Forty-three people are being investigated for being involved in a suspected goods and services tax (GST) fraud following a two-day operation by the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras).

The raids took place on Monday and Tuesday at several locations, including Tannery Lane, High Street and Kallang Pudding Road, said Iras in a statement yesterday.

The seized goods included iPhones and MacBook Air notebooks, as well as SIM cards and business records.

edXAds by Rubicon Project The alleged conspiracy involved making fraudulent claims for reimbursement of tax paid on exported goods. No details were available on the amount of money or number of bogus companies involved.

In a carousel or merry-go-round fraud, the same goods are traded around a fake supply chain within and in some instances outside Singapore. These supply chains are usually controlled by one mastermind, often the first link in the chain.

For example, Company A would import goods and sell them to Company B, charging it GST. The director of Company A would then disappear - becoming incommunicado - without transferring the GST he owes to Iras.

The goods, now "owned" by Company B, are then sold to bogus businesses which are merely buffers in the supply chain to claim a so-called input tax paid on the goods - effectively seeking a refund of the GST amount Iras never received from Company A.

Input tax is the amount that GST-registered businesses can claim from the GST they pay on their purchases.

The input tax can be offset against the GST collected from sales - output tax - and the net difference paid to Iras. If a business incurs more GST on purchases than it collects from sales, it can claim the difference in the form of a GST refund from Iras.

Iras said that in some fraud cases, no goods were actually exported and the business transactions were merely on paper, with the sole aim of claiming fraudulent GST refunds.

It added that stern enforcement actions will be taken against such traders and any intermediaries helping them.

Anyone who commits the offence of wilful intent to evade or assist any other person to evade GST faces a penalty of up to three times the amount of tax undercharged and a fine not exceeding $10,000, and/or jail of up to seven years.

Iras encouraged businesses or individuals to immediately disclose any past mistakes, saying that it "will treat such disclosures as mitigating factors when considering action to be taken".

A cash reward based on 15 per cent of the tax recovered, capped at $100,000, would be given to informants if the information or documents provided a lead to a recovery of tax that would have been lost, it added.

This article was first published on August 19, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Singaporeans believe in values of multiracialism and meritocracy and try to live them out, but racism in the population still exists.

This is according to a survey conducted  by Channel NewsAsia between June and July this year in a partnership with the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS).

The findings showed that about 30 per cent of minority race respondents said that they have felt racially discriminated against.

More than half of minority respondents agreed with statements such as "people have acted as if they are better than you", said the report.

About 2,000 Singapore citizens and permanent residents aged 21 and above were polled through a "random sampling of dwelling types". Malay and Indian respondents were oversampled to ensure sufficient representation. The results were then weighted to resemble the national population.

About 70 per cent of Chinese respondents said they were open to inviting Indians and Malays to their house for a meal.

The survey also found that more minority respondents were accepting of Chinese compared to the Chinese accepting of minority races.

The least preference was for new citizens, reported Channel NewsAsia.

Race was the reason for such differential treatment, according to two-thirds of Malay and Indian respondents.

Among the Malays who felt that they received such treatment, half said they were treated differently because of income, religion or education.

Of the Indian respondents,  62 per cent said differential treatment was due to their skin colour.

"Overall, the survey findings highlight that Singaporeans espouse the values of multiracialism and try to live out these multiracial ideals," said Dr Mathew Mathews, IPS senior research fellow who headed the survey.

He added that most Singaporeans are "self-aware and acknowledge that there is some racism in the community".

maryanns@sph.com.sg

It was a working day in Singapore on Aug 15. But that did not deter a large number of Indian nationals from congregating at the Indian High Commission's premises on Grange Road to celebrate their country's Independence Day.

As is customary, the Indian flag was hoisted by the country's high commissioner to Singapore, Mrs Vijay Thakur Singh.

After the Indian national anthem was sung, the high commissioner read out the Indian president's address to his nation made on the eve of Independence Day.

In his address, he said that India is in the process of forging new relationships based on shared values and mutual benefit with all countries.

"We have reinvigorated our historic bonds of friendship with traditional partners of Africa and Asia Pacific," he said.

"India will grow, only when all of India grows; the excluded ones have to be included in the development process."

Students from the different Indian international schools in Singapore livened up the morning with their eye-catching cultural performances.

In addition to Indian nationals, many friends of India also turned up for the Independence Day celebration.

President, PM wish India

President Tony Tan Keng Yam had written to Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, while Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had written to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to congratulate them on India's 70th Independence Day.

Both leaders noted that the countries share strong long- standing ties set to grow with more bilateral collaborations.

"As our people-to-people relations flourish, I am delighted by the excellent progress in bilateral projects and initiatives on various fronts, including trade, skills development, defence co-operation, and Smart Cities development," Dr Tan wrote in his letter to Mr Mukherjee.

"The India-Singapore Strategic Partnership, together with other bilateral agreements, will create new opportunities for collaboration and elevate the bilateral relationship to a higher level."

PM Lee said in his letter to Mr Modi that Singapore and India share a longstanding friendship "underpinned by strong historical, commercial, cultural and kinship ties", and expressed confidence that it will continue to grow.

"I look forward to meeting you again when I visit India in October to explore new avenues of co-operation," Mr Lee added.

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SINGAPORE - It's an event not to be missed where rare watches and coveted jewellery will be on display for the public to view at Ion Orchard.

At this year's Journey Through Time exhibition held at the Ion Art Gallery located at level 4, visitors can expect to lay their eyes on a rare IWC Portugieser Tourbillon Hand-Wound "Metropolitan Boutique Edition" timepiece, with only 50 pieces worldwide.

Besides watches, the 6th instalment of all glittery delights will also feature diamonds, video walls and light animation.

Products from 13 well-established brands including A. Lange & Sohne, Omega, Jaeger-Lecoultre, Chaumet and Tiffany & Co will be on display at the multimedia exhibition.

Other rare timepieces include the Portugieser Perpetual Calendar Digital Date-Month Edition "75th Anniversary", also by IWC, with only 250 pieces worldwide. The Portugieser watch family is marking its 75th anniversary this year.

A 4.55 carat fancy yellow diamond necklace surrounded by 564 round diamonds from Larry Jewelry will also be featured at the exhibition which is open to the public from Aug 18 - 28.

grongloh@sph.com.sg

Rare watches on display at ION Orchard's multimedia exhibition

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Ion Orchard

SINGAPORE - Two Singaporeans whom the government says intended to travel to Syria to fight for the Islamic State have been detained under a colonial-era law that allows suspects to be held without trial.

Singapore has been on heightened vigilance since Indonesian police arrested a group of men they believed were plotting a rocket attack on the wealthy city-state with the help of a Syrian-based Islamic State militant.

A major financial centre and the most westernised society in Southeast Asia, multi-ethnic Singapore is increasingly seen as a target for radicalised religious militants, authorities say.

Rosli bin Hamzah, a 50-year-old car washer, and Mohamed Omar bin Mahadi, a 33-year-old waste truck driver, received two-year detention orders this month, the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement.

Both had been radicalised, the ministry said, adding they were prepared to die as martyrs in Syria.

ISIS activities in Southeast Asia

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BHM, The Star/ANN, Royal Malaysian Police, Utusan Malaysia, AFP, Reuters, YouTube screengrabs

Singapore, which has not suffered a militant attack in decades, deploys extensive surveillance and is largely seen as one of the safest countries in the world.

Authorities have detained or repatriated dozens of people in the past year, most of them migrant Bangladeshi workers, for suspected links to militant fund-raising or other "terrorism-related activities".

Read also: Expect more to be seld-radicalised, warns DPM Teo

MHA press release:

Issuance of Orders of Detention and Restriction Orders against Four Self-Radicalised Singaporeans under the Internal Security Act

1. Four Singaporeans were dealt with under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in Aug 2016 for their involvement in terrorism-related activities. Two were issued with Orders of Detention (OD) while the other two were issued with Restriction Orders (RO)[1].

Order of Detention Issued against Rosli bin Hamzah

2. Rosli bin Hamzah (Rosli; Singaporean; aged 50), a car washer, was issued with an OD for a period of two years in Aug 2016. In Jul 2016, he was stopped for investigation when he returned from Batam, Indonesia after visiting his Indonesian wife and children there, and was subsequently arrested under the ISA. Rosli started listening to a Batam-based religious radio station, Radio Hang[2], in 2009, and in Aug/Sep 2014, he was introduced to radical materials promoting the terrorist group that calls itself the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) through social media contacts who shared his religious orientation. He became interested in armed jihad and ISIS and, as he perused more ISIS propaganda on the Internet, his support for ISIS grew. He eventually became convinced that ISIS militants were fighting for Islam, and that their beheading of 'enemies' was religiously permissible. Rosli was prepared to die for the ISIS cause as he thought it would bring him martyrdom status.

3. Rosli was keen to travel to Syria to fight for ISIS and looked up information on travel routes to Syria. He also actively shared radical online contents via his social media accounts, with the purpose of motivating others to support ISIS and engage in armed jihad. At the time of his arrest, he still harboured the intent to engage in armed violence in Syria.

Order of Detention Issued against Mohamed Omar bin Mahadi

4. Mohamed Omar bin Mahadi (Omar; Singaporean; aged 33) was issued with an OD for a period of two years in Aug 2016. He had been making preparations with his wife to go to Syria with their children to join ISIS. There is no evidence at this point that their children were radicalised.

5. Omar, a waste truck driver, started in 2010 to listen to the same Batam-based religious radio station that Rosli had listened to. In 2012, he encountered online materials by radical Al-Qaeda ideologue Anwar al-Awlaki (deceased) which led him to look up more radical materials online in subsequent years, including ISIS-related propaganda. By 2014, Omar was convinced that ISIS was fighting to bring glory to Islam, and that it was his religious duty to become an ISIS fighter in Syria. He was prepared to die a martyr.

8. Omar had tried to seek assistance online from militant entities regarding travel to Syria. One of them was a Syria-based Southeast Asian foreign fighter/recruiter who was later killed in combat in Syria. He also read an online ISIS manual which provided tips for those interested to venture into Syria to join ISIS.

9. In preparation for his travel to Syria to join ISIS, Omar had memorised the bai'ah (pledge of allegiance) which he intended to take to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi (al-Baghdadi). In his view, he and his wife would have to carry out any assignments ISIS had for them once he had taken the bai'ah.

Restriction Order issued against Dian Faezah binte Ismail

10. Dian Faezah binte Ismail (Dian; Singaporean; aged 34) is the wife of Mohamed Omar bin Mahadi (Omar). She was issued with a RO for a period of two years in Aug 2016.

11. Dian, a housewife, was an ISIS supporter who believed that the terrorist group's violent actions were legitimate. She had supported Omar's intention to join ISIS and take up arms in Syria, and had helped him in his plans to relocate their family in Syria. She has moderated her views and will be undergoing religious counselling.

Restriction Order Issued against Mohamad Reiney bin Noor Mohd

​12. Mohamad Reiney bin Noor Mohd (Reiney; Singaporean; aged 26), a building technician, was issued with a RO for a period of two years in Aug 2016. In 2013, Reiney decided to adopt more fundamentalist religious practices and, in his search for religious knowledge online, he encountered radical ISIS-related materials in 2014. Through his perusal of the ISIS propaganda, he subscribed to the violent ISIS cause, aspired to fight for the ISIS 'army' and was prepared to die in battle as he thought it would make him a martyr. Reiney intended to bring his family with him to Syria and had thought of starting to save money for the trip. He had also checked online for travel routes to Syria.

13. Reiney's positive views about ISIS were moderated after he read negative reports about the group. He has also set aside the intention to travel to Syria to join ISIS after he was admonished by a close relative that it was 'forbidden' for him to do so because the fighting in Syria did not concern him and he would be placing his family in harm's way. He will undergo religious counselling while on RO.

[1] A person issued with a Restriction Order (RO) must abide by several conditions and restrictions. For example, he is not permitted to change his residence or employment, or travel out of Singapore, without the prior approval of the Director ISD. The individual issued with RO also cannot issue public statements, address public meetings or print, distribute, contribute to any publication, hold office in, or be a member of any organisation, association or group without the prior approval of Director ISD.

[2] Radio Hang sometimes features speakers who preach extreme religious views.​​

SINGAPORE - The National Day Rally (NDR) will touch on the economy, Singapore's next 50 years and the elected presidency, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said in a preview video for the annual address.

"In this year's National Day Rally, I will be talking about how we prepare ourselves for the future. How can our economy prosper? How can all Singaporeans progress together?" he said in the clip posted on his Facebook page on Friday (Aug 19) evening.

"How can we strengthen our racial harmony by improving the Elected President Scheme? In short, how can we stay united in an uncertain and fast-changing world?"

Mr Lee will deliver his speech in Malay, Mandarin and English at the Institute of Technical Education on Sunday.

The annual speech is a roadmap for Singapore, and major policy changes are often announced.

A special report suggesting changes to Singapore's elected presidency was submitted to the Prime Minister on Thursday, but the Government has yet to respond to its recommendations.

Mr Lee also appealed to Singaporeans to tune in to his speech, which will be broadcast on multiple channels.

"So this Sunday, take a break from hunting Pokemon and join me as we explore our plans for the next 50 years," he quipped.

The rally will be broadcast on television and radio, and will also be streamed live on the Prime Minister's Office's YouTube channel, Mr Lee's Facebook page and government feedback unit Reach's website.

This article was first published on August 19, 2016.
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Megan Loy had first thought of studying medicine as a 16-year-old, but picked it only "by process of elimination" as she was strong in the sciences and wanted a profession that was not desk-bound.

But a brush with death and a four- month stay in hospital after she suffered severe burns in a water park blast in Taiwan last year has made her determined to be a doctor.

The good news for the 19-year- old was that she is one of 300 students admitted into the medical faculty at National University of Singapore (NUS) this year. She started her course last week.

Ms Loy, who achieved a high score of 42 out of 45 in the International Baccalaureate (IB) examinations, showed that she has the makings of a good doctor in her interviews and admission essay, said Professor Hooi Shing Chuan, vice-dean (Education) at NUS' Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.

He said she had demonstrated maturity of thought and tremendous resilience after suffering serious burns on up to 80 per cent of her body when a blaze broke out at the Colour Play Asia festival in Taipei in June last year.

What also came through was her strong wish to help people through medical training, he added.

"It was evident to the panel that this was a candidate who had the makings of a truly compassionate doctor; someone who would intuitively understand and respond empathetically to pain and suffering," he said.

Ms Loy said her brush with death and subsequent treatment at the Burns Centre in Singapore General Hospital had crystallised her ambition to become a doctor.

After nine skin grafts, she is now free of burn wounds but still has some scars and tender spots on her skin and has to wear a pressure garment to protect it.

Ms Loy, who did her IB studies at Haileybury and Imperial Service College in England, said she had previously done volunteer work in hospitals, including a stint assisting doctors to deliver babies in Tanzania.

Explosion at Taiwan water park

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AFP, Reuters, Instagram

But it was her four-month stay at SGH that gave her the chance to experience the transformation, both physical and psychological, that doctors can bring about in their patients.

"Throughout my hospital stay, I met some of the most knowledgeable and dedicated doctors. What struck me was their commitment and enthusiasm for their vocation.

"As a patient, I experienced bouts of helplessness, frustration and anxiety. But I also felt the hope and comfort that doctors can bring."

Ms Loy said she faces a "long and arduous journey" to become a doctor, but feels that the "gruelling hours" will be worth it.

"There is no greater joy than witnessing the positive change one can make in the lives of others," she said, adding that she is leaning towards specialising in burns treatment or reconstructive plastic surgery after completing medical school.

Meanwhile, NUS said it has admitted more polytechnic graduates and students from a wider range of junior colleges into its medical faculty in recent years.

Among A-level holders, it used to draw most of its students from the top five junior colleges, with only one in six from other junior colleges.

Now, one in four are from institutions such as Serangoon and Meridian junior colleges.

The faculty draws more than 2,000 applicants a year.

Most have a string of As or, in the case of polytechnic graduates, near-perfect or perfect grade point averages of 4.

This article was first published on August 20, 2016.
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Four Singaporeans, including a married couple, were dealt with under the Internal Security Act this month for being involved in terrorism-related activities.

1. MOHAMED OMAR MAHADI AND DIAN FAEZAH ISMAIL

Omar started listening to a Batam-based religious radio station, Radio Hang, in 2010.

Two years later, the 33-year-old waste truck driver found online materials by US-born Al-Qaeda leader, the late Anwar al-Awlaki. Omar started supporting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in 2014 and was prepared to die a "martyr" by becoming one of its fighters.

He was preparing to go to Syria with his wife and their children when he was caught.

To prepare for their trip to the Middle East, he memorised a pledge of allegiance which he intended to take to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

Mohamed Omar Mahadi, 33, listens to Batam-based religious radio station, Radio Hang. He feels it is his religious duty to become one of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria's (ISIS) fighters. He memorises the terrorist group's pledge of allegiance and intends to travel to Syria to join it. (Photo: The New Paper)

Omar thought he and his wife, Dian Faezah Ismail, 34, would have to carry out any assignments the terrorist group had for them once he had taken the pledge.

Omar was given a two-year Order of Detention (OD) from this month.

Dian, a fellow ISIS supporter, was given a two-year Restriction Order (RO) from this month. This means the housewife cannot move homes, change jobs or travel out of Singapore without permission from the Internal Security Department Director.

She also cannot issue public statements, address public meetings and be a member of any organisation without the director's approval.

Dian had helped Omar in his plans to relocate their family to Syria. However, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), she has moderated her views and will be undergoing religious counselling.

The MHA also said there is no evidence to show that the couple's children have been radicalised.

2. ROSLI HAMZAH

Rosli started listening to Radio Hang in 2009.

Five years later, the 50-year-old car washer was introduced to radical materials promoting ISIS through social media contacts.

The MHA said: "He eventually became convinced that ISIS militants were fighting for Islam, and that their beheading of 'enemies' was religiously permissible.

"Rosli was prepared to die for the ISIS cause as he thought it would bring him martyrdom status."

He was keen to travel to Syria to fight for the terrorist group and had looked up information on travel routes there.

ISIS activities in Southeast Asia

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

BHM, The Star/ANN, Royal Malaysian Police, Utusan Malaysia, AFP, Reuters, YouTube screengrabs

He also actively shared radical online content via his social media accounts to motivate others to support ISIS and engage in armed jihad.

Rosli was stopped last month when he returned to Singapore from Batam after visiting his wife and children on the Indonesian island.

He was later arrested under the ISA and was given a two-year OD this month.

The MHA said that, during his arrest, he still harboured the intent to take part in armed violence in Syria.

3. MOHAMAD REINEY NOOR MOHD

In 2013, Reiney decided to adopt more fundamentalist religious practices and, the following year, he found radical ISIS-related materials online.

The 26-year-old building technician later aspired to fight for the terrorist group and was prepared to die in battle. He is related to Omar and Dian by marriage.

The MHA said: "Reiney intended to bring his family with him to Syria and had thought of starting to save money for the trip. He had also checked online for travel routes to Syria."

However, he changed his mind when a close relative intervened.

The relative told Reiney that the fighting in Syria did not concern him and that he would be placing his family in harm's way.

Reiney was given a two-year RO this month and will undergo religious counselling.

Omar's wife, housewife Dian Faezah Ismail, 34, supports her husband's plans to join ISIS and take up arms in Syria. An ISIS supporter, she believes the group's violent actions are legitimate. She helps him with his plans to relocate their family to Syria. (Photo: The New Paper)

Young Muslims speak out against ISIS on social media

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YouTube screengrabs, Twitter, Video screengrabs

Other S'poreans who have been caught

1. ZULFIKAR MOHAMAD SHARIFF

Australian-based Singaporean Zulfikar, 44, was arrested last month while visiting Singapore.

He has been detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for two years.

He is accused of using online platforms to propagate and spread his radical messages, which include glorifying the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and their violent actions.

Zulfikar is also accused of exhorting Muslims to take up arms in places like the Middle East, Palestinian territories, Myanmar and the Philippines.

At least two other Singaporeans were radicalised as a result including Mohamed Saiddhin Abdullah, 33.

2. MOHAMED SAIDDHIN ABDULLAH

Saiddhin, 33, a businessman, was issued with a Restriction Order (RO) for two years from last month.

He befriended Zulfikar on Facebook and identified him as the one who had influenced him to support ISIS.

He re-posted Zulfikar's posts on ISIS and photographed himself adopting the common pose of ISIS fighters while standing in front of an ISIS flag.

Live or die? Controversial Instagram accounts ask followers to decide fate of captured ISIS fighters

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Instagram, AFP

3. FADIL ABDUL HAMID

The 27-year-old was re-detained for two years from April. He had earlier been detained under the ISA from 2010 to 2012.

Even though he initially made some progress in reintegration, he was recently influenced by radical ideology and wanted to join ISIS.

4. A RECENT MADRASAH GRADUATE

This 17-year-old boy was issued with an RO for two years from last month.

He became radicalised after viewing pro-ISIS videos online and sought out like-minded individuals on the Internet.

5. ABDUL BASHEER ABDUL KADER

Basheer, 37, was released in February on a Suspension Direction. This means he may be detained again if he does not meet the conditions of his release.

He was released after the authorities assessed that he was no longer a security threat who required preventive detention.

This article was first published on August 20, 2016.
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ISIS shows off 80 year old militant in propaganda video

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YouTube screengrabs

When Ms Eileen Lim told her family that she was dating a Malay man, two of her eight older sisters objected to it.

"They were worried he would take more than one wife. They also told me it was not easy to convert to Islam," said Ms Lim, whose parents are dead.

Today, nine years later, the stay-home mum has three girls and two boys with her husband Mirza Sutresno, 34, who is a consultant in a maid agency.

"My sisters eventually accepted our marriage, and our families get together whenever we can," said Ms Lim, 37.

Her marriage goes against the preference of most Chinese, Malays and Indians polled in a recent survey on race issues.

The majority of the 2,000 Singapore residents surveyed said they preferred someone of the same race marrying into their family.

This is despite the jump in the number of inter-ethnic marriages in Singapore. Last year, such marriages made up 21.5 per cent of all marriages, up from 14.9 per cent in 2005.

The survey commissioned by Channel NewsAsia and conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies found that 98 per cent of Chinese prefer a Singaporean Chinese marrying into their family. Their preference for a Singaporean Malay is 24 per cent and Singaporean Indian, 21 per cent.

As for Malays, 95 per cent prefer a Singaporean Malay marrying into their family, while 63 per cent accept a Singaporean Chinese and 41 per cent, a Singaporean Indian.

With the Indians, 86 per cent prefer a Singaporean Indian marrying into their family, while 50 per cent are open to a Singaporean Chinese and 30 per cent, a Singaporean Malay.

The study also surveyed people on their racial preference when it comes to personal relationships, economic activity, social interaction and provision of services.

Participants were asked who they would share their personal problems with, ask for •help to manage their business, invite home for a meal, allow to play with their children or grandchildren, and engage to tutor their children or grandchildren in mathematics.

In each and every case, the preference was for someone of the same race. But as the activity or interaction becomes less personal, the acceptability level for another race becomes stronger.

For instance, 70 per cent of Chinese are fine with their children or grandchildren playing with Singaporean Malays and Indians.

With the Malays and Indians, it is 87 per cent for Singaporean Chinese.

Even in engaging a maths tutor, 97 per cent of Chinese want a Singaporean Chinese, 51 per cent a Singaporean Malay and 57 per cent a Singaporean Indian.

With the Indians and Malays, the corresponding figures for having a Singaporean Chinese tutor are 85 per cent and 88 per cent.

And 86 per cent of Malays want a Malay tutor and 78 per cent of Indians want an Indian tutor.

National University of Singapore sociologist Paulin Straughan said the findings highlight the importance of not leaving inter-racial relationships to chance. "We have to talk about multi-culturalism.The more we know of and about each other, the less apprehension we have," she said.

As for marrying within the race, she said: "When people articulate their preference for such in-group relationships, it may not mean they have ill thoughts towards the alternative."

It could suggest knowledge gaps in people's understanding of the different ethnic groups, she added.

Mr Mirza said some of his in-laws think Malays are not hardworking. "I told myself to just do my best. People can tell," he said.

There was also some friction between Ms Lim and her mother-in-law initially, when she stumbled over some Islamic practices.

She credits YouTube as the best resource to learn about Islam.

"I learnt how to wear the tudung, how to pray and why we should pray through the videos," she said.

"But my understanding of Islam is still very basic. There is so much more to learn."

This article was first published on Aug 20, 2016.
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Singaporeans think new migrants from China are more racist compared with migrants from India and the Philippines, a survey has found.

This group of Chinese is also perceived to be more racist than the three main races of Singapore.

The findings show about 65 per cent of Singapore residents feel the Chinese migrants are at best, mildly racist. The corresponding figures for the Indian and Filipino migrants are 54 per cent and 56 per cent.

The survey on race relations, commissioned by Channel NewsAsia and the Institute of Policy Studies, had asked 2,000 Singapore residents how they perceive the racism of the new migrants from India, China and the Philippines.

The residents had to select from five options: very racist, moderately racist, mildly racist, hardly racist and not racist.

They were also asked for their perception of how racist Singaporean Chinese, Malays and Indians are.

More than half of them view Singaporean Chinese (56 per cent) and Malays (53 per cent) as being at least mildly racist.

Almost half see Singaporean Indians as being at least mildly racist.

Participants were also asked what constitutes racism.

More than 70 per cent feel if a person remarks that people of a particular race are normally dirty, lazy or money-minded, or does not hire someone because of the person's race or religion, then that person is a racist.

But only 37 per cent feel that speaking with a person of a different race in a language they are not familiar with as being racist.

National University of Singapore sociologist Paulin Straughan said that the survey "is teasing out our prejudices".

"One can only make such generalised statements about people from China when there is an information gap, and people rely on hearsay," she said.

Education and giving people the chance to interact with those from other races and nationalities are ways to counter such prejudices, she said.

"If you have friends from a particular race or nationality, you will be more careful with the way you talk about them," she said.

This article was first published on Aug 20, 2016.
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Plates of chye tow kueh (carrot cake) have been flying off the pans at Bee Bee Carrot Cake for the past two days after the stall became famous instantly when Joseph Schooling dropped by during his victory parade on Thursday morning (Aug 18).

Live streaming on news sites of the champion Olympic swimmer wolfing down his favourite black carrot cake in his neighbourhood has placed the stall and the lesser-known Marine Terrace Market and Hawker Centre in the limelight.

It was sold out in about three hours yesterday after foodies flocked to the stall, reported The Straits Times.

Carrot cakes in 2 estates: Which is better?

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Chen Jingwen

The frenzy repeated this morning (Aug 20) when AsiaOne went down to check it out. The queue starting to form even before 7am.

Customers, who had placed their orders with stallholder Quek Bee Gek had to wait for as long as an hour to get their food. Her cousin, Madam Teo Kwee Lang, and an assistant were furiously cooking at two big griddles.

Upset with the much longer wait now, some regulars decided to go for something else for breakfast.

Said one woman in her 50s: "I give up. Usually, the waiting time could be 10, 20 or 40 minutes. But one hour is too long for me. So I have decided to eat nasi lemak instead."

Another regular decided to join the queue at the other carrot cake stall called Shun Chang at the same market.

Said the housewife in her 60s: "I know it's not great but I want to eat carrot cake today. I will take it back and fry it again with more ingredients like eggs."

Pleas by impatient customers who had milled around Bee Bee stall drove Madam Quek up the wall although she tried to maintain her cool at most times. Slapping her head with both hands at one point, the near-helpless woman pleaded with them to wait for their turn.

"You have to wait two hours," she barked at about 9am.

Was Bee Bee Carrot Cake worth the wait?

No, it wasn't. Whether it was the black or white version which I waited almost an hour for, they pale in comparison to other better ones that I've tasted.

It was a carbo feast - chunky, spongy but tasty enough for passing marks - probably good enough for a big lug of a guy like Schooling who's familiar with it since he was a kid.

While I was there, I tried the carrot cake at Shun Chang too. Sadly, it was grainy and over-fried.

So to fastidious eaters who would travel farther afield than neighbourhood Pokemon hunters to satisfy their tummies, the Marine Terrace carrot cakes just don't cut it.

Two carrot cake masters at Toa Payoh Lorong 1:

Schooling fans might want to know that the food centre above the market at Block 127 in Toa Payoh Lorong 1 houses two very good carrot cake stalls. Prices are lower here, starting from $2 compared to $2.50 at Marine Terrace.

Chey Sua Carrot Cake

Run by Shirley Tay, the stall has the honour of the only carrot cake in Singapore to garner a Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition. She whips up only the white version in her own style to the hilt that I think she deserves a one Michelin star.

The soft home-made carrot cake is fried to an aromatic crisp with eggs on one side. Bold flavourings like her chilli sauce and preserved radish add to the overall taste sensation.

My wait of close to an hour was worth it, this time.

26 Carrot Cake

Named after its stall number, the family-run stall headed by a Mr Ng, who has been in the business for 40 years since the former food centre was located at street level.

The 69-year-old man inherited the art of making and frying carrot cake from his father, who was selling the dish on a pushcart when Toa Payoh was a sprawling village before it became a modern housing estate.

I bought only the black version to try so that I could compare it with Bee Bee's.

The verdict? Ng's carrot cake beats it hands down. Robust flavours like the burnt caramelised sweet sauce coating every small cube induced helping after helping.

Michelin inspectors, how about a Bib Gourmand for this one?

chenj@sph.com.sg

Crowds gather to catch glimpse of Joseph Schooling on victory parade

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

AsiaOne

The consensus is clear: Children taken for police questioning should be accompanied by an adult.

But social workers, parents and lawyers are divided on who this person should be - the parent, a school counsellor or a social worker.

The debate comes on the heels of State Coroner Marvin Bay's suggestion on Thursday that school counsellors could go with students to police stations when the latter are picked up from school, as a "reassuring presence".

He was delivering his findings for an inquiry into 14-year-old Benjamin Lim's death. The teen had jumped to his death on Jan 26, hours after he was taken alone to Ang Mo Kio Police Division for questioning over an alleged molestation.

Ms Petrine Lim, principal social worker at Fei Yue Family Service Centre, said parents should accompany their children. "I think it's definitely more reassuring and there will be less anxiety for the child to have a familiar face to look for."

Madam Jileen Tan, 53, who has a 16-year-old son, agreed. "If the parents cannot go, somebody from the family should be around to support the child. Benjamin's mother went to the school and could not find her child - if it were me, I'd have lost it," she said.

Read also: Benjamin Lim case: What's true, what's false

But lawyers caution that parents can be overprotective and inadvertently disrupt police investigations.

Criminal lawyer Sunil Sudheesan said: "I don't think it should be the parents; I think it should be independent people without vested interests in the case. Thankfully, there's already a system we can refer to." He was referring to the Appropriate Adult Scheme, launched in March last year, where a trained volunteer accompanies a person with intellectual or mental disabilities during police interviews.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The New Paper, Shin Min Daily News

Under this scheme, administered by the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore, when the police pick up a suspect with a mental or intellectual condition, they call on a pool of 200 volunteers trained in both basic police procedures and communicating with the disabled.

Within 1 1/2 hours, a volunteer will arrive and sit in for the interview, ensuring that both sides do not misunderstand each other.

Experts suggest the scheme be adapted for minors, with the appropriate adult being a school counsellor or social worker.

As counsellors are trained, they can remain objective, said Mr Alfred Tan, chief executive of the Singapore Children's Society.

They could also help explain the investigation process, giving the child a realistic perspective of the consequences. "We cannot assume every parent knows what are the appropriate steps to take or the right things to say to the child," he said.

Mr Sudheesan said the adult could sit in and take notes, while the police videotape the interview: "Then there is no way you can accuse the police of wrongdoing."

But former police officer Lim Ah Soon, 70, thought having an adult - no matter who - sit in at an interview could interfere with fact-finding. He would rather the person be outside the interview room. He said some suspects could get more daring with someone else present.

In his report, Coroner Bay said counsellors should not participate directly in the interview but can remain close by, such as along the corridors of the workstations.

They can also be a "resource" person that the child, family and police can tap and who can give real-time information on where the child is during the process.

The police and the Ministry of Education have said they will consider the coroner's suggestions in their ongoing review of the protocol.

Benjamin's case also inspired the Law Society to set up a sub-committee in February to study the matter. The Straits Times understands the 10-man sub-committee met on Thursday. "The committee is currently working on the recommendations which will be duly forwarded to the authorities," said a Law Society spokesman.

This article was first published on Aug 20, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Three students from Lasalle College of the Arts came in tops at this year's Crowbar Challenge, beating 18 other teams to come up with the best marketing campaign for news and lifestyle website AsiaOne.

Amos Chew, Larries Ng and Tiffany Tan, took home $500 in vouchers and a large bar of chocolate shaped as a crowbar on Friday night at the Crowbar Awards, which was held at the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Four students from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts came in second, while five students from Temasek Polytechnic came in third for the 24-hour Crowbar Challenge.

The challenge is a component of the annual Crowbar Awards, where participants rush against the clock to deliver the best proposal to a real-world client.

A 24-hour deadline may seem crazy to some, but to the trio - who are currently pursuing a degree in design communication and majoring in advertising - it was an opportunity to show the judges their creativity.

Chew even told AsiaOne that they didn't sleep during the challenge, which was held from July 21 to 22. 

"We just wanted to give our best, so we gave it our all," said Chew, 25.

In fact, all three students spent the night in the AsiaOne office, working hard the whole night and morning to come up with the perfect pitch and proposal.

So what was the big idea that had the judges sold? Their concept "Newsbits", which aims to provide bite-sized news to readers across multiple channels.

Ms Karen Lim, acting editor at AsiaOne said their proposal was "on point".

"The winning team had a strong concept right from the start. We were sold almost immediately. It wasn't just creative, it also addressed our brief most accurately," said Ms Lim.

Only seven teams were shortlisted to present their campaign proposals to a panel of judges from Singapore Press Holdings Digital, as well as representatives from advertising and creative firms DDB, Publicis Singapore, and Republic Studios.

Creative director from Publicis Singapore Adrian Yeap told AsiaOne that "it was very clear" when it came to choosing the winner.

He explained that he picked the winning work because it was "brave".

"Brave enough to think big and in a way that will hopefully inspire others.

"On top of that, it demonstrated a strong understanding of human behaviour which is at the core of all the strongest ideas," said the 34-year-old.

When asked how they found the challenge, 24-year-old Ng said: "In the advertising industry, you can never know what the client might want, so it was actually tough for us."

a1admin@sph.com.sg

Gently, quietly and with an aching heart, his wife tells him: You are going to be a dad again.

His response: Silence.

The only sounds are those of the nurses going about their rounds, and patients talking to their loved ones.

Whether Mr Lee Kar Choon (above), 23, heard her is something his wife still does not know as he has been unconscious for the past month.

Mr Lee, a Malaysian who works as a production supervisor in Woodlands, fell into a coma after his motorcycle was hit by a falling tree in Admiralty Road West on July 20.

He suffered multiple skull and facial fractures and was in the intensive care unit of Khoo Teck Puat Hospital for 14 days.

He was moved to a normal ward only about two weeks ago

Mr Lee and his wife, Madam Chai You Yuet, also 23, have been trying for a second child, who would be a companion for their two-year-old daughter, Katherine.

Two weeks ago, Madam Chai found out she was pregnant.

HARD TO BE HAPPY

The housewife said in Mandarin: "It is supposed to be happy news, but it is hard to be happy considering his condition. We have been discussing a second child for a while. He said it doesn't matter if it is a boy or girl, he just wanted our daughter to have a playmate."

She added softly: "I've been feeling unwell, but I thought it was just fatigue from taking care of him in the hospital.

"I told him as soon as I knew about this new life and how he has to be strong and wake up soon."

Mr Lee's accident was first reported in The New Paper last month.

His mother, Madam Yeoh Ooi Lai, 41, a housewife who lives in Ipoh, rushed to Singapore after finding out about it.

Breaking down in tears, she said in Cantonese: "Since his accident, I have been scared so many times.

"My heart, hands and legs were trembling when I hurried to the hospital. Luckily, he survived. But his life is still in danger, and he might become paralysed."

She has since prayed to countless gods and has decided to trust in her son.

"I've been talking to him every day, telling him that he cannot leave his wife and daughter behind. It is even more important now that he wakes up soon, especially since he is going to have a new child."

The family is also concerned about the medical bill, which has come up to more than $84,000.

Mr Lee's company will cover $40,000 and the family has been trying to raise funds, but without much success, said Madam Chai.

It is still unclear if they will get any compensation in Singapore.

The National Parks Board and the Singapore Land Authority said the tree is under their purview, and they are investigating the matter.

MOVE HIM TO IPOH

To save on medical fees, his family members are planning to move him to a hospital in Ipoh. However, they are unsure if he is ready to take an eight-hour ambulance ride.

The couple, who are Ipoh natives, currently rent a house in Johor Baru, and Mr Lee used to make a three-hour daily trip to work.

Mr Lee, who started with odd jobs when he was 17, had been working in Singapore for the past four years. He earned about $1,500 a month.

Madam Chai said her greatest wish is for her husband to regain consciousness.

Their daughter, who is at the hospital every day, is too young to understand her dad's situation, said Madam Chai.

"She will tell us to be quiet because her dad is sleeping," she said.

"I just want him to wake up soon. It doesn't matter if he becomes half paralysed or blind. He can always learn everything again slowly."

Who is responsible?

If a tree is under the National Parks Board's (NParks) care and not maintained properly, it may be liable when a branch hits a vehicle or property.

Otherwise, it would be considered an act of God - defined as events caused by natural forces whose effects cannot possibly be prevented by the exercise of reasonable care and foresight.

This means that NParks would not be held responsible.

Checks on fallen branches and trees showed that incidences of fallen branches were due mainly to adverse weather conditions rather than poor health or tree rot, according to the NParks' website.

As part of NParks' tree management programme, inspections are carried out along major roads or areas with high human activity at least once every 12 months.

To ensure that trees can better withstand strong winds, NParks will carry out crown reduction pruning.

Since 2003, NParks has been replacing storm-vulnerable trees, such as the Albizia trees, which are known to suffer from pest and disease problems such as root rot.

About the accident

Mr Lee Kar Choon was riding his motorcycle on his way to work at a food manufacturing factory in Woodlands Loop on July 20 when he was hit by a falling tree branch.

The Malaysian, who lived in Johor Baru, had just cleared the Woodlands Checkpoint and was five minutes from his workplace.

Police said they received a call for assistance at about 6.40am and found Mr Lee unconscious on the road.

He was taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital in a Singapore Civil Defence Force ambulance.

His brother-in-law, Mr Jonathan Poh, 27, told The Straits Times that it had been raining heavily during the mishap.

Mr Poh understands that Mr Lee was found with a tree "right next to his head" while his motorcycle lay some distance away.

This article was first published on August 20, 2016.
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These foreign workers leave their homeland with hope, but tragically, return in a coffin.

Or sometimes, as ashes in an urn.

These are the worst cases because when the remains are cremated, it usually means the bodies have been badly mutilated, according to Mr Khanthan Vithilingam, 27.

"Those are the saddest cases, when the family can't even get the body back to grieve," said the funeral director of Singapore Indian Casket Services.

This year alone, there have been 48 deaths from workplace accidents.

For many, that number is just another statistic, but Mr Khanthan is all too aware that each one is a sad tale of shattered hopes and dreams.

When a foreign worker dies in Singapore, the employer has the responsibility of sending his or her body back, bearing the cost.

They engage a casket service like that of Mr Khanthan's, which prepares the documentation and the body, and sends the body to the family for a fee of about $5,000.

He told The New Paper that such cases are heartrending, even for someone like him who deals with death on a daily basis.

"These people come here to sacrifice their lives for the well-being of their families... Then (they) die far away from their loved ones."

Mr Khanthan said he is able to send the bodies back to families in most parts of South-east Asia as he has partnered with funeral directors in several other countries.

In Chennai, India, he works with funeral director S. Ravikumar, 42, who has been in the business for 16 years.

Mr Ravikumar said that each time he delivers the body of a worker who has died overseas, "it is heartbreaking".

The tragedy, he said, is that many of the fatalities he has handled are men in their prime who were working for their children, wives and parents.

"In Indian society, parents wish to have their sons perform their last rites for them. But to have the tables turned, to see their own son's body, they just break down," he explained.

He added that there were times when he also shed tears.

Mr Ravikumar said the loss for these families is "devastating".

"The family members not only lose their source of income, but a part of themselves," he said.

Mr Khanthan handles about five cases of foreign worker deaths here each month.

He said the majority of these deaths are due to causes such as ill health.

He estimated that about five cases he sees each year are deaths from workplace accidents.

ON THE RISE

"It seems like the deaths from workplace accidents are on the rise," he said.

And the numbers show that they are.

The number of workplace deaths in the first half of this year has spiked, and the authorities have implemented stiffer penalties for safety breaches. (See report, right.)

But what really gets Mr Khanthan worked up is when the deceased are not treated with respect.

He explained: "You want to get them back to their families as soon as possible. But some employers call different casket services from morning till evening, then try to haggle for a lower price."

He recounted how one company contacted him at 10am, asking for a price quotation.

The same company then called back at 6pm, saying another casket service had quoted it a better price, and asked if Mr Khanthan could lower his.

"I was very angry, as well as saddened that arrangements had not yet been made. I told them, this is someone who has already passed on, we have to make the arrangements immediately," he said.

"Silly negotiations like that cause delays that could result in flights being missed and the repatriation being delayed for days."

Mr Khanthan said that when a worker dies, his company will try to collect the body from the mortuary as soon as possible.

"It takes about 10 hours to embalm, dress and seal the body in a coffin."

The sealing is certified by the casket service, and the certificate, as well as the deceased's passport and death certificate, is brought to the National Environment Agency (NEA).

A permit to export the body is then issued by the NEA, and this permit is brought to an embassy or consulate along with all the other documents.

It is only after the embassy or consulate issues a letter of clearance that the casket service can book a flight to take the body home. All this paperwork can take up to 3½ hours.

Because of this tedious process, Mr Khanthan now tells companies that try to haggle with him that he will make the arrangements and accept whatever amount they want to pay him.

"No matter who you are, or what kind of life you've lived, everyone deserves a dignified funeral," he said.

You want to get them back to their families as soon as possible. But some employers call different casket services... then try to haggle for a lower price.

3 workplace deaths in August

Three workers have died here just this month alone.

On Aug 8, a construction worker at a worksite in Tuas was killed by a chain that had snapped.

On Aug 14, a worker who was assisting with lifting operations on a vessel docked at Jurong Port Road was killed after a bundle of steel bars swung and slammed into him.

The New Paper understands that about 12 hours later, on the morning of Aug 15, another worker was found dead in an industrial heated food mixer that was still running. The location of the last incident is not known.

There have been at least 48 deaths from workplace accidents this year.

The deaths happened despite stiffer penalties being implemented in May.

Minister of State for Manpower Sam Tan had announced then that stop-work orders were to last at least three weeks, up from two previously.

Companies given a stop-work order or found with a workplace fatality also risk having their work pass privileges temporarily restricted.

Last month, The Straits Times quoted Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong as saying that there were "far too many" workplace accidents and deaths.

Mr Lee had said: "Every life lost is too many. And when we push for higher productivity, it cannot be at the expense of safety."

According to a report by the Ministry of Manpower's Occupational Safety and Health Division, there were 66 deaths from workplace accidents in 2015, up from 60 in 2014.

It was also previously reported that 42 people died in workplace accidents in the first half of this year, up from 29 during the same period last year.

-davidsun@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on August 20, 2016.
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Inspired by S'pore's first Olympic gold medallist Joseph Schooling, parents have been calling up swimming schools to enrol their kids for competitive swimming lessons. NG JUN SEN (ngjunsen@sph.com.sg) finds out that the kids are in for a long slog

It is 4.45am and grandmother Lye shakes sisters Genevieve and Madeline Lye, 15 and 13, from their slumber.

The girls hesitate for a minute, rub their eyes and shake off their gold-medal dreams before starting a routine they have been following for a decade now.

Yes, the Lye sisters were just four when they started working on their dream to become competitive swimmers.

While other teenagers might gripe about the early hours, both girls - competitive swimmers at Swimfast Aquatic Club - are eager to get going.

Now they say there is an extra spring in their steps, thanks to Joseph Schooling's gold medal and Olympic record swim.

Genevieve tells The New Paper on Sunday: "I am really motivated by him. A win by a Singaporean makes this feel worth it, that victory is all very possible for us."

Being a competitive swimmer is a family affair, and sporting excellence means everyone in the Lye family has to be involved and committed.

Much like Schooling's parents.

Genevieve and Madeline's grandmother is responsible for waking them up.

But even before the girls' early reveille, their mother, Madam Jennifer Lye, 41, is already preparing breakfast and loading their schoolbags in the car.

The Schooling effect: More kids enrolling for competitive swimming lessons

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The New Paper

BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL

Before school, their first stop is the pool for the morning session. They have another training session in the afternoon, after school.

The girls train in the morning only on Saturdays, and they get a break on Sunday. Mrs Lye's job includes driving the girls to their home, school and the swimming pool.

"I need to be around to support them, drive them around. You can't expect them to have this kind of schedule and take the bus," she says.

Because their daily schedule is so tight, Genevieve and Madeline eat and study in the car. Every minute counts.

At the pool, Mrs Lye unfolds her chair that she brought from home and watches the girls closely as they swim more than 5km daily.

And she is not the only parent at the pool.

Like the other parents, Mrs Lye doesn't distract herself with a book or tablet computer to help her pass the time.

She says she enjoys watching the girls swim.

"Sometimes, they ask me after the session, 'Mummy, did you see me swim so fast today?' If I didn't watch them, I wouldn't know what to say," she says.

Mrs Lye says it is not a case of parents forcing their dreams on their children, as she is not a competitive swimmer herself.

"Genevieve started swimming to help treat her asthma problem while Madeline started afterwards to follow her 'jie jie' (Mandarin for big sister)," she says.

"When Genevieve won a competition for children years ago, she wanted to start training competitively."

Crowds gather to catch glimpse of Joseph Schooling on victory parade

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

AsiaOne

HECTIC

Little did she expect that her daughter's decision would mean trading her life for a hectic daily schedule.

Their father, who works at a supermarket chain, is the sole breadwinner of the family.

Genevieve says: "Dad is always working hard and late into the night to pay for all of this."

But the sacrifices have paid off as Genevieve has broken meet records for 13- to 14-year-olds in the 800m and 1,500m freestyle events.

She is also going to Paris, Berlin and Moscow next week to represent Singapore in the Fina World Cup.

All of this with the family's own money, as they do not have any sponsor or scholarship.

Mrs Lye says: "Swimming can get really expensive. Training costs $200 a month (for each person) and that is not counting the swimming costumes, sports therapy sessions and massages."

She says she has not totalled up the amount spent so far.

There is little space in their five-room flat in Boon Lay to display all the medals and trophies too, so Mrs Lye packs them away in boxes.

Watching her mother after an exhausting day, Genevieve tells TNPS: "I know that she sacrifices a lot to send us here and there. I know it isn't easy.

"She motivates me to swim harder, and I want to do well to not disappoint her. I feel grateful and lucky that she is here."

Hundreds give Joseph Schooling triumphant homecoming at Changi Airport

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, AFP, Reuters, The New Paper, Hannah Alkaff, Lianhe Zaobao, AsiaOne

A day in their life

Genevieve, Madeline and their mother, Jennifer, follow a hectic schedule to the minute. This is how an average weekday looks like for them.

4.30am: Jennifer is the first to wake up. She prepares breakfast.

4.45am: Genevieve (above) and Madeline are woken up by their grandmother and prepare to head out.

5.15am: Jennifer drives the girls to the Anglo-Chinese School (Barker Road) swimming pool while they eat in the car.

5.30am: It's morning training for the girls while Jennifer waits for them by the poolside. Once training ends, the girls change into their school uniforms and are driven to Methodist Girls' School.

8am: Genevieve and Madeline attend school while Jennifer heads home to do housework.

2.30pm: Jennifer picks the girls up from school and drives them home. The girls spend the time studying and grab a half-hour nap if they are tired. On Mondays and Thursdays, Genevieve has piano lessons.

4.45pm: It's back to the pool for the afternoon training, which is tougher than the morning session. Again, Jennifer waits by the pool.

7.30pm: Training ends and they head back home to recuperate, eating their dinner and doing their homework in the car.

10pm: Genevieve and Madeline go to bed, unless they have to study for tests or examinations the next day.

They take a break from swimming on Sunday. The rest of the weekends are spent on tuition and piano lessons.

Joseph Schooling's 'girlfriend' is brainy and sporty

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Instagram / Joseph Schooling

The Schooling effect

While some people may obsess over Joseph Schooling's new tattoo or favourite fried carrot cake, this Olympic victory has had a far more profound effect for the swimming fraternity here.

Take 11-year-old Anlon Loh, who says Schooling has rekindled a dream.

Anlon, a competitive swimmer at Aquarian Aquatic Swim School, was with the crowd at Changi Airport on Monday to welcome the champion home.

His mother, Madam Lina Xiao, 41, says: "He got emotional and screamed when he saw Schooling. He later said that he was so happy, he couldn't control his feelings."

His attitude has also changed.

"I've never seen him this motivated, and he wants to train even harder. Kids his age tend to be lazy but meeting Schooling changed all that," she adds.

Former national swimming coach David Lim says it is important for local swimmers to see a Singaporean take the top step of the Olympic podium.

"To say that the swimmers are all very inspired now is an understatement," he tells TNPS. "Swimmers have all been told at least once in their lives that their dreams are too far-fetched and out of reach, but now Schooling's victory has opened doors for them."

The "Schooling effect" extends to swimming schools as well. Many say they have seen a sudden spike in interest.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, Reuters, AFP

MORE CALLS

Mr Lim reveals that calls to inquire about coaching services doubled over the weekend that Schooling clinched his gold medal, compared to previous weeks.

"Every weekend, we have been getting a certain number of calls, but last weekend, there was a big surge. It has never happened before," says the founder of Swimfast Aquatic Club and technical director of the Chinese Swimming Club.

On Thursday, The Straits Times reported that swimming schools here have received between 20 and 200 per cent more calls.

But while enrolment rates might increase because of Schooling's win, coaches believe that parents should also be inspired by how Schooling's parents, Colin and May, supported him over the years.

Mr Lim, who used to coach Schooling, says: "Parents here are afraid of losing out. When their children are caught out by examinations and grades, the first thing to go is sports.

"As a coach, I would really appreciate parents who do not worry about grades and allow their children to put their heart and soul into swimming."

Parents should look to Colin and May as good role models, adds Aquarian Aquatic's director Elsie Chiang.

Ms Chiang, also a former national team manager, says: "The best thing to come out of all this is parents now see that by being committed to their children's dreams, it is possible to fulfil those dreams."

This article was first published on Aug 21, 2016.
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Certification will give assurance to community that it is getting guidance from qualified religious teachers

Muslim leaders here have called for a scheme that endorses religious teachers to be made stricter, amid the spread of extremist ideology on the Internet that has led to the radicalisation of some Singaporeans.

They want all asatizah to be registered with the Asatizah Recognition Scheme (ARS), started in 2005 to help Muslim Singaporeans assess and recognise qualified religious teachers.

About 20 community and religious leaders asked for the scheme to be made mandatory yesterday at a closed-door dialogue with Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Yaacob Ibrahim and Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli, where they discussed issues such as the economy and the threat of terrorism.

Their call comes a day after the Government announced the detention this month of two Singaporeans who planned to travel to Syria to fight with terror group Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Since January last year, eight citizens have been detained under the Internal Security Act for terror activities, and five were placed on Restriction Orders.

Many of them had been radicalised through the extremist teachings of foreign preachers they came across online.

Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) chief executive Abdul Razak Maricar told reporters after the dialogue: "It will be an important assurance to the community that the young get guidance on religious matters from those who are qualified to teach the religion, particularly in the context of a multi-religious Singapore."

Agreeing, Madam Rahayu Mohamad, president of the Singapore Muslim Women's Association, said parents will also be more confident about sending their children to madrasah, or Islamic religious schools if all religious teachers are certified.

Currently, 80 per cent of asatizah here are under the ARS, which has certified 1,700 religious teachers.

Muis is working with the Asatizah Recognition Board and the Singapore Islamic scholars and religious teachers association (Pergas), which oversee the scheme, to reach out to asatizah who are not certified, including older teachers who may not have had structured religious education, and informally trained younger teachers.

The recognition board's chairman, Ustaz Ali Mohamed, said graduates of religious studies come from various schools, including overseas universities, and there was a need to ensure they have a vision of Islam that is compatible with Singapore as a secular state. "The ARS helps to ensure that our asatizah avoid being influenced by external influences that are extremist and exclusivist in nature," he added.

The two men detained this month had listened to a Batam radio station that aired programmes preaching that Muslims should keep away from those who do not share their views.

Religious leaders here have emphasised the need for religious teachers to be aware of local sensitivities.

The Muslim community is looking at setting up an Islamic college here to produce home-grown religious leaders who are grounded in Singapore's unique multiracial and multi-religious society.

The plan to expand the ARS was first announced earlier this month by Dr Yaacob, who is also Minister for Communications and Information.

Ustaz Pasuni Maulan, a senior scholar with Pergas, said a small minority of religious teachers may be unreceptive due to a lack of awareness. But he added that they will see a need to come on board when they realise they can upgrade themselves through ARS programmes.

Association of Muslim Professionals chairman Abdul Hamid Abdullah said encouraging all asatizah to be certified will "clearly signal, not just to the Muslim community, but to the rest of the communities in Singapore, that we are concerned about getting the right, credible people to teach religious teachings".

ziliang@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Aug 21, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Court notice issued, seeking to pull him into new trademark infringement lawsuit

Once, businessman Chris Au seemed part of the jet set.

The entrepreneur from Hong Kong ran trendy restaurants in prime locations here, including Marina Bay Sands (MBS) and by the Marina Bay waterfront.

He was a member of a supercar club and his restaurants were featured in high society magazines.

But in the last three years, Mr Au - a permanent resident here - and his companies have been besieged by lawsuits. His restaurants have also closed one after the other.

Records show that in the last three years, Mr Au has been sued twice by Standard Chartered Bank, and once each by UOB bank and family lawyer Wong Kai Yun.

And most recently, on Aug 12, Iconic Locations - a company where Mr Au was once director and chief executive - issued him a court notice, seeking to pull him into a trademark infringement lawsuit.

The company, now controlled by L Capital Asia - the investment arm of French luxury group LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton - runs the Ce La Vi nightclub atop MBS.

L Capital bought a majority stake in the nightclub in 2014, when it was still called Ku De Ta. A year later, the club changed its name to Ce La Vi after a Court of Appeal ruling.

Then, the court decided after a five-year legal battle that Nine Squares, the company that licensed the trademark and the use of the Ku De Ta name to Iconic Locations, did not own the trademark after all.

That belonged to a popular Bali beach club by the same name that started in 2000. The MBS club opened in 2010.

Now, Iconic Locations is being sued by the partners of Ku De Ta Bali for damages, and the profits it allegedly made from using the Ku De Ta name.

In its notice to Mr Au, Iconic Locations alleges that he had "solely or primarily caused the losses" claimed by the Bali partners.

In their third party notice served on him via Facebook and e-mail, it said Mr Au was then the company's CEO and director, and "represented the sole directing mind and will".

Mr Au had acted in breach of his duties and "solely or primarily caused the losses" alleged by the Bali partners, said the notice.

The company is seeking indemnity from Mr Au or otherwise wants him to contribute to the claims.

Iconic Locations is represented by Senior Counsel Alvin Yeo, Ms Koh Swee Yen and Ms Sim Mei Ling from WongPartnership.

In their statement of claim filed with the courts, the Bali partners also said Mr Au knew of their interest in the Ku De Ta trademark as early as 2009.

"Au schemed with (Daniel) Ellaway and another business partner, one Karl Patel, as to how to circumvent the Ku De Ta Partnership's beneficial interest in the trademark," said the statement.

Mr Ellaway was a friend of one of the founding partners of the Bali club.

Mr Au is also locked in another legal battle in Hong Kong with his former business partners over proceeds of $100 million from the sale of Ku De Ta to L Capital in 2014.

Mr Au did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

He is also tangled in a suit with Ms Wong, who is suing him for bankruptcy, after he issued her a $300,000 cheque in March which bounced.

Ms Wong claims the money was allegedly meant to reimburse her for import-related taxes she paid on Mr Au's behalf to bring a Lamborghini Aventador into the country. Mr Au's position is that Ms Wong paid that sum to co-own the car with him.

The case made headlines in June, and Mr Au has hit back at Ms Wong, claiming she has defamed him.

In his counterclaim, he points to an e-mail Ms Wong sent to members of her car club, in which she tells them about the bounced cheque and her intentions to sue, asking for information on his whereabouts.

"It is abundantly clear that the intent of the e-mail, with the disparaging comments and obvious lies, was a malicious act with clear malice to seriously injure the reputation of the defendant (Mr Au)," wrote Mr Au in his counterclaim.

He is also claiming for loss of use of the car, which was allegedly used by Ms Wong for at least six months in 2013.

But in her response filed by her lawyers from Chia Wong LLP on Aug 8 with the courts, Ms Wong denies damaging Mr Au's reputation, on the basis that banks and other creditors have taken up lawsuits against him. She goes on to list a record of legal suits.

For instance, she notes that he was sued by Standard Chartered and UOB bank for close to $400,000.

She adds that Mr Au ran two of his restaurants "to the ground" as their director.

The Spanish restaurant Catalunya, where Mr Au was CEO, is being sued by its landlord Precious Quay for $1.068 million in outstanding rent. The $5 million restaurant closed in June after it opened four years ago to much fanfare at the Fullerton Pavilion.

Company records reveal that Mr Au pulled out as a director of the restaurant in May, just before it closed.

The restaurant's suppliers and cleaning contractor have also taken up lawsuits against it. Law firm Rajah and Tann is also suing it for outstanding legal fees.

Another of Mr Au's MBS restaurants, the bistro Au Chocolat, was also sued by its landlord and suppliers. It closed in 2014.

Asked about the spate of lawsuits he is facing, Mr Au again declined to comment.

dansonc@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Aug 21, 2016.
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The New Paper features two up-and-coming swimmers who aspire to be like Joseph Schooling

sayheng@sph.com.sg

That's the spirit of Glen, 14, who holds three U-14 national marks 

On that historic morning, National Training Centre swimmer Glen Lim was a bundle of nerves before Joseph Schooling's Olympic men's 100m butterfly final in Rio.

Watching the race with his teammates at the OCBC Aquatic Centre last Saturday, the 14-year-old Raffles Institution student watched intently as the likes of Michael Phelps, Chad le Clos and Laszlo Cseh took their places at the starting blocks alongside Schooling.

"It was very intense because Joseph was swimming against the other legends," Glen recalled after his training session at the Sports Hub pool yesterday.

Exactly 50.39 seconds later, tension turned to pride for Glen as the 21-year-old Schooling made history by winning the Republic's first-ever Olympic gold medal.

While the achievement is personal, the landmark victory has also sent out a message to junior swimmers like Glen in Singapore.

That a Singaporean can do well at the highest level, but you must believe in yourself that you belong there.

"His win proved that Singaporean swimmers have the potential to win medals at the Olympics," Glen said.

"If Joseph can do it, then so can I, and everyone else."

Glen is among a clutch of talented swimmers coming through the Singapore Swimming Association's (SSA) developmental pipeline, along with the likes of Jonathan Tan, Zachary Ian Tan, and Maximillian Ang.

Glen has had a stellar year so far - he rewrote Under-14 national records in the boys' 400m, 800, and 1,500m free events earlier this year.

Along with older teammates such as Dylan Koo, Francis Fong, Hoong En Qi, Quah Jing Wen, these youngsters represent the next wave of swimmers which the SSA is developing for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and beyond.

The soft-spoken teenager is part of a 27-strong Junior Pan Pacific Championships team that left for the United States this morning.

The meet, to take place in Hawaii from Aug 24-28, is the youth version of the senior international competition that is well participated by swimming powerhouse countries such as the US, Japan and Australia.

The 2016 edition of the Junior Pan Pacs will feature top juniors such as Australia's Minna Atherton and American Reece Whitley.

Glen will compete in the 400m and 1,500m free, and the 400m individual medley. He is also in line for the relays.

The Schooling effect: More kids enrolling for competitive swimming lessons

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The New Paper

WORRIES

He said: "I am actually feeling a little scared because other people are faster than me, but I will try my best.

"My coaches have told me to swim my own race... I must believe in myself and not be afraid of other people.

"They (the top swimmers) are like us; they have been through the same thing as I will, where they swam against faster people."

Beyond the Junior Pan Pacs, Glen aims to break into the South-east Asia Games team for Kuala Lumpur next year, and is gunning for Teo Zhen Ren's national 1,500m free mark.

His personal best in the event now, the national U-14 mark, stands at 16min 36.38sec, while Teo's record stands at 15:43.08.

"I am thinking if I could break it next year or when I am 16. It would be good for me because I know I have been swimming hard," he said.

Qualifying for, and doing well at, the highest level will be his ultimate dream.

Glen said: "I would like to make it to the Olympics and qualify for the final of the 1,500m free."

Crowds gather to catch glimpse of Joseph Schooling on victory parade

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AsiaOne

She's got spirit

Despite early setbacks, Ching Hwee, 13, is on track for next year's SEA Games

msazali@sph.com.sg

She turned 13 just last month.

But even before she blew out the candles on her birthday cake, swimmer Gan Ching Hwee had already achieved a milestone in the pool.

At the National Swimming Championships in June, the Methodist Girls' School student clocked 5min 01.06sec in the 400m individual medley.

The time is just one and a half seconds off the bronze-medal winning mark (4:59.52) at last year's South-east Asia Games.

Little wonder then, that Ching Hwee, who stands at 1.62m and weighs 48kg, is being tipped for big things.

Said her coach at the Chinese Swimming Club (CSC), Eugene Chia: "She's small-sized but feisty... Like a chilli padi. She has a strong spirit.

"Right now, she has an injured shoulder so in training, I tell her to tell me if she can't take it... But she still keeps pushing herself."

What is even more remarkable is that the 400m IM is not Ching Hwee's pet event.

She prefers swimming long-distance freestyle - 400m or 800m - and swept a 200m and 400m freestyle double in the 'C' Division at the National Inter-School Swimming Championships in April.

That performance earned her a ticket to Thailand last month, to represent Singapore at the ASEAN School Games.

Despite competing against swimmers who were up to four years her senior, Ching Hwee managed to win a bronze medal in the 100m freestyle event. She also bagged another two bronzes in two relay events

But the teenager herself will tell you it is not all natural talent.

She started swimming at the CSC at four years old, but did not win any competitive race until she was 12.

She even considered stopping swimming because of her failures early on, but Chia encouraged her to keep the faith.

"Now as she slowly comes of age in secondary school, where there are longer distance events she is better in, she can see she's able to push through," said the former national assistant coach.

Ching Hwee's days revolve around swimming.

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Twitter screengrabs, Facebook screengrabs, Facebook/SGAG

DAILY ROUTINE

Twice a week, she wakes up at 5am to train in the morning, then goes to school a little later than her peers - she has permission to.

When school ends, she heads straight back home in Marine Parade, does some homework and then heads to the CSC for her daily evening training sessions.

After that, it's back home for dinner, more revision, and then sleep.

It is a testing daily routine, but one that Ching Hwee loves.

"If I didnt pick up swimming, I have no idea what else I'd do," she said, with a toothy grin.

"Swimming has allowed me to learn a few life lessons, such as success doesn't come without hard work, and you have to put in effort to see results.

"I've had some setbacks and failures in the past, like not meeting goals I had set for myself.

"But I take it as motivation to allow me to learn from my mistakes and swim faster the next time round."

Her mother, Lee Chui Leng, told TNP: "She's very disciplined. We're fortunate she takes charge of her own schoolwork and swimming.

"For example, she sets her own alarm to go to training, gets up, gets breakfast, does schoolwork... All without us having to push her. She's a very self-motivated child."

If Ching Hwee needs extra motivation in the pool, she got it last weekend.

She was among 70 young swimmers and their parents who congregated at CSC to watch Joseph Schooling power to an historic first Olympic gold medal for Singapore, in the 100m butterfly final in Rio.

Her eyes lit up when she recalled watching Schooling's feat.

"Yah, he was leading almost all the way!" she exclaimed.

"Everyone was cheering and when he touched the wall, we all just screamed... I was so proud of him and what he achieved.

"It has definitely motivated me to keep pursuing my dreams as a swimming athlete. Now, everyone in Singapore is talking about swimming."

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The Straits Times, Reuters, AFP

PROGRESS

Chia said that the club's original target for Ching Hwee was to make the cut for the 2019 SEA Games but, after she clocked promising times recently, the next biennial in Kuala Lumpur in a year's time is a possibility.

Said the coach: "For her right now, it's just a matter of progressing, from the SEA Games, to Asian Games, and the Commonwealth Games.

"She has told me she wants to go to the Olympics.

"Definitely, with what she's displaying at this age, if guided properly, she stands a good chance of making Olympic cuts in the future."

SSA to unveil 'systemic' changes

The local swimming scene is due for "systemic" changes in the next five years to ensure that Singapore can produce world-class swimmers.

These changes will address "gaps" in both the development of swimmers and coaches here, Singapore Swimming Association (SSA) vice-president (swimming) Joscelin Yeo told The New Paper earlier this week.

"We have seen gaps in terms of our long-term athlete development plan, as well as our long-term coaching plan, and they need to be addressed," said the 37-year-old former national swimmer.

"If they are not addressed, then we will lose a lot of swimmers somewhere in the middle, between learn-to-swim programmes and the high performance component; we lose a big chunk of them.

"Not everyone has the privilege of going overseas so there has to be a local solution, and I think that's something that we are hoping to provide."

NEW SET-UP

The association is set to unveil its plans soon, and also to announce the replacement for national swim coach Sergio Lopez, with his current assistant Gary Tan highly tipped for the job.

Hundreds give Joseph Schooling triumphant homecoming at Changi Airport

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The Straits Times, AFP, Reuters, The New Paper, Hannah Alkaff, Lianhe Zaobao, AsiaOne

PLANS

Earlier this year, the SSA announced that it has five-year plans for each of its five disciplines - swimming, water polo, diving, synchronised swimming and open water swimming - to become world class.

The association is also working with the National Youth Sports Institute in grooming talented young swimmers, with former Swimfast Aquatic Club coach Leonard Tan appointed the youth institute's head swim coach.

Former national swimming captain Tan said: "I am feeling excited about the pipeline of talent coming through in swimming, but we have to make sure that they progress systematically and their training is carefully monitored.

TIES

"But, while plans are important, we must also not forget to build and maintain good coach-swimmer relationships,and help them develop as people as well."

Many people and businesses have been enthusiastic about Schooling's historic feat, with full-page advertisements taken in newspapers to congratulate him, and fast food set meals named after him or his Olympic timing.

Hordes of people have also turned up over the past week in the swimmer's public performances, in an unprecedented celebration of a individual athlete in this nation.

Yeo, a four-time Olympian, hopes all these will translate into more support for the association's programmes in the coming years.

She said: "I just hope it inspires people to believe that we can have a local sportsman who can really be at the top and win.

"I hope that we have more buy in from whoever it might be to help us push forward our next phase of development and creating a system where we can deliberately and purposefully identify talent.

"We don't want to just leave it to chance."

- LIM SAY HENG

This article was first published on Aug 21, 2016.
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JAKATA - Retired Indonesian army general Suryo Prabowo was stopped and interviewed by checkpoint officers at Singapore's Changi Airport on Wednesday (Aug 17), as part of "screening procedures", said the Republic's Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

The ICA, in a statement on Saturday (Aug 20), explained that Mr Suryo was interviewed by its officers for about 30 minutes from 5.35am, and then allowed to continue on his journey.

"He was informed by ICA officers that the interview was part of the screening procedures for border security," said the agency. "As part of the immigration clearance process, travellers to Singapore may be subjected to additional interview and/or screening. These procedures are conducted at all of Singapore's checkpoints."

The Singapore authority was responding to earlier media reports that said Mr Suryo was denied entry to Singapore because he was "blacklisted".

Mr Suryo had also complained on social media that he was detained and subjected to questioning by the officers when he arrived at Changi for transit on Wednesday morning.

According to a report in Antara News on Friday, Mr Suryo was denied entry to Singapore when he was in transit at Changi en route to Fiji. The former three-star general also claimed in a Facebook post that he was "blacklisted for reasons that are not clear".

He added in the same post that if Singapore was "not friendly towards the people of Indonesia, perhaps the Indonesian government needs to review the policy of co-operation in counter-terrorism as well as other bilateral co-operation with Singapore".

According to the Antara report, Indonesian armed forces (TNI) chief General Gatot Nurmantyo had lodged a protest note with the Singapore defence attache in Jakarta over the incident.

"As TNI chief, I'm not pleased with how the Singapore Government has treated a former TNI soldier... We have also written to the Foreign Ministry to lodge a note of protest with Singapore," said the general on Friday.

Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, however, told Tempo news that Mr Suryo was not blacklisted or banned from entering Singapore, adding that he was "only delayed" at the airport.

This latest incident comes just a week before the Indonesia-Singapore leaders' retreat, which will be held next Wednesday in Semarang, Central Java.

The annual meeting this year between Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Indonesia President Joko Widodo will focus on economic collaborations.

Both leaders are also scheduled to unveil the new Kendal Industrial Park, a joint venture between Indonesia's Jababeka and Singapore's Sembcorp. The two countries will also sign a new pact to promote tourism.

This article was first published on Aug 20 , 2016.
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