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HE CAME to Singapore last year for two days on a business trip and was looking to set aside a few hours of his time to visit Gardens by the Bay.
But his busy schedule did not allow him to do that and he felt that the time he spent in Singapore “wasn’t enough”.
His trip was packed with meetings and he didn’t get much time for sightseeing.
Mr Balaiah Akkinapalli from Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, told himself he would be back for a second time so this year, he came back on Feb 21 for a four day-three night holiday with his friends.
Said the 46-year-old, who was seen at Pinnacle Hotel on Jalan Besar Road: “I heard how the Gardens by the Bay is a world-class attraction from my friends in India and I’m happy I came back to see it,” he said.
He also went to the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari, Universal Studios and shopped at Bugis Street and Little India.
He is one of the 1.1 million visitors from India who visited Singapore last year and contributed to the 8 per cent increase in visitor arrivals from India.
Singapore Tourism Board’s (STB) extensive efforts to market Singapore in Tier 1 and 2 Indian cities paid off with increased arrivals from Mumbai, Chennai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Jaipur, Tiruchirapally and Amritsar.
The tourism sector performance report by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) showed that Indian visitors to Singapore generated $1.1 billion in tourism receipts for the first three quarters of 2016 – a 37 per cent increase over the same period in 2015.
Looking at major components, 18 per cent was spent on shopping, 39 per cent on accommodation, 15 per cent on food and beverage and 28 per cent on other components.
Said STB’s regional director, south Asia, Middle East and Africa G.B. Srithar: “For the first three quarters of 2016, Singapore saw an increase in visitors from major cities in India – Mumbai and Delhi. These visitors have a higher propensity to spend, thus driving growth in spend on shopping and accommodation.”
He added that they are mostly leisure and family travellers with keen interest in sightseeing and attractions.
According to Sentosa Development Corporation’s chief marketing officer Lynette Ang, guests from India form close to 20 per cent of the Sentosa Island’s foreign visitorship.
Part of the film Badrinath Ki Dulhania was shot in Sentosa’s attraction Megazip and with the launch of the movie in March, there were also attractive promotional packages for Indian guests who visit the attraction.
To attract more Indian tourists, Madame Tussauds opened a new zone in February last year called the Indian International Film Academy Awards experience featuring wax figurines of leading Bollywood celebrities.
India is one of the top five countries in terms of visitorship across the four parks under Wildlife Reserves Singapore, according to Wildlife Reserves Singapore chief marketing officer Isabel Cheng.
Wildlife Reserves Singapore ties up with key tourist agents in India such as Cox & Kings and Thomas Cook to market its parks.
“Customised Indian-themed buffet dinner at Night Safari, Indian restaurant at Jurong Bird Park and exhibits such as River Safari’s Ganges River zone, which showcases the Indian Gharial and the Goonch catfish are some examples how we refresh our attractions and services regularly. We are working on introducing a multi-language tram commentary in the near future, which will benefit Indian tourists, said Ms Cheng.
Enjoying world-class attractions
Those who come here are not disappointed.
Mr Anuj Saxena and his wife, together with their 7-year-old daughter, came from Mumbai to Singapore for a four-day leisure trip in February.
Shared Mr Saxena: “It is our first time in Singapore and we really wanted to come and see Universal Studios. Our daughter is big enough to enjoy the rides and we loved the atmosphere there.”
The couple, who were shopping for toys and clothes at City Square Mall, said they plan to visit Singapore again at the end of the year as they “enjoyed shopping at the malls because of the variety of shops, especially with fashion”.
The family booked their stay at Park Royal on Kitchener Road as they had heard from their relatives in India that the hotel was conveniently situated in the heart of the Little India district with a wide array of Indian food options.
Indeed, assistant marketing communications manager of Park Royal on Kitchener Road Monica Loh said: “By virtue of our location, we have a very high brand recall value amongst Indian tourists.
“Hence, we are often the first choice for accommodation when they visit Singapore.
“The Indian market forms part of its key arrivals at the hotel. It has a good mixture of leisure travellers – they mainly come with families during Indian holiday seasons and corporate guests on business trips typically travel solo.”
The bulk of its Indian guests come from Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
Those from Tier 2 cities in states like Punjab also stay at Park Royal on Kitchener Road. Mr Umesh Gulati, whose sister and brother-in-law have visited Singapore before, recommended the hotel to him.
“We get Indian food very easily from the restaurants and eateries nearby,” said the 30-year-old, who was here with his wife, two children and parents. He visited Universal Studios, Sentosa and Orchard Road. They also went on a two-day cruise with Star Cruises.
Agencies see an increase in Indian tourists
Tour agency Luxury Tours and Travel, which pull in visitors to Singapore by selling tour packages to them through overseas partner agencies, said it brought in about 62,800 tourists from India last year.
Its director Michael Lee said the agency saw a big jump in the free independent travellers segment – 67 per cent increase from 2015.
“They typically spend about four nights in Singapore and spend about $500 to $800 on the tour package, excluding flight and cruise,” he said.
Another agency, Star Holiday Mart, received 15,000 tourists from India last year – a 10 per cent increase from 2015.
Deputy general manager Cynthia Foh said the agency receives bookings from all over India, but higher traffic comes from Mumbai where most major airlines operate for better connectivity.
Said Mr Srithar: “The growth (of Indian tourist arrivals) is attributed to increased air connectivity through various airlines, boosted travel from key metros and Tier 2 cities; STB’s tactical efforts to market Singapore in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities, with visitor arrivals from targeted Tier 2 cities grew by 7 per cent year-on-year to 183,000 visitors and 29 per cent increase in cruise passenger arrivals to 100,000.”
Cruises a hit
Ms Aditi Gupta and Mr Divay Arora from Delhi had their six-day honeymoon trip to Singapore all planned out. Going on a cruise and staying one night at Marina Bay Sands Hotel was a must on their to-do list in Singapore.
“The hotel is well-known worldwide and we are glad we experienced it. We only booked one night because it’s very costly,” said Ms Gupta.
Mr Arora chipped in and said: “But the room and the view was worth it.”
They continued the rest of their stay at Aqueen Hotel at Lavender.
The couple, who were spotted at Mustafa Cafe, had bought a fly-cruise package from a tour agency in India before coming to Singapore.
Said Ms Gupta: “There are no cruises in India and we read good reviews about the cruises in Singapore so we were eager to go on it.”
Ms Gupta and Mr Arora, both 26, came to Singapore on Feb 17 and went on a two-night SuperStar Gemini cruise before continuing the rest of their holiday in Singapore until Feb 22.
“It was fantastic, the view was amazing and we plan to take the cruise again – maybe next year,” said Ms Gupta.
Vice-president of sales for Genting Hong Kong, Mr Naresh Rawal, said Star Cruises continue to see a year-on-year increase in the number of Indian passengers on board its cruise ship SuperStar Gemini, which is homeported in Singapore all-year round.
“With Singapore’s well-established network and connectivity, many travellers from India are finding it easier to opt for a cruise vacation, especially with the availability of various fly-cruise packages. Many Indian travellers and holiday-makers are fast discovering the joy of cruising,” said Mr Rawal, who added that Star Cruises provide attractive offerings from vegetarian meals to a variety of Bollywood thematic parties that appeal to its Indian guests.
Princess Cruises’ director for South-east Asia Farriek Tawfik said he too, has seen a positive growth from the Indian market.
“Singapore is very well connected to many Indian cities in terms of the number of airlines and flights serving both countries. This adds to the convenience for Indian guests to go on the fly-cruise programme, and some even opt for pre-and post-stay holidays in Singapore since our ship homeports here.”
Both Star Cruises and Princess Cruises have also see, a growing trend in multi-generation families and senior citizens going on cruises.
Mr Karnal JS Chopra, 75, who was due to board a two-night SuperStar Gemini cruise from Singapore with a group of 20 senior citizens from Delhi, said: “It is my first time in Singapore and it will be my first time taking the cruise. My children have been on the cruise here and they say the service and entertainment is top-notch.”
Increased air connectivity
Increased connectivity by domestic and international airlines has also been cited as contributory factors to the growth in tourist arrivals from India.
Said Air India’s country manager for Singapore Sowmya Srinivasan: “Air India and Indian Airlines have been connecting Singapore to India for the last six decades. This long and strong relationship between the two countries in areas of trade, commerce and tourism has gone a long way in promoting airline travel between the Indian subcontinent and Singapore.”
Jet Airways has seen a 50 per cent increase in passengers travelling from India to Singapore for the period April 2016 till January 2017.
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On top of the daily flights between Singapore and Chennai, Jet Airways has also introduced the Singapore to Bengaluru route effective from December last year.
Jet Airways’ general manager for Singapore and Oceania Paul Wu said that a recent joint promotional campaign with Changi Airport Group and STB called “Let’s Go Singapore” have yielded encouraging results.
Singapore’s low cost carrier Tigerair has traditionally enjoyed good take-up rates for its Singapore-India flights. There is high demand for seats on flights to Singapore from Chennai, Tiruchirappalli and Bengaluru. Over the past year, the airline has increased the frequency of its Hyderabad and Tiruchirappalli flights to Singapore with an additional weekly flight.
Good food, expensive shopping
Apart from visiting the attractions, Indian tourists also spend on souvenirs for their friends and family.
Said the director of Singapore Tourist Shop 5 for $10 on Syed Alwi Road Peter Tan: “We see hordes of Indian tourists, especially young couples. They’re either buying back souvenirs for themselves or for their friends and families. Like the Merlion, something that represents Singapore in the form of a keychain, magnet, decorative items and tote bags.”
Restaurants also do good business. One restaurant frequented by Indian tourists is Riverwalk Tandoor at Farrer Park.
Restaurant manager Abhishek Kumar said: “Majority of our patrons are Indian tourists and they come by the busload. Between October and December, when it’s the peak travel period, we usually host about 300 tourists for lunch and dinner on some days.”
Ms Reshma Santhosh, who hails from Kochi, Kerala, was seen with her husband at the restaurant. The couple, who came here for a four-day holiday and stayed at the Swissotel Stamford, said: “The buffet here is excellent and there are many non-veg and veg choices.”
But she finds shopping here expensive. “I’m calculating how much each thing costs and converting it to rupees before I buy, so I find it expensive.”
Ms Pradyna Patil on the other hand does not hold back when it comes to shopping. The Mumbaikar was spotted at Bugis Street with her sister, who has been working here as an administrative executive for five months.
“The clothes here are slightly expensive, but the quality is good and I won’t find such variety back in India, so I’m really buying whatever I can,” she said with a laugh.
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TO EFFECTIVELY reach out to Indian travellers in Tier 2 cities who rely on travel agents for travel bookings, STB has continued to focus on forging strong industry partnerships with travel agents such as Thomas Cook, and partnering Mastercard for joint marketing efforts.
STB’s regional director for south Asia, Middle East and Africa G.B. Srithar said that some of the targeted Tier 2 cities include Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Kochi, Jaipur, Tiruchirapally and Amritsar.
Last year, STB continued to build on the key message “Shared Memories” through partnerships to create branded content to raise awareness, as well as extend its reach into Tier 2 markets.
In March last year, STB partnered with MasterCard to pilot a campaign in India targeting Indian families.
A video featuring popular father-daughter celebrity duo Anil and Sonam Kapoor was made with the call to action for parents to share a promise that they have yet to fulfil to their child and how they can make it come true in Singapore.
As part of the campaign, MasterCard invited its cardholders to submit entries on the MasterCard India and/or Singapore Tourism Board Facebook page by sharing their stories on the promises they made to their families and how they would like to fulfil these promises in Singapore.
One grand prize winner of the campaign received a curated stay experience in Singapore and 10 minor reward winners were awarded with a three night’s getaway in Singapore.
A starry effort
STB’s marketing efforts in India are also focused on media and content partnerships.
It collaborated with Red Chillies Entertainment, Dharma Productions and Hope Productions as part of the launch of Alia Bhatt and Shah Rukh Khan starrer – Dear Zindagi – to shoot several scenes in Singapore.
STB and SilkAir also partnered Dharma Productions for another Bollywood movie Badrinath Ki Dulhania, starring Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.
Mr Srithar said: “These partnerships provide a platform to profile Singapore’s attractive landscape and vibrant tourism offerings to a large number of Bollywood fans, creating top-of-mind recall for potential tourists encouraging them to consider Singapore as a travel destination when booking their travel.
Hot spots for Indian tourists
Universal Studios
“There are so many rides. It’s like a different world when we stepped into the theme park. We really like the Jurassic Park theme and the Mummy ride. The indoor rollercoaster in the dark was very fun.”
– Ms Ravinder Kaur from Uttar Pradesh
Gardens by the Bay
“It’s such a huge garden with so many varieties of flowers. The flower dome was my favourite because it was very colourful.
– Ms Reshma Santhosh from Kochi
Clarke Quay
“Within five days, I’ve been to Clarke Quay twice. I just had to visit it a second time. The nightlife in Singapore is very attractive.”
– Ms Pradyna Patil (in white) from Mumbai
Bugis Street
“It’s a different atmosphere from the shopping malls. And everything here is much cheaper compared to the malls. I bought many souvenirs.”
– Mr Janarthan Sai from Chennai
Little India
“It really feels like a little India here. Everything is catered to Indians and their needs.”
– Mr Pradeep K. (holding bag) from Chennai
Night Safari
“The animals are a familiar sight in India, but the way Night Safari has organised the park into different geographical zones to display the animals in a different light is highly impressive.”
– Mr Vijay Kumar Dass from Hyderabad
Sentosa
“I spent two days in Sentosa. It’s amazing how the island encompasses all the major attractions within close proximity unlike major European cities where there are only limited attractions in a specific area.”
– Mr Moses Dayan from Hyderabad
Mustafa Centre
“We stayed at Hotel Chancellor @ Orchard but travelled to Mustafa Centre and parts of Little India for the best shopping bargains. We intend to come back to Mustafa Centre again for our last-minute shopping needs before heading home.”
– Mr Mahendra Pal Sharma and Mrs Sneh Latha Sharma from Delhi
Peninsula Plaza
“During our three-day tour in Singapore, we managed to get some Burmese items from Peninsula Plaza that were cheaper than other popular tourist hangouts.”
– Mrs Thilaka from Chennai
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This year, World Health Day on Apr 7 throws the spotlight on depression. The campaign – Depression: Let’s Talk – launched in 2016 implies that it is not well spoken about and indeed requires us to talk more about the topic.
Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses known.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it can affect 6.9 per cent of the population. A local study in 2010 showed that about 6 people out of a 100 in Singapore will develop this illness over their lifetimes.
Depression is a disorder society can sympathise with, compared to other mental illnesses. Although patients suffering from most chronic mental illnesses bear the same stigma, society’s understanding of depression is far better than, say, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.
One of the reasons for this is that depression appears to most people as a plausible illness. It is acceptable to be sad and in the deep throes of melancholia unlike a psychotic illness in which the patient manifests behaviour that is inconceivable and even frightening. In charities that treat mental illnesses, it is much easier to raise funds for depression, in which greater sympathy can be obtained, than schizophrenia.
Depression can present itself as a form of extreme sadness, with a risk of self-destruction. (Photo: AP)
Pop culture usually portrays depression far better than schizophrenia. In movies, such as Shutter Island (2010), schizophrenia is sometimes mistaken for psychopathic behaviour that depicts the sufferer as potentially evil and a killer. Depression on the other hand, like in The Hours (2002), is seen as the result of unprovoked guilt and a victim of the circumstance.
Mental health literacy studies have also indicated much better understanding of depression compared to schizophrenia for the same reasons. The precursor of depression, though not always true, is a neurotic person who cannot help the situation that he has fallen into. The precursor of schizophrenia is an oddball who is hard to understand and may have chosen his or her path in falling into the depths of madness.
The key issue, as both illnesses are mental illnesses, lie in the fact that one presents as an extreme sadness, with a risk of self-destruction, while the other an extreme madness who may drag others into their violent catharsis.
MYTHS ABOUT DEPRESSION
Yet even depression has its myths that many may not be aware of.
For one, it is not a disease that one can snap out of just by talking about it. In some situations, the depths of melancholia are hardly different from the depths of madness.
Treatments for depression are among the most well studied, with what doctors term as evidence-based practice. For mild forms of depression, treatments involving talking, like cognitive behavioural therapy, are a good start but when the symptoms become severe and entrenched, more potent interventions are needed. Medications serve to modify serotonin in the brain, the happy chemical that can alter the emotional state of the sufferer.
Medication can help with the balance of serotonin in the brain when it comes to depression. (Photo: AP)
Electro-convulsive therapy (ECT), so well described in the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) offers a devastatingly simple way of lifting the mood quickly: Six courses of passing a small current through the brain with the sufferer under general anaesthesia.
Treatment involving talking are useful adjuncts at this point, because feeling better needs additional skills that maintain the emotional lift that medications and ECT have achieved. The use of other lifestyle changes including diet and exercise and even intense light treatments are not standalone treatments but offer some help in specific situations.
The idea of a cure in mental illness is still seen as a lofty goal largely because the etiology of depression, like most mental illnesses, is not linear. It is a combination of the environment interacting with the person’s internal vulnerabilities, whether these are genetic, a neurotransmitter dysfunction, or both.
A simple cause-and-effect approach will not yield simple answers, unlike infections in which the ability to kill the responsible pathogen will likely cure the illness.
Another common myth is that depression is not a severe mental illness. The risk of suicide is high in depression and in our local study, almost half of those suffering from depression will contemplate suicide and more than 10 per cent actually make an attempt.
Treatment involving talking can be useful to maintain the emotional lift that medications and electro-convulsive therapy have achieved. (Photo: AP)
RESEARCH CAN HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND DEPRESSION
The key to managing depression is to understand the interactional factors between the environment and the individual living in that environment. A new approach to understanding depression and other mental illnesses may be helpful.
The National Institute of Mental Health in America made a bold statement in 2013. Tom Insel as its director introduced the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC), a new research framework for understanding mental illnesses. RDoC will approach every disorder by understanding the underlying pathophysiology to describe the illness along several domains, instead of using the traditional approach in medicine of grouping symptoms by their clusters, as was practised previously.
This can potentially identify what we call biomarkers – an indicator of an illness which is objectively obtained. Most of us understand that temperature is a biomarker of inflammation and blood pressure is a biomarker of hypertension. This requires careful study and understanding with research into the illness.
There is a crying need for more research, particularly since Singapore has a unique ecosystem – its ethnic mix and a high intensity social environment within the radius of a small microcosm a perfect blend for good long-term studies.
But the culture for participating in research is much to be desired. I often hear patients and their families say, please just treat us and don’t use us as guinea pigs. Indeed, there are ethical considerations for research and patients obviously have the right to say no to taking part in such research.
But without adequate research, there can be no new treatments or innovation.
HELP THOSE WITH DEPRESSION GET THE HELP THEY NEED
Finally, there is a difference between the prevalence of depression and those that actually seek treatment. Locally, many studies have indicated that when people have mental illnesses, they may not seek medical help but choose various forms of interventions to help themselves. These could take the form of a religious or traditional healer or someone they trust.
One reason is stigma, a feeling that depression specifically (and mental illnesses in general) is disgraceful and a mark of personal, and even family, weakness. This, coupled with poor understanding of depression and its treatment, will result in a treatment gap.
One way of trying to bridge this gap is to provide different ways of getting help. This may include non-traditional means such as self-help. Online cognitive behavioural treatment has already been shown to have success in this arena. The key is making the delivery of such treatments available and population based.
Providing many ways of seeking assistance may be the solution in aiding those suffering from depression get the help they need. (Photo: AP)
Talking about depression is a good first step for this year’s World Health Day.
Beyond talking about depression, we need action. We need the people who have suffered and recovered to speak up and share their experiences.
We need those who have lost someone special to remember their loss.
We need to advocate for more research and funding to be channelled to looking at the biological and social interactions that cause and maintain depression.
Finally, we must allow for new evidence-based delivery systems to get people with depression to help.
Perhaps by embracing depression and reducing its stigma, we can also reduce the stigma of all the other mental illnesses and make Singapore a truly inclusive society. Those who suffer from depression deserve a chance to see the darkness lift and receive hope for the future.
Associate Professor Daniel Fung is chairman of the Medical Board at the Institute of Mental Health and a senior consultant with the hospital’s department of child and adolescent psychiatry. He is also the programme director for Response, Early Intervention and Assessment in Community Mental Health (REACH).
Shonda Rhimes has given the world Grey’s Anatomy, How to Get Away With Murder, and Scandal. Now the acclaimed producer wants to use her storytelling skills to improve reproductive rights.
In an interview with Elle, Rhimes revealed she has joined the national board of Planned Parenthood. After being active with her local Los Angeles affiliate for years, the television mastermind is expanding her responsibilities to support the organisation.
“When someone you really admire … calls on you to serve, you say yes,” she said in the interview, referring to Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards. “Women’s health is under fire right now and so to me, it feels like it’s important to help fight back.”
Richards told Elle that Rhimes will help the organisation focus on the stories of people who too often don’t get heard.
“The best thing we can do is just channel the enormous creative energy and storytelling ability that Shonda Rhimes already has to do our work even better,” Richards said.
The PP president has long been a fan of Rhimes’ work. In 2015, Richards tweeted praise at the acclaimed writer for an episode of Scandal in which protagonist Olivia Pope got an abortion.
“She wrote a story that was not sensational; it was real, and people related to it,” Richards said.
“There’s almost no one in America who can’t relate to the issue of an unplanned pregnancy or a troubled pregnancy; it’s touched them somehow in their lives.”
Said Rhimes: “When you help make people healthier, it makes the nation healthier, it makes the world healthier, it makes the economy healthier.
“I just want to be of service, and I’ll do that any way I can.”
It’s another great day in Shondaland.
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Will traditional local delights such as Ang Ku Kueh and Teochew pastries disappear one day? There are over 40 items inscribed in the UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage in need of urgent safeguarding? What are governments around the world doing to preserve local traditions in danger?
The sixth episode “Disappearing Traditions” looks into how cultural practices and expressions are vanishing in the face of threats such as industrialisation and popular culture. What have we done to ease the diminishing rate? Are our actions quick enough?
Watch the 2-minute animation to understand why it matters.
About “Why It Matters”:
“Why It Matters”（关我什么事） is one of 10 SPH-produced short form digital video series as part of a pilot Public Service Broadcast initiative. This 8-part animation series focuses on the sights and sounds that are gradually disappearing from this world, including languages, cultures, flora and fauna.
This series is also available on the zaobao.sg website and mobile app.
ONE Championship just announced a blockbuster co-main event
for ONE: DYNASTY OF HEROES at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on 26 May.
Undefeated ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben “Funky” Askren (15-0, 1NC) will
put his title on the line against rising young Malaysian star Agilan
“Alligator” Thani (7-0).
The 21-year-old Thani is fresh off his most impressive
victory last February when he defeated Taiwanese MMA veteran Jeff Huang via
rear-naked choke. Following the win, Thani took the microphone and immediately
called for a shot at Askren, telling fans that he was ready for the big
leagues.
Askren, who is over 10 years Thani’s senior, hasn’t fought
since his five-round unanimous decision victory over Russia’s Nikolay
Aleksakhin in April of 2016. He signed with ONE Championship in 2014, winning
the ONE Welterweight World Championship in his second outing for the promotion with
a first-round technical knockout over Nobutatsu Suzuki.
Thani, on the other hand, made a name for himself as the Malaysian
Invasion MMA (MIMMA) welterweight champion, enjoying a successful amateur MMA
career before turning professional in December of 2013. All seven of the young
prospect’s wins since then have come impressively by finish, including four by
submission and three by knockout, with five taking place in the first round.
“We are excited to announce that ONE Welterweight World
Champion Ben Askren is back and he’s ready to welcome the young Agilan Thani to
the upper echelon of the division,” said Victor Cui, CEO of ONE Championship.
“It is going to be an awesome showdown of youth versus experience, on a night
fans will not want to miss.”
Thani made his intentions for a title shot known further
when he took to social media to personally call Askren out, goading the
defending champion into an exchange of verbal barbs on Facebook and Twitter.
After seven solid wins to start his pro career, Thani believes he is in the
best position to challenge for the title. The two have been going at it for the
past several weeks.
Askren of course, never one to back down from a challenge,
told fans he would gladly accept the fight. Now, with contracts signed, sealed,
and delivered, Askren is scheduled to face Thani in a showdown that is expected
to draw a massive Malaysian following.
Known as one of the best fighters in the entire world
pound-for-pound, Askren will once again put his world-class wrestling on
display. The former NCAA Division I All-American is a collegiate wrestling
legend who successfully transitioned to mixed martial arts in 2009. Throughout
his MMA career, Askren has amassed 15 solid victories with none of his
opponents offering much of a challenge.
Always dominant and ready to put on a show, Askren makes his
much-anticipated return to competition against Thani, whose base is also
heavily reliant on wrestling. Thani, in turn, will face the toughest test of
his young career.
ONE: DYNASTY OF HEROES is set to also feature the return of
ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee (7-0), as she
makes her way back to Singapore to take on top contender Istela Nunes (6-0) of
Brazil in the night’s main event.
Additional bouts at ONE: DYNASTY OF HEROES have yet to be
announced.
ONE Lightweight World Champion Eduard “Landslide” Folayang is in the midst of the most exciting moment in his career.
The 33 year-old has won three-straight fights, including his most recent and significant one — a TKO over the legendary Shinya Aoki last November — and will defend his title for the first time on 21 April at ONE: KINGS OF DESTINY.
Still, the Baguio City native has others on his mind in the days leading up to his next contest. Folayang doesn’t just want to win for himself and his family, but also to continue representing his city, nation, and world of supporters.“It’s something that’s constantly on my mind whenever I step inside the cage,” Folayang shares. “I don’t just fight for myself. I fight for everyone who believes in me.”Folayang knows well the positive impact that role models can have on young people.
“When I was younger, my friends and I would play a lot of contact games. I would pretend I was ‘Onyok’ [former boxing champion Mansueto Velasco], and that’s really what drew me to combat sports,” he continued, before citing track and field star Elma Muros and basketball great Michael Jordan as other inspirations.“Elma [Muros] and ‘Onyok’ taught me to be proud of my country, and gave me the drive to represent the Philippines. It’s what pushed me to strive for success in wushu,” says Folayang. “They inspired me to one day be like them, representing the Philippines on the international arena. Michael Jordan taught me leadership and the importance of execution.”
Folayang learned lessons from each of his sporting heroes that he carries with him to this day. He hopes to give similar inspiration, and show a roadmap to the next generation watching him now.
“Growing up, it’s important to have your role models, to have those figures you look up to,” he reasoned. “Without Michael Jordan, I wouldn’t know the true meaning of hard work and dedication to my craft. Without Elma Muros, I wouldn’t understand the gift of God-given talent. Without ‘Onyok’ Velasco, I wouldn’t have ever dreamed of representing my country on the international scene. My sports heroes played a big role in my life.”
Though the champion is now grown and himself a hero to others, his predecessors still motivate him and light the way.
“Even as ONE Lightweight World Champion, the highest honor bestowed upon me in the world of mixed martial arts, my heroes continue to inspire me,” he ended. “I have a long way to go to achieve all that I want to do in life, and their influence and reach still very much impacts my life and the way I perform.”
Natalie Gonzales Hills (1-4) has found more from martial arts than you could ever recognise from her professional MMA record. Like everybody else that takes up combat sports, there’s usually a reason for starting, and then a sense of belonging that keeps them there.
She takes to the cage at ONE: KINGS OF DESTINY on 21 April as a better, more fulfilled person, regardless of what the result might be. When she goes out in front of the thousands at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, having her arm raised would be a bonus, but it’s the journey that has really made the difference.
Initially starting in karate as a child, Hills was a good student both inside and outside the dojo. As often happens, when the teenage years roll in, so does temptation and the opportunity to go off the rails. Even though she was still achieving academically, with nothing else to occupy her outside of that, it was easy to turn to delinquent activities.
Drinking and a crowd of negative influences meant she wasn’t being productive in her free time. Her innate intelligence got her through to university, but life wouldn’t get easier.
“During my first year, I still got into a lot of trouble. I was studying, I had two jobs, but I did like to party. I was burning the candle at both ends. I was in an abusive relationship, too,” shared Hills.
There’s nothing like reality to bring someone crashing down to Earth. As you find yourself slipping, you realise you can’t hold on to the same habits if you want to pull yourself out of a hole.
The catalyst for the Philippines-born, England-raised atomweight to get back into the gym was an unforgettable one. Hills she was assaulted while doing charity work on the streets by a 30-strong mob in a racially-instigated attack.
This made self defence a priority, and from the moment she walked through the door of the boxing gym, her life began to change for the better.
“I could feel myself getting fitter, stronger, and more confident,” Hills revealed. “When I first started training, for one week I did not have the best technique, and a couple weeks later I am throwing combinations and doing better at sparring. That made me feel like I was on to something.”
The sense of accomplishment enthused the once apathetic Hills, and pushed her back on to the path of martial arts as a vehicle for self-improvement. Now, refocused, she was more interested in seeing the development of her skills, and how much better it made her feel mentally and physically.
With study and work dominating her life, and a relationship that was damaging, vice seemed like the catharsis she needed. When she started boxing, eventually taking up Muay Thai and MMA, she found what actually gave her the right release, as well as a sense of satisfaction.
“The more I trained, the less I partied,” Hills added. “I kicked bad people and habits out of my life. It was a process.”
So, now happier and healthier, the Filipino fighter takes all she needs from her martial arts journey. Stepping into the cage to compete in front of thousands of cheering fans is just something that truly vindicates the positive decisions she has made for herself.
Seoul – Embattled Samsung Electronics said Friday it expects profits to jump by half in the first quarter, despite a smartphone recall fiasco and the arrest of its de facto head.
The forecast will come as welcome news to the South Korean giant after a torrid period in which it had to ditch its flagship Galaxy Note 7 after several battery fires.
The debacle cost the company billions of dollars in lost profit and hammered its global reputation and credibility.
Its vice-chairman Lee Jae-Yong, heir to the parent Samsung group, has since been arrested and indicted for bribery, along with four other senior executives, in connection with a graft scandal that saw ex-president Park Geun-Hye impeached.
On Friday, the world’s largest memory chip and smartphone maker said it expected its operating profit in the January-March period at 9.9 trillion won (S$12 billion), up 48.2 per cent from a year earlier, thanks to strong sales of memory chips and display panels.
Read also: Samsung Electronics’ mobile chief says Galaxy S8 sales to beat S7’s
It would mark the second-highest quarterly operating profit ever posted by Samsung.
Its largest-ever quarterly operating profit was 10.1 trillion won, recorded in the third quarter of 2013.
The jump in operating profits came despite Samsung sales only increasing by 0.44 per cent to 50 trillion won on-year.
Shares in the company were down over one per cent in morning trade on profit-taking.
Margins
Analysts put the solid results down to fat margins in chips and OLED display panels.
“This is better than expected”, Greg Roh, an analyst with HMC Investment Securities told AFP.
Semiconductor chips were estimated to have brought in some six trillion won profits amid strong chip prices, he said.
“In the second quarter, Samsung’s operating profit is expected to hit an all-time-high 12 trillion won”, he said.
For the whole of 2017, operating profits will be a record 47 trillion won, he added.
Read also: Samsung to expand in US, shift some manufacturing
Samsung holds back details about each business division’s performance until it posts the finalised earnings report later this month.
But analysts said the company was recovering fast from the recall fiasco, which caused operating profits in the IT and mobile segment to plunge.
IBK Securities Co. Lee Seung-Woo said Samsung’s earnings will further improve down the road as its revamped Galaxy S8 smartphone hits the market this month.
“The second quarter sales are likely to grow 13 per cent on-year to around 57.6 trillion won as operating profits are expected to be 12.1 trillion won, up 49 per cent”, Lee said.
Read also: Samsung faces ‘biggest test’ with Galaxy S8 launch
At its unveiling in New York last month, the large-screened Galaxy S8, which incorporates a native virtual assistant, won widespread praise.
Analysts also said Samsung was likely to continue benefitting from the strong global demand for memory chips, especially NAND flash chips used for long-term data storage, throughout this year.
Sales of OLED display panels for mobile devices will also remain strong, keeping Samsung’s bottom line solid, they said.
