SINGAPORE - The body of an elderly man was found at Jurong Lake Park this afternoon (Aug 23).

The Singapore Civil Defence Force, who were alerted to the incident at 2.10pm, said that the body was retrieved manually by officers from near the lake's banks.

The man, who is believed to be in his 70s, was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic.

Police are investigating the unnatural death.

huizhen@sph.com.sg

From my three one-on-one conversations with former president S R Nathan over the years, I learnt that he considered the presidency his weightiest responsibility, chiefly because, first, he was uncomfortable that it technically made his former boss and mentor Lee Kuan Yew subordinate to him. And second, Mr Nathan could not shake off his own humble beginnings.

In our last meeting, on June 16, he recalled his years with The Straits Times fondly, and worried about Singapore's future, given what he called increasing "anti- foreigner sentiment".

That meeting included ST's editor-at-large Han Fook Kwang and EDB Society president Lee Suan Hiang. Sadly, Mr Nathan was hospitalised just weeks later on July 8.

But on June 16, he was full of verve. He was about to turn 92 but he spoke firmly, fiercely, his eyes flashing conviction. Mr Han remarked that he was looking good.

Some are close confidants or friends. Others have seen him only from afar or on television. All were affected by his death.

Mr Nathan beamed and said later: "After my stroke, I can't walk very much. At certain times, for no rhyme or reason, I get very tired. But my memory is good, particularly of events. It is very clear on the lessons of history."

He then mused on many concerns, including increasing xenophobia here, and how discomfiting he found being president at first. He was also perturbed by how many Singaporeans, especially younger ones, embraced Western ways such that, as he put it, "we often forget ourselves".

It was crucial, he stressed, that Singaporeans treasured their own values to "balance things".

The former envoy to Malaysia and the United States then underscored the importance of humour and learning another's language to build bridges. For instance, he once wondered why a Malay colleague, who spoke no English, always had a copy of ST under his arm. The colleague responded: "Pakai ST ada stail, stail mesti ada." (To be seen with ST is to be stylish, and one must be stylish.)

What was also obvious from the June 16 chat was that his six years at The Straits Times Press (1975) Ltd - which morphed into Singapore Press Holdings - stayed with him.

"When I became executive chairman of Straits Times in 1982, all the fellows grumbled that I always found something wrong with the paper every day. I said, 'Eh, how many mistakes did I point out today?' They said, 'Two mistakes'. I said, 'Come on, lah!'

He added: "It soon became something of a source of pride whenever they could say, 'He could only find two mistakes'."

Direct but never curt, pithy but never glib, he described his experiences so vividly that yesteryear seemed like yesterday. When I mentioned that, like him, I once lived in Muar, he regaled us with historical nuggets about this Johor royal city. Were we aware that many Muarians hailed from Banjarmasin in Kalimantan? Did we know the Japanese had sunk a ship in the Muar River during World War II?

That was further proof that he never forgot his roots. At our first meeting at the Istana on April 26, 2010, Mr Nathan, a Hindu, told me that in all he did, he followed the words of his mother, Madam Abhirami Ammal, who brought him and her six other surviving children up after their father died in 1932: "One, nothing happens without His will. And two, whatever your obligation is, do it."

Words to live by.

Singapore's former president S R Nathan dies

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This article was first published on Aug 24, 2016.
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An unexploded aerial bomb found on a barge carrying a consignment of sand from Vietnam is likely to be disposed of by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) in the week ahead, sources said yesterday.

The war relic, estimated to be 2m long, was discovered on July 18 on the KNB 1, a Singapore vessel involved in land-reclamation work for a new port terminal in Tuas.

Over the last three weeks, sand around the bomb - which got stuck on the barge's conveyor belt - had to be carefully removed so that experts could access the bomb. Those involved had earlier suggested hiring a private contractor, as the bomb was found to be safe to be moved on Monday.

However, further checks by The Straits Times found that, given the size of the bomb and its classification as "sensitive ordnance", the task of removing it fell to the SAF's Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosives (CBRE) Defence Group.

Sources said the CBRE team is now waiting for ideal tidal conditions at Pulau Senang, which is an offshore island used by the SAF for live-firing exercises and the disposal of unexploded ordnance.

The bomb will be taken to the island and detonated.

The KNB 1 barge is currently anchored off Pulau Sudong, at the Sudong Explosive Anchorage, a designated site for the loading or discharging of dangerous goods.

It was moved from the Tuas reclamation site after SAF experts decided that it was safe to do so.

The sand was loaded onto the KNB 1 from another vessel in the area and was to be unloaded onto the reclamation site when the crew discovered the bomb.

An industry expert, who did not want to be named, said there are generally two ways of detonating an unexploded bomb. One is a "low order" controlled blast, where the shell of the bomb is cut open and the explosives are burnt.

The other way is a "high order" method, where explosives are attached to the bomb to blow it up.

The expert said he did not believe that the bomb had been launched from an airplane before. If it had, it would be it armed and highly explosive.

He said: "The bomb was transported all the way from Vietnam to Singapore, and likely never used. It was probably kept in storage and disposed of into the sea, where it was later dredged up, along with the sand."

This article was first published on August 24, 2016.
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By Frank Lavin for The Straits Times

Singapore and the broader international community were saddened to learn of the passing of S R Nathan, who served as Singapore's President from 1999 to 2011. Much will be written regarding his life in public service, his personal courage and his many accomplishments, but let me add three lessons from a man I had the privilege of working with over the years and was honoured to call a friend.

CREATE SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING

S R's life began with no promise, yet he shaped it into one of extraordinary promise. He had a childhood of personal turmoil, exacerbated by the tumult of World War II. The idea of grinding poverty did not fully capture his situation. "No shoes?" he once chuckled in response to a question. "The larger problem was no food."

S R's youth had only scattered moments of formal education. His household was beset with an alcoholic father, who committed suicide. S R ran away from home to escape this Dickens-like misery. His unlikely friendship with a Japanese officer during the Occupation and the slow but incessant turnaround in his life all make his memoirs worth reading.

You grow in admiration for a man of considerable equilibrium and geniality. Fate did not extend either to him, but he radiated them both in dealings with others.

Lesson: You can shape your conditions or you can allow your conditions to shape you. S R had the discipline and inner fire to shape his conditions.

Some are close confidants or friends. Others have seen him only from afar or on television. All were affected by his death.

DIGNITY IN ADVERSITY

I met S R when he was serving as Singapore Ambassador to the United States. (The success of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's recent Washington visit blurs the memory that relations can have low points as well as high points.)

S R's tenure was contemporaneous with perhaps the nadir in bilateral relations: the Michael Fay incident. Fay was the American teenager convicted of vandalism and other offences in Singapore, the result of which was if not a rupture in diplomatic relations, certainly a deep freeze. Indeed, S R told me "I am in the refrigerator".

With much diplomatic intercourse cut off, S R took his isolation with aplomb. He was never defensive or with a chip on his shoulder, but always carried himself with the pride of representing his country.

He used the time to explore the US, give talks, and develop reach outside of Washington.

Lesson: Your assignment will have down days as well as up days. You need to acquit yourself regardless.

DUTIFUL AND CHEERFUL IN DAILY TASKS

I saw a great deal of S R when I served as Ambassador to Singapore and this provided a welcome opportunity to renew our friendship. What was staggering to me was his work ethic while serving well into his 80s. This was not a "retirement job" or a "symbolic job". It was a full-time job, one he pursued with ebullience. I might attend a community event on a weekend and say hello to dignitaries. S R would arrive and go to every table in the room to chat, inquire and offer pleasantries. He did not attend events; he worked at events.

Lesson: Public officials must be accessible and energy counts.

I last saw S R at the National Library a few months ago and he greeted me with the same broad grin, one that essentially obligates the recipient to smile back. One of the great joys of life is catching up with old friends, though both of us were unaware this would be the last time we would chat. If achievement and hard work are the mark of a life well lived, S R has certainly attained a place in the top ranks.

I suspect S R is smiling at us still. And we are smiling back.

Frank Lavin was United States Ambassador to Singapore from 2001 to 2005 and is currently the chairman of Export Now, a firm that operates e-commerce stores in China for international brands.

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This article was first published on Aug 24, 2016.
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He was meeting the former president for the first time.

But all Mr Chung Chee Kit, 68, remembers was Mr S R Nathan's friendly demeanour calming his nerves when they met to discuss the painting he wanted to do of him.

"It was such a great honour and privilege (to meet him)," the maritime aficionado and self-taught artist told The New Paper.

"He was such a personable man, and even though he was the former president, the conversation turned out to be like one between two old friends as we bonded over our similar backgrounds in the shipping industry," Mr Chung added.

That was two years ago.

Although Mr Chung, a director of the IMC Group, did not tell many people about his passion for art, his opportunity to do the painting came about after one of Mr Nathan's friends, tourism industry veteran Pamelia Lee, saw one of his art pieces.

Mrs Lee, 74, told TNP over the phone yesterday that it was a painting Mr Chung had done of his retiring colleague, former Keppel Offshore & Marine chief executive officer Tong Chong Heong, as a parting gift.

"I was impressed with his work, which was why I suggested he do a painting of Mr Nathan for his birthday.

"I called Mr Nathan and asked him if it was all right for Chee Kit to do his painting, and he said yes," Mrs Lee, who is retired, added. Mr Chung said he was thrilled by Mrs Lee's proposal.

But it was his first meeting with the former president that remains indelibly etched in his mind.

They had a 30-minute chat at the Singapore General Hospital while Mr Nathan was undergoing a minor medical procedure.

Mr Chung said: "I wanted to paint him as the person that he was.

"Even though he was the president of the country, he wasn't uppity and truly was a man of the people.

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"He didn't just say things because they were politically correct. He said them because it really was who he was."

Mr Chung finished the painting in three days.

Two weeks later, he presented it to Singapore's longest serving president at his Ceylon Road home on the morning of his 90th birthday.

UNFORGETTABLE

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He said he will never forget Mr Nathan's reaction when he saw the painting.

"He jokingly asked, 'How did you know I had a suit in that colour?'"

Mrs Lee, who was with Mr Chung at the time, said: "He wasn't a man of many flowery words. I remember him smiling and nodding his head in appreciation of the painting."

Mr Chung did not stay long during the visit, but the memory is one that he will forever hold dear.

He said: "He was friendly, approachable and had no airs, and I will always remember him as that man."

This article was first published on August 24, 2016.
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The body of the late Mr Nathan will lie in state at Parliament House from 10am on Aug 25 to 12pm on Aug 26.

The public may pay their last respects at Parliament House from 10am to 8pm on Aug 25. On Friday (Aug 26), members of the diplomatic corps and other officials may pay their last respects from 9am till 12pm.

As a student at Bukit Panjang Government High School, Miss Natasha Ann Lum Mei Seem was a middling student whom some perceived as "girlish and timid".

But at Pioneer Junior College (PJC) in Choa Chu Kang, the petite 19-year-old became president of the student council after peers saw how quickly she took charge of a surprise fire drill during a camp.

She did well at the A levels, with As in geography, literature in English and mathematics and a B in economics, and went on to join the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).

Now an officer cadet (OCT) in the air force, she is one of five Singaporeans awarded the prestigious President's Scholarship this year.

She is the first PJC student to be awarded a President's Scholarship, and only the second female recipient of the SAF Scholarship - formerly known as the SAF Overseas Scholarship - who is concurrently a President's Scholar.

The officer cadet, who has gone on a field camp and route marches during Basic Military Training, hopes to pursue East Asian studies in the United States next year after Officer Cadet School (OCS).

The other President's Scholars this year are: Miss Olivia Ong Si Hui, who was from Dunman High School and will study psychology at the University of Oxford; Mr Timothy Ong Kah Yong, of Anglo-Chinese School (Independent), who will read law at the University of Cambridge; and Raffles Institution graduates, OCT Joshua Chin Zen Jie, who hopes to pursue environmental science next year after OCS, and Mr Sean Ong Zhi Han, who is bound for Tufts University in the US to study history.

They are all 19.

They were picked by the Public Service Commission for their character, leadership potential and outstanding co-curricular and academic achievements. President's Scholarships have been awarded since 1966.

OCT Lum said her decision to join the SAF came from an interest in aviation sparked by her father, technician Kenneth Lum Kien Seng, 46, an aviation enthusiast. Attending a tea session also changed her view that the military was only for men.

"I felt regret after leaving secondary school as I didn't put myself out there to try out new things," she said, noting that she had wanted to run for the student council in secondary school but did not.

"When I went to JC, I set my mind to my goal of achieving more and exceeding expectations, and went out of my comfort zone," she said.

She has a 17-year-old brother, a polytechnic student, and her mother Chin Siok Yun, 43, is a housewife.

For Miss Ong, an internship with the Ministry of Social and Family Development and time spent volunteering at a student care centre had opened her eyes. She said: "You see how social problems impact individual families. I also learnt a lot from the children themselves, such as how to be giving towards the people you love."

At the award ceremony yesterday, President Tony Tan Keng Yam told the new batch of President's Scholars to continue the legacy of Singapore's forefathers, including that of the late former president S R Nathan. "He truly embodied the values of public service, placing country before self even to the point of quite literally risking his life, during the Laju hijacking incident," he said.

"He was a fearless defender of Singapore's interests abroad, and a passionate nation builder at home, patiently weaving the fabric of a caring and cohesive society."

A minute of silence was observed in Mr Nathan's memory at the ceremony.

Late bloomer is school's 1st President's Scholar

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This article was first published on August 24, 2016.
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What's going to happen at the former president S R Nathans' Lying In State tomorrow?

According to Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI), the procedure will start at 8.45am where a private hearse carrying the casket will make its way from Mr Nathan's residence at Ceylon Road to Parliament House.

When the hearse arrives at Parliament House, Speaker of Parliament, Madam Halimah Yacob will be there to receive it.

Then, the Coffin Bearer Party will transfer the casket onto the bier for the Lying In State at the Parliament House. The Coffin Bearer Party comprises nine officers from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Police Force.

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After that, the State Flag will be draped over the casket in the presence of Mr Nathan's family. The draping of the State Flag is the highest State honour accorded to a leader. It is placed over the casket with the crescent and stars lying over the head and close to the heart.

Medals representing Mr Nathan's achievements will also be displayed.

These medals include the The Order of Temasek [Darjah Utama Temasek] (First Class; 2013), Meritorious Service Award [Pingat Jasa Gemilang] (1974), Public Administration Medal [Pingat Pentadbiran Awam (Perak)] (Silver; 1967), and Public Service Star [Pingat Bakti Masyarakat] (1964).

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Vigil Guards will be mounted as a special mark of respect. The traditional mounting of Vigil Guards during the Lying In State symbolises the highest form of respect accorded to the deceased.

It comprises four uniformed officers each standing at a corner of the casket with his head bowed, back turned away and ceremonial sword inverted.

The Vigil Guards will be led by a senior officer at the head of the casket, and will be performed by officers from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Police Force.

Lastly, President Tony Tan and Mrs Tan will pay their respects to the late Mr Nathan.

Members of the public can pay their last respects to the late Mr Nathan at Parliament House from 10am to 10pm tomorrow (Aug 25).

Security screening stations will be in operation at the Promenade which is the entry point to Parliament House for the Lying in State.

MCI requests for the public to "please comply with police's instructions at these check points."

Members of the public are also encouraged to use public transport and proceed on foot to join the queue to Parliament House at the Padang via Saint Andrew's Road.

Members of the public who wish to pay their last respects to the late Mr S R Nathan at Parliament House should enter the Padang via St Andrew’s Road from City Hall MRT Station. Photo: MCI

Please also note that the areas surrounding Parliament House are gazetted as a Protected Area under the Air Navigation Act (ANA), making it an offence to fly an unmanned aircraft. These include drones, into or within immediate vicinity of the Protected Area without a valid permit.

The police will not hesitate to take stern action against those who commit the above offence, said the MCI press release.

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SINGAPORE - A 20-year-old woman has become uncontactable after telling her family that she was going to Melbourne for a holiday on July 12.

According to Lianhe Wanbao, Ong Hwee Ting told her parents that she was going on a two-week vacation with her friends, but they have since been told that there was no record of her leaving the country.

On Aug 22, police sent out an appeal for information on Ms Ong's whereabouts. According to the press release, she was last seen at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 1 at about 8.45am on July 12.

The 1.57m-tall woman was dressed in a T-shirt and a pair shorts at the time. She is believed to have packed her bags and left the family home while her brother was sleeping and her parents were at work.

Her father, a 58-year-old air-con repairman, reportedly told Lianhe Wanbao that his daughter was supposed to leave for Melbourne on July 8, but later postponed her trip to July 12. She told her father that a friend of hers was down with dengue fever.

After she left the home, her parents tried but could not contact her. And when she still did not return home on July 29, they made a police report.

However, police informed them that the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority had no record of Ms Ong leaving Singapore.

While searching for her, Mr Ong also found out that his daughter had resigned from her job in June, cancelled her phone line and shut down her Facebook account. Information on her computer had also been deleted, he told Lianhe Wanbao.

The Chinese daily reported that Ms Ong graduated from Singapore Polytechnic in April, and took up a part-time job at a restaurant after that. As she worked late, she often arrived at home past midnight and her parents did not interact with her much.

Her family told Lianhe Wanbao that while Ms Ong had not argued with other family members before her disappearance, she seemed withdrawn and went straight to her bedroom when she got home every day.

Ms Ong's anxious parents appealed to her through the Chinese newspaper. "We miss you and we are worried about you. Please come home," they were quoted as saying.

Anyone with information can call the police hotline on 1800-255-0000 or submit information online at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.

All information will be kept strictly confidential.

ljessica@sph.com.sg

Singapore has once again fallen off the wagon for workplace safety, and the fatality rate is set to rise further this year, warned Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say.

Speaking yesterday at the Workplace Safety and Health (WSH) conference, he said 48 lives had been lost at work so far this year, and some companies have even set aside a budget for fines because they think safety infringements are unavoidable.

Singapore managed to bring down the fatality rate from 2.8 per 100,000 workers in 2008 to 1.8 in 2014, but it crept up to 1.9 last year and is projected to hit 2.2 this year, said Mr Lim.

It last surpassed such levels in 2013, when the fatality rate was 2.3 and 73 people died at work.

The two-day conference, which closes today, was attended by more than 1,000 WSH experts and employers at Suntec Singapore Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The construction industry, in particular, was responsible for 40 per cent of deaths this year, as companies buffeted by the slowing economy try to cut costs.

A new study by the WSH Institute (WSHI) of 33 construction deaths between June last year and this May showed that the bulk of them were due to unsafe behaviour by workers and inadequate risk control measures by companies.

Mr Lim noted that nine in 10 deaths occurred because workers overlooked safety issues.

They could have taken shortcuts, such as not wearing protective gear, or used equipment they were not authorised to operate.

But 87 per cent of the companies involved also failed to manage risks properly.

Some, for instance, treated risk assessments purely as a paper exercise, conducting them only after the actual work was done. Others failed to provide lifelines for workers' safety harnesses.

Said Mr Lim: "Some companies have also accepted WSH infringements as unavoidable. They set aside 'safety budgets' to cover the enforcement fines."

Singapore Institution of Safety Officers president Bernard Soh said this practice is mostly found among small firms.

They would rather set aside $10,000 to $20,000 to cover fines, than invest substantially more in a safety system that could cost up to 15 per cent of their contract's value.

Employers said the tight labour market and a dearth of projects have them in a bind when they bid for contracts.

Mr Eric Soh, chief executive of major construction firm Samwoh Corporation, said: "If you don't put in the appropriate safety measures, you risk lives. But if you put them in, it costs more and maybe you don't get the job."

He suggested that developers be open to "more realistic" contract periods, so that contractors are less rushed to meet deadlines.

Wee Chwee Huat Scaffolding and Construction managing director Edward Wee said cultural differences and language barriers make it hard to convey the importance of safety to foreign workers.

He said: "You have to use pictures instead of just talking to them. Otherwise, they will say they understand, but inside (them) it's blank."

Mr Lim said the Government could incorporate more safety considerations into public construction tenders. "This will spur private developers to do the same."

But Ms Debbie Fordyce, executive committee member of migrant worker advocacy group Transient Workers Count Too, said top-down efforts are not enough if workers themselves are afraid to voice concerns.

She recalled the case of a worker who fell from the unsecured edge of a building in January last year with another colleague. They had been told to work there, even though there was no barricade installed. He broke his arm, leg and pelvis, while his colleague died.

She said: "We need to get rid of recruitment fees that keep workers in debt and in fear. Who would tell the boss to do things differently if he could be repatriated any time?"

This article was first published on August 25, 2016.
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Singapore's newly minted President was coming for an eye operation and Dr Vivian Balakrishnan was feeling the stress.

But Mr S R Nathan's unassuming manner was disarming.

He did not ask for special treatment, recalled Dr Balakrishnan, an ophthalmologist who is now the Foreign Minister.

"I told him I wished he had come to me a few months before he had become president," he added of his most memorable meeting with Mr Nathan, who became President in September 1999.

Dr Balakrishnan's father and uncle were childhood friends with Mr Nathan.

"They always spoke about him in admiring tones, describing him as a very loyal and devoted friend.

"No matter how high he rose - and he rose to the highest office in the land - he never forgot his friends," he said.

Dr Balakrishnan was among several politicians who paid their respects yesterday to Singapore's sixth and longest-serving president, who died on Monday at age 92.

It was the second day of the private wake held at Mr Nathan's Ceylon Road home, and they spoke of the qualities they admired most in him, and swopped stories of their personal encounters and relationships with him.

Long-time friend S. Chandra Das, a former MP and Singapore's non-resident High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, helped to organise Mr Nathan's 80th, 85th and 90th birthday celebrations.

"There was no protocol, although people such as Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, as well as former prime ministers Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong, were at the celebrations," Mr Chandra Das recalled.

"To him, it was an opportunity to meet up with old friends."

He added: "I promised him I would organise a party for his 95th. Unfortunately, that's not going to happen." He also said Mr Nathan's wife Urmila was doing better yesterday and was holding up well.

President Tony Tan Keng Yam and his wife, Mrs Mary Tan, as well as Old Guard minister Othman Wok, 91, visited the home to pay their respects too.

Other ministers included Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, Social and Family Development Minister Tan Chuan-Jin, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli, and Acting Minister for Education (Schools) Ng Chee Meng.

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This article was first published on Aug 25, 2016.
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Watching the fruits of his labour go up in flames within minutes is always a bittersweet experience for Mr Yeo Hung Teo, the owner of Yeo Swee Huat paper agency.

Located in Toa Payoh Industrial Park, the paper agency makes paraphernalia for funeral services throughout the year. But it is at its busiest during the Hungry Ghost Festival, which takes place from Aug 3 to Aug 31 this year.

It is a time when the souls of the dead are thought to be released from the netherworld to roam the earth.

Devotees make offerings of food and fake money to appease spirits during this period so that they will not bring bad luck into their lives.

Mr Yeo, 76, is the last local craftsman skilled in making large effigies used in the ghost month.

The perfectionist, who has been in the trade for 60 years, takes two weeks just to mould and paint the head of one such effigy.

Another three staff members then take over, continuing with the construction of the body and limbs, taking four more days to complete a 4.9m-tall effigy.

They make around 25 of these god effigies in various sizes - the largest at 6.1m tall - during the seventh month in the lunar calendar.

They also make effigies in advance for the following year and keep them in their warehouse.

Yeo Swee Huat is a Teochew company that Mr Yeo's father Yeo Swee Piow started in the 1960s. It is the go-to place for god effigies used in the Hungry Ghost month - especially those of Da Shi Ye, a deity with the power to stop wandering spirits from causing mischief on earth.

These effigies are believed to be needed in order to invite the gods to preside over the gathering and protect the area.

A longtime customer of the paper agency is Mr Tay Kim Teck, 62, who heads the "seven month committee" of the Singapore General Fish Association at Jurong Fishery Port. He budgets around $40,000 every year for a Hungry Ghost celebration during which priests conduct prayers and rituals for spirits.

This allows fish merchants to pay their respects to wandering spirits and give themselves peace of mind while hoping for a prosperous and smooth-sailing business.

Both Mr Tay and Mr Yeo say it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain these customary rites.

The older generation will get older and the younger generation are not interested in maintaining these practices and customs, often brushing them off as superstition.

Mr Yeo said that his two daughters are not interested in taking over his trade.

"It is a sunset industry and the skills will go with me to the coffin," he laments.

jamiekoh@sph.com.sg

A dying art, a labour of love

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This article was first published on August 25, 2016.
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To those privileged to have served him, Mr S R Nathan will forever be The Boss, said ambassador-at-large Bilahari Kausikan yesterday at a remembrance ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA). Here are extracts from his eulogy:

"One of Mr Nathan's best friends was the late Chia Cheong Fook, who was also once permanent secretary of MFA. Mr Chia was my father's best friend.

I grew up vaguely conscious of Mr Nathan as a background presence - obviously a personality to be reckoned with, but without clear resolution.

It was only in the earlier part of the 1970s that Mr Nathan acquired sharp focus in my consciousness. I was then pretending to study in the University of Singapore.

I did something that could potentially have had serious ramifications... but things began to go pear-shaped and I thought I'd better come clean before everything crashed.

I telephoned my father, then (Singapore's ambassador) in Moscow... my father said he knew about it and told me to tell Mr Chia.

I dutifully called Mr Chia. Again, before I could say anything, he said he knew about it and told me to go and meet Mr Nathan at MFA, which was then in City Hall, now our National Gallery.

With more than a little trepidation, I made my way to City Hall and was tremblingly admitted into Mr Nathan's presence... Again, he already knew all about what in the innocence of youth I had thought was secret.

'Why did you do it?' he demanded. I answered the best I could. Mr Nathan sat in grim-faced silence, apparently pondering what I had said. 'Who else was involved?' he suddenly barked at me.

'No one,' I said. 'Don't lie,' he said. 'No one,' I insisted. Again he pondered in silence. I sat before him nervously for what seemed an eternity. 'Will you take responsibility?' he finally asked.

Exasperation momentarily overcame fear. 'That's what I've been trying to do,' I snapped.

'What's the worst that can happen to you?' Mr Nathan snapped back. 'I don't know,' I replied, puzzled. 'Will you be hanged?' he asked. 'I don't think so,' I replied, by this time thoroughly discombobulated, which I now realise was his intention.

Mr Nathan broke into a smile - and those of you who know him should know he had a very charming smile. 'So what are you worried about? You did what you thought was right. It was stupid, but you won't be hanged.

Go,' he said. I got up and made for the door. He called me back. 'Good that you are willing to take responsibility for what you thought was right,' he said. 'Never evade responsibility, but if you want to play such games again, ask someone who knows how,' he said. I fled.

... I tell this story in his memory because it eventually dawned on me that the lessons he intended to impart were of great and continuing relevance to foreign service officers...First, clever as you may be, you are not as clever as you may think. You need others. Work as a team. Second, take responsibility for what you do; do your duty without fear. Be loyal to your team.

That was not to be the last time I made my way to Mr Nathan's office with trepidation. Subsequent occasions were as a foreign service officer. Mr Nathan was tough on us. He had to be to whip us into shape. He had high standards that he would not compromise. He treated service to the country with high seriousness and taught us to take service seriously too. He was our mentor - a lifelong mentor.

Mr Nathan left an indelible mark on MFA and all who worked for him. All subsequent PSs (permanent secretaries) only built on the foundations Mr Nathan laid. Today, MFA is an organisation that is respected worldwide.

You can be proud of being part of an organisation Mr Nathan shaped. MFA is his monument. Do not let him down.

In March this year, Mr Nathan hosted lunch for a group of the survivors of MFA's City Hall days... 'I was hard on you,' he told us, 'but you all always served me faithfully and I may not have told you before, but I want all of you to know that I appreciate it as this may be the last time we can meet together.'

These were not his exact words - I was too moved to remember exactly; in the old days, if he had known I didn't take precise notes, I would have been in for a scolding, but that was the gist. As hard-bitten a crew as those at that lunch all were, I'd bet that the others were as moved as I was.

When Mr Nathan was taken ill, I went to see him in hospital. His daughter told me that of all the many and varied appointments in which Mr Nathan served, he told his family that MFA was special to him, the others were duty.

We may have on occasion grumbled about him being a hard taskmaster, but I think all those who served him knew that MFA was special to him. Mr Nathan demanded loyalty: Loyalty to colleagues, loyalty to the organisation and, above all, loyalty to Singapore.

But he more than amply repaid loyalty with loyalty; he took responsibility for us and never denied responsibility for us even when we were the brunt of well-deserved criticism.

He scolded us when he had to; he never let us down. Work done, he treated us as family. Long after he left MFA, he kept a paternal eye on us. I suspect he's doing so still.

And thus Mr Nathan, in turn, inspired loyalty, respect and affection. That is why to those of us who were privileged to serve him, Mr Nathan will forever be The Boss.

I can now almost hear Mr Nathan's shade growling in my ear: Stop the long palaver and get back to work! Rest easy Boss, we will not let you down."

Singapore's former president S R Nathan dies

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Mr S R Nathan was at heart a social worker, leaders of self-help groups said yesterday.

"He was happiest when he was in the company of fellow social workers, and he was engaged in trying to help all the time," said Singapore Indian Development Association (Sinda) trustee K. Kesavapany.

The leaders and staff of Sinda, the Chinese Development Assistance Council (CDAC), Mendaki and the Eurasian Association got together at Sinda's building in Beatty Road to remember Mr Nathan, who they said remained concerned for the plight of those with the least throughout his life, especially as president.

Mr Nathan died on Monday aged 92.

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Mr Kesavapany, 79, a retired diplomat who had known Mr Nathan for 48 years, recounted an incident in 1968 where a seaman approached Mr Nathan for help.

Mr Nathan first wanted to know if the man had eaten, and when he found out he had not, gave him money to buy food first. "He was looking at the person, not issues or what was wrong with the system. That's what I learnt from him, putting the person first," Mr Kesavapany said.

Eurasian Association vice-president Alexius Pereira shared how Mr Nathan, the association's patron, privately funded two brothers' university education and asked that it not be publicised.

Mr Nathan wanted to help students who would otherwise have to work part-time, so they could focus on their studies, he said.

Mendaki chief executive officer Tuminah Sapawi and CDAC executive director Pok Cheng Chong lauded him for helping students of all races and starting the S R Nathan Education Upliftment Fund, which gives financial aid to needy tertiary students.

Mr Nathan's deep concern for the poorest in society was also recounted by Senior Minister of State (Defence and Foreign Affairs) and South East District Mayor Maliki Osman at a memorial service by the Inter-Religious Organisation (IRO) at its Maxwell Road office yesterday.

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Dr Maliki recalled that in 2010, when he was at the National Development Ministry, he was invited to the Istana by Mr Nathan to discuss ways to better help lower-income Malays.

"It felt like, from a social worker to a social worker, we were talking about how we can uplift a group of Singaporeans who need extra help.

"I saw the sincerity in his eyes and I teared at that point, because it just struck me that the man who's holding the highest office of the land is sharing with me a personal concern of my community."

Leaders of the 10 faiths in the IRO observed a one-minute silent prayer for Mr Nathan, who was their first patron till his death.

IRO president Rustom Ghadiali shared with 120 guests how Mr Nathan thought often about how to preserve Singapore's religious harmony, and had asked to meet him four days before Mr Nathan had a stroke on July 31. Mr Nathan had asked him to be IRO president once more, as the organisation needed seasoned leadership at a time when terrorism poses a strong threat.

"Mr Nathan's major concern was that in case there was an attack by ISIS or any other organisation, the religious leaders of IRO must be ready with a strong, convincing statement and ensure that religious harmony in Singapore continues," he said.

"Now we understand why he was called the 'People's President': He so cared for the people of Singapore, even in his last days."

Mr S R Nathan's Lying In State at Parliament House

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This article was first published on August 25, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - The state funeral procession for former president Mr S R Nathan will begin at 2pm on Friday (Aug 26) and will pass landmarks such as City Hall, Fullerton Hotel and NTUC Centre en route to the University Cultural Centre (UCC) at the National University of Singapore.

According to a statement from the State Funeral organising committee, these landmarks are closely associated with Mr Nathan and "reflect his long and distinguished career in public service". Members of the public can line the procession route from Parliament House to UCC.

The funeral service at UCC will be attended by Mr Nathan's family members, President Tony Tan Keng Yam, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament, the Judiciary and the diplomatic corps.

The organising committee said that Singaporeans will also be invited to attend the service, which will be broadcast live on television and over the radio.

At Parliament House, the nine coffin bearers from Singapore Armed Forces and Singapore Police Force will transfer Mr Nathan's casket onto the ceremonial 25-pounder gun carriage.

The ceremonial gun carriage will make its way through the civic district and the heartlands and will be escorted by police outriders and vehicles.

Following the procession will be the chief mourner, Mr Osith Ramanathan, Mr Nathan’s son, and other family members. Accompanying pallbearers will include Minister for National Development and Second Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong and Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli.

Mr S R Nathan's Lying In State at Parliament House

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In addition, seven eulogies will be presented at Mr Nathan's funeral service. The parties who will deliver their eulogies respectively are Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Professor Tommy Koh, Mr Zainul Abidin Rasheed, Ms Jennie Chua, Mr Ramaswamy Athappan, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office & Government Whip Chan Chun Sing and Mr Gopinath Pillai.

The service will be held at UCC from 3pm to 5pm, after which, Mr Nathan will make his final journey to Mandai Crematorium for a private service.

Some roads will be closed on Friday between 10am and 6pm. They include Engineering Drive 1 between Kent Ridge Crescent and Engineering Drive 3 and Clementi Road in the direction of West Coast Ferry Road.

More information can be found in the infographic below:

stephluo@sph.com.sg

Singapore is taking the next step in the move towards self-driving vehicles with the world's first public trial of self-driving taxis.

Robo-taxis developed by nuTonomy, a Massachusetts based transportation software firm, will operate autonomously in a Singapore business district on a trial basis beginning Thursday. The vehicles will be specially configured Renault and Mitsubishi models. A select number of Singapore residents will use nuTonomy's smartphone app to hail a robo-taxi for a ride at no charge.

"The trial represents an extraordinary opportunity to collect feedback from riders in a real-world setting, and this feedback will give nuTonomy a unique advantage as we work toward deployment of a self-driving vehicle fleet in 2018," said Karl Iagnemma, CEO and co-founder of nuTonomy.

While the plan is for the robo-taxis' software to make all decisions on the movement of the vehicles, there will be a nuTonomy engineer riding in the front seat to take control if needed.

The launch of these robo-taxis comes as the ride-share operator Uber prepares to start a trial programme in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where autonomously-driven vehicles will give Uber customers rides in certain areas. Like the robo-taxi programme in Singapore, the self-driving Uber vehicles in Pittsburgh will also have engineers in the driver seat to take control if the situation calls for it.

Researchers, automakers and tech firms believe the hardware, software, and artificial intelligence needed for autonomously-driven vehicles is rapidly approaching a point where self-driving cars will soon be ready for real-world use.

The nuTonomy robo-taxis are one more step in seeing if the self-driving car is ready for everyday use in the real world.

SINGAPORE - Tankers full of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are gathering off Singapore waiting for buyers as a flood of supply from the US and Saudi Arabia has outpaced demand for the fuel, trade and industry sources said on Thursday.

The number of ships congregating near Singapore, a key ship-fueling and oil product trading area for Asia, has surged to over 10 from under seven just five weeks ago, said trading and industry sources that are familiar with the market.

Shipping data carried on Thomson Reuters Eikon shows that there are at least eight Very Large Gas Carriers (VLGCs) anchored near Singapore including the Chaparral, Ming Long, Promise, Cratis, British Commerce and Berge Nantong.

LPG was once a tightly supplied market with petrochemical manufacturers competing for the fuel with its main residential and commercial consumers that use it for heating and cooking.

Now, the market for the fuel is in a dire state following new supply pouring in from the United States.

"There could be as many as 11 floaters being anchored off Singapore waters at the moment. The growth in supplies was too fast," said consultant Ong Han Wee of energy consulting firm FGE.

US exports for arrival in Asia this month could be about 750,000 tonnes, data from FGE showed. In June, they hit a record of about 1 million tonnes, FGE said.

At the same time, Saudi Arabian exports for August arrival to Asia will rise to 840,000 tonnes, the highest monthly volume this year, said Ong.

The surge in supply coincides with tapering demand in China, whose petrochemical plants have driven much of the demand growth for LPG in the region.

LPG imports to China slumped to 408,350 tonnes in July, down 17.8 percent from June, customs data showed.

LPG for prompt month delivery was estimated to be around US$300 (S$406) a tonne on Aug 24, data from brokerage Ginga showed, down from about US$383 a tonne in early January this year.

The glut of tankers has pushed down chartering rates for these VLGC to about US$10,000 a day from about US$13,000 to US$14,000 a day in the second-half of July, traders said.

The gloomy sight of the wayward tankers is expected to even last into the peak winter season when demand for LPG as a heating fuel surges.

"I do not see the floaters disappearing totally even in the winter months. There would still be floaters but just fewer in numbers," said Ong.

Southeast Asia is bracing itself for its annual, uncomfortable tryst with haze as raging fires at Indonesian plantations worsen pollution in the region.

On Friday, Singapore woke up to a deterioration in air quality overnight, as a thin cloak of haze hung over the city-state. The country's environment agency said that its 3-hour Pollution Standards Index hit the unhealthy level at 10am SIN.

Neighbouring Malaysia had already been feeling the effects of the drifting smog since mid-August, local media reported.

The latest bout of pollution comes even as Indonesia steps up efforts against the 'slash-and-burn' technique of cutting down vegetation on a patch of land, then burning off the undergrowth to make space for new plantations.

The country has arrested 454 individuals in connection with forest fires so far this year, more than double the 196 arrests made in 2015, Reuters reported, citing police data released on Thursday.

The 'slash-and-burn' method is prevalent in Indonesia as it the easiest, fastest and most cost-effective way to clear land. According to the World Bank, about 35 per cent of the Indonesian workforce is employed in agriculture, with palm oil and pulp-and-paper industries key contributors.

The use of fire has been deemed illegal by the Indonesian government due to its detrimental environmental impact.

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Earlier in August, a sago plantation company was fined 1.07 trillion Indonesian rupiah (S$109.55 million) for its link to widespread fires last year-- the biggest fine imposed on a plantation business so far.

In 2015, the pollution cost Southeast Asia economic powerhouse S$700 million, the country's environment and water resources minister said in March.

The smog got so bad it led to school closures as well as air and sea traffic disruptions.

Indonesia, where most of the thick cloud originated, suffered even more economically, with the World Bank estimating damages at US$16.1 billion (S$21.8 billion) in 2015.

It is "difficult and tricky" to put a dollar value on damages this year, as what is at stake is often intangible, such as loss in productivity, delayed construction activities and sovereign risk reputation to tourists, said ANZ economist Ng Weiwen.

Singapore hosts the Formula One Grand Prix night time motorsport event in September yearly and concerns have surfaced in previous years over visibility.

There's hope that the pollution will not be as bad as last year in terms of duration and intensity as the weather forecast for the rest of the year points to a La Nina weather phenomenon, which is likely to result in increased rainfall, said a weather expert.

"Of course, this assumes the non-meteorological factors like land clearing through burning by humans don't increase in significance," said Winston Chow, a professor at the National University of Singapore's geography department.

According to the ASEAN Specialized Meteorological Centre based in Singapore, the number of hotspots (locations with active fires) in Indonesia hit a high of 184 on August 18 due to the ongoing dry spell, but that figure has since eased as rains doused the fires.

On Thursday, there were 17 hotspots in Indonesia.

It was 12.30pm. The temperature outside, according to Siri on my iPhone, was 32 deg C.

An elderly Chinese busker stood outside exit B of City Hall MRT station, a black tote slung around his neck. He held a grey umbrella and a FairPrice Finest carrier bag in his right hand, and a harmonica in his left.

He was playing Auld Lang Syne, perhaps to bid farewell to former president SR Nathan, whose body was lying in state in Parliament House several hundred metres away.

I approached one of several men wearing white shirts, dark slacks and black bands around their left arm. If I wanted to pay my respects, the young man said helpfully, I should make my way to the Padang and join the queue.

Under the searing mid-day sun, I joined a steady stream of people as they headed for the open field in front of The National Gallery.

Some were striding purposefully, others strolling languidly. Men in starched shirts and cuff-links, women in smart suits and high heels, uncles in polos and bermudas, students in their uniforms, Chinese, Malay, Indian, Eurasian, young, old and middle-aged - they were all there, alone or with friends and colleagues. By then, more than 3,000 people, I was told, had already paid their respects.

Near the entrance of a makeshift passageway covered with white tent fabric and lined with pots of white orchids, several volunteers were distributing bottled water. A man with a crew cut kept hollering: "Please make sure you drink some water. The weather's very hot."

Many people stopped at four tables set up for them to pen their condolences on white cards with white orchid motifs. Next to the tables were stands displaying messages to one of the pioneer nation-builders who died on Monday, aged 92.

Some were short: "I feel very sad, Mr Nathan. Thank you," wrote LKH.

Others were intimate: "Dearest President, My heart broke when I heard of your passing. It seemed like you spoke to us about the philosophy of life and social work so recently. Your life story is a lesson that I will keep in my heart. Your legacy in social work will be continued by this generation you have inspired," wrote Vijayalakshmi.

The handwritten notes were a fitting tribute to a man who, I have learnt, had a penchant for picking up pen and paper to express thanks, delight and encouragement.

He certainly made my day when I came into the office this January to find a letter from him. In beautiful cursive handwriting, he told me how much he enjoyed my book, It Changed My Life, which contains interviews with Singaporeans who overcame the odds to turn their lives around.

He cited several stories and said they reminded him of his own life. It was such a touching gesture from a man who once held the highest office in the land, one who, unfortunately, I never had the privilege to meet.

He ended the letter with this line: "Thank you for your short stories. I know it will inspire others."

He certainly inspired Singaporeans, judging from the crowd which swelled considerably as the afternoon wore on.

Member of Parliament and lawyer Christopher de Souza, who was behind me in the queue, remembered being on a state visit to Turkey with him in 2009.

"We were 30,000 feet up in the air. SQ dimmed the cabin lights, everyone was asleep and I was just going through the briefs given by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Suddenly President Nathan came, sat on my armrest and started talking about Singapore and perseverance with such interest and insight.

"His work ethic and his dedication to Singapore were inspiring," Mr de Souza said.

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Like him, many yesterday had personal encounters with the late former president. Among them was Mrs Maz Mindi, 68, who came with three Girl Guides. The former deputy chief of Girl Guides Singapore recalled how Mr Nathan - who was Chief Scout during his presidency - would go out of his way to talk to Girl Guides and their parents during prize presentation ceremonies.

Most yesterday also went to pay their respects because they recognised that he served Singapore and Singaporeans well.

Housewife Jayasree Nair, 44, was there with her daughters Jaishwini, 12, and Yashiniya, nine, to bid farewell to a great man who did much for the country.

Her father Jayaraman Krishnan Nair, 64, who is with the Infantry Training Institute, agreed, and said that was why he volunteered to help out at the funeral.

The wait to get into Parliament House took over an hour but it was pleasant, orderly and angst-free.

My turn came. I could discern his nose as he lay in his casket, draped with the state flag.

"Thank you Mr President. Rest in peace," I said silently. And as I walked out into the mid-day sun, I wondered if that old busker was still playing Auld Lang Syne.

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This article was first published on Aug 26, 2016.
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In the long and remarkable career of S R Nathan, the Laju hijack of 1974 had all the ingredients of a thriller movie, with the future president of Singapore playing a starring role.

The young today may find it hard to reconcile the jocular grandfather figure with the steely hero of Singapore's hostage drama.

When he boarded the Japan Airlines plane at Paya Lebar Airport with Singapore government officials and commandos to guarantee the safe passage of four terrorists bound for Kuwait, Singapore and his family did not know if he and his team would make it home alive.

The drama was played out at a time when there was no Twitter, no Facebook and no live blog to give a blow-by-blow account of what happened.

What the Singaporean team had was guts and gumption.

Mr Saraj Din, 71, a former officer in the Internal Security Department (ISD), who was on the Feb 8 flight, said of Mr Nathan: "He managed to save all our lives when we were all very uncertain of the outcome."

The drama had started on Jan 31, when four terrorists equipped with sub-machine guns and explosives landed on Pulau Bukom.

Their plan was to blow up the Shell oil refinery on the island to disrupt the oil supply from Singapore to South Vietnam to show their support for communist North Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

Two were Arabs from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and two were Japanese nationals from the communist militant group Japanese Red Army. The two groups believed in changing the world through revolution, and trained together in guerilla warfare in the Middle East.

On Bukom, they planted explosives at three oil tanks but the blasts caused little damage, and the rest of the explosives failed to go off.

Chased by the police, the terrorists hijacked a ferry at Bukom jetty called Laju, or "fast" in Malay - and held five crew members hostage.

After six days of protracted negotiations, the bombers agreed to release the hostages in exchange for safe passage out of Singapore.

Their destination: an Arab country. But no one would take in the terrorists until another group of terrorists stormed the Japanese Embassy in Kuwait, taking hostages and demanding that the Japanese government send a plane to Singapore to take the Laju terrorists to Kuwait.

On Feb 7, the bombers were taken to Paya Lebar Airport, where they surrendered their weapons and released the remaining three hostages. Two hostages had escaped earlier.

The terrorists were to board a special flight to Kuwait on a plane loaned from Japan. But they had one condition: They demanded a group of guarantors to accompany them on the flight.

Then Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Goh Keng Swee needed a man who would not buckle under pressure to lead the dangerous mission.

He turned to Mr Nathan, then 49, and the director of Singapore's external intelligence agency, the Security and Intelligence Division (SID) in the Ministry of Defence.

Mr Nathan had been involved in the negotiations with the hijackers from the start.

The other 12 members of the team were drawn from government units handling the crisis: the ISD, police, Singapore Armed Forces commandos, and translators: Mr S. Rajagopal, Mr Saraj Din, Mr Tee Tua Ba, Mr Yoong Siew Wah, Mr Seah Wai Toh, Mr Andrew Tan, Mr Tan Kim Peng, Mr Gwee Peng Hong, Mr Teo Ah Bah, Mr Tan Lye Kwee, Haji Abu Bakar and Haji Rahman.

If Mr Nathan was afraid, he did not show it.

In separate interviews with The Straits Times and The New Paper decades after the incident, he recounted how he broke the news of the mission to his wife Urmila. Their children were then 15 and 11.

"I just looked at her and told her, 'I'm going'," Mr Nathan said.

"I knew it'd be very emotional for her and for my children... I had to display some confidence."

When he left for the airport, he avoided looking at any of his family members in the eye.

In an interview with The Straits Times, former ISD officer Rajagopal, 76, recalled then Minister for Home Affairs Chua Sian Chin telling the group at the airport on Feb 8: "Thanks for your service. If anything happens, we will take care of your family."

During the 13-hour flight, the thoughts swirling in Mr Nathan's head veered from the personal - Would he see his wife and children again? - to the practical - Would the plane be allowed to land in Kuwait or would they be forced to refuel and sent off elsewhere?

Would the hijackers refuse to let the Singaporeans go and use them as bargaining chips? Everything was up in the air. But Mr Nathan steadied himself with these words: "Have faith and do your duty."

Demonstrating the diplomatic skills that he showed in the foreign service, he chatted with the terrorists and tried to win their trust.

Mr Tee, who was then 31 years old and the officer-in-charge of the Marine Police, recalled: "In the plane, Mr Nathan asked me to engage them, talk to them, and as I was talking to them he would join in."

Mr Tee, 74, later became Commissioner of Police.

"Mr Nathan was quite relaxed, because by that time the terrorists had surrendered their guns. He cracked some jokes, tried to break the ice."

Mr Nathan's goal was to establish rapport with the terrorists, in case negotiations soured and endangered the lives of the Singaporeans on board the plane.

When they landed in Kuwait before sunrise, they were greeted by a wall of tanks, armoured vehicles and soldiers.

It "looked like the middle of a war zone", Mr Nathan wrote in his 2011 memoirs, An Unexpected Journey: Path To The Presidency.

It became clear that getting the Singapore team off the plane was not one of the Kuwaitis' priorities. It seemed likely that the group of terrorists in the country would be bundled onto the plane and flown to a new destination with the Singaporeans on board.

But Mr Nathan had a plan, said Mr Tee. He told the air traffic controllers he had an important message from Singapore's Prime Minister and needed to speak to "somebody high up".

Tense hours passed. The group could not do anything but wait on the tarmac.

"For four to five hours, we were eating instant noodles in the plane and just waiting, so you can imagine our frame of mind," Mr Tee recalled.

Then a fleet of cars approached with lights flashing and sirens blaring. One of the cars, a Cadillac, carried the Kuwaiti Defence Minister, who had finally arrived to negotiate.

Mr Nathan pressed Singapore's position, which was that the team had done their part in bringing the hijackers to Kuwait. Subsequent negotiations were between the Kuwaiti and Japanese governments, and the Singaporeans should be allowed to return home. He stressed that the Singapore team was on Kuwait soil and thus came under the protection of the Kuwaiti government.

The Kuwaiti Defence Minister rebuffed him several times and told him to shut up.

Singapore's former president S R Nathan dies

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At one point, he threatened to arrest Mr Nathan.

"Mr Nathan was very calm but very determined... It was not an easy situation to handle, how much can you push the line?" said Mr Tee.

The hours ticked by. Mr Nathan left the plane several times to negotiate with the Kuwaitis and the Japanese ambassador.

The breakthrough came with the arrival of Kuwait's Foreign Minister. After more talking, he finally told Mr Nathan: "All of you get down and get lost."

The Singapore delegation did as they were told.

The Kuwaiti Foreign Minister told Mr Nathan that the Singaporeans should make themselves scarce until their flight home was due, in case the hijackers demanded they be put back on the plane if negotiations with the Kuwaitis did not go well.

So the team did what Singaporeans do best - they went shopping. Mr Nathan gave each member of the team US$100 and they disappeared into a bazaar.

They met later that day to catch a Kuwaiti Airlines flight to Bahrain. From there, they boarded a Singapore Airlines flight home. They arrived in Singapore around sunset on Feb 9.

Mr Rajagopal described how Mr Nathan rose to the occasion: "He was a good negotiator, a brave man in a foreign country. He took care of us, comforted us, and gave us direction."

But the man of the hour did not make a big deal of the fraught situation. He told The New Paper: "It was a job I did. It was an episode we all wanted to forget."

A month before Mr Nathan stepped down as president in 2011, he invited the group involved in the Laju incident to tea at the Istana.

Mr Saraj said they talked about Singapore's tense formative years: battling the communists, racial unrest and other security problems.

"Young people these days see Mr Nathan as a father figure, but they don't know him in his younger days. The situation in Singapore then was entirely different."

It was a time for a generation of "pragmatic leaders" like Mr Nathan, who could handle these situations, said Mr Saraj.

"With the passing of Mr Nathan and Mr Lee Kuan Yew, that generation of leaders is largely gone."

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This article was first published on Aug 26, 2016.
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When he bought a $2 million double-storey penthouse at 19 Shelford condominium, off Adam Road, in February, he thought he had secured a good future for his two children because good schools are nearby.

Then, Mr Zou Xiang, 41, a software engineer, realised that the balcony of his fourth-storey unit did not have grilles.

Instead of a low wall, it has horizontal railings, which makes it easy for young children to climb up or slip through the gaps between the railings.

Realising the danger, he tried to protect his son, four, and daughter, three, by installing grilles on the balcony.

But the condo's management committee (MC) rejected his application and subsequent appeal.

When he tried to go ahead with the installation, the MC stopped the workers and even called the police.

At 5.30pm yesterday, the dispute took a surreal turn when the MC sent him a letter to tell him that his balcony has been classified as a "roof garden".

This came after Mr Zou wrote to the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and was told that he should be allowed to install the grilles because his children's safety takes priority over design.

According to the MC's letter, since the balcony is a roof garden, the BCA by-law that structures and devices can be built on windows and balconies for the safety of children does not apply.

A shocked Mr Zou questioned how the 16 sq m balcony could be classified as a "roof garden" when it is on the lower floor of his two-storey unit, which has no access to the roof.

"I feel like they are playing a word game with me," he told The New Paper yesterday.

Father wants to install grilles to keep kids safe, but condo says no

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The New Paper

"Over the past two months, the term 'roof garden' has not once been mentioned to me. How can they be so unsympathetic towards the safety of children? This is too much."

When TNP checked with the BCA, its spokesman said: "Safety is important, especially where young children are involved.

"Therefore, owners shall not be prevented from installing any structure or device to prevent harm to children under the prescribed by-laws of the Building Maintenance (Strata Management) Regulations 2005."

Mr Zou first wrote to the MC on May 23, about a month before he moved into his new home, to seek approval to install the grilles.

What followed were several exchanges between them without approval being granted.

In July, the family had a close call when their domestic helper caught their son leaning precariously over the balcony's ledge while waiting for his father to return from work.

His horrified parents cable-tied sheets of green plastic mesh over the railings to prevent the children from climbing up.

Mr Zou said: "But it was not foolproof as my children could still fall over any time."

Then, on Aug 3, they read about a three-year-old girl who died about a month after falling from the balcony window of a fourth-storey flat in January.

That was the last straw for them. They decided to go ahead and install the grilles.

Mr Zou said: "We knew we were risking it by going ahead without permission. But we couldn't wait any more. While we wait, tragedy could strike at any time."

They hired a contractor to install four panels of "invisible" grilles across the balcony on Aug 17.

But that afternoon, after two panels had been installed, council members entered their apartment and stopped the workers. They confiscated the workers' visitor passes and called the police.

When TNP approached the condo's MC on Tuesday, the managing agent said that only council members could comment and he would try to get a response from them.

But there was no response by press time last night.

LOST SLEEP

Mr Zou said he has lost sleep over the dispute and will rush home after work to make sure his children are safe.

His wife also calls their helper at least three times a day to ensure the children stay away from the balcony.

Mr Zou said: "Previously, I could work peacefully, but now I am constantly worried about my children while at work."

Mr Zou has contacted his Member of Parliament, Ms Sim Ann (Holland-Bukit Timah GRC), for help and was told that he should raise the matter again at the next general meeting and try to settle the dispute amicably.

When contacted by TNP, Ms Sim said: "At times, condo residents approach me concerning disagreements with their MCs.

"In such cases, we would speak with the MC to understand their side of the story and see if the issue can be resolved.

"If both sides think we can be of help in facilitating further discussion, we are always glad to try."

Timeline:

February Family buys a $2 million two-storey penthouse at 19 Shelford condominium.

May 23 Mr Zou Xiang sends an e-mail to the management committee (MC) under the Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST) about installing grilles on his balcony.

May 25 The MC rejects his request without offering alternative measures. When he appeals, the MC tells him to seek approval from council members of the condo. His e-mail is forwarded to them.

May 27 The MC requests detailed drawings of the installation for consideration. Mr Zou submits the drawings a day later.

June 18 Mr Zou moves in with his family and is told by the MC that his appeal will be brought up at a general meeting on June 23.

June 24 The MC says the council members need to seek approval from the relevant authorities.

July 4 Mr Zou does not receive approval and writes to the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

July 8 BCA advises him to check with the MC for its reasons for the rejection. BCA also informs him that he can seek legal help to apply to the Strata Titles Board, but he opts not to do so.

Aug 17 Mr Zou tries to install the grilles, but the MCST stops the workers.

Aug 20 The MC issues a warning letter notifying Mr Zou that he had not received permission to begin renovation works, and seeks his co-operation to remove any installation done to the balcony on Aug 17.

Aug 25 The MC issues a letter notifying Mr Zou that his balcony is classified as a "roof garden".

CHILDREN'S SAFETY TAKES PRIORITY OVER DESIGN: BCA

The safety of children is paramount, especially where young children are involved, says the Building and Construction Authority (BCA).

Its spokesman told The New Paper yesterday: "A subsidiary proprietor or occupier of a lot shall not be prevented from installing any structure or device to prevent harm to children under the prescribed by-laws of the Building Maintenance (Strata Management) Regulations."

Lawyer Toh Kok Seng from the Lee & Lee law firm said that management committees (MC) of condominiums that are under the Management Corporation Strata Title (MCST) cannot overrule the Building Maintenance and Strata Management Act (BMSMA).

"MCST cannot make decisions that are contrary to the BMSMA prescribed by-laws," he said.

But he added that they are allowed to prescribe a certain style or design to achieve some uniformity of facade in the condos.

Guidelines

A BCA spokesman said: "The MC should put in place a set of design guidelines, which could be passed as a by-law at a general meeting, and subsequently adopted by the residents.

"If there are no design guidelines, the MC should consider requests for the installation of such structures or devices on a case-by-case basis by taking into account the safety of the residents, especially children, which must take priority over other considerations such as design and aesthetics."

Earlier this year, The Straits Times reported on a family who won a legal case to install grilles in their condominium unit.

Dr Sujit Singh Gill was twice refused permission by the management corporation of One North Residences to install grilles in his 13th-storey unit.

When he applied to the Strata Titles Boards (STB), it ruled in favour of his family on the grounds that children's safety must be paramount, even if the grilles may affect the appearance of the building.

Mr Toh and his colleague, Mr Daniel Chen, who represented Dr Singh, said that owners who have problems getting approval to install grilles in their homes should seek legal help to apply to the STB.

Mr Chen said: "It may take some time for the owner to get the outcome they desire through the legal process, but if the council of the condominium is resolute in its refusal to permit the installation of grilles, this is the only way to compel them to allow the installation."

This article was first published on August 26, 2016.
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