Ms Aalekhya Reddam’s hard work paid off when she was named in this year’s edition of Who’s Who Among Students In American Universities And Colleges.
“To know that this is a national award and that I, an international student, received it makes me feel like I made the best of my university experience,” said the Singaporean, who studied at NPS International School from age 14 to 18.
According to the programme’s website, this “exclusive honour” is conferred annually by over 1,000 universities and colleges as well as graduate and PhD programmes across the United States.
The student recognition scheme picks a select group of candidates based on their leadership, academic achievement and community service.
Ms Reddam, 21, a final-year student at the University of Miami, said she was never contacted about applying for the programme. but was informed on March 10 that she had been inducted.
Candidates are nominated by their school’s committee, comprising faculty, administration and student body representatives.
The programme, also known as Who’s Who Among Students, was set up in 1934.
Ms Reddam said: “It was great to be acknowledged for my academic work and leadership roles, and to know that my mentors and advisers believed in me.”
Her family, who “top the list of people she would like to thank for helping her stay grounded”, could not join her for the awards ceremony, held on Tuesday at the University of Miami.
Her father, Mr Reddiam Raghu Ram, 51, who works in human resources at Royal Dutch Shell, said the award underlines her ability to juggle and excel in various activities.
She is a leadership facilitator in her school’s student government, and a resident assistant for housing and residential life.
“She is unique in the way she can connect with people at all levels and of all nationalities,” he said.
Her leadership accolades include being named 2016 University of Miami Student Leader of the Year, which she described as her proudest achievement.
She was also inducted into her school’s Iron Arrow Honour Society last year – “the highest honour attained” there, according to the society’s website.
The marine science and biology student has done research at the National University of Singapore’s Reef Ecology Lab and her current university’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.
zjiayi@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on Apr 08, 2017. Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
Veteran actress Kim Young-ae died Sunday from pancreatic cancer, according to her agency, Starvillage Entertainment. She was 65.
Kim starred in KBS2’s “The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop,” which ended its 54-episode run in February. She appeared on the originally planned 50 episodes before opting out of the extra four episodes due to her failing health.
She showed her strong will, tenacity and passion for acting by participating in filming the weekend series even after she had to be hospitalised in the last four months of filming.
The actress underwent pancreatic cancer surgery in 2012 and returned to the big screen, starring in the courtroom drama film “The Attorney.”
“She was again diagnosed with cancer, not long after she started filming ‘The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop,'” her agency said.
Due to the popularity of the TV drama, “The Gentlemen of Wolgyesu Tailor Shop” was extended by four more episodes, but as Kim did not appear in the final episodes, viewers showed concerned for her health.
Kim began her TV career in MBC’s 880-episode drama “Inspector Chief” in March 1971.
A Facebook video showing a group of young men claiming to be police officers and forcefully asking for donations at Punggol MRT station caused a stir on Monday night.
The video – taken by netizen Sam Lim, who witnessed it – was shared almost 2,000 times overnight as netizens took to the comments section to describe their own encounters with such individuals.
The next day, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) issued a statement on their Facebook page assuring the public they were looking into reports about these cases.
Madam L. K. Lee, a 55-year-old finance manager, alerted The Straits Times to an incident in which two young men approached her daughter at Choa Chu Kang MRT station on Tuesday, claiming to be raising funds for former offenders.
The men asked for a $10 donation and made the 18-year-old open her wallet when she insisted that she did not have enough money.
After they discovered a $10 note in her wallet, she let them have it as she felt uncomfortable. When Madam Lee’s daughter came across Mr Lim’s video, she identified one of the men as also having approached her.
Another caller, Madam S. H. Koh, a 52-year-old housewife, said her daughter had a similar experience on March 31, when three supposed former offenders approached the 16-year-old and her friends at a bus stop outside Clementi Mall, asking for a $20 donation.
The girls were spooked into complying as the men were persistent and standing very near them.
“I filed a police report because I felt it was the right thing to do, especially since this has happened to other children,” Madam Koh said.
According to Facebook posts and comments on the SPF’s advisory, key locations for suspected scammers include Clementi MRT station, Punggol interchange and Novena MRT station.
The Straits Times found no sign of unlicensed solicitation at Clementi MRT station during lunchtime yesterday.
But Mr Benedict Tham, a 39-year-old real-estate agent, said he had seen it take place in the evenings after work and school.
Two weeks ago, the Clementi resident was approached by two men claiming to be former convicts but when he asked to see their licence, they walked away.
“I think this is why they target students, because they are usually less cautious and wary,” he added.
Jurong GRC MP Ang Wei Neng said: “We will inform Jurong-Clementi Town Council property officers, staff and councillors to be on the lookout and ready to expose such unlawful acts.”
Ms Natasha Young, a 19-year-old student who carries out street surveys for a consultancy firm part-time, said: “These cases make people sceptical of survey-takers and legitimate fund-raising activities because they immediately assume we are ill-intentioned. But really, we just want to do our job.”
The SPF listed a series of steps members of the public can take if they are confronted by people seeking donations, like requesting the person’s Collector’s Certificate of Authority or referring to the list of approved fund-raising events on their website.
The Office of the Commissioner of Charities said: “At no time should anyone feel pressured to give money if they are unsure.”
annikamock.tq@gmail.com
This article was first published on Apr 08, 2017. Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taipei City Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) blasted Hong Kong again Sunday, saying that the Chinese territory had “no free will.”
Ko was making a speech on politics centralized on virtues and values at a local news magazine The Journalist’s 30th anniversary ceremony when he made another verbal jab Hong Kong.
Earlier last month, Ko triggered a wave of criticism after he said that Hong Kong was a “boring place” and that “there’s nothing fun to do on such a small island,” during a trip to Southeast Asia.
Despite the controversy, Ko doubled down on the comments Sunday, saying “It (Hong Kong) isn’t just small, but (they) don’t even have the freedom to vote, what’s to envy about?”
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2014-07-01 16:30:52
Photo Gallery
Tear gas fired at chaotic Hong Kong democracy protests
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He also commented on several other countries he visited in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and India, saying that Taiwan’s liberty had become a model for Asia.
Gary Wong (黃梓謙), one of the founders of Hong Kong’s Path of Democracy organisation and who attended Sunday’s speech, said he was “disappointed” about Ko’s comment.
Wong said that even though Hong Kong was not democratic, its people had both “freedom and spirit.”
The younger generation in the territory was promoting cultural tourism on the island, proposing that local residents lead visitors in discovering true Hong Kong culture, Wong said.
“As a political figure, Ko should be more modest when speaking in public,” he said, adding that Ko’s comments originated from his previous visit to Hong Kong many years ago and was “rather unfair.”
HONG KONG – A crime drama by three emerging directors basked in the limelight at the Hong Kong Film Awards Sunday, but mainland Chinese sites reportedly blocked news of its wins following controversy last year.
The gangster thriller Trivisa scooped five prizes including Best Film and Best Director for Frank Hui, Jevons Au and Vicky Wong, who beat other nominated veterans like Stephen Chow and Johnnie To.
The film is set in the former British colony just before the handover to China in 1997, with a political flavour that local critics saw reflecting an anxiety over the fate of Hong Kong.
“Thanks to our two producers… I’m difficult to teach, I’m rebellious, sorry,” Au said onstage alongside his co-directors.
The triumph of Trivisa at the awards followed the surprise success in 2016 of Ten Years, a controversial series of five shorts that tapped into residents’ worst fears for the future of the city as Beijing’s grip tightens.
One of the short films featured in the dystopian project was directed by this year’s winner Au.
Major Chinese TV channels pulled out from broadcasting the awards last year, with the nomination of Ten Years for Best Picture widely believed to be the reason.
This year, several mainland news sites covered the awards but blocked mentions of Trivisa, media in Hong Kong reported.
The picture also won Best Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Actor for Gordon Lam.
WINNERS
BEST FILM: Trivisa
BEST DIRECTOR: Frank Hui, Jevons Au, Vicky Wong (Trivisa)
BEST SCREENPLAY: Trivisa
BEST ACTOR: Gordon Lam (Trivisa)
BEST ACTRESS: Kara Hui (Happiness )
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Eric Tsang (Mad World)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Elaine Jin (Mad World)
BEST NEW PERFORMER: Tony Wu Tsz Tung (Weeds On Fire)
SOME of us get excited by startups; others, by slightly more mature firms.
But among the hoi polloi of listed companies here, the venerable Jardine behemoth deserves a special mention, even though no brokers cover them.
Jardine Matheson, the ultimate holding company for the Jardine empire and a Straits Times Index (STI) constituent, is powering to new highs amid a buoyant stock market. The firm has survived and prospered through the last two centuries of wars, revolutions, takeover attempts and political earthquakes.
Today, its tentacles extend over South-east Asia and Greater China. The group’s top three business segments are property, motor vehicles and retail and restaurants. It also has businesses in insurance broking, financial services, engineering, construction, mining and hotels (See sidebar).
Asked about life in such a massive, diversified conglomerate, an employee told The Business Times that the group does have common initiatives that bind employees together, such as its mental health charity, Mindset. But the day-to-day experience of a Jardine employee is probably not too different from that of other counterparts in the industry.
“If you’re in Giant, your daily experience probably isn’t too different as someone in NTUC Fairprice or Sheng Shiong. If you’re in Cycle and Carriage, probably not too different from Borneo Motors,” he said.
Jardine Matheson’s modern form is quite different from its beginnings in 1832, when it was founded as a trading house by two Scots, doctor-turned-opium trader William Jardine and another trader, James Matheson.
The company’s beginnings involved no small amount of controversy. For example, Dr Jardine was one of those who persuaded the British government to wage the First Opium War on China to protect its trade interests – which eventually resulted in the ceding of Hong Kong to the British.
Some 150 years later, the Keswick family, descendants of Dr Jardine, would get into trouble with China in 1992 for backing certain political reforms in Hong Kong prior to the territory’s 1997 handover back to China.
The family has since made its peace with China, though it decided in 1994-5 to pull the Jardine group out of Hong Kong to list in London and Singapore instead.
And after takeover attempts from the 1980s to the early 2000s, a cross-holding structure put in place effectively lets the Keswicks exert their influence over their business empire with a relatively small stake.
And what an empire it is! Annual revenues of all its subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures add up to some US$70 billion, more than the 2015 gross domestic product (GDP) of Myanmar (US$63 billion), Bulgaria (US$50 billion), and even perhaps a quarter of Singapore’s roughly US$300 billion.
The Jardine Matheson holding company records revenue of about half that, at US$37 billion. Take away all its expenses, operating costs, taxes, and profits due to minority interests, and what is left behind for shareholders is a cool US$1.4 billion. Out of that, shareholders get some US$1 billion in dividends every year, or US$1.45 a share.
An ignored colossus
In Hong Kong, the Jardine group can be benchmarked against other colonial trading houses such as Swire, which owns Hong Kong flagship carrier Cathay Pacific, and Hutchison Whampoa, which owns giant healthcare chain Watsons.
It is well covered among international brokers there, such as JP Morgan, UBS, Macquarie, Nomura, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse.
But in Singapore, no local brokers cover them. Few investors, it seems, have an interest. This is despite Jardine Matheson generating a whopping 4,359 per cent total return with dividends reinvested from 1991 to end-March 2017, or a compounded 15.6 per cent a year. The stock also often determines moves on the STI.
What gives?
Many market players are bound by policies not to comment publicly on specific companies. But those who agreed to be interviewed by BT point to the perception that the group is far away in Hong Kong, that management is not interested in building investor relations, the difficulty of valuing the firm, the relatively small public float, and its high absolute share price.
True to form, the company declined approaches by BT to interview its executives. One preferred to steer the conversation to the group’s philanthropic activities.
Another, Jardine Matheson’s group head of corporate affairs, Esther Wong, said in a recent email: “While we appreciate your paper’s interest in the group, our group businesses’ performances, and the group’s perspectives on the business conditions and prospects can be found in our results announcements which can be found on our website.”
A broker noted that flows into the big holding companies Jardine Matheson and Jardine Strategic tend to be due to investors allocating to the STI as a whole, he said, instead of anybody being excited by a fundamental story for the Jardine group.
He said management might prefer to stay away from the media or from financial analysts because they don’t really require funds from the capital market. “They don’t have a history of fundraising. So they don’t need to entertain all these people, no need to do roadshows.”
But for an analyst to cover the stock, access to management is important as one can have more confidence in expressing an opinion on whether to buy or sell. “Otherwise, if whatever forecast you come up with goes wrong, you can’t find out why you’re going wrong or how to correct it,” he said.
A research head said that it might not be the case that management is deliberately being unfriendly, but they are not reaching out.
“I suspect they don’t have briefings here, I have not been invited to attend any of their briefings,” he said.
For the Jardines to be covered, a concerted effort has to be made by stakeholders such as local brokerages as well as the company. The name “Jardine Matheson” might also not have an easily-identifiable ring to it like an “SIA”, “CapitaLand” or even “Kimly” would, he said.
And in any case, they might be well covered enough already. “There are clients who buy independently. We still see the volume. And there are ample research reports out there (from international houses),” he said.
Tightly held firm
Among wealth managers, liquidity could be a concern. Clients have also not been interested in the firm as it is tightly held, said a senior analyst.
“The dividend yield is not great, the stock is thinly traded, the average volume is so low,” he said.
Perhaps Jardine Matheson is too complicated a stock, and too diversified such that one segment might do well while another won’t. “They are so big, in financial services, supermarkets, engineering and construction, cars, insurance broking, property, hotels. It’s quite difficult to get a sense of what each of the parts are worth and what kind of discount one should apply,” he said.
Then there is just a puzzling apathy. A former research head, who used to cover Cycle & Carriage before it was acquired by the Jardine group, shrugs: “Not too sure why I hardly look at the group. Missed them out all these years.”
Jardine announcements, for that matter, paint a reasonably positive outlook, especially in its top three segments of Astra, Dairy Farm and Hongkong Land which contribute some 70 per cent to Jardine Matheson’s 2016 profit.
An Asian business empire – Jardine Matheson’s share of underlying profitsPhoto: The Business Times
Astra, an Indonesian conglomerate that the group has a stake in, saw improvements in its core automotive distribution business and its palm oil business. Its heavy equipment distribution business is also poised to improve with recovering commodity prices.
Retailer Dairy Farm also recorded higher revenues and profits.
Underlying profits at property arm Hongkong Land, too, did not slide much with limited leasing competition in the commercial rental market.
Other interesting tidbits can be picked out. For example, car sales appear to be booming in China and Vietnam, benefiting subsidiaries Jardine Motors and Jardine Cycle & Carriage.
Not all segments are performing well. The Mandarin Oriental hotel business has been weak notably in Hong Kong, London and Paris. Astra’s retail bank, Permata, suffered from loan provisions. Pizza Hut isn’t doing well in Hong Kong.
But overall, the Jardine empire looks likely to benefit from growth in this part of the world.
The only problem now is that after a huge rally this year, its stock isn’t regarded by brokers as cheap. JP Morgan just downgraded the stock to “neutral” with a target price of US$61. UBS has a “sell” call with a target price of US$60.50. Macquarie and Nomura, meanwhile, are “neutral”.
Nevertheless, for those working within it, the Jardines possess an air of permanence and a long-term outlook that few firms can be said to possess.
As the employee whom BT spoke to said: “You get the sense that (the Keswicks) are really building the overall business for their future generations. The group has divested certain businesses over the years but generally the main pillars of the group like property and retail are probably here to stay so long as they remain relevant.”
Sprawling empire
Shop in Singapore’s Ion Orchard, and one might notice elevators and escalators installed and maintained by Schindler.
Schindler, a Swiss firm, formed a joint venture with Jardine Matheson in 1974 to market and service its lifts and escalators in the region. The joint venture is 50 per cent-owned by Jardine Pacific, a Jardine Matheson subsidiary which holds stakes in a number of the conglomerate’s businesses that are not separately listed, such as construction (Gammon), airport and transport services (Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals, Jardine Aviation Services Group), restaurants and IT.
In Singapore, a quick tour of the Marina Bay area will also turn up Jardine-related businesses. If you work there, you might pass by One Raffles Link, the two towers of One Raffles Quay, and the three towers of Marina Bay Financial Centre. These are all buildings which Jardine subsidiary Hongkong Land has a stake in and gets rental income from.
Cold Storage at Great World City.Photo: The Straits Times
If work is not your thing, the nearby Jardine-owned Mandarin Oriental hotel offers a high-end retreat. In the suburbs, while you might not buy Jardine subsidiary MCL Land’s condos such as LakeVille and J Gateway, you might shop at household names 7-Eleven, Cold Storage, Giant and Guardian all dotting the landscape – and belonging to Jardine subsidiary Dairy Farm.
Perhaps Singapore is too small, a little red dot. In nearby Indonesia, Jardine Cycle & Carriage subsidiary Astra International is one of the biggest companies there. Astra makes and distributes popular vehicle models such as the Toyota Avanza car or the Honda motorcycle, and provides the necessary vehicle financing.
It also has a stake in retail bank Permata Bank, sells general and life insurance, distributes mining equipment, sells tonnes of crude palm oil, and also helps develop Indonesia’s infrastructure.
If you prefer dim sum over rendang, you’ll find enough to suit your fancy at Maxim’s, a Hong Kong restaurant chain that Dairy Farm has a stake in. If you want fast food, the Jardine Restaurant Group is Pizza Hut’s largest international franchisee with a presence in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau and Vietnam. It operates KFC outlets in those territories too.
The Jardine group is one of Hong Kong’s biggest employers and its largest landlord in the Central area. Hongkong Land owns office buildings such as the Exchange Square towers, Jardine House and other British-named buildings – Alexandra House, Chater House, Gloucester Tower and Prince’s Building. Jardine Matheson even runs a quaint tourist attraction by Causeway Bay: The Noonday Gun.
In the early days of Hong Kong, the Jardine group maintained a detachment of guards and a battery of guns near their headquarters, warehouses and tea clippers. The guards used to fire the guns to send off company bigshots or welcome them back into town.
One day, the ship of a Jardine bigshot sailed past that of a senior British navy officer, and the gun went off as usual. The officer was apparently so annoyed by the private salute that the company was ordered to fire the gun once at noon every day as a time signal. The tradition has stuck since, up till this day.
This article was first published on Apr 08, 2017. Get The Business Times for more stories.
SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Monday (Apr 10) said it has inked a partnership agreement with ST Kinetics to develop and trial autonomous buses.
Under the agreement, ST Kinetics will develop and integrate the autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies onto two 40-seater electric buses that can be deployed to serve fixed and scheduled services for intra- and inter-town travel in the future, LTA said.
To navigate autonomously, the buses will use a satellite-based global positioning system (GPS) and a suite of sensors to scan and determine their location and immediate surroundings. The buses will also have radars and sonars that are able to detect other vehicles and pedestrians up to 200m ahead, it added.
ST Kinetics is also working to improve the autonomous buses’ ability to navigate during heavy rain, up from the current 10mm of rain an hour to 30mm an hour, the press release said.
JURONG ISLAND, NUS CAMPUS POSSIBLE TRIAL LOCATIONS
The three-and-a-half year project will see these buses tested in various environments. LTA is working with stakeholders such as the National University of Singapore (NUS) as well as JTC to look at suitable trial locations, which can potentially include Jurong Island and NUS’ campus, LTA said.
The development of these buses will aim to cover as many scenarios faced by bus feeder services as possible, and in the longer term, the trial could be extended to public roads in towns to enhance intra-town travel, the agency added.
“Currently, most AV technology developers are focusing their efforts on developing self-driving cars,” said Mr Lam Wee Shann, chief technology officer at LTA.
“Singapore’s need for high-capacity vehicles to address commuters’ peak-hour demands presents an opportunity for companies such as ST Kinetics to develop autonomous buses to address this latent demand.”
The proposal from ST Kinetics, the land systems and specialty vehicles arm of ST Engineering, had been shortlisted under LTA’s Request for Information issued in June 2015 on how AV technology can be harnessed as part of mobility concepts such as mobility on-demand and autonomous buses.
SINGAPORE -Estate upgrading plans are afoot in 14 neighbourhood centres across Woodlands, Toa Payoh and Pasir Ris, potentially featuring new works such as playgrounds and shelters that have been built under an HDB scheme in towns such as Bukit Batok.
The Housing Board (HDB) on Sunday (Apr 9) revealed new plans for the three estates as it gave an update on upgrading works elsewhere under its Remaking Our Heartland scheme.
Starting next Sunday (Apr 16), HDB will hold exhibitions separately in Woodlands, Toa Payoh and Pasir Ris, unveiling details on the Neighbourhood Centre (NC) rejuvenation plans and inviting residents to give feedback on them.
Upgrading will be carried out in 14 NCs in these three towns, comprising about 670 shops and potentially benefitting more than 500,000 residents.
The HDB also said it has spent $19 million out of the budgeted $42 million for the upgrading of 21 NCs – comprising 1,500 shops – in East Coast, Hougang, and Jurong Lake.
It said upgrading works have been completed in 11 of the 21 NCs, with the remaining 10 set to be progressively completed by 2019.
The upgrading works will benefit more than 800,000 residents living in these three areas, said HDB.
One of the 11 NCs upgraded is the Bukit Batok West Shopping Centre, located in Bukit Batok Street 11.
The neighbourhood centre, which was built in 1985 and reopened last October, now boasts the first community herb garden in an NC.
It is also the first neighbourhood centre that has a community pavilion that features a self-irrigated greenery system on its roof.
To improve accessibility for wheelchair users and others, the floor of the neighbourhood centre was extensively retiled for a smoother surface.
And a fitness corner was revamped, now featuring not just new equipment but a children’s playground as well.
Retired plantation worker Lawrence Lee, 68, is a driving force behind the dozen or so residents who regularly help out in the 150 sq m herb garden. He had been pushing for such a space since late last year, when he showed off his green thumb by salvaging discarded flora from around the estate and bringing them back to life.
The new garden features more than 30 plant species, chosen to suit his interest in traditional Chinese medicine.
Even students have volunteered part-time to help him tend to the greenery, he said.
“They say things like, ‘Uncle, uncle, the plant is blooming’ and express their gratitude. They will buy me food or bring soil,” said Mr Lee, who has lived in the area for more than 30 years, speaking in Mandarin.
Even residents from other parts of Bukit Batok have flocked to the NC, which houses 65 shops and eateries.
Madam Neo Ai Ling, a school canteen worker in her 60s, finds herself in the neighbourhood centre twice a day – to go to the market in the morning and to supervise her five-year-old granddaughter’s play in the evening.
She told The Straits Times that she finds the new facilities convenient and tidy.
Even though business fell off during the year-long upgrading, it has since bounced back and is about 10 per cent better than before, said Bukit Batok Merchants’ Association chairman Thomas Ong, 58, whose group represents about 40 shops in the area.
This article was first published on April 09, 2017. Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Monday (Apr 10) said it has inked a partnership agreement with ST Kinetics to develop and trial autonomous buses.
Under the agreement, ST Kinetics will develop and integrate the autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies onto two 40-seater electric buses that can be deployed to serve fixed and scheduled services for intra- and inter-town travel in the future, LTA said.
To navigate autonomously, the buses will use a satellite-based global positioning system (GPS) and a suite of sensors to scan and determine their location and immediate surroundings. The buses will also have radars and sonars that are able to detect other vehicles and pedestrians up to 200m ahead, it added.
ST Kinetics is also working to improve the autonomous buses’ ability to navigate during heavy rain, up from the current 10mm of rain an hour to 30mm an hour, the press release said.
JURONG ISLAND, NUS CAMPUS POSSIBLE TRIAL LOCATIONS
The three-and-a-half year project will see these buses tested in various environments. LTA is working with stakeholders such as the National University of Singapore (NUS) as well as JTC to look at suitable trial locations, which can potentially include Jurong Island and NUS’ campus, LTA said.
The development of these buses will aim to cover as many scenarios faced by bus feeder services as possible, and in the longer term, the trial could be extended to public roads in towns to enhance intra-town travel, the agency added.
“Currently, most AV technology developers are focusing their efforts on developing self-driving cars,” said Mr Lam Wee Shann, chief technology officer at LTA.
“Singapore’s need for high-capacity vehicles to address commuters’ peak-hour demands presents an opportunity for companies such as ST Kinetics to develop autonomous buses to address this latent demand.”
The proposal from ST Kinetics, the land systems and specialty vehicles arm of ST Engineering, had been shortlisted under LTA’s Request for Information issued in June 2015 on how AV technology can be harnessed as part of mobility concepts such as mobility on-demand and autonomous buses.
I have participated in several runs but never one like this.
Yesterday morning, I took part in the first Teh Tarik Run, where 800 people ran four rounds of 1km each at the East Coast Park.
We stopped to fill our “tik gongs” (Hokkien for milk cans) with teh tarik after every round.
We had our first drink, sang the national anthem and shouted an enthusiastic “yam seng” before starting off at 7.30am.
I saw senior citizens, competitive runners and even parents running with strollers.
Teh O kosong (tea with no milk or sugar) was served to those with special needs.
The path was slightly congested, but people happily gave way to the faster runners while chatting about the novelty of the event and their personal tea preferences.
Many walked with their family or friends and took selfies with their “tik gongs”.
“Teh marshals” directed the crowds with clanging “tik gongs” in hand.
After completing the run, we were given a “tik-gong” to hang around our necks.
The top 20 runners were also each presented with a packet of chicken or mutton curry for their achievements.
The runners then indulged in prata, mee goreng, bee hoon and porridge at Enak Enak HongKong Tea House, the official food and beverage sponsor located next to the start line.
Its owner, Mr Toh Teng Seng, 66, told The New Paper that 600 plates of noodles, 300 bowls of porridge, about 100 pieces of prata and 800 cups of teh tarik were served during the event.
He said it amounted to about S$3,600 worth of food.
Speaking in Mandarin, he said: “We sponsored this run because we advocate exercise. We feel it was well organised, and we would consider supporting other such events in the future.”
Event organiser Gerrard Lim, 33, said: “We wanted to get non-runners to kick-start a healthy lifestyle by enticing them with food and drinks – a Singaporean method. We also wanted to get people to celebrate this unassuming drink with their family and friends.”
Ms Thricey Leow, an executive assistant in her 40s, said: “Most runs these days are for youngsters, and they are so competitive that the older generation dare not join.
“But this run is for all ages, and it takes some of us back to our childhood.
“I have not heard people say ‘tik gong’ in a long time.”
This article was first published on Apr 10, 2017. Get The New Paper for more stories.
