SINGAPORE - About 840,000 Singaporean HDB households will receive the next instalment of the GST Voucher - Utilities-Save (U-Save) rebate in October 2016, the Ministry of Finance announced on Sunday (Oct 2).

Those living in one and two-room flats can offset about three to four months of utility bills yearly on average with their regular GST Voucher - U-Save.

Those living in three and four-room flats are able to offset about one to two months of utility bills on average. The GST Voucher - U-Save rebate forms one of three components under the permanent GST Voucher scheme.

The U-Save rebate helps HDB households offset part of their utility bills. It is distributed every quarter and expected to cost $190 million annually.

In October 2016, eligible Singaporean households will each receive a GST Voucher - U-Save of up to $65, depending on their HDB flat type.

debwong@sph.com.sg

As Singaporeans warm to the idea of not owning a car, car-sharing companies look set to ramp up their fleet. Still, there is lingering scepticism that the car-sharing concept would be embraced as part of the wheel-loving Singapore lifestyle.

Car-sharing is a pay-as-you-drive transportation service. It differs from conventional car rental as it offers greater flexibility to access and use. The hirer also pays only for the time and mileage incurred.

For instance, car rental companies typically do not allow their cars to be used for very short durations such as an hour, but car-sharing services generally do.

Said to have started in Europe in the 1970s, the concept first surfaced in Singapore in 1997, when a pilot car-sharing scheme with four cars was launched by NTUC Income Car Cooperative.

Since then, the car-sharing scene has seen mixed fortunes. A few car-sharing services have come and gone, while some services have been absorbed by others.

For example, Honda Diracc was a car-sharing service formed by the Japanese manufacturer in 2002 using a fleet of petrol-electric Civic Hybrids. But Honda gave up the business in 2008.

CitySpeed Car Sharing, part of the rental car division of land transport giant ComfortDelGro, also closed shop in 2007, reasoning that new cars were becoming more affordable. There are now three main car-sharing operators here with their own fleets: Car Club, WhizzCar and Smove.

Car Club - which started in 2009 and used to be NTUC Income's Car Co-op business - has about 230 cars now and plans to increase its fleet to 300 by April next year.

WhizzCar, started in 2003, now has about 130 cars, and wants to increase this to 150 by the end of the year.

Smove, which was launched in 2012, has 230 cars and lets customers use them to run trips for Uber, a ride-sharing service.

A nation-wide electric vehicle car-sharing programme called BlueSG will also be launched in the middle of next year, starting with 125 cars.

These companies say they see much promise in the future of car-sharing here.

Mr Ho Kok Kee, 54, WhizzCar's managing director, says: "We have seen interest grow progressively, and we expect the demand for car-sharing to increase as we make it more accessible."

Mr Gary Ong, 38, managing director of Car Club, says: "From experience and the research worldwide, the demand for car-sharing will continue to increase.

"More people are finding that it may not be sensible to own a car when various alternatives are becoming more efficient."

While Professor Lee Der Horng, 48, a transport researcher from the National University of Singapore, feels there is space for the car-sharing industry to grow in the next five years, he is not optimistic that the concept may be much more enticing beyond that.

"I don't think car-sharing will be a game-changer in the local transportation landscape,'' he says.

"As public transport becomes more accessible and convenient, people will generally give up car ownership and take public transport because of the obvious cost savings.

"In my opinion, engaging a car-sharing service is still more expensive than travelling via public transport.

"Car-sharing comes in only when non-car owners need to get to places not well-served by public transport networks."

Citing Marine Parade, he says: "If I want to get there now, I might probably use a car-sharing service if I did not own a car.

"But when the Thomson-East Coast Line - expected to open in stages from 2019 to 2024 - is operational, would I need a car to get there quickly? I doubt so."

While Mr Lai Meng, 57, president of the Car-sharing Association of Singapore, remains optimistic, he acknowledges that there are many infrastructure obstacles to the service's growth here.

For example, he says, if a car-sharing operator wishes to set up a station at an HDB carpark, it needs to apply to the local grassroots organisation for approval. "This can take six to 18 months."

Many grassroots leaders also give car-owning residents priority over car-sharing residents, he adds.

"Parking spots in popular carparks near town centres or MRT stations, in particular, are almost impossible to obtain. The carpark demands from car owners there are overwhelming."

These obstacles, however, are not insurmountable, he adds.

"Since the time car-sharing came to Singapore, the experts have said it won't work. But we have managed to be commercially sustainable for so long. Looking ahead, if we can overcome the infrastructure challenges here, I am confident car-sharing can really take off here."

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CHEAPER THAN CALLING FOR CABS

Property agent Ng Leng Leng is a loyal user of car-sharing services.

The 51-year-old managing director of real estate agency Starts Singapore has been using Car Club's service for the last five years.

Nine of her company's 12 employees - mostly property agents - are also active members of Car Club. They use it almost every day to meet clients and conduct viewings.

Although some employees own their cars, the company encourages them to use the service during work and pays for their membership and usage costs.

She says: "Using the service is definitely cheaper than calling a cab and paying the extra peak hour surcharge.

"We use the service for four to five hours each time. Sometimes, five employees can use the service at the same time, using five different cars."

On average, her employees can use three cars a day.

She adds: "If we were to rent a car for a whole month, it would cost us $1,500, excluding petrol, insurance and parking.

"By car-sharing, we can allow nine people to use cars and it costs us about $3,000 a month. Through car-sharing, we save at least $1,500 a month."

Another benefit of car-sharing is that she can collect the cars from stations located throughout the island.

She says: "This allows our staff to collect the car from the stations nearest to their home to go to work."

Being able to use the service has encouraged her colleague Patrik Tam to sell his car two years ago.

Says the 39-year-old property agent: "Having a car in Singapore is expensive. The upkeep of my previous car cost about $1,500 a month, which just was not worth it.

"Knowing I already had access to a car through car-sharing empowered me to finally let go of owning a car."

FLEXIBILITY OF CHOOSING A SUITABLE CAR

Technical consultant Nasri Najib, 34, does not own a car.

But that does not stop him from taking his entire family on trips to Malaysia at least once a month to buy groceries, get haircuts and shop for clothes, or to transport furniture to his new home. He has been using car-sharing service WhizzCar since 2008.

He says: "For me, car-sharing is the cheapest, most flexible option. I need to pay only for the period that I use the car. The car is easy to pick up. And the price is reasonable."

He pays about $70 for an extra- value plan every month - including membership - and this allows him to use the service more cheaply than a standard plan.

Whenever he wants to head north, he books a Mazda 5 2.0A MPV which can fit his whole family, including his wife, 32; son, two; and parents, both 59.

He typically uses the car for 24 to 30 hours and this usually costs him $200 to $300, including petrol and insurance.

He says: "If I rent a car for the same purpose, it would cost me more than $400. I would also have to go through the trouble of collecting the car from a rental company, which can be in a remote location like the airport."

He appreciates the flexibility of car-sharing, he adds.

"Every month, I get some free kilometres which I can use for the service and I am thankful that I can accumulate these free kilometres if I can't use them during certain periods."

Mr Nasri, who is preparing to move into his new BTO four-room HDB flat in Buangkok, has also been using the service to transport furniture to his new place.

He typically buys the furniture - sofas, shelves, children's playhouses - on online marketplace Carousell and collects the items using a Nissan NV200 1.5M van which he also hires through WhizzCar.

"I like how the service lets me choose different types of vehicles. When transporting items, I need a larger vehicle."

Most days, he and his family move around on public transport.

"We decided very early on not to buy a car because owning one in Singapore is very expensive.

"Having to deal with COE payments is not a fun thing."

This article was first published on Oct 2, 2016.
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A SINGAPOREAN fell to his death while training for a competitive climb on Mount Kinabalu, Malaysian police said yesterday.

Rescue workers believe that Woon Tai Kiang fell 150m into a ravine after slipping off the trail.

He is believed to have died of serious head injuries, according to the police.

"He was found dead. It appears to be an accident and there is no suspicion of foul play for now. But we are waiting for the post-mortem to confirm this.

"He was found with severe head injuries," district police chief Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah told The Straits Times.

He added that the police had not been able to locate the passport of Mr Woon, who they said looked to be in his mid-30s.

Mr Woon had been training on Saturday for the 29th Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon but failed to report back to Sabah Parks authorities at midnight.

The annual event is set to take place on Oct 16 after it was put on hold following the earthquake on June 5 last year.

According to Bernama news agency, park officers and a mountain search and rescue (Mosar) team proceeded to make checks at Laban Rata, the guesthouse closest to the summit, and other lodgings around Mount Kinabalu.

But they called off the search because of bad weather and low visibility due to fog.

The Fire and Rescue Department joined park rangers after 6am yesterday to resume the search and found the climber at about 7.30am.

Mr Woon's body was found in a ravine near Sayat-Sayat point, about 3,700m above sea level. The checkpoint is the last stop before reaching the 4,096m summit at Low's Peak.

It took rescuers about six hours to bring the body down the mountain. They turned over the body to the police before it was sent to a hospital for a post-mortem.

Mr Farhan said Mr Woon's family has been contacted and family members are on their way to Sabah.

The trail to Low's Peak was reopened in December after the June earthquake which killed 18 people.

The quake also claimed the lives of seven pupils and two teachers from Tanjong Katong Primary School as well as a Singaporean guide.

Sabah Parks closed the mountain after the tragedy and later opened the trail to Panalaban at an altitude of 3,314m in September.

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Mount Kinabalu after the quake

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Six former coaches from the closed California Fitness club and two of its ex-customers have together opened a fitness gym so as to continue their pursuit of fitness training as a career or hobby, reported the Shin Min Daily News.

More than a hundred aggrieved ex-customers, who are still hoping to recover their advance payment to the company since its sudden closure in July, turned up yesterday at the Midland House in Bugis to show support to the new 24-hour gym.

One of the gym's partners is Faris Mohamed, who was an elite coach at California Fitness - a position he worked for 10 years to reach - when he was told in July he had lost his job.

"When the news came, a sense of loss and helplessness immediately came over me," he told the Chinese evening daily.

"I went through a low period. But because I kept my zeal for fitness training, I had a talk with my peers and decided to spend my savings from over 10 years to purchase the equipment and rent this venue," the 37-year-old recounted.

He said his team understands customers now have misgivings about long-term membership and course packages after their experience with California Fitness.

"So we changed the operation model. Our coaches would work out separately with clients how they would pay, according to short-term plans," said Mr Faris.

Many at the opening yesterday told Shin Min they distrusted long-term fitness contracts, having suffered losses with California Fitness.

"I'm very scared of being told to come up with a one-off amount, which is actually paying for a future consumption," said Wang Chunwei who is in the sales line.

"I will never do that again," vowed the 37-year-old.

An executive said he had come to give support to Mr Faris and his team as he had trained under them in California Fitness.

"Besides, this location is convenient so I can stop going to a less accessible one," said Zheng Guoyao, 50.

Mr Faris also has unfinished business with California Fitness, which he said still owes him and other coaches at least one month's salary.

JV Fitness, a Hong Kong-based company that owns and operates the California Fitness chain here, was reported in July to have chalked up losses of more than $25.6 million as at June 30.

Claims by the chain's 27,000 members, who paid in advance for their gym memberships, amounted to $20.8 million.

California Fitness closed all its four outlets here in July, following an order by a liquidator, a week after 12 of its gyms in Hong Kong were shut down.

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From incorporating free wealth-management advice into lessons to offering shuttle-bus services, the tuition race in Singapore has entered a new and more aggressive phase.

No longer is the industry dominated by home tutors and small neighbourhood outfits.

Instead, they are chains in malls with deep pockets, multiple branches and snazzy marketing.

There are also more of them. There are now some 600 tuition centres registered with the Education Ministry, up from about 500 in 2011.

Centres with 10 or more students must be registered.

It is, after all, a billion-dollar industry. Singaporeans are spending a staggering $1.1 billion a year on tuition, according to the Household Expenditure Survey released in 2014.

This is nearly double the $650 million households here spent in 2004.

To grab a slice of this lucrative pie, tuition-centre players are upping their game.

The Physics Cafe in Toa Payoh, for example, has shuttle buses to send its students to MRT interchanges such as Paya Lebar and Jurong East.

Edmund Quek of Economics Cafe Learning Centre in Bishan entices students with not just lessons in economics, but also free tips on how they can increase their wealth.

What has become a marketing mainstay: photographs of tutors, with dazzling smiles and promises of As, plastered on the facades of tuition centres.

Many are former school teachers turned tutors.

The seemingly inexorable rise of what experts have termed the "shadow education" system comes amid greater competition in schools, say education experts.

National University of Singapore economics lecturer Kelvin Seah explained that the trend may also be due to the rising incomes of Singaporeans over the past few years.

"Parents are now more willing than ever before to spend top dollar on tuition lessons for their children," he said.

Timothy Chan, director of SIM Global Education's academic division, said: "To a large extent, academic performance has an impact on the education opportunities available for a student in his next phase of studies.

"Thus, it is of no surprise that parents send their kids for tuition, whether or not their kids actually benefit from attending extra classes."

This means that it is not just the struggling students getting tuition. More top students are attending classes too, note centre operators. Keng Jun Hao, 24, managing director of the Real Education Centre, said some of these students want to maintain their top grades while others feel they can improve even more.

"A majority of them are afraid of losing out to other students who are attending tuition," he added.

The arms race is exacerbated by parents who want their kids to get a head start, said Kenneth Ng, 40, managing director of Aspire Hub Education Centre Group, which has nine centres.

However, experts warn that excessive tuition can be counter-productive.

Dr Seah explained: "Students might grow to dislike the subject when they are forced to attend tuition lessons."

calyang@sph.com.sg

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A new unit to investigate cases of abuse against the disabled and the infirmed has handled over 100 cases since it was set up by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) in May last year.

The early establishment of the Adult Protective Service (APS) was to tie in with plans to introduce a Vulnerable Adults Act that will give the state more statutory powers to protect such people.

The MSF has been preparing the groundwork for the proposed legislation, which it expects to be tabled in Parliament by early next year.

The new law will allow the state to enter private premises to assess a person's well-being and to move the abused person temporarily to safe places such as sheltered homes.

Currently, the community and government agencies can rely only on moral suasion to enter homes to provide assistance.

The ministry has been the key coordinator of a national network to manage family violence. It comes up with policies and provides funding and support to agencies that handle domestic violence cases.

With the APS, it investigates abuse cases involving vulnerable adults too.

And since its establishment, the APS and its 10 social workers have had their hands full.

The more than 100 instances of abuse it has dealt with so far ranged from neglect to more serious cases of physical or sexual assault.

Neglect is when a care-giver fails to provide even the basic care, such as food and shelter, to those who are unable to look after themselves.

But the most common type of abuse has been physical violence and neglect, an MSF spokesman said. The victims, who suffer from physical or mental infirmities such as dementia, range in age from 18 to those who are over 90.

Of the cases referred to the unit, the APS conducted full-fledged investigations into 21 of the more serious and complex cases.

These included one of an 80-year-old man who was suspected of being physically assaulted by his son. The elderly man was recently diagnosed with dementia and is using a wheelchair.

After investigations, the APS sent him to a nursing home as it deemed that the son was unable to care for him.

Social workers welcome the impending new law.

They point out, among other things, that they currently do not have the legal powers to intervene if a family denies them access to someone whom they believe is abused.

Members of the public who are concerned that someone may be abused can call the Comcare Call helpline on 1800-222-0000.

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SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's wife Ho Ching made international headlines in August when she showed up at the White House toting a $14.90 dinosaur-print pouch designed by an autistic student artist.

Her accessory choice during PM Lee's recent official visit to Japan is once again a talking point, after she wrote a poem sharing the heartwarming story behind the bag she carried to a private lunch at the Imperial Palace with Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on Tuesday (Sept 27).

Mrs Lee posted on Facebook on Sunday (Oct 2) morning explaining that the bag had been at a previous meeting with the Japanese royal couple - albeit in the hands of another woman, who died a couple of years ago.

"This elegant bag / also went with Yoko / to meet the kind and gracious / Emperor and Empress of Japan," Mrs Lee wrote.

"It has waited years since, / lying safe in its paulownia wooden box, / filled with memories of happy times and / a loving lifetime with Masamoto."

She wrote that she was given the bag, which had been "used only once", by a man named Masamoto after he read of "the news of you / and your dino pouch".

Mrs Lee said that she was unsure of accepting the bag initially because it seemed "so precious, / so full of memories". However, her friend insisted and she eventually promised that she would bring it with her on all visits to the Japanese royal couple.

Mrs Lee did not provide the family names of Masamoto and Yoko.

"Rest in peace, dear Yoko / And keep well, Masamoto," Mrs Lee wrote. "I will safekeep this special gift / of love and friendship."

Read also: Errant sellers try to profit off dinosaur pouch made popular by Ho Ching

This article was first published on October 2, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - A tree about eight storeys tall was believed to have been felled by heavy rain and strong winds early Monday (Oct 3) morning at Holland Close.

The fallen tree damaged gas pipes and affected the gas supply to an estimated 72 households living in a block of flats.

A Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) spokesman said it was alerted to the incident at Block 1, Holland Close, at 5.41am.

A fire engine, a red rhino and an ambulance were dispatched to the scene, although no injuries were reported.

For safety reasons, SCDF also shut off the mains to the gas pipes.

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Gas pipes at Holland Close damaged by fallen tree

Source:

Shin Min Daily News

The tree's falling branches shattered the windows of five units in the block.

A resident who lived on the fourth floor told the Chinese evening daily that his unit's gas supply was cut off from about 6.30am.

"It was really inconvenient without a gas supply. My wife often makes breakfast, but this morning we had no choice but to go out and buy food," he said.

A Singapore Power spokesman said the tree had damaged a gas riser and an estimated 72 units in the block were affected.

"Our technicians were immediately deployed to the site and our priority was to ensure the safety of everyone in the vicinity. As a precautionary measure, valves to the gas pipes were shut off by the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) to isolate the leak," he said.

The spokesman added that the gas supply was restored at 8.45am, although it was interrupted for about 15 minutes at around 1pm to allow repair works to be completed.

In response to media queries, a Tanjong Pagar Town Council spokesman said it was working with the Housing and Development Board to contact the owners of the five units whose window's glass panes had been damaged.

Shin Min also reported that at least 19 trees had been felled over the past two months due to thunderstorms.

A notable incident last month saw a 12-storey-high heritage tree fall on Pearl Bank Apartments in Outram.

The Purple Millettia, which was over 60 years old, damaged several apartments.

This article was first published on Oct 3, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - A 25-year-old man died on Monday (Oct 3) morning after crashing his car into a centre divider on East Coast Road.

He is believed to have skidded while travelling towards Mountbatten Road. No one else was injured in the incident that happened at about 5.30am opposite Siglap Centre. It was raining heavily at the time.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force said that the man was trapped in the car and had to be extricated. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Fatality at East Coast Road after 25-year-old man crashes car into road divider

Source:

The Straits Times

A resident living in a landed home nearby, who wanted to be known only as Alan, told The Straits Times that he was awakened by the noise from the crash.

"I thought a building collapsed. I heard a few bangs and called the police," said the 47-year-old, who works in the shipping industry.

When he looked out of his window, he saw passers-by trying to help the man, but they could not unlock the car door, he said.

Others who arrived just after the crash said that there was a traffic jam for about two hours in the area.

This article was first published on Oct 3, 2016.
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THE grieving mother of the Singaporean who fell to his death while training for a competitive climb on Mount Kinabalu said he was a filial son.

Avid runner Woon Tai Kiang, 36, is believed to have fallen 150m into a ravine after slipping off the trail last Saturday, before succumbing to his head injuries.

He was training for the Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon to be held on Oct 16.

"He was a filial son, and was good to us," said Mr Woon's mother, trying to hold back her tears when speaking to The Straits Times at their Bedok North home yesterday.

"I told him not to keep going overseas to climb but he wanted to."

The 69-year-old, who declined to give her name, said her elder son, who is four years older than Mr Woon, made his way to Sabah yesterday morning to join Mr Woon's girlfriend, who has been there since Sunday evening.

The Straits Times understands that his body was to be repatriated to Singapore early this morning.

Mr Woon is believed to be training alone at the time of the incident.

It was not his first time attempting the climbathon.

Athletes who have participated in past versions of the climbathon said it is normal for them to train solo on the mountain in Sabah.

Filipino Nina Dacanay, 36, who has done the climbathon five times, said the race attracts seasoned athletes from around the world.

"There are athletes who prefer to train on their own to be able to simulate their speed and performance on race day. Due to the quality of participants, solo training is allowed."

Mr Woon, who weighed 100kg at one point, started running three years ago to get in shape.

His friends said he was a former manager with the Singapore National Employers Federation.

He soon fell in love with the sport and even participated in running competitions locally and overseas, in countries such as Malaysia, the Philippines and Switzerland.

Athletes in the running community remember Mr Woon as an avid runner who would put in the hours to improve. Outside of running, he was a cheerful and loyal friend.

A memorial T-shirt designed to remember Mr Woon has since received more than 40 interested buyers, mostly from the ultra-running community.

The proceeds will go towards assisting his family.

Some friends will also be dedicating their next races to Mr Woon.

Among them is middle-distance athlete Marcus Ong, 30, who will run a 10km race this Sunday in his memory. Mr Ong said: "He often wore a smile on his face, regardless whether it was a good or bad race."

Fellow runner Carlo Bacalla still cannot believe that his friend is gone. They had planned a few runs to complete together.

He said Mr Woon was passionate about the sport.

"He just can't let a month or two pass without doing an ultramarathon," he added.

"He died doing what he loved."

Mount Kinabalu after the quake

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ChieRong Chai

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THE prosecution is appealing against what it called the "manifestly inadequate" six-year jail term for a former tour guide from China, Yang Yin, who misappropriated $1.1 million from an elderly Singaporean widow.

Last Friday, Principal District Judge Bala Reddy had sentenced Yang, 42, to six years' imprisonment for committing two criminal breach of trust offences. The Chinese national had misappropriated $500,000 and $600,000 from the elderly widow, Chung Khin Chun, in 2010 and 2012.

Elaborating on the decision to file a notice of appeal yesterday, the AGC said the court had not given adequate consideration to two features of the case.

Firstly, Yang was a foreigner who had come to Singapore with the aim of committing criminal acts.

"Secondly, not only did he take advantage of a vulnerable elderly person, he has also failed to disclose the full extent of his criminality, return any portion of the misappropriated monies and he has not shown any remorse," added the AGC.

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Ex-tour guide Yang Yin jailed 6 years

Source:

The Straits Times

Singapore Police Force

The prosecution had originally asked for a deterrent sentence of 10 years to 12 years.

Judge Reddy, however, said in his grounds of decision last week that a deterrent sentence need not be "crushing", adding 10 years' to 2 years' imprisonment would be "manifestly excessive".

Apart from the criminal breach of trust, Yang was also jailed two years and two months for a slew of crimes regarding his immigration status, including falsifying receipts for a sham company in order to stay in Singapore.

Though the former tour guide faces a total of eight years and two months in jail, his 26-month sentence was backdated to Oct 31, 2014, when he was taken into remand.

Together with a possible one-third remission of the sentence for good behaviour, it could mean a much shorter jail term for Yang in the end.

Tussle over widow's $40m assets turns ugly

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The Straits Times, Madam Hedy Mok, Lianhe Wanbao, Madam Chang Phie Chin, Court Documents

Yesterday, Madam Chung's niece, Hedy Mok, told The Straits Times she was glad to hear the prosecution had filed a notice of appeal.

"What he (Yang) got was incredibly lenient," said the 62-year-old tour agency owner.

kcarolyn@sph.com.sg

Read also: Yang Yin saga: A recap of the case

Tussle over widow's $40m assets: A look at Madam Chung’s bungalow

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The Straits Times, Raymond Tan

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Family and criminal lawyers - a sector of Singapore's law scene that has been plagued by falling numbers - may soon get some much-needed help.

With a curriculum tilted towards community law, a focus on practical training and a rigorous selection process - Singapore's third law school is quietly confident that its 60 students will take up family and criminal law once they graduate from 2020.

Young graduates have traditionally shunned family and criminal law, perceiving them to be harder work and less lucrative than other areas such as arbitration.

But even though graduates of SIM University's (UniSIM) Bachelor of Laws and Juris Doctor programme - which start in January - will be able to go into any field of practice, the school is confident its students will stay the course.

SIM University (UniSIM) law school dean Leslie Chew told The Straits Times: "We cannot guarantee that they will go into family and criminal law but I'm confident that the way we select and train them will push them in that direction."

While they will study core subjects such as contract and torts, students will spend the entire second year on criminal and family law modules.

They will also take two non-law modules in forensic science and social services.

At National University of Singapore and Singapore Management University, criminal law is compulsory but family law is optional.

UniSIM will also emphasise practical training with six months set aside for a work stint, said Prof Chew.

"You're not sitting there to write the best essays - someone is sitting in front of you asking for real-life advice."

These are all backed by a selection process that puts aspiration and background ahead of paper grades.

Nearly all the 388 applicants were each interviewed by a panel of four: an academic from the law school, a criminal lawyer, a family lawyer and a community representative.

There were 62 panellists, including Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob and former Chief Judge of the State Courts Richard Magnus.

P.E. Ashokan, partner in litigation and dispute resolution at Withers KhattarWong, one of the interviewers, gave his vote to "candidates with real life experiences, like going through a divorce, or having closely witnessed friends and family going through it or having brushes with criminal law".

Lawyers in these fields hope the students eschew the glam and higher pay of corporate law to fill an important need.

Charlotte Lee, 42, who found pro-bono legal help during a divorce, hopes to "pay it forward" by being a family lawyer. She now trains volunteers and will start the JD law course next year.

About 80 per cent of UniSIM's first law cohort have worked on average for 11 years. Only a fifth are fresh school-leavers.

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More people are arming themselves with life-saving skills, even before the launch of a national drive to prepare the public to deal with terrorist threats and emergencies.

About 84,000 people were trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) last year, nearly thrice as many as the 32,000 in 2008, according to the National Resuscitation Council Singapore.

The jump in numbers follows a greater awareness of the benefits of being trained in CPR, said Professor Venkataraman Anantharaman, chairman of the council.

This is also partly the result of more schools, community centres and companies teaching CPR, as well as the Singapore Armed Forces teaching its recruits such skills, he added.

The greater availability of accredited training centres - from 28 in 2008 to 93 last year - has also helped.

"The more people who learn CPR, the more likely it is they will intervene when someone collapses," said Prof Anantharaman.

"The bystander has the greatest chance of saving the (victim's) life - for every minute of not performing CPR, the chances of survival are reduced by 7 to 10 per cent."

The growth in people trained in CPR comes on the back of the SGSecure drive launched last month to prepare the public against terrorist threats.

Across the island, the People's Association has also introduced CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) training to residents as well as members of Community Emergency Response Teams.

AEDs are devices used to restart a heart that has stopped beating.

One initiative that has encouraged more people to sign up for CPR courses is the Dispatcher-Assisted first Responder programme piloted in 2014.

The one-hour scheme teaches a simplified form of CPR not involving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Instead, participants are taught to check if the victim is responsive, call 995 and stay on the line with the medical dispatcher to perform CPR as directed, and use an AED until the ambulance arrives or the victim is revived.

Nearly 36,000 students and teachers from more than 70 schools have taken part in the programme by the Unit for Pre-hospital Emergency Care at the Ministry of Health.

"The programme is targeted at non-medical professionals because it's easier and responders can work with dispatchers to render assistance, rather than performing CPR alone," said Associate Professor Marcus Ong, the unit's medical director.

Participants are also encouraged to sign up for CPR certification afterwards, he added.

feliciac@sph.com.sg

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SINGAPORE - The Red Arrows are set to dazzle Singapore crowds again after last thrilling fans more than a decade ago.

The aerobatic team of the Britain's Royal Air Force will soar high into the Singapore sky at noon on Oct 13 in a 30-minute fly-past around the Marina Bay area.

The performance involves 10 planes and is free of charge.

The Red Arrows were first here in 1986, then 1996 and most recently in October 2003.

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AFP, Reuters, The New Paper

Red Arrows pilots fly the BAe Systems Hawk T. Mark 1, which is being used by the RAF as an advanced fast jet trainer. Each Hawk carries a bullet-shaped pod under its belly that enables the aircraft to emit red, white or blue smoke plumes during its aerobatics routine.

One of the world's premier aerobatic display teams, they are known for their Diamond 9 Formation.

The visit to Singapore is part of the team's visit to the Middle East and Asia, including countries like China, India and Malaysia to contribute to a campaign to showcase the best of what Britain has to offer.

During the visit the Red Arrows will take part in programmes that will promote Britain's long standing relations in Singapore aimed at increasing trade and investment. They will also be part of Rolls-Royce's STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Event at the company's Seletar Campus on Oct 13.

British High Commissioner to Singapore Scott Wightman said: "We are excited by the visit of the Red Arrows and their participation in a number of activities in Singapore that will deepen the strong ties between Singapore and the UK."

Fans of the Red Arrows can use the hashtag #RedArrowsinSG across all social media platforms to get up to date information on the team's movement.

This article was first published on October 04, 2016.
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SINGAPORE — A tax amnesty in Indonesia that has pulled billions of dollars in undeclared money out of Singapore is refocusing attention on the challenge facing the city-state as it tries to expand its business as private banker to wealthy Asians while safeguarding its reputation for good governance.

Some US$10.5 billion (S$14.36 billion) in previously undeclared assets has been repatriated to Indonesia in the past three months, the country’s tax office said, out of an estimated US$273 billion stashed overseas.

More than half the amount collected — 57 per cent — came from Singapore, it said.

The revelation comes on the heels of regulatory action and criminal investigations of employees at banks in Singapore that were drawn into the 1Malaysia Development Bhd financial scandal in Malaysia. The managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore, which acts as central bank and financial regulator, said in July that the case was “a dent in our reputation as a clean and trusted financial centre.”

Prominent bankers and lawyers say privately that more such embarrassments could be in store as Singapore’s financial system becomes increasingly reliant on private wealth.

Click and buy

Submitted by opub@itd on Wed, 2013-07-17 09:21

SINGAPORE - More furniture stores are offering online resources to provide a complete shopping experience. But e-commerce sites are used as a complementary tool to brick-andmortar stores as shoppers still prefer to visit the physical store especially when buying big-ticket items.

Star Furniture, which has been in business for 32 years, began offering an e-commerce site (www.starliving.com.sg) in February this year. Its group retail manager Xu Xue Ting says sales have been encouraging so far.

"More people are going online for their shopping needs, and we would like to tap on this and providemore convenience and access to our customers. But of course, the nature of furniture products is very different fromfashion, or other FMCG(fast-moving consumer goods), hencewe need to modify our online strategies to our needs," adds Ms Xu.

"Consumers can browse our online store and find something that interests them. They may then decide to purchase online or visit our outlets to look at the other ranges, or to view and feel the product. Our website and brick-and-mortar shops actually complement each other."

She adds that an online site allows them to reach out to expatriates and foreign students.

Mr Allen Lim, director, HomestoreOnline says: "The trend of buying furniture online is definitely growing, but for a small country like Singapore, growth will be limited."

Its website, www.homestore.sg has been selling furniture, electrical appliances and IT products since April last year and is purely an online site.Mr Limsays that sales have been increasing and hit a six-figure turnover after 15 months.

He adds: "The majority of the increase for online sales will be from the lower and mid-range furniture and buyers who are less particular about the feel or look, and even quality. Most of themare either buying for rental or short-term usage, or they are on a budget and find it difficult to find similar items priced the same elsewhere."

Mr Tim Luce, country chief executive officer, Courts Singapore says that most shoppers still prefer seeing and testing the actual physical product before making their purchase, especially if it is a big-ticket itemat a higher price point.

On the advantage of having an online site, he says: "With our online site, we are a true multi-channel retailer, and have taken the opportunity to introduce innovative retail concepts that integrate both our online and offline offerings.

Courts aims to provide a multi-channel experience for customersmakes it stand out. Its online store (www.courts.com.sg) was launched in 2009, and underwent a revamp last year. He adds: "We introduced Click & Collect last year where shoppers can pick up their online shopping from any of our 14 stores islandwide, and have incorporated Digital Kiosks into Courts Megastore, Courts Toa Payoh, Courts Jem and Courts Ang Mo Kio."

Customers can use Digital Kiosks in-store to navigate the store, compare prices and information, beat the queues by making payment online and arrange for delivery or pick-up. Mr Luce adds that QR codes on products have also been implemented, and customers can use smartphones to scan the codes which will take themstraight to the online store. Customers can also apply for credit online.

"We do not see our online site cannibalising existing sales in our physical stores, as consumers still like the physical shopping experience, largely because shopping is a family activity andmalls are entertainment centres," he says.

For Courts, there is a home delivery charge of $39.90 per order. For orders above $200, shoppers can have items delivered at no additional charge. From mid-July onwards, Courtswill be having a promotion where delivery charges are $9.90 for purchases below $200.

At Homestore.sg, delivery is free for all purchases above $150.Otherwise, there is a $30 charge.

For Star Furniture, delivery charges is $50 per location for purchases below $500. For purchases $500 and above, there will be free delivery to one location. Customers can also collect purchases at its warehouse.

Online stores like Homestore.sg can pass savings to customers as it doesn't incur certain overheads that physical stores do.

The store also offers secure payment and money back guarantee (seven days). To assure customers, Mr Lim says the business abides by the Lemon Law and provides six-month warranty for products sold online even when its suppliers don't.

Similarly, Mr Luce says: "Our Courts Price Promise applies to all items purchased fromCourts, whether it is fromour online or physical stores. This promise includes a 10-day hassle-free exchange policy, and we also abide by the Lemon Law. Apart from themanufacturer's warranty, we also have Courts Cover, our own product warranty and aftersales service plans, which offers coverage of up to four years."

Star Furniture accepts exchange or refund for all non-customised and regular goods within seven days from the first delivery date in its original packaging and conditions, and in an unused, undamaged and marketable condition.

This article was published by the Special Projects Unit, Marketing Divsion, SPH.

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E-commerce sites complement physical stores and provide customers a complete shopping experience in furniture. -SPU

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A faulty platform screen door at Sixth Avenue MRT Station caused service disruption on the Downtown Line during today's morning rush hour (Oct 4).

The incident caused train service between the Sixth Avenue and King Albert Park stations to be halted.

Stomp readers Eric, Alex, Gabriel, Mei Chi, Jeffrey, Paul, Gavin, Marianne, Rashi and Kelly had shared with Stomp photos showing the dislodged door - with its glass cracked - as well as large crowds that were caught in the delay.

Eric said he had been at MacPherson MRT Station when he heard an announcement informing commuters that there would be a train delay of five to ten minutes.

He added: "News announced that there would be no trains on the Downtown Line. However, when I reached the Circle Line at Serangoon station, it is also affected. And now it is jammed with commuters with a 13-minute wait to Dhoby Ghuat."

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Dislodged platform screen door causes delays Downtown Line

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Stomp

The Straits Times

Social media users on Twitter also shared about how they had to wait for up to 20 minutes for their train.

Stomp readers Rashid and Mei Chi also said there were free shuttle bus services between the Botanic Gardens and Beauty World stations, that were available even after train service resumed.

According to a tweet from SBS Transit, service on the Downtown Line resumed at 8.25am.

However, the affected platform screen door at Sixth Avenue station was not in operation even as trains pulled in and out of the station, reported The Straits Times.

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SINGAPORE - Slowing economic growth looks set to have an effect on coming salary increases, with employees in Singapore expected to receive the fifth-lowest pay raises in the region in 2017, a new report has revealed.

According to findings from advisory firm Willis Towers Watson's (WTW) 2016 Asia Pacific Salary Budget Planning Report, base salaries in the city state are expected to rise just four per cent in 2017, before factoring in inflation.

Only Australia and New Zealand (3 per cent each) and Japan (2.3 per cent) are expected to see lower pay increases.

Recently, Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam noted that Singapore's economy will be "in for a tough period", and the gloomy economic climate in 2016 has already seen earnings in a number of industries take a hit.

Hong Kong salaries are also expected to go up by 4 per cent. However, higher inflation means that salary increases at the Chinese Special Administrative Region are set to be much lower in real terms (1.7 per cent) than in Singapore (3.2 per cent).

The findings are based on a survey conducted in July 2016, which saw approximately 4,000 responses from companies across 22 Asia Pacific markets.

Across the region, salaries are projected to rise 5.9 per cent in 2017. In 2016, wages had been projected to rise 6.4 per cent, but in reality rose just 5.8 per cent.

Once average inflation for the Asia Pacfic region of 3 per cent is taken into account, the projected salary increases in real terms for 2017 will be 2.9 per cent, down from 3.5 per cent in 2016.

Of the countries included in the study, South Asian countries Pakistan (10.2 per cent), Bangladesh (10 per cent) and India (10 per cent) are expected to see the highest pay rises next year.

Mr Sambhav Rakyan, data services practice leader for Asia Pacific at WTW, said that there was a trend of lower salary increase budgets across much of the region, as companies are being more prudent and seeking to keep costs low.

"Back around 2012 and 2013, companies in Asia pumped a lot of money into their salary budgets and drove salaries up, but they didn't see the revenues rise in tandem, so it made such increases unsustainable," he explained.

High performers rewarded

Meanwhile, organisations are increasingly prioritising their top performers when it comes to pay raises.

According to the report, 37.6 per cent of an organisation's salary increase budgets are going to the top performers, while 33.7 per cent is shared by above average performers. Just 29.2 per cent are allocated to average performers.

"Nowadays people are looking for other options besides a standard annual pay rise. Employees are looking at how and when their performance is rated, and also for more flexibility in their benefits packages," noted Ms Maggy Fang, head of talent and rewards at WTW Asia Pacific.

She added that companies should adopt more holistic approaches to remuneration by considering total rewards factors such as career development opportunities, recognitions, ongoing communications, and flexible working arrangements.

seanyap@sph.com.sg

Please leave the sensitive areas in Singapore's nature reserves alone, the authorities here have asked of the developers of the popular Pokemon Go mobile game.

The National Parks Board (NParks) has asked that Pokestops - the game's virtual pitstops found in real-world locations - be removed from off-limit areas of three nature reserves here.

"This is to avoid situations of Pokemon Go players walking off trails while playing the game, inadvertently trampling the vegetation, disturbing wildlife and causing damage to the environment, and endangering themselves," said Wong Tuan Wah, NParks' group director for conservation.

Pokemon Go: A beginner's guide

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The New Paper

The affected Pokestops are located within the sensitive forest and wetland habitats of the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Central Catchment Nature Reserve and Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

They are located in off-limit areas where people should not be venturing into in the first place. Under the Parks and Trees Act, it is an offence to enter any part of a nature reserve except through designated trails.

Pokemon Go fever

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Reuters, AFP

NParks had appealed to Niantic, the developer of the game, to have the Pokestops removed in August when the game was launched here.

But a check by The Straits Times yesterday showed they were still there.

Players of the game visit the Pokestops in Singapore's nature reserves, usually located at places of interest or landmarks, to obtain items such as Pokeballs which can be used to catch virtual monsters called Pokemon.

A Niantic spokesman said: "We cannot confirm the status of removal requests for specific Pokestop and gym locations in Pokemon Go, but are moving quickly to review and address all such requests."

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Shopback, Twitter, Reddit, imgur

Pokemon Go players interviewed said it was a good idea to remove the Pokestops from nature reserves.

Customer service officer Ryan Logarta, 39, said: "They shouldn't be in protected areas. Pokemon can be caught in public areas anyway."

T.S. Teo, 54, said the move could help protect individuals too. "There are no designated trails in there and people could get lost."

audreyt@sph.com.sg

Read More:

Putting a stop to PokeStops in Malaysia

Thai govt wants PokeStops removed from religious, historical sites

Pokemon Go buzz won't last more than half a year: Survey

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The Singaporean who died after falling some 150m while descending Sabah's Mount Kinabalu last Saturday yearned to reach the summit.

Mr Woon Tai Kiang, 36, had started his climb at around 7am on Saturday and reached the summit around 2.40pm the same day, said close friend Amy Khor, a finance manager in her 40s. He probably got to the accident area on his way down at about 3pm to 4pm, she said.

His body was found around 7.30am on Sunday in a ravine near Sayat-Sayat, the last checkpoint about 3,700m above sea level before the summit. He was supposed to return to Singapore that day.

"In a way, I'm happy that he did what he liked and fulfilled his wish," said Ms Khor, who flew to Sabah to identify his body upon learning of his mishap. She was later joined by his elder brother, Mr Desmond Woon, 41.

"When he sets his mind to do something, he will do it," she said of her friend, a former executive at Singapore National Employers Federation. He had been training alone for the Mount Kinabalu International Climbathon on Oct 16 when he fell.

She learnt from other hikers that it had started to drizzle that day and the path could have been slippery.

"Many experienced climbers and hikers told me that it could have been the weather. It's very foggy in the afternoon," said Ms Khor. Usually, climbers are encouraged to descend from the summit by 11am.

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Singaporean man falls to death on Mount Kinabalu

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The Star/ANN

China Press

Lianhe Wanbao

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"Sayat-Sayat is pretty steep. He could have... tripped and fallen. But nobody was with him."

Ranau police chief Mohd Farhan Lee Abdullah told The Straits Times that while the official report is not out, Mr Woon suffered serious injuries to his head. He had fractures to his arms and legs as well.

Police added that Mr Woon could have moved too quickly when making a turn, leading to his fall.

But Mr Woon had been cheerful on the climb and did not appear to be suffering from health conditions, Ms Khor learnt.

A serious runner, he had encouraged her to join ultramarathons. In August, they completed a 32km race in Switzerland.

"His pace was definitely faster than mine, but he would always be there waiting for me at the finish line," she said.

Mr Woon will be cremated tomorrow. Tonight, his friends from the ultra-running community will pay their respects to him at his wake in Bedok North, in memorial T-shirts, which were sold among them. Proceeds will go towards assisting his family.

This article was first published on Oct 05, 2016.
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