PETALING JAYA – CCTV cameras at KLIA2 have captured a clearer image of a woman believed to be one of the assassins who killed Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
The image zooms in on the alleged killer’s features, depicting her to be middle-aged and of Asian descent.
In the grainy image, she can be seen wearing a top with the word “LOL” in large letters and a blue short skirt, with her right hand over a small sling handbag.
An earlier CCTV image that had been circulating online showed a picture of a woman believed to be the same person, but taken from a greater distance and at a different angle.
Jong-nam, 45, died after he was attacked at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 (KLIA2) on Monday.
He is believed to have been attacked by two female agents who splashed his face with a chemical at the airport’s departure hall at about 9am on Monday.
The women later got into a cab and fled.
It is believed that Jong-nam arrived in Malaysia from Macau on Feb 6 and was about to return there when he was attacked.
The Total Defence campaign was started in 1984 to remind Singaporeans of the roles they play – individually and collectively – in building a strong nation and guarding against threats.
Every year, Total Defence Day is observed on Feb 15 – the day Singapore fell to the Japanese in 1942, during World War II.
The five pillars of Total Defence – military defence, civil defence, economic defence, social defence and psychological defence – form an enduring framework which emphasises that everyone can make a difference.
The Straits Times looks at how Singaporeans are playing their part in Total Defence.
Sing it, Singapore – There’s A Part For Everyone
As a young executive in the advertising firm engaged by the Defence Ministry for its nascent Total Defence media campaign, Mr Gerald Png helped write a song that has endured for more than three decades.
He recalls creating the melody for There’s A Part For Everyone in under an hour. The song was released in 1984 with the launch of the Total Defence campaign.
But the comfort and peace enjoyed by Singaporeans in the mid-1980s made it a challenge relating the song even to himself.
“It is different from talking about tangible things such as military hardware. When it came to the psychological part of it (national defence), I had to think about the part I would want to play and how I could convince myself to play it,” said Mr Png, 58, who now runs a restaurant-cum-social enterprise, Soul Food.
He emphasises that the song was part of a larger team effort from his company and its client.
The tagline for the campaign inspired the song.
There was no immediate threat of any sort and Singapore was friendly with all its neighbours, he said, and the challenge was to write a song that would help Singaporeans see the part they played.
“There was a risk that it would become another government campaign,” added Mr Png.
The intention was not to elicit “simple patriotism”, but to send a message that national defence is not limited to the men in uniform.
The lyrics were intended to convey how Singapore had grown from a small fishing village, endured the Japanese Occupation and became a nation.
“The lyrics had to remain purposeful and meaningful across different age segments,” Mr Png said, even as the song got across how there had been hardships faced by the country.
A new arrangement was made of the song by local band QuickPick last year.
NS ‘taught us to work for one another, whatever our differences’
Comedian and actor Suhaimi Yusof, 47, said that the time he spent in the army taught him to forge relationships with people from different backgrounds.Photo: The Strait Times
Actor and comedian Suhaimi Yusof admits that when people look at him now, they may not think that he served national service.
But his experiences in the army are something that he treasures deeply.
They helped to shape the man he is now, the 47-year-old said.
The lessons he learnt went beyond learning how to defend himself and the country.
They also taught him how to forge relationships with people from different backgrounds. Race and religion were never barriers.
“As a platoon, everyone received the same punishment, for instance. This taught us to work for one another, whatever our differences,” he told Berita Harian.
This camaraderie can be seen in society as well.
“Sometimes, we take for granted the good relationship there is between different segments of society. But we have to realise that it is our responsibility to protect and strengthen this harmony.”
He explained that the main way for him to get others to connect is through comedy. “It breaks down walls between people.”
He helped female colleague get NS leave
Mr Goh (left) convinced his company’s HR department to grant Ms Giam (right) NS leave when she is called up, so she can return to her squadron for training without taking her annual leave.Photo: The Straits Times
When he found out that a female employee – a former air force regular – was taking her annual leave in 2013 to return to her squadron for training, Mr Jayson Goh decided to give her a leg-up.
Mr Goh, the managing director of airport operations management at Changi Airport Group, convinced his company’s human resources department to grant her national service (NS) leave when she is called up, similar to how male employees are given time off for in-camp training.
A change in HR policy was made in 2014 and, since then, senior associate Amanda Giam, 38, has been able to return to her unit, the 160 Squadron, without taking her own leave.
Ms Giam, who is a master sergeant (NS), left the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) in 2009. She was still keen to serve, and became the RSAF’s first female volunteer in 2013.
Mr Goh said that Ms Giam should be given an equal opportunity to serve the nation, and his HR department was receptive to the suggestion.
“The role she is playing as a woman is no less than what a man would do. She went through all the training when she was a regular servicewoman,” he added.
“If you believe that when people take their NS seriously, a lot of the skills they learn will develop them into a better individual, the kind of contributions they make at their organisations will be stronger.”
Home cook pays it forward after years of ill health
Ms Noor Ain Masaid, who used to be bedridden, started her ChixCheese food business in 2007. Today, she is able to produce the food on her own and donates profits from some orders to those in need.Photo: The Straits Times
She had a serious fall at age 15 while playing netball in school, suffered a severe fever which was untreated, and became bedridden for two years.
But that did not stop Ms Siti Noor Ain Masaid, now 30, from setting up a home-based food business 10 years ago, allowing her to gain financial independence.
When she started ChixCheese in 2007 to sell spring rolls stuffed with chicken and cheese, she was still using a wheelchair and had difficulty lifting her arms.
But she wanted to have an income to pay for physiotherapy sessions, which were paid for by her uncle who died.
The initial going was tough. Even with her family’s help, her first week of orders – 30 boxes of 15 pieces of spring rolls – were not easy to produce.
She was confined to her bed the week after due to stiffness, cramps and aches.
But she decided to press on, motivated by the encouragement of her customers, who sent her text messages telling her how much they enjoyed her spring rolls.
“I wanted to make people happy and I just continued. The positive vibes pushed me to go forward,” she added.
Today, she gets orders of up to 70 boxes a week, and is able to produce the spring rolls on her own as her condition has improved. She is also able to walk around the house without a walking aid.
She has grown her business through word of mouth, social media and, most recently, through an app called Hcook, which connects home cooks with customers.
She is paying it forward now, by dedicating the profits from some of her orders to needy organisations, such as orphanages.
Recounting the years she was bedridden and fell into depression, she said: “Whatever happened to me, I am grateful, because it taught me to be more humble and caring, and I can comfort others in pain now.”
Online food mart helps businesses give back
Co-founders Ms Chong (left) and Ms Lin of The Social Co, a think-tank aimed at solving social issues. Their new initiative, The Social Pantry, provides employment to people with disabilities.Photo: The Straits Times
When companies stock up on foods such as coffee and biscuits for their pantries, they also provide employment to people with disabilities.
Delivery orders of items placed through an online mart called The Social Pantry are picked and packed by beneficiaries from the Association for Persons with Special Needs, who receive a token allowance for their work.
The Social Pantry, which was beta launched in August last year and gets an average of two to three orders a week, was started by The Social Co and Samsui Supplies and Services, a subsidiary of the Soup Restaurant Group.
It will be officially launched next month, adding stationery supplier Menlon Agency to the initiative.
Ms Rebekah Lin, 32, who founded The Social Co with her friend Cheryl Chong, 31, said the aim of The Social Pantry is to show how businesses can make money and give back to society.
The Social Co, a think-tank aimed at solving social issues, was also behind the 50 For 50 campaign, which raised close to $2.25 million for 58 local charities. This sum was matched equally by the Government, for a total of $4.5 million.
The project encouraged individuals under the age of 35 to design their own fund-raising activities and launch sustainable projects to help charities.
Ms Lin said: “I have seen everyone come together, regardless of race or religion, to work on different social causes.”
adrianl@sph.com.sg and hytay@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on Feb 15, 2017. Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
Taiwanese singer Yoga Lin has launched UFM100.3’s annual Mandopop chart campaign in a video clip that can be seen on the radio station’s Facebook page.
He made a plug for his own song, Bo Le (Admirer), and joked that he would be happy with a second- place finish so that label-mate Hebe Tien’s A Little Happiness can continue its reign atop the chart.
The campaign’s objective is to identify the most popular Mandarin pop songs among the radio station’s listeners every year. The songs voted onto the list can come from any year and they will be played by the station.
Previous champs of the campaign include Kit Chan’s 1998 tune Home (2015), Tiger Huang’s Not So Simple from 2009 (2014) and Faye Wong’s Red Bean, also from 1998 (2013).
The 10-week-long campaign for the U1000 Music Countdown started on Monday with a three-week SMS nomination period. To take part, send an SMS to 9717-1003 with the following information: UFM, singer and name of nominated song, your name and IC number.
The voting will take place between March 13 and 28 for the shortlist of 2,000 songs, up from 1,500 previously. The final top 1,000 songs will be counted down on air from March 31 to April 14.
UFM100.3 programme director Carine Ang says: “U1000 has not only helped strengthen the brand and music positioning of our station, but also helped us identify and understand the trends and preferences of the public year after year.”
Listeners who participate in the nomination, voting and countdown phases will have a chance to win up to $10,000 in cash, as well as other prizes.
bchan@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on Feb 15, 2017. Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
Fresh chicken meat sits on display in a live chicken shop in the Wanchai markets of Hong Kong on December 30, 2016
Hong Kong on Friday confirmed its second human case of bird flu this season, days after an elderly man died of the virus. / AFP PHOTO / ISAAC LAWRENCE
BEIJING – As many as 79 people have died from H7N9 bird flu in China last month, the government said, far surpassing the number of deaths in the same month in recent years and stoking worries about the spread of the virus this winter.
Authorities have repeatedly warned the public to stay alert for H7N9 avian flu, especially during the winter and spring, and cautioned against panic in the world’s second-largest economy.
January’s fatalities bring the total death toll from the H7N9 strain to 100 people since October.
In previous years, fatalities ranged between 20 and 31 for January, according to data released by the National Health and Family Planning Commission late on Tuesday.
Beijing on Saturday reported its first human H7N9 case this year. The patient is a 68-year-old man from Langfang city in neighbouring Hebei province.
A second human case was reported on Tuesday.
China, which first reported a human infection from the virus in March 2013, has seen a sharp rise in H7N9 infections since December.
Some 192 people were infected in China last month, the commission said, bringing the total since October to 306. Most of the H7N9 human infections reported this season have been in the south and along the coast.
The World Health Organisation recently said it had not been able to rule out limited human-to-human spread in two clusters of cases although no sustained spread has been detected so far.
While most involve strains that are currently low risk for human health, the number of different types and their presence in so many parts of the world simultaneously increase the risk of viruses mixing and mutating – and possibly jumping to people.
Many major cities in the world’s third-largest producer of broiler chickens and the second-biggest consumer of poultry have closed live poultry markets after people and chickens were infected by avian flu strains.
China has confirmed five bird flu outbreaks among poultry this winter, which has led to the culling of more than 175,000 birds.
The last major outbreak in China was in 2013, causing more than $6 billion in losses for the agricultural sector.
China earned praise from international scientists for its handling of that outbreak, despite memories of past health scandals.
It has accrued substantial experience in responding to public health crises since the sudden outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2002, when official reports of infections were criticised for their slowness and irregularity.
A post shared by Hugh Jackman (@thehughjackman) on Feb 13, 2017 at 12:42pm PST
“Another basal cell carcinoma. Thanks to frequent body checks and amazing doctors, all is well,” his Tuesday post read.
“Looks worse with the dressing on than off. I swear! #wearsunscreen.” He first had a basal cell carcinoma removed in 2013 after his wife Deborra-Lee Furness told him to get a mark on his nose checked.
Singapore’s commitment to maintaining a strong defence force is the result of the lessons learnt from the Japanese Occupation, Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen said yesterday, as the country prepares to mark the 75th anniversary of the island’s fall.
The 31/2 years of brutal Japanese rule during World War II after the British surrendered Singapore, then a British colony, taught “two bitter but valuable lessons”, he said in a four-minute video.
Dr Ng Eng HenPhoto: Facebook video screengrab
“One, you cannot depend on others to defend you and, two, the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must,” Dr Ng said. This is the reason the pioneer generation of Singaporeans introduced national service to keep the country safe and independent, he said as he thanked the more than one million national servicemen who had served since the institution was launched 50 years ago.
“Today, we have a strong and capable Singapore Armed Forces because our national servicemen are committed and dedicated to military defence,” Dr Ng said in the video, which was uploaded on his Facebook page yesterday evening.
The video was filmed at the former Ford Factory in Upper Bukit Timah Road, where the British formally surrendered to the Japanese on Feb 15, 1942. The day is now commemorated as Total Defence Day.
Former Ford Factory in Upper Bukit Timah RoadPhoto: Facebook video screengrab
The World War II museum at the former factory has been revamped and renamed Syonan Gallery. It will be officially opened today, and people can start visiting tomorrow.
Syonan GalleryPhoto: The Straits TimesSyonan GalleryPhoto: The Straits Times
In his message, Dr Ng reiterated the importance of the five pillars that make up Total Defence: military, civil, economic, social and psychological.
Every Singaporean has a part to play in Total Defence, he added.
“Indeed, when there is a terrorist attack or a natural disaster, civilians will have to take the initiative to save themselves and others first, before the security forces respond.”
On the economic front, Singapore cannot afford a prolonged slowdown.
The country needs to keep its air and sea ports as well as businesses functioning even under trying circumstances, he said, citing the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak in 2003 and the severe episode of haze in 2015.
Singaporeans also need to stay united against those who try to sow discord among the different communities or seek to test the resolve of the country, he added.
“We must, as one people, resist external pressures to weaken Singapore’s sovereignty and independence. But no country can know all the dangers that may come its way.
“The stronger our Total Defence, the more certain we can be that no challenge will overwhelm Singapore,” Dr Ng said.
Other memorial events today include the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s annual service at the Civilian War Memorial in Beach Road, and a ceremony at the Kranji War Cemetery to remember the war dead. Public warning sirens islandwide will also be sounded for a minute at 6.20pm, the time that the British surrendered to the Japanese 75 years ago.
ziliang@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on Feb 15, 2017. Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
India has successfully launched 104 satellites in a mission on Wednesday, and its space agency says it is the world record of the largest number of satellites launched.
Of the 104 countries, 101 foreign satellites serve international clients because South Asian countries seek a greater share of the $ 300 billion global space industry. Project Director B. Jayakumar said: “This is a great moment for each of us, and today we have created history.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the launch of the National Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), which was successfully completed and broadcast on the national television news channel. “ISRO’s remarkable feat is another compelling moment for our space science community and the country,” he said. “India salutes our scientists.”
Modi expressed optimism about India’s space program and repeatedly praised the scientists’ efforts three years ago that they launched a low-cost task to send a probe to Mars orbit, and Mars was successful in the first attempt.
ISRO’s low prices have attracted international customers last year to launch 75 satellites from Sriharikota, southern state of Andhra Pradesh.
The PSLV-C37 was launched in a single payload, including the Cartosat-2 series and 103 common passenger satellites, weighing a total of 650 kg (1,433 lb). Of the 101 nanometer satellites, 96 are from the United States, one from Israel, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.
Mediacorp actor Shaun Chen, 38, will be welcoming baby No. 2 this year.
He announced his wife’s pregnancy on his Instagram account on Valentine’s Day.
Along with a happy couple shot, he posted a caption that said: “Is it going to be my or her Valentine’s? Or perhaps a little brother or sister to the elder girl? Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!”
A post shared by Shaun Chen 陈泓宇 (@shaunchenhongyu) on Feb 14, 2017 at 12:01am PST
Chen tells The Straits Times: “The pregnancy is now stable, so I chose to announce it today. But Jay Chou was one step ahead of me.” Taiwanese singer Chou also announced yesterday that he was expecting his second child.
The Malaysia-born Chen has a one-year-old daughter Nellie with his wife Celine Chin, who is in her 20s and is four months pregnant.
He says: “Some people say it is ideal to get a girl and a boy. The gender of the baby does not matter to me as long as the baby is healthy.”
The second-time father says he is not as nervous as he was the first time around. After all, he already has experience looking after a child. His former beautician wife will return to her hometown Kedah nearer to the delivery date to get help from relatives.
Chen, who lives in Singapore with his wife and child, is looking forward to having more children. He says: “My ideal number of children is four. The more kids the merrier.”
This article was first published on Feb 15, 2017. Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
Seventy five years ago today (Feb 15), Singapore fell under Japanese occupation when British Lieutenant General Arthur Percival surrendered the island after a week of fighting.
One day later on Feb 16, Singapore was renamed Syonan-To (Light of the South), and thus began 44 months of great upheaval under Japanese rule.
One of the darkest hours during the period was Operation Sook Ching, in which anti-Japanese elements among the Chinese community in Singapore were rounded up and killed, as punishment for supporting China’s war effort.
The operation, meaning “to purge through cleansing”, was carried out from Feb 21 to Mar 4, 1942, according to The Straits Times.
During the operation, Chinese males aged 18 to 50 were rounded up and inspected at screening centres.
The epicentre of the screenings was the Sook Ching Inspection Centre, a huge cordoned enclosure surrounded by barbed wire to prevent “suspects” from escaping, according to the National Heritage Board’s Roots.sg web portal. Today, the site houses the Hong Lim Complex in Chinatown, where a memorial for Operation Sook Ching stands.
Suspects were singled out based on their age and occupation, physical appearance, personal wealth and educational background. Only those who ‘passed’ the screenings were released, whereas those who did not get through were loaded onto trucks and transported to killing sites for execution.
There were a number of major massacre sites around Singapore, with notable sites including Pulau Blakang Mati (Sentosa Island), Changi Road, Tanah Merah Beach, Changi Beach and Punggol Beach.
The Straits Times reported that many of the bodies of victims were washed ashore on Blakang Mati Beach (which is off Sentosa Gold Course), and buried there.
The exact number of people who died in the operation remains unknown. Officially, Japan claims that 5,000 were killed, but it is estimated that between 40,000 and 50,000 were killed in Sook Ching and other related mopping-up operations.
While most people agree that everyone plays a role in cybersecurity, but not everyone has taken protective measures, according to the Singapore Network Security Agency (CSA) online survey.
The survey found that seven out of ten people said that everyone should play a role in cybersecurity, close to three-thirds of people are very concerned about their financial and personal information security. However, the survey results show that there is room for improvement in cyber health awareness and practices.
The survey was released on Wednesday (February 15) to gain insight into the public’s awareness of cybersecurity awareness and cyber health.
86% of respondents use a combination of letters, numbers and symbols in the password, and one-third of people do not manage their passwords securely. These include storing or writing passwords on a computer, or using the same password for work and personal accounts.
In addition, when the option is available or not sure, one-third does not enable two-factor authentication (2FA).
The survey also found that many people may not realize that the open, non-password-protected Wi-Fi network in public places may pose a significant risk to the security of their personal information. About one in six respondents said they would do so, whether they were familiar with the network.
“We will continue to explore how to take advantage of the necessary cyber security resources and information to reach people so that they can gain access to cyber health and support Singapore as a journey to a smart country,” said Koh, CEO of CSA.
“I am encouraged by the fact that most respondents realize that everyone can play a role in cybersecurity, and that many people are interested in learning more.
During the period from July to August last year, a total of 2,000 respondents aged 15 and over were investigated. The sample represents the gender and race of the population of Singapore and is distributed by age and type of housing, CSA said.
