Kulai Fire Department Chief Mohd Khairi Zainudin was on board the helicopter that found missing hikers Dominick Tan and Clarice Lum. He tells Channel NewsAsia how the two Singaporeans were located and brought safely to their families.
Singaporeans Dominick Tan and Clarice Lum when they were spotted by a helicopter over Gunung Pulai; and with some of their rescuers from Johor’s Fire and Rescue Department. (Composite: Polis Johor and JBPM Negeri Johor)
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KULAI, Johor: After three days of continuous search and rescue operations in various parts of Gunung Pulai forest reserve, Mohd Khairi Zainudin was growing desperate.
The Kulai Fire Department Chief, who was also the operations’ commander, told Channel NewsAsia that he was tired and frustrated as search efforts for Singaporean hikers Dominick Tan and Clarice Lum Jie were not bearing fruit over Tuesday and Wednesday.
But at around 11.25am on Thursday (Feb 8) morning, Mohd Khairi, who was one of the officers on board the helicopter deployed for search operations, said he felt reinvigorated after spotting the pair at a lake at Ulu Choh Pontian.
“Near the water body, we could just make out the figure of a man treading in the water. He had rolled up his shirt and was waving at us frantically,” said Mohd Khairi.
“I lost all sense of tiredness and asked that the helicopter be moved closer to the figure. We needed to make sure it was really them first,” he added.
When the helicopter was lowered, Mohd Khairi and three other officers on board established that the man in the water was indeed Mr Tan and that another hiker on the river bank was Ms Lum.
“We all just heaved a sigh of relief before making an air-to-ground radio call to inform the rest of the search party,” Mohd Khairi added.
The helicopter was unable to land in the swampy area, so he dispatched a rescue boat to the hikers’ location.
“We had to leave the hikers behind for a while, because we needed to guide the boat to the area we found them. We noted the exact location they were at and beckoned the rescue boat to follow the helicopter,” he said.
According to Mohd Khairi, the boatmen found them easily and helped the pair on board.
“When they were in the boat, our officers tried to assess their injuries and gave them something to eat and drink. More importantly, we needed to raise their spirits. We motivated them and informed them that their family members were waiting for them,” he said.
Singaporeans Clarice Lum and Dominick Tan Chang Xiang were found on Thursday (Feb 8). (Photo: Facebook/Polis Johor)
“I am delighted to be praised by PM Lee. It feels great to be appreciated for the work I’ve done,” said Mohd Khairi.
Kulai Fire Department Chief Mohd Khairi Zainudin. (Photo: Bomba Kulai)
While expressing gratitude at the special mention, police chief Mohd Khalil told Channel NewsAsia that his men also deserved credit for the part they played in the effort.
“The honours go to my men who worked tirelessly to locate the hikers and save them. I am proud of what they did,” he said.
Mohd Khalil added that the Malaysian government will bear the costs of the rescue operations fully, including the deployment of the helicopter.
SINGAPORE: On the final day of 2017, Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong fired a salvo to his own People’s Action Party (PAP) government by declaring on his Facebook page that he would like to see the “urgent issue” of the fourth generation (4G) leadership settled before the year 2018 comes to a close.
In attempting to give due respect to ESM Goh’s prodding, a group of 16 younger political office holders banded together to issue a joint statement on Jan 4 declaring: “We are conscious of our responsibility, are working closely together as a team, and will settle on a leader from amongst us in good time.”
This statement makes complete sense because in a Westminster political system, the Prime Minister is the leader chosen by the party that has been democratically elected by the people. He or she is, as is often described, first amongst equals.
At the same time, the statement is also superfluous in that it is stating the obvious.
As speculations intensified on who the next PM would be, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced that his mid-electoral term Cabinet reshuffle, due sometime after the Budget in February 2018, would not unveil any new Deputy Prime Minister.
This means that there would be no 4G leadership verdict – at least not just yet.
THE NEXT PM NEEDS TO BE COMPETENT ACROSS VARIOUS POLICY DOMAINS
PM Lee’s attempt to quell the hype surrounding the 4G leadership transition is unlikely to be heeded as Singaporeans will try to read the tea leaves with the upcoming Cabinet reshuffle.
Indeed, one of the markers of PAP rule is economic pragmatism. This extends as well to leadership transition as investors and businesses welcome both political stability and predictability in Singapore.
On this note, it is worth remembering that the discourse surrounding Singapore’s forthcoming changing of the guard had started at least two electoral cycles ago.
At the Institute of Policy Studies’ (IPS) Singapore Perspectives conference in 2010, PM Lee was unequivocal when he declared that “leadership renewal will be a major issue” at the 2011 General Election:
I am confident that by the next general election, the PAP will field a team which will contain the core of the next generation leadership who can, in time, take over from me and my present colleagues and assure the country’s future for the next 10 to 20 years.
The Government’s slump in popular vote-share to a historic low of 60.1 per cent at the 2011 watershed election caused it to focus on arresting its decline in 2015 instead of succession planning.
Only two of the three apparent contenders – Heng Swee Keat and Chan Chun Sing – were elected into Parliament that year, with the third, Ong Ye Kung, tasked to play the waiting game. Both Chan and Heng were appointed to the Cabinet, giving Singaporeans reasons to believe that they were frontrunners in the succession race.
Heng has served as Education Minister and is currently holding the finance portfolio, which appears to be his strength as he had been the head of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and Permanent Secretary for Trade and Industry prior to entering politics. He had also held appointments in the Singapore Police Force.
Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat visits the Home Team Tactical Centre to observe joint counterterrorism capabilities by the Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force. (Photo: Tang See Kit)
If there is any identifiable gap in his resume, it would be in the social and cultural realm.
Chan, on the other hand, has played multiple roles since transitioning from the military into politics. He has held ministerial portfolios in communication, information and arts, defence, community development, youth and sports and in social and family development. For the current term, he has been the Secretary-General of NTUC and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Unlike Heng, Chan’s gap is in the economic realm.
Ong’s belated entry into parliament following the 2015 General Election means that he is to date a half-term MP. While he has been catapulted quickly into the leadership space, with joint responsibilities for both education and defence, he remains by all definitions a political novice.
While there is no doubt that all three contenders have stellar CVs, the gaps are also apparent.
Granted that a Prime Minister does not have to be an expert in everything, it is nevertheless critical for the frontrunner to have the “wares” to inspire both domestic and global confidence.
One of the less articulated traits is the ability to communicate competently. This is no less pragmatic than the ability to chart economic plans or revise social policies to improve the lives of Singaporeans.
Second Minister for Defence Ong Ye Kung at the ShangriLa Dialogue Sherpa Meeting on Jan 29, 2018.
CAN HE COMMUNICATE?
Political leadership and communicative abilities are very much intertwined.
We expect our top political leaders to connect with us in communicative terms through speeches that are either broadcast on television or on YouTube and other social media platforms. At the very least, we want to receive the gist of their messages in and through the media.
In the field of linguistics, the term “pragmatics” – a plural form of pragmatic – refers to the social language skills we use in our daily interactions, conversations and speeches. It looks beyond mere speech style, oratorical skill, body language or format to determine if one is a good communicator.
Communicative competence occurs when the meanings in an act of communication are properly understood by both the transmitter and receiver.
The importance of communicative competence in any democratic society, especially one that subscribes to the ideology of pragmatism, cannot be overemphasised because citizens need first to trust their leader before rendering support.
This is true even in pragmatic Singapore where bread-and-butter issues dominate more so than a leader’s oratorical skills.
At the same time, Singaporeans are quite prepared to suspend pragmatism, every now and then, to hear a speech or two from their leaders – and certainly, from their would-be leaders – that inspires and excites them about their individual and collective future.
When articulated well, such a speech could evoke emotional responses from citizens and engender confidence and trust in the government.
In Singapore, perhaps the best example of such a speech was the televised moment of anguish when founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew announced Singapore’s separation from Malaysia back in August 1965.
Elsewhere, the “Yes We Can” rallying cry that was repeated by former US President Barack Obama across the United States in 2008 that led to his historic elevation as the first Black-American president is another compelling example.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong speaks at the National Day Rally 2017. (Photo: Howard Law)
The desire to hear political pitches is also evident in the wide interest that Singaporeans have in the Prime Minister’s National Day Rally Speech delivered every year in August.
Perhaps this is where it comes full circle as the PM would often flag new initiatives or policy shifts that would impact on bread-and-butter issues that Singaporeans face.
Going forward, it should not surprise us that Singaporeans will want to size-up their would-be Prime Minister.
Apart from looking at his track record and experience, one would want to hear him speak and “pitch” for the top job.
He would need to exude communicative competence, if nothing else, to give Singaporeans some confidence in the nation’s future – even if the appointment is ultimately made by that group of 16 or by the reshuffled Cabinet.
MORE MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE THREE MINISTERS
As if to elicit hints, the local media has been prompt in giving media coverage to the three contenders as they went about giving speeches as part of their ministerial duties in January 2018.
The first cab off the rank was Chan Chun Sing’s lecture to the Oxford and Cambridge society of Singapore on Jan 11 where he dwelt on how a leader must earn the trust of the people.
In a speech reminiscent of incumbent PM Lee’s speech to the Harvard Club in January 2004 before he took over the leader’s mantle, Chan emphasised the importance of finding new ways to communicate with people in order to build trust.
File photo of Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Chan Chun Sing. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
Then came Ong Ye Kung’s speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue Sherpa meeting on Jan 29, in his capacity as the Second Minister for Defence, where he defined psychological defence as trust among people and faith in government, with resilience against forces aimed at sowing discord.
Last but not least, on the final day of January 2018, Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat spoke to the EDB Society on importance of the Industry Transformation Maps to Singapore’s economic future. Heng had also participated in an IPS panel discussion on Jan 22 to discuss the upcoming Budget.
At this point, we do not yet have sufficient proof. It is certain however that every speech of the trio will be analysed for clues, as well as to gauge their communicative competencies.
We can expect the public will look forward to hearing them more and sizing them up in 2018.
Terence Lee is Associate Professor of Communication and Media at Murdoch University, Australia. He is co-editor with Professor Kevin Y L Tan of Voting in Change: Politics of Singapore’s 2011 General Election and Change in Voting: Singapore’s 2015 General Election, both published by Ethos Books.
SINGAPORE: Singapore and Malaysian police have busted a cross-border love scam syndicate that is believed to have cheated its victims of more than S$240,000.
In a news release on Thursday (Feb 8), the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said that the joint investigation between them and the Royal Malaysian Police (RMP) started in December last year.
This led to the arrest of two women and a man for their suspected involvement in several cases of Internet love scams in both Singapore and Malaysia.
The syndicate had allegedly relied on individuals in Singapore for the receipt and transfer of their criminal proceeds.
Singapore’s Commercial Affairs Department further investigated six women and two men in January for allegedly using their bank accounts to receive funds from victims of online love scams linked to the syndicate.
During these investigations, CAD froze at least 21 bank accounts and recovered over S$50,000.
Photograph of some of the exhibits seized during the bust of the Internet love scam syndicate. (Photo: SPF)
“The foreign criminal syndicates involved in the Internet love scam are targeting victims on both sides of the Causeway. The SPF will continue to collaborate closely with our counterparts from the RMP to eradicate these syndicates who attempt to use territorial boundaries and the anonymity of the Internet to fleece Malaysian and Singaporean victims,” said CAD director David Chew.
Mr Chew added that the SPF will continue to have enforcement efforts abroad and in Singapore.
“In addition to our enforcement efforts abroad, the SPF will make every effort to detect and interdict their network of local money launderers who abuse our financial system to help the syndicates retain and repatriate their ill-gotten gains,” he added.
Police said that there have been a 30 per cent increase in Internet love scams, from 635 cases in 2016 to 825 in 2017. The total amount cheated also jumped by 54 per cent, from about S$24 million in 2016 to about S$37 million in 2017.
If convicted, offenders face up to 10 years’ jail, a fine of up to S$500,000, or both.
The Police also urge members of the public to be careful when befriending strangers online to avoid falling prey to online love scams.
SINGAPORE: A new airfreight facility that will be built as part of the Changi East project will increase Singapore’s air cargo handling capacity from 3 million tonnes to 5.4 million tonnes per year.
Named Changi East Industrial Zone (CEIZ), the new facility will consist of air freighter terminals, air cargo express facilities and hangars for maintenance, repair and operation (MRO) services.
The new facility will be employing data and technology to improve work flow processes.
Location of the new air cargo facility. (Photo: CAG)
The Economic Development Board (EDB) said this is timely as the airport recorded its highest air cargo volume last year at 2.12 million tonnes.
This is the first time the figure has crossed the 2-million mark, and figures are set to rise with improvements in global and domestic trade.
“This strong growth that we are experiencing right now in the air cargo sector, puts us in a very good position to grow and transform the sector. And in terms of what we have seen in the deployment of technology, digitalisation and automation in companies like SATS on the ground, jobs will continue to be transformed,” said Carol Chong, director of logistics in EDB.
Ms Chong added this transformation has to be supported by upskilling efforts.
“It is a sector that has very strong dependency on labour. So automation and digitalisation will actually pave the way for more manual and labour-intensive jobs to be augmented. And create more meaningful and purposeful job roles, functions and activities for the workers of the future,” she said.
“We are also trying to get new capabilities for Changi’s cargo handling by introducing robotics and more autonomous vehicles, and other technologies that will potentially lead to more efficient ways of handling cargo, and maybe result in paper saving and more efficiency for our cargo airline and cargo partners,” said Changi Airport Group’s managing director of air hub development, Lim Ching Kiat.
AIR CARGO FACILITY TO BOLSTER GROWTH IN THE REGION
Changi’s key air cargo pillars are in the fast-growing sectors of pharmaceuticals, perishables and e-commerce.
According to a report by Temasek, biomedical manufacturing currently makes up 18 per cent of Singapore’s total manufacturing sector. Sales are expected to value at S$532 billion by 2021.
Demand for perishables is also on the rise as Asia’s population is projected to grow to 5 billion by 2050. Asia is currently the largest food market.
Meanwhile, the e-commerce in Southeast Asia is expected to grow 16 times to S$117 billion by 2025.
With these, Changi Airport Group said that the existing Changi Airfreight Centre will eventually require more capacity, hence the need for another air cargo facility.
Phase one of CEIZ’s construction is expected to be completed by 2030. It will eventually merge operations with Changi Airfreight Centre via connecting taxiways.
The CEIZ will be also be built next to the upcoming Terminal 5, to support smoother transactions with the airlines.
WASHINGTON – Iconic US motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson is recalling nearly 175,000 bikes in the United States due to fears the brakes could fail, a government regulator announced Wednesday.
If brake fluid on the motorcycles is not replaced for a “prolonged period” beyond the recommended two-year schedule, deposits may form on internal components “reducing braking ability and increasing the risk of a crash,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a statement.
NHTSA began investigating the problem in July 2016 after receiving complaints about sudden brake loss, and said the recall covers 31 models from the 2008 to 2011 model years.
The agency told the company last month that a safety recall was necessary, and rejected Harley’s proposal to instead launch a campaign to educate riders about the safety matter and the importance of regularly changing brake fluids.
The company will notify owners that dealers will offer a free brake fluid flush beginning February 12.
BENTONG, Pahang: No foreign chemicals were found in a packet of MyCafe durian white coffee consumed by the two Nepalese security guards who fell ill after drinking it, said Malaysia’s Health Minister on Thursday (Feb 8).
The packet of instant coffee was found in a trash bin and given to the two men, said Dr S Subramaniam.
“We leave it to the police to conduct a full investigation into this matter, it is now beyond the ministry’s jurisdiction. However monitoring will continue to be done from time to time,” the health minister added.
Late last month, five people were admitted to a Penang hospital after consuming the durian white coffee. Two more were warded on Feb 4, complaining of dizziness and vomiting after drinking the coffee.
Malaysian police had said they found a substance believed to be drugs inside sachets of the instant drink, and the health minister ordered random samples to be taken.
However, he said there was no need to follow Singapore in removing the product off the shelves as the packets seemed to have been tampered with after leaving the factory.
“None of the people who’ve taken this coffee actually bought it in the shop,” Dr Subramaniam said on Monday.
“It’s either given by individuals, picked up in garbage cans so there’s something very fishy about this entire thing. So that’s why we’ve asked the police to investigate this thing thoroughly, whether there’s an element of criminality in this whole thing.”
Manufacturer MyCafe had also said the packaging taken from one of the victims was tampered with as it appeared different from the original and was heavier than usual.
Packaging taken from one of the victims (left) and packet which Mycafe says is the original. (Photo: Facebook/Mycafe Penang Durian White Coffee)
PONTIAN, Johor: The Singaporean pair who went missing for more than three days while hiking in Gunung Pulai forest reserve managed to survive by eating food they brought along for the hike and drinking river water, the doctor who treated them said on Thursday (Feb 8) afternoon.
The treating physician, who wanted to be known as Dr Ahmad, attended to Mr Dominick Tan and Ms Clarice Lum Jie when they arrived at Pontian Hospital shortly after they had been rescued earlier in the day.
Dr Ahmad said the pair told him they ate potato chips and nutrition bars while waiting for help.
He also examined the pair for dehydration, broken bones and malnutrition, but found no symptoms. They were discharged between 2.00pm and 2.30pm on Thursday afternoon.
Speaking to the media four hours after the duo were saved, a man who identified himself as Ms Lum’s uncle but declined to give his name said: “They were able to consume water from water bodies in the forest.”
Another family representative, who identified himself as Mr Tan’s father but who also would not give his name, told reporters that the pair had brought only enough food for a half-day hiking trip.
FAMILY MEMBERS EXPRESS GRATITUDE TO OFFICIALS, VOLUNTEERS
The two relatives also expressed appreciation for the help provided by Malaysian authorities and volunteers from both sides of the border.
Ms Lum’s uncle gave special thanks to Johor police chief Mohd Khalil Kader Mohd for approving the use of a helicopter to assist them with the search and rescue effort.
Dominick Tan’s father (left) and Lum Jie’s uncle speaking to the media. (Photo: Amir Yusof)
“Besides the Johor chief of police, we want to thank the Bomba, the Singapore consulate in Johor Baru … everyone chipped in,” he said.
“Groups from both Malaysia and Singapore provided us with hospitality and assistance,” he added.
Mr Tan’s father added: ”Special thanks to the volunteers who came down without any form of personal (obligation).”
He also paid tribute to the media for creating awareness of the fact his relative was lost, prompting many others to volunteer their time to help search for the duo.
However when a reporter asked if the pair were a romantic couple, he retorted: “I think your question … is not suitable. They are friends I can tell you that … but I don’t think we will entertain this type of question.”
On how they went missing in the first place, Ms Lum’s uncle said: ”Why (were they) lost? Nobody knows. If you know the answer to that, please let me know.”
GovTech says the service outage is “not a cybersecurity-related issue”.
Screengrab from the SingPass website, as of Thursday afternoon (Feb 8) at 3.45pm.
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SINGAPORE: Both SingPass and CorpPass services are back online as of 5.15pm, after hours of intermittent access on Thursday (Feb 8), said the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech), which added that it is “not a cybersecurity-related issue”.
Channel NewsAsia understands that both services had been unavailable since 11am.
A GovTech spokesperson said in an email: “Some users of SingPass and CorpPass may have encountered intermittent access since late morning today. We are progressively restoring the system and regret any inconvenience caused to users.”
As of 4pm on Thursday, the SingPass website displayed a message that said it is undergoing a system maintenance and that it is temporarily unavailable due to a “technical glitch”.
SingPass added that it was “working to restore the service within the next two hours”.
The CorpPass website also displayed a similar message, citing a “technical glitch” as the reason for the service’s downtime.
Message displayed on the CorpPass website stating that the service is currently down. (Source: CorpPass website)
Some users affected by the glitch took it to social media to voice their concerns upon realising they could not access the online service.
One Twitter user, Alphonsus Lee, was concerned that the website had been hacked, while another user questioned the effectiveness of such centralised online services.
Two Singaporeans who went missing after trekking at a Gunung Pulai, a closed off mountain in Johor, on Monday evening (Feb 5) have been rescued by a boat.
The couple, Ms Lum Jie and Mr Dominick Tan Chang Xiang, were spotted near a water body by rescuers in a helicopter at around 11.30am on Thursday (Feb 8).
A boat was then deployed, and the two were rescued five minutes later.
Young Singaporean parents or newlyweds giving out Chinese New Year hongbaos for the first time often have no clue about the market CNY hongbaorates and traditions surrounding hongbao giving.
Giving out hongbaos for the first time during Chinese New Year can be a very daunting experience. Just prior to this, you were on the receiving end of the hongbao and having a lot less to worry about (other than what you would be spending the money on).
Many young parents and newlyweds approach this season with trembling hands and wallets, which is why the following information on CNY hongbao rates as well as some other important points to note is going to help you prepare for the upcoming CNY season.
Here’s what you need to know to get yourself prepared for the festivities:
What is the minimum amount to give?
This is the golden question and one that is foremost on everyone’s mind. Let’s begin first by saying that most seniors will tell you it is not good practice to give odd number amounts like $5 or $7 as Chinese traditions do not consider these odd numerals to be auspicious.
Amounts for hongbaos should always be in pairs or even numbers, so you are going to be in good shape this Chinese New Year if you are “bao-ing” amounts like $2 or $8 or $20.
The $4 amount is debatable because although it is an even number, the “4” in Chinese sounds like “death”, inferring bad luck, so some couples stay clear of this just because they don’t want to send out a bad signal (we know it’s tempting as it’s a nice low amount to give kids that you don’t really know very well). This does depend sometimes on your dialect group; it has been said that Teochews do not see “4” as inauspicious.
CNY hongbao rates by hierarchy
Of course, there is no fixed minimum amount for each level of recipient as it should be dependent on your financial situation and how much you feel you can afford. Rich folk are possibly giving out Ang Baos with thousands of dollars but we’ll focus on us regular Singaporeans here.
The following are approximations we gathered from speaking with seasoned couples with some years of hongbao giving under their belts, and in accordance with family hierarchy.
Something to note is that peers do not usually give hongbaos to each other, or rather it is less expected. So, if you meet an old classmate at a CNY gathering who isn’t married yet, it would not be weird if you did not give one to this person.
Is there an age limit to receiving hongbaos?
The tradition mostly points to the fact that once you are married, you do not receive hongbaos anymore and become the giver of them. Assuming you are not married, most people we spoke to believe that receiving hongbaos when you are in your late 30s becomes awkward and many will meet such kind gestures with “Wah, so old already – no need lah uncle / auntie”!
Giving hongbaos to adults who are already earning a living on their own isn’t always necessary. However, you should ultimately go with giving according to your comfort level, and according to your family practices.
Should hongbaos be opened in public or in front of the giver?
Most will attest to having been scolded as young children for opening hongbaos in the living room for the world to see. It is made worse if the giver of the hongbao is in your presence. So, parents who have young children who receive hongbaos – a prior briefing about not opening it publicly is usually advised.
Where to get hongbao packets to use?
The trend seems to be towards giving hongbaos that are from banks, and better yet prominent banks in Singapore. This all sounds very flashy and materialistic, but hey we don’t make the rules, we just point them out. Some even say that it’s not just the bank but also the account level that is meant to send out a signal to gawking relatives. i.e. giving out hongbao packets that make it abundantly clear that you are some high level priority banking customer.
Honestly, don’t bother about these subtle nuances during your first few years of Chinese New Year giving. Call your bank and get them to send you red packets in the mail or drop by your nearest branch where you have an account and ask if you can get some. In most cases, they will be happy to oblige.
Alternatively, more and more companies are creating unique hongbao designs, so you might also get some from your neighbourhood petrol station or supermarket. If all else fails, you can brave the crowds and buy your own Ang Baos from stalls in Chinatown’s Festive Street Bazaar.
Here are some of the best red packet designs this CNY
