More SMRT employees, including "senior management", were disciplined for their role in the track accident on March 22 that killed two trainees.

In an internal mail to staff on Wednesday, SMRT Trains managing director Lee Ling Wee said two employees had been dismissed but several others had also been disciplined.

"Besides the two dismissals, verbal and written warning letters were issued to staff across several grades," Mr Lee wrote.

He also alluded to pay cuts and, possibly, demotions.

"Individual performance grades were recalibrated downwards across various levels of the Trains team, including senior management," he said.

Mr Lee's communication came after The Straits Times reported on Wednesday that two SMRT employees had been sacked over the fatal accident, including the driver of the train which knocked down the two trainees.

2 SMRT staff die in incident on MRT tracks

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Stomp, The Straits Times, Berita Harian

On March 22, Nasrulhudin Najumudin, 26, and Muhammad Asyraf Ahmad Buhari, 24, were among 15 men on the track near Pasir Ris station when they were hit by an oncoming train.

It is understood that the driver may not have seen the workmen on the track and, if he had seen them, did not sound the horn, as required.

According to insiders, the train had switched tracks moments before hitting the workers. Train drivers have no control of track switching.

A second employee, said to be part of the work team on the track that day, was also dismissed.

It is understood that a senior controller of the network's Operations Control Centre had also left following the accident.

In his mail to staff, Mr Lee said: "Our disciplinary process is fair.

"We do not single out any staff or department to bear the responsibility when things go wrong."

He added that there had been previous dismissals for safety breaches.

"We did this in an all-out effort to never again repeat safety lapses," he wrote.

Since the tragedy, SMRT has set up a Track Access Management Office "to control access to railway tracks".

Mr Lee also said any staff member, regardless of rank, can "call a time-out if they feel safety is compromised".

SMRT said in April that failure to follow safety measures had led to the accident.

Lapses include allowing a train to ply in automatic mode while workers were on site, not deploying watchmen to look out for approaching trains, and failing to provide early warning to the work team.

christan@sph.com.sg

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Five retailers in Kampong Glam were fined a total of $14,200 after they were found guilty of selling shisha molasses/tobacco without licence, the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) said on Friday (Sept 16).

Four of the retail outlets had persisted in the sale of shisha molasses and tobacco, even after their tobacco retail licences had been earlier revoked for tobacco-related offences, HSA added.

The shisha ban in Singapore came into full effect on Aug 1, and regulations prohibit the import, distribution, sale or offer for sale of shisha molasses/tobacco.

A first-time offender will face a fine of up to $10,000, or a jail term of up to six months, or both, while repeat offenders are liable to maximum fine of $20,000, or imprisonment of 12 months, or both. Imported shisha molasses/tobacco will also be seized and confiscated.

Import, distribution, sale of shisha to be banned in Singapore

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ST, NSTP, HPB, BH

Dangers of shisha smoking

According to the World Health Organisation, a person who smokes shisha for 45 to 60 minutes inhales smoke equivalent to that from 100 or more cigarettes.

In addition, shisha smoke contains higher levels of carbon monoxide, nicotine and cancer-causing chemicals than cigarette smoke. As each shisha smoking session can last between 15 and 90 minutes, smokers are exposed to high levels of harmful toxicants.

Those who need advice and support on smoking cessation can call the toll-free Quitline at 1800 438 2000 or visit Health Promotion Board's iQuit club.

15 sneaky ways smoking ruins your life

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ST, BH, TNP, Reuters, AFP, Svenson, NSC, internet

Also read: Shisha smoking less harmful than cigarette smoking? 5 myths debunked

Shisha ban takes its toll on eateries

Shisha to be banned in Singapore from Nov 28

minlee@sph.com.sg

After two weeks of dreading the worst and hoping for the best, Mr R. Manokaran's family finally had good news on Wednesday.

To much relief and joy from his loved ones, the barber opened his eyes for the first time since he lost consciousness after he was seriously injured in a bus accident in Malaysia on Aug 31.

His wife, Madam Muniandy Barvathi, 48, told The New Paper that he even managed to ask her a few questions about the accident.

But the housewife added that it will take "a long time" for her husband, 52, to fully recover.

The couple and two of their three children, Miss M. Priyatharsini, 24, and Mr M. Navindran, 19, were among nine Singaporeans who were injured after a double-decker Grassland Express And Tours bus crashed into a road divider and flipped on its side on the Karak Highway as it was on its way to Singapore from Genting Highlands.

9 Singaporeans hurt after tour bus overturns in Malaysia

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Though they escaped with less severe injuries, Madam Muniandy and her son now have a fear of buses, especially double-decker buses.

She said: "The other day I had to take a bus, and when a double-decker arrived, it brought back bad memories."

She added, with tears welling up in her eyes: "I didn't dare to go upstairs (to the top deck) and stayed below."

Mr Navindran added that he too, was traumatised by the crash.

"I haven't taken a bus since the accident. Instead, I take taxis or use Grab," he said.

Madam Muniandy, who has kept vigil by her husband's side since the accident, said she also has difficulty sleeping at night.

She often wakes up at around 3am and because she is unable to go back to sleep, she spends the time praying for her husband, who has a barber shop in Taman Jurong.

Recalling the accident, Madam Muniandy said her family, who were returning home after a four-day holiday in Genting, were seated on the right side of the top deck of the bus when it crashed.

"My husband and I were sleeping. Suddenly I woke up because I heard his voice. When I opened my eyes, the bus had flipped and I was in a standing position," she said.

"My husband was lying at my feet covered in blood and he was shouting: 'Very pain, very pain, help!'."

While she and her two children escaped with cuts and injuries, her husband was severely hurt because he was flung into the stairwell of the bus.

DIALYSIS

He had a broken arm and wrist, a punctured lung and several damaged ribs. Both his kidneys failed, and he was put on dialysis.

Last Thursday, Mr Manokaran was transferred from Kuala Lumpur General Hospital to the National University Hospital (NUH) after his condition was deemed stable enough for the four-hour ambulance ride back to Singapore.

Madam Muniandy also came back on the same day in a van.

Their two children had earlier returned to be treated for their injuries at NUH and have been discharged.

When TNP visited the family in hospital yesterday afternoon, Mr Manokaran was awake after undergoing his third operation for his broken arm and wrist.

He was unable to speak because of the breathing tube in his mouth, but was able to nod in response to his wife's gentle prodding.

Mr Navindran and his elder brother, who did not go on the trip, have been accompanying their mother to NUH every day.

Miss Priyatharsini usually stays at home as she is recovering from ankle surgery.

Mr Navindran, a full-time national serviceman, said: "Many relatives have been very supportive and they visit every day as well. My mother is quite badly affected. Sometimes she'll say: 'I wish I could wake up from this bad dream.'

"But we have to be strong and deal with the situation. Thankfully, we are all alive."

He said the worst was over for the family and his father is getting better by the day.

Grassland Express And Tours has offered to cover his father's medical costs in Malaysia and Singapore, he added.

He also said that Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who is the Member of Parliament for Jurong GRC where the family lives, visited Mr Manokaran on Wednesday.

Madam Muniandy said: "I haven't told (my husband) the whole story or the severity of his injuries.

"I just said that there was an accident and he has a few injuries here and there. I don't want to scare him."

Madam Muniandy was found to have two hairline fractures in her spine last Thursday after a check at NUH, but does not need to be hospitalised.

She said: "He's getting better, but the doctors said the recovery process will be a long one. We don't have a time frame right now, but I feel so much safer and glad that the whole family is back in Singapore and that he's awake now."

All injured passengers back in S'pore

The tour bus was heading to Singapore from Genting Highlands in Malaysia when it crashed and flipped on its side on the Karak Highway.

The accident on Aug 31 was the first of four fatal cases involving Singaporeans on Malaysian roads in the past two weeks.

According to Malaysian newspaper The Star, the double-decker Grassland Express And Tours bus crashed into a road divider and skidded for about 20m.

Nine Singaporeans, including Mr R. Manokaran and his family, were injured.

BRAIN INJURY

One of the injured, Mr Lim Sia Thian, 62, died of severe traumatic brain injury on Sept 4at the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital.

Grassland operations manager Steven Chew said the other injured passengers had returned to Singapore, The Straits Times reported last Friday.

A female passenger warded in the National University Hospital was reported to be in stable condition.

Last Thursday, The New Paper reported that some of the passengers lost their valuables after they were rescued by passers-by, with at least two couples reporting their loss to the Malaysian police.

When contacted yesterday, Malaysian police said the missing belongings were the responsibility of the bus company.

Grassland did not reply to TNP's queries by press time.

This article was first published on September 16, 2016.
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Not all iPhone 7 buyers in Singapore will receive their handsets today as Apple has been hit by global supply delays, especially for the model called jet black.

The three local telcos - Singtel, StarHub and M1 - started contacting consumers yesterday to notify them of the handset delay.

Meanwhile, many customers who had ordered and paid for the new phone started flooding the telcos' Facebook pages and online forums like Hardwarezone with complaints.

This is the first time that the telcos are flagging a shortage even before a phone has been officially launched here. A Singapore-based Apple spokesman said: "During the online pre-order period, initial quantities of iPhone 7 Plus in all finishes and iPhone 7 in jet black sold out and will not be available for walk-in customers."

All three telcos acknowledged the squeeze. A Singtel spokesman said: "We have been informed that stock for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in jet black in all capacities will not be arriving on Sept 16 as planned."

iPhone 7 launch in Asia

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AsiaOne, Reuters, The Straits Times, AFP

Due to technical issues on Singtel's website on Wednesday, customers could order the new iPhone only at 10am yesterday. By then, the telco had already informed customers they could not order certain models.

StarHub and M1 - which had taken most of their customers' orders by Wednesday - apologised for the delays.

A StarHub spokesman put the blame on a "last-minute change in iPhone 7 availability at the supplier's end".

Customers who had ordered the affected jet black and silver models were offered another colour. They could also choose to wait but it is not clear when their choice would become available.

An M1 spokesman said the telco will contact customers when there is stock for the unavailable models. "Please be assured that we are working with Apple to fulfil these outstanding orders as quickly as possible," he added.

Apple Holds Press Event To Introduce New iPhone

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Reuters, AFP

Some customers asked for a refund, while others wondered when they could get their handset.

One M1 customer going by the moniker James Koh JL, who had paid for a 256GB silver iPhone 7 Plus, said: "Can I know what is the point of the pre-order?"

Project manager Raymond Cheng, 29, who ordered a 128GB jet black iPhone 7 Plus from Apple's online store, understands that he would have to wait two or three weeks for his phone. "I'm disappointed with the delay. But I can wait two to three weeks."

Neither Apple nor the telcos would say how many customers were affected and when they would get their handsets.

Mr Clement Teo, principal analyst at market research firm Ovum, said: "Everyone along the supply chain underestimated the demand for the new iPhone, especially the new jet black model."

itham@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on September 16, 2016.
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The eligibility criteria for presidential candidates will be made more stringent, but they will not be tightened to the extent proposed by the Constitutional Commission.

One key suggestion that the Government accepted in its White Paper yesterday will require potential private-sector candidates to have had experience running large, complex companies that have $500 million in shareholders' equity.

The current criterion - set 25 years ago - puts the amount at $100 million in paid-up capital, but the commission had said that shareholders' equity is a better reflection of a company's size and complexity.

The Government agreed that in terms of requiring that the company be listed on the Singapore Exchange, this need not be introduced at present.

The Government also agreed with the commission that only the person holding the most senior executive position in a company should qualify to run for president.

Current rules allow the chairman or chief executive of a qualifying company to stand, but the commission had noted that a non-executive chairman not actively running a company would not have the necessary expertise.

Also, a profitability requirement will be adopted to show that a potential candidate performed acceptably while helming a company.

Under this requirement, the firm should have recorded a net profit during the candidate's time heading it. It must also not go into liquidation or insolvency within three years of the candidate's departure.

QUESTION OF BALANCE

But the Government rejected another significant recommendation, that potential candidates must have served six years - double the current requirement of three years - in a public- or private-sector position which qualifies them to stand for election.

While it recognised the importance of applicants spending adequate time in a qualifying office, the Government said the minimum duration was ultimately a question of balance.

"Given the concurrent changes to other aspects of the eligibility criteria, the Government prefers to adopt a cautious approach, and retain the qualifying tenure at three years at this time," it said.

Similarly, the Government preferred to "proceed cautiously" on a recommendation that the entire period of the candidate's qualifying tenure must be within 15 years before Nomination Day.

While it agreed that a candidate's experience must remain sufficiently relevant, it said: "As long as an applicant's qualifying tenure falls wholly or partly within 20 years of the relevant presidential election, his experience may be considered suitably current."

The commission had also proposed that should a candidate have held two or more qualifying positions, the time spent in those offices can be added up to meet the required length of tenure, which the commission had suggested be set at six years.

But the time spent in private-sector qualifying offices cannot be added with public-sector ones as the commission felt that "the experience derived from one route is likely to be different in nature from that derived from the other".

The Government agreed with this proposal. But in the light of its position to retain the current requirement of three years, it said there should be a maximum of two separate periods during which a candidate has held qualifying offices. Each qualifying period of office should also not be less than one year.

On the proposal that the Accountant-General and Auditor-General be removed from the list of key public service appointments that automatically qualify, the Government said it will need to consider such a move more carefully.

The commission had said that both offices do not deal with the pressures of government decision- making, and "play an indispensable but ultimately ancillary (and comparatively narrow) role" in public service.

The Government responded that these were valid points, but added: "The Government will retain the existing position for now, and reconsider whether the two offices should be removed at a future point in time."

ziliang@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on September 16, 2016.
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The Council of Presidential Advisers (CPA) will be given a stronger voice as the president will have to consult it on more issues and its size will be increased from six to eight members.

But the Government has rejected a proposal that the CPA's degree of support for a president's veto should affect how easy it is for Parliament to override the veto.

It set out its position on these recommendations of a Constitutional Commission in a White Paper released yesterday.

The commission's proposals last week included some related to the president's custodial powers. It suggested that in all fiscal matters relating to the national reserves and public service appointments, the president must consult the CPA before exercising his veto.

Currently, the president needs to do it only for some, not all, of these matters. The Government accepted the change.

It also gave the nod to the proposal that when the CPA disagrees with a presidential veto, Parliament should be able to override the veto on all such issues - not just some.

But it rejected another idea: that the stronger the CPA's support for a veto, the harder it should be for Parliament to override it.

Currently, if a majority of CPA members agree with a presidential veto, Parliament cannot override it.

This includes cases where the chairman casts a tie-breaking vote. The panel proposed that in such tie- breakers, Parliament can override the veto with a two-thirds majority.

If a majority of CPA members disagree with a veto, Parliament should be able to override it more easily: with a simple majority, not the current two-thirds majority.

The Government said this "provides a more finely calibrated approach", but still rejected the idea.

"The calibrated approach may unintentionally emphasise or even politicise how individual members of the council, particularly its chairman, have voted, instead of the collective judgment of the council as a whole," it said.

As for letting Parliament override a veto with a simple majority if the CPA disagrees with the president, the Government said "a reasonable argument can be made" for this.

But as the law is being changed to allow parliamentary overrides on more issues, further changes on the required majority are best deferred to a future review, it added.

As the proposed changes will increase the CPA's scope of work, the commission suggested expanding it from six to eight members.

The Government accepted this, as well as proposals to set guidelines in appointing members and make both new terms and reappointments last for six years.

On proposals to make the CPA's decision-making more transparent, the Government agreed with some but not all the suggestions.

The proposals concerned when and what information has to be disclosed to the president, prime minister and Speaker of Parliament, and when the president's opinion should be made public.

On whether the individual votes of CPA members should be made known, the Government said it prefers the current system of revealing only the total number for and against. Giving a breakdown of individual votes "could risk politicising the council, and consequently undermine its stature and independence", it said.

As for conveying the council's advice to the prime minister and Speaker, the Government agreed this should be done when the president is vetoing Supply Bills, Supplementary Supply Bills or Final Supply Bills - which are Bills related to government spending. In these situations, the president will also have to publish his opinion in the Gazette.

But for other veto areas - like key appointments - a balance must be struck between accountability and "protecting potentially sensitive and confidential information", said the Government, setting out "a more calibrated approach to publication".

What if the president neither assents to a Bill nor vetoes it?

Currently, he is deemed to have consented after 30 days have passed, in the case of certain Bills.

The commission suggested making such a deadline apply to all situations in which a parliamentary override can be invoked, and extending the wait period to six weeks.

The Government agreed and went further, applying a deadline to not just Bills but also the president's powers in areas like detention orders under the Internal Security Act.

It decided to keep the 30-day deadline for time-sensitive matters like Supply Bills, and to shorten this to 15 days in "exceptional cases" on urgent matters, though it did not specify what these might be.

janiceh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on September 16, 2016.
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As expected, queues for the newest Apple iPhones, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, formed in many locations in Singapore as early as yesterday morning (Sept 15) ahead of sales today. However, media reports show that many people in the queues were buying the phones not for themselves.

The Straits Times (ST) reported that the first person in the queue at Courts Orchard, a 25-year-old student from Nanyang Institute of Management, was there with nine other students from the same school. They were there to buy the phones for a friend, who wanted to "send them to his family in Vietnam".

Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported that, over at City Square Mall, a 26-year-old university student studying in Vietnam started queuing at 10am yesterday morning. The woman flew to Singapore specifically for the phone, which she plans to sell in Vietnam as it "can be resold for at least S$3,000".

She claimed that the queue at City Square Mall had started as early as 6am on Thursday morning.

iPhone 7 launch in Asia

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AsiaOne, Reuters, The Straits Times, AFP

CNA reported that there were about 25 people in a queue outside Nex Mall in Serangoon at about midnight on Friday. A man in the queue admitted that he plans to resell the phone as "right now, I can get about $2,100 for the new iPhone 7". He said he'll buy one for himself later, from a telecoms operator here.

ST reported that the second person in line at 313 Somerset was a 60-year-old housewife who was queuing to buy an iPhone 7 Plus in black for her son. The phone, however, is for a foreign customer of her 40-year-old construction manager son.

Many foreigners were also spotted in the various queues.

ST said that at 8am today at Courts Orchard, "most of the 30 people in line were foreigners", including two from India, who were here for a holiday. At 9am, about 300 were in the queue at 313@Somerset, "including many foreigners".

The newspaper also spoke to a 27-year-old entrepreneur from Indonesia in the queue at Ion Orchard. The man, who is in Singapore for vacation, had to settle for a phone in a colour that's not of his choice. "I will probably sell the phone later to get the phone in the colour I want," he said.

CNA said that when it arrived at 313@Somerset on Thursday night, at about 11pm, more than 60 people were in line. "Some had arrived from overseas, and brought their luggage along with them," it reported.

In the queue was a 23-year-old Penn State University student from Thailand, who said he came to Singapore to buy the phone as there is usually a "one- or two-month delay in Thailand".

sinsh@sph.com.sg

Apple Holds Press Event To Introduce New iPhone

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Reuters, AFP

SINGAPORE - Two oil tankers have been stopped from leaving a rebel-held port in war-torn Yemen over a commercial dispute, the ships' Singapore-based owner said Friday.

The Singapore-flagged Chao Hu and Hong Ze Hu - both carrying crude oil - have been prevented from leaving Hodeida, the second-largest port in Yemen, an impoverished country that is heavily dependent on imports.

"The vessels themselves are not under arrest but have unfortunately been caught up in a commercial dispute between cargo interests," the ships' owner, Ocean Tankers, told AFP in a statement.

"The dispute is nothing to do with Ocean Tankers or our ships and we hope the dispute can be settled quickly," the company said, providing no further details.

According to ship tracking data seen by AFP, both the Chao Hu and Hong Ze Hu have been anchored in the Red Sea for at least four months.

Shipping has become increasingly dangerous around Yemen, the poorest country in the Arab world, since fighting erupted two years ago.

The Iran-backed Huthi rebels overran the capital Sanaa unopposed in September 2014 and went on to expand their control of the impoverished country, advancing to southern provinces, including the Hodeida port.

The violence has intensified since the collapse in early August of UN-mediated peace talks held in Kuwait, with military sources telling AFP that 40 people were killed in fighting between rebels and pro-government forces on Wednesday.

Meanwhile importers are struggling to pay for essential goods as the country's foreign currency reserves shrink, with aid agencies warning that millions are on the brink of famine.

Yemen's conflict has killed more than 6,600 people, most of them civilians, and displaced at least three million others, according to the United Nations.

A wholesale store to six minimarts to a multi-storey shopping complex - that is the evolution of All India Supermart, owned by cousins Mr Madhi Ayyakkannu and Mr Rethina Kumar.

Said Mr Ayyakkannu, 45, of their decision to scale the business: "We were bringing in all these products (rice, dhal and spices) to supply to the retail stores so we thought, why don't we start a chain of such stores on our own too."

The duo went ahead with their idea and set up minimarts in different parts of Singapore such as Paya Lebar, Bedok and Teban Gardens.

But as their business expanded, they faced challenges managing the manpower and keeping a check on the stores all at once.

"Then we thought, why don't we consolidate all these stores into one and manage a complex at one place," said Mr Ayyakkannu, who is from Tamil Nadu.

And that is how All India Supermart, a four-storey 20,000 sq ft shopping complex on Norris Road, was born.

Mr Ayyakkannu manages the operations while Mr Kumar handles the accounts and human resource aspect of the business.

Visitors can find a large range of products at All India Supermart - frozen products, fresh vegetables, spices, household items, cosmetics, medical items, toys, stationery, prayer items, trolley bags, watches, apparel and electronics.

"We have built a very comprehensive complex. If our customers want an item, they don't have to walk far within the complex to get it.

"They don't need to waste their time finding the products high and low. We are not overly big and at the same time we cater to our customers' shopping needs," said Mr Ayyakkannu.

Price is another factor that the cousins have thought very carefully about. They opened the complex aiming to keep the costs as low as possible.

"Our tagline is wholesale prices at retail mart. We want to keep the cost as low as possible - just like when we first opened our minimarts - we sold everything at wholesale prices so we can attract and retain customers. It also makes us stand out from other supermarts," he said.

A new concept

With that in mind, they came up with a new concept for the sale of their spices, dhals and grains.

Customers can buy as much as they want instead of buying pre-packed quantities that weigh 500g or 1kg.

"We were inspired by the olden day concept where a worker would scoop spices, dhals and grains from a gunny sack and then the customer pays for the amount he buys," said Mr Ayyakkannu.

Mr Kumar, 65, and Mr Ayyakkannu came up with a modern version of the concept where customers can get the amount of spices, dhals and grains they want from dispensers. The price is decided based on how much they take.

"And they are cheaper than pre-packed packs," added Mr Ayyakkannu.

Though there are other shops that sell a similar range of items in the vicinity, the owners are happy to face competition.

"We will keep working hard knowing that there is competition. In fact, we will work even harder for our customers so we can retain them," said Mr Ayyakkannu.

Future plans

All India Supermart is open from 10am to 11pm every day. But they have plans to keep it open for 24 hours.

In addition, it is coming up with a smartphone app that will let customers buy their groceries online and opt for home delivery.

The cousins are still working on details such as the minimum amount for online orders and the delivery time window. They plan to introduce this in January next year.

They will also be coming up with "an interesting and big promotion" for Deepavali.

"We opened All India Supermart on Nov 7 last year. This year, we will celebrate our first anniversary together with Deepavali by offering our customers the promotion," said Mr Ayyakkannu.

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After receiving his scholarship, Mr Santhiran Ezhavarasan met Mr S R Nathan. The chat he had with the former Singapore president made him realise the importance of education.

Mr Nathan had encouraged Mr Santhiran, then an Institute of Technical Education (ITE) student to get a place in a polytechnic. When he was given the scholarship from the S R Nathan Education Upliftment Fund, the 23-year-old Santhiran was in his final semester of ITE.

"A month after my father passed away, I received the scholarship. It helped pay for my school fees and also have some pocket money," said Mr Santhiran at the Indian Community's Tribute event for the late Mr Nathan organised by the Hindu Endownment Board (HEB), Narpani Pearavai and Singapore Indian Development Association (Sinda) on Sept 8.

"Two weeks ago, I was confirmed a place in Republic Polytechnic to pursue Diploma in Sports Coaching. But unfortunately Mr Nathan is not around to share my joy. He will always be remembered," said Mr Santhiran in his tribute.

Singapore's former president S R Nathan dies

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tabla!, The Straits Times, The New Paper, Berita Harian

He was one of seven speakers at the event at PGP hall in Sri Srinivasan Perumal Temple on Serangoon Road. Mr Nathan died at the age of 92 on Aug 22.

Former Minister S. Dhanabalan related how he was surprised to hear Mr Nathan speak in fluent Japanese in the days when the Japanese wanted to invest in Singapore.

He also listed the positions Mr Nathan held in the various ministries and how he never failed to acknowledge others with a handshake and smile.

Said Dr Uma Rajan, lovingly called the dancing doctor by her medical colleagues: "Mr Nathan is the reason for the big scale health carnivals held for the Indian community in the temples these days."

Chairman of Singapore Kadayanallur Muslim League A.R. Mashuthoo, and President of Singapore Khalsa Association Mohinder Singh said in their eulogies how Mr Nathan was very supportive of their community activities. Both said Mr Nathan had attended many events held by the two communities, which served as a great encouragement to them.

Member of the Hindu Advisory Board and Sinda Term Trustee K. Kesavapany recalled how, when Mr Nathan was the Chairman of the Seamen's Registry Board back then in 1968, he asked a seaman whether he had taken his lunch while he approached Mr Nathan for help regarding work-related problems.

Singapore says farewell to former president S R Nathan

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The Straits Times

"What struck me was the priority that Mr Nathan gave to an immediate human need - hunger, and not to systemic issue of man's problem, which was subsequently and swiftly resolved," said Mr Kesavapany.

Chairman of HEB, Mr R Jayachandran, mentioned how Mr Nathan helped HEB in various ways.

Mr Nathan's wife Urmila, son Osith and daughter Juthika were among those who attended the event.

Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister of Trade and Industry (Industry) S Iswaran, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Finance & Ministry of Law Indranee Rajah, MPs Janil Puthucheri and Darryl David, also took part in the tribute ceremony. DPM Tharman presented Mr Nathan's family an album containing about 80 photos which showed Mr Nathan's involvment in the various Indian organisations over the past decades.

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The Straits Times, The New Paper

wsilas@sph.com.sg

Wilson Silas David is a journalist with Tamil Murasu.

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SINGAPORE - Singapore Grand Prix rolls into town for its ninth edition this weekend, even as a major shake-up gets underway at Formula One.

The race in Singapore is the first since it was announced last week that the sport is being acquired by US media and entertainment group Liberty Media Corporation, in a deal which represents an enterprise value of US$8 billion (S$10 billion) and an equity value of US$4.4 billion.

Bernie Ecclestone, who earlier said he would skip the Singapore Grand Prix to tend to the negotiations over the deal, was spotted around the Paddock on Friday.

The Briton, who turns 86 next month, is expected to remain at the helm of the sport for the next three years, though the talk is that he may not last that long.

The sale comes at a time viewership of the sport has been falling, with its global audience reportedly slumping from 600 million annually in 2008 to about 400 million last year. But revenues have held steady; F1 made over US$1.8 billion last year.

Liberty Media, with its forte in promotion and marketing, is expected to boost F1's reach through avenues such as the digital space - an area by and large neglected.

It is also expected to grow the US market and court younger audiences; its expertise in live events and digital monetisation are also seen as pluses.

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F1 drivers arrive for Singapore Grand Prix 2016

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The Straits Times

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IWC Schaffhausen

Singapore GP

Shell

Backed by US billionaire John Malone, the company has investments in outfits such as tour promoter Live Nation, the Atlanta Braves baseball team, TimeWarner and Viacom.

Industry observers thus see it as a better fit for growing the sport than outgoing substantial shareholder, private-equity firm CVC.

Speaking to The Business Times on Friday, team principal of Sauber, Monisha Kaltenborn, said: "Among the many areas that can be improved is the connection to the end-user, the fan. (Digital and social media) are important areas. That's the way to reach young people today. How else can you get the young people today and make sure they come to a race tomorrow and pay for the ticket?"

She also raised the need to relax the rules governing the use of F1 content by the race teams to attract eyeballs. "The rights regime which we have is something we need to re-do, considering today's media landscape."

Kim Douglas, managing director of consultancy SapientNitro & Razorfish (South-east Asia), cited live streaming as one avenue to boost viewership; it will also enable F1 to enter new markets, since people watch sport on mobile platforms.

James Walton, head of the sports business service at Deloitte Singapore and South-east Asia, said that where the Singapore Grand Prix is concerned, the race venue may be able to leverage Liberty's relationship to attract and promote more big-name acts: "The key for the Singapore Grand Prix is to continue to build on the track-side entertainment and activities to enhance the F1 experience, particularly to appeal to the local crowd, which may be experiencing fatigue after nine years."

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The New Paper, The Straits Times

The deal with Liberty Media is expected to be sealed in the first quarter of next year, which happens to be the last year of Singapore's current five-year contract.

Singapore Tourism Board director of sports Jean Ng said a decision has not yet been reached on whether Singapore will stay on the race calendar after 2017.

The event has boosted tourism, with more than 40 per cent of spectators coming from overseas for the race each year.

It has also raised Singapore's international profile, as its glittering skyline is beamed to over 640 million viewers globally.

More than 350,000 overseas visitors have come to Singapore for the eight races since 2008, netting the country an average of S$150 million in incremental tourism receipts each year, except for 2009, during the global financial crisis.

If Singapore seeks to extend its contract, it will come from a position of strength in the negotiations, as its street circuit and night-time race are popular with the drivers and spectators, Mr Walton said.

However, Liberty's strategic plans for F1 will also be in play.

"Most of the major F1 commercial partners are focused on the high-net-worth market, so for them, Singapore is a key target market and they would not want to lose that. Singapore, as a venue, benefits as well, in terms of branding and tourism dollars.

"If Bernie Ecclestone continues to be in the vanguard at F1, Singapore's bargaining position is strong, as he played a key role in bringing the race to Singapore and is a big supporter."

Last year, some 86,970 spectators thronged Marina Bay for the event. This year's ticket tally has yet to be released.

This article was first published on September 17, 2016.
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The car shot forward, flying out of the multi-storey carpark and down a flight of stairs.

In his panic, the driver continued to step on the accelerator, as the car sped through a narrow 10m walkway.

It then crashed at the lift lobby of a block, just 20m from a childcare centre and playground.

Thankfully, no one else was hurt and the driver, who wanted to be known only as Mr Tan, 62, escaped with scratches on his wrist.

The self-employed contractor said he was parked across the flight of stairs at about 3pm yesterday. He said he was about to drive off when he stepped on the wrong pedal.

"I stepped on the accelerator instead of the brake, and the car flew forward," he told The New Paper yesterday.

"It was a scary experience."

Car flies out of carpark, crashes at lift lobby in Woodlands

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Steven Tan, The New Paper

The car flew from the multi-storey carpark at Block 792A, Woodlands Avenue 6 to the lift lobby of Block 791, where it became wedged in a narrow walkway next to a staircase.

Mr Tan said he was stunned after the crash.

WRECKED

Ms Patricia Nathan, 35, a teacher who lives at Block 791, said she was on her way home at about 4pm when she saw the damaged Toyota.

"I saw the wreck at the lift lobby and was shocked," she said.

"This area has a lot of children and wheelchair-bound elderly. It was very lucky that no one was around."

A crowd gathered around the wreck. Many of whom were residents who were unable to use the lift.

The car was later towed back into the multi-storey carpark, where it was originally parked.

Mr Tan said the car was his own, and he was hoping it would be covered by his insurance.

"Hopefully they cover it but for now I'm going to have to get a spare from the workshop," he said.

A police spokesman said they were alerted to the accident at about 3.15pm, and no injuries were reported. Investigations are ongoing.

Read also: Car ran over woman before crashing into void deck 

This article was first published on September 17, 2016.
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65-year-old woman killed after driver allegedly steps on wrong pedal

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Video screengrabs, Shin Min Daily News, Lianhe Wanbao

The two workers sacked by transport operator SMRT Corp over a fatal track accident in March will submit appeals next week.

SMRT has given them until next week to appeal, and the National Transport Workers' Union is helping them to do so, said labour chief Chan Chun Sing yesterday.

The union will discuss the next steps after the appeals are filed, he told reporters on the sidelines of a dialogue with human resource professionals.

Earlier this week, SMRT fired Mr Rahmat Mohd, 49, who drove the train that struck and killed two SMRT trainees undergoing on-the- job training on the tracks near Pasir Ris station on March 22.

2 SMRT staff die in incident on MRT tracks

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Stomp, The Straits Times, Berita Harian

Mr Nasrulhudin Najumudin, 26, and Mr Muhammad Asyraf Ahmad Buhari, 24, were part of a group of 15 sent to investigate a possible fault with a track equipment.

The other employee who was dismissed is believed to be part of the work team on the track that day.

SMRT, which conducted an internal probe into the tragedy, said the accident occurred as safety measures, such as deploying watchmen to look out for approaching trains, were not followed. Besides firing the two workers, SMRT sent verbal and written warnings to other staff.

In an internal e-mail message on Wednesday, SMRT Trains managing director Lee Ling Wee said: "Individual performance grades were recalibrated downwards across various levels of the Trains team, including senior management."

Mr Chan said the union will continue to engage with SMRT to "see how we can best manage this issue".

Read also: 

This article was first published on September 17, 2016.
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The Ministry of Defence (Mindef) will use fingerprint scanners to verify the identity of NSmen taking their Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) in Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) camps.

No timeframe has been given for the implementation of this technology which is already in use in eight SAF camps, but not for NSmen - or operationally ready national servicemen - booking in to take the IPPT.

However, Mindef said in its statement that NSmen taking their IPPT in camps will have to have their fingerprints scanned when this technology is introduced at all SAF camps.

On Tuesday, a man was jailed for his role in a scam in which he helped NSmen pass their IPPT. A total of 69 NSmen have been disciplined in relation to this case - 58 were with the SAF, six were with the Singapore Civil Defence Force and five with the Singapore Police Force.

Mindef also said it has stepped up verification measures to apprehend IPPT cheats.

"Cheating goes against the core values of the SAF and reflects on the integrity of the soldier. Officers and warrant officers caught cheating are no longer fit to command and can have their ranks removed in addition to fines imposed," it said in its statement.

Already, checks at the camp gate and during IPPT registration have become more stringent, The Straits Times understands.

More thorough checks are being made to ensure the face of the NSman matches that on the identity card (IC) presented.

There is also closer scrutiny to ensure that the details on an NSman's IC match those submitted when he registered for the test online.

Checks carried out as the fitness test is conducted have also been stepped up.

Several NSmen who took the test on Wednesday noted that checks have indeed become more stringent.

Project manager Luo Zhigen, 34, said that at the push-up station, everyone had their faces checked against their IC photos.

All ICs were also scanned at that station, he said, adding that this was a first.

A few, however, said loopholes remain.

Customer service officer William Tan, 27, said test administrators did not check that those completing the 2.4km run were using their own IC and tag, which can be swopped with others before the run.

An NSman, who only wanted to be known as Mr Ang, said he did not think any camp guard or IPPT test administrator checked his face against his IC photo.

But the 24-year-old Singapore Institute of Management student added: "If they have to check every photo, I won't be able to come out (after finishing the test) in an hour."

jkoh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on September 17, 2016.
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A 26-year-old freelancer thought she found a good deal when she saw an online offer for an iPad Air 2 at just $400, when this can cost about $900 at Apple's online store.

But she ended up forking out a total of $1,000, including payments for various "fees", for a gadget that was never delivered, after falling prey to an online seller who claimed his shop was in Changi Airport.

This was just one of a number of online purchase scams involving electronics stores at Changi Airport.

Some sellers claim that their stores are in the airport's transit area, with their inaccessibility making home deliveries of orders necessary. They usually ask for payment upfront, but do not deliver the goods.

Mr Leong Chang Woei, operations manager of electronics retailer Sprint-Cass, estimates that there have been 20 cases of such online scams since last October.

Sprint-Cass, which runs six electronics outlets under different names in the airport's public and transit areas, does not sell its goods online.

A recent bogus site, www.e-gadgetmini.com, used the name of its Terminal 2 shop.

"In April or May, there was a spike (in cases), and we updated our Web page with a notice warning consumers to be alert," said Mr Leong.

The trend of online purchase scams involving airport shops is part of a rise in online purchase scams in general.

Overall, they increased from 846 cases in the first half of last year to 995 in the same period this year.

Mr Leong said online advertisements linked to his shop started appearing on online marketplace Gumtree last October.

He said the conmen would show consumers "identity cards" and "documents" to back their claims that they were from Sprint-Cass. "People trust them, and a few actually pay them."

Changi Airport Group said it is aware of such scams and has received feedback from a member of public.

A spokesman said: "We work closely with tenants and the police in investigations and would advise customers to exercise prudence in making purchases online."

In the case of the freelancer, who gave her name only as Hui Xian, the seller claimed his shop was on the second floor of Changi Airport's Terminal 3.

He asked her to pay an "insurance and Value-Added Tax fee" totalling $250 on top of the $400 for the iPad Air 2. The $250 was supposedly refundable upon delivery.

She told The Straits Times that she transferred money to the seller, and asked for a receipt and tracking number, but received neither.

She became suspicious when the seller went on to ask for a "yellow card fee"of $150 for delivery and a $200 "clearance fee" for Customs.

She eventually made a police report. His supposed shop in Changi Airport - "Vertu Gadget Store"- did not exist.

She said there are other electronics sellers online claiming to operate from the airport's transit area and one even sent her photos, supposedly of his identity card and passport, to prove his trustworthiness.

A check by The Straits Times showed that the seller does not live at the address on the IC he showed. The unit appears to have been rented out, and his number was "not available" when ST called.

Last week, the seller to whom Hui Xian paid $1,000 challenged her to make a police report, claiming that she lost the money as she had not followed his instructions.

His original post is no longer online.

When ST called the seller's number, it was not in use.

Read also: 34 investigated for online scamming

Online shopping fraud on the rise

Online purchase scams have been on the rise, increasing from 846 in the first half of last year to 995 in the same period this year.

From 2014 to last year, scams involving e-commerce rose as well, by around 30 per cent, with more than 2,100 victims cheated of some $1.76 million in total.

Victims are often told to pay in advance for an attractively priced item.

They are sometimes asked to make further payments for Customs duties, delivery charges and taxes for their purchase - which is never delivered.

Online crimes have been a concern for the police, with their rise over the past few years pushing up annual crime statistics.

The Ministry of Home Affairs said earlier the police would fight such crimes through tough enforcement, community partnership and public education.

In a public education exercise last month, the Marine Parade Neighbourhood Police Centre installed vending machines that offered power banks and charging cables for $1 each - what came out held scam advisories instead.

Read also: Smart but scammed

This article was first published on September 17, 2016.
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Scam victims from China who allegedly lost $1.6b look for clues in Singapore

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The Straits Times

The Building and Construction Authority (BCA) is urging lift owners to modernise their lifts for greater reliability and performance.

To aid this voluntary move, the BCA has drawn up a list of recommended features.

These safety-improving features include a battery-powered automatic rescue device that can bring a lift to the nearest landing and open the doors if there is a power failure.

Said BCA chief executive officer John Keung: "The BCA will be issuing an advisory to lift owners and the industry, and we encourage all lift owners to consider lift modernisation to further improve the standard of existing lifts in Singapore."

There are about 61,000 passenger lifts here, including about 24,000 in public housing estates.

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

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Stomp

In response to queries, a Housing Board spokesman said: "The BCA's recommended list of modernisation items to enhance the performance of older lifts will be applied to HDB lifts as well."

The Ministry of National Development and the HDB will announce the details next week.

Asked why the move was not mandatory, a BCA spokesman noted that many lifts already have some recommended features such as the automatic rescue device.

"Existing lifts, with proper use, regular maintenance and inspections, are safe to use. However, they can be further enhanced to make them more reliable and improve their performance," he added.

The BCA's list of features is based on industry consultation and benchmarked against safety standards, taking into account findings from lift audit checks and recent lift incidents here and abroad.

An international panel of experts supported the idea of voluntary modernisation and the list of items.

Industry players said the recommended features are common in newer lifts, but may be hard to install in lifts older than 20 years.

Lifts installed since 2009 have to comply with official standards that prescribe some of these features, noted Ken-Jo Industries managing director Kenneth Lim. For older lifts, the ease of retrofitting varies by feature, he said, adding: "You need to see whether the structure and the design make it feasible."

Dr Lai Weng Chuen, a committee member of the Singapore Lift & Escalator Contractors & Manufacturers Association, said it might be better to simply replace very old lifts.

"Sometimes, the cost (of retrofitting) may be so prohibitive that it makes sense to overhaul," he said.

Property manager AsiaMalls Management confirmed that its lifts already have four of the eight recommended features. It is checking whether its lifts also comply with the remaining four.

"We work closely with the BCA and are committed to working in partnership with them to ensure all the lifts in our six malls are fully compliant," said AsiaMalls Management managing director Tan Kee Yong.

The BCA is working to improve the lift industry in other ways. To attract workers, it is looking at setting out a defined career path for lift technicians and industry professionals, to "provide clarity... and boost confidence about their prospects in the industry".

For lift maintenance, the BCA is reviewing whether to have a structured methodology. It is also looking at using remote monitoring and diagnostics to raise productivity.

This article was first published on September 17, 2016.
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Whether next year's presidential election is one reserved for candidates from the Malay community will depend on addressing several legal issues.

But these will be sorted out and a decision made by the time amendments to the Constitution are tabled in Parliament next month, Law Minister K. Shanmugam said yesterday.

Reserved elections are among proposed constitutional changes accepted by the Government this week.

"Ultimately, it's for Parliament to decide," he said at a Straits Times Roundtable discussion on the Government's White Paper reviewing aspects of the elected presidency.

On Thursday, the Government accepted a review panel's idea of a "hiatus-triggered framework" to ensure minorities become president from time to time.

Under this model, an election is reserved for a race if no one from that group has been president for five continuous terms.

A look at the presidents of Singapore

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The Straits Times, Zawiyah Salleh, New Nation, Wee Kim Wee, The Business Times, The New Paper, The Ong family, Lianhe Zaobao

Yesterday, panellist and Institute of Policy Studies deputy director Gillian Koh asked if the clock for such a provision will start from 1991, when the elected presidency scheme was introduced through amendments to the Constitution, or 1993, when Mr Ong Teng Cheong was the first president voted in by the people.

If it starts from 1991, the next presidential race - which must be held by next August - must be reserved for Malay candidates.

There has not been a Malay president since Mr Yusof Ishak, who died in office in 1970. But if it starts from 1993, there must be one more open election before a reserved one kicks in in 2023.

Mr Shanmugam replied that there were legal issues to sort out before giving a definitive answer.

He did not elaborate, but said earlier this month that the Government was asking the Attorney-General for advice on aspects of the panel's proposals to ensure representation of all major races in the office of the president.

Observers say one issue is defining who counts as an elected president: while Mr Ong was the first popularly elected president, his predecessor Wee Kim Wee, although chosen by Parliament, was the first to exercise discretionary powers due to a special provision inserted into the Constitution when the elected presidency scheme was introduced in 1991.

Mr Wee was president from 1985 to 1993.

Another is ensuring that the provision complies with the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which Singapore signed last year and is expected to ratify next year.

But he added: "Certainly, by the time the Bill is tabled in Parliament in October, we'll be in a position to say where the clock starts."

This article was first published on September 17, 2016.
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The wine-coloured briefcase that was used to hold the notes, letters, drafts and cassette tapes of Singapore's late founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew has come to symbolise his dedication, and ambitions for the nation.

The briefcase, which Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat referred to as "the red box" when he wrote about it last year, has been adopted in several initiatives for children. These were launched yesterday to coincide with Mr Lee's birthday, which falls on Sept 16.

In one initiative, little red cardboard boxes that look like Mr Lee's briefcase will be given out. Each contains items such as a storybook that touches on compassion and a journal that teaches graciousness.

About 20,000 of these boxes will be given out on Children's Day - on the first Friday of October, or Oct 7 this year - to pre-schools taking part in the Early Childhood Development Agency's Start Small Dream Big project, where children work with their centres and parents on community projects.

Yesterday, St James' Church Kindergarten also marked its inaugural Red Box Day, an annual effort to showcase its children's community projects and encourage them to dream big for Singapore.

A look at Mr Lee and his family life

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The Straits Times, Lee Family, Eng Bow Kee, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, Video screengrabs, SPH Razor, Changi Airport Group

Its senior principal, Ms Jacqueline Chung, said symbols were important as a teaching tool.

"The red box is a way of introducing to children this very abstract concept of the future of Singapore and how we can contribute to it," she said.

"It's not just about Mr Lee. It's about his hopes and dreams, which, we hope, will continue in the hearts of the children."

Some of the pupils' community projects and dreams for Singapore - ranging from a car-less nation to spacious hospitals for seniors - were presented as craft work displayed in red boxes at the kindergarten's campus in Gilstead Road in Newton yesterday.

Earlier this year, some 1,000 of its pupils raised about $16,000 for charity in one day by selling handicraft.

Also launched at the kindergarten yesterday were a Red Box Activity Book and an educators' guide for the activity book.

They complement another children's book, What's Inside The Red Box, which was launched last year and focuses on what Mr Lee did for Singapore.

The guide was developed by teachers from the kindergarten, while the books are published by The Straits Times Press and sponsored by Mapletree Investments.

Some 6,000 copies of the activity book and guide will be given to pre-schools in the Start Small Dream Big project.

At the launch yesterday, Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin said: "What we have in Singapore today is very much a result of (Mr Lee's) efforts over the years - all the different slips of paper that cumulatively added up in the box."

He added that the projects launched yesterday help to start children on the journey of caring about other people's needs.

Business development manager Ruchika Saluja, 36, said she is glad her son took part in community projects at St James' Church Kindergarten. He had made handicraft to raise funds for the Singapore Association for the Deaf.

"Kids in Singapore are generally quite privileged, so it is good that he learnt about social needs and was encouraged to give back to society," she said.

This article was first published on September 17, 2016.
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