Food portal HungryGoWhere now offers delivery and takeaway services in partnership with FoodPanda.

The delivery service went live last December in beta mode and is now officially launched.

HungryGoWhere – which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year – is best known as a restaurant review site but wants to evolve in response to shifting consumer demands, chief executive Frank Young told The Straits Times.

“HungryGoWhere is not just about discovering great food, it’s also about helping people satisfy their cravings,” said Mr Young, who took on his role last June.

Users can now use the platform to make reservations or place orders for food delivery from about 2,000 restaurants, hawker stalls and other food and beverage outlets.

They can also place takeaway orders before heading down to pick up their food without needing to wait.

The platform has Singapore’s largest database of food and beverage options, Mr Young said, though he declined to divulge revenue numbers.

It is teaming up with food delivery service FoodPanda “because they have the whole logistics infrastructure in place and re-creating that would have been a monumental task”, he added.

HungryGoWhere is owned by Singtel Digital Media and its site receives one million unique visitors per month on average.

Its expanded suite of services will also benefit food and beverage merchants squeezed by high rents and labour costs, said Mr Young.

“They are trying to find new ways to generate revenue with the same space and with fewer people.”

The company, which also has a presence in Malaysia, has no plans to move into new markets but is open to exploring opportunities, he added.

chiaym@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Mar 22, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Tan Tock Seng Hospital’s (TTSH) new 500-bed rehabilitation complex, right next to the main hospital in Novena, opens in five years and will add to the growing number of healthcare facilities that cater to the needs of an ageing population.

The new Integrated Care Hub will be part of HealthCity Novena – a mega health complex scheduled for completion by 2030 that will include a hospital, medical school and step-down facilities, as well as the National Centre for Infectious Diseases.

TTSH’s hub will take in patients who have complex rehabilitation needs, such as those who have suffered spinal cord injuries or lost their limbs, and also care for those who no longer need the acute services of a general hospital but still require a degree of medical care.

In doing so, it will provide what Senior Minister of State for Health Amy Khor described as “the crucial link between the acute hospital and community care”.

Speaking at the hub’s ground- breaking ceremony yesterday, she noted that TTSH will also move its current rehabilitation services – including those in Ang Mo Kio – into the new centre when it is ready.

A fifth of the beds at the hub will be used by the Dover Park Hospice, located nearby in Jalan Tan Tock Seng, to care for the terminally ill. The rest of the beds – managed by TTSH – will be for those who need rehabilitation and sub-acute care.

“The Integrated Care Hub is part of our efforts to move beyond hospital-centric healthcare to care in the community,” Dr Khor said.

“The elderly are more likely to face complex health issues and are at risk of being readmitted into hospitals if they do not receive proper care within the community and at home.”

Dover Park Hospice, which will double its bed capacity after moving into the hub, hopes to benefit from the convenience of being nearer to the services it needs.

Its chairman, Professor Lionel Lee, said: “As it stands, there is still a transportation issue when you send patients for X-rays or physiotherapy, for example. We used to have to bring the therapists over, but now it will be quite easy.”

Singapore Hospice Council chairman Angel Lee said this integration will help improve the quality of hospice care, which used to be something of an “orphan discipline”.

She said: “What has spurred developments in recent years is the increasing recognition that it is an essential part of the whole healthcare landscape… With better support from the public and healthcare leaders, we have seen improvements in care, availability and accessibility.”

Yesterday also marked the topping-out ceremony for the new National Centre for Infectious Diseases and the Ng Teng Fong Centre for Healthcare Innovation.

Both centres are expected to open in phases starting from next year.

Dr Khor said: “Given the extent of global travel today, we must always be on our guard against imported cases of infectious diseases of public health concern.”

She added that the new infectious diseases centre – which will replace the century-old Communicable Disease Centre (CDC) in Moulmein Road and CDC 2 next to TTSH – will be able to handle large outbreaks and highly infectious diseases safely.

When there are no outbreaks, the centre will also take in patients from TTSH when appropriate.

Dr Khor said: “The new facility will integrate multiple functions – from public health surveillance to clinical disease management, to national research and training of healthcare professionals in the field of infectious diseases.”

linettel@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 22, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

One year ago, SMRT trainees Nasrulhudin Najumudin and Muhammad Asyraf Ahmad Buhari died in Singapore’s worst rail accident when a train hit them shortly after they stepped onto the rail tracks. Seow Bei Yi speaks to their families and friends on how they are coping.

He saw his best friend crushed by an oncoming train, in a fatal accident that happened just months after they joined SMRT as trainees.

But the thought of quitting the company or taking on roles un- related to track work has never been an option for Mr Muhammad Hatin Kamil, 25, though SMRT had asked if he would like to change departments.

Instead, he completed his training and is now working as a technical officer in the signal department, where he sometimes does track- related work.

Mr Hatin said he worked hard on overcoming his fears – by facing them. “It takes time to recover, quite a long time,” he said. “I knew if I were to change jobs, things would remain the same; the scar would still be there.

“People say tough times don’t last, tough men do – that is what a friend taught me.”

On March 22 last year, Mr Hatin was part of a 15-strong team sent to investigate a possible fault near Pasir Ris MRT station at around 11am. As they were getting onto the track, a train hurtled towards them at 60kmh – unbeknown to the group.

Read next: Family of MRT accident victim doesn’t blame anyone

It narrowly missed Mr Hatin but killed two other trainees: Mr Nasrulhudin Najumudin, 26, and Mr Muhammad Asyraf Ahmad Buhari, 24.

When he turned to check on Mr Nasrulhudin, who was his “best buddy”, he saw the pair hit by the train. One was crushed and the other flew some 5m away.

It was not easy, though, said Mr Hatin, recounting how he found himself unable to travel by train in the weeks after the accident.

“I had flashbacks each time I took one. I would think, ‘So this is the speed that it hit my friends’,” he said, adding that he stopped work for four months, and saw a psychiatrist.

He also used to recall his conversation with Mr Nasrulhudin on the morning of the incident.

“While I was in a train with Nasrul at the Tampines MRT station, he pointed to show me where his home was,” said Mr Hatin. “The next day, I was there – to see his body.”

It took him about six months after the accident to return to work on tracks, although some colleagues advised him otherwise.

But even now, whenever he is on the tracks, his gaze would flit around involuntarily, looking around to see if there was any train heading his way, said Mr Hatin.

“The anxiety is there. I am scared it might happen again,” he said, adding that safety and communication are paramount to him.

Still, looking back at what happened, he said he believes everything happens for a reason.

“Sometimes, people make mistakes. Leave it and let go – you have to move on,” he added.

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Photo Gallery

2 SMRT staff die in incident on MRT tracks

Source: Stomp, The Straits Times, Berita Harian

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Read also: 
Sacking of two employees: SMRT panel to review appeal
SMRT trains, 2 employees charged over fatal accident
Fatal MRT track accident: Family does not blame anyone

This article was first published on March 22, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Online marketplaces are becoming an increasingly popular option for Singapore retailers looking to ramp up their e-commerce presence.

These sites, which include Amazon, Lazada, Qoo10 and Tmall, provide a low-cost way to reach new customers and expand globally, companies say.

9 Degrees Freedom, which makes tennis performance sensor Qlipp, lists its products on Amazon and online electronics retailer Newegg in order to reach customers in the United States.

“We knew from the start that the majority of our market is not in Singapore,” said chief executive Donny Soh, who developed the technology for Qlipp while he was a scientist at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*Star). He left in 2013 and now markets Qlipp with his business partner Cen Lee through 9 Degrees Freedom. “We were focused on getting exposure and marketing overseas from the start,” added Dr Soh.

Qlipp is a small gadget that can be attached to the strings of a tennis racket. It records data such as stroke type, swing speed and ball spin to give players a better idea of their game.

Read also: You can now buy clothes from our pictures in AsiaOne

The company is focusing on the US, Canada and European markets. More than 80 per cent of its sales come from outside Singapore, Dr Soh said, noting that the firm takes a different sales approach in each market.

While consumers in the US are comfortable comparing prices and products in online marketplaces, in Canada and Europe, Qlipp is sold in bricks-and-mortar stores by retailers and distributors. 

“It is challenging for a young brand like us to market directly to consumers,” said Dr Soh.

“We still don’t have much brand equity and trust, so we have to depend on larger distributors to help us build a brand.”

Read also: 5 ways to save money on grocery shopping

The company reported $300,000 in revenue last year – double that in 2015 – and hopes to double that again this year on the back of distribution opportunities in Europe.

Motherswork – a one-stop shop for mothers and children – is another local company looking to make use of online marketplaces to grow.

Chief executive Sharon Wong, who started the business almost 20 years ago when she first became a mother, said the company did not rush into e-commerce “because people tend to expect a discount for products they buy online”.

“We registered our own website but more for PR and marketing; it wasn’t our core business. We continued to grow our stores and opened in China in 2012,” she added.

Motherswork has four stores in Singapore and eight in China.

Read also: No shopping and Anime on this side of Japan

The retail slowdown last year prompted Ms Wong to scale back on new stores. She used the downtime “to look at areas we’re not as strong in”, including e-commerce.

The company re-launched its website and online store, and also listed products on marketplaces including Lazada, RedMart and China’s Tmall Global, which helps foreign brands enter the country’s e-commerce market.

Ms Wong said it is too early to reveal sales figures, but initial signs have been encouraging.

“There are orders coming in every day…We have a live chat to help customers clear doubts, and we sell big items like strollers and cots online as well.”

She hopes online sales will contribute 40 per cent of the firm’s revenue in two years, although bricks-and- mortar stores will still have an important role to play.

“It’s the nature of our business – after doing all their research, people still want to touch and feel baby products before buying.

Read also: Singaporeans shop in JB to furnish homes

“We hope to evolve the offline business in a way that blurs the lines between online and offline – like Amazon Go,” she added, referring to Amazon’s new convenience store concept that uses sensors and other technology so shoppers can check out without using a cashier.

Retailers need to see their online presence as more than just a way to sell products, said Mr Lee Yee Fung, group director of the lifestyle business group at International Enterprise (IE) Singapore.

“(It is also) a channel for brand discovery, consumer interaction, analytics and feedback. With this, retailers can then access more detailed analytics of consumer behaviour,” he noted.

“This knowledge can then enable retailers to create the right experience for the consumers by balancing physical and online strategies, to differentiate them from other retailers in this competitive space.”

This article was first published on Mar 22, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

A long-simmering conflict between preserving an age-old tradition during the Qing Ming Festival and showing consideration for the environment has come to a head.

The Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery in Bright Hill Road, the largest Mahayana Buddhist temple in Singapore, will impose a ban on the burning of bulky paper boxes as offerings to the dead during this year’s festival, which falls on April 4.

Known as “treasure chests”, such boxes contain items such as paper clothes and watches, common paper offerings representing items that had given devotees’ relatives pleasure and comfort in life.

Read also: Stop throwing coins into turtle ponds

Buddhists and Taoists customarily burn incense paper items to show filial piety to their ancestors during Qing Ming. Chinese of other faiths may also mark the occasion. The 2010 census recorded more than a million Buddhists in Singapore and over 330,000 Taoists.

A Kong Meng San spokesman said such boxes, which typically measure about 55cm in length and 40cm in height, will be banned as the cardboard used to make the boxes “leads to higher amounts of ash and smoke emitted during burning”. While the burning of other paper offerings in the monastery’s burners is still allowed, the temple will not rule out the possibility of extending the ban to other items.

Read also: 6,000 celebrate chap goh mei at temple

Ash created from the burning of incense paper by devotees has long been a bone of contention with the temple’s neighbours. In 2012, residents of two private estates formed a committee to get the temple to contain the ash from its burners that lands on their properties. The temple redoubled cleaning efforts and installed burners that were more environmentally friendly in 2014. But out of concern for the environment, it decided to introduce the ban this year . It started sending out word on the ban on social and mass media platforms about a year ago. The temple expects daily weekend crowds of 40,000 to 60,000 during the Qing Ming period, which lasts for about a month from mid-March.

Read also: Khlong San neighbourhood that’s full of historical treasure

Two other temples in Sengkang, the Puat Jit Buddhist Temple and Nanyang Thong Hong Siang Tng Temple, also said they would discourage visitors from burning bulky paper offerings from this year.

At the Kwong Wai Siew Peck San Theng columbarium in Bishan, pre-recorded messages will be played over loud hailers to urge visitors to avoid burning bulky items.

Peck San Theng’s general manager, Mr Liu Khee Sang, 62, said items such as paper cars or bungalows can be 2m or 3m wide and are burnt in 10m-tall urns. As a safety measure, only its staff are allowed to burn the offerings and joss sticks, and they will stop accepting big items from next year.

Read also: Temple steeped in mercantile history

Worshippers like housewife Tay Cheng Toh, 62, welcomed the move to be more environmentally friendly. “We don’t want to be a nuisance to other residents,” she said.

But others said the move dilutes a valued tradition. “Imposing a ban is like asking people not to give out red packets during Chinese New Year,” said copywriter Cindy Tan, 60, who will burn offerings at the San Qing Gong temple in Bedok.

This article was first published on Mar 22, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Sketching and photography trails were some of the unique local experiences that home-rental platform Airbnb put on offer on Monday last week.

Users may book these experiences, which cost between $80 and $185, through its website or app.

But both the guides and users risk running afoul of the law if money is exchanged, according to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) Act.

Ms Ong Ling Lee, director of travel agents and tourist guides at the STB, told The Straits Times only licensed tourist guides are allowed to provide paid guiding services to tourists. Guiding services include providing any direction, information, description or explanation to tourists in connection with a place or point of interest in Singapore. First-time offenders can be fined up to $5,000 for flouting the rules.

The Straits Times understands that the hosts are Singapore residents who wish to share their interests and expertise with travellers or other local residents.

There are some exemptions to the rule, said Ms Ong. For example, individuals who are engaged or employed by owners of premises to provide guiding services do not need licences. Operators of such premises, which include museums and other attractions, can also provide guiding services without a licence.

This suggests that businesses like Thow Kwang Pottery Jungle, which offers a tour of its pottery kiln on Airbnb, may be within the STB’s rules, as the host’s family owns the business and premises.

381887

2017-03-14 16:36:06

Photo Gallery

Airbnb boss makes soon kueh in Berseh Food Centre

Source:

Airbnb

One Kueh At A Time

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Airbnb’s Singapore website currently lists 10 activities branded as “Experiences”.

Responding to queries from The Straits Times on whether Airbnb had worked with the local authorities before the launch, a spokesman said: “We are committed to working together with the Singapore Government and our local community to provide safe and positive Experiences to both locals and travellers.”

The chairman (inbound) of the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore, Mr Samson Tan, said the potential of the initiative is difficult to project and may be limited by the fading of traditional trades.

Read also: Airbnb boss shows he has mad skills in making soon kueh

Said Mr Tan: “Tourists want far better experiences like trying out our world-class attractions.”

284065

2016-03-28 15:36:30

Photo Gallery

9 insta-worthy airbnb stays in South Korea for under $33 per person

Source: Vulcan Post, Airbnb

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Last month, a new law that makes short-term rentals such as those on Airbnb illegal without permission from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) was passed in Parliament. But National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said the URA is studying the option of creating a new category of private homes that will be allowed to provide short-term rentals.

This article was first published on Mar 22, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

One year ago, SMRT trainees Nasrulhudin Najumudin and Muhammad Asyraf Ahmad Buhari died in Singapore’s worst rail accident when a train hit them shortly after they stepped onto the rail tracks. Seow Bei Yi speaks to their families and friends on how they are coping.

Mum still gets emotional thinking about her son, and prays for him every day

Madam Norizan Ismail still remembers the exact question from her husband that sparked her fears that their son Nasrulhudin Najumudin may have been involved in a train accident near the Pasir Ris MRT station.

“Did Nasrul contact you?” her husband Najumudin Mohd Sahabudin, a technical officer who works in SMRT, asked on the phone.

He was then managing the crowd after train services were suspended following the accident on March 22 last year, and rang home after hearing that the victims were from their son’s department.

When Madam Norizan, 55, later received confirmation that her 26-year-old son was one of the two fatalities, she broke down: “I was speechless. I felt my entire body shaking… I just cried.”

To this day, she gets emotional thinking about her son, who died along with Mr Muhammad Asyraf Ahmad Buhari, 24, in the accident.

Not long after she got home that day, SMRT’s chief executive and her son’s manager arrived to explain what had happened, she said.

“They supported us,” she added simply of the company.

She said SMRT provided her family and Mr Asyraf’s family with cars for them to visit the graves in the weeks following the accident. The pair were buried side by side.

Both families held prayers last week to mark the anniversary of the two victims’ deaths.

Read also: Fatal MRT accident: Survivor worked to overcome fear of tracks

Madam Norizan said the most emotional period for her close-knit family in the past year was having to spend their first Hari Raya without Mr Nasrulhudin.

“Before that incident, once or twice a year, we would have a family holiday,” she said, reminiscing about their last trip to Malaysia, in January last year. “We always made an effort to spend time together.”

Despite the pain, Madam Norizan, who revealed that she prays for her third son every day, appeared forgiving towards the SMRT.

The rail operator was fined $400,000 last month for failing to take the necessary measures to ensure the safety and health of employees who had to access the train tracks during traffic hours.

“When we read about it (the fine), we felt bad,” said the customer service supervisor.

“As far as our family is concerned, nobody wanted this to happen. We are not blaming anyone.

“Even the supervisor… He has suffered enough because of this incident. It must have been traumatic for him.”

What has happened since the accident

Pasir Ris MRT track accident: One year on

SMRT

The rail operator has implemented additional safeguards for staff working on running tracks during traffic hours, such as switching on a red flashing light with an appropriate sign displayed. It has also introduced more stringent checks for track access during traffic hours.

Each request is reported to management alongside information such as the location, time and duration of access, as well as protection arrangements – for better monitoring and detecting of deviations in practice.

SMRT has also improved the audit process for track access.

Previously, checks were not conducted as track access is an ad-hoc activity, meaning audits can be done only on short notice. Inspectors have since been attached to signal maintenance, to check on compliance for access during traffic hours.

Other measures include a new department – the Track Access Management Office – to plan, coordinate and control track access in non-traffic hours.

On Feb 28, SMRT pleaded guilty to one charge under the Workplace Safety and Health Act for failing to take measures necessary to ensure the safety and health of its employees in accessing train tracks, and was fined a record $400,000.

MINISTRY OF MANPOWER

The ministry, which did an investigation into the case as well, revealed on Feb 28 that not only did SMRT fail to comply with approved operating procedures on the day of the accident, but non-compliance had been taking place as early as 2002.

It said these deviations were not documented nor properly authorised, which resulted in an “unsafe workplace that eventually led to the death of two of its employees”.

SMRT has accepted full responsibility and said it has reviewed safety protocols and procedures.

COURT ACTION

A coroner’s inquiry is expected to be held this year. Two SMRT employees – Mr Teo Wee Kiat, 40, director of control operations, and Mr Lim Say Heng, 47, assistant engineer in charge of the March 22 on-track team – have been charged in relation to the accident.

LAND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY

The LTA said it has completed its investigations into the incident but cannot comment further as there are still cases before the court.

A spokesman said it will release its findings at “an appropriate juncture”.

byseow@sph.com.sg

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Photo Gallery

2 SMRT staff die in incident on MRT tracks

Source: Stomp, The Straits Times, Berita Harian

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Read also: 
Sacking of two employees: SMRT panel to review appeal
SMRT trains, 2 employees charged over fatal accident
Fatal MRT track accident: Survivor worked to overcome fear of tracks

This article was first published on March 22, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

The number of postal articles cleared annually in Singapore spiked by over 40 per cent from 2014 to last year, making it tougher for the authorities to detect contraband items like drugs and cigarettes.

But the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said its officers, who check all items such as parcels and packages from overseas before they reach their intended local recipients, are well trained to handle the increased workload.

The ICA said it cleared more than 5.16 million postal articles at its Parcel Post Section inside the mail processing centre at the Singapore Post (SingPost) headquarters in Paya Lebar.

In 2015, it cleared 4.83 million articles, while in 2014, its officers cleared 3.65 million parcels.

In the first six months of last year, the ICA detected more than 7,000 cases of contraband in postal articles. In 2015, 18,419 cases were detected, which means that one in every 262 parcels contained contraband items.

The detection rate was lower than in 2014 when officers uncovered 14,289 cases, which means one in every 255 parcels contained contraband items.

During a visit by several media outlets to the SingPost mail processing centre yesterday, Superintendent Lua Yik Choon from the ICA said his officers are trained to look out for packages bearing telltale signs that they might contain illegal items.

But Supt Lua, 50, who is the Senior Assistant Commander (Ground Operations) of ICA’s Air Cargo Command, declined to reveal what these indicators were.

He said: “Smugglers always try to find new ways to hide them and through training, we are able to stay one step ahead of them.

“We also make use of technology like X-ray machines to detect contraband items.”

The Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) revealed last month that it also works with ICA and SingPost to share information and conduct joint training to tackle the problem of online drug peddling.

Stressing that the number of people arrested for buying drugs and drug-related paraphernalia online has increased significantly from 30 in 2015 to 201 last year, the CNB added: “This trend could also be attributed to the ease and comfort of people purchasing things online.”

A team of ICA officers inspect packages in the 156,000 sq ft SingPost mail processing centre between 8am and 4.30pm every day. The centre is bigger than the size of two football fields.

With the use of equipment like X-ray machines, they take turns to scrutinise the packages for contraband items.

Read also: Former tour guide Yang Yin’s PR status was revoked last November: ICA

Due to the tiring nature of their work, they can inspect the packages for only up to 30 minutes at any one time before another officer takes over.

Whenever an officer suspects that a package contains illegal items, he would open it in the presence of a SingPost officer to doublecheck.

During the visit yesterday, The Straits Times saw officers opening one parcel after an X-ray machine showed that it contained some pills, which turned out to be vitamin tablets, not illegal drugs.

ICA’s Checkpoint Inspector 1 (CI1)Tan Chu Tat said that he encounters about one case a year involving narcotics.

CI1 Tan, 38, who is an Assistant Team Leader of the Parcel Post Section, from the Air Cargo Command, added: “In 2014, we detected some ketamine and Ecstasy pills hidden inside a case that looked like a hollowed-out book.

“We immediately referred the case to the CNB.”

This article was first published on Mar 22, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.