Residents from Woodlands Block 302A were left stranded for four hours yesterday evening (June 19) at the void deck after all three lifts broke down.

A witness shared his experience with Stomp over the phone.

He said that residents were stuck at the void deck from 6pm to 10pm. It was only after 10pm when the lifts finally started working again.

Elderly residents in wheelchairs and people living on higher floors in the block were said to be the most affected.

Woodlands residents stranded for 4 hours after all 3 lifts break down

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Stomp

The Stomp contributor himself lives on the 32nd floor.

He said: "One elderly man with a pacemaker was so frustrated he decided to climb the stairs to his apartment on the 21st floor."

"He had gone shopping and his frozen salmon had defrosted while he was waiting for the lifts to start working again. Several neighbours and town council members offered to help him. I think they reached the eighth storey before the man got tired."

The Stomp contributor added that the town council had provided chairs for the residents and some water while they waited.

They were unable to do much else except wait for the technicians to fix the problem.

The Stomp contributor also said that in the morning, two of the lifts were already down due to a power outage but residents were still able to use one lift to go up and down -- till it broke down in the evening.

MP Halimah Yacob also came down to talk to the residents at around 9pm.

The Stomp contributor noted that while there were several neighbours who were frustrated and unhappy at the situation, most of the residents were okay with sitting and chatting with one another as they waited.

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While most children would be thrilled to go to a big indoor playground with lots of new toys, six-year-old Quazza Ilhandyl is sometimes overwhelmed.

He has autism and delayed speech development, and his mother, Ms Intan Armelia, 34, said Quazza finds it hard to play with peers because they cannot understand him.

"Sometimes when we go out as a family, it's hard to get all four children to have fun at the same time," said the freelance dance instructor.

So she was happy to discover a new toy library in her neighbourhood where her three sons and daughter, aged 10 months to six years, can have fun together with other children.

The North East Community Toy Library @ Pasir Ris Elias Community Club was opened officially yesterday by Deputy Prime Minister and Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Teo Chee Hean.

It is meant to be an inclusive space where children with special needs can play alongside mainstream school children with toys specially adapted to their needs.

There are more than 50 toys in a room on the second floor of the club. It has space for about 30 children and their caregivers, and is open daily from 10am to 9pm.

The playroom, set up by the North East Community Development Council (CDC) and Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (CPAS), is believed to be the first integrated toy library in Singapore, and is the fourth toy library in the district.

North East District Mayor and Minister of State for Manpower Teo Ser Luck said he hopes to see 20 toy libraries in the district - at least one per constituency - by the end of the year, and that there will eventually be as many as 90 to match the number of book kiosks in the district.

"I want to thank the community for donating. Residents themselves are filling up the libraries with books and toys," said Mr Teo.

The toys in the new library include motor cars with remote controls that have larger buttons, developed by non-profit organisation Engineering Good and engineering firm Arup to cater to children with fine motor skills challenges. Children will be able to use the toys in the playroom, and there may be a loan programme when more toys are available, said the CDC.

Starting next month, CPAS will organise weekly activity sessions in the room on Mondays for pre-school children from special needs and mainstream schools.

CPAS executive director and North East CDC's district councillor Jessie Holmberg said barriers between children may be reduced when they start playing together at a young age.

"Children will learn to care for each other beyond their own needs when they see their peers needing help," she added.

A recent survey of over 1,000 people found that only half of parents polled were comfortable with a special needs child sitting next to their child in class, and only one in 10 Singaporeans was confident of interacting with special needs children.

Safety manager John Ong, 38, who visited the new toy library yesterday with his wife and four daughters, said it is a good place for children to learn to share and socialise.

"I hope they will become more understanding of other kids with different needs, so that future generations can be closer together," he said.

This article was first published on Jun 20, 2016.
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They're more "men united" than Man United. Dad's for Life is a new football team whose goal is more winning hearts than winning games.

Including former Singapore players, Members of Parliament and fathers from all walks of life, the 24-strong squad will play matches against teams from schools, businesses and community organisations in an effort to promote good fatherhood.

The team was launched at Singapore Sports Hub at an event to celebrate Father's Day which included activities such as shoulder and neck massages and a relay race inspired by the Singapore Armed Forces' standard obstacle course.

Members of the new team, along with their jersey, were unveiled by Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin and Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Transport Mrs Josephine Teo.

The squad includes MPs Teo Ser Luck and Seah Kian Peng.

It wants to promote the Centre for Fathering's Dad's for Life movement, which aims to inspire fathers to be a good influence on their children, through football and other community activities.

Ex-national players R. Suriamurthi, Lim Tong Hai, Zakaria Awang and goalkeeper Lionel Lewis are also part of the squad.

However, the team will only play "social football" and manager Collin Chee said: "We're not here to beat anybody."

The team's first match will be a five-a-side friendly against fathers attending the Families for Life picnic at East Coast Park on Saturday.

Player Yuen Chee Onn, 56, who is head of outreach at the Centre for Fathering, said: "We chose fathers who we think are good role models."

Mr Suriamurthi, 58, said that good time management was vital for juggling the intense training sessions of professional soccer and the responsibilities of looking after his son, who is now 19. "It is always difficult. You've got to have discipline."

Mr Tan said at the event that children "should be right at the top" of a father's priorities instead of being put on "leftover time".

The father of two, who spends time with his children outdoors while pursuing his interest in landscape photography, added that children will "grow up very quickly" and "you cannot turn back the clock".

"Be there for them," he said. "I think it makes a lot of difference."

Elsewhere in Singapore yesterday, opportunities for honouring fathers were plenty, with discounts being offered by retailers, special menus at restaurants and a carnival at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park to celebrate inter-racial and inter-religious harmony.

This article was first published on Jun 20, 2016.
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The art of peeping has become so sophisticated today that it makes the hole-in-the-wall tactic of Norman, the psychopath character in Alfred Hitchcock's hit movie, Psycho, appear so passe.

With the profusion of spy gadgets so wickedly tiny that they can even escape the naked eye, the worry of being robbed of your private moments by potential voyeurs is much more unnerving than Norman snooping on a motel guest through the hole while she is undressing in her room.

But what you should be wary of now - if you're staying in a hotel or using a changing room - are things that appear to be normal too.

For example, the coat hanger, a practical item that most hotel guests would be glad to use but would not pay much attention to it.

TrueActivist reported that that some perverted criminals are swapping double-hook coat hangers with modified ones fitted with tiny cameras. Reportedly found in Florida, Kansas, and Nevada, the devices are most likely to be found in dressing rooms, hotel rooms, and public bathrooms, it said.

One woman discovered she was being spied upon when she accidentally knocked the coat hanger off the wall and found it contained a small camera. Immediately, she reported the dreadful find to the police, TrueActivist reported.

What is worrisome is that such devices are easily available online and cost as little as $13. Depending on their size and make, coat hangers with spy cams can fetch a price range of between that amount and nearly $100.

Voyeurs need not have to go all the way to Sim Lim to try their luck. They can easily buy them on sites like Lazada and eBay. And there's a slew to choose from - hooks, pens, alarm clocks, spectacles and smoke detectors in various designs.

How to spot them

1) If an object has a tiny hole, it very well may be rigged with a camera.

2) Examine it closely to see if it has a lens.

3) If the hole in the object flashes a light.

4) If you notice an object appear or disappear out of the blue - that is, if you stay or use that room long enough for the voyeur to carry out his operation.

5) If an object seems to be out of place - like a pen or a pair of spectacles in the bathroom.

If your suspicions are right, call the police immediately.

How some culprits were caught

Coat hangers' sudden appearance aroused staff suspicion: Systems analyst Zheng Zhongshi, 34, mounted spy cameras disguised as coat hooks in fitting rooms at Cotton On outlets - at White Sands shopping mall first and then at Plaza Singapura - to film women undressing.

But the staff at the Plaza Singapura outlet found them suspicious as they had not seen them before. So they removed them and lodged a police report. Zheng was jailed for 20 weeks last December.

Yellow light from a pen: Software engineer Jahja Salam, 50, a Singapore permanent resident, was jailed six weeks on June 14 after he used a spy 'pen' to record his domestic worker in the shower in his Sengkang flat.

She noticed a yellow light coming from the 'pen'. which was fitted with a video camera. She kept the item and reported to police.

A bathroom is no place for a pen: Early last year, two Malaysian women revealed at a press conference how a college friend they had known for six years was secretly filming them as they bathed.

The pervert's game was over after one of the women found a pen-shaped spy camera while bathing in the man's house in Sibu, Sarawak during a group holiday in December 2014. She found it odd that the black pen would be placed inside a toothbrush case.

When she opened the pen, she found a micro SD card inside it. The pen had a tiny lens embedded in its clip. Both women found videos of themselves bathing in the memory card.

chenj@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - A 63-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a hit-and-run incident on the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE).

A white Toyota Camry was caught on video on June 15 deliberately swerving close to and then hitting a motorcycle on the expressway. The motorcyclist and pillion rider sustained injury after falling onto the road.

The Straits Times and Channel NewsAsia said police confirmed today (June 20) that the driver of the car has been arrested for committing a rash act causing hurt.

The Straits Times added that the arrest was made on Friday.

The motorcyclist in the video, 29-year-old dispatch driver Muhammad Fazly, has been given a week's medical leave, said the pillion rider.

A video uploaded on the Roads.sg Facebook page showed a vehicle bearing the same number plate as the Camry changing lanes dangerously in a few instances over the last couple of years.

Car speeds off after slamming into motorbike on highway

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Facebook / Roads.sg

sinsh@sph.com.sg

Domestic helpers have almost become a ubiquitous part of our lives.

Many Singaporeans hire a helper to take care of their chores, become a replacement parent children and aged or disabled person in the household.

Indonesia announced that they intend to stop sending new live-in maids starting as early as next year.

Singaporeans dependent on maids or looking to get one will worry about how this would affect them.

With 125,000 Indonesian helpers, we can expect that the impact to be significant.

A domestic helper shortage will give maid agencies a reason to increase their agency fee for maids from other countries like Philippines, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka.

Cost of hiring a live-in domestic helper

Monthly salary

The monthly salary of a domestic helper can start at around $500 for a helper from The Philippines.

An Indonesian maid, however, will cost more because the Indonesian Embassy mandated that their maids must be paid a minimum $550 a month.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times

Foreign Domestic Worker Levy

The government uses the levy to regulate the number of foreign workers here.

When we seek to hire a domestic helper, the levy would be an area of concern.

Its mechanism is like a CPF contribution, but instead of it going to the maid, it is a tax collected by the government.

Hence, it is wise to find ways to make use of the concessionary levy instead of paying the full amount.

Here is the breakdown of the levy, provided by the Ministry of Manpower:

You qualify for a concessionary levy ($60 per month) when you are under these schemes:

• Young child or grandchild scheme (the child must be a Singapore citizen under 16 years old, and is living at the same address as you)
• Aged person scheme
• Persons with disabilities scheme

Payment of the levy seems affordable on its own.

However, without the concessionary levy, the $265 paid on top of a salary of at least (and likely much more in future) $550 will take a chunk out of your pay.

In Singapore, the average salary is $3949 (including CPF) as at 2015.

After deducting 20% for CPF contribution, the median pay would be around $3160.

You pay more than just wages and levies

Hiring a maid will therefore be at least $610 (assuming you are hiring an Indonesian maid on the concessionary levy basis).

There are more costs than the compulsory insurance and maid agency fee.

Your helper's living expenses must be budgeted too.

Examples include food, utility bills, transportation (including her airfare when she visits home), to name a few.

If you include your helper's living expenses, it can easily exceed $1000. That is more than 30% of your salary.

If you have other financial obligations like paying for enrichment lessons or servicing car loans, spending more than $1000 in total for a maid may be unsustainable.

OTHER ALTERNATIVES

It is uncertain how much the average minimum wage of a maid here would increase in 2017.

If you think the cost to you would be unsustainable, you might want to consider the following alternatives.

Childcare centre

Enrolling a child to a childcare centre is expensive. It can range from $300 to over $1000.

It is typical of private operators to command fees of more than $1000, as parents have to pay a premium for a low child-to-teacher ratio.

This means their child will probably get more attention from their teacher.

A childcare centre may be one of the cheapest options, but some parents do not get a peace of mind, as they may question the cleanliness of the centre and the quality of the service there.

Nannies

You can find a nanny to look after your children after school, or hire someone to take them out (the latter is more popular with expatriates).

The rates depend on many factors.

Some examples are qualification level (e.g. university graduate), specialized qualification (e.g. early childhood), work experience, languages spoken and written, and other tasks required (whether the nanny needs to help with laundry and other chores).

A babysitter's rate can start from $1200 per month for part time to $1800 per month for fulltime.

Grandparents

Grandparents will certainly be the best option for working parents.

They give you the ultimate peace of mind, because after all, they raised you.

Grandparents will probably be the most economical option because they don't require a monthly fee.

Perhaps the only costs you can compensate is your monthly allowance to them, and some extra cash for your child's expenses.

A career sacrifice

Letting your career take a backseat may be the next best alternative if the aforementioned options are not viable.

It will be a more prominent option if your company does not have a family-friendly work policy, such as flexible work hours.

If other family members are unable to help, perhaps the only choice is to look after your child full time.

Many excuses may arise such as "we need the dual income to support the family,""how are we going to afford our annual vacation?"

The wonders of looking after your own child can be priceless.

From the quality time spent, to the proper supervision and home cooked meals, your child will enjoy your company.

That said, making a career sacrifice is a personal choice that takes a lot of financial planning with your spouse before making the big decision.

New campaign for maids to get weekly day off generates debate online

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

YouTube screengrabs

Afterthought

Childcare centres are costly, and hiring nannies are even more expensive.

While new Indonesian maids may live in dormitories instead of our homes, it may be worth a try.

Nonetheless, nothing can replace the love and comfort a family member can provide for your child.

That is something no amount of money can buy.

DollarsAndSense.sg is a website that provides bite-sized and relevant articles to help Singaporeans make better financial decisions.

Just last week, Singapore's two most established universities were ranked first and third in a ranking of Asian universities.

This week, they have seized the top two spots in another list of Asia's best universities.

The National University of Singapore (NUS) took first place, while Nanyang Technological University (NTU) was placed second with Peking University in the London- based Times Higher Education Magazine rankings for Asia.

The University of Hong Kong took the fourth position, while China's Tsinghua University was ranked fifth, in the rankings that are being released this morning.

Last year, NUS came in second, while NTU was placed 10th.

Times Higher Education rankings editor Phil Baty said: "Singapore has sealed its place as one of Asia's top university nations."

He said: "This ranking cements Singapore as a prime case study of how to challenge elite Western institutions and become a rising university star."

NUS president Tan Chorh Chuan said he was delighted at NUS' good showing but said the university will need to be even more strategic and adaptive in the coming years, given the massification of higher education and the shifting nature of jobs.

Commenting on the two latest rankings, NTU president Bertil Andersson said both lists show that NTU has moved swiftly in recent years to innovate in teaching and produce research with a far-reaching global impact.

He added that the Times ranking shows that Singapore is now the top city in Asia for higher education.

The Times ranking uses 13 key performance indicators to reflect a university's strengths in five areas: teaching, research, citation, industry income and global outlook.

The indicators used are the same as those used in the magazine's World University Rankings, but with a difference in the weighting given to various indicators.

Times Higher Education said that following consultation with universities across Asia, it decided to place less emphasis on reputation elements but emphasise industry income and research income, as well as productivity, in terms of publications. Mr Baty said NUS did well in all the measures but its strength in research really stands out.

NTU, he said, is no doubt one of "the most exciting - and closely watched - universities in the world".

In the rankings released last week, London-based education consultancy Quacquarelli Symonds placed NUS first and NTU third.

Singapore Management University entered the rankings for the first time in 60th place.

University league tables have proliferated in recent years and university officials say parents and students are increasingly referring to them. In some countries, governments use them to make funding decisions.

This article was first published on June 21, 2016.
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Some wild boars that inhabit the area around the Lorong Halus Jetty in Pasir Ris have been getting fed by members of the public, and raising concerns among others.

A video and photos of one woman feeding the animals were posted on a Facebook group for cycling enthusiasts on Sunday.

The video, posted by a user on the Facebook group Love Cycling SG, shows about 10 boars of different sizes at a muddy, barren patch of land. A woman is also seen nearby, emptying out the contents of several plastic bags, which the boars then eat.

The user was cycling past the jetty when he saw the woman and the animals. He later saw the woman remove the plastic bags after feeding the animals.

Several people praised the woman's actions, with one person calling it a "lovely and heartwarming sight".

Others, however, expressed concern that feeding the boars might cause them to come into closer contact with humans in their search for food. A wild boar reportedly chased and injured a boy in Punggol last month. The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) on June 1 said it has received 27 complaints about wild boars so far this year.

Feeding the boars might indeed cause them to associate humans with food, said Ms Anbarasi Boopal, deputy chief executive at the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres).

"Feeding should be stopped... If not, they might approach humans in the future, and people may report them as a nuisance, resulting in them being culled," she told The Straits Times.

Wild animals can also be unpredictable, so it is best to look at them from a distance, added Ms Boopal. "They will have enough food in their habitat to survive," she said.

A national serviceman, who gave his name as Aziwan, 20, said he has fed the boars at the jetty for nearly three years, and they typically do not come around after 6pm or 7pm, evening newspaper Shin Min Daily News reported yesterday.

"These wild boars are all very gentle, they won't attack people. And there is a fence surrounding the area, as long as people don't cross it, it should be safe," he said.

About 30 people were seen by Shin Min feeding the boars in the span of an hour, including some who drove to the jetty with their children.

According to an advisory on the AVA website, people should not try to feed wild boars and should keep a safe distance from them.

"Wild boars are unpredictable animals and can be dangerous. Their teeth can inflict serious injuries. Female wild boars, especially, are dangerous when protecting their young," said the advisory.

The public is also advised to not provoke wild boars by taking photographs with the flash turned on.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Reuters, The Straits Times, Facebook screengrabs, Law Ing Sind, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, Marcus Chua

This article was first published on June 21, 2016.
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Facing a manpower shortage, a former chief operating officer of a well-established bar and dining chain hatched a plan to hire foreign workers who were subject to a quota by pretending they were employment pass hires which are not subject to a quota.

In June 2012, Parmjit Kaur, 49, told employment agents for Harry's International to look for foreign workers, who would be offered a monthly pay of $3,100. However, these workers would have to return more than half of their salaries as "reimbursements" for transportation and meal expenses.

Kaur, who was also a Harry's director, wanted to bring the workers in on employment passes supposedly to circumvent the quota for work permit holders, who are lower-skilled and draw less salary.

Yesterday, Kaur was fined $40,000 after she pleaded guilty to five charges under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act.

She admitted to 15 other counts of the same charge and these were considered in sentencing.

A district court heard that Kaur had first asked an assistant human resource manager to declare in the company's employment pass applications that the foreign employees would be given a fixed monthly salary of $3,000.

This was, at the time, the minimum salary requirement for employment pass holders, who are foreign professionals, managers and executives. Approval was not granted for the applications, so Kaur instructed that a higher sum of $3,100 be declared.

Between April and September 2013, Harry's falsely declared to the Controller of Work Passes that 20 foreign workers would be hired as restaurant chefs de partie at a fixed salary of $3,100 each.

Employment passes were issued to 20 Indian nationals.

The workers' pay was credited into their bank accounts on the first day of every month, but they had to return $1,600 to Harry's finance department the next day.

Meals and transportation were provided for only some workers and, even when provided, did not add up to $1,600.

In October 2013, a Ministry of Manpower employment inspector discovered the offences after receiving a tip-off.

Kaur, who was charged in November last year, could have been fined $20,000 and jailed for two years on each charge.

Harry's International is wholly owned by F&B Asia Ventures. Kaur is no longer with the company.

This article was first published on Jun 21, 2016.
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Candidates who have the aptitude to work with children can apply early for full-time early childhood education courses offered by Ngee Ann (NP) and Temasek (TP) polytechnics.

They are offering more than 300 places in three such diploma programmes, in an Early Admissions Exercise (EAE) starting tomorrow.

The EAE, which began this year, allows students to secure a place in a diploma course of their choice even before they sit the O-level exams. It caters to students with abilities and interests in a specific course, as well as those with talent in other areas such as sports and community service.

Up to 12.5 per cent of the polytechnic intake can be admitted through this scheme, which replaces the Direct Polytechnic Admissions (DPA) exercise, and folds in the Joint Polytechnic Special Admissions Exercise (JPSAE).

To meet the demand for trained pre-school teachers, the polytechnics have been expanding their full-time early childhood education courses - taking in a record 590 students this year, a 74 per cent increase from last year.

Of these, 265 were admitted through the DPA or JPSAE. They plan to take up to 680 next year.

NP offers the Diploma in Early Childhood Education and the Diploma in Child Psychology and Early Education. TP offers the Diploma in Early Childhood Studies.

NP principal Clarence Ti said in a joint statement yesterday the polytechnics "hope to see more students who have the aptitude and interest in early childhood education be given priority in gaining admission to courses in this field" through the EAE.

Mr Ang Teck Hua, director of TP's Centre for Child Study, said: "In our selection process, applicants would have an opportunity to observe unobtrusively the working environment of TP's laboratory preschool."

This gives applicants a better appreciation of what the early childhood profession entails, he added.

Instead of one-to-one interviews, assessment of applicants will be based on their participation in group interviews and activities to gauge how suitable they are for working with children.

EAE applications will close next Wednesday and shortlisted candidates will be required to go for interviews from July 4 to Aug 16.

The Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) is also supporting successful EAE applicants, who will automatically be offered a Training Award (TA).

Prior to last year, students had to apply separately for the award, which is worth up to $40,000 for a three-year course, and includes full sponsorship of tuition and an $800 monthly allowance.

ECDA has set aside more than $10 million over the next three years to sponsor the award, which can be taken up by students in any of their three years of study.

Each year of sponsorship comes with a corresponding year of service to the early childhood sector.

Mr Eugene Leong, ECDA's chief executive officer, said: "The early childhood sector has seen rapid expansion in recent years. This presents many rewarding and meaningful opportunities for students to play a direct role in giving every child a good start in life.

"ECDA is happy to collaborate with our polytechnics to support our TA recipients and help them prepare for successful careers as early childhood professionals."

This article was first published on Jun 21, 2016.
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UberEats rider Muhammad Fazly, 29, and his fiancee Siti Farina, 27, could have lost their lives on Wednesday, if it was not for his 10-year motorcycle riding experience and, yes, the heavy rain.

"Thanks to the bad weather, all the cars on the AYE (Ayer Rajah Expressway) were travelling slower than usual. I think they were going at 40 to 50 kmh," he told The New Paper.

Mr Fazly's bike was allegedly deliberately knocked down by a Toyota Camry, with the license plate SKA1713J that day.

It sped away soon after.

Mr Fazly, who hurt his right leg, said: "The bruise has spread down to the ankle and I still have difficulty walking."

His fiancee suffered abrasions on her right arm.

Related: Police investigating car which slammed into motorbike

The incident, near the Clementi Road exit, was caught on several in-vehicle cameras, but came to light only when a video was uploaded on Facebook by user Zufar Khan Ismail Khan on Thursday.

He was driving a yellow van when his camera caught the final moments of the incident as the Camry pulled up alongside and then slammed into the side of the motorcycle.

The impact knocked both Mr Fazly and Ms Siti to the ground.

The video caught the Camry speeding away afterwards.

Car speeds off after slamming into motorbike on highway

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Facebook / Roads.sg

The clip went viral, racking up about 150,000 views and over 6,000 shares. It was then posted on Facebook community pages Roads.sg and Beh Chia Lor.

The 63-year-old driver was arrested on Friday "for a rash act causing hurt", said a police spokesman. Mr Fazly said that "the clash actually started much earlier than where it was captured".

"I was about to enter the AYE from Jurong Town Hall Road... when the Camry came out of nowhere and tried to squeeze into my lane, nearly hitting my handlebar," he recalled.

Mr Fazly got the driver's hackles up when he honked at him several times and tapped his window.

"At first, he didn't look at me and when I tapped his window, he turned and looked aggressively at the both of us," he said.

"When the lights turned green, the Camry kept trying to swerve into us. He did it about four to five times, pushing us into the traffic. I had a feeling he wanted to kill us."

He added that drivers of other cars seemed to have slowed down somewhat, watching the incident unfold.

"A cabby managed to capture the whole thing from the start to the finish on his camera. I think the police took that... When we fell and the Camry sped off, the other drivers came to help," he said.

Mr Fazly said he was informed by the investigating officer that the driver of the Camry denied everything after his arrest.

"How could he deny it when everything he did was captured on video?" he asked.

The Toyota Camry has also previously been captured on video moving in a reckless manner.

Online footage posted on YouTube in 2014 and last yearshowed what appeared to be the same car dangerously changing lanes on the expressway.

Mr Fazly said: "Such people should be banned from driving. Can you imagine if I was a newbie on the roads?

"I wouldn't have been able to control my bike and the outcome would have been worse."

He added that his bike was taken to the Health Sciences Authority for testing.

TNP understands that the Camry has been impounded.

Police investigations are ongoing.

juditht@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 21, 2016.
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They had just been caught shoplifting in Bangkok, yet fooled around and smiled for their mugshots.

The photographs of the two Singaporean girls went viral after they were uploaded on social media, with netizens in both Thailand and Singapore slamming them for their behaviour.

The girls, both 18 at the time, were caught after they stole two spaghetti-strap tops from a shop at the Platinum Fashion Mall in Thailand on June 16.

Their personal details were later posted online.

Speaking to The New Paper yesterday, one of them, Miss Low Yu Min, who turned 19 yesterday, said she wanted to take responsibility for her actions and apologise to both Singaporeans and Thais.

Singapore girls caught shoplifting in Bangkok escape jail

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Facebook screengrabs

STUPID

"It was so stupid of us to do what we did, and we truly feel remorseful for appearing as if we didn't treat the situation seriously," she said.

"We are so sorry for the trouble that we have caused, and more importantly, I would like to say sorry to all the people who have shown care and concern for us.

"We are sorry for letting you down."

Miss Low described how they and two male friends had gone to Thailand for a one-week holiday last week, and spent a day shopping at Platinum.

They had split up, with the girls wandering off to shop together.

"We walked past the shop about noon and saw that it was closed with a bamboo pole laid across the storefront," she said.

The shop attendant of My Faiday had gone to the toilet.

On impulse, the girls decided to steal the tops.

"We were not thinking straight at the time. It was a silly thing to do," said Miss Low.

"I really regret what we did, and I can't say sorry enough."

They then met their friends and went to Mahboonkrong (MBK), another mall about 1.9km away.

About two hours later, they were approached by My Faiday's shop attendant and her friend at MBK.

The friend, who owns a shop at Platinum, told TNP yesterday that they had sent out pictures of the girls from closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage to Line chat groups with about 1,000 retailers in Bangkok.

They then received an alert that the girls had been seen at MBK. (See report on right.)

Miss Low said they were shown the CCTV footage and had their bags checked.

"We didn't understand what was going on because of the language barrier, but we were scared and knew we were in trouble," said Miss Low.

"A group, including some people who seemed to be the police, came later. But after discussing among themselves, they left."

Then, the shop attendant and her friend told the girls to follow them back to Platinum.

They took a taxi to Platinum where they were taken to the security office. The girls were told to hand over their passports, or face being reported to the police.

Afraid they would be locked up without bail, the girls complied.

"We were very scared and confused because we didn't know what would happen to us," Miss Low said.

COULDN'T COMMUNICATE

"There was no one we could properly communicate with to express how we felt."

She said the security guard handling the case was light-hearted and casual about the incident.

"Throughout the whole process, we were actually very solemn and tense, so the security guard tried to lighten the mood, where we were captured smiling," said Miss Low.

"We also spoke to the security guard and the shop attendant's friend in broken Mandarin, and asked them to translate our apologies to the attendant, but she would have none of it."

They were then told by the guard to pay 5,000 baht (S$190) to buy the entire stock of nine identical pieces of the spaghetti-strap top they stole, and cover the attendant's transport costs which she claimed to be 1,000 baht.

But the girls had less than 4,000 baht on them, and had to ask their friends to come over from MBK to help with the remaining amount.

"It was only after we settled everything and agreed to close the case that we decided to take pictures with the clothes," said Miss Low.

"On hindsight, it was completely wrong of us to make light of the situation."

The parties involved also agreed to close the case, and keep their personal details confidential, Miss Low said.

But the next day, Facebook user Auk Thanima posted details of the girls on her account.

When Miss Low and her friend discovered they had been publicly shamed, they broke down and cried.

She said: "We spent the next few days feeling so ashamed of what we did.

"I sincerely apologise for the incident, and I've learnt my lesson. I will work to be a better person in future, and will never do such a thing again."

Shop owner: We told them it wasn't fun and games

They were caught on closed circuit television (CCTV) stealing two pieces of clothing from an unattended shop in a Bangkok shopping centre.

The two girls, who had left the Platinum Fashion Mall by the time the theft was discovered, were later apprehended at another mall.

A shop owner at Platinum, who wanted to be known only as Mr Thom, 48, told The New Paper yesterday how the two Singaporean teenagers were tracked down.

Speaking in Thai, he said he was alerted to the theft from a shop called My Faiday after its attendant returned from the toilet.

Since the girls had left, they took pictures of the footage and sent them to various group chats on instant messaging app Line.

The groups included about 1,000 shop owners in Bangkok's shopping malls, including Platinum and Mahboonkrong (MBK).

Soon after, shop owners at MBK, about 1.9km from Platinum, told the group the girls had been spotted there.

POLICE

Security at MBK caught the 18-year-olds, who were with two Singaporean men and called the police.

Mr Thom, who had gone to MBK with the My Faiday sales attendant, said: "They denied stealing until we searched through their bags and found the items. Then they confessed."

After they agreed to settle the case without being arrested by the police, the Singaporeans were taken back to Platinum.

"They are young. We didn't want to create trouble for them," said Mr Thom.

Back at Platinum, they and other shop owners discussed compensation with the girls.

But what struck them as odd was how the culprits were smiling throughout, even while their "mugshots" were being taken to be posted on a "wall of shame" featuring shoplifters banned from the mall.

"They looked like they were just having fun, happily taking photos all the way."

Mr Thom added: "We told them that it was a serious matter and it wasn't fun and games."

He said they did not show any remorse.

"No sorry, no sadness. Until today, they haven't said sorry to us, (not even) on social media."

They finally agreed that the girls pay 5,000 baht (S$190) for the entire stock of spaghetti-strap tops they had stolen.

Mr Thom said it was common for shopkeepers to negotiate such deals with shoplifters. If they could not pay, then the police would be called in.

The shopkeepers later decided to post pictures of the shoplifters on Facebook "to inform Singaporeans" of the incident.

Mr Thom said: "We decided that Auk (Ms Auk Thanima), one of the administrators of the Line group who was present throughout the incident, should be the one to post the pictures on Facebook.

"Singaporeans are very nice in the eyes of the Thai people. They should be informed of what happened."

Though her post has since been taken down by Facebook, another Facebook group, Wake Up Singapore, has posted screen shots of it. Several news media, including Channel 8 News and citizen journalism website Stomp, have reported the incident.

The co-owner of My Faiday, who wanted to be known only as Mr Taey, 34, who was not present during the incident, said shoplifting cases were common in the mall.

About 10 to 20 of "banned" posters are on the notice board at any one time.

Under Thai law, shoplifters face up to three years' jail or a fine of 6,000 baht.

This article was first published on June 21, 2016.
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All full-time and operationally ready national servicemen will get life and personal accident insurance coverage by the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) from July 1.

This will apply to servicemen in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Police Force (SPF) and Singapore Civil Defence Force, and is an added benefit over and above existing welfare and compensation frameworks, said a joint statement from Mindef and MHA on Tuesday (June 21).

The initiative is one of 30 recommendations by the Committee to Strengthen National Service to better recognise the contributions of national servicemen.

Mindef and MHA said it will provide $150,000 group term life and $150,000 group personal accident insurance coverage during the servicemen's full-time national service duties and their reservist duties.

The same coverage will be extended to regulars in Mindef/SAF (Military and Defence Executive Officers) and the Home Team (Uniformed Officers) during their period of employment.

National Service (NS) volunteers, as well as volunteers from the SAF Volunteer Corps, SPF voluntary Special Constabulary and Civil Defence Auxiliary Unit will receive similar insurance coverage during their office duties, said the statement.

These personnel can also buy additional coverage for themselves and their dependents under the Voluntary Scheme.

The Voluntary Scheme will be made available from July 1 for MHA personnel and from Oct 1 for Mindef personnel.

The statement added that Mindef and MHA will work with the appointed insurance company, Aviva Ltd, to conduct briefings and roadshows for NSmen, regulars and volunteers.

sujint@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - Singapore has delayed a decision on a US$1 billion (S$1.34 billion) helicopter purchase after the crash in April of a civilian Airbus Super Puma whose military version was the frontrunner to clinch the order, sources familiar with the matter said.

The city-state, a highly sought-after customer for military contractors, had sought to replace 32 ageing Super Pumas but the move has now been put on ice until there is clarity over the fallout from the April 29 crash which killed 13 oil workers and crew off the coast of Norway, they added.

The delay comes as the helicopters subsidiary of Airbus Group, called Airbus Helicopters, wrestles with the latest in a series of setbacks to the H225 Super Puma, a workhorse of the offshore oil industry and widely used across the world for search and rescue and heavy military airlift operations.

Singapore's procurement, pitting Airbus Helicopters against Italian firm Leonardo Finmeccanica, marks the first major test of confidence in the military version of the aircraft since April's crash, which led to the worldwide grounding of the civilian version.

A fresh tender is not on the cards, said the sources, who did not want to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. They could not say when a decision will be made.

Singapore has not so far announced any grounding of its military Super Pumas. Several other countries, including France and Brazil, continue to fly their Super Pumas.

Singapore's defence ministry did not provide an immediate response to a request for comment on the tender and its Super Puma operations.

"We cannot comment on discussions we may or may not be having with Singapore," an Airbus Helicopters spokesman said in an email Safety is the company's "chief priority" and it is working with investigators to identify the "root cause" of the Norwegian crash, he added.

It is also "providing support to customers who are flying mission-critical operations" with the Super Puma family of helicopters, he added.

Singapore has Southeast Asia's largest defence budget - even in the context of increased spending across the region as China becomes more assertive in the South China Sea. Modern military technology is key for Singapore, which needs to compensate for a small size and population.

The island has long sought to replace its Super Pumas, which have an average age of 27 years, and a decision was expected in the first half of 2016 after an 18-month-long evaluation.

While the Leonardo-Finmeccanica AW101 was also shortlisted, sources said that the Airbus H225M was the frontrunner.

The Norwegian crash happened after the main rotor blades separated from the aircraft. Norwegian investigators said on June 2 that they had found metallurgical evidence that was"strongly consistent with fatigue" in a part of the gearbox.

The next day, the European Aviation Safety Authority (EASA) grounded all civil Super Pumas. This decision, however, does not apply to military fleets.

When an Indonesian maid became suddenly struck with a rare disease, her Singaporean employer's family turned to the online community to seek help to cover the costs of her medical expenses and her flight back home.

The employer's daughter started a page on crowdfunding website Give Asia on Monday (June 20) explaining that the 31-year-old maid, only known as Titin, had worked for them for the past 12 years.

Their troubles began when Titin was admitted to Tan Tock Seng Hospital on June 10 with swollen eyes and a high fever.

Days later, her condition worsened and her throat, mouth, and lips became covered in ulcers.

According to the page which was started by a Jobina Tan, Titin has been spitting out blood and is unable to speak.

Skin has also been peeling from different parts of her body.

Ms Tan wrote: "Doctors are not able to diagnose the cause of her condition and only suspect it to be a rare disease of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome or Toxic Epidermal Nerolysis.

"She is currently in a very critical condition and as you are reading this now, her condition is worsening."

As of Tuesday (June 21) evening, 78 donors have donated more than $7,800 through the website.

Ms Tan claims that doctors have advised them to send Titin back to Indonesia, a request the maid has also made.

Speaking to Chinese evening newspaper Lianhe Wanbao, Titin's employer who is only known as Madam Fang said she would like to thank netizens for their generosity and willingness to help a stranger.

Madam Fang said: "Her condition is currently unstable. We don't know how much medications will cost altogether.

"But because funds were raised by netizens, we will leave it up to her (Titin) to decide how she wants to spend it."

Madam Fang said that Titin's condition has improved slightly - she is able to utter a few words and her eyes are less swollen.

A number of medical specialists have also seen Titin since news broke of their plight, added the report.

sujint@sph.com.sg

When the argument is made about global power shifting from West to East, it is primarily based on Asia's remarkable economic rise, although China's steady build-up of military and naval capability is also regularly cited.

But a new authoritative study suggests that it is not just in hard but also soft power where Asia is fast making gains.

The second edition of The Soft Power 30 illustrates how Asia's appeal around the globe is expanding.

We may finally be at the tipping point when Asia starts to translate its growing economic might into soft power, and with it the global appeal that will give Asia new levers of international influence.

Using a composite index that combines objective data with international polling, The Soft Power 30 - compiled by Portland and Facebook - assesses countries based on a range of their soft power assets, including global engagement, higher education, culture, enterprise, government and even digital diplomacy metrics, which is becoming a much more critical component of soft power.

Professor Joseph Nye, who first coined the term, has called the study "the clearest picture of soft power to date".

As with the 2015 rankings, only four Asian countries made the top 30 this year.

However, three of those four, Japan, Singapore and China, have all made progress climbing up the table.

In contrast to this progress, the majority of European countries in the rankings have fallen, as the continent is gripped by challenges and divisions.

Besides the United States and Canada moving up the rankings, the real soft power momentum in 2016 seems to reside in Asia.

There is no better example of this trend than Singapore.

It was, by far, the smallest country (by territory) to place in the inaugural top 30 last year.

And the new ranking has seen Singapore improve its position further by two places to 19th, putting it above major emerging powers such as Brazil, China, Mexico, Turkey and Russia.

Breaking down the data, we see that Singapore moved one spot up to top the Enterprise category, cementing its position as the most attractive country for business.

But it's not just Singapore's economic model that accounts for its global appeal.

Singapore ranked sixth in the Digital category, underpinned by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's savvy approach to digital diplomacy through social media.

The Prime Minister has managed to engage effectively with both citizens and people around the world.

There is no reason, either, why Singapore could not do better in the future.

Writing in The Soft Power 30 report, Professor Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlights three reasons for optimism.

He says Singapore's harmonious society built from a diverse population, an economy free from corruption and the country's model of well-planned, sustainable living all make for a strong platform from which to project global influence.

Ambassador Koh is absolutely right that these are three areas where Singapore is leading by example.

Importantly, for a world in which societies are struggling increasingly with divisions, where prosperity has stalled and there is increased pressure on the environment, they are also challenges that will have a stronger resonance every year.

The way Singapore has systematically developed solutions to these challenges makes it an example for the rest of the world.

In fact, I suspect Singapore's improved showing in the 2016 index is partly a result of increasing global awareness of what the country has achieved.

Last year saw two momentous events in the country's history - the 50th anniversary as an independent nation and the passing of its founding father, Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

Both events rightly led to great displays of national cohesion, solidarity and pride.

In some ways, this was unusual as Singapore is a country that prefers to let its achievements speak for themselves.

It is not part of the national character to boast or draw attention to successes.

But there was a great deal of international attention surrounding these two moments of celebration and mourning.

It is why I believe, if the country sheds (some of) its natural modesty, there is greater scope for Singapore to further develop its soft power in the future.

Of course, Singapore must avoid the appearance of lecturing or talking down to its neighbours.

However, there is a great deal of interest in Singapore's experience and expertise in sustainable urban planning, maintaining social cohesion, economic development and good governance.

But there is more to Singapore's soft power than technical excellence.

The country's rich culture and creativity remain something of a secret in the wider world.

To much of the outside world, Singapore retains the stereotype of functional but boring.

Anyone who has ever paid a visit to Singapore knows this label to be outdated, unfair and even puzzling.

A stronger push to introduce Singaporean culture to the world would help dispel the stereotypes.

The new National Gallery is certainly an impressive asset that could be more aggressively leveraged to promote the cultural appeal of Singapore - and even the wider region.

Singapore's economic success has been the foundation of its soft power to date.

Combining this with a push to promote its dynamic cultural offering, and a more confident approach in helping others learn from its experience and success, would all help Singapore build on the soft power gains made over the last year.

This article was first published on June 22, 2016.
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Her interest in art began in secondary school, and that passion later prompted Ms Chia Ke Xin, 21, to apply for a place in the space and interior design diploma programme at Nanyang Polytechnic.

She graduated from the course last month with a near-perfect grade point average (GPA).

But the former Kranji Secondary School student might not have secured a spot in the course if not for the Direct Polytechnic Admissions (DPA) scheme.

The DPA allows polytechnics to select students based on criteria other than academic results, such as their suitability for certain courses and how they fare in an interview.

The DPA exercise is now being replaced by the Early Admissions Exercise.

Ms Chia, who took her O-level examinations in 2012, scored two B3s, one B4, one C5 and two C6s. Had she applied via the normal admissions route, her L1R4 score of 21 points - for English and four relevant subjects - would have put most of the courses out of her reach.

She said: "I can draw well and I felt that the poly route would suit me because of its hands-on learning approach. With my O-level score, it would have been difficult to get into a course of my choice via the normal route. The DPA was a safer route for me to get into a polytechnic."

During her secondary school years, she had progressed on to the Normal (Academic) stream from the Normal (Technical) stream, but had struggled with the change.

She said: "I also had difficulty in English, which affected my grades."

Encouraged by her form teacher, she applied for her desired course via the DPA four years ago.

After undergoing tests and interviews, during which she was quizzed about her interests, she was granted a place in the three-year diploma programme.

She graduated with a GPA of 3.82 out of 4. She also snagged a place to study project and facilities management at the National University of Singapore.

She said: "I think that as long as I have the right mindset... I can achieve my goals. The DPA route gave me an opportunity to enter a polytechnic and excel in something I love."

This article was first published on June 22, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Underground power substations?

Underground reservoirs?

Singapore still has many options for development despite its physical constraints, and one way is to build more infrastructure underground.

This subterranean potential is among the plans the Committee on the Future Economy (CFE) is studying to make Singapore a vibrant global city and competitive economy, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong said yesterday.

"We're always looking at how we can expand our land and space options - and we have them. We have reclamation projects, indeed the Tuas mega port will be on reclaimed land. But we can also go underground," he said.

With projects like the Jurong Rock Caverns - a liquid hydrocarbon storage 150m below ground - Singapore is only "starting to scratch the surface of the potential for underground development".

"There is a lot more that we can do beyond Jurong Rock Caverns. For instance, the utility or power substations that you see around - a lot of them can go underground. It will cost more, but also free up surface land for development."

He cited national water agency PUB's interest in building an underground reservoir as an example.

Mr Wong, who co-chairs CFE's future city sub-committee, was speaking at the annual general meeting lunch of the Singapore International Chamber of Commerce (SICC).

Building underground facilities has been in focus as the Government looks for long-term solutions to overcome land scarcity here.

In March, an underground district cooling network - which produces chilled water for air-conditioning for nearby areas - was launched at Marina Bay.

The Government also hopes to deploy more innovative technologies, such as driverless vehicles to transport goods across industrial estates, replacing the huge fleets of trucks on the roads today, he said.

"We can go beyond that to people-mover systems. In 15 to 20 years' time, I think it's very possible to have housing estates with mover systems taking people from where they live to the nearest MRT station," he said, adding that these systems can also be built underground.

Other large-scale projects are under way.

The consolidation of port facilities in Tuas will free up land to develop the Greater Southern Waterfront, a new central business district.

Another new CBD, the Jurong Lake District, is also in the pipeline.

"These plans will take several terms of government to implement. These are not five-year plans. But this is also our competitive advantage, because we can plan long term. That's the way Singapore was built for the past 50 years."

For all these initiatives, a strong public-private partnership is important, he told around 260 guests attending the lunch yesterday.

SICC, celebrating its 179th anniversary this year, will focus on being relevant to member businesses amid the structural headwinds here, chief executive Victor Mills told reporters at the lunch.

Cost pressures have certainly taken a toll, he said, adding: "Anecdotally, for every one expatriate family being posted to Singapore for work, there are between seven and 12 leaving.

"But Singapore as a brand remains highly trusted for business services. We are still a hub for finance, for contracts, for arbitration. That element of Singapore brand will always be important."

whwong@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on June 22, 2016.
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Sherry Sherqueshaa, 25, was once pushed to the ground while soliciting on the street after some disagreement with a potential client.

It may sound minor, but to her, it brought back memories of abuse stories she had heard from fellow sex workers.

"Friends told me that clients had choked them, punched them or pinned them down to the ground... I felt so vulnerable.

"When (he pushed me down) I felt that was the first step of what he could do to me," she said.

Figures from sex workers rights' group Project X revealed that the number of abused sex workers has increased over the years.

Sherry, who is now a researcher and writer with Project X, said: "Every day at about 4am or 5am, when I went back home, I would wash myself thoroughly just to cleanse myself of whatever was said to me or done to me, then sleep it off.

"Then, the next day, I would brace myself and go through this all over again just to earn a living."

3-day police raid targets Geylang alleys, entertainment outlets

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Singapore Police Force

DISRESPECT

Project X classifies abuse into a few categories, but Pearlyn (we are not revealing her real name to protect her identity), a sex worker of six months, said there is one consistent theme among all types of abuse - disrespect for sex workers.

"I think (clients) don't respect that sex work is essentially work. That's why they actually have that audacity to (abuse) us because they know that we are not going to report it to the police...

"Not as if we will be taken seriously, because no one respects us anyway," the petite 20-year-old student said with a resigned smile.

Although Sherry and Pearlyn have not had to suffer severe physical abuse, the emotional abuse can leave deep scars too, they said.

"Emotional abuse - you carry it in your subconscious," Pearlyn said.

"Clients will just disrespect you - pull your hair, call you names and degrade you, view you as an object rather than a person.

"After calling you names, they would then slap you... and then they will put up post-sex pictures online (with derogatory comments). It's very degrading. You become nothing more than a sex toy," she said.

Sherry, who is transgender, recalled how a client once called her "dirty" for her gender orientation.

"It made me wonder if I was so dirty that people couldn't accept me any more... It made me feel less worthy," she said.

There was also a fear that plagued Sherry every night as she worked the streets - something common among sex workers who conceal their identities with several names and phone numbers.

"I worried that I would get beaten up."

Sherry eventually moved on from the sex trade to work for Project X.

She hopes to help sex workers learn how to protect themselves from being abused.

But for Pearlyn, the "relatively good money" she earns from the trade as compared to a part-time F&B job outweighs the emotional toll that sex work has taken on her.

The student said that she does what she does "to resolve my financial problems".

She said: "It's tough for people to understand my motives for doing so and I hope (this job) will just be a passing phase."

'Lots of abuse goes unreported'

The number of reports of abuse among sex workers has gone up over the years, figures from non-governmental organisation (NGO) Project X show.

Last year, 72 cases were reported to the organisation, which works with about 200 sex workers here.

In comparison, there were 40 cases in 2014 and 10 in 2013.

However, only 17 of the 72 cases last year were reported to the police.

The figures were gathered from their website that allows workers to report abuse online.

The trend echoes a recent report by NGO Amnesty International that sex workers globally lack protection, even in countries with strong human rights laws.

Amnesty's senior director for law and policy Tawanda Mutasah said: "In too many places around the world, sex workers are without protection of the law, and suffering awful human rights abuses. This situation can never be justified."

MORE PROACTIVE

Project X's programme coordinator Vanessa Ho, 28, said that one reason the numbers rose here could be that there is more awareness about reporting the abuse.

She told The New Paper: "What it does mean is that we are more proactive in getting people to report to us and spreading the message that we are here to listen and to support you if you are intending to seek justice."

Ms Ho conceded the NGO only reaches out to a "sliver" of the estimated 15,000 sex workers here.

Last year, she saw about 200 of them, mostly locals and Malaysians, and she fears that a lot of abuse goes unnoticed and unreported.

Former sex worker Sherry Sherqueshaa said that verbal assaults were almost a daily affair for her.

On a WhatsApp chat group with fellow sex workers, she also read about others who were abused, or details of potential clients to stay away from.

"Commonly, what I've heard from my friends is that clients will choke them, pin them down, slap them, have rough sex and stuff like that," Sherry told The New Paper.

Part of the problem lies in the tendency for sex workers to ignore the abuse and move on so that things don't escalate, said Ms Ho.

"This is what's quite heartbreaking, in that people will say 'No lah, this is part and parcel of my life, I need to accept it'.

"No, you do not deserve any form of violence, stigma or discrimination. You deserve what everyone else deserves - dignity and respect as a human being."

On June 28, Project X will be launching an e-store to raise funds for its cause.

fjieying@sph.com.sg

Read also:

Landscape architect likely serial killer of prostitutes

Economics of prostitution in Geylang

Is Geylang losing its flavour?

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, The New Paper

This article was first published on June 22, 2016.
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