The tourism sector put up a sterling performance last year.

Singapore not only welcomed a record number of visitors.

More significantly, those who came spent more.

Tourism receipts grew by almost 14 per cent year-on-year to $24.8 billion, far outstripping the 7.7 per cent jump in the number of visitors, which hit 16.4 million.

Preliminary data collated by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) put Indonesia, which accounted for 17.7 per cent of total arrivals, and China, at 17.5 per cent, neck-and-neck in the race for the top market spot.

Malaysia and India took third and fourth positions, respectively.

The good showing did bode well for the economy, specifically the tourism-related sectors, including retail, entertainment and food and beverage.

Hotels and other accommodation providers also benefited.

For the aviation sector, the knock-on effect was more patchy.

The positive impact was obvious for Changi Airport. More visitors – the bulk of whom would have come by air – meant more business for the airport, which also handled a record number of passengers last year.

There is a strong correlation between STB’s visitor arrival numbers and Changi’s passenger movements, particularly for key markets such as China, Indonesia and India.

Among Changi’s top 10 markets last year, China saw the fastest growth at 15 per cent.

The airport has been actively growing the Chinese market by establishing new city links in China and welcoming new Chinese airlines to the airport – an added boost to the tourism sector here, said airport spokesman Ivan Tan.

Spending at airport shops and restaurants also increased, with total sales hitting a record high of $2.3 billion last year, 5 per cent higher than in 2015.

Travellers from China were the biggest spenders, accounting for about 30 per cent of the airport’s retail market.

Other top spenders were from Indonesia, India and Australia.

For Changi, which collects rent from tenants as well as a percentage of sales, increasing revenue from commercial activities is key to keeping the airport competitive.

This is because part of the takings are used to subsidise aircraft parking and landing, as well as other aeronautical charges.

With Jewel Changi Airport due to open in early 2019, commercial takings should get another shot in the arm.

The multi-storey complex being built in front of Terminal 1 will offer mainly retail and dining options.

While Changi benefits from the increase in overall visitor arrivals, it is also important for the airport to grow its transit traffic to boost Singapore’s status as an air hub.

Currently, stopover traffic makes up about a third of the airport’s total passenger traffic.

As the airport continues to strengthen its connectivity to secondary cities in China, Indonesia and India, air travel to and from these key markets should remain healthy this year.

BENEFICIARIES

With much of the growth in visitor numbers coming from Asian markets, and especially second- and third-tier cities in China and India, budget airlines and full-service carriers that operate mainly regional flights are the key beneficiaries of the upswing.

For others, such as Singapore Airlines, the key is to grow its home base and work closely with its low-cost subsidiaries, such as Tigerair and Scoot, and regional arm SilkAir, to not only bring more people to Singapore, but also from here to other destinations within the group’s network.

Budget carriers, such as Tigerair, Scoot, Jetstar and AirAsia, play a key role in boosting Singapore’s visitor numbers, with a growing number of flights to regional destinations.

AirAsia’s Singapore chief executive Logan Velaitham said: “Flights on our key trunk routes, like Kuala Lumpur-Singapore, are consistently operating at loads of 95 per cent, while services to second-tier cities in the region are achieving average loads of about 77 per cent.”

While fuel and other operating costs such as salaries also factor into the bottom line, volumes are critical for budget carriers that earn not just from the fares they charge, but also add-ons, such as food and priority seating fees.

For airlines and ground handlers that do passenger and baggage check-in, and firms that repair and maintain planes, a rise in passenger numbers and flights is welcome, but competition will keep a lid on profits.

As the demand for intra-Asian air travel continues to grow – and with ongoing efforts to remove travel restrictions, for example, the push for a single visa for all ASEAN countries – tourism numbers will rise.

STB and Changi Airport will no doubt work closely with key players, in both the tourism and aviation sectors, to capture a big chunk of the traffic.

karam@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on February 16, 2017.
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The lessons learnt from the Japanese Occupation must never be forgotten, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong yesterday, as the country marked the 75th anniversary of its fall.

“Every year, we observe Total Defence Day on this day, so that we will never forget that darkest time of our history,” he wrote on Facebook.

“We now have the SAF and Home Team, but Singapore will always be small and vulnerable. No one owes us our sovereignty or security. These are truths we must never forget.”

A new exhibition was launched yesterday at the Old Ford Factory in Bukit Timah, the site where the British formally surrendered Singapore 75 years ago.

It highlights not just the 3½ years of misery caused by the Occupation, but also the bravery of those who fought it.

This courage, and humanity showed by ordinary people hold important lessons even today, said Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim, as he urged citizens to work together to keep the country strong.

He explained how the way of life here is being challenged by a host of threats – from increasingly dissonant voices to terrorism.

“We have gone from battling for land, to battling for heart, mind and will,” he said in an emotional speech as he opened the exhibition – one of a series of events attended by thousands across the island to mark the anniversary.

“These threats are very present and may already be here.

“They may be a cyber attack or a terror threat, or perhaps the spreading of misinformation or disinformation. How can we ensure that we are resilient enough – and committed enough – to respond to these threats, and to recover quickly when crises strike?”

One way is to draw inspiration from the stories captured in the new Syonan Gallery: War and Its Legacies exhibition – of Singaporeans banding together during occupation, despite the harsh conditions, to help each other survive.

Tearing up, he recounted oral history interviews which spoke of how some Chinese handed prisoners-of-war water, and were slapped for it, and of Malays giving shelter to Chinese neighbours targeted by the invaders.

He described how local volunteer group Dalforce, and the Malay Regiment, fought the Japanese, despite knowing it was a losing battle.

Dr Yaacob said that the true test of having learnt the lessons of war is that “we live lives of courage and of resilience, every day, today”.

Community and harmony do not “magically come about” just because various people are thrown together. Instead, differences, even irreconcilable ones, need to be overcome.

People have to “stay united” and turn diversity into a source of strength.

A minute of silence at the Former Ford Factory was also observed by the 200 guests and the 407 national service recruits.

A bugler played the military tune Last Post to remember the fallen.

About 1,200 people, from school children to religious leaders, took turns to pay their respects at the foot of the 67m-tall Civilian War Memorial in Beach Road during a service to remember civilian victims who died during the Occupation.

Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu said at the event: “It is important for us to remember this part of the dark history of Singapore so we realise sovereignty is priceless, and it is worth protecting…

“Never again will we subject ourselves to be occupied, never again will we allow our land to be run by another country.”

Later in the evening, a remembrance ceremony was held at the Kranji War Cemetery, where headstones mark the final resting place of almost 4,500 people, most of whom died here during World War II.

More than 300 people were in attendance. They included military officials and veterans, and representatives from the high commissions of Australia, Canada, India, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

The day of commemoration came to a close with the island-wide sounding of the public warning system sirens at 6.20pm, marking the exact time the British surrendered in 1942.

melodyz@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on February 16, 2017.
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Central Provident Fund (CPF) members will continue to earn annual interest rates of up to 3.5 per cent on their Ordinary Account (OA) monies, and up to 5 per cent on their Special and Medisave Accounts monies in the second quarter of 2017.

In a press release yesterday, CPF said members will also earn up to 5 per cent per annum on their Retirement Account monies this year.

It includes the extra per cent interest paid on the first $60,000 of a member’s combined balances (with up to $20,000 from the OA), which is part of the Government’s efforts to enhance members’ retirement savings.

Those aged 55 and above will also earn an additional 1 per cent interest on the first $30,000 of their combined balances, which is over and above the current extra 1 per cent interest earned on the first $60,000 of their combined balances.

This takes the interest on their retirement balances to 6 per cent per year, CPF added.

CPF said the OA interest rate will be maintained at 2.5 per cent from April 1 to June 30, as the computed rate of 0.24 per cent, which is lower than the legislated minimum interest rate.

Meanwhile, the concessionary interest rate for HDB mortgage loans – pegged at 0.1 per cent above the OA interest rate – remains unchanged at 2.6 per cent per annum for the quarter.

CPF members with queries can visit cpf.gov.sg or call the CPF Call Centre on 1800-227-1188.

This article was first published on February 16, 2017.
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The letter by Dr Yap Him Hoo, director-general of the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) (“AVA concerned about bird flu risk, not noise of chickens“; Feb 15), contradicts an earlier statement by Ms Jessica Kwok, AVA group director of the animal management group (“Free-ranging chickens may be culled”; Feb 2), that the authority had received requests to manage the free-ranging chicken population due to noise pollution.

The impression that the AVA took action because of noise was, therefore, not due to various media reports. Rather, it was created by the AVA itself.

With such contradictory statements from two high-profile figures in the AVA, what is the public to believe?

It gives the impression that the AVA’s top management is not working as one.

Dr Yap’s statement that the chickens were at risk of being exposed to bird flu from migratory birds, as the chickens could catch the disease through direct contact with them or through their droppings, is flawed.

Free-ranging chickens are few in number, compared to the many pigeons, mynahs and crows congregating at public eating places, snatching food and leaving their droppings all over the place.

Doesn’t this group of birds pose a greater risk of being carriers of bird flu, should there be an outbreak in Singapore?

It would be more credible for the AVA to come up with long-term measures to solve the pigeon, mynah and crow problems here, instead of culling chickens as a stop-gap measure.

These other birds are not only a health risk, but a noise nuisance as well.

E-mail your views and photos to tnptalk@sph.com.sg. You can also write to us at The New Paper, 1000 Toa Payoh North, Level 6, Annexe Block, Singapore 318994

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This article was first published on Feb 16, 2017.
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The new gallery at the Former Ford Factory building opened its doors yesterday, but it was the signage outside that drew attention.

The signage – in front of the building and by the road – now reflect the gallery’s full name, Syonan Gallery: War and Its Legacies, along with the phrase “An Exhibition at Former Ford Factory”.

When reporters were given a preview of the revamped space last Thursday, the three signs by the road and building entrance read just “Syonan Gallery”.

A spokesman for the National Library Board said the signs had not yet been completed during the media preview.

She added: “The revamped exhibition has always been titled ‘Syonan Gallery: War and Its Legacies, An Exhibition at Former Ford Factory’.

“There has been no change to the name of the exhibition or the Former Ford Factory, which remains a gazetted national monument.”

The name Syonan Gallery had upset some Singaporeans who felt that it seemed to honour the Japanese Occupation of Singapore during World War II.

In a Facebook post last night, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong noted that the name of the exhibition “has understandably caused strong reactions”.

He said: “We cannot erase our history or bury the past. The exhibition is a reminder of a traumatic period in our history and the suffering our pioneers experienced when Singapore lost its freedom and even its name.”

This article by The Straits Times was published in The New Paper, a free newspaper published by Singapore Press Holdings.

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Feedback from single mums prompts Aware to suggest housing rule changes

Women rights group Aware has released several recommendations on how the Government can help single parents get better access to public housing.

Aware gathered feedback from 55 single mothers, most of whom are divorced. Of these, 38 had attempted to apply for a rental flat, but 18 exceeded the income cap of $1,500.

At a press conference yesterday, Aware recommended an income cap based on the number of members in the household, in line with other public assistance schemes.

For example, the income ceiling cap for the ComCare Short-to-Medium Term Assistance is a monthly household income of $1,900, or a per capita income of $650.

Aware also suggested changing the debarment rule, which prohibits anyone who has owned an HDB flat from applying for a rental unit until 30 months after the sale of the apartment. Five respondents were denied rental housing because of this rule.

Aware’s head of advocacy and research Jolene Tan said: “The debarment rules are intended to prevent property speculation and should not apply to those who need homes due to changed life circumstances.”

In response to Aware, the Ministry for National Development said it will take the findings into consideration as it reviews its policies. It said it exercises flexibility to help single parents. (See report below.)

But the Government’s “case-by-case” policy has led to additional stress for the respondents, according to Aware’s study. It found that single parents are usually advised to seek their MP’s help when faced with housing difficulties, but results were mixed – 21 out of the 38 respondents who approached their MP were unsuccessful with getting help.

In Parliament last week, MP Louis Ng asked for the statistics of rental flat applicants who earned above the income cap.

In a written reply, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong said that between 2014 and last year, about 1,900 households requested for a waiver of the income ceiling criterion.

A total of 273 applications were approved, while the other applicants were assessed to be able to afford other housing options, or had family support.

Mr Ng said he has seen several cases of divorcees with various housing woes over the past year.

He added that the large quantity of rental flat applications might have resulted in a compromise of “quality” when the authorities assess the appeals.

Sociologist Tan Ern Ser noted that the current “case-by-case” policy can be tedious and costly from the point of view of both administration and applicant.

“For the latter, the uncertainty also adds to the pain and anxiety. It is possible that some may abuse the system,” she said.

“There is obviously some risks, but being able to provide shelter and stability to a child is a worthy investment in itself.”

Ms Carrie Tan, executive director of Daughters of Tomorrow, explained that housing stability has a big impact on a mother’s emotional and financial state, and could compromise their children’s welfare.

The charity supports underprivileged women by preparing them for employment.

Ms Tan said some mothers who live in rental flats find it difficult to hold a full-time job because they are worried about leaving their children at home.

“Even if we are able to make some progress with them (in terms of employment), we continuously face setbacks that could be caused by (their) housing-related issues,” she added.

linheng@sph.com.sg

Single families are being helped: MND

In response to Aware’s report, the Ministry of National Development (MND) said that as a general rule, housing policies aim to address the needs of Singapore Citizen households, without undermining self-reliance and family support.

The ministry also highlighted some ways it is helping single families.

For instance, divorced or widowed parents with care and control of their children are recognised in housing policy as a family nucleus, similar to a family nucleus with married parents.

Divorced or widowed parents with children below the age of 16 are given priority in build-to-order exercises, to buy 2- or 3-room flats in non-mature estates, through the Assistance Scheme for Second-Timers.

“However, we recognise that our policies may not address every circumstance. Therefore, on a case-by-case basis, we do exercise flexibility to help single parents, including single unwed parents, with their housing needs,” an MND spokesman said.

This article was first published on Feb 16, 2017.
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Customers demand refund as florists admit they could have planned it better

Miss Natasha Tan, 25, noticed her boyfriend, who works in the same office, getting antsy at 3pm on Tuesday, Valentine’s Day.

The bouquet he had ordered for her never appeared, even though he made his order two weeks ago.

The couple were one of many affected when two florists here were unable to fulfil some of their Valentine’s orders.

Co-founder and chief executive officer of A Better Florist Steve Feiner told The New Paper it received about 2,000 Valentine’s Day orders and failed to make 172 of them.

Floral Garage Singapore also received multiple complaints on its social media platforms from customers who said they had not received their bouquets on time or at all on Tuesday.

Angry customers took to the company’s Facebook page, demanding refunds for the bouquets which cost from $70 to over $100.

Others queued up at the company’s Boat Quay office because they received e-mails stating that they could collect the flowers at the shop and receive a $10 refund.

Mr Feiner, who launched A Better Florist in September 2015, told TNP: “We had 70 couriers between 8am and 9am with about 900 orders to complete.

“We thought their orders were ready, and they were, but we had to find the bouquets and other things, which created congestion. We had couriers waiting for hours to be dispatched.”

Customers for Floral Garage Singapore also faced delays and non-delivery of bouquets that cost between $30 and over $100 from the company, which also opened in 2015..

Mr Joshua Lau, 26, ordered a bouquet that cost $110 for his girlfriend, but it arrived at her office only at 9pm, after she had left.

He received a response from the Floral Garage Singapore’s WhatsApp hotline at 5.45am yesterday. It said in a Facebook post that 200 customers were affected.

A spokesman for Floral Garage Singapore told TNP: “Our lack of foresight in planning for this event has caused many of them grief… We are currently doing all we can to make up for it by contacting each of the affected customers and will definitely improve from here.”

Far East Flora, which handles a few thousand deliveries every Valentine’s Day, said it managed by hiring extra workers, said general manager See Pei San.

“Valentine’s Day is very tough for florists. Flowers have expiry dates and they are gifts, so delivery is time sensitive and delays are common,” she said.

Mr Lau added: “For florists, it is their biggest day of the year, you can’t screw this up. It is like Santa screwing up Christmas.”

hmang@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 16, 2017.
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Road fatalities per 100,000 persons a record low last year, but rise in deaths of elderly pedestrians a concern

Singapore’s traffic safety situation improved last year, with the number of fatal accidents falling and the fatality rate per 100,000 persons at a record low since 1981.

But a key concern was the rising number of elderly pedestrians who were hurt or killed in traffic accidents, said the Traffic Police (TP) yesterday during a briefing on the annual road traffic statistics.

There were 140 fatal accidents last year, down from 148 in 2015, with 141 fatalities, 10 fewer than the 151 in 2015.

The fatality rate per 100,000 persons was 2.51, down from 2.73 in 2015, and the lowest since 1981 when TP started collecting such data.

But the 19.6 per cent rise in accidents involving elderly pedestrians, with 268 cases last year, 44 more than the 224 in 2015, was worrying.

The TP said most of the cases involved motorists not keeping a look-out for, or not giving way to elderly pedestrians.

There were 28 elderly fatalities last year, a 21.7 per cent increase from the 23 in 2015.

Of the 28 who died, 16 had jaywalked – which means they were within 50m of a pedestrian crossing or overhead bridge but had failed to use them.

This was in line with a 42.1 per cent increase in the number of accidents involving elderly pedestrians who jaywalked – with 81 cases last year compared with 57 in 2015.

TP Commander, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police (SAC) Sam Tee, said the rise in accidents involving elderly pedestrians was cause for concern, particularly with the ageing population.

He said TP has been working with more than 100 Senior Activities Centres and Senior Citizen Corners since last November to engage and educate the elderly on road safety. He also reminded motorists to exercise greater care and to look out for elderly pedestrians.

Safety experts said the trend was worrying and more can be done to prevent senior citizens from getting into accidents.

Another area of concern was the increase in accidents resulting in injuries. There were 8,277 such cases last year – up from 8,058 in 2015, the highest in five years.

On the drink-driving front, there was an improvement – with the number of drink-driving-related accidents falling from 138 in 2015 to 134 last year. There were nine deaths linked to drink-driving last year, five fewer than in 2015. But SAC Tee said every road traffic fatality was one too many.

He added that TP and the Ministry of Home Affairs are reviewing the existing penalties in the Road Traffic Act, with a view to increasing the penalties for offences that result in death or hurt to others, especially where drivers are under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

More help needed for elderly pedestrians

More can be done to help elderly pedestrians and prevent them from getting into road accidents, say road safety experts.

The Traffic Police said yesterday that the number of accidents involving elderly pedestrians had increased by 19.6 per cent last year, compared with 2015.

Twenty-eight of them died from road accidents last year, up from the 23 in 2015.

Singapore Road Safety Council chairman Bernard Tay suggested that improvements could be made to crossings to make them more elderly-friendly and for more Silver Zones to be introduced.

For example, overhead bridges could be made with gentler slopes or with rest points midway for the elderly to catch their breath while climbing, he said.

“We need to convince the elderly… to use the proper crossings,” he said.

Traffic Police Commander Sam Tee said yesterday that they are continually working with the Land Transport Authority on possible changes to the road traffic infrastructure to cater to elderly pedestrians.

Nanyang Technological University transport consultant Gopinath Menon said there was also a need to educate the public – including motorists and elderly pedestrians themselves – on road safety.

“Ultimately, it’s about attitudes. Elderly pedestrians should be more conscious (of road safety), while motorists should be more careful and gracious,” he said.

The Traffic Police said yesterday that their Road Master Test Kit – which was launched last November to test seniors’ road sense and strengthen their road safety awareness – will be made available via dispensers at bus stops in neighbourhoods with high concentration of senior citizens such as Outram, Bishan and Serangoon.

Elderly persons can use their senior citizen concession ez-link cards to redeem a kit from the dispenser.

Since the dispensers were set up on Feb 2, 1,058 kits have been redeemed, the Traffic Police said.

rloh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Feb 16, 2017.
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