SINGAPORE: Piratheeban Kernabalan, 18, was uncontrollable as a child, and most of his teachers thought he was a negative influence on the other students. By his own admission, he “couldn’t be tamed”.

He normally turned up late and never did his homework, for which one teacher would kick him out of class.

His classmates used to bully him, and he usually sat alone during recess because he hardly had friends at primary and secondary school.

“If there was a military school, I’d have sent him there,” said his father G Kernabalan, 53, who himself was a student at the now defunct Singapore Armed Forces Boys’ School.

But even he had his doubts that a military school would have found it easy to discipline his son, who is featured in the Channel NewsAsia series Unusual Suspects, about Singaporeans who have made their mark in unconventional fields.

Piratheeban’s attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) meant that he lacked focus in almost all areas of life – except in one thing.

And for that one passion of his, he worked so hard that he became the best in Asia.

At the age of 17, he won the Asia Beatbox Championships 2016. He cried when it happened. The most challenging times of his life were over.

FINDING AN OUTLET

Beatboxing is the art of creating music using only the mouth, throat and nose. The term “beatbox” literally means “drum machine”. Over the years, it has transformed from the sole replication of drums and sound effects into full-blown musical performances.

Piratheeban got into beatboxing when he was around 11, looking up videos of beatboxers on YouTube. Intrigued by the sounds they were making, he was drawn in immediately.

“I started copying the sounds, and it just became another part of me because it was a really good outlet for my ADHD,” he said.

“It’s that kind of feeling where you know you can do something non-stop because it just inspires you more.”

While beatboxing helped him to express himself, to others, it was just more antics of a hyperactive boy. He would practise everywhere, including in class, which annoyed other students.

They’d just make fun of me. They’d just push me away,

said the teenager, who would then watch YouTube videos by himself during recess. “So that’s why I started to be alone, lah. It was fine,” he continued, shrugging. “That made my beatboxing grow … because I just kept (doing it).”

Even his family was confused about the noises he was making. His mother hated it, thinking he would “spit here, spit there” for no reason.

But that changed when he was 13 and performed publicly, with a microphone, at one of his cousins’ birthday party.

“When you hear (beatboxing) without the mic and with the mic, it’s entirely different… All of us were stunned,” said Mr Kernabalan.

“If you do it on a mic in a proper setting, then you can really know what beatboxing is. Then we realised he had this talent.”

FROM LAST TO REGIONAL CHAMP

Accompanied by his parents, Piratheeban went on to take part in okto channel’s One Minute of Fame in 2013, which the then 14-year-old won before going on to claim the Singapore Beatbox Battle Championships title in 2015 and last year.

His beatboxing journey, however, was not always smooth sailing. He had come last in his very first beatbox battle and “was really angry” at the result, he recalled.

It pushed him to try harder and win a competition because, as he says, “I want to achieve victory in anything I do.”

But that chance did not come as quickly as he would have liked, as there were no more local battles until he was 16. When it did, he eventually came second.

“I was like, ‘Wah, if I could get second place, I should keep on practicing because I could win,’” he said.

The perseverance that then brought him victories on home soil was much needed when he qualified for last year’s Asia Beatbox Championships, as it was his first regional battle.

“I was the underdog. I wasn’t really known yet at that point of time,” he said. “I wasn’t a favourite among the fans.”

But he made it to the final, where he was up against Chuan, the Taiwanese vice-champion on home ground, which meant a battle against the odds for the Singaporean.

To Piratheeban’s surprise, it ended in a tie, so it went into sudden death, that is to say, 30 seconds to perform and win it all. And that 30 seconds made all the difference.

One thing about beatbox battles is that competitors should not repeat their routines from the earlier rounds.

But the Taiwanese made that mistake, whereas Piratheeban winged it with a routine he came up with on the same day while going to buy a burger.

“It was a really weak thing, but because it was… different, I was able to get the win,” he said modestly. “And till today, I loved that experience.”

WATCH: Here him to believe him. (5:07)

NO LONGER ALONE

Beatboxing gave him titles, but it also gave him much more than that. For one thing, it gave him a community of “brothers and sisters”, which meant he was no longer alone.

(My beatboxing friends) have a very positive outlook on life, so they have very good vibes on them.

His father, who used to tag along for his overseas battles whenever he could, agrees that there is a bond among beatboxers.

“I saw a lot of beatboxers, and the interesting thing was they were willing to teach if another beatboxer asked them,” said Mr Kernabalan. “They didn’t feel that somebody was stealing (their) talent.

“That’s the thing I like about beatboxing: The community itself.”

And that community who shared their tips with Piratheeban also picked up his spirits after he broke up with his girlfriend last year.

He was feeling down, he admitted, and over the months, his beatboxing started to suffer, so much so that he “couldn’t do any new routines”. “I had nothing,” he said.

During that time, he entered a competition but was “so demotivated” that he made it only to the top eight. His beatboxer friends then asked him: “Are you sure you want to lose your beatboxing just for a girl?”

And that brought him back to focusing on his passion.

A FATHER’S BELIEF

Beatboxing has also brought him and his father closer together.

Mr Kernabalan, a military expert in the air force, used to be very strict with Piratheeban, but as time went by, he became more lenient because he was happy that his hyperactive son had found his passion. Said Piratheeban: 

If you’re very supportive of what your children do, it makes (them) feel like they’re part of you, and that’s a very good thing, (And so) I have to look up to Pa.

His father has helped in many ways, such as funding his expenses for international tournaments, even though it meant tight budgets for the family of four on those occasions. Mr Kernabalan even took loans to support his son.

“He’s clearly into beatboxing, so if I can support him, I’ll support him,” said Mr Kernabalan.

Piratheeban knows that some of his relatives and family friends cannot understand why his father has been supporting what seems to be a shaky dream.

“A lot of criticism I heard was … (my) father’s just wasting time letting (me) go for all this,” said Piratheeban. “But I’m sure there’ll be a day I repay him.” To which his father jokes, “I’m waiting.”

Their close relationship comes across clearly, and so too does Mr Kernabalan’s belief in his son’s potential. “Piratheeban can go very far. Once he breaks through, there’s nothing stopping him,” said the father.

RECOGNITION IS A CHALLENGE

In his son’s eyes, however, there is one major challenge. “Singapore’s beatbox community is super-duper small,” said Piratheeban. “It’s hard to see beatboxing go far… Even the Singapore Beatbox Association is struggling to get sponsors.”

He reckons that there are about 70 to 100 beatboxers here and that “not a lot of people are dedicated to learning beatboxing”, as it is hard to learn.

The Institute of Technical Education (ITE) student has also faced problems with his attendance at school when he has to leave for overseas battles.

“ITE comes to me and says, ‘Because you’re not representing ITE, you’re not allowed to go… If you go, you’ll be penalised for absence without a valid reason,” he griped.

His father attests to this. “He does well (in) ITE and… so far the only complaints we have is about his absences,” said Mr Kernabalan.

His grades are very good. He got above 3.2 grade-point average for the first term, and the only thing that was pulling (him back) was his attendance.

Piratheeban is resigned to the current situation for beatboxers here. “What am I going to do if beatboxing isn’t that recognised, if the Government doesn’t recognise (it)?” he questioned.

That is why he doubts that more Singaporeans will appreciate his craft.

NEWFOUND MATURITY

These days, however, he is not focused solely on beatboxing. The information technology student also wants to be more responsible at school.

“You get a new environment, new friends, everything just changes,” he explained. “I really want to start studying. Even if I go overseas (for tournaments), I want to study.”

He still goes to school late, but sometimes he does go early, he said earnestly.

As for his beatboxing, this year he did not manage to retain his Asian title, but he has set his sights on bigger things like the Beatbox Battle World Championships.

“I want my passion to be my career, so I want to win as much as I can and be recognised to the point that I can get paid for it,” he declared.

While he has been winning prize money, some of which he gives back to his father, he admits that he spends most of it on himself. “He never keeps it for the next tournament,” his father complained in jest.

But as a sign of his newfound maturity, Piratheeban has been trying to find gigs to earn some money. And this is what goes to his savings for the “big battles”.

His father never lost faith that he would make good as long as he puts his mind to it.

“He can study well… and do (beatboxing) also. He can focus,” said Mr Kernabalan. “(And) when it comes to beatboxing, I’m really proud of him.”

Watch this episode, and stories of other Singaporean underdogs who have found success in unconventional ways, on the series Unusual Suspects here.

SINGAPORE: A vacation in Kathmandu had never been top on Ms Oh Kai Lin’s travel bucket list but together with a friend, the 27-year-old travelled to the Nepalese capital about four months ago and the four-day trip turned out to be a memorable one.

Despite the short stay, the Singaporeans managed to go on a half-day hiking tour and traipsed through the city’s rich mosaic of heritage sites. It was at one of the country’s UNESCO sites, the famed Pashupatinath temple, where they observed a Hindu cremation ceremony on the banks of Nepal’s holy Bagmati river – an experience that Ms Oh described as “unforgettable”.

The friends also had a ride of a lifetime when they spent close to 40 minutes in an over-crowded micro van fit for nine passengers, but was instead ferrying 17 people.

But the biggest surprise, as Ms Oh recalled, was knowing her holiday destination just one week before departure.

Earlier this year, Ms Oh had signed up for a trip to an unknown destination with Anywhr, a homegrown “surprise trip” start-up. After indicating her preferences, Ms Oh paid S$700 and was kept in suspense about her holiday destination until an envelope containing a travelogue arrived a week before her scheduled trip.

“By right, we shouldn’t be opening the envelope until we are at the airport but we got a bit too excited,” Ms Oh said with a laugh. “We had a big surprise. We weren’t expecting Nepal at all since it was such a short trip.”

The unexpected vacation in Kathmandu was Ms Oh’s second trip with Anywhr. Her first reservation took her to Vietnam for the first time and she spent four days in the coastal city of Da Nang.

Apart from the convenience of not having to plan, Ms Oh, a public servant who is pursuing a part-time postgraduate course, said booking a mystery holiday gave her the opportunity to travel outside of her comfort zone.

“I’m more of a city person, so if I were to choose a place to visit in Vietnam, I’d go for Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh where I’d feel more at ease,” she said. “The moment I knew I was going to Danang and Kathmandu, it felt like I was challenging myself because these are places I wouldn’t choose on my own.”

THE SURPRISE TRIP CONCEPT

And that is what the founders of Anywhr, Ms Zelia Leong and Mr Felix Tan, set out to do.

Launched in January, the online service prides itself on creating holidays for travellers like Ms Oh, who are open to booking a vacation without having to know where they are holidaying until the 11th hour.

The concept is simple: Travellers get to indicate their interests such as the type of holiday – adventure, getaway, experience or a wildcard- as well as their budget, travel dates and other information including dietary restrictions and places they prefer not to go to.

After payment is made, the start-up begins planning and within three days, travellers will receive a “teaser email” with details about the weather, packing list and time to be at the airport.

A week before departure, a customised travelogue with flight and accommodation details, suggested places to visit, as well as S$30 worth of the country’s currency will arrive in the mail. Adventurous travellers may opt to open the envelope only after reaching the airport.

Anywhr’s founders claim to be the first “surprise trip” service in Asia. They declined to reveal specific figures for the number of trips booked so far and would only say that it has been a “three-digit growth in percentage” since its launch.

Customers have been mainly younger Singaporeans, though the start-up has seen a handful of bookings from Malaysia and Brunei. It has also accommodated special requests such as planning family trips involving seniors or young toddlers, as well as post-breakup trips.

Apart from the convenience factor, the founders believe that their service appeals to those who are tempted by the prospect of adventure and are willing to venture beyond the usual tourist destinations.

“We open them up to less-travelled destinations they never knew existed, as well as transport options or accommodation that no Singaporean has booked before,” said Ms Leong, who would only reveal that the start-up has sent travellers as far as “ancient civilisations and small islands” in eastern Europe.

“We promise no Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok or Bali main island,” she added.

To ensure that, the founders are banking on their own travel experiences, as well as partnerships with airlines, hotels and travel agencies.

“Everything we suggest in the travelogue are local secrets,” Ms Leong told Channel NewsAsia. “We partner airlines, hotels and local homestays to get the best rate and information. We have local partners to help us do quality checks.”

A SURPRISE ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY

While the start-up only began operations this year, the idea of a “surprise trip” agency emerged two years ago when Ms Leong went on a solo backpacking trip to Europe.

The 26-year-old had bought a one-way ticket to Stockholm before making her way to the Netherlands, Czech Republic, Estonia, Poland and Ukraine with minimal planning.

“The only planning I did was for Stockholm where I found a couchsurfing host for a week and the rest was just about being alone in places I knew little about. I took the cheapest buses and trains, and found places I never knew existed. It was then I realised the best travel experiences are not about visiting touristy places.”

But the venture only materialised after Ms Leong met her co-founder Mr Tan, who was her colleague at German e-commerce firm Rocket Internet and also a spontaneous traveller.

After spending S$300 on website domains, the duo began meeting up on weekends to build their website.

“We would spend the whole day at Starbucks,” Mr Tan, 26, recalled. 

The website was up and running in three months and the duo did not have to wait long for their first booking.

“The first reaction was ‘Oh my god, we got a booking!’ It was a solo lady traveller who chose a three-night trip of local experiences… We still had our full-time jobs then so we were freaking out a bit but we did it,” said Ms Leong.

As more bookings came in, the Singaporeans decided to leave their jobs a few months ago to become full-time entrepreneurs. They have also moved into a friend’s office in Toa Payoh North.

Just like how their penchant for unplanned holidays have given them unexpected travel experiences, a spontaneous business idea has also led Ms Leong and Mr Tan on to a surprise twist in their career paths.

Ms Leong, for one, had never thought of becoming her own boss.

“Everyone says (entrepreneurship) is very hard but it can be done if you really want to. I mean, we started off with nothing.”

Both founders said their time at Rocket Internet has given them a headstart in striking out on their own.

Mr Tan said: “All the previous experiences at other start-ups taught me how to start a company and how to go on a budget. I know all we needed was a website… and it’s about achieving more with the least amount of resources.”

He added: “When I see travellers using our hashtag (#GoAnywhr), it feels quite ‘shiok’ because we made that trip happen and they liked it. For me, that’s fulfilling.”

SINGAPORE: The recent announcement of two foreign preachers Ismail Menk and Haslin Baharim being barred from entering Singapore has shone a spotlight on exclusivist teachings.

They were found to have contravened the code of ethics issued by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) that, among other things, stipulates that religious teachings must not “be prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between different religious or racial groups”.

Ismail Menk had been said to preach “segregationist and divisive teachings” and had, for example, taught that it was the biggest sin and crime for a Muslim to wish a non-Muslim Merry Christmas or Happy Deepavali.

This focus on exclusivist teachings should not come as a surprise, given the increasing threat of terrorism in the region, and the rising number of terror attacks worldwide.

The challenge at hand demands serious attention at home. In June this year, the Singapore Terrorism Threat Assessment Report revealed that since 2015, 14 Singaporeans radicalised by the Islamic State had to be dealt with under the ISA – and more cases have been revealed since.

Given how fast radicalisation can spread, as radical materials are easily available online and threats to social cohesion can come from global developments, a slew of measures were put in place under SGSecure to build vigilance, cohesion and resilience among the population.

While the connection between exclusivist teachings and terrorism might not be obvious, it is clear that such teachings harm social relations, particularly in Singapore’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious context.

However, one must not conclude that exclusivist teachings will necessary lead to terrorism, although terror ideologies do contain exclusivist thought.

Ultimately, exclusivist teachings can stir social segregation, especially when these preach the avoidance of social mixing and interactions with other religious or racial groups. More dangerously, these can sow ill will, inter-group tensions and communal conflict, making society ripe for the picking by extreme elements.

Terrorism often find fertile grounds in such conflict situations, when social tensions are high.

CONFESSIONS OF A FORMER TERRORIST

This was a lesson observed from the strategy of terror groups. “Every conflict is an opportunity,” said Sofyan Tsauri, a former member of several terrorist organisations, from the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) to Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid and later on, Al Qaeda Serambi Mekah in Aceh.

“This is known as the doctrine of miftahul sira (conflict as the beginning),” 41-year-old Tsauri explained, citing the radical text of Abu Bakr Naji, an Al Qaeda strategist.

Tsauri had been caught by the Indonesian anti-terror unit Densus 88 in Bekasi, Indonesia in 2010 and sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment, but was released in 2015 after rehabilitation.

I met him in a recent workshop on Jihad Kiyai Menangkal Radikalisme Beragama (the clerics’ struggle to repel religious radicalism) organised by the Centre for Pesantren Studies based in Bogor, Indonesia.

The centre cultivates moderate and peaceful Islam – a tradition subscribed to by the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), the world’s largest Muslim organisation with a string of pesantren (Indonesian Islamic boarding schools) across the archipelagic nation.

The former extremist disavowed his former ways through rediscovering his traditional religious roots via the NU.

“It was the NU tradition that brought me back to reality,” he said. 

PATH TO RADICALISATION

Tsauri’s journey into extremism is as interesting as his exit. It was the global Muslim condition that first drew him into Muslim activism – including the Palestinian condition.

Like many youths who saw the issue as the West’s assault against Islam, and coupled with a sense of injury wrought by centuries of colonialism and imperial designs against the Muslim world, he wanted to do something about it.

But unfortunately, it was the extremist narrative that convinced him that there was some sort of a cosmic war being waged between Islam and the kuffar (infidels). This narrative was cultivated systematically through discourse within extremist circles.

One such discourse prescribes the need for an Islamic state (daulah Islamiyah) to be realised through active resistance and destruction of the Indonesian state (daulah Indonesiyah). The latter is seen as a taghut (evil and polytheistic) system.

“If we live in an unIslamic country,” he said, “we must display our resistance, such as by burning the (Indonesian) flag.” 

He showed me some printed Arabic materials from extremist ideologues within Salafi circles who formulated a “theology of struggle (for death)”. They called for the supremacy of Islam to be displayed against evil forces, including the West, Jewish and Christian agents in particular.

The takfiri framework dominates these texts.

Takfir is a Salafi concept of excommunication against those who disagree or depart from a puritanical and strict notion of what Islam is and should be. Extreme Salafists divide the world into two: Islamic versus unIslamic, the latter fashioned as anti-Islam. It is this binary thinking that makes up the Salafi worldview.

 “The takfiri attitude permeates our everyday life,” Tsauri recalled.

Even when he was in prison, he would question the halal status of the chicken served occasionally to inmates. He was obsessed with purity and saw what went into the body to be just as important as what went on in the Muslim world.

More than a fear of contamination, however, it was the belief that the enemies of Islam were always finding subtle ways of weakening and undermining the faith of Muslims that put him on guard.

Call it a conspiracy theory, but to him, it was a very real everyday concern which led him and others to distance and isolate themselves from wider society. They eventually carved their own segregated space in study circles in several mosques. Any imam who did not share their worldview was shunned.

Through daily indoctrination, it was not long before Tsauri became a full-fledged member of a terrorist cell that sought violence as a way of achieving their ideological project of establishing an Islamic state.

FORMULATING AN EXTREMIST THEOLOGY

But operating within Indonesian society was not easy, especially in times of peace where it was difficult to mobilise masses to take up the struggle against the purported “enemies of Islam”.

The window of opportunity appeared in 2009 when the Acehnese governor refused to implement the Syariah law in totality.

It was then that Abu Bakar Bashir, the leader of Jemaah Islamiyah, contacted Osama bin Laden to seek consent to launch jihad in Aceh. Aceh was eventually declared a qaidah aminah or a “safe base” where takfiri ideas were to be disseminated.

Aceh was also selected because it was a convenient location for jihad with easy access to weapons. And Tsauri was responsible for the acquisition of weapons through the black market.

By then, the use of social media was on the rise, exploited by the leaders of Al Qaeda. By 2013, Indonesian members of Al Qaeda were debating online on the need to move the focus from the “far-away enemy” (the United States) to the “near enemy” (local governments).

This was part of wider debates within the central command of Al Qaeda in Iraq, which led to the emergence of a splinter group – now known as the Islamic State – who were shifting the battle territorially to Asia.

The theological basis of the focus was slowly formulated, in chat groups and online platforms, as members of the Al Qaeda in Aceh began adopting four positions: First, that ignorance was not an excuse not to be declared an infidel.

Second, a charge of apostasy should be brought against specific individuals or groups such as the police and military in Indonesia who were seen as defenders of evil.

Third, whoever did not call out or doubted the apostasy of a person was himself an apostate.

Fourth, those that practiced bid’ah (religious innovations) or evil acts were automatically considered apostates.

These formulations were derived from the fatawa (legal rulings) issued by second-generation Salafi clerics based in Saudi Arabia. “They form the modern concept of takfir that is at the root of extremist theological thought,” Tsauri said. 

The concept of takfir has proven to be useful to terrorist groups. It widens the notion of kufr (disbelief) to include every Muslim who resides in a country that does not implement the totality of Syariah and does not fight for it.

In the text Inilah Aqidah Kami, Daulah Islamiyyah (This is Our Creed, An Islamic State), Mustaqim alias Abu Yusuf declared Indonesia to be a territory of the infidels who must be fought for.

Such formulations give terrorists a reason to launch jihad against fellow Muslims because these Muslims are not considered “true Muslims” because of their acceptance of syirk (polytheism) and bid’ah (wrongful innovations in religion).

These Muslims are also considered legitimate enemies because their lack of will to join the struggle against the enemies of Islam makes them complicit and implicates them as individuals no different from the infidels.

Unsurprisingly, Muslims remain the biggest casualty in terrorist acts. All this reveals a deep sectarian dimension to the present problem of terrorism.

A LESSON FOR US

Tsauri’s confessions reveal a first important lesson: Amidst the volatile geopolitical conditions, providing safe platforms for discussion and sense-making are necessary.

Just as how the Palestinian conflict has been exploited by extremists to serve their own agenda of inciting a religious war between the West and Islam, so has IS exploited ignorance over issues of the caliphate, conflict in the Middle East and underdevelopment in the Muslim world in general.

Second, people, particularly youths, must be equipped with ways to deal with rapid social change through constant dialogue so that they can navigate through their challenges.

Extremists often adopt a binary view of things and offer certainty in all matters, whereas issues are often complex, requiring constant negotiation.

Providing space for the negotiation of ideas amid diversity, and over controversial and sensitive issues, may be key. Not allowing active discussions – no matter how contentious these may be – would give extremists the monopoly to provide answers that people seek. 

That would be dangerous, given the propensity of extremist narratives to provide simplistic answers (for example, that the Muslim world’s problems are due to “anti-Islam forces” or that we are living in end times that require our loyalty to God’s army to defeat the dajjal or false messiah).

This is also the context to why radicalisation is now occurring rapidly online. Without avenues to discuss and engage in contentious issues, many youths in particular turn to the internet to seek answers; and many online platforms are now dominated by extremist views.

Third, we must not underestimate the power of ideology, which takes the form of religious theological thought. The modern doctrine of takfir – as a concept and a practice – is one such example. Providing counter-narratives, therefore, is as important as understanding the sociopolitical context that allows such ideas to thrive.

But counter-narrators must take a leaf from their extremist counterparts’ playbook and learn how to package and sell good ideas while helping people work through issues, and understand the psychology of their audience.

The battle is no longer in public face-to-face interactions, but increasingly, in the online sphere.

Last but not least, maintaining social cohesion in the present climate of terrorism is critical. But this is not an easy task. Early intervention through proscribing exclusivist and segregationist teachings are needed in the upstream battle against extremist ideologies.

More can be done. Beyond general awareness, various sectors of society must come together to strengthen relations that can provide a bulwark against attempts to sow tensions and conflict.

This is our only hope when a real crisis hits home.

Mohamed Imran Mohamed Taib is an interfaith activist and founding member of Leftwrite Centre. He writes on contemporary Islam in the Malay world and on issues of extremism and inter-religious relations.

SINGAPORE: Organisers of the YOLO Run have apologised after participants took to social media to express their dissatisfaction after the race on Saturday (Nov 11), with many saying this would be their first and last YOLO race. 

Poor organisation of the event at the F1 Pit Building, including delays to gun off, unclear race routes and a lack of coordination during bag collection were among the main complaints of participants. 

It was the third time the run, whose name stands for “You Only Live Once”, was being held in Singapore. It consists of a 21.1km competitive run, a 10km competitive run and a 5km non-competitive run. 

However, the half marathon had a delayed start, due to “unforeseen obstacles along our route this morning”, YOLO Run said in a public apology on its Facebook page. 

Runners also complained that the 10km run was cut short by 3km, based on their own tracking devices. 

YOLO Run organisers claimed that an “external consultant” made changes to the course without informing them and “took immediate remedial action on his own” to ensure that the half marathon still could be flagged off. 

“This re-route resulted in the HM (half marathon) and 10km route being affected,” organisers said.

A first-time participant, who only identified himself as Ken, said he arrived at 4.30am for the gun-off time at 5am, but due to the delay, he took an extra one-and-a-half hours to complete the race. 

Other participants also complained that there were multiple bottlenecks during the race, as the routes were not properly planned. 

“It was a horrible run, especially for those who are actually serious runners like myself,” said 31-year-old participant Koi Kye Lee.

“Some of us lost time by shuffling and walking. At one point several runners including myself had to jump over the metal barrier and run on the road. Cars honked at us.”

Apart from the route, baggage collection points were said to be poorly coordinated, with no one directing the tagging and retrieving of participants’ personal belongings. 

Mr Gavin Lim, 28, said he waited with his friend for about three hours to retrieve their belongings, as the situation at the collection point was “so messy”.

“They just used crossknot and small marking tape to tag the bags, and a lot of them fell off,” he said. 

He added that as the organisers distributed uniformed race packs, they had to open each bag to check the contents inside until they found the right one. 

“I will not run in the race again,” he said. 

“We take responsibility for the issues faced by all runners today and we will seriously take everyone’s feedback into consideration to ensure future issues do not occur,” the organisers said in their Facebook post. 

“We sincerely apologise for the unpleasant experience and invite runners to please contact us for any outstanding issues.”

SINGAPORE: It’s not every performer who can command an entire stadium with just a guitar, a couple of mics, a foot pedal and an LED backdrop – but Ed Sheeran made it work.

The singer-songwriter succeeded in conquering the crowd with his ÷ (pronounced “Divide”) world tour on Saturday (Nov 11) at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, the first of a two-night sold-out appearance.

The English-born’s presence in Singapore had been in doubt until just a few weeks ago, after a recent bicycle accident left him “bruised and broken” with injuries to both arms and a rib.

However, no sign of injury was in evidence on Saturday night, as the performer immediately got the crowd of about 10,000 going with chart-topping hit Castle on the Hill.

The song’s rock band-influenced guitar builds crescendoed to a stadium-filling chorus as pre-teen kids and middle-aged couples alike joined in.

Sheeran knows how to work a crowd. “I want to explain how I find myself enjoying concerts,” he said, before standing arms plastered to his sides, both feet on the ground, swaying tentatively.

“In England we call this the dad dance,” he quips. “I want to implore everyone to do their worst dance and just enjoy yourself!”

And of course the crowd does, jumping along to a version of Don’t (from second album x) and New Man (from latest album ÷).

Other songs he performed from his latest album – which according to Sheeran has just gone “six times platinum” in Singapore – were confessional “Sheeran rap” song Eraser, slightly generic love song Dive and ballad How Would You Feel (Paean), which saw Sheeran stage hand and now “buddy” PJ Smith come on stage to accompany with the piano.

Inevitably in the mix were also Sheeran’s old chart-topping favourites such as his debut single back in 2011 The A Team (which came third in the set list) and x’s Photograph – introduced as “the anthemic one we’re all going to sing together”.

The highlight of the night was Sheeran’s stripped-back, bare-bones cover of Feeling Good, made famous by Nina Simone and more recently Muse.

But the best of the night came with the mid-set folksy ballad Happier, which brought a nice change of pace with its mellower tone and simple rendition.

The “official” (pre-encore) last song was x’s hit Sing, which Sheeran co-wrote with American rapper Pharrell Williams and which set the already rapturous crowd cheering even louder. 

Sheeran’s appeal (and commercial savvy) lies in his everyman likability and this showed in the make-up of the crowd which ranged from little kids to middle-aged couples and family groups.

“I love you Ed!” screamed one little girl who could not have been more than 10. A couple of rows further in front, a very tipsy 20-something tried to stand up on her chair while swaying in time to the music.

“Sing!”, “Louder!” the LED backdrop urged them all – not that they needed telling.