Meetup.com is too slow. Tinder comes with too much negative baggage.

Enter a clutch of friendshipseeking and community-building apps - Sup, Lunch Kaki, Wander and Motivatormob - for bored or lonely young adults not looking for romantic entanglements.

Ms Jen Wei Qing, the 35-year-old co-founder of Sup, says: "We're used to everything being on demand so there is no reason why friendships could not be more portable as well. Because the app recommends events to you and connects you to the right people to go with, it acts very much like an Uber for friendship."

No matter the hundreds of friends millennials might have on their social media platforms, they probably interact regularly only with the same close handful of people - frequenting the same places with the same people and talking about the same things a few too many times.

For many young adults who have grown up on the immediacy of social connection on platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, this real- world friendship gap can be disconcerting.

No surprises then that friendship has become the newest area to go mobile.

Free from the slower response time of traditional community portals such as Meetup.com and the many negative stereotypes that plague dating apps such as Tinder, this new generation of social apps is catered to efficiently connecting like-minded people - no matter one's age, gender or relationship status (although the founders acknowledge that users may go from being platonic friends to romantic partners).

In Singapore, there are at least three such apps that have recently launched.

For Ms Jen, the irony of being unable to translate digital connections into real-life interaction spurred her to launch Sup - which she calls "Tinder for social life" - with her Harvard University schoolmate in January this year.

Sup - short for "What's up" - helps to connect users to friends who are nearby and available immediately for an activity.

The app makes these connections by mining relevant information such as geographical location, interests and mutual connections from users' Facebook profile and contact list and running it through a proprietary algorithm.

Over time, the algorithm learns from user behaviours so suggestions become more relevant the more you use the app.

The response time to a user's activity request? Typically within 30 minutes, says Ms Jen.

This immediacy of connection is also a huge selling point of local social networking app Lunch Kaki, designed to help people connect and socialise over lunch.

Founded by Mr Melvin Tan, 35, the app launched in November 2014 and currently has more than 20,000 registered users who are mainly working in professional fields such as finance and engineering.

For the ex-stockbroker, the idea came about during a period when he was unemployed for seven months.

"During that time, I realised that it would be helpful to have a way to meet new people and casually network with people in my industry," he says. "Plus, my wife who worked in the city would also mention how she did not like to dine alone, which made me realise there was potential for an app like Lunch Kaki."

This desire to connect like- minded individuals for platonic friendship is why he says he has made the conscious effort to not market the app as one that promotes romance.

"Dating apps are an easy way to quickly meet people, but users come with their own set of expectations and the apps exclude people who are in committed relationships but might just be looking to widen their social circle."

People using Lunch Kaki filter their lunch requests by location, interests, industry, gender and age and can use the last-minute-eats function to find a lunch buddy within 10 minutes.

For Ms Hazel Kweh, 31, who started using Lunch Kaki at the end of last year, the efficiency and ease of using the app is a big draw.

"As I work from home, the app gives me a chance to connect with other working professionals in entrepreneurship who I would not have had a chance to meet otherwise," says the singleton, who runs an e-commerce start-up.

"I use it up to three times a week and have met lots of interesting people - many of whom are married and in relationships - who are just looking to make new friends. In fact, many of these people have become friends."

The chance to interact with strangers who share similar interests is also what draws more users to friendship apps.

Ms Huang Xuemin, 29, used women's-only app Hey! Vina while on her maiden solo trip to Sydney last year and connected with a fellow music lover over brunch.

She says of the experience: "The app isn't available in Singapore yet, but many of my friends in Australia recommended it to me as a way to meet locals. Because it's only for women, I found it really safe. In the end, I made a good friend whom I am still in touch with today."

Similarly, local community- building apps such as Wander and Motivatormob capitalise on commonalities between strangers to help people turn digital connections into offline friendships.

Wander, which launched this week, allows users to set up group chats and discuss anything from their favourite brunch spots to PokemonGo.

Local app Motivatormob, which is looking to launch by January, focuses on the social aspect of fitness. Its users can find and join workout groups across the island based on filters such as geographical area, time and type of activity. Both free activities and paid activities will be available on the free app.

Its co-founder Tom Bennett, 40, a Singapore permanent resident, says: "We found that people often feel more motivated and connected when they are part of a community. So even though our app is focused on fitness, it is also very much about strangers translating online connections to real relationships in the offline world."

HI THERE, STRANGER

Technology entrepreneur Krystal Choo believes that people are lonely and the social space is broken.

So last month, she started building Wander to connect strangers with common ground.

The app - which launched this week - operates like a group messenger for strangers, allowing people to start discussions and build communities with others who have shared interests. It is for the fostering of platonic friendships.

Ms Choo, 28, says: "These days people type more than they talk, but they are either broadcasting information in a bid for validation or are stuck in silos and connecting only with a small handful of close friends and co-workers."

Originally intended for singles, it has become a friendship-focused portal open to anyone, as long as you want to connect over an area of interest.

Once users have logged in with their Facebook or e-mail accounts, they can choose to join a conversation that falls under various existing topics.

If they cannot find what they are looking for, they can set up their own topics of interest or filter using keywords to find profiles similar to theirs.

"It allows people to stick to using their phones, which is what they are comfortable with, but affords them immediacy in replies and a chance to expand and connect to social circles that might not be available to them daily," says Ms Choo, who is single.

She hopes that the chance the app offers to have genuine conversations with like-minded people will draw users.

"Everyone still treasures the sense of identity and belonging they feel when they are in the midst of a community. No matter how many digital likes we get, friendship and human connection will always be key."

JAPANESE FINDS HIS KAKIS

For Mr Allan Tanekura, managing director of a Japanese event ticketing company, meeting Singaporeans has been a tricky prospect.

The Japanese citizen, who is the only staff of the Singapore branch of his company, does not have any colleagues to rely on to introduce him to new people.

Working in Raffles Place, he finds it hard to strike up conversations with strangers, most of whom are either in a rush to get back to the office or are already dining with friends of their own.

Since June this year, he has been able to count on Lunch Kaki to help him out on the friendship front. The app - which he uses two to three times a month - has helped him meet nearly 10 new people so far, many of whom he gets together with regularly.

The 31-year-old, who is married, says: "Since I moved to Singapore six years ago, I've found it quite hard to make new friends. Also, because I am married, I don't want to use dating apps to try and meet new people, so Lunch Kaki was a happy medium."

Using the app has even indirectly benefited his business. A friend he met through the app introduced Mr Tanekura to his partner, who became his client.

He says of his Lunch Kaki experience: "It's been a great way to not only meet new people, but also to exchange ideas with like-minded business people. Plus, because so many people on the app work in the city, there's a high chance that I can meet someone new regularly and at my convenience. It's a win-win situation."

This article was first published on September 18, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Former Formula One driver Alex Yoong says: "The world probably isn't very kind to those at the back."

With a string of disqualifications and race retirements to his name, Yoong is not likely to be remembered as a racing legend.

But the Malaysian driver carried the racing hopes of the region in 2001 and 2002, as the first non-Japanese Asian driver in F1 in half a century, since Thailand's Prince Bira in the 1950s.

Yoong raced in the Minardi F1 team, which was beset with financial difficulties and was not competitive on the track.

He struggled to make an impact at the tail end of the grid, finishing 20th in 2002 before losing his place.

He sits down with The New Paper on Sunday for a candid chat on his career, confessing that he "didn't do well enough" in his F1 heyday.

Yoong, 40, says: "At the time, my expectations were too unrealistic and I thought that, maybe, I could do well and deserve to be here (in F1).

"I compared myself to people in my age group, but I never realised that these guys have been karting since they were eight and that I just hadn't done enough racing. I started racing only at 16, I never raced karts. I started racing in Proton Sagas for two years."

He would be severe with himself over every failure, but never because of the "weight" of the public pressure on him.

Recalling his best result in the 2002 Australian GP, he says: "I finished seventh and the Prime Minister of Malaysia congratulated me by text message. It meant nothing to me, because I actually drove a really bad race and I got the position because so many other cars crashed out.

"The pressure a country can put on someone's shoulders is nowhere near the pressure I put on myself."

He was particularly upset after a disqualification in the 2002 San Marino GP, but he remembers that as the night his son was conceived.

Yoong says: "That was a huge moment of vulnerability for me, so it just happened."

Life as an F1 driver then was also not as glamorous as one might think.

During the season, he relied on public transport to get around because, in his words, the team was "broke".

F1 Singapore Grand Prix 2016

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Singapore GP

"Any money we could find, it went straight back to pay our debtors. So... I couldn't even rent a car," he says.

The team could ill afford to pay for regular practice sessions in an F1 car, but he still had to work very hard.

"There is just not enough time. You're in the gym all the time and the competition is too tough. As soon as you start slacking a bit, it starts showing up in the results," he adds.

That, says Yoong, is what makes motor sports so interesting.

He explains: "It is not like a company where you have to wait for each quarter or each year to see how the company is doing. We see the results straightaway. The pressure to perform and for you to work hard is always there."

These days, Yoong is recognised for his work as the resident F1 pundit on Fox Sports.

He is covering the Singapore Grand Prix for the network this weekend.

Yoong, who began commentating a decade ago, jokes that life after F1 is more enjoyable.

He says: "In F1, you get invited to all the nice parties, but you can't enjoy the parties. You're always thinking about training the next day, you can't afford to have a wild night.

"Punditry is the opposite. We don't get invited to all the nice parties anymore but when we do get invited, we go off the handle and have a great time."

He has learnt to take things in his stride and now looks back at his career with pride.

He also races in the Audi R8 LMS Cup series, in which he is the reigning champion.

Yoong says: "(In F1,) you never enjoy your successes and your failures haunt you. But it is later on in life, after seeing what I went through in perspective, that I am able to appreciate the job that I did.

"Which means when I do screw up occasionally, I'll bounce back from it stronger. And if I do have success, I'll enjoy it more."

Before F1, Singapore had Grand Prix from 1961-1973

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The Straits Times

SECRETS OF THE TRADE

1. Being an F1 driver means constant training and work. Slack off for a bit and you will need a lot of energy to regain that momentum and rhythm needed on race day.

2. You are not going to beat your teammate by worrying about him. Focus on your own performance and beating yourself first.

3. Safety is important, but do not let it be an obstacle. The moment when thoughts about death or injury start to impede you is the time to stop racing

This article was first published on Sept 18, 2016.
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The sun is about to set, casting a golden glow on the rugged landscape of the Gobi Desert. I am standing at the foot of the Khan Bayanzurkh mountain in Sainshand in the province of Dornogovi in Mongolia, and looking at the summit with dread.

The locals call it Wishes Mountain. The spirit of a Gobi lord is believed to live at the top, and if you walk three times around the ovoo - sacred stones placed in a heap to serve as an altar - and toss vodka and other offerings, whatever you wish for apparently will come true.

To get to the peak, standing at 1,070m, I would have to navigate a pathway with a gazillion steps, a prospect my tired body does not relish. I have been up since 6am, and spent about seven hours travelling nearly 500km from Ulaanbaatar to Sainshand; my butt is sore from sharing the backseat of an SUV with two other people.

Unfortunately, Mr Damdindorj Puntsagdorj - or Damdin, as we know him - is already making his way up the mountain with nary a pause. His energy beggars belief, especially as he has spent more than seven hours behind the wheel, at times steering the SUV through intestine-jolting terrain.

Then again, what is scaling a puny mountain for a man who, just two years ago, was in a vegetative state, vacillating between life and death for nine months?

He is the reason I am in Mongolia with four of my Singaporean friends. We wanted to see the man who stared Death in the face and came back with a tale of hope, kindness and resilience.

It all started on Jan 5, 2014, when Damdin, 52, arrived in Singapore with his wife Otgo, 51, son Nagy, 29, and daughter Anu, 15, for a family vacation.

That night after dinner, the former deputy director of the Research Institute of Animal Husbandry in Mongolia grappled with a massive migraine. His face turned ghostly white and he started vomiting.

Because they were staying in a hotel in the Bugis area, his son took him to Raffles Hospital, where he collapsed. A CT scan revealed that he had an aneurysm which resulted in a bleeding stroke.

Another stroke hit two months later. He went into a coma twice, and was in a vegetative state during the six months he spent at Singapore General Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

A strapping Mongolian who tipped the scales at 110kg before this, he lost more than 40kg during this period.

According to his family, he also once stopped breathing and had 10 operations to, among other things, secure the aneurysm, manage brain infection and treat cerebrospinal fluid build-up.

Dr Nicole Keong was one of the doctors who treated him in Singapore.

"He was critically ill for most of his stay here and his medical management was complex," says the neurosurgeon at the National Neuroscience Institute.

The odds for such patients, she adds, are not good. Up to a third may die or suffer severe damage to the brain or multiple organ systems.

Damdin spent another three months in a vegetative state after he flew home to Mongolia. His family, meanwhile, was put through the wringer financially, emotionally and psychologically.

Because he did not have travel insurance, Damdin's hospital bills quickly became a six-figure nightmare.

By the second week of his stay in hospital, Otgo and Nagy were reduced to sleeping on newspapers on the floor next to Damdin's bed in hospital.

Their savings quickly ran out. Otgo had to sell jewellery, clothes and, later, even land to keep her husband alive.

The family also had a crash course in humanity, and saw its faces both ugly and beautiful.

Friends whom they trusted deserted them; relatives whom they thought they could rely on turned their backs on them.

Nagy - then a foreign relations manager in a Mongolian investment holding company - lost his job. His employers said they sympathised with his situation but could not allow him to stay away from work for such a long time.

"I was so depressed; I even thought of killing myself," he says.

Fortunately there were silver linings.

Through a medical social worker, my friend Josie - whose family runs a budget hotel - came to know of their plight.

Josie and family not only gave Otgo and Nagy a free room for several months, they also gave the Puntsagdorjs a lot of emotional support.

Otgo says there were also other angels in Singapore who rallied around them.

One Mongolian woman living in Singapore told Otgo never to give up until the last minute.

"There was another Mongolian family with two little girls. One of them drew a picture of my husband, out of hospital, and looking healthy. The little girl's drawing gave me a lot of strength," she says.

Kind Singaporeans offered comforting words, and sometimes bought them meals. A Singapore property developer - who has an office in Ulaanbaatar - later offered Nagy a job as a marketing executive.

Otgo says: "We found priceless friendships in the most unlikely places."

On June 18, 2014, Damdin - still unconscious - flew home to Ulaanbaatar; he was on a hospital bed and was accompanied on the flight by a nurse.

Nagy says: "The doctor told us my dad might be in a vegetative state for a long time or he might recover. The future was unknown. We had to leave because the longer we stayed, the higher the hospital bill would soar."

Upon arrival in Ulaanbaatar, Damdin was admitted to a Mongolian hospital and discharged 10 days later. Doctors told his wife there was nothing they could do.

Otgo, a former paediatrician, recalls: "They said he might stay like this forever so he would need lifelong support and care from family members. I couldn't give up, I had to stay strong."

An agnostic, she sought help and comfort from Catholic nuns and even a Mongolian shaman.

Every day, she would talk to Damdin as she massaged him.

"I told him he was too young to go to the sky; I told him the children still needed him," she says

One day in mid-September 2014, Damdin's eyes suddenly opened.

"He just started crying, big tears rolling down his cheeks," Otgo recalls.

But he could not recognise his loved ones.

Fortunately, his memory slowly came back as did his mobility, although his balance was wonky and he often fell in the first few weeks.

Over the next few months, Otgo forced her husband to read from newspapers and then grilled him on what he had just read.

"I'd send him out to the shops and make him run errands and I'd follow behind to see if he got lost or forgot to do what he was supposed to do," says Otgo, who updated those who had helped her each time Damdin had a breakthrough.

In February last year, she whatsapp'd Josie the following update in fractured English: "Now my husband feeling good. Don't worry and you are all come together to Mongolia. I always talk about you for my husband and he knows all your names."

That is what has brought us - Josie, me and three other people whose paths crossed with this family's in Singapore - to Mongolia 18 months later.

It is a unique trip in more ways than one. Mongolia is a harsh but stunningly beautiful land, one where the clouds tell stories and the vastness sings.

But more than just an expedition to see the new and the wondrous, the trip is a reminder that friendship, empathy and humanity can really add colour and meaning to our time on earth.

The worst is over for Damdin, Otgo, Nagy and Anu, but they still have worries. They have a mountain of debts which will take them years to settle but they are intent on paying back every cent.

Damdin - who hopes to go back to work soon - feels bad that he has put his family through so much.

"It is a lesson and the cost has been high. But I'm proud my family and I went through these challenges and survived. We are now stronger."

Strong he definitely is; he reaches the ovoo a good 10 minutes before I do.

I do not know what he will wish for. But when I get to the summit of Wishes Mountain and toss milk and rice into the desert air, I will ask for strength, and friends and family who will always be there for me.

This article was first published on September 18, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

SINGAPORE - About a dozen people who paid deposits for brand new iPhone 7 sets have been left empty handed, Shin Min Daily News reported.

One victim, who is in his 30s, said that he saw a listing for a 128GB iPhone 7Plus in jet black on online marketplace Carousell for $1,480 on Monday (Sept 12).

The events planning manager, who did not wish to be named, told Shin Min that the seller claimed to know an employee in a telco, and can get his hands on the smartphone, which is in high demand worldwide.

He bargained with the seller, and agreed to buy the phone at $1,460. The seller then asked for a $200 deposit, claiming that he needed it to secure the phone.

The seller even sent him a photo of his identity card and driver's licence to secure his trust.

Later, the victim read reports that the jet black model of the phone was not available in Singapore and questioned the seller about it.

iPhone 7 launch in Asia

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AsiaOne, Reuters, The Straits Times, AFP

They arranged to meet at Bugis Junction at 3pm on Friday to make the transaction, but the seller could not be contacted from Friday morning onwards.

The victim made a police report on Friday evening. He also found other victims who had left messages for the seller online.

He told Shin Min there are 15 people who suspect they have been cheated. Most paid deposits of $200 to $400, two paid more than $1,000, and one victim about $4,600.

Police said that investigations are ongoing.

A quick check of Carousell revealed dozens of iPhone 7 listed for sale, as well as requests to buy the device.

Apple Holds Press Event To Introduce New iPhone

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Reuters, AFP

This article was first published on Sept 17, 2016.
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The Rio Paralympics 2016, which ends today, shines a spotlight on elite athletes with disabilities, igniting a fresh wave of celebration of the determination and grace of these sportspeople.

Yip Pin Xiu clinches Singapore's second gold medal at Paralympics

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AFP, Reuters, The Straits Times, MCCY, Singapore Sports Council

Outside of a competitive arena, there are also many opportunities for people with disabilities to take part in sports for recreation.

The Singapore Disability Sports Council, for example, offers a range of sports suited to different disabilities. These include badminton, wheelchair racing, cerebral palsy football, equestrian sport, handcycling, sailing, swimming, shooting and goalball, where blind or partially sighted players wear eye shades for parity and score goals with a ball containing bells.

Ms Judy Wee, senior manager at Muscular Dystrophy Association Singapore, says it has seen more people taking up its sports programmes which are suitable for people with severe disabilities. These sports are powerchair football, played using motorised wheelchairs, and boccia, a ball game that can be played by wheelchair-users with motor-skill impairments.

Boccia can be played by individuals, in pairs or in teams of three. Players throw or roll coloured balls as close as possible to a white target ball or "jack". The individual or team with the most balls near the jack wins.

Despite the range of disability sports available, not many people are aware of them, says Dr Marissa Medjeral-Mills, executive director of the Disabled People's Association. "The Paralympics help in increasing awareness, but a lot of people don't know that those with disabilities can be sporty. People also don't know how to include them in sports," she says.

In general, she says, there are ways to modify sports to make them more inclusive, such as using hand gestures instead of whistles so deaf people can participate in football matches.

Besides benefits for health and mental well-being, sports allows people with disabilities to socialise, as some of them may be isolated at home or not working, she says.

While barriers to entry still exist, such as expensive, specialised transportation to accommodate wheelchair users, stakeholders are also encouraging people with disabilities to take up sports.

The Singapore Disability Sports Council conducts monthly awareness programmes and adapted sports activities as rehabilitation for people with disabilities.

There are considerations when organising sports activities for people with disabilities. People with severe disabilities may not be able to take part in games with those who are higher-functioning physically, in case they get injured, notes Ms Wee.

But people do not necessarily have to play to participate. Even being a spectator can do wonders in making people with disabilities feel included, she adds.

RETURNING TO A TEENAGE PASTIME

After she became blind, Ms Siti Rossaliza Rosli (pictured), 36, returned to a sport she picked up in her teens: bowling.

She often bowled with her cousins when she was in secondary school because the sport was relaxing enough for her heart condition.

As a child, she was diagnosed with mitral stenosis, which is characterised by a narrowed heart valve. This made her tire easily and she was exempted from physical education in school. She underwent heart surgery in adulthood to correct the condition.

In 2010, at age 29, she received another medical blow - she was diagnosed with glaucoma, a disease that damages the optic nerve and usually affects older people.

Like many sufferers who had no early symptoms, she thought she was simply myopic until she saw a doctor when she had blurred vision. She was almost blind in her right eye by the time she was diagnosed in 2010.

She had to leave her job as a kindergarten teacher and, over the subsequent three years, she lost all of her sight, despite having surgery to try to save her left eye.

There was no family history of the disease, apart from her late grandfather, who had glaucoma in his 70s but did not go blind. Her father, 65, works in a mosque and her mother, 58, is a housewife.

She recalls feeling frustrated during the two years after her diagnosis and rarely going out.

In 2013, her uncle mentioned he had seen an advertisement of a blind athlete bowling in pitch darkness.

It sparked in her a new fascination with an old pastime.

"I didn't know a blind person could bowl," she says. She did some research and discovered the Bowling Association for the Disabled (Singapore), signing up for lessons to learn to bowl as a blind person.

She initially found it "very tough", throwing a lot of gutter balls before she mastered the skill, such as using a guide rail, which is a frame set up at the edge of a lane to help blind bowlers orientate themselves.

These days, Ms Liza, who works as a call agent at a telemarketing firm, and her husband, Mr Nazarudin Abd Razak, 38, go bowling once a week. They have no children.

Mr Nazarudin, a freelance masseur who is partially sighted, is an athlete, representing Singapore in goalball at the ASEAN Para Games held here last year.

Ms Liza says bowling has enlarged their circle of friends and the activity has given her more energy. "I want to stay healthy. Bowling is one thing I know I can do."

BEING DEAF NO HINDRANCE

Deaf since the age of three after a high fever, Mr Jimmy Chan has always led a sporty lifestyle.

The 45-year-old runs marathons, works out at the gym and goes rock- climbing.

He also trains both able-bodied and disabled people in sports such as strength training and dragon- boating at social enterprise Society Staples.

Among the challenges he took up was participating in an Operation Raleigh expedition in Siberia in his early 20s, which involved trekking and helping with scientific research.

"If I just focused on one sport, I wouldn't be satisfied. I want to try many types of sport. Persons with disabilities can achieve in sports, the same as normal people," he says.

The senior process designer in the oil and gas industry is married to a 37-year-old teacher. They have two daughters aged 13 and five.

As a pupil at a school for the deaf, he looked forward to physical education lessons and playing football with his friends. He also took up badminton and table tennis.

When he became deaf, he had to learn sign language based on English. His parents, who were school- bus drivers, spoke only Mandarin.

They eventually picked up basic words in English, but it was an uphill journey made easier only when his two sisters - one older, the other younger - gradually picked up simple sign language during their childhood.

Sometimes, communication with coaches can be fraught. He once left a running club because the coach refused to slow his speech so that Mr Chan could lip-read instructions.

At other times, communication challenges are not immediately apparent as his disability is not visible. For example, since his 20s, he has been rock-climbing, where safety depends on the skill of belaying, a partnered technique where another person is attached to the climber by rope.

Belaying usually depends on clear verbal communication. Because Mr Chan often cannot speak clearly, he has to work closely with his belayer, for instance, by prearranging hand signals to ensure a safe climb.

He has enrolled his daughters for rock-climbing lessons as he believes the sport tests one's determination. He says: "I want my children to follow in my footsteps and aim to achieve in sports as well as studies."

PLAYING TENNIS AND BASKETBALL IN A WHEELCHAIR

When Mr Palanisamy Avaday was in his late teens, a stranger stopped him in the street and asked if he wanted to take up sports.

Mr Palanisamy, 65, contracted polio at the age of seven and was using a caliper, a support for his polio-affected right leg, at the time. For longer distances, he used a wheelchair.

He replied: "What can a disabled person do?"

The stranger turned out to be the late Abdul Wahid Baba, a pioneer wheelchair-using Paralympian in Singapore who co-founded the Society for Aid to the Paralysed, now known as SPD, an organisation that serves people with disabilities.

Mr Abdul Wahid persuaded the teen to try playing wheelchair basketball with a team he had gathered.

Mr Palanisamy found the training, which included lifting weights, tiring. But he stuck with it and eventually felt motivated to take part in other disability sports such as archery and athletics.

From the late 1970s, he represented Singapore in competitions such as the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled. He won several medals, including a gold for wheelchair tennis at an international tennis tournament in the 1990s.

The senior project executive at Bizlink, a non-profit organisation that offers employment assistance and training for people with disabilities, left competitive sport about 10 years ago, but feels it is important to stay healthy.

He does sit-ups and lifts dumbbells daily and watches his diet, avoiding high-cholesterol and oily food. Married to a 62-year-old telemarketer, he has two daughters who are in their 30s.

He has been trying to recruit younger people with disabilities to play basketball with the Wheelchair Basketball Association (Singapore), of which he is a committee member.

One young person told him that since he was already disabled, he did not want to be further disadvantaged by injuries from playing basketball.

"But there are rules and regulations," Mr Palanisamy says. "It's not dangerous, it's a very exciting sport."

This article was first published on September 18, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

His work station is alive with blinking lights, multiple computer screens and buttons in every colour.

Through it all, Mr Jason Lie Chin Ann, must remain focused.

If he is distracted, he might make a mistake. And air traffic control officers (ATCOs) cannot afford a mistake.

Using radar technology and navigational systems, Mr Lie, 41, and his colleagues guide and monitor planes going in and out of Singapore's airspace.

It is people like Mr Lie who give pilots the clearance to ascend, descend and land.

With a laugh, Mr Lie tells The New Paper on Sunday: "Contrary to what some believe, we don't just hold up ping pong paddles to wave at pilots to land."

NO IDLE CHIT-CHAT

Last year, ATCOs oversaw more than 650,000 air-traffic movements in Singapore's flight information region (FIR) - a number that looks poised to hit a million by 2025.

Being responsible for people's lives might seem stressful, but Mr Lie says it is "all in a day's job".

He says: "There is no idle chit-chat and no loud sounds. We can't even use our phones while we are on shift.

"When we're on duty, all of us are focused, and there are no distractions."

Each shift lasts nine hours. There are three shifts - morning, afternoon and night - in a five-day work week. But the controllers do not spend all nine hours working.

Every two hours, Mr Lie gets a half-hour break, which is important for "decompression and to centre oneself".

Some ATCOs use the time to grab a quick bite or drink coffee, while others watch television in the pantry or play games like foosball.

Mr Lie says: "It is time for you to let go for a bit and do whatever you want before you return, ready to be 100 per cent focused."

At any given time at the air traffic control tower at Changi Airport, Mr Lie says there are about nine ATCOs monitoring the airspace and providing the go-ahead for planes.

BREAK

"Having people around means we can still go for a toilet break, as long as it is quick," he chortles.

But ATCOs do not just work at Changi Airport.

They also watch the FIR from the Seletar Airport control tower and the Singapore Air Traffic Control Centre (SATCC) near Loyang Avenue.

Although there are no windows in the SATCC, all eyes are constantly on the sky. When TNPS paid a visit to the control centre on Friday, there were more than 20 terminals feeding information about the goings-on in Singapore's FIR.

"Not many people know that Singapore's airspace approaches 800,000 sq km, it is not just what is going on directly above," explains Mr Lie.

"It is a big area, and we've got to make sure we keep watch."

In addition to their duties in the control rooms, some, like Mr Lie, also instruct trainees at the SATCC.

In order to get selected as an ATCO, applicants must be Singapore citizens, possess a tertiary qualification and pass a series of aptitude and voice tests.

Recruits are trained for around four years before they are deemed fit for operation.

"Anything can happen in the skies," says Mr Lie.

Their rigorous training includes procedures on what to do during disasters, medical complications and even emergencies like fires.

He shares that ATCOs call the shots when it comes to landings and can exercise their power should an emergency situation arise.

For instance, if a pregnant passenger goes into labour, the ATCO can bump up the plane's queue number for landing and give it priority.

Although Mr Lie has not experienced many of these situations yet, he shares that his job is most challenging when there is bad weather like heavy rain or strong winds.

He says: "There is absolutely no room for error because people's lives are on the line."

"Winds and rain can cause the planes to be unpredictable, so we're trained to always be adaptable."

And the perks?

Mr Lie says: "When you're up in the control tower, it is really a great view. We get the best sunrise of Singapore."

Shortage of controllers globally

The shortage of air traffic controllers is being felt not only in Singapore but globally. It is a big enough problem to cause the United Nations (UN) some concern.

The worry is that the current number of controllers will not be enough to handle the soaring number of passengers.

In 2011, the UN's civil aviation arm, the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), estimated that over 40,000 air traffic controllers will be needed worldwide by 2030.

And in that time, it is expected that the number of people flying will double in the next two decades to a whopping 7 billion, says the International Air Transport Association.

While Asia is the fastest growing travel market, there are so few training facilities in the region that ICAO estimates there will be a deficit of more than 1,000 controllers.

There are 390 ATCOs here and the number will hit about 600 by 2020, says the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).

But with two new airport terminals set to open at Changi Airport by 2025, there is a need for even more air traffic controllers.

By then, more than a million flights each year are likely to come through the airspace here, nearly double the 650,000 air traffic movements recorded last year.

CAAS says the number of planes moving in and out of Changi Airport will increase from 68 now to more than 100 flights "in the coming years".

Currently, any Singaporean with a tertiary qualification can apply to be an ATCO and CAAS provides the training.

DEMAND

But an academic course may be needed to meet impending demand, says Mr Abbas Ismail, course manager for the diploma in aviation management & services, School of Engineering at Temasek Polytechnic.

He says a specific ATC course can provide a steady pipeline of candidates for the CAAS.

"One way the industry could overcome this (shortage) is by teaming up with educational institutions to develop a specialised training programme for ATC, providing them (the candidates) with a job and sponsoring their university education after a few years," he adds.

ATCOs must also be provided with a more structured career path, says Mr Abbas.

Says a CAAS spokesman: "CAAS conducts regular reviews of ATCO work, career progression and benefits to ensure that it continues to offer an attractive career value proposition and competitive remuneration."

This article was first published on September 18, 2016, 2016.
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When it comes to Virtual Reality (VR), it's "still a wild wild east" in this part of the world from a content point-of-view.

At least, according to Mr Bryan Seah, senior producer of production and development at Discovery Networks, who shared this insight to the hype (or not) of VR at the Digital Matters conference on Thursday (Sep 15).

Held at Marina Bay Sands over three days, 1,200 people attended a slew of conferences ranging from digital and marketing, to sports and music, all of which fall under a massive conference gathering called All That Matters.

During the day at the Digital Matters conference, industry experts held panel discussions about VR and the rise of mobile video (among other topics). Heads of media companies also shared their growth and development insights with audiences.

Marketers are also getting their hands dirty by dabbling in VR to market their products or services. Take HTC for example. It sees a great future in VR and has separated its Vive VR Headset from its mobile phone business and created a subsidiary, "HTC Vive Tech Corporation, as a vehicle for developing strategic alliances to help build the global VR ecosystem," said its statement in The Verge report.

Mr Alvin Graylin, China regional president for HTC VR, said during the panel discussion, that HTC is the only company that has a "business edition of VR" and that the travel industry has been quick to experiement with it. One example brought up was Etihad's VR short film starring Nicole Kidman showing the finer points of its first class cabin.

While VR is still considered experimental and new in Asia, YouTube's global VR evangelist Scott Broock, highlighted that VR is "disruptive technology," and "you may be overbuilding for a limited audience" but the overall takeway from that panel was to "give it a shot".

"Now is a matter of either being left behind or in front of the curve," said Mr Broock.

This thought also applies to the rise of mobile video.

Strong connection for data is key so that content can flow quickly to mobile devices.

"It's about making sure that the streaming experience is good," shared Mr Khush Kundi, head of TV & media solutions, APAC at Ericsson.

"The rate of bandwidth is incredible, serving the means and demands of people on mobile networks,"  added Mr Kundi.

The future of mobile is in the inter-connectivity of technology and content, especially with 5G.

It should "open up doors on how to innovate experience," said Mr Kundi.

spanaech@sph.com.sg

Water raining down from the ceiling sent a boutique in the lobby of Marina Bay Sands' Tower 3 scrambling to rescue its luxury bags, which would have been damaged if soaked, Shin Min Daily News reported.

Water also came down from the three lamps above the hotel's reception in the lobby, a salesman named Lim said of the incident which happened on Saturday afternoon.

According to a manager of MCM boutique - the only shop affected, the staff managed to save all the bags in time.

Shin Min noted that the more than 20 luxury bags shrouded in plastic to prevent them from getting wet were prized at more than $1,000 each.

"The lights in the store all went off when the water came down," Mr Lim recounted.

"The carpet was completely drenched. The five or six workers frantically removed the displays and wrapped them up to prevent damage."

A spokesman for the hotel said the water came from air conditioners but the reason for the leak is still being investigated. The leakage continued for almost half an hour.

The hotel's cleaning team later came to the boutique to remove the stains and dry the carpet.

Shin Min reported that workers were still repairing the lights above the hotel reception that evening.

Many patrons were disappointed when they found the boutique closed for a clean-up on Saturday.

But yesterday, when Shin Min revisited the shop, everything was back to normal, with the bags back in their original spots.

A shop assistant noted that water also splashed down on the cashier's counter and in the storeroom.

"We had to use buckets to contain the water," she said.

"Luckily, our stocks were all wrapped up. Otherwise, the damage would have been grave," she added.

myp@sph.com.sg

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New public transport operator Go-Ahead Singapore rolled out its remaining 11 bus services yesterday morning, and took over management of the Pasir Ris Bus Interchange.

Bus services 2, 6, 12, 15, 17, 36, 354, 358, 359, 403 and 518 hit the roads two weeks after Go-Ahead rolled out its first 13 service routes on Sept 4.

Go-Ahead will launch its 25th bus service next year.

In a statement, Go-Ahead deputy chairman David Cutts thanked the Land Transport Authority, National Transport Workers' Union and incumbent bus operator SBS Transit for helping Go-Ahead take over the routes.

"Our staff have worked hard to reach this point and are dedicated to providing a quality service," Mr Cutts said. The fleet of around 400 buses is helmed by 700-odd drivers.

Last November, the British firm won a $497.7 million contract for the five-year rights to bus routes in the eastern part of the island, under the Loyang Bus Package of the new government bus contracting model.

The contract gives Go-Ahead the rights to routes for areas including Pasir Ris, Punggol, Changi, Tampines, Bedok and Sengkang.

The services run out of the Loyang Bus Depot, and Go-Ahead Singapore also assumes management of the Pasir Ris and Punggol bus interchanges.

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Formula One's governing body is to investigate an incident that saw cars cleared to race while a marshal was still on track following a Singapore Grand Prix safety car period on Sunday.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said a report would be carried out to ensure such a situation was not repeated.

Autosport.com quoted a spokesman saying procedures were not "properly executed" by the clerk of the course and team of officials.

The marshal was helping remove track debris after the safety car was deployed at the end of the first lap following Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg's crash into the pitwall at the start.

The cars were released again at the start of lap three but, despite race control confirming three times with the clerk of the course that the track was clear of people and material, a marshal was still out there.

Pictures showed him sprinting to the side of the circuit as the field, led by the Mercedes' race winner Nico Rosberg, bore down on him. "It was very dangerous," Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff told reporters. "I'm really happy it ended up with nobody being hurt." The Austrian said race control had been asked to re-start races sooner, rather than cars having to spend too long behind the safety car, and that request had been heard.

Rosberg said the incident had been 'pretty hairy'. "I think just as we didn't expect the re-start, he didn't either because the re-start was somehow pretty abrupt. Luckily he got out of the way just about in time so it was OK." It was the second year in a row that concern had been raised by someone on the track.

Last year, a lone intruder ambled across the floodlit track midway through the race and then strolled by the metal fences as cars came past.

A 27-year-old British national was later sentenced to six weeks in jail for breaching the security fences.

SINGAPORE - The Ministry of Education's (MOE's) latest advertisement is reminding many people of teachers who made a difference in their lives.

In the ad, which is based on a true story, geography teacher Madam Pua helps struggling student Shirley - staying back after school to give her extra lessons.

Shirley, with Madam Pua's help, goes from scoring 10 out of 100 points in her test to scoring...40 in her next test.

But even though she failed, Shirley still received a "well done!" from the teacher. Disappointed and perplexed, Shirley asked Madam Pua what she meant, and was told that it was more important that she had "worked hard and made a big improvement".

The ad ends by saying that Shirley "is doing well in her career" and still keeps in touch with Madam Pua.

The ad, released two weeks ago for Teacher's Day, seems to have struck a chord with many people, prompting more than a few to recall memories of teachers who helped and nurtured them.

"(Teacher's name), this reminds me of you! I failed mathematics during O levels and you came to give me a hug, and said it was okay because I did my best. I will never forget that," wrote a woman on MOE's Facebook page, in response to the video post.

"I was fortunate to have met Mrs Yeo, who never gave up on me. Without her, my mathematics will always be 'F9'," wrote another.

However, some netizens have voiced out that the ad is misleading, as some believed that grades still played a big part in Singapore's education system. 

"This ad is so misleading. I have seen teachers contacting parents if their kids don't do well in school...the Singapore education system is crazy," wrote one person.

"The grades don't matter? Try convincing all Singaporean parents," wrote a man, before adding: "A big thank you to all my teachers who have played a pivotal role in my life."

The video has been viewed more than 300,000 times on YouTube. The Facebook post with the video has been seen over 700,000 times, shared close to 3,500 times, and has gathered over 8,000 responses ("likes", "hearts" and "tears") so far.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

YouTube screengrabs, Facebook screengrabs

See also: Parents compile list of top PSLE scores

sinsh@sph.com.sg

To you, these may be just "kiddy rides". Put money in and they go.

For Mr Lee Kim Leng, they were a lifeline. He put the effort in and they kept him going - through very difficult times.

He was diagnosed with terminal stage throat cancer in August 1996.

He had to take three months off work to go for treatment, which included surgery to remove his lymph nodes, replacing his voice box, and chemotherapy. All this while, his business was his motivation.

"My business is my way of supporting my family, that's why it's so important to me," said Mr Lee, 78, the founder of Woo Hock Trading Company.

Mr Lee recovered by December that year and is now in remission. He has to go back for check-ups only once a year.

He now enlists the help of his daughter, Madam Lee Sok Gek, to communicate with the clients while he works on the repairs and reconditioning.

He said: "I'm very happy to be able to be back at work, doing what I love.

"Kiddy rides are my bread and butter, and it gives me a sense of satisfaction."

That love affair started in 1979, when he saw someone working on a kiddy ride and realised it could help him make money to support his family.

He was then a weighing machine mechanic and he would repair the rides at night after finishing work in the day.

He bought his first set of five kiddy rides for $3,000 and would sublet the rides to various shops. The profit made from the rides was split among Mr Lee and the shop owner as per their contract.

That year, Mr Lee started Woo Hock Trading Company, along with four partners, and he quit his job to focus on the growing business.

He originally reconditioned the machines in a space inside a provision shop in Toa Payoh, but as the business grew, he realised that he needed a bigger space.

Mr Lee moved from place to place before finally settling down in their workshop at 17, Lichfield Road, at Serangoon Gardens.

Over the years, the four partners left the company as business was always fluctuating, but Mr Lee stuck to his guns and carried on.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Facebook/ Nicky Loh Photography

All kinds of rides

TNP went to Mr Lee's workshop last Friday and we were greeted by an array of kiddy rides.

From superheroes to animals, he had it all. It would be of no surprise to find out that we had sat on one or two of those rides ourselves when we were younger.

When asked which his favourite ride is, Mr Lee pointed to a yellow duck.

"That was the first one he repaired and it is also the company's logo," said his 47-year-old daughter, Madam Lee.

They do not keep track of the number of rides they repair a month, but they do still have them outside for people to play.

Madam Lee said: "I don't know how many rides we repaired per month, but as of now, we have around 100 or more rides which are still in use."

Mr Lee does not have any plans to pass the business down to anyone and he is doing it mainly for his interest.

"Seeing children smile and spending time with their families while taking the rides makes this all worth it," he said.

Seeing children smile and spending time with their families while taking the rides makes this all worth it.

Read More:

Photographer's feature of Singapore's kiddy rides will bring you back to your childhood

This article was first published on September 19, 2016.
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Singapore - The United States has sought the extradition of two former executives of a Singapore-based defence contractor at the centre of a bribery scandal that has rocked the US Navy, government lawyers said Monday.

A spokeswoman for Singapore's Attorney General's Chambers told AFP the office has "received extradition requests from the US government" for the former executives of Glenn Defense Marine Asia (GDMA).

"AGC has acted on these requests and the matter is now fixed for committal hearing before the State Courts on 21 September 2016," she said.

A US Department of Justice statement issued on September 15 said Neil Peterson and Linda Raja, both Singaporeans, were charged in San Diego in California in relation to the scandal which has tarnished top US naval officers. Both were arrested in Singapore.

GDMA owner Leonard Glenn Francis is awaiting sentencing in the US after he admitted in January last year that his company, which provided port services, plied naval officers with cash, prostitutes, Cuban cigars and Kobe beef to ensure US Navy ships stopped at ports where GDMA operated.

Peterson, 38, was the Singapore-based firm's vice president for global operations and Raja, 43, was the general manager for Singapore, Australia and the Pacific islands, the US Justice department statement said.

Both are accused of conspiring with Francis to defraud the US Navy by submitting more than US$5 million (S$6.82 million) in false claims and invoices and working to "perpetuate and cover up their fraud", it said.

A total of 16 individuals have been charged in connection with the investigation into GDMA, including Peterson and Raja as well as 11 current or former US Navy officials, the statement added.

See also: Sex, ports and government contracts

Man who bribed US Navy leads a lavish lifestyle

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times

In June Rear Admiral Robert Gilbeau - the highest-ranking US Navy officer charged in the probe - pleaded guilty to lying about his relationship with GDMA.

Gilbeau admitted before a federal judge in San Diego that he had lied when he told investigators that he had never received gifts from Francis.

Another one of those convicted, US Navy Captain Daniel Dusek, was sentenced in March to 46 months in prison for giving classified information to GDMA in exchange for prostitutes and lavish gifts.

Alex Wisidagama, another GDMA executive who had pleaded guilty in the case, was sentenced in March to five years and three months in prison and ordered to pay US$34.8 million in restitution.

SINGAPORE - The National Transport Workers' Union (NTWU) on Monday submitted an appeal to rail operator SMRT, against the dismissal of two workers who had been involved in a fatal track accident earlier this year.

Train driver Rahmat Mohd, 49, along with another SMRT employee - who has not been identified - were sacked over the incident in March (2016) which saw the death of two trainee staff.

NTWU's executive secretary Melvin Yong said the union has reviewed the cases, and it has "raised further queries relating to the incident" in its appeal to SMRT.

2 SMRT staff die in incident on MRT tracks

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Stomp, The Straits Times, Berita Harian

"As we await the reply from the company on their decision, we will continue to render the necessary support and assistance to the affected employees during this difficult time," Mr Yong said in a statement.

Mr Rahmat, who was dismissed last Tuesday (Sept 13) following an internal disciplinary inquiry, was driving the train which hit and killed two men near Pasir Ris MRT station on March 22.

The deceased - Mr Nasrulhudin Najumudin, 26, and Mr Muhammad Asyraf Ahmad Buhari, 24 - were part of a 15-men team sent out to investigate a possible fault with track equipment.

The other SMRT staff who was fired is believed to be part of the work team on the tracks.

Following investigations, SMRT said in April (2016) that several safety lapses were found, including allowing the train to ply in an automatic mode. Watchmen who were supposed to keep a lookout for approaching trains were also not deployed that day.

Besides the dismissals, verbal and written warnings were issued to other staff, and individual performance grades were "recalibrated downwards across various levels of the Trains team, including senior management," the company said in an internal e-mail to staff.

This article was first published on Sept 19, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Putting church money into the music career of singer-pastor Ho Yeow Sun was a genuine investment and the church was not wrong to do so.

This was what Senior Counsel Andre Maniam told the court on Monday afternoon. He was presenting his client's case - former City Harvest Church (CHC) finance manager Serina Wee, 39.

"My client did not think she was doing anything wrong - if there was an element of financial return, it was an investment," said Mr Maniam.

In October last year, Wee was among six CHC leaders convicted of misappropriating millions in church funds to fuel the pop music career of Ms Ho - the wife of CHC founder Kong Hee and one of the six - in a church mission known as the Crossover Project.

The court found that they had invested $24 million from CHC's building fund in bogus bonds from music production company Xtron and glass-maker Firna, but this money was, in fact, used to fund the Crossover Project.

Later, another $26 million was used to cover up the initial misdeed.

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, The New Paper

Mr Maniam told the court there was nothing wrong with the investments having a dual-purpose of both funding Ms Ho's music career and an expectation of financial return.

"Her point is (they) are not expensing the building fund for missions but also investing it," said Mr Maniam.

He also pointed out that his client was not a decision-maker in the church. "What she does is crunching the numbers," he said.

Wee, who faces a five-year jail term, and the other five CHC leaders are appealing against their convictions and sentences, while the prosecution is also appealing - for longer sentences.

She is the last CHC leader to argue her defence, after deputy senior pastor Tan Ye Peng, 43, on Monday morning.

The prosecution is expected to respond and present its case on Tuesday.

The appeal will continue on Sept 20 and 21, and is being heard by Judge of Appeal Chao Hick Tin, and Justices Woo Bih Li and Chan Seng Onn.

It's the Serina Wee show: What she wore to court during CHC trial

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, The New Paper, AFP, missystella.com

This article was first published on September 19, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - A track fault caused for delays on the Circle Line on Tuesday morning (Sept 20), train operator SMRT said in a tweet.

The company had initially tweeted at about 6:57am that commuters should expect five minutes extra travelling time from Paya Lebar to MacPherson stations towards HarbourFront, before following up with a tweet that said the problem was cleared.

However, some minutes later, it said that commuters should expect five minutes of additional travelling time on trains from Dhoby Ghaut to MacPherson towards Harbour Front. This was later updated to 10 minutes of additional travelling time.

In the latest update at 8.34am, SMRT said revised the estimated delay for commuters to 15 minutes.

Some commuters delayed by the track fault reacted via Twitter, with one calling the Circle Line the "most problematic line".

One commuter with the Twitter handle @chris89757 wrote: "Circle line delay.. Finally got on the 3rd train that arrived and still waiting to depart."

ljessica@sph.com.sg

Some 3,680 secondary school students have been offered a conditional place in a polytechnic even before they take the O levels next month.

The offers were made at the end of the Early Admissions Exercise (EAE), introduced this year to allow students to secure places in diploma programmes using course-specific talents and interests and not just academic grades.

Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung, who revealed the figures on Facebook yesterday morning, said he was encouraged by the response.

"We have seen a large number of applications, offers and acceptances to the EAE," he wrote.

He said the polytechnics received applications from around 8,000 students, which means more than one in four eligible candidates applied.

Of these applicants, 46 per cent were given conditional offers.

He said most were offered places in courses such as early childhood education, mass communication, nursing visual communications and media design and sports and exercise sciences, where interest and aptitude are important for the mastery of the skills required.

Just over 500 of the places offered through the exercise were for the early childhood education course while 130 places were for nursing.

Mr Ong also said that of those who received an offer, 72 per cent were offered their first-choice courses and more than 92 per cent have accepted their offers.

They now need to score no more than 26 points for their O levels and meet other minimum subject requirements to be enrolled.

Said Mr Ong: "It is heartening to know that our students and parents are supportive of this move."

He also received positive e-mails about the new scheme.

For instance, he noted, one parent said her son is very passionate about nursing but could not apply for the relevant course in the past because of his academic grades.

Mr Ong was happy to hear that he was offered a place in nursing via EAE because of his strong desire to be in the healthcare sector.

The new scheme replaced the Direct Polytechnic Admissions exercise and the Joint Polytechnic Special Admissions Exercise, which could admit up to 2.5 per cent and 5 per cent of the polytechnic intake respectively each year. Polytechnics can now take in up to 12.5 per cent of their total intakes through the EAE.

Polytechnics use various methods, including interviews and evaluating portfolios, to select students.

Ngee Ann Polytechnic principal Clarence Ti said lecturers doing the selection focused on students' aptitudes and interests, instead of their grades.

"The whole intent is to give priority admission to students who have demonstrated strong potential for a specific course as we believe that they will be able to do well in the course if they have the right aptitude and interest," he added.

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Charities should disclose the information of their board members - including their attendance at board meetings, their pay and when they were appointed.

They should also declare the pay packet for each of their three highest-paid staff, if the person's pay exceeds $100,000 a year.

These guidelines - some of which already apply to larger charities - will be extended to cover almost all charities, under proposed changes to the code of governance for the charity sector.

Small charities with annual receipts or total expenditure of less than $50,000 will be exempt from these, as well as from submitting online checklists that evaluate their governance.

Such charities usually have fewer staff and more resource constraints, and find it tougher to meet the guidelines.

They make up about 10 per cent of the more than 2,000 charities in Singapore.

The Charity Council is asking the public for feedback on the proposed changes, and the consultation paper can be read online from today.

The council promotes good governance in the sector and advises the Commissioner of Charities on regulatory issues.

The code of governance is a best practices guide for charities to improve their transparency and public accountability.

The latest refined code is expected to be launched early next year.

The guidelines are tiered, depending on the charity's financial size and status as an Institution of a Public Character (IPC).

In giving the rationale for extending some guidelines to mid-size charities, the council said: "Charities are public interest entities and receive tax exemption on their income.

"Therefore, there is a greater need for transparency and accountability to the public for all charities to whom the code applies."

It also noted that key decisions are made at board meetings and it wants to encourage regular attendance at the meetings, even if this is done via tele-conferencing.

The public have till Oct 18 to send feedback on the changes to charity_council_sec@mccy.gov.sg

The consultation paper is available on www.charities.gov.sg and www.reach.gov.sg

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