SINGAPORE - A temporary library and a study room for children and teenagers opened in Punggol West this month.
But Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC MP Sun Xueling, who takes care of the area, is pushing for more amenities and activities for her constituents, most of whom are young parents, she said as she outlined her plans for the estate on Wednesday (Oct 12).
On the cards are a toy library for toddlers, as well as children-centric activities such as storytelling sessions run by stay-home mothers.
Ms Sun was speaking to reporters ahead of a community visit by Minister of Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu on Oct 23.
She said children and education matters are top concerns of residents, adding that this is "reasonable given the age profile of Punggol West".
She also said residents wanted the amenities "sooner rather than later". This was why she has set up the temporary library and study room while a public library and a community club are being built.
Of the 34,700 residents in the estate, 65 per cent are under 40 years old. About 14 per cent of the residents are below 14 years old.
Ms Sun said six in 10 of the Housing Board flats in the estate were built in the last five years, and are mostly owned by young families.
This is why her focus is on introducing initiatives for the young, said Ms Sun.
With the library and study room up and running, efforts are now underway to round up a group of "community mums" - housewives who have experience caring for children - to help look after children using the facilities and lead activities such as story-telling and arts and craft, she added.
The MP is also working with government agencies to ensure sufficient childcare and pre-school places when the number of residents in Punggol West hits the forecast number of 46,000 by 2020.
For a start, two childcare centres with a total of 360 places will open next year.
With the Government encouraging young parents to have children, it is important to ensure the supporting infrastructure is in place, she said.
"Given the demographic in Punggol West, this is something we have to work on," she added.
Madam Imelda Lock, 36, who has three children, has volunteered for the "community mums" initiative. She lives near the study room at Block 209B, Punggol Place, and heads down to supervise the children when she is free.
Her two older children in Punggol Green Primary use the study room for revision and to complete their homework too.
"I like to socialise and I enjoy volunteering and spending time with kids. Ms Sun said there will be more activities for children coming up and I'm quite excited to help out as a volunteer," added Madam Lock.
This article was first published on October 12, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - While Singapore is ranked above most of its South-east Asian counterparts in a new index on preventing illicit trade, it is still behind economies such as Malaysia and Hong Kong.
Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong topped the list, which was created by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). Called the Illicit Trade Environment Index, it measured 17 economies in the Asia-Pacific region.
Looking at four policy categories, EIU - an arm of The Economist Group - evaluated the extent to which they enable illicit trade. Those with the best environments are taking the most action on the issue while those who do little score worse.
The categories are: intellectual property, transparency and trade, customs environment, and supply and demand.
The index was commissioned by European Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (EuroCham), highlighting how global free trade does not only benefit governments and businesses. Increasingly, it also benefits traffickers, terrorists and criminals, said EuroCham.
It added that illicit trade provides funds for transnational crime networks and terrorist organisations, posing a threat to public health, the environment, innovation and tax revenues.
Although Singapore topped the customs environment category, with its clearance and inspection times among the best in the region, said the report, it was ranked fourth from bottom for transparency and trade, being one of the world's busiest ports.
Overall, it tied for seventh place with Taiwan based on its scores for transparency and Free Trade Zone governance.
Among factors for Australia and New Zealand's high scores were that they are "geographically distant" from the rest of the world and maintain tight control over imports of wildlife and agricultural goods.
Hong Kong, once a hub for counterfeit goods, ranked third with experts in illicit trade and intellectual property pointing to "great improvements in policies and institutions designed to combat illicit trade".
Findings of the report suggested that combating illicit trade requires "closer tripartite collaboration" between brand owners, intermediaries and the authorities.
"Fake goods don't just take away revenue from companies or governments. They threaten the security of nations by supporting transnational crime syndicates and terrorist groups," said Mr Simon Jim, chairman of the Intellectual Property Rights Committee of EuroCham.
A recommendation paper to combat illicit trade was also commissioned by EuroCham and produced by KPMG on enhancing intellectual property rights protection, public-private partnerships and free trade zone governance.
EuroCham is a non-profit organisation with members including the European National Business Groups in Singapore.
Last month, Singapore was flagged by wildlife monitoring network Traffic for being a transit point for illegal ivory trade from Africa to other Asian countries. This is despite the country's small domestic ivory market.
This article was first published on October 12, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - A nationwide survey to gauge the mental health of adults in Singapore will be carried out over the next year.
Led by the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), the study aims to reach at least 6,000 people aged 18 and above from a pool of about 15,500 randomly identified. Face-to-face interviews will be conducted in their homes.
The study will find out the prevalence of mental disorders, barriers to mental health treatment here, and the socio-cultural and economic impact of major mental disorders. These include the association with physical illnesses, the effect of mental illness on work productivity and how people here seek help for mental illness.
The survey, known as the Singapore Mental Health Study 2016, is the second of its kind. Findings from the survey will be compared with that of the first one in 2010.
The first survey gauged prevalence of mental disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and alcohol use. It found that the top three common disorders were major depressive disorder (5.8 per cent), alcohol abuse (3.1 per cent) and OCD (3 per cent).
The second survey will include psychiatric problems not studied in the first survey, such as schizophrenia, sleep disorder, and hoarding.
The latest study is a joint effort by IMH, the Ministry of Health (MOH), and Nanyang Technological University. Its principal investigator is Professor Chong Siow Ann, who is also the vice-chairman of IMH's medical board of research.
Said Prof Chong: "With the continuous growth of our population which now stands at 5.61 million, there is a need to review the state of the population's mental health.
"(The latest study) would also give us a good sense of how the mental health landscape has changed in the years since that first landmark study."
The results can also be used to guide national policies and planning to meet the mental health needs of Singapore, he added.
MOH and the Singapore Millennium Foundation is funding this three-year $4.9 million project, which started in April 2015. The initial phase involved tasks such as the design of the study and training of interviewers. The survey will last for about a year from its launch on Wednesday (Oct 12) and is expected to be completed by December 2017.
At the end of the confidential survey, which will take an average of two hours, participants will be given $60.
IMH director of research Mythily Subramaniam said: "Those who have been selected to participate will be part of an impactful study on the mental well-being of the nation. As the accuracy of the findings will depend on the information they provide, their participation and full support in this exercise are critical."
This article was first published on October 12, 2016.
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It was an emotional roller coaster of a day for the Hue family yesterday.
They were initially shocked that Zenneth, 11, was identified in a news report as the latest dengue fatality.
The shock turned to anger when they found out it was all a misunderstanding.
Last month, The New Paper had reported that the Primary 5 pupil from Maris Stella High School had died suddenly after he was found unconscious in the school bus on the morning of Aug 30.
Zenneth's godbrother Daniel Teh, 28, who spoke on behalf of the family last night, denied the "death by dengue" report categorically.
He said: "We confirmed with the authorities yesterday afternoon. He is definitely not a dengue victim. The facts were being distorted."
Maris Stella pupil, 11, dies in school bus
Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source:
The New Paper, The Straits Times
Zenneth's grandmother, who wanted to be known as Madam Swee, said in a separate interview: "The two doctors that my grandson saw did not bring up dengue at all. I don't remember him being bitten by a mosquito either."
It all started with a joint statement issued on Tuesday by the Ministry of Health and the National Environment Agency.
The statement said that an 11-year-old boy who lived at Woodleigh Close had died from dengue on Aug 30, the same day Zenneth was admitted to KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH).
Keeping with policy, the ministries did not identify the victim, who was the eighth person to die from dengue this year.
The area was an active two-case dengue cluster that was closed on Sept 14.
MOH was informed of the cause of the boy's death in a pathologist's report on Tuesday.
Zenneth shared similarities with the dengue victim - he was also 11, and lived at Woodleigh Close too.
Zenneth's mother, Madam Jennifer Lim (in black), burst into tears when she saw her son casket at the wake at the void deck of Block 411, Serangoon Central on 31 August 2016. She was with Zenneth's grandmother, Madam Swee (in stripes). Photo: The New Paper
UNCONSCIOUS
The day before he was found unconscious, he had barely recovered from a 41 deg C fever.
After he was found, Zenneth was taken to KKH, where he was pronounced dead two hours later.
The cause of his death remains a mystery that the Hue family decided not to dwell on, said Madam Swee, 64.
Two weeks ago, the Hues were told that Zenneth's autopsy report was ready for collection, and that there was an administrative fee of $158.
After some discussion, they decided not to buy it.
Said Madam Swee: "It's like spending money to buy ourselves grief... So what if we find out? Knowing how he died won't bring him back to life."
The news came at a time when the family was trying their best to let go and move on, she said.
Between sobs, before it was confirmed that he had not died from dengue, Madam Swee said: "Zenneth's death is like a wound that's trying to heal.
Knowing that he could have died from dengue is like picking a scab."
Agreeing with Madam Swee, Mr Teh said the family has been trying to move on quietly in the past month.
They were overwhelmed by the attention after the media picked up on Zenneth's death.
"Just when the media attention had died down, this had to happen," Mr Teh said, referring to the dengue speculation.
The wake of Zenneth Hue Yee Hon, a Primary 5 pupil at Maris Stella High School, was held at the void deck of Block 411, Serangoon Central on 31 August 2016. Photo: The New Paper
The past month had been difficult, said Madam Swee, who also has a 10-year-old granddaughter.
A select number of photographs of the boy adorn the Hue family's apartment at Woodleigh.
The rest have been slotted into a photo album full of Zenneth's pictures, which Madam Swee said she secretly leafs through, from time to time.
She still misses her grandson, who would crawl into bed with her, or accompany her while she waited for taxis.
Twice a month, they would go for "xiao long bao (steamed pork dumpling) dates".
It was Zenneth's favourite food, Madam Swee said.
There were moments when he would also share his food with her, like his bowl of bird's nest.
There was a narrow gap - barely a car's width - between the two vehicles travelling on the expressway.
Yet the blue Lamborghini blatantly squeezed through, almost causing an accident, while cutting across the lane before speeding off into the distance.
The entire incident on Oct 1 took less than two seconds.
The Lamborghini driver's dangerous and reckless act was recorded by an in-car camera and the footage went viral after it was uploaded online last week.
As of 5pm yesterday, the 33-second video, which was originally posted on Facebook by the affected driver, Mr Heng See Meng, and uploaded on other pages, had more than 201,000 combined views and was shared more than 2,300 times.
A photograph of the blue Lamborghini allegedly impounded. Photo: Facebook/Beh Chia Lor.
The New Paper understands that the man was nabbed on Tuesday, and his vehicle, identified by netizens as a Lamborghini Huracan Spyder, was also impounded.
In the video, Mr Heng, with his family, is driving his car on the rightmost lane of the three-lane East Coast Parkway.
A van is seen just ahead of his car, in the middle lane, with a small gap diagonally between the two vehicles.
Suddenly, the blue Lamborghini zooms up behind the van, weaving and squeezing through the gap between the two vehicles, then overtakes them, cutting to the right lane, and speeding off.
Mr Heng's car then overtakes the van, switches a lane to the left in front of it, before an orange Lamborghini appears on the rightmost lane and drives into the distance as well.
Mr Heng told The Straits Times Online that it was a "very scary experience".
"I really hope all drivers respect road discipline and not bring danger to other road users," he said.
His video also sparked off online outrage against the Lamborghini driver, with netizens condemning his actions.
Many condemned the driver of the supercar for putting himself and the other drivers at risk.
Some also questioned why the driver had not overtaken via the empty left-most lane, while others blamed Mr Heng's car for hogging the right-most lane.
Road safety experts described the driver's actions as dangerous and irresponsible.
Singapore Safety Driving Centre's training manager Gerard Pereira said: "The blue Lamborghini driver appeared to be showing off, unlike (the other Lamborghini driver) who waited for the car (with the in-car camera) to switch a lane to the left before overtaking on the right.
"He should not be on the road if he is this impatient. What kind of driving ethics does he have?"
Accident reconstruction expert Kelvin Koay said: "Had the van slowed down or the other car sped up a little, an accident would have occurred.
"Plus, given the Lamborghini was going faster than the two vehicles, had there been any impact, it could have caused their cars to spin out of control.
"It would have been disastrous."
If convicted of dangerous driving, an offender can be jailed up to a year and fined up to $3,000.
About the driver
After the video of the blue Lamborghini being driven dangerously was uploaded online last week, netizens embarked on ahunt for the driver.
Some posted photos of the driver and his Facebook profile on various road safety community Facebook groups.
The New Paper understands that the 45-year-old who was arrested for dangerous driving is a Nigerian national who lives here.
The Lamborghini Huracan Spyder is believed to be impounded. Photo: Berita Harian
Lifestyle news site Covered Asia reported two weeks ago that there was only one customised Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 Spyder in Singapore, and it was sold with an open-category certificate of entitlement of $1.3 million.
Covered Asia also reported that the owner of the Lamborghini Huracan Spyder launched his own swimwear company earlier this year.
We contacted him via Facebook, but he did not respond by press time.
About the Lamborghini Huracan Spyder
Lamborghini Huracan Spyder. Photo: AFP
Engine 5,204cc 40-valve V10
Top speed 324kmh
0 to 100kmh 3.4 seconds
Transmission Seven-speed dual-clutch with manual select
Power 610bhp at 8,250rpm
Torque 560Nm at 6,500rpm
Fuel consumption 12.3 litres/100km
Lamborghini's most powerful car - the Centenario
Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source:
Reuters
This article was first published on October 13, 2016.
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That said, some who did live with their parents - and had babies - while waiting for their own homes, acknowledged that there could be benefits to such an arrangement.
They were responding to a comment by Mrs Josephine Teo, when answering an interview question on whether young people are deterred from having children earlier because they do not yet have their flats.
"You need a very small space to have sex," replied the Senior Minister of State in charge of population, suggesting that couples do not have to wait until they have their homes to begin trying for children.
In a Facebook post last night, Ms Teo said that "an honest conversation" is needed on how the society can support millennial families.
"But if a married couple waits too long to start a family, we could end up with a house with no children to share it with."
However, in Singapore, many equate flat ownership with starting a family. An ST online poll found that of the 16,880 responses, 93 per cent said a flat should come first.
The young couples interviewed yesterday said they preferred to live on their own before having babies. Some said they want to do so to avoid possible conflict with their parents or in-laws in raising children.
Ms Chloe Tang, 27, who is getting married next month, said she and her fiance are putting plans to conceive on hold, until they have their own place. They will be living with his parents as their flat applications over the last two years were unsuccessful. "To build a family, the very first thing I will think of is to have a house. I would also want my own privacy," said the IT analyst.
Some young people said they did not mind living with their parents for the short term, although moving out would still be a priority.
Civil servant Cherie Teo, 29, said: "It's helpful to have family support in the early stages of being a new mother because it's physically tiring."
She and her husband, who have a one-year-old son, lived with their parents for about two years before moving to their executive condominium this year. "Having your own space is important - you need to learn to take care of yourself, live with your spouse - before you can really raise a child," she said.
But Mr Loi Heok Gam, 34, a church worker who married in 2013, said he agreed with the spirit of what Mrs Teo said. His wife conceived during the nine months they were living with his parents that year.
"We need a bit more faith and courage to start families. You can't always wait for everything to work out perfectly according to plan."
They later rented a flat while waiting to move to their flat in January last year as they wanted to raise their sons - now aged three and 101/2 months - on their own.
Recognising such wishes, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said last week that couples can look forward to a shorter waiting period of two to three years, from three to four years now, for Build-To-Order flats.Since 2013, 365 babies have been born to couples living in temporary public housing as they waited for their new flats to be completed. There are about 1,900 such flats now.
This article was first published on Oct 13, 2016.
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When Mr Alan Lim and Ms Teo Yen Ting showed up at Kong Hock Keng Temple last June decked out in red robes and golden headdresses, they drew curious looks from devotees, not least because they looked like they had just stepped out of China's Han Dynasty.
The couple were at the Chinese temple in Telok Blangah to tie the knot in front of Taoist deities such as the Jade Emperor, Monkey King and Nezha the Third Lotus Prince.
"I used to help out at this temple for many years. We wanted to get married at some place special, and our faith is important," said Mr Lim, 26, who works as a career coach.
The Taoists met each other during a Taoist Federation (Singapore) youth committee conference in 2013. They share an interest in Chinese history and culture - something they wanted to commemorate on their special day.
Mr Alan Lim (right) and Ms Teo Yen Ting getting married at Kong Hock Keng Temple in Telok Blangah on June 7, 2015. Photo: Courtesy of Mr Alan Lim
Clad in traditional costumes bought from e-commerce site Taobao, Mr Lim and Ms Teo, 23, a part-time tutor, offered fruits and joss sticks to the deities. Their solemniser, Master Adrian Long, 50, then recited religious scriptures before pronouncing them man and wife.
They are among a number of young couples now holding their matrimonial ceremonies at Chinese temples. About 20 to 30 do so each year, said Master Long, who is a deputy registrar of marriages and a special committee member with the Taoist Federation (Singapore). "Some met at these temples, while others simply want to seek blessings for a blissful marriage," he said. "Some also pray to their ancestors whose ashes are in the same temple."
The Singapore Buddhist Federation (SBF) has noticed more couples getting hitched at Buddhist venues, said the federation's president, Venerable Seck Kwang Phing, 63. He is also a solemniser.
While there were 10 to 20 weddings five years ago, there are now at least 100 in temples or at Buddhist institutions each year, he said. They are usually held at the SBF building in Geylang or Bishan's Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery.
"I usually remind the bride and groom to be a good couple according to the Buddhist scriptures. For example, husband and wife must treat each other equally," said Venerable Seck. Depending on the couple's preference, the solemnisation ceremony is accompanied by the chanting of sutra and offerings to Shakyamuni Buddha.
"To do good, the couple can also offer lunch, robes or any daily necessities to the monks."
People of other faiths often get married at their places of worship, such as churches, mosques and Hindu temples.
The Sultan Mosque in Kampong Glam, for instance, hosts about three to four weddings each week. These are officiated by a kadi, who solemnises Muslim marriages.
Mosque manager Zainal Abidin Omar, 47, said more couples have been getting married at the venue since it was restored a year ago.
"Youngsters like to have their weddings here because they want to get blessings from God," he said, adding that they can have their reception at the nearby restaurants.
Mr Mah Chun How and Ms Kang Say See getting married at Yueh Hai Ching Temple in Raffles Place on Sept 15, 2016. Photo: Courtesy of Mr Mah Chun How
For some, the venue represents both faith and fate. Software engineer Mah Chun How, 34, and accounts assistant Kang Say See, 29, got married at the Yueh Hai Ching Temple in Raffles Place last month.
Before they met in 2014, they had visited the temple to ask Yue Lao, the elder under the moon deity believed to be a matchmaker, for a partner. "We got to know each other not too long after," said Mr Mah.
"The temple is very special to us. We believe Yue Lao brought us together."
This article was first published on Oct 13, 2016.
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When you need help to save a relationship, you can trust the Internet to come to the rescue.
This was especially so in the case of a Singaporean man who wanted to surprise his wife, who is a fan of the popular location-based augmented reality game Pokemon Go.
In an ad post on online marketplace Carousell on Oct 12, the seller only known as 'featherlit', wrote how he wanted to buy cuddly plushies of the Pokemon called Snorlax as a surprise for his wife, who had gushed about how "cute and dumb" it looked.
Without her knowledge, he bought three of the plushies hastily online without caring much about the price. When they arrived, he received two rude shocks:
First, they turned out to be life-sized instead of the "mini ones" that he expected to fit snugly on their computer table or wall shelves. Each of the Snorlax plushies he received turned out to be 1.5m tall.
Second, his wife flew into a rage as there was no more living space in their apartment after they had to plonk the giant Snorlax plushies in their living confines.
He said he was forced to put them up for sale after his wife threatened "to move back to her mom's home".
Photo by Snorlax seller 'featherlit'
His rib-tickling post was accompanied with photos showing the soft toys taking up a big chunk of their living space in an apartment presumably in Punggol, as it was named as his location.
Sounding like a man in great despair, he implored: "Please please...guys...buy them away before she divorces me...I will be glad to transport it to your place."
His desperate sales pitch generated laughs among netizens who also 'sympathised' with his problem.
The Snorlax plushies invaded the living space in his apartment.
Said one netizen Ah Bui: "In order to salvage your (sic) marriage and your (sic) willingness to let go at an (sic) unacceptable price, I sacrifice myself and my room for u. Bro."
Said another, thriftshopthrill: "If nobody is buying from you and your wife is one foot out of the door, I am willing to give up half my room space for one of these."
Without revealing how much he had paid for each, he only let on that the plushies "cost an arm and leg". And his asking price for each Snorlax? $250.
The happy conclusion: All three plushies were snapped up, said the man in an update to the post.
He wrote: "Hey guys, snorlax has been sold...thanks everyone!"
chenj@sph.com.sg
You have to climb over this Snorlax to get through the corridor.
SINGAPORE - The Republic of Singapore Navy launched its third Littoral Mission Vessel (LMV), called Unity, on Thursday morning (Oct 13) at Singapore Technologies Marine's (ST Marine) Benoi Yard.
Overseeing the launch ceremony was Senior Minister of State for Defence Ong Ye Kung. Also in attendance was Mr Ong's wife, Mrs Diana Ong, who launched the vessel.
The first and second LMVs, Independence and Sovereignty, were launched on July 3 last year (2015) and April 16 this year (2016) respectively. They are currently undergoing sea trials.
The Navy's newest ships, the LMVs will replace the Fearless-class patrol vessels, which were in service for about 20 years.
The Singapore Navy's Littoral Mission Vessel
Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source:
Mindef, Republic of Singapore Navy, AsiaOne
Faster and more versatile than the current vessels, the LMVs can also be quickly configured with software and equipment to take on a variety of missions, including unmanned systems and helicopter operations.
The 80m-long vessels were designed to be operated and maintained with a lean crew of 23, compared to the Fearless-class ships which require 30.
The navigators, warfighters and engineers all work in a unique integrated command centre, which contains the ship's bridge, combat information centre and machinery control room. In other ships, these functions would be located in separate areas.
DPM Teo Chee Hean officiates the launch ceremony of the locally-built warship Sovereignty, nearly 50 years after sailing on a ship with same name as a young naval officer - http://goo.gl/TiQjTb
The LMVs also feature a "stacked mast", which allows the crew to access more than 90 per cent of the ship's system components. This saves time on maintenance as the ship does not need to be docked to be maintained.
Mr Ong said the ship featured a "Uniquely Singapore" design, bringing together the efforts of the Navy, the Defence Science and Technology Agency, ST Marine and defence technology industry partners.
In his speech, Mr Ong, who is also Acting Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills), noted the significance of the ship's name and said that Singaporeans had to be united in the face of challenges, including increasing terror threats.
"Unity is our strongest defence against any sort of attack," he said.
"We must be united in our goal for a harmonious and peaceful Singapore, and stand together to guard against the growing terror threat."
After graduating with a diploma in information security in 2013, he had planned to further his studies in university.
But one's man folly in driving while drunk not only ended Mr Sim Ying Chong's dream, it also made him lose his father and his home of 17 years.
The drink-driver's car crashed into his father's stalled taxi on the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) after the Bedok North Road exit in the early hours of March 18 last year.
Mr Sim's father, Mr Sim Beng Guan, 59, was seriously injured in the accident. He remained bed-bound and uncommunicative for eight months until his death last November.
Raymond Chiang, 29, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and doing a negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide on Wednesday.
He was sentenced to four months' jail, $4,000 fine and disqualified from driving for eight years.
This was the car that Raymond Chiang was driving when he hit the taxi at the Bedok North Road exit on the PIE. Photo: Facebook
Apart from giving Mr Sim's family eight months of grief and uncertainty, Chiang's folly also wrecked his future.
He told The New Paper on Wednesday: "My father had hoped for me to further my studies, but because of his sudden death, I had to find a job to support myself instead of going to university after completing my national service (NS)."
Mr Sim, 24, who now works as an IT developer, said he and his older sister had lived with their father in his four-room flat in Yishun for the past 17 years, after his father and mother got divorced.
EARN
Mr Sim said he earns about $2,300 a month, and contributes about $500 to the household expenses, with his mother and sister also chipping in.
The family also had to sell his father's flat and downgrade to a three-room-flat nearby, which they will move into when the paperwork is completed.
"My dad used to pay $1,600 a month for the mortgage. But after the accident, we had to ask Housing Board for financial assistance, and we had to stop paying for a while."
Mr Sim said he took leave and went with his sister, Miss Eileen Sim, 28, to attend Chiang's sentencing.
"It was our first time seeing the driver," he said.
"He never once went to the hospital to visit my father or paid his respects at the wake."
Mr Sim felt the sentencing was too lenient because a life was lost.
Growing up in a single-parent family, he said his father had it tough.
"My father was the sole breadwinner of the family, and he had to work two jobs to support us - real estate agent by day and taxi driver by night - for the past 14 years.
"We had to learn to be independent at a young age because my father would always come back when we were asleep."
Mr Sim said his father was a jovial man despite having to work long hours.
He said: "He was a very sociable man. He always cracked jokes and livened up the mood, whether at home or with his friends.
"Now that he is gone, I feel empty inside."
Asked about his father's accident, Mr Sim said: "Back then I was still in NS. When I woke up at around 4am, I realised I had received a lot of missed calls from the hospital."
Mr Sim, who was based at Jurong Camp 1, rushed to Changi General Hospital but did not think it was a serious accident because his father was a safe driver.
"It was only when the doctor told me of his injuries that I realised it was very bad."
Mr Sim said that after the ordeal, he had become closer to his mother, Madam Cindy Ng, 56, who owns a beauty salon, whom he used to see only once a week in the past.
He said: "But after this happened, I met her quite often to visit my father. She was sad and felt he did not deserve this.
"My sister will be moving out after getting married next year. My mother and I will be living in the new flat."
Man jailed 4 months for drink driving crash that killed cabby
A previous drink driving conviction did not stop him from having two glasses of red wine and driving home with his then-fiancee in the wee hours of March 18 last year.
Raymond Chiang Zhi Hao's blood alcohol level was almost twice the prescribed limit when his car rammed into the rear of a stationary taxi on the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) in the direction of Changi Airport.
Taxi driver Sim Beng Guan, 59, who was standing outside the taxi, was severely injured. He never fully recovered from his injuries and died eight months later.
Raymond Chiang was previously convicted of drink driving in 2010 and was banned from driving for a year. Photo: Facebook
On Tuesday, Chiang, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of causing death by negligence and another for drink driving.
He was sentenced to four months' jail and a fine of $4,000, and was disqualified from driving for eight years.
A 2010 conviction for drink driving, where he was fined $2,000 and disqualified from driving for a year, was taken into consideration during sentencing.
Court documents said Mr Sim's taxi was involved in an accident with a lorry near the Bedok North Road exit of the PIE at 2.26am on March 18 last year.
After the two drivers exchanged particulars, the lorry driver left.
Mr Sim's taxi remained parked between the left-most and centre lane of the three-lane highway after he declined the lorry driver's offer to help move the taxi to the road shoulder.
STANDING
The front and rear lights of the taxi were switched on, but the hazard lights were not, and Mr Sim was standing outside the vehicle.
Closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from cameras situated along the highway showed a number of vehicles avoiding the taxi by filtering to the right lane.
The court heard that the accident happened at 2.42am when Chiang's car, which was in the centre lane, made no visible attempt to slow down and hit the right rear of Mr Sim's taxi.
The impact caused the taxi to spin and land on the road shoulder against the flow of traffic.
CCTV footage did not show precisely where Mr Sim had been standing, but he was severely injured and was bleeding profusely from the head.
Mr Sim, Chiang and his fiancee, who is now his wife, were all taken to hospital.
Mr Sim's injuries included fractures on his skull and ribs, haemorrhaging in the brain and a collapsed lung.
He was bed-bound and uncommunicative until his death on Nov 22 last year.
An autopsy report done the day after stated that he died from pneumonia as well as brain and lung injuries from the accident.
Chiang could have been jailed for up to two years and/or fined for causing death by negligence.
For drink driving, he could have been fined up to $10,000 and/or jailed for up to 12 months.
What drivers should do after an accident
When a road accident occurs, the driver must turn on the hazard lights of the vehicle, call an ambulance and the Traffic Police if someone is injured, and place the triangular hazard sign at least 300m away to alert other motorists moving towards the vehicle.
In giving this advice, Singapore Road Safety Council chairman Bernard Tay noted that in a minor accident, the driver should move the vehicle to an area away from oncoming traffic so it would not block the road or jeopardise his safety.
If the car has broken down, the driver should move to a safe spot away from oncoming traffic. If that is not possible, he should position himself so that the car is between him and oncoming traffic.
Singapore Safety Driving Centre operations manager Gerard Pereira, 59, said drivers who leave the vehicle on the road and stand there after an accident assume other drivers can see them, but that may not be the case.
While drivers tend to be more careful when the road is busy, they may be less attentive and may drive faster when the road looks clear, so they may think the stalled vehicle in front is moving when it is not, he added.
Similar past cases
MARCH 2015
On March 28, a drink driver slammed his father's Volvo into a Nissan sedanat the junction of Changi Road and Frankel Road.
The Nissan driver was trapped under the car while her husband, who was in the front passenger seat, ended up hanging out of a broken window.
The couple survived.
Alvin Phua Lai Soon, 32, was jailed for 14 weeks and banned from driving for 20 years on Aug 2 this year.
A multiple offender, he had been serving a 10-year driving ban when he caused the accident.
JANUARY 2015
A delivery driver fell asleep at the wheel and drove his lorry into a stationary van, knocking it into two men who were standing in front of the vehicle.
The crash killed one of the men and left the other permanently disabled.
The force of the impact sent the van into another car and caused a massive traffic jam on the Bukit Timah Expressway.
On Sept 9 last year, the driverwas jailed for three months and banned from driving for five years for causing death and grievous hurt by a negligent act to endanger life.
AUGUST 2013
On Aug 9 at 3.54am, a former logistics operations director, 36, sped and drove under the influence of drugs and rammed into four people who were standing at the back of their stationary car. All four were killed.
Their car had stalled due to a punctured tyreat the chevron markings before the exit to Yio Chu Kang Road along the Central Expressway.
The man was given the maximum sentence of five years' jail on June 19 last year and banned from driving for 20 years.
This article was first published on October 14, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Singapore's central bank on Friday held policy steady despite a surprisingly sharp economic contraction in the third quarter, but analysts say the weak inflation and growth outlook will likely force policymakers to ease further.
Singapore's economy contracted by 4.1 per cent in the third quarter on a seasonally adjusted annualised basis, from the previous three months, the biggest slump since 2012, data from the statistics office showed. Forecasts had centred on 0.3 per cent growth.
The affluent city state's open economy has felt the brunt of a global slowdown and a downturn in commodity prices, while a cooling in Singapore's major trading partner China has put the shackles on the domestic manufacturing sector.
After a brief bounce, the Singapore dollar quickly turned lower, falling as much as 0.4 per cent to 1.3865 against the US dollar, nearing a seven-month low set on Thursday, as traders took stock of the grim gross domestic product numbers.
Despite the weak GDP figures, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said in a statement it would keep the width of the policy band and the level at which it is centred unchanged, maintaining the rate of appreciation of the Singapore dollar policy band at zero per cent. "The current policy band provides some flexibility ... to accommodate the near-term weakness in inflation and growth," the MAS said in its semiannual policy statement.
But a number of analysts expect the MAS would be forced to ease in coming months. "The bigger story is that GDP was very, very weak," said Michael Wan, economist at Credit Suisse in Singapore.
"MAS risks being behind the curve. They should ease - inflation is low, growth is slow and slowing and it looks like it's not going to improve anytime soon."
Particularly worrying for economists, the manufacturing sector shrank 17.4 per cent, due to a decline in transport engineering and the volatile biomedical sector. Even the once-vibrant services sector contracted for the third consecutive quarter.
The MAS manages monetary policy by changes to the exchange rate, rather than interest rates, letting the Singapore dollar rise or fall against the currencies of its main trading partners based on its nominal effective exchange rate (NEER) because trade flows dwarf the city state's economy.
Sixteen of 18 analysts in a Reuters survey had predicted that the MAS would keep monetary policy unchanged this month. In April, the central bank unexpectedly eased policy.
SIGNS OF SLACK
Economic growth in the city-state has remained anaemic in the past two years and analysts worry about the paucity of catalysts to spark momentum any time soon.
Entire floors at central shopping malls are vacant as weak domestic demand has hurt retailers while a slowing global economy has meant tourists have less money to spend. Most industries face a labour shortage exacerbated by immigration curbs and wages are running well ahead of productivity. Vacancies in office and residential buildings hit multi-year highs.
The downturn in commodities has hurt the offshore and marine industry, with debt woes engulfing companies such as Swiber Holdings Ltd, Swissco Holdings LTD and Rickmers Maritime.
Even the financial industry, which has put the tiny 51-year-old island city on the global map, is under pressure as its once-booming private banking sector struggles under tougher compliance rules.
The services sector contracted 1.9 per cent in the third quarter. The MAS expected 2016 economic growth to come in at the lower end of the 1-2 per cent forecast.
Medium-term core inflation was seen trending towards, but average slightly below 2 per cent, while all-items inflation has bottomed, it said. "Our base call ... is that we will get a re-centering in April," RBS economist Vaninder Singh said, referring to a possible one-off depreciation of the Singapore dollar.
Around 1.5 million policyholders can expect to face premium hikes for health insurance once the moratorium on freezing Integrated Shield Plan (IP) premiums ends on Oct 31.
The Straits Times understands that the average premium increase will be between 9 and 15 per cent but the hikes are expected to impact only certain IPs, particularly those covering private hospitals.
This is because the number and dollar amount of claims made at private hospitals have shot up compared with those at public hospitals.
About 2.5 million Singapore residents have IPs. An estimated 60 per cent of them have policies covering stays in private hospitals, while the rest have plans that cover class A and class B1 wards in public hospitals. So about 1.5 million Singapore residents may be affected by the premium hikes.
The Life Insurance Association (LIA) said the average IP claim incidence rate has been growing at approximately 9 per cent a year.
It noted that the overall average bill incurred by IP insurers increased by 8.7 per cent for private hospitals each year from 2012 to 2014 compared with just 0.6 per cent for public hospitals.
During the same period, the average inpatient bill for private hospitals was almost double that for public hospitals and four times more than recorded at day surgeries.
The LIA statistics also showed that IP insurers paid out claims amounting to $488 million in 2014 alone.
Healthcare is expected to be the biggest cost in retirement and many people have ranked this as their top concern.
The LIA told The Straits Times yesterday: "We recognise that the current rate of escalating claim costs in Singapore is not sustainable and that when it comes to IPs, premiums would need to correspondingly be increased to keep up with the claim amounts for IP insurers to continue offering these policies."
It has been reported that two IP insurers have been making only marginal profits, with three racking up losses on such policies.
In May, French insurer AXA Life joined the IP market here as the sixth provider.
The LIA also noted while MediShield Life has led to some savings for IP insurers, these will be offset within one to two years by more - and costlier - claims being lodged.
The association released some recommendations yesterday, such as the pre-approval of medical treatment, to address the issue of escalating claim costs for IPs.
NTUC Income said it is reviewing its entire IncomeShield portfolio.
"At this point, we plan to increase the premiums of some plans in 2017. However, we are still working out the details, including the level of increase," it said.
IP rider premiums are excluded from the one-year moratorium. So far, at least two insurers - Income and Prudential - have increased their IP rider premiums.
This article was first published on Oct 14, 2016.
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Singapore's growth in the third quarter badly missed expectations on Friday, potentially signaling weakness around the region.
The city-state's gross domestic product (GDP) grew 0.6 per cent on-year in the third quarter, well off forecasts for 1.7 per cent growth from a Reuters poll and the weakest reading since 2009, during the global financial crisis.
GDP also contracted 4.1 per cent on-quarter, compared with a Reuters poll forecast for 0.3 per cent growth.
"Singapore being a small open economy, basically we are like a harbinger," Selena Ling, head of treasury research and strategy at OCBC, told CNBC's "Squawk Box" on Friday.
"You can expect the next few weeks when we get third quarter growth numbers coming out from the rest of the Asian economies, probably you'll see weaker than expected numbers as well."
She called Singapore's data "pretty grim," noting that even the most bearish forecast hadn't called such weak figures.
Despite the weak data, Singapore's central bank, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) kept its monetary policy unchanged with a neutral bias for the currency.
Rather than using interest rates, the MAS, which has official policy-setting meetings just twice a year, sets its monetary policy by adjusting an undisclosed trading band for the currency based on a basket of currencies weighted to reflect trade levels with the city-state.
In the wake of the GDP data and the MAS' inaction, the Singapore dollar fell to its lowest level since early March. The US dollar was fetching as much as S$1.3887 by mid-day Friday, up from levels as low as S$1.3770 earlier in the session.
OCBC's Ling said external factors dragged on Singapore's growth.
"Ahead on the horizon, you do have some risk events like US elections. You also have a possible FOMC rate hike in December. So these are pretty big external factors," she said. "The China slowdown story is still on-going so you do have renewed concerns about how much of the softness in terms of the Chinese manufacturing export pattern is going to drag on regional trade growth as well."
She noted that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) had already downgraded global trade forecasts for 2016 and 2017. The WTO has projected global trade would register its fifth straight year of sub-3 per cent growth, citing shifting exchange rates and falls in commodity prices.
The slowdown was already evident in China's trade figures. Data released Thursday showed China's exports tumbled 10.0 per cent in dollar terms in September and imports fell 1.9 per cent, coming in well below forecasts from a Reuters poll for a 3.0 per cent fall in exports and a 1.0 per cent rise in imports.
Singapore and Australia signed four key agreements yesterday that will boost co-operation in trade, defence, innovation and combating transnational drug crime.
They include an upgraded free trade agreement (FTA) that will make it easier for Singaporean professionals and entrepreneurs to work in Australia and vice versa.
There is also a A$2.25 billion (S$2.35 billion) defence deal that will see both sides jointly develop military training facilities in Australia. The upgraded FTA comes into force next year, and defence co-operation planning starts early next year.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Australian PM Malcolm Turnbull said in a joint statement that the agreements represent the "most substantial upgrade in the Australia-Singapore relationship in a generation".
Of the four Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) agreements signed yesterday, one will see trade ties being deepened while the other three will see Singapore and Australia collaborate more closely in the areas of defence, scientific research and anti-drug trafficking.
The upgraded Free Trade Agreement will come into force next year and planning for the expansion of new military training areas in Australia will start early next year.
These are some of the benefits under the agreements:
Trade
More flexible rules of origin, which are standards used to determine the origin of goods, will make it easier for Singapore exports to qualify for tariff-free treatment in Australia.
Reduction in regulatory barriers, such as onerous labelling requirements, will facilitate trade in goods like wine, cosmetics and medical devices.
Opportunities for companies from both sides to bid for government procurement contracts.
Easier mobility and longer stays for business people.
Defence
New A$2.25 billion (S$2.35 billion) programme will allow the Singapore Armed Forces to conduct unilateral training in Australia for 18 weeks, in areas 10 times the size of Singapore, for up to 14,000 troops per year over 25 years.
Joint development of military training areas and advanced facilities in Australia.
Science research and innovation
The Singapore and Australian governments will provide about S$50 million worth of support for collaboration in science and innovation.
More co-operation between research institutions, such as between Singapore universities and Australia's Data61 to look into big data and smart cities.
Shared use of research infrastructure - like supercomputing centres in both countries - to realise a greater return on investments, spread expenses, allow for maintenance of infrastructure, and let researchers improve their research by accessing a wider range of facilities and intellectual cultures.
Establishing Australia's fifth landing pad in Singapore to facilitate the foray of high-tech Australian start-ups into Asia.
International drug crime
Singapore's Central Narcotics Bureau and the Australian Federal Police will conduct joint training, learning and development programmes and officer exchanges to combat the proliferation of drugs, especially new psychoactive substances.
This article was first published on Oct 14, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
A multi-agency effort is under way to help the 51 stallholders affected by a fire that destroyed their wet market and two coffee shops in Jurong on Tuesday.
Jurong GRC MP Ang Wei Neng met the stallholders last night, along with representatives of the Housing Board, the National Environment Agency (NEA), the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
The HDB and NEA provided the affected stallholders, from blocks 493 and 494 in Jurong West Street 41, with a list of 27 market stalls and 22 food stalls that are available in Clementi and Ghim Moh.
Stallholders who are interested will get assistance to relocate to the new stalls, where monthly rental costs are between $200 and $850.
"Business is expected to resume within a month," the HDB said.
Rental costs and service and conservancy charges for the wet market operator will be waived for the period it cannot operate, on the condition that the stallholders in turn are not charged.
The HDB and NEA will work with the owners of the two coffee shops.
The MSF's Social Service Office in Taman Jurong is providing assistance to stallholders, and immediate relief funds will be disbursed by Southwest CDC.
Mr Ang said a new market "may take a year-plus to build".
The immediate priority is to find alternative stalls at other markets so that the stallholders can resume business as soon as possible.
"We have decided to provide an emergency relief fund of $500 to each of the stallholders tonight," Mr Ang added.
Mr Derek Tan, owner of the Block 494 coffee shop, said it might take about four months before he could reopen.
Stallholders told The Straits Times that they would rather stay in the area as some of them live there or have regular customers.
This article was first published on Oct 14, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
<p>A multi-agency effort is under way to help the 51 stallholders affected by a fire that destroyed their wet market and two coffee shops in Jurong on Tuesday.</p>
The head of a green group has been suspended indefinitely, surprising many in the environmental scene.
Mr Edwin Seah, 46, who has been executive director of the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) since April last year, was told of the move yesterday morning while on leave.
He said he was told via a phone call from the council's executive committee chairman Lam Joon Khoi.
"I'm shocked because no reason was given, and I was due to travel tomorrow night on official business," he told The Straits Times.
He was due to fly to Ukraine tonight for the annual general meeting and elections for the Global Eco-labelling Network, of which he is an elected board member.
An SEC spokesman said:"The SEC Board has decided to suspend Edwin Seah with effect from today.
We are unable to comment further as investigations are ongoing."
ST understands the council will hold a committee of inquiry next Wednesday.
The non-governmental organisation spreads environmental awareness through training programmes, awards and its Singapore Green Labelling Scheme.
It was started in 1995 and has 28 full-time staff.
Mr Seah, who was previously at the Singapore Tourism Board and Energy Market Authority, was nominated along with SEC former eco-certification head Kavickumar Muruganathan for The Straits Times Singaporean of the Year award last year.
They were recognised for raising awareness about the link between the haze and unsustainable paper products.
Mr Seah's suspension is the latest in a string of personnel changes in the charity.
In April, Mr Kavickumar, 27, left to join Asia Pulp and Paper (APP).
Former chief executive Jose Raymond, 44, also joined APP in January but left last month and has since set up his own public relations firm.
Professor Ang Peng Hwa, who co-founded the Haze Elimination Action Team volunteer group, said he was shocked by the news, especially as he had just met Mr Seah at an SEC event on Wednesday.
"With all the recent personnel changes this year, it seems like it is a spell of bad luck for SEC," he said.
This article was first published on Oct 14, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
"I want to go home." Those were the first words whispered by Thai teenager Aroonrak Jattanathammajit who was left in a coma after she was hit by a car in Balestier Road last month.
Aroonrak, 16, first opened her eyes on Sunday evening after being warded for nearly a month at the KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH).
Her father, who was by her side when she first came around, said through a translator yesterday: "She was looking at the drip next to the bed, eyes wide."
Mr Sarayuth Jattanathammajit, 49, said: "Now, I am relieved. I am happy she can open her eyes."
Aroonrak, a Secondary 2 student at San Yu Adventist School , was hit by a car after leaving her hostel in Balestier Road on Sept 18.
After she was hit, the teen was taken to KKH where she underwent two brain operations. She spent 10 days in the Intensive Care Unit. She was later moved to a normal ward.
Her parents have been by her bedside every day and when she woke on Sunday, it was such a relief for them that they finally left the ward for a meal together.
"Usually we will take turns (to get food)," said Mr Jattanathammajit. This was so that one parent would always be with Aroonrak, their only child.
Mr Jattanathammajit had only $500 with him when he first arrived in Singapore after the accident.
He had borrowed about 12 million Thai baht (S$465,000) from a bank to fund his family's ailing rubber business, as well as to send his daughter here to study.
After reading reports about the teen's plight earlier this month, Singaporean Dennis Yeo, 44, started an online crowdfunding drive to help Aroonrak and her family.
In less than two weeks, more than $118,000 has been raised on fund-raising website Give.asia.
Mr Yeo, who works in a non-profit organisation, said he wanted to help ease the burden of Aroonrak's medical bills. He and her parents have settled the outstanding bills, which amounted to about $57,000.
The family has been overwhelmed by the help it has received. "I never thought so many people would come forward to help," Mr Jattanathammajit said tearfully.
Yesterday, Mr Yeo went to KKH to hand over a portion of the money - about $90,000 - raised for the family.
He intends to keep the campaign going until Sunday and hand over the remaining funds raised to the family after that.
Mr Jattanathammajit thanked Mr Yeo profusely when the two met at the hospital yesterday.
Said Mr Yeo: "We cannot communicate verbally, but we have a common understanding that what we are doing is for the sake of his daughter."
For Aroonrak, there is still a long road to recovery. Though her hospital bills thus far have been settled, she is expected to go for a skull operation in about a month.
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Photo Gallery
Thai student fighting for life after accident on Balestier Road
There are only two weeks left to Deepavali on Oct 29.
Most Indians across Singapore celebrate the Festival of Lights, marking the triumph of good over evil by lighting oil lamps on that day.
They offer prayers, exchange gifts and share sweets.
A month before Deepavali, Indians start cleaning and decorating their homes to welcome Goddess Lakshmi.
The belief is that Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and Vishnu's wife, visits her devotees and bestows gifts and blessings upon each of them on the day of Deepavali.
As part of the festivities, families also put on new clothes and visit relatives and friends.
To prepare for the day, families start their shopping well in advance.
From decorative items and new furniture to new clothing and jewellery to sweets, there is a lot to buy for family and friends.
It is usually a shopping frenzy as people visit stores and shopping malls to make use of Deepavali promotional sales and offers.
tabla! finds out more about some of these promotions.
SWEET DELIGHTS
Photo: The Straits Times
Shahi Maharani North Indian Restaurant at Raffles City Shopping Centre has launched a wide range of sweet boxes such as the basic Shahi Gift Box, with an assortment of 16 pieces of mithai.
It has also come up with a new Treasure Chest box featuring two variations - 30 pieces of premium variety of sweets and a sweet and savoury version with 15 pieces of mithai and three packs of the restaurant's homemade savoury snacks.
The boxes, with prices ranging from $40+ to $75+, carry mouth-watering classics made by the restaurant's halwai (Indian sweets) chef such as ebony and ivory (chocolate burfi), mango surprise, stuffed kaju roll (cashew roll stuffed with pistachios), milk cake, besan burfi (gram flour mithai), walnut ladoos and hazelnut and dark chocolate ladoo.
Its new sweet addition this year is the coconut almond ladoo.
The restaurant's savoury selection includes spiced cashews, namak pare (savoury bites made of flour and carom seeds) and a special savoury snack mixture - Shahi Namekeen Mix - made from peanuts, sev, channa dal, moong dal and a special spice mix.
It is also selling mathris (deep fried discs of spiced pastry) packed in glass jars for $20+ per jar.
Apart from sweets and savouries, Shahi Maharani North Indian Restaurant is also preparing a celebration banquet featuring a variety of flavours from all over India.
The Deepavali eve lunch on Oct 28 costs $30++ per person while the Deepavali buffet dinner on Oct 29 costs $68++ per person.
The spread will include a variety of curries from Kashmir, Goa, Hyderabad, Rajasthan, Punjab, Kolkata and Tamil Nadu. Dishes include Chetinnad chicken, Goan prawn curry, macher jhol (Bengali fish curry), lal maas (Rajasthani lamb) and Amritsari wadi aloo (Punjabi gram fritters with potatoes).
The buffet on Oct 29 will also feature live stations showcasing Mumbai and Delhi chaats (Indian street food) such as pani puri and papdi chaat, "tawa" (iron griddle) stations presenting an array of vegetarian and non-vegetarian kebabs which are popular in Delhi and Lucknow like the galouti kebab (lamb cutlets) and tangri kebab (chicken).
To add to the festivities, there will be musicians performing live, singing ghazals and Bollywood tunes on the evening of Deepavali day.
Another restaurant, Kailash Parbat, which has outlets on Belilios Road and Syed Alwi Road, has also come up with a special sweets menu for the festive season.
Patrons can either have the sweets at the restaurant or buy them as takeaway.
They include kesar mawa barfi, mawa peda, carrot halwa, besan ladoo, motichur ladoo, sonpapdi, chocolate kaju katli, kaju roll, pista roll and more.
Bombay Cafe on Tanjong Katong Road has come up with designer gift boxes that hold unique and exotic sweets prepared by their master chefs.
Its deluxe collection is priced at $30 for 16 pieces and its premium collection, which has 25 pieces is priced at $55. They also have a dried fruit box priced at $30+.
DECORATE YOUR HOME AND DO AWAY WITH OLD FURNITURE
Photo: The Straits Times
If you're planning to do away with buffets in restaurants and are hosting relatives and friends in your home for a feast and get-together, you can decorate your home with get all your home decorative items from Jothi Store and Flower Shop - a one-stop store that sells such home decor items for the festive season.
From religious figurines, festive cards and silverware home decor to ready-made rangolis, designer diyas and switch-operated clay lamps, you can get everything you need for the festival at this store on Campbell Lane.
Families replacing their old furniture can visit Ikea and The Furniture Mall for great deals.
If you're an Ikea Family member, get a side table and a shelving unit, among other items at discounted prices.
These offers last till the Deepavali weekend.
It is free to sign up for Ikea Family membership at IKEA.sg/FAMILY and you can view more offers at IKEA.sg/family/offers.
While you're shopping, give Ikea's Deepavali special dish - chicken briyani with sambal egg and acar - a try.
The dish which costs $7 will be on the menu on Oct 29 and 30.
Also, go furniture shopping at The Furniture Mall (TFM) on Toh Guan Road, which is host to over has more than 40 luxury furniture stores with some 70 established brands.
The furniture giant, which is celebrating its 22nd anniversary till Jan 31 next year, is giving away lucky draw cash prizes worth S $68,888.
Customers can qualify for the lucky draw when they make purchases worth $200.
Patrons can stroll through walkways where decor ideas are displayed and they can explore a pop-up store of Gabbeh Carpet showcasing a range of exquisite lamps, carpets and paintings to prop up for any living space in any type of home.
Signature style items ranging from bedding to living and dining are also available and some can be custom-made to preferred hues, sizes and textures of choice.
The mall TFM's bedding brands of mattresses and bedframes are of international repute.
They include Dunlopillo, Englander, Getha, King Koil, MaxCoil and Sealy.
Also, choose from an extensive range of furniture categories - classic styles, contemporary, vintage, eclectic, ethnic or minimalist zen.
The range includes brands such as 2010 Lifestyle, Living Solution, Cellini, Country Furniture, Deco Home, Eco Collection, Lorenzo and more.
The furnishing and interior design showrooms also offer many choices for home embellishments.
They include brands such as La Cafa, Art Living, Best Tech Aircon Gallery, Curtain Villa, Gabbeh Carpet, Tame Promotions, Vincere by Lumiera (ID Specialist).
GET YOUR FAVOURITE INDIAN STAPLES
If you have a packed shopping schedule and have no time to buy groceries from Little India, fret not. Head for your nearest FairPrice store where you can get Indian staples at discounted prices.
These include a variety of products such as QBB Pure Ghee ($7.50), FairPrice Muruku (fine or thick, $1.25 per pack), FairPirce Pakistan Basmati Rice Briyani ($7.90), FairPrice Ponni Rice ($6.95) and FairPrice Chappati 30s ($4.95).
With all that you need to buy, you can easily spend $30 and above at any FairPrice store from Oct 6 to Nov 2 and stand to win $10,000 as the supermarket giant gives away $500 FairPrice gift vouchers to 20 winners.
Customers can also double their lucky draw chances when they charge $30 or more to their OCBC Plus! Visa cards.
Also, get free festive packets with every $30 spent in one receipt. The packets are limited to two per customer, while stocks last.
If you're busy with other festive preparations and have no time to go down to the nearest grocery store, have them delivered to your home with RedMart.
Get Indian staples such as MDH Dal Makhani, MTR Gulab Jamun, Everest Chhole Masala and more from www.redmart.com.
The RedMart app is also available for download on the App Store and Google Play.
If you're new to RedMart, enjoy $10 off with free home delivery.
The offer till Oct 31 is applicable on your first purchase with a minimum spend of $30.
If you're sporty and not looking to get typical Deepavali gifts for yourself or your friends, head for Queensway Shopping Centre.
With as many as 150 shops providing goods from sports shoes and apparel to spectacles and T-shirt printing services, you will be spoilt for choice.
GET YOUR FESTIVE BLING
Photo: AFP
This year, Joyalukkas - whose showroom is located opposite the Perumal Temple in Little India - has launched a Dazzling Diwali campaign that they believe their customers are sure to love.
In addition, they are offering their customers special Deepavali promotions such as a free silver Laxmi idol on purchase of gold and precious stone jewellery from Oct 28 to 30.
Customers will also receive a free 2g 22K gold coin on purchase of diamond, polki and pearl jewellery worth $2,000 during the period.
All this is aside from other offers, and guaranteed gold rate protection with just a 10 per cent down payment.
Said chairman and managing director of Joyalukkas Group Joy Alukkas: "Deepavali is a celebration of positivity and goodness.
It is a time to share happiness, and of course gifts, with families and friends.
"And because our customers are at the heart of everything we do at Joyalukkas, every year we try to offer them something extra special for this most special occasion.
We wish our most loyal and supportive patrons a very happy Deepavali. We hope that these amazing gifts and offers make your festivities even brighter."
GRT Jewellers, on Serangoon Road, is offering their customers 25g of silver free with every carat of diamond bought.
They have also come up with a silver for gold scheme, where if a customer buys gold, they get the equal weight in silver for free.
To commemorate the Festival of Lights, Art Karat is having a jewellery show - Navratna The Gemstone Collection - till Oct 16 at the Hilton Singapore from 11am to 8pm.
Most Art Karat jewellery is silver plated with 22k gold studded or strung with precious authentic gemstones, cultured and semi-precious natural stones.
Malabar Gold & Diamonds, which has several showrooms in Singapore, has unveiled its latest collection of jewellery specially designed for Deepavali in gold, diamonds and precious gems to suit the tastes of their multicultural and multinational customers.
It has incorporated these designs as part of various brands presented at Malabar Gold & Diamonds, namely Ethnix - Handcrafted Designer Jewellery, Era - Uncut Diamond Jewellery, Mine - Diamonds Unlimited, Divine - Indian Heritage Jewellery and Precia - Precious Gem Jewellery.
Customers get a chance to win up to 500 gold coins by trying their luck with scratch and win coupons when they buy gold jewellery worth $1,000.
In addition, they also get a 2g gold coin on diamond jewellery purchases of $3,000 and a 1g gold coin on purchase of diamond jewellery worth $1,000.
Other offers include no waiver of making charges for 8g gold coins and gold rate protection on payment of 10 per cent of the total amount on the selected gold jewellery.
With such good offers, what are you waiting for? Head for these stores to get your festive bling.
SINGAPORE - The Park & Ride Scheme will be discontinued from Dec 1, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on Friday (Oct 14).
The scheme was first introduced in 1975 to reduce congestion in the Central Business District (CBD) by encouraging motorists to switch to public transport before entering the CBD.
Under the current scheme, regular users purchase a Park & Ride set which includes an EZ-Link card to be used for public transport rides in the month of purchase and a season parking ticket at discounted rates to park at selected carparks for that month.
Over the past few years, monthly take-up rates for the Park & Ride scheme have been consistently low.
There are fewer than 2,000 regular users out of more than 2 million public transport commuters daily, LTA said.
Of these users, only about half of them take public transport after parking their cars and in some carparks, this figure is lower than one in five.
"This suggests the possibility of some motorists using the Park & Ride scheme as a cheaper form of parking, which defeats the purpose of the scheme," said LTA.
The scheme has also become less relevant with the expansion of the public transport network.
The last day for the sale of Park & Ride sets for November at the Transitlink Ticket Offices will be on Nov 7.
Online sale of the sets will cease on Nov 4.
Holders of the Park & Ride EZ-Link cards who do not intend to participate in the Park & Ride scheme from now till November can obtain a refund of the remaining card deposit at the Transitlink Ticket Offices starting from Friday.
For more information on the Park & Ride Scheme, refer to TransitLink's website at http://www.transitlink.com.sg or contact TransitLink's Hotline on 1800-CALL ONE (1800-2255 663).
This article was first published on Oct 14, 2016.
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SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong paid his respects to late King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the Thai Embassy on Friday (Oct 14) .
Mr Lee, who arrived close to 5pm, bowed to King Bhumibol's portrait and penned a message in the condolence book."The world has lost a revered monarch and great leader. Our thoughts are with the people of Thailand in their grief," he said.
Many Thais, dressed in black, were at the embassy along Orchard Road to pay their respects. The Thai flag at the building was flown at half mast.
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Thais in Singapore and Thailand mourn passing of King Bhumibol
According to a statement from the Royal Thai Embassy, the book of condolences will be opened for signing at the embassy at 370 Orchard Road from Monday (Oct 17) to Friday (Oct 21) from 10am to 12.30pm and 2pm to 4.30pm.
Visitors can access the embassy through the Claymore Road entrance.
King Bhumibol, the longest reigning monarch in the world, died on Thursday in a Bangkok hospital at the age of 88.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o- cha has declared a year of mourning, and said the people should refrain from entertainment for 30 days in Thailand.
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Large crowds gather as convoy transports Thai king's body to Grand Palace
