SINGAPORE: A car was seen ablaze at Block 491H Tampines Street 45 on Saturday (Nov 25) evening.

Videos sent to Channel NewsAsia by readers showed a parked black Mercedes engulfed in flames for a few minutes before officers from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) arrived at the scene at about 6pm.

Thick grey fumes were seen at the scene as several firefighters put out the fire. 

“We heard a loud explosion,” said CNA reader Desmond Chew.

Mr Gary Haris, who was at the scene, also told Channel NewsAsia that he, along with residents in the area rushed to the car after hearing the loud explosion.

“The Mercedes Benz vehicle exploded another three more times and the fumes were higher than the block,” he said.

According to SCDF, the entire vehicle had caught on fire and the blaze was extinguished using two water jets.

There are no reported injuries and the cause of the fire is still under investigation, SCDF said.

In a Facebook post, the police said that the car had caught fire along a service road near the block of flats. 

The road was cordoned off and vehicles could not enter or leave, Mr Haris said.

According to Mr Haris, the car was towed away at around 7.45pm.

WASHINGTON: The essential question of leadership in Asia comes into focus as we reflect on China’s ambitious aspirations enunciated at the 19th Communist Party Congress and on the heels of President Donald Trump’s long trek through Asia this month. 

The question was put succinctly by Singapore Prime Minister Lee during his visit to the United States, when he asked an American business audience: “Do you still believe that you have the most to gain from an interdependent world, open exchanges, and multilateral roles?”

The Chinese have an answer to the Prime Minister’s question. Beijing is nothing if not determined to shape the world order. 

The component pieces of a “new normal” in the world from China’s point of view do not mesh with the long-standing liberal order that is the foundation for the global, rules-based economy. 

A NEW CHINESE MODEL

China’s mechanisms for increasing its influence and working towards its vision of the new normal, such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Belt and Road initiative, could contribute productively to the global economy and the quality of life in countries along China’s borders. 

But there is no guarantee and it may not be the most likely outcome if China chooses a less than fully transparent approach. 

US and other foreign engagement with China and participation in China’s outreach in the region can, for example, help shape infrastructure investments to do more to expand local economies and make them more efficient, rather than subordinate them to China’s.

President Xi has rejected explicitly the western model of political and social development in favour of his devotion to China’s idiosyncratic path that takes much from western capitalism but leavens it with Xi’s version of the Chinese dream. 

“Socialism with Chinese characteristics” is no euphemism in today’s China.  Marx and Lenin are an integral part of President Xi’s world view, one that is decidedly illiberal in its contest of a democratic, capitalist model for social and economic organisation. 

China’s actions forecast a world in which its prerogatives are respected based on its disproportionate power relative to its neighbours. 

Rather than cede some authority to the institutions of the liberal order for the greater good of the global community of nations, China is taking an illiberal approach based on a self-assessment of sufficient power and influence to achieve its ends through the exercise of political will. Chinese policies in the South China Sea, on intellectual property, or on management of the global internet are cases in point. 

To be fair, that is Beijing’s view of US practice, which incorrectly assumes the US is not committed to the rule of law as a foundation for the liberal world order. 

And in my view this growing disconnect between US and Chinese governments informed Prime Minister Lee’s question to his American audience earlier this fall. 

Implicit in his question, which arose because of doubts sowed by the Trump Administration, was the answer most of America’s friends and allies in the region hope to hear: Yes, America is essential to a global order characterised by peace, security, transparency, accountability and the rule of law.

DOUBTS ABOUT US COMMITMENT

Again, it is not China alone that has raised doubts, but the Trump Administration as well. If China has of late been more assertive in the projection of its model as one that others should ideally emulate or at the minimum respect, the US, President Trump’s recent travel to the region notwithstanding, is perceived to be distancing itself from its commitments in Asia and beyond. 

And therefore underlying the Prime Minister’s question is an even larger one: What would the world look like if the United States were to withdraw from or ignore the international institutions and mechanisms that comprise the liberal world order?

The United States and Asian nations share vital national interests in an orderly expansion of trade and investment that can only come about against the backdrop of a stable and peaceful region. 

US engagement in East Asia has been the number one factor in the preservation of the stability and peace enjoyed in the period of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. 

US-China relations have been a critical part of that engagement. The relationship has so far weathered a shift in emphasis towards greater competition and less cooperation. We should not take that success for granted.  

And it usually goes unstated, but needs to be said now: US-China competition without an overarching economic, trade, and investment component is primarily characterised by contending security interests that also reflect competing views of the present liberal world order, the rule of law, and the role of civil society. 

The Trump Administration has turned away from some of the tools to advance this effort, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership. It is an urgent priority for US leaders to identify and implement new means of advancing our economic and trade cooperation in East Asia to replace those it has put aside. 

As the APEC and East Asia Summit made abundantly clear, President Trump’s journey through Asia did not reassure its friends and allies in the region that the US has a comprehensive, realistic plan for US leadership in Asia and the political will to carry out such a plan. 

Both China and the US face domestic challenges and contradictions that will be difficult to resolve in the years ahead; neither country can easily afford the added burden of bilateral divergence trending toward destabilisation. 

US friends and allies in the region have sent a clear signal to President Trump: Stay engaged in the region, not only in security terms but also through economic and people-to-people ties. 

The months ahead will tell if the Trump Administration has heard that message and responds adequately. 

It is not an exaggeration to suggest that Asian as well as American peace, stability, and prosperity depend heavily on the response.  

James R Keith is managing director of McLarty Associates. During his 31-year career as a US diplomat previously, he had served in positions including Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for China and US Ambassador to Malaysia.

SINGAPORE: Despite the mixed bag of results that Japanese retailers have had in the competitive Singapore market, mall operator Lumine has high hopes and is betting on its smaller multi-concept store to make a difference.

This is according to chief executive Yuji Morimoto, who was speaking to Channel NewsAsia on Saturday (Nov 25) as Lumine unveiled its first international store at Clarke Quay Central in Singapore.

Established in 1966 as a subsidiary of the East Japan Railway Company, Lumine is seen as a premium department store with 16 outlets around Japan, including its key outlets at Tokyo’s Shinjuku station.

As the household brand eyes growth beyond its home market, the retailer set its sights on Singapore and Indonesia. It eventually decided to bet on Singapore as its first overseas stop following six months of research in 2015.

Apart from being “a hub of Southeast Asia”, the Singapore market stands out for its growing demand for less cookie-cutter fashion and higher purchasing power, said Mr Morimoto. There is also a gap in the local market for mid-priced Japanese fashion, he added.

However, Lumine’s entry comes at a time when the traditional retail market in Singapore continues to face a myriad of challenges, including intense competition from e-commerce, a persistent manpower crunch and cautious spending from domestic shoppers.

While Japanese brands such as Uniqlo and Muji have gone on an expansion spree in recent years, there have been less successful cases. Department store operator Parco shuttered its outlet in Millenia Walk in 2014, while Seiyu’s outlets were bought over by China’s Beijing Hualian Group (BHG) in 2005.

Japanese fashion label Lowrys Farm and lifestyle store Francfranc also had relatively short-lived ventures here. The former closed down eight outlets in 2015 after three years, while Francfranc pulled out of Singapore in 2014 after two years.

Lumine’s representatives noted the difficult operating environment in Singapore and after more than two years of preparation, came up with a unique strategy to try to win over shoppers.

Unlike its iconic mega malls that are directly connected to major stations within Tokyo, Lumine’s first stop in Singapore is a comparatively smaller 10,000 sq ft multi-concept store.

For now, it carries 20 Japanese clothing and accessory brands, such as popular label Tomorrowland and Fray I.D, with most of them making their appearance in Singapore for the first time.

“In Japan, Lumine is known as a shopping mall but here, we want to do something new,” Mr Morimoto said through a translator.

“If we had come in as a mall, there would be many restrictions in changing our brands and updating the items we have. But as a concept store, we will be able to adapt to the demands of Singaporean women speedily with the latest trends,” he said, adding that the selection of brands will be updated periodically based on demand.

Lumine has also carved out a section for experimental Japanese brands, such as Emoda and Murua, and for the first time, set up its own cafe serving fruit parfaits.

Lumine Singapore’s managing director Naokazu Kozakai and business development manager Nao Miyawaki described the inclusion of a cafe as a “very important element” for the new venture given how fashion retailers have struggled in the local market and the importance of food and beverage (F&B) businesses in food-haven Singapore.

MULTI-CONCEPT STORE A ‘SAFER BET’: INDUSTRY OBSERVERS

Lumine’s strategy to start off with a multi-concept store is a “safer bet” given how department stores seem to be losing their shine among younger shoppers, noted Euromonitor International’s research analyst Chayadi Karim.

It can also avoid competition with more established rivals, such as Takashimaya and Isetan.

“By operating as a concept store, instead of a department store, it helps set an impression of Lumine, particularly among Singaporeans unaware of the brand, that it is an upmarket fashion retailer instead of just another department store,” Ms Karim said.

Having a “scaled-down” multi-label store could also be a more “economical” option as Lumine attempts to fill the gap in the local market for mid-priced Japanese labels, said Mr Samuel Tan, course manager of Temasek Polytechnic’s diploma in retail management.

Meanwhile, the choice of location at Clarke Quay “could be a result of affordable rental terms”, noted Mr Tan.

Though located away from the main shopping belt along Orchard Road, it may work out for Lumine in the long run, he said.

“Clarke Quay Central is probably (the) next best location that is within the city but not on the downtown Orchard Road stretch. The location, which is the hub of the civic and cultural district, may also attract the tourist market.”

Echoing similar sentiments, Ms Karim noted that the Japanese retailer will “stand out more easily” given that Clarke Quay Central lacks a prominent anchor tenant and has F&B establishments as a large proportion of its tenants.

Moving forward, while Lumine still has ambitions for expansion in other parts of Asia, it is focusing on Singapore for now, said Mr Morimoto who flew in from Japan to witness the store opening.

“We have been very successful in Japan but we want to challenge ourselves,” he said.

“There were Japanese brands that have tried and failed in Singapore. It’s a competitive market but with many of the brands either in the high-end or fast-fashion, women in Singapore are looking for something in between,” Mr Morimoto told Channel NewsAsia. “We think we can cater to what they want.”

SINGAPORE: Sembawang Hot Spring, the only hot spring on mainland Singapore, will be developed into a community park 10 times its current size. 

The National Parks Board (NParks) said it would keep the rustic, kampung-like feel of the hot spring while turning the 0.1 hectare space, now tucked about 100m off Gambas Avenue, into a 1.1 hectare park.

NParks unveiled these plans at a public exhibition on Saturday (Nov 25). Among planned additions are a cascading pool cum foot bath, sheltered seating areas as well as a café and a floral walk.

Edible plants such as ginger, rambutan and chiku will be planted along the floral walkway to evoke memories of a bygone era in Singapore and also to preserve the hot spring’s untouched feel. 

“Many of the residents from Sembawang and Yishun used to live in kampungs around here. They know how it was like back then and they also reminisce about the past,” said Minister for Education (Higher Education and Skills) Ong Ye Kung, who visited the exhibition on Saturday.  

“They know that Singapore, between highly developed buildings and city centres versus a kampong atmosphere, can co-exist. And I think this is a fine place to demonstrate that.” 

Work on the park will begin in early 2018 and are expected to be completed by 2019.

Among the first to scribble a light-hearted suggestion was Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport Khaw Boon Wan.

“Let the chickens in!” he wrote on a post-it note, before sticking it onto a board set up to collect public feedback.

Besides Mr Ong, Mr Khaw was accompanied by Members of Parliament from Nee Soon and Sembawang GRCs, including Mr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Dr Lee Bee Wah, Mr Amrin Amin and Mr Vikram Nair.  

They planted the first trees along the walkway, toured the exhibition and chatted to regular users of the hot spring. They even sampled soft-boiled eggs cooked by the spring’s steaming water and soaked their feet in pails of warm spring water, much to the delight of residents.

“We are a concrete jungle, with lots of tall buildings, highly developed places and intensified plot ratios,” said Mr Ong. 

“So to find a jewel like this in Singapore is really rare, and we’re quite determined to keep this rustic vibe with the kampung spirit going.”

ONCE A THERMAL BATHHOUSE FOR JAPANESE SOLDIERS

The Sembawang Hot Spring was discovered in 1908 on the grounds owned by a Chinese merchant, Seah Eng Keong. Since then, the land has changed hands a few times.

It was once a thermal bathhouse for Japanese soldiers, after their occupation of Singapore during World War II. Later in the 1960s, local media reported suggestions were made to develop the area into a tourist spa resort, restaurant, miniature golf course or nature reserve – but none came to fruition.

These ideas were put forth to local food and beverage conglomerate Fraser and Neave (F&N), who had acquired the land in 1921 after buying over an on-site spring water bottling plant established by the grounds’ original owner, Seah Eng Keong.

According to a signboard at the entrance of the spring, it was not the Chinese merchant who first discovered the spring in 1908, but a British soldier named William Arthur Bates Goodall.

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) acquired the land in 1985, and in 2002 built much of the present infrastructure, including the entrance gate, perimeter fence, cemented walkway, concrete floor and standpipes.

MINDEF will return the land to the state, which will hand the plot to NParks ahead of works slated to begin next year.

The public exhibition at the hot springs will be held until Dec 3, and members of the public are invited to pen their thoughts on development plans. 

The public can also view these plans and share their ideas until Dec 10 at www.nparks.gov.sg/sembawanghotspring.