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Share a ride and pay less with UberPool

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From tomorrow, Uber users will be able to pay less if they share their commute with strangers through a new ride-sharing service.

Called UberPool, drivers will be notified if there are other commuters headed in a similar direction, and will be able to pick up as many passengers as their vehicles permit.

Passengers will be able to save up to a quarter of the fare of a conventional UberX ride, typically the firm's cheapest option, regardless of whether another passenger gets on along the way.

Fares are also displayed upfront for the service, which will be available through the existing Uber app, unlike UberX in which passengers can only view an estimate of the lowest fare before booking a trip.

A trip from Tanglin to Changi Airport, which would cost at least $20.05 using UberX, would be $15 on UberPool.

Uber Singapore general manager Warren Tseng said the new service is meant to address what he termed "look-alike" trips, with multiple passengers taking similar routes.

"We see a lot of trips going in the same direction, around the same time of day," he said.

He believes UberPool would appeal to more price-conscious Singaporeans. But "UberX is still there for people who don't want to share a ride and are willing to pay a bit more to get straight from point A to point B," said Mr Tseng.

Uber driver Richard Kang, who has been driving full-time since August last year, thinks he can earn more using UberPool as it would reduce his down-time between trips.

"I will be able to get more trips along the way," the 57-year-old said, although he admits it would take some time to learn how to maximise his earnings through the new service announced yesterday.

Singapore is the third city in South-east Asia with UberPool, after Manila on June 15, and Jakarta last month.

Uber plans to launch the service, which is available in 39 cities worldwide, in at least 10 other cities in Asia.

UberPool differs from other carpooling services such as GrabHitch and Ryde in that it is a commercial service.

It is not bound by carpooling regulations which stipulate that drivers can offer only two rides a day and payment cannot exceed the expenses incurred for carrying a passenger.

Sales executive Fiza Sulaiman used UberPool several times when she visited San Francisco last year.

She said that while she was the only fare on most of her trips, it did not inconvenience her when there were other passengers.

"Their route was on the way so there was no fuss," said Ms Fiza, 33, adding that the service was "super cheap".

National University of Singapore transport researcher Lee Der Horng believes that despite the lower fares not many will be willing to try out UberPool.

"I'm not sure that people will be flexible enough to want to detour from their usual route to pick up other passengers," he said.

azhaki@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on June 30, 2016.
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Thursday, June 30, 2016 - 16:00
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Heavenly finds in the most unlikely places

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In the dim light of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd's sacristy - the room where items used for church services are kept - Mr Jevon Liew was examining a brass crucifix and a matching pair of candlesticks.

That morning in 2013, he noticed that they bore identical French inscriptions around their bases.

Translated, the words proclaimed a significant milestone in the history of the Catholic Church in Singapore: They were gifts from France to the cathedral in 1897, the year of its official consecration.

Mr Liew, 32, who leads a group of men who help the priests during services, has since unearthed many treasures from the nooks and corners of the 169-year-old building in Queen Street.

Some, like an elaborately filigreed chalice belonging to the Right Reverend Edouard Gasnier - the first bishop of the Diocese of Malacca when it was revived in 1888 - were in use until the cathedral was closed for restoration in 2013.

Others, like the amethyst pontifical ring of Archbishop Michel Olcomendy, the first archbishop of Singapore, remained unidentified until the discovery of a 1951 Straits Times photograph that showed the late archbishop wearing the large, purple stone on his gloved hand.

"Items were found in the most unlikely of corners, waiting to be discovered," said Mr Liew, who has for several years combed the recesses of the cathedral for items worth keeping. Some were on a high shelf while a few were hidden under robes used by the priests. The service book used by Pope Saint John Paul II in 1986 was found inside a filing cabinet in a dusty storeroom.

Monsignor Philip Heng, 61, the current rector of the cathedral, feels each item has a unique story.

He said: "Historical artefacts such as these immortalise a particular period of the Church's rich heritage through the unique artistic expressions of master craftsmen."

He added that there are plans to exhibit some of the items in a new heritage gallery on the cathedral grounds.

The items will be professionally maintained so that they are preserved for posterity.

For Mr Liew, an urban planner, these treasures are a physical link to past generations of Catholics.

He said: "Imagine the thousands of people over the last 169 years who may have said a silent prayer in front of those vintage statues .

"Imagine Pope Saint John Paul II who, in 1986, flipped through the pages of his white service book which is now in our collection. We have a duty to protect and preserve these for future generations."


This article was first published on June 30, 2016.
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Thursday, June 30, 2016 - 15:55
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173-year-old time capsule unearthed at Singapore's oldest Catholic church

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A 173-year-old time capsule and granite foundation stone of the country's oldest Catholic church have been unearthed, in what experts describe as a "rare discovery".

Contractors found the hitherto missing capsule and foundation stone earlier this year while restoring the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd along Queen Street.

The time capsule - possibly the oldest one found here - comprises publications such as a prayer booklet and newspapers from 1843, as well as 24 international 18th- and 19th-century coins and tokens. A foundation stone, or cornerstone, is the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation.

Mr Ho Weng Hin of Studio Lapis, the cathedral's conservation specialist consultant, said both artefacts mark the times in which they were constructed and embody the values the community held dear.

They were buried by one of Singapore's early founding communities - French Catholic missionary priests of the church, among others.

Highlighting the significance of the find, archaeologist Lim Chen Sian said: "A church being erected in the mid-19th century was a major event for the nascent European community... Remember, it was just about 24 years since Singapore's founding."

It was also one of the largest and most monumental buildings of its time, experts said.

The church was conferred the status of a cathedral - the seat of a bishop - later in 1888. It was gazetted as a national monument in 1973.

The time capsule pit, about the size of a shoe box, was found under a column base on a series of granite steps along the cathedral's Victoria Street facade on Jan 29. It had been sealed shut by the foundation stone.

The currencies from places such as Vietnam, Britain, France, Spain, and the British East India Company drive home the point that Singapore was an important place for trade, said Mr Ho.

Mr Lim believes the multinational collection of coins was perhaps an attempt to "heal and marry the schism" which existed between the early Catholic orders of varied nationalities such as the French, Portuguese and Spanish, that were present in early Singapore.

The present-day find corroborates a June 22, 1843 news report in the Singapore Free Press, which said the church's foundation stone was laid above the pit in an early morning procession on June 18 that year.

While the Singapore Free Press report specified that the stone was laid on the front corner of the church, historians had assumed that its original frontage faced Queen Street.

Contractors had been asked to look out for the missing capsule around the site during restoration, said the cathedral's technical committee secretary Jevon Liew.

Cathedral rector, Monsignor Philip Heng, told The Straits Times the find illustrates that the Catholic community here foresaw its own longevity. "The founders realised that, one day, someone was going to be digging and would see that they had anticipated and had hope that the Catholic community would still be in existence in Singapore centuries later," he said.

Contractors chanced upon the artefacts after a pediment below the cathedral's bell tower collapsed on Sept 3 last year. Seven of the eight brick columns that held up this pediment along Victoria Street also collapsed.

While the pediment and columns will be reconstructed, Mr Ho proposed saving two of them for future display in some form on the cathedral's grounds. As workers were removing one of the two columns, they found the various artefacts scattered alongside two broken apothecary bottles in the rubble-filled pit.

The approximately A3-sized cornerstone formed part of one of the column bases. The time capsule was also reported to have comprised publications such as a prayer and ceremonies booklet from the first service at the new site, and 1843 editions of the Singapore Free Press, the Straits Messenger, the Bengal Catholic Herald and the Madras Catholic Expositor.

The publications were found in varying states of decay. According to old reports, they had been placed in vases beneath the cornerstone - likely the apothecary bottles discovered by workers.

Mr Ho believes that the newspapers could have been included to impress on future generations that the community had been civilised and cultured. He said the inclusion of the religious publications was to show the link between Singapore's Catholic community and the international one.

Monsignor Heng added that the construction of the church had been a milestone for the Catholic community.

He said the plan now is to restore the artefacts and display them in the cathedral's new heritage gallery when the institution reopens. Its official reopening has been set tentatively for next February. The $38 million restoration project, which started in November 2013, was delayed by about five months by the collapse of the columns.

Archaeologist Mr Lim, who had conducted an archaeological dig outside the priests' residence in 2013, will be studying the finds and incorporating his analysis as part of the cathedral's heritage gallery.

Monsignor Heng said there are also plans for a new commemorative stone to be inserted into the restored structure.

He said: "Like our predecessors, we too are anticipating future generations to enjoy the cathedral."

Heavenly finds in the most unlikely places

In the dim light of the Cathedral of the Good Shepherd's sacristy - the room where items used for church services are kept - Mr Jevon Liew was examining a brass crucifix and a matching pair of candlesticks.

That morning in 2013, he noticed that they bore identical French inscriptions around their bases.

Translated, the words proclaimed a significant milestone in the history of the Catholic Church in Singapore: They were gifts from France to the cathedral in 1897, the year of its official consecration.

Mr Liew, 32, who leads a group of men who help the priests during services, has since unearthed many treasures from the nooks and corners of the 169-year-old building in Queen Street.

Some, like an elaborately filigreed chalice belonging to the Right Reverend Edouard Gasnier - the first bishop of the Diocese of Malacca when it was revived in 1888 - were in use until the cathedral was closed for restoration in 2013.

Others, like the amethyst pontifical ring of Archbishop Michel Olcomendy, the first archbishop of Singapore, remained unidentified until the discovery of a 1951 Straits Times photograph that showed the late archbishop wearing the large, purple stone on his gloved hand.

"Items were found in the most unlikely of corners, waiting to be discovered," said Mr Liew, who has for several years combed the recesses of the cathedral for items worth keeping. Some were on a high shelf while a few were hidden under robes used by the priests. The service book used by Pope Saint John Paul II in 1986 was found inside a filing cabinet in a dusty storeroom.

Monsignor Philip Heng, 61, the current rector of the cathedral, feels each item has a unique story.

He said: "Historical artefacts such as these immortalise a particular period of the Church's rich heritage through the unique artistic expressions of master craftsmen."

He added that there are plans to exhibit some of the items in a new heritage gallery on the cathedral grounds.

The items will be professionally maintained so that they are preserved for posterity.

For Mr Liew, an urban planner, these treasures are a physical link to past generations of Catholics.

He said: "Imagine the thousands of people over the last 169 years who may have said a silent prayer in front of those vintage statues .

"Imagine Pope Saint John Paul II who, in 1986, flipped through the pages of his white service book which is now in our collection. We have a duty to protect and preserve these for future generations."


This article was first published on June 30, 2016.
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Thursday, June 30, 2016 - 16:18
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You can share an electric car with strangers by mid-2017

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SINGAPORE - A nationwide electric car-sharing programme is set to become part of Singapore's sharing economy when it launches here in the middle of 2017.

BlueSG is the first large-scale car sharing programme of its kind that will allow users the flexibility of picking up a car at the starting point and returning it at their destination.

This is unlike the more conventional model where users have to return the car to its original pick up location, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Economic Development Board (EDB) said.

Under the programme, 1,000 electric cars will be deployed progressively in Singapore.

The first batch of 125 electric cars and 250 charging points will be rolled out in Ang Mo Kio, Jurong East and Punggol by mid 2017.

BlueSG is a subsidiary of French conglomerate Bollore Group. It signed an agreement with the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Economic Development Board (EDB).

According to media reports, BlueSG will operate the programme for 10 years and install 2,000 charging points for electric vehicles throughout the country.

Up to 20 per cent of these will be available for public use.

When the 10 years are up, the Government will make all charging points available to the public.

"The programme will promote our car-lite and green-car vision," said Transport Minister Mr Khaw Boon Wan at the signing ceremony.

He added that 2,000 parking lots would be set aside for the programme in each HDB town, and the CBD and key industrial areas.

MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC Melvin Yong tried driving the electric car on Thursday afternoon (June 30).

He wrote on Facebook: "The electric vehicle is compact, easy to drive and very quiet - almost like driving a big-sized buggy on the road. It also does not produce tail-pipe emissions, making it more eco-friendly."

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Had my 1st experience driving an electric vehicle (EV) this afternoon. The EV is compact, easy to drive and very quiet -...

Posted by Melvin Yong 杨益财 on Thursday, 30 June 2016

debwong@sph.com.sg

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Thursday, June 30, 2016 - 17:46
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Electricity bill for 4-room HDB flats to increase by average of $6.79

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SINGAPORE - Electricity tariffs will increase by an average of 9.2 per cent or 1.59 cents per kWh for the period of July 1 to September 30, SP Services said in a press statement on Thursday (June 30).

For households, the electricity tariff will increase from 17.68 to 19.27 cents per kWh for Jul 1 to Sep 30.

The average monthly electricity bill for families living in four-room HDB flats will increase by $6.79

The increase is largely due to the cost of natural gas for electricity generation, which rose by 26.0 per cent compared to second quarter 2016, SP Services said.

debwong@sph.com.sg

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Thursday, June 30, 2016 - 19:31
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840,000 HDB households to receive GST voucher in July

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This month, about 840,000 Singaporean HDB households will receive up to $65 in the next instalment of GST Voucher - USave rebates, depending on their flat type.

The Ministry of Finance (MOF) said on Friday (July 1) that with the annual rebates, those living in 1- and 2-room HDB flats can offset about three to four months of utilities bills, and one- to two-months of utilities bills for those residing in three- and four-room units.

MOF added that households owning more than one property will not qualify for the rebates.

The U-Save GST Voucher, given out over four payments yearly, is part of the permanent GST voucher scheme designed to help lower- and middle-income local households with their living expenses.

For more information on the GST Voucher - U-Save, call SP Services at 6671 7117, or email spservices@singaporepower.com.sg or visit www.gstvoucher.gov.sg.

minlee@sph.com.sg

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New scheme to help low-wage earners save and pay debts

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A new scheme to help people on low incomes save money and pay their debts was launched by Methodist Welfare Services yesterday.

Under the Family Development Programme, which aims to help up to 700 beneficiaries a year, two dollars will be matched for every dollar that beneficiaries set aside as savings or to pay off chronic debt, capped at $200 a month.

It will also provide training in basic financial literacy skills such as budgeting, and assist with educational costs, daily living expenses and milk supplements for babies and pregnant women.

"Many of our beneficiaries are unable to plan for the future because of the distress that debt causes, and are unable to save as they are in deficit every month," said MWS group executive director Jenny Bong. "When crises such as illness or sudden unemployment occur, they sink further into debt and desolation."

The charity runs 17 centres and outreach programmes supporting more than 12,000 beneficiaries.

Eligible applicants for the new programme must live in a one- to four-room HDB flat, have a maximum household income of $650 a month and total household savings of up to $10,000.

Applicants can be assessed for eligibility at MWS' three Family Service Centres in Hougang, Yishun and Tampines.

The programme was launched by Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin at MWS' 35th anniversary dinner at the Shangri-La Hotel yesterday.


This article was first published on Jul 01, 2016.
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Drones could be used to monitor reservoir pollution or detect illegal fishing

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A drone could, in the future, be used by national water agency PUB to monitor reservoirs.

A trial of the drone started in April this year at the Marina Reservoir and PUB is now exploring if it can be used to help monitor pollution or look out for cases of illegal fishing, for example.

Separately, discussions are ongoing with potential partners to develop a drone to be used in the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System - which can go to depths of 50m.

The system consists of a network of sewers which carry used water by gravity to centralised water reclamation plants.

The drone was among five technologies unveiled at the Marina Barrage yesterday ahead of the Singapore International Water Week taking place from July 10 to 14. The others are a robotic swan that "swims" in the water to monitor water quality, automated meter reading systems to track water consumption, sensors and image analytics.

The technologies are at different stages of implementation, and will help improve water surveillance and save manpower costs, among other benefits.

PUB is getting approvals to use the drone to monitor reservoirs, said Mr Tan Nguan Sen, PUB's chief sustainability officer. He added that the drone could help to quickly detect discharges into the water and trace the source of such discharges.

He said: "When someone discharges something into a canal or river, it will eventually find its way into the reservoir." It is hard to trace the discharge to its source from the ground.

To monitor water quality, PUB has developed a robotic swan together with the National University of Singapore Environmental Research Institute and the Tropical Marine Science Institute.

Designed to look like a life-sized swan, it can measure parameters such as chlorophyll and turbidity. The pilot to test out the swans in Marina and Pandan reservoirs ended last month, and PUB hopes to roll them out in the next few years.

One technology already in use is the silt imagery detection system. It monitors silty discharge such as clay and sand.

It sends out real-time alerts when it detects irregularities or when CCTV cameras are not working.

The system has been used to monitor 250 construction sites islandwide.

By next year, 800 sites are expected to adopt it, resulting in about 100,000 man-hour savings a year for contractors.

Since 2002, PUB has worked on 467 research and development projects worth $323 million.

The technologies will be showcased at the Smart Water Solutions Pavilion from July 11 to 13 during Singapore International Water Week.

Using smart technologies to improve planning and operations in water management will be a key focus at this year's event, said its managing director Bernard Tan.


This article was first published on July 1, 2016.
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White House state dinner for PM Lee 'signals close ties'

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The state dinner that US President Barack Obama will host for Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in August is a clear signal to Singapore and the world of the friendship and respect between both countries, said US Ambassador to Singapore Kirk Wagar yesterday. Singapore is one of the United States' strongest partners in the region, and is its platform to engage Asia, he added.

Mr Wagar made these remarks at a celebration held at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre to mark the 240th anniversary of US Independence Day, which falls on July 4. The occasion also marked 50 years of diplomatic relations between Singapore and the US.

Citing PM Lee's two visits to the US this year, and trips made by top government leaders of both sides, Mr Wagar said they demonstrate the close working partnership between the two countries.

"But a state dinner shows something else," he said of the White House dinner on August 2.

The last official visit to the US by a Singapore prime minister was by the late Mr Lee Kuan Yew in 1985.

The strategic relationship between Singapore and US is founded on robust military-to-military cooperation, said Mr Wagar.

"America's network of alliances and security partnerships has been the bedrock of South-east Asia's peace and security and prosperity. Singapore is our strong partner in this network," he said. Despite the "heightened rhetoric", he said the US belief that all men and women are created equal has not changed.

"Certainly not because of one hateful act in Orlando, or one election campaign," said Mr Wagar, referring to a Florida club shooting that killed 49 people, and the controversial remarks about Muslims and Mexicans made by Mr Donald Trump, who is set to be the Republican nominee for the US presidential election.

One highlight of the celebration was when Ms Rohini Prabhaka, a 16-year-old student of Singapore American School, sang an a capella version of Majulah Singapura and Star-Spangled Banner, to loud applause from the 2,000 guests.

Minister for Trade and Industry (Trade) Lim Hng Kiang said Singapore has always valued America's unique role in maintaining peace and stability in the region.

It was the reason Singapore signed agreements in 1990 and 2005 that facilitated the continued military presence of the US in the region, and deepened their security cooperation, he said. These pacts were updated last year with the signing of the Enhanced Defence Cooperation Agreement to include partnership in new areas, such as humanitarian aid and cybersecurity.

Turning to economic cooperation, he said their free trade pact is an anchor for these ties.

He also said the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, involving 12 nations, including Singapore and the US, would further boost cooperation and signal US commitment to and confidence in the region.

"It will anchor the United States in the region, and allow it to continue playing a key role in Singapore's growth story," he said.


This article was first published on Jul 01, 2016.
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AVA confirms no compromise to 'panda' chow chows' health

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SINGAPORE - The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) of Singapore has concluded the investigation into the welfare of three chows chows which were dyed to look like pandas.

In February this year, the chow chows had caused a stir online since they were spotted around town with their owner Meng Jiang.

While some found the "panda" chow chows cute, others were concerned if they being subjected to stress and cruelty.

On Feb 4, The Straits Times reported that AVA is looking into the case"to ensure that animal welfare is not compromised".

AVA has since concluded investigation on the case, AsiaOne understands. An AVA spokesman told AsiaOne: "There was no compromise to the dogs' health and welfare."

"In general, the use of safe, non-toxic food dyes is unlikely to cause any harm to the dogs," the spokesman said in a statement on July 1.

"Nevertheless, as the dogs are exposed to dog hair dye for prolonged periods, we reminded the Chow Chows' owner to monitor the health of her pets and provide prompt veterinary attention when needed."

The chow chows are naturally white, and the black areas on them are dyed, but Ms Jiang, 27, claims the dye used is "100 per cent organic and a natural colorant".

According to Ms Jiang, "the product we use is readily available off the shelf in Singapore and can be bought in Singapore at dog grooming salons."

She also told The Straits Times in an earlier report that her dogs were dyed by a qualified groomer with more than 10 years of experience, and that sensitive areas such as around the eyes, were "treated with meticulous care".

To keep the dye in place, the process reportedly has to be repeated every six months.

The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) earlier weighed in on the issue, saying that they are strongly against the practice of dyeing animals' fur.

"SPCA is strongly against such a practice and would advise pet owners to refrain from altering their pet's appearance in this way, because it is unnatural and unnecessary. There are also potential side effects with no benefits to the animals - it can be physically harmful and subject the animal to stress in the process. Animals have natural coats and should be appreciated for what they are, rather than trying to alter them artificially. We are unaware of any law existing prohibiting the dyeing of pet's fur."

Ms Jiang runs the website pandachowchows.com, which offers photoshoots with her pets, named Tu Dou, Yu Mi and Dou Dou.

maryanns@sph.com.sg

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Friday, July 1, 2016 - 12:25
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Worker, 30, dies in accident at Marina South construction site

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SINGAPORE - A 30-year-old man has died after a piece of equipment dislodged and fell into the shaft he was working in, The Straits Times reported.

According to the report, the incident happened at a construction site in Marina South on Thursday (June 30).

It is believed that the the worker is Malaysian, and was working at the bottom of a shaft on Thursday afternoon when the equipment hoisted by a crane dislodged and fell.

A stop-work order has been issued by the Ministry of Manpower.

The Straits Times reported that the construction project's developer is the PUB, while its main contractor is Transbuild Engineering.

ljessica@sph.com.sg

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Friday, July 1, 2016 - 16:34
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More affordable products at new FairPrice store

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SINGAPORE - NTUC FairPrice has launched a new retail format, FairPrice Shop, which will stock more affordable products for budget-conscious shoppers.

According to a statement from the supermarket chain, the outlets will feature a smaller range of products but which offer greater value, and will be located primarily within mature estates with low-income families.

Products stocked will include a new housebrand line called 'Value Fresh' that will be exclusive to FairPrice Shop.

The range of 30 products comprising fresh vegetables are priced five to 10 per cent lower than FairPrice's existing range of housebrand produce, 'Pasar'.

There will also be items marked as Every Day Low Price (EDLP) and the Yellow Dot lowest priced products.

The first two FairPrice Shops are currently located at Eunos and Circuit Road. FairPrice targets to open four more FairPrice Shops by the end of this year.

Mr Seah Kian Peng, CEO of NTUC FairPrice, said: "These stores will provide even greater value for daily essentials and will be conveniently located in districts where there is a higher concentration of low-income families residing.

"This new format will complement our overall efforts to moderate the cost of living while also remaining relevant to the evolving needs of customers from all walks of life."

candicec@sph.com.sg

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Friday, July 1, 2016 - 16:51
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Get expert help in job hunt at STJobs Career & Development Fair 2016

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SINGAPORE - Job seekers can gain professional career advice and meet potential employers at the STJobs Career & Development Fair 2016 from July 2-3, 10am - 6pm, at Marina Bay Sands Hall D & E.

The fair, held for the fifth consecutive year, hosts more than 100 booths spanning various industries offering recruitment or training opportunities and programmes to visitors, including AIA, Great Eastern, Grab, Marina Bay Sands and SBS Transit.

It will also feature five zones with a suite of free activities specially designed to prepare job seekers in meeting potential employers and building up their careers.

Job seekers can visit a resume and visume (video resume) clinic for one-on-one professional consultations to improve their CVs, or draft a one-minute pitch which they can use to record a visume.

Attendees can also sign up for a professional career consultation session with career coaches from e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) to help with career-forward planning, making for a wholesome job hunting experience.

The July edition of the U Future Leaders Summit 2016, jointly organised by NTUC and SPH, will also be held in conjunction with the fair with the theme "Future-Ready Careers amid Global Transformation". Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and NTUC Secretary-General, Chan Chun Sing, will also be holding a closed dialogue session with participants. 

Attendees of STJobs career fair can also look forward to hearing from key industry thought leaders as they share about future market trends that will help job seekers and working professionals prepare for what lies ahead.

The summit is open to Singaporeans and permanent residents only. Members of the public can register for the two-day summit for $100 while NTUC members can register for $60.

Singaporeans and PRs may attend the fair on both days while foreigners with valid work passes or student passes from local institutions are invited for admission on July 3 only.

Admission to the fair is free. For more information, visit http://careerfair.stjobs.sg/fair2016/.

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Ex-China tour guide claims trial to charges that he stole $1.1m from widow

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SINGAPORE - Former China tour guide Yang Yin, who is in a tussle for a widow's $40 million assets and facing 349 criminal charges, has claimed trial to the two most serious charges - that of siphoning $1.1 million from the widow.

The two charges for criminal breach of trust said that Yang misappropriated $500,000 and $600,000 from Madam Chung Khin Chun, 89. He had claimed previously that the monies were used to buy paintings for her.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Sanjiv Vaswani said in court today (July 1) that the prosecution is challenging the authenticity and value of the paintings, Channel NewsAsia reported.

For criminal breach of trust, Yang faces up to seven years' jail or a fine, or both.

Yang was convicted in May of 120 charges, including those of falsifying receipts and company accounts, and duping the authorities into granting him permanent residency here.

Yang has been in remand since October 2014, after he was denied bail.

Yang acted as Madam Chung's private guide in China during a trip in 2008. A year later, he came to Singapore and moved into Madam Chung's bungalow, claiming that she wanted him as her "grandson".

He then set up a sham company and later obtained permanent residency in Singapore. His wife and two children also moved here.

Madam Chung's niece, Madam Hedy Mok, applied to become her aunt's guardian after Madam Chung was diagnosed with dementia in 2014. After discovering that Yang already had Lasting Power of Attorney over Madam Chung's matters, Madam Mok sued Yang. She also confronted Yang's wife at the bungalow in September that year, trying to get Yang's family to leave.

sinsh@sph.com.sg

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Friday, July 1, 2016 - 17:48
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Temperatures could hit high of 35 dec C in first week of July

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SINGAPORE - Dry and warm weather are to be expected in the first week of July 2016, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA).

On certain days, the daily maximum temperature could reach a high of 35 deg C. On other days during the first two weeks of July, expect temperatures to range between 32 deg C and 34 deg C.

NEA said prevailing southwest monsoon conditions will continue in the first fortnight of July 2016, and the low level winds are expected to blow mainly from the southeast or southwest.

Thundery showers can also be expected for a few days in the first half of July, mainly in the late morning and early afternoon.

A Sumatran squall will also bring thundery showers with gusty winds over most parts of the island on one or two mornings, but rainfall is expected to be normal during the period.

candicec@sph.com.sg

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Friday, July 1, 2016 - 19:09
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2,000 to participate in mass run blind-folded

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SINGAPORE - Around 2,000 blindfolded participants are expected to run alongside visually, intellectually and physically-challenged runners in a mass 'blind run' held on July 10 .

Called 'Runninghour 2016: Run So Others Can', the two-hour event starts at 7am at East Coast Park Angsana Green, with participants choosing to run either 5km or 10km.

Linked by a tether, participants in the 'blind run' category will run in pairs, with one blind-folded and the other acting as a guide.

This will allow them to experience not just the challenges faced by visually-challenged runners, but also how important and demanding the role of a running guide is, said a statement by the organiser.

Guest-of-Honour Ms Grace Fu will also be attempting the run blind-folded, with a guide from running club Runninghour taking the lead.

candicec@sph.com.sg

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Friday, July 1, 2016 - 21:47
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Boy dashes among vehicles on Balestier Road, nearly hit by passing car

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SINGAPORE - A passing car nearly knocked down a child who was running in between vehicles on Balestier Road on Wednesday (June 29).

A video of the incident was posted on Roads.sg, a traffic community page, on Friday.

It has been watched more than 15,000 times and shared more than 350 times as of Friday evening.

The video starts off by showing a young boy running from the left of the road, cutting across the first and second lanes.

There are many cars on the road waiting for a change in traffic lights, and he is hidden by them as he runs from lane to lane.

As he dashes out from the second lane, a car on the rightmost lane almost crashes into him.

An accident is avoided only because the boy leaps to the left while the car brakes and swerves slightly to the right.

The boy then runs back to the left of the road, passing in front of the car recording the entire incident.

on Facebook

Wow! That was wayyyy too close. Parents please educate your child not to dash in between vehicles when there is traffic....

Posted by Roads.sg on Thursday, 30 June 2016

The Facebook post accompanying the video stated: "Wow! That was wayyyy too close. Parents please educate your child not to dash in between vehicles when there is traffic."

Roads.sg added: "We give credit and salute the driver of the grey car. Thanks for being very alert and avoided an accident. Keep up your good defensive driving skills."

Many readers commented on the thread, saying that the boy's behaviour was dangerous.

The same video was also uploaded on YouTube on Friday.


This article was first published on July 1, 2016.
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Saturday, July 2, 2016 - 09:25
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Engineering matters for Singapore's future, says PM Lee Hsien Loong

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SINGAPORE - Singapore has boosted its water supply through water-recycling and also increased its land area by reclaiming land, all feats accomplished by engineers.

And engineering will continue to be important for Singapore's future, as the country works towards becoming a smart nation and overcoming its lack of resources, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Institution of Engineers, Singapore.

In a speech that dwelled on the key role engineering played in the country's early years, Mr Lee also outlined the current challenges of building up talent in the field and keeping abreast of the changes in its practice.

Mr Lee said the Government started giving out scholarships for young people to study engineering so that the country could develop basic infrastructure such as transport networks and industralise its economy.

Singapore's early leaders also believed that the study of engineering developed analytical rigour, discipline and problem solving skills.

"One can argue that Singapore was built on the backs of engineers," he said.

But Mr Lee noted it has become harder to attract outstanding students to study engineering and take on engineering jobs, as many now gravitate towards the humanities, business and finance.

Engineering jobs have been among the top professional occupations with the most vacancies for the past few years.

In the past year, Mr Lee has spoken up about the need to grow Singapore's pool of engineers and to rethink the value of engineering and what it means.

Engineering has also evolved beyond its traditional areas of chemical, civil, electrical and mechanical to specialist fields like aerospace and biochemical engineering.

While Singapore has world-class capabilities in building deep sea drilling platforms, "in many other fields of engineering, even where we have developed competence, we are not at the cutting edge".

For instance, even though Singapore is a very computer-literate society, the deepest expertise is elsewhere as Silicon Valley attracts the best and brightest IT talent from all over the world, he added.

That is why schools here are promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and the public sector has introduced new career paths for engineers to retain and attract talent, Mr Lee said.

In April this year, the Government announced that the public sector will boost the salaries of its engineers and provide them with a clear road map of career advancement.

Singapore needs 1,000 more engineers each year over the next few years to keep public infrastructure projects going.

A number of awards were given out at last night's gala dinner.

Former president of Nanyang Technological University Professor Cham Tao Soon received the Lifetime Engineering Achievement Award, while Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli was made and Honorary Fellow of the Institution.


This article was first published on July 1, 2016.
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Saturday, July 2, 2016 - 14:00
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Rat falls in front of man eating lunch at food court

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He was eating at a Marina Bay Financial Centre (MBFC) foodcourt when a live rat, stuck in a glue trap, fell from the ceiling right in front of him.

"I lost my appetite immediately," Mr Kelvin Yeo, 37, told The New Paper.

The information technology manager was so upset that he took pictures and a video, and called our hotline soon after.

Mr Yeo, a regular diner who works in the vicinity, was having duck rice when the rat fell at about 12.40pm at NTUC Foodfare, on level two of MBFC Tower 3.

He said: "Many onlookers had disgusted looks on their faces, with some squealing in horror."

The rat was struggling in the glue trap on the floor, about two tiles away from him, he said.

But some of the people in the packed food court did not notice it because it had fallen on the glued side of the trap and looked like a piece of cardboard. A cleaner eventually stepped on the trap to kill the rat.

Despite the unpleasant experience, Mr Yeo said he would return, adding: "The queues for restaurants around the area are long during the lunch hour.

"It is also a hassle to walk elsewhere for lunch. I don't have much of a choice."

But Mr Yeo said that he still "worries if there's an underlying rat infestation problem".

See also: Diner claims meal disrupted by rat sighting at new Punggol mall

When contacted, a NTUC Foodfare spokesman said: "NTUC Foodfare has diligently enforced stringent pest control guidelines and measures for all our food establishments.

"Other than having our appointed pest controllers inspect and carry out proactive preventive measures fortnightly, rat traps are an effective part of our pest control strategy.

"It is unfortunate that one of the ceiling traps was dislodged and we have since reminded our pest control agency to ensure that they secure them firmly."

TNP understands that the rat traps are a part of NTUC Foodfare's routine pest control measures.

vivlmy@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on July 2, 2016.
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An univited guest dropped in at a foodcourt at Marina Bay Financial Centre during Friday lunchtime. A rat stuck to a glue trap! Read more at http://bit.ly/29gMtAL

Posted by The New Paper on Friday, 1 July 2016
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Man and Singaporean son acquitted of killing armed robber in Malaysia

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The Magistrates' Court in Negeri Sembilan has acquitted a man and his Singaporean son of causing the death of an armed robber last year, in a case that sparked a debate on self-defence.

The case involving Mr Moo Wee Keong, 29, and his Malaysian father Moo He Hong, 57, ended 16 months after they were charged with the murder of Mr Chan Boon Poh.

In March last year, the charges against the father and son were reduced to death by negligence.

Both men were granted bail.

The incident occurred in the wee hours of Feb 24 last year, during the Chinese New Year period, when the robber slashed Madam Kuek Soo Lan, 52, a Sin- gaporean and mother of the younger Moo, outside her house in Negeri Sembilan.

Her husband, who was parking their car, knocked Mr Chan to the ground with a pipe.

Father and son beat up the man before taking Madam Kuek to a nearby clinic.

Mr Chan was later found dead, reportedly tied up with rope.

But the younger Moo said he and his father had not tied the man up.

Madam Kuek had earlier told The Straits Times that police said Mr Chan had died from "chest injuries probably caused by multiple blows to the area".

The attempted robbery left Madam Kuek with slash wounds on her left arm and fingers, which required 25 stitches.

According to the defendants' lawyer Gobind Singh Deo, Magistrate Mahyun Yusof said yesterday in her ruling that she was satisfied the prosecution had failed to prove a case against the accused.

The judge acquitted and discharged both men of recklessly causing the death of the robber.

ltrinna@sph.com.sg


This article was first published on July 2, 2016.
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