 last year, a group of 29 Primary 6 pupils and eight teachers from TKPS were on an expedition to the picturesque Mount Kinabalu, a popular tourist destination, when a 5.9-magnitude quake caused landslides and huge boulders - some the size of houses - to tumble down.

Ten Singaporeans were among those killed - seven pupils and two teachers from TKPS, as well as a Singapore adventure guide accompanying the group.

Victoria School student Tristan So Kwan Wing, 13, a former TKPS pupil who went on the trip last year, said: "For some of us, there are flashbacks of what happened that day. But we are all moving on."

Emyr Uzayr, 13, who suffered a fractured skull, among other injuries, during the trip said the mood during the memorial was solemn.

"It was emotional, and some people were crying," said the Tanjong Katong Secondary School student.

Amal Ashley Lim, 13, who also went on the expedition, said she recalled the last moments with her friends. "I remembered how everything happened and how I lost my friends," said the netballer at St Hilda's Secondary School.

After the event, a group of parents and children headed to the Singapore University of Technology and Design, where some played in a football tournament in memory of Ameer Ryyan Mohd Adeed Sanjay, a football player and TKPS pupil who died in last year's quake.

The tournament was organised by F-17 Football Academy, which Ameer was part of, to celebrate his life. About 60 people took part, including Ameer's schoolmates, teammates and even neighbours.

The academy's director Nabil Yusoff, 31, said Ameer, who played as a winger, "was smaller in build than other players, but he was a fighter".

For the first time, TKPS pupils in the school's annual leadership programme, the Omega Challenge, did not scale Mount Kinabalu but went for a three-day programme here last month.

In a Facebook post yesterday, Acting Education Minister (Schools) Ng Chee Meng said that while the heartache remains for many, he was glad to see the 22 surviving pupils go on to the next education stage and the six teachers continuing to teach.

This article was first published on June 6, 2016.
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A FORMER SMRT station manager has allegedly pilfered $20,000 in cash from Tanah Merah station, and is being investigated by the police.

The man is said to be on the run and has left in the country.

A police spokesman confirmed that the rail operator had lodged a report on June 1. He added that investigations were underway.

The Straits Times understands the missing money - largely from commuters wanting to top up their travel cards at the station office - had been siphoned over a period of several months.

The case came to light apparently through an internal audit.

Sources said he had worked with SMRT for only two years.

When contacted, SMRT spokesman Patrick Nathan said the company referred the case to the police and said he could not comment further, citing ongoing police investigations.

Each day, more than three million trips are made by close to one million people on Singapore's rail network.

Observers estimate that even if 3 per cent of the one million topped up their travel card by just $10 through the station office instead of the automated machines, the network would collect $300,000 in cash each day. And if the cash were to be evenly distributed, each station would be handling at least $3,000 a day, or $21,000 a week.

But according to insiders, busier stations could be handling much more than that.

Tanah Merah station, being an interchange where commuters go to and from Changi Airport as well as Pasir Ris, Simei and Tampines, is one such busy station.

The Straits Times understands that by the time the missing money was discovered, the alleged perpetrator had already been away from Singapore for two months.

Sources said it was not the first time that such a case had surfaced.

christan@sph.com.sg

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EthozCab is Singapore's latest cab company - except that it is not exactly a cab company, but a leasing company that has jumped onto the private-hire bandwagon.

Individuals can get a car from EthozCab to start ferrying fares at rental charges that start from $50 a day - half the average rate of taxis.

The barrier of entry is also far lower than that for taxi drivers.

Hirers merely need to be citizens or permanent residents at least 21 years old and holding a Class 3 or 3A driving licence. But they need to register a company under the Private Car for Hire with Operator classification.

The company is starting with a fleet of 50 Mazda 3 and Toyota Altis sedans, but said it will scale up to meet demand.

"We have no cap," a spokesman said.

EthozCab is launched by Ethoz Group, a leasing and financing company part-owned by Nissan and Subaru dealer Tan Chong International.

Asked why it is starting this service after being in the leasing business for over 30 years, the spokesman said: "There's no denying the rise of the private-hire industry. Between 2013 and this year, the number of rental cars has doubled.

"We're responding to match this paradigm shift in the market."

According to Land Transport Authority figures, there are more than 34,000 rental cars on the road - up from 16,396 in 2013.

The surge has been fuelled by ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Grab.

Traditional taxi companies have started to respond to the competition as well. SMRT started Strides, a private-hire service, in April to attract hirers who prefer not to drive taxis. Prime Taxi is looking to grow its fleet of 300 private-hire vehicles to more than 500 in the next one year.

Besides having to bear higher rentals, taxi drivers have to be at least 30 years old, and must clock at least 250km a day. Before they can get their licence to operate, they also have to pass a vocational course, which requires them to memorise several routes and destinations.

The only advantage they have is that they are allowed to do street hails. But with more people hailing cabs with their phones, the number of street hails is poised to shrink.

"Technology and connectivity have disrupted traditional business models," the EthozCab spokesman said.

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The IT systems at nine polyclinics briefly experienced disruptions and slowness yesterday morning, causing some patients to be turned away from their scheduled appointments.

The affected polyclinics - Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Batok, Choa Chu Kang, Clementi, Hougang, Jurong, Toa Payoh, Woodlands and Yishun - are managed by National Healthcare Group Polyclinics (NHGP).

There are 18 polyclinics in Singapore. The other nine, managed by SingHealth, did not have similar disruptions.

In response to media queries, NHGP director of clinical operations Ang Chee Chiang said the disruption lasted about an hour from 8.20am to 9.20am.

"Patients with urgent medical conditions were expedited for medical treatments," he added. "The polyclinics carried out manual registrations during the down-time period to help expedite the process.

The cause of the glitch is being investigated, he said.

When The Straits Times visited Ang Mo Kio Polyclinic at 12.15pm, the clinic's registration kiosks were functioning and patient flow was back to normal.

Christopher Chong, head of the clinic, said this was the first time such a disruption had occurred and that the clinic was "caught off-guard" as it had just opened at 8am.

He added that nurses were stationed at the front of the clinic to direct the more urgent cases - patients who were in pain, had difficulty with movement or expressed discomfort - to the doctors.

It is understood that who turned up for regular check-ups had their appointments rescheduled, while walk-in patients with illnesses such as flu and cough were informed of other clinics nearby they could visit.

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No more eateries are allowed to be opened in dining belts in three locations - Thomson Village, Little India and Bedok - so as to rein in the problems of overflow and illegal parking due to the high footfall of diners.

The belt at Upper Thomson Road that the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and Land Transport Authority (LTA) added to the ban list on May 30 is the swathe bound by Soo Chow Walk, Jalan Todak, Shun Fu Road and Sin Ming Road, reported Chinese daily Lianhe Zaobao.

The other two locations are stretches along Bedok Road and Jalan Pari Burong, and the shophouses along Serangoon Road, Jalan Besar and Kitchener Road in the Little India Historic District.

With the additions, there are now 21 locations in Singapore marked out by URA and LTA as where the setting up of new eating houses are disallowed.

The ban list, first announced in 2002, is subject to regular reviews. The previous one in October 2014 saw as many as seven locations included.

The current rule stipulates that non-food businesses now operating in these locations are not allowed to be converted into eateries, even if the shops are leased out or sold, Lianhe Wanbao pointed out.

Only where an eatery has been in operation, another one can open if it closes, according to the rules.

There are currently 30 eateries in Thomson Village, 12 in Bedok, and 50 in Little India.

A beverage seller in Thomson Village told Shin Min Daily News that restaurants attract hordes of customers to the area, but a lack of parking space has led to cars being parked haphazardly, causing inconvenience to road users.

According to URA and LTA, the "no new eatery" ban will be lifted in an affected location once its traffic condition improves.

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SINGAPORE - An Indonesian businesswoman, who had been living in Singapore, died in a fire last week while on a family holiday to Alaska.

Ms Silvana Regina Sutanto, a Singapore Permanent Resident, was visiting Kodiak Lodge, located on an offshore island, when the accident happened last Thursday (May 26, in the United States). She was with her three children, who were injured in the fire.

According to local news reports there seen by The Straits Times, the fire happened at about 4am. Rescue troopers could not fly to the lodge "because of poor visibility", reported Alaska Public Media.

At least one other wildlife trooper, two state troopers and a deputy fire marshal were sent on a patrol boat, said Alaska Dispatch News. The fire at the lodge was extinguished by 10.45am. Its cause is still being investigated.

When The Straits Times visited Ms Sutanto's home in Belmont Road on Monday (June 6), her two domestic helpers appeared distraught. One of them, who gave her name only as Ata - who has worked for Ms Sutanto for 30 years - said that she was a "very good employer" but declined to comment further.

The family had left for their holiday three weeks ago. The Straits Times understands that Ms Sutanto's husband and relatives had flown to Alaska.

The helpers had heard about the accident a couple of days ago through Ms Sutanto's relatives and friends. Their employer is the director of five wellness and investment companies in Singapore including United Wealth Industries, The Inspiration Shop and Universal Wellbeing.

Mr Ranjan Ramchandani, a family friend of Ms Sutanto, said: "We were actually chatting very recently on plans to travel to India, Ethopia and Alaska to photograph certain parts before it gets too late."

"Silvana was always smiling and excited to get out to nature. She was full of life and very humble. We will miss her," he added.

Additional reporting by Calvin Yang and Aw Cheng Wei

This article was first published on June 6, 2016.
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Update: TR Emeritus has apologised on its Facebook page after alleging that Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat's medical expenses are funded by taxpayers.

SINGAPORE - The Government has refuted claims that Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat's medical expenses are being paid for by taxpayers, calling it a "blatant lie".

This is in response to an online report published on Monday (June 6) by socio-political website TR Emeritus (TRE) which claimed Mr Heng is "fully entitled to free A-Class healthcare in government and restructured hospitals".

It added: "Being an A-class patient means being surrounded round the clock by Senior Consultant neurologists at the Professor and A/Professor-level, daily checks by other specialists, doctors, advanced practicing nurses, and a rotating team of bodyguards.

"This means that the bill will be at least $15,000 per day which are actually funded by taxpayer’s monies."

In a Facebook post on the Gov.sg page after midnight on Tuesday (June 7), the Government said that TRE "has once again sought to mislead the public".

Gov.sg said: "As TRE would have known very well if it had bothered to check the facts, Ministers in Singapore are on the same medical benefit scheme – the Medisave-cum-Subsidised Outpatient (MSO) scheme – as most civil servants.

Heng Swee Keat in ICU after having a stroke

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The Straits Times, The New Paper, Facebook screengrabs

"Officers on the MSO Scheme get a 2 per cent CPF contribution to their Medisave accounts capped at $2,380 per year on top of their normal statutory Medisave contributions."

TRE's report, which is labelled as a comment from a reader, said that Mr Heng's hospitalisation bills added up to $500,000 to date. It also gave a break down of the bills which included medical care, procedures and services.

Mr Heng has been hospitalised for 25 days as of Monday (June 6).

In a Facebook post on May 30, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that Mr Heng was recovering well and was "fully lucid, communicative, and cheerful".

stephluo@sph.com.sg

The corrugated roof sheets of terraced houses in Chip Bee Gardens are being replaced after asbestos was found in some of them.

This has unsettled some residents in the private housing estate beside Holland Village who fear that their roof sheets, or awnings, might be unsafe.

Asbestos, once a popular component in building materials, is linked to health problems such as lung cancer. Its use in buildings was banned here in 1989, but many earlier structures still contain the substance.

While the 349 state-owned black- and-white terraced houses in Chip Bee Gardens were built in the 1960s, the use of asbestos there was uncovered only earlier this year, The Straits Times has learnt.

The Singapore Land Authority (SLA), custodian of state-owned properties, said this happened on April 26, when a contractor who was inspecting a broken roof above the front porch of a vacant house in Jalan Puteh Jerneh noticed that the material could contain asbestos. The porch roof was removed on April 29 and replaced on May 3. Laboratory tests revealed that it contained chrysotile, a common type of asbestos.

Tests done on two other houses in the neighbourhood also uncovered asbestos in their front roof sheets, the SLA said. Several residents met the SLA on May 17.

Housewife Essa Tay, 34, who lives across from the house with the broken porch roof, said: "I feel uncomfortable. I'm especially worried because I have a two-year-old daughter and I'm pregnant."

Citing the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), which regulates asbestos removal here, the SLA said roof awnings are not likely to pose any health risk to occupants if they are intact. But if they are disturbed, asbestos fibres could become airborne.

As an interim measure, an asbestos specialist hired by the SLA will visually inspect 323 terraced houses with corrugated roof sheets in the estate over the next few weeks.

The remaining 26 units are not affected as they have clay-tiled porch roofs that do not contain asbestos.

Depending on their condition, the roof sheets will be left alone, coated with a sealant, or replaced.

So far, the SLA's asbestos specialist has inspected the awnings of 110 houses in the estate.

About a tenth of them were found to be in good condition, while 20 per cent are substantially damaged and require removal. The remaining 70 per cent have some cracks and damage and will be coated with a sealant.

"Should repairs or replacements be needed, they will be carried out promptly and safely by our asbestos specialists and in accordance with MOM guidelines," said the SLA.

Under the guidelines, such work has to be carried out by an approved asbestos removal contractor. The work area must be enclosed to prevent the asbestos from spreading.

The SLA said that as tenants have to move out during the replacement of awnings, which takes about two to three days per unit, rent will be waived for that period.

When The Straits Times visited the estate last week, three houses in Jalan Hitam Manis were enclosed in sheets for asbestos removal.

Mr Lee Seng Lai, director of the SLA's land operations (private) division, said that as a precaution, the SLA plans to replace all affected roof awnings in the estate within the next 18 months through a tendered project. "We have explained the situation to the tenants and will continue to keep them informed of the progress with the ongoing works."

There were more than 250 cases of asbestos removal here last year, with about 200 cases on average each year, MOM figures show.

Some residents want their roofs to be replaced sooner and want better compensation for having to vacate during the asbestos removal.

Others are less troubled. A 40- year-old Jalan Hitam Manis resident from New York said: "I was born in the 1970s, when asbestos was alive and kicking. I don't think of it as a problem. I'll be worried when they start ripping the roofs out and replacing them. That's when it's dangerous."

The SLA said that, in consultation with the MOM, residents may remain in their houses while asbestos removal is under way next door as measures are taken to prevent the spread of asbestos.

But Chip Bee resident and hedge- fund director Ian Seow, 37, said: "Going by the book is one thing, but this is an issue of health. We don't want to take any chances."

This article was first published on Jun 07, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

When her boyfriend wanted to break up, she ripped off her clothes and threatened to run naked in the streets if he didn't stay with her.

Then she threatened to throw her two-year-old son from his sixth-storey flat.

Finally, she grabbed a knife from the kitchen and cut herself, but he managed to stop her.

The man, whom we shall call Peter, told The New Paper in Mandarin yesterday that his live-in girlfriend's extreme reaction merely confirmed that she was not the woman for him.

He told her to pack her things and leave.

A month after the break-up, he received a phone message from his ex-lover, whom we shall call Karen.

Accompanying an image of a marriage certificate bearing their names was a brief message in Mandarin: "You are mine."

After getting over the shock, Peter made a police report.

Yesterday, Karen, a 32-year-old finance assistant, was jailed for four weeks after pleading guilty to one count each of engaging in a conspiracy to cheat and engaging in a conspiracy to make a false statement in a statutory declaration before a Registry of Marriages (ROM) officer.

Court papers said Karen had secretly got hold of Peter's identity card and got a man to impersonate him so they could register the marriage at the ROM.

The court ordered that both parties not be named to protect the identity of Karen's son.

Peter, now a 31-year-old driver, told TNP that he met Karen around 2010 when they were both working in a retail store. The then customer service officer approached him and asked him out.

"She came across as normal then, and we went on very normal dates to the movies and the like," said Peter, who was working in sales at the time.

"She became pregnant and gave birth a year into our relationship, and moved in with me."

They lived in his flat in Serangoon for about two years before he decided to end the relationship.

After about a year together, Karen's behaviour grew more erratic, he said. She started throwing tantrums and shouting at him over petty things.

He said he had tolerated her behaviour as he loved her and "trusted her blindly".

But some things struck him as odd, such as Karen forbidding him to be present during her child's birth.

He also noticed that the father's name on the boy's birth certificate was not his.

"I asked her about this and she said it was different because it was in hanyu pinyin," said Peter.

Though he can read hanyu pinyin, he said he chose to believe her.

But he was shocked to find out later that Karen was a divorcee and was still seeing her ex-husband. According to court papers, she was still married when she gave birth to her son.

Peter said: "I also found out she was staying over at her ex-husband's home on some nights while telling me that she was visiting her aunt."

CONVINCED

Throughout the relationship, Peter had treated the child as his but he is now convinced otherwise.

He said: "She even said that I could take a DNA test to prove it but she changed her mind later."

Peter never thought he would be deceived to such an extent and decided to break up with Karen in 2012.

But she became hysterical and threatened to take drastic measures to hold on to him.

"She went crazy, stripping and then threatening me with the child," he said.

"She said she was losing her mind and was going to kill herself."

Peter has a new girlfriend but is unable to get married until he resolves the matter of his "marriage" with Karen. Court papers said Peter must obtain a Family Court order to void the marriage.

"I just want to live my own normal life. I never want to see her again and will never forgive her," he said.

Prosecution: She knew he wouldn't marry her

Despite their break-up, she refused to let go of him.

So she hatched a devious scheme to get them married - without his knowledge.

She secretly got hold of his identity card and roped in another man to impersonate him so they could register her marriage to her ex-lover at the Registry Of Marriages (ROM).

They successfully carried out her plan on Oct 25, 2012, and she later received the certificate of marriage from the ROM.

The woman, now 32, was jailed for four weeks yesterday after pleading guilty to one count each of engaging in a conspiracy to cheat and engaging in a conspiracy to give a false statement in a statutory declaration before an ROM officer.

Her alleged accomplice, also 32, has yet to be dealt with in court. Their relationship was not revealed in court.

The woman and her ex-boyfriend cannot be named to protect her young son, so we shall call them Karen and Peter.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Chew Xin Ying told the court that in 2010, Karen was still married but no longer lived with her husband.

Karen met Peter that year and they became lovers. She later gave birth to a boy and told Peter that the baby was his. But the birth certificate named her husband as the boy's father.

Court papers did not identify the boy's biological father.

The couple were divorced in 2011, the court heard.

In 2012, Peter broke up with Karen after suspecting that the child was not his.

DPP Chew said: "The accused was very unhappy as she wanted (Peter) to return to her and not marry anyone else.

"However, she knew that (Peter) did not and would not consent to marrying her."

On Oct 3, Karen filed a notice of marriage on the ROM website, stating her intention to marry Peter.

She and Peter's impersonator went to the ROM on Oct 25 and appeared before licensed commissioner of oaths Kevin Tan Kok Hee.

When Mr Tan asked them to complete the statutory declaration, the imposter forged Peter's signature.

Mr Tan then handed them a marriage certificate containing Karen's and Peter's names.

Karen and the imposter later met marriage solemniser Michelle Leong Ton at Din Tai Fung restaurant at 112 Katong shopping mall.

When Madam Leong asked for their ICs, the man handed over Peter's IC.

The couple then said their vows, exchanged rings and signed the marriage certificate. Two witnesses, Karen's friend and her mother, also signed the certificate.

ROM approved the registration after receiving a copy of the signed certificate from Madam Leong.

The next day, Karen sent Peter a photo of the certificate and told him they were married to each other. He made a police report 12 days later.

MISUSED

DPP Chew said: "ROM has confirmed that in the present case where (Peter's) identity was misused to register a marriage without his consent, a Family Court order has to be obtained to void the marriage."

She urged District Judge Salina Ishak to jail Karen for four to six weeks for the conspiracy to give a false statement in a statutory declaration to Mr Tan, and a month for the cheating offence.

She also stressed that Karen had abetted her alleged accomplice to give a false declaration to a government agency.

Karen's lawyer, Ms Diana Ngiam, asked for her client to be jailed for two to three weeks.

She said the Institute of Mental Health found Karen had an "acute stress reaction" and had attempted suicide when Peter ended the relationship.

Ms Ngiam said this had led to her "misguided actions".

The New Paper asked the Ministry of Social and Family Development what it is doing to prevent similar offences in future.

An ROM spokesman replied: "The ROM has tightened its identification process and will conduct additional checks on alternative photo-IDs where applicants' faces and photos in ICs differ."

Karen could have been jailed up to three years and fined on each charge.

'Nothing wrong with the system'

Cases of impersonation for the purpose of marriage are rare, said lawyers contacted by The New Paper yesterday.

Mr Louis Joseph of Regent Law said: "It's not common for these lapses to happen. I believe it's a one-off case."

When asked if the Registry of Marriages (ROM) should tighten its processes to prevent such incidents from recurring, TSMP Law Corporation director Anand Nalachandran said the verification of documents and statutory declaration process might be the appropriate stage to have further verification done as both parties must be present at the ROM.

"However, beyond the existing practices at the ROM, there may not be further steps that can be taken to verify the identity of the parties," he added.

Mr Shashi Nathan, a partner in WithersKhattarWong, said: "This is one individual trying to beat the system. There is nothing wrong with the system at the moment."

Mr Joseph said photos of identity cards could be updated more often to prevent such incidents - he has encountered clients who look different from their IC photos.

ashaffiq@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 07, 2016.
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On most days, Mr Png Lye Heng goes about his daily task without anyone taking notice, clearing tables at the food court at Jem shopping mall.

But last Friday, the cleaner, who is deaf, suddenly found himself in the spotlight after news of him being verbally abused by a patron at the food court went viral online.

The patron was Ms Alice Fong, a 37-year-old executive who was at the food court with her husband, and Mr Png became a victim of her tongue-lashing after he accidentally cleared her tray at her table despite her not wanting it cleared.

But days after the incident, the 64-year-old just wants to avoid the media glare, keep a low profile and move on, especially since Ms Fong has apologised, even though she insisted it wasn't entirely her fault, saying she was sick, and Mr Png had no tag to say he was disabled.

Initially reticent about the brouhaha for fear of more conflict, Mr Png finally relented and told The New Paper: "I'm fine with (the incident). I've let it go already."

Then he broke into a toothy grin.

Through a deaf student versed in sign language, TNP communicated with Mr Png yesterday while he went about clearing bowls and plates. Mr Png, affectionately known as "Ah Heng" to colleagues, said he has been working as a part-time cleaner at the Jem food court for about a year.

Every day, except on Saturdays, he works from morning till 5pm. Then he goes home.

The bachelor lives with his sister and mother.

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

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Facebook video screengrabs, The New Paper

Misunderstandings like the one he had with Ms Fong last Friday are not new, he conceded.

But he declined to elaborate, shaking his head and waving his hand in between gesturing to TNP that he prefers to keep mum about the misunderstandings.

Mr Png works in an environment where not everyone understands his disability.

RAISED VOICE

As TNP followed him to the back of the food court where dishes are washed, a fellow worker raised his voice at Mr Png, who was blocking the way in the cramped corridor.

He could not hear his colleague and did not budge.

Given the invisibility of disabilities like deafness, some, like Ms Fong, have argued that workers like Mr Png should wear a tag that indicates their disability.

But those who work closely with the disabled pointed out that the tag may become a label that leads to stigma.

Mr Png himself refused to wear a tag that indicates his deafness, said his manager who wanted to be known only as Steven, 51.

The cleaner does not seem to let his disability get in the way of his job.

He walks with a limp, but his gait does not stop him from walking from table to table, clearing bowls and plates in sight.

He may not be able to speak or hear, but he continues to exchange a smile or banter with some of the stall holders, who smile back.

Steven said he was initially worried that Mr Png would be so affected by the incident that he would not return to work.

Patrons have recognised and gestured at the cleaner, he said.

But when Mr Png greeted Steven and proceeded to work on Sunday morning, the cleaning company manager heaved a sigh of relief.

"As long as he doesn't feel hurt... I have no intention to replace him as I feel he's still an innocent party.

"I feel that he's a nice guy. He still does what he's supposed to," said the manager.

He added that while he has heard rumours of Mr Png wanting to quit, the cleaner has never approached him about it.

"If he really wanted to resign, he could have told me. He's a hardworking chap...

"I hope he will stay back and help me," he said.

Focus on woman's behaviour: Deaf hawker

When deaf hawker Peter Goh heard about the viral news of a woman hurling insults at a deaf cleaner at the food court at Jem shopping mall, he was curious and wanted to know why the man was scolded.

His son Joshua, a copywriter, told The New Paper: "He thought the focus should be on the woman's ungracious behaviour, instead of the deaf cleaner."

Mr Goh, who is in his 60s, has been selling carrot cake for the past 30 years.

He lost his hearing because of a childhood illness and runs a stall at Zion Riverside Food Centre.

When taking orders, he reads the lips of customers and relies on visual cues such as pictures of the food items. He has many regular customers, including those from the deaf community.

Mr Goh is against the idea of putting up a sign to indicate he is deaf.

"He doesn't want special treatment or to be singled out because he is deaf. Besides, there are many newspaper articles about my dad at the stall, and people will realise that he is deaf after reading them," said Mr Joshua Goh.

In response to the incident at Jem food court, the Singapore Association for the Deaf thanked the cleaner's company for giving job opportunities to the deaf.

In a post on Facebook, it wrote: "There are many other well qualified deaf and hard-of-hearing persons working in various industries and contributing to society. More can be done to uplift the lives of (those with) special needs."

In Singapore, there are several organisations, from social enterprises to major corporations such as KFC, which hire the deaf.

Dignity Kitchen has four deaf workers who sell coffee.

'BEETHOVEN SCHEME'

Uber Singapore has the Beethoven scheme, which hires drivers who are deaf or hard of hearing.

An Uber spokesman estimates that it has "dozens" of these drivers in Singapore.

One such driver is Mr Roland Goh, 45, who is hard of hearing and has been driving with Uber full-time since February.

In his car, he has a note stating "Hi, I'm hearing impaired. If (you) need to communicate with me, feel free to use the paper provided. Have a nice trip."

Mr Goh uses a notepad to communicate with his passengers.

Over SMS, he said that he has not met any nasty customers so far. He also faces the same challenges as any driver - locating the pick-up point of passengers.

He said: "Most of the customers are nice. I've received some of thank-you notes and kind words."

'Name tags stigmatise workers'

Dignity Kitchen founder Koh Seng Choon thought that customers would be more patient when his employees wore badges stating they were deaf.

To his shock, he noticed that some customers would shout orders at the deaf workers, or avoid them completely.

There are four deaf employees who have been selling coffee at Mr Koh's food court in Serangoon Avenue 3 for the past four years.

Mr Koh said: "There were zero sales when they wore the badges. Some customers had the wrong interpretation that the workers would be able to hear if they spoke louder."

Mr Koh's social enterprise hires the disabled and disadvantaged, including the deaf, visually impaired and intellectually disabled.

He thinks that name tags labelling a worker's disability can be a form of stigma.

"Some people don't want to be branded (by their disability). They are competent workers but some customers might also be uncomfortable with buying from them."

MORE EDUCATION

Mr Koh thinks that there should be more education to raise awareness of interacting with the disabled instead.

But Ms Lily Goh, who is deaf and co-founded ExtraOrdinary Horizons, a social enterprise that aims to promote arts and culture among the deaf, thinks that a name tag indicating that a person is deaf might be necessary in a work setting.

"Deafness is a hidden disability. We look like the mainstream society and that's why we often get misunderstood.

"(Name tags) may reduce misunderstandings and our frustrations because sometimes people may ask us (questions) without knowing that we are deaf."

But she draws the line against tags that indicate "deaf and mute" or "deaf and dumb".

"These name tags are an insult to us and very derogatory. Some who are deaf do not speak but this does not mean they are mute or dumb."

tnp@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 07, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - The funpack for the National Day Parade (NDP) this year is slighter bolder in its design than its predecessors.

It is the first time NDP has had a funpack with translucent plastic skin. The bag comes in two colours, red or white, which are the national colours of Singapore. Over 10 schools were enlisted to collect feedback about the bag's appearance before finalising on its design.

Contents of the bag include a Singapore flag, a LED wrist band, a souvenir magazine, face tattoos, flip fan, roasted nuts, biscuits, sweets, drinking water, litter bag, wet napkins and Singapore banner.

Upon feedback from past years, the bag has been designed using more lightweight and durable materials. There's also a privacy cover attached at the bottom which can be lifted to hide the contents in the bag.

The LED wrist band is wirelessly synchronised with the show's music so that it can emit lights of various intensities of up to 16 different colours with varying shades. This is to allow the spectators to feel connected to the performance and allow them to feel more involved with the audience. The wrist bands are meant to come together to form a massive visual display during the show.

Besides the wrist band, there is also a souvenir magazine embedded with digital content in the bag. Using the NDPeeps App, people attending the parade will be able to access its content through augmented reality. This might include videos and pictures related to the events at the parade.

ryanho@sph.com.sg

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Tuesday (June 7) it will "take steps to make it clear that foreign entities should not fund, support or influence" events held at Speakers' Corner, like the annual Pink Dot event last Saturday.

This year's event - the eighth such - attracted 18 sponsors, twice as many as last year. The corporate sponsors included multinationals such as Google as well as banks like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs.

Apple, Facebook, Visa and General Electric were first-time sponsors.

In its statement, MHA noted that the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community expresses its views on issues of concern to it during Pink Dot.

"The Government's general position has always been that foreign entities should not interfere in our domestic issues, especially political issues or controversial social issues with political overtones. These are political, social or moral choices for Singaporeans to decide for ourselves. LGBT issues are one such example.

"This is why under the rules governing the use of the Speakers' Corner, for events like Pink Dot, foreigners are not allowed to organise or speak at the events, or participate in demonstrations."

It did not say what action it will take, and whether there will be legal penalties. It also did not say whether or not an MNC with a Singapore-registered arm is still defined as a foreign company.

MHA said the statement was in response to "media queries as to whether foreign companies can provide sponsorships for the Pink Dot event", but did not specify which media outlet posed the queries.

The ministry also said that, in the context of LGBT issues, this applies to events that advocate the LGBT cause, such as Pink Dot, as well as those that oppose the LGBT cause.

Pink Dot has met with opposition from religious groups. In 2014, Muslim religious teacher Noor Deros started a Wear White campaign to signal opposition to homosexuality, while Faith Community Baptist Church senior pastor Lawrence Khong urged followers to dress in white on the Pink Dot weekend.

In response to the MHA statement, a Pink Dot spokesman noted that the event has seen support from Singaporeans from all walks of life, including "a significant portion of its corporate citizens".

"Our corporate sponsors that have supported us over the years are all registered and incorporated in Singapore," said the spokesman.

In pushing for greater visibility for the LGBT community, "we have done all we can to ensure Pink Dot SG stays within the law", he said.

Attendance at Pink Dot rose from 2,500 in its first year in 2009 to 28,000 last year. This year's local sponsors include the restaurant PS.Cafe and Cavenagh Law.

Supporters pen heartfelt thoughts at Pink Dot 2016

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The Straits Times

This article was first published on June 7, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

When he locks up his cafe at 11pm on Fridays, his day is not done.

Mr Derrick Wong heads out to Chinatown to chat with people who are down and out.

Why?

It may seem strange, but Mr Wong, 36, who co-owns The Loft Cafe at South Bridge Road in Chinatown, needs to do this so that people will accept the free food he cooks for them on Mondays.

He explained: "(Poor folk) have a fear of people looking down on them... They need to see that you are sincere."

The New Paper went along on one of his midnight missions last Friday evening.

Our first stop were the benches at Sago Street, where many of these folk hang out.

Mr Wong is clearly a known face as he was greeted with smiles and familiar greetings. The people asked if he had eaten and even offered to buy him a drink.

As we walked towards Chin Swee Road, Mr Wong would look out for new faces and approach them to talk. We did not come across any that night, but when Mr Wong does, he makes a note whether they live there and asks them if they need food.

If so, he will add to the number of meals he cooks, packs and delivers to these residents every Monday night.

He recalled that he was puzzled the first time he distributed the food as he managed to give out only two of the 10 packets of food.

DIGNITY

Eventually, he realised that the people there they were not keen on handouts from strangers

"They want to preserve their dignity," he said.

"What is lacking in their lives are relationships. Most of these elderly you see are lonely. One of them told me that nobody comes and stays on."

This comment made an impact on him, so he made a commitment to visit these people every week, rain or shine.

These days, he distributes up to 60 packets of food a night.

The trained cook said: "The box of food represents something more significant - it represents love. This love is contagious."

He spends about $900 a month from his own pocket on the food packets.

One of the elderly people who benefits from Mr Wong's food deliveries, Mr Nicholas Wong, 70, said: "There are poor people here. (Derrick) coming down once a week makes all these people happy."

Mr Wong, who once did time in jail for being involved in a gang fight and money laundering, has inspired others to join him in his weekly routine.

He started in February last year with just two volunteers, but he now has a team of about 10 people consisting of friends and regular patrons of the cafe.

Mr Tan Shen Kiat, 29, a lawyer, has been helping Mr Wong for the past three months. He was inspired because he could tell that Mr Wong was "going the distance".

He learnt about what Mr Wong was doing in the neighbourhood and decided to help out.

Both volunteers and beneficiaries can tell that he is a genuine person, Mr Tan added.

RESPECTABLE

Another volunteer, Miss Samantha Ng, 19, who is waiting to start her undergraduate studies, said that what Mr Wong is doing is "very respectable".

She added: "That's what I want to do in the future."

Miss Annie Cheong, 28, who runs Hello Flowers!, a flower shop in Chinatown, said: "There is dedication as what we do is not a one-off thing... You really get to know the people you serve."

Mr Wong said that while the Government is doing a lot on the macro level to help the needy, it is ultimately up to people on the ground to identify and solve the smaller individual issues.

"Sometimes, it is difficult for the Government to give them such intangible things," he added.

He said that many of these individuals do have their own homes, but due to various circumstances, they prefer spending the night on the streets instead.

Mr Ho June Seong, who is known by people in the neighbourhood as "Uncle Peter", told the New Paper in Mandarin that he goes to the area every night because he has friends here.

He lives in Clementi with his daughter, but he often stays out with his friends in the estate if it is too late to go home.

"I am touched by what Derrick is doing because it's rare to find someone young and hard-working like him nowadays," said Mr Ho.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The New Paper

dlaiu@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 6, 2016.
Get The New Paper for more stories.

A recent spate of telephone scams in Singapore where callers masquerade as staff of courier company DHL has seen more Singaporeans coming forward online to warn the public about providing personal information to the scammers.

On Tuesday (June 7), one netizen took to his blog, crazyrandomchatter, to explain why his friend claims that Anglo-Chinese School (ACS) alumni would not never fall for these scams which seem to originate from China.

In a nutshell, his rant was hinged on the fact that callers of these scams typically speak Mandarin.

The blogger, who goes by the moniker RENCHoo, said: "ACS boys. Mandarin. The two don't go well together. My friend didn't understand a single word that the scammer was saying."

He continued: "I've been told that the '-' in 'Anglo-Chinese School' is not a dash symbol. It's actually the symbol for subtraction. So 'Anglo-Chinese School' means 'Anglo Chinese School'."

The post also highlighted two other scam cases.

In one of the cases which was first highlighted on Facebook, a netizen said that the scammers targeted his "lowly-educated, retired" mother, whose savings were "painstakingly accumulated over a lifetime of work as a nightshift operator and convenience store cashier to support our family".

The netizen said the scammer who identified himself as Wang Xiaoqi told his mother that she was being investigated by the Chinese police for trafficking fake credit cards and money laundering.

The post also released details of the bank account number and mobile number of the scammer.

In the second case, Ms Cynthia Tay-Lek did not fall prey to the similar scam but also posted on Facebook an account of her phone conversation with the scammer.

Ms Tay-Lek decided to play along with the scammer and provided him with a fictitious NRIC number, which translated in Mandarin is "Daddy is going to the bar".

The scammer then told her that their system showed that she had a package from the United States to Singapore and that it contained $200,000 and two fake passports.

After telling the scammer that he could keep the passports but to return her the cash, the scammer told Ms Tay-Lek that he could not release the parcel until she paid a fine.

At this point, she said: "I'm sorry I can't do it now cos I'm halfway killing someone."

Scam victims from China who allegedly lost $1.6b look for clues in Singapore

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The Straits Times

The conversation ended when the scammer could not get Ms Tay-Lek to remit money to him online.

On the National Crime Prevention Council's Scam Alert website, the stories of 40 people who encountered such scams were posted for the month of June this year. Of these cases, 37 involved parcels and Chinese scammers.

stephluo@sph.com.sg

Top 7 scams in Singapore and more

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www.scamalert.sg

Colleagues said he was "fit as a fiddle", and planning a trip to Kuala Lumpur for his father's memorial service. The sudden death yesterday of criminal lawyer Louis Joseph, 61, a familiar face in the State Courts, shocked them.

His wife said he became unwell close to midnight after he had gone to bed and was taken to hospital, where it was said he suffered a heart attack.

Ms Sylvia Khoo, 62, said her husband had been taking medication for diabetes, cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Mr Joseph's colleague, Mr Mathew Kurian, managing partner of Regent Law, informed the court of his death yesterday as he applied for a sentencing matter handled by Mr Joseph to be adjourned.

District Judge Mathew Joseph said that he was deeply shocked and saddened.

"Louis Joseph has been a good friend of the court. He has displayed exemplary professionalism in the conduct of his cases before this court, and I have nothing but the highest regard for him," he said.

He said the court had lost a "true friend'' who was fearless in promoting the interests of his clients, while also according due respect to the court and the prosecution. "We will miss him dearly," said the judge.

Mr Joseph had appeared often in court, in particular the community court, acting for young offenders.

The Malaysian lawyer was called to the Singapore Bar in 1990. He held several jobs after that, teaching at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, working as in-house counsel in London, and for Senior Counsel Harry Elias before joining Regent Law four years ago as an associate.

At Regent Law, he handled most of its criminal matters, the most recent being the conviction of a man for unlawful stalking under the Protection from Harassment Act.

"We have lost a good friend and his departure has left a vacuum in our lives," said Mr Kurian.

Lawyers expressed shock at his unexpected death and described him as a gentleman who was always willing to help someone.

Mr Ramesh Tiwary, a sole proprietor, said Mr Joseph "always had a smile for people'' while Mr Kalidass Murugaiyan of Trident Law recalled how his friend would oblige by mentioning cases on his behalf when he was engaged in other court matters.

Aside from his wife, Mr Joseph leaves behind a daughter, Maria.

Ms Joseph, 28, a museum professional, said he was an excellent father who was always around.

"My dad wanted me to do what I like and I was interested in art, history and heritage," she said.

Ms Khoo said he was a devoted husband who loved to cook. She said they had been looking forward to the break in Malaysia because he had been working quite hard.

A wake is being held for Mr Joseph at St Teresa's Church in Kampong Bahru. His funeral is on Friday.

This article was first published on Jun 08, 2016.
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