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There has been more cases of fallen windows in Singapore this year, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and the Housing Development Board (HDB) said on Sunday (Dec 11).
According to BCA’s statistics, there were 41 cases of fallen windows in the first 11 months of the year, up from 30 cases over the same period in 2015.
Most of the cases involved casement windows that had dislodged and fallen due to corroded aluminium rivets.
Since 2005, it is mandatory for homeowners – except for those living in landed properties and the ground floor of buildings – to change the aluminium rivets of casement windows to stainless steel ones.
If they fail to do so, they can be fined for up to $5,000 and/or face a jail term of up to six months. And if a window fails due to lack of maintenance, homeowners can be fined up to $10,000 and/or jailed for up to one year.
Besides ensuring that all window rivets are made of stainless steel, the agencies said that homeowners should also check that the fasteners are not rusty or loose, and clean or lubricate joints and movable parts regularly.
For sliding windows, homeowners should check whether the safety stoppers and angle strips are out of place or damaged, and replace any worn out parts. They should also clean the tracks so that the window panels can slide smoothly.
Er. Lim Beng Kwee, director of BCA’s special functions group said: “It is important that homeowners check their windows at least once every six months, and engage an approved window contractor to repair them if necessary. By making a small effort to maintain our windows regularly, we can create a safer environment for all Singaporeans.”
minlee@sph.com.sg
SINGAPORE: There were more cases of fallen windows this year according to statistics released on Sunday (Dec 11) by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and Housing and Development Board (HDB).
In the first 11 months of this year, there were 41 cases of fallen windows compared to 30 cases in the same period in 2015.
Most of these cases are casement windows which had dislodged and fallen due to corroded aluminium rivets, the joint release from the BCA and HDB added.
Since 2005, homeowners have been required to change the aluminium rivets of casement windows to stainless steel ones. This mandatory requirement applies to windows in all residential units, except those in landed properties and the ground floor of buildings.
If homeowners fail to do so, they are committing an offence under the Building Control Act and can be fined up to S$5,000 and/or face a jail term of up to six months.
In addition, if a window falls due to lack of maintenance, it is an offence under the Building Maintenance And Strata Management Act, and homeowners can face up to a maximum fine of $10,000 and/or jail term of up to one year.
To date, 78 people have been prosecuted and fined in Court for failing to retrofit casement windows with stainless steel rivets. 303 people have also had their offences compounded and have had to pay composition amounts for fallen windows.
For casement windows, homeowners are required to ensure that all rivets are made of stainless steel. They should also check that the fasteners are not rusty or loose, and regularly clean and lubricate joints or movable parts.
“It is important to use a mirror to check the rivets on the underside and top of the window panel, to ensure they are not corroded or loosened,” said Er. Lim Beng Kwee, Director of BCA’s Special Functions Group.
Imagine having fine wine you might not come across readily delivered right to your doorstep – and without costing a fortune. That’s what our new ST Wine aims to deliver.
In collaboration with Robert Parker Wine Advocate – internationally renowned for its 100 point wine rating system – ST Wine will work with reputable wine merchants here to package and deliver a special selection of highly rated wines for our readers.
From tomorrow (Dec 12), readers will be able to purchase wine subscriptions, choosing to have two, three or four bottles delivered to them every month. In addition, their subscriptions will come with free access to the Robert Parker Wine Advocate online portal, which offers reports on wine vintages and tasting notes that wine lovers will find useful. An annual subscription to this wine portal normally costs about $140.
With a ST Wine Club subscription, readers can look forward to a pleasant surprise package arriving at their door each month. These will be top-rated “outstanding wines of exceptional complexity and character”, with scores of RP90 points and above.
Readers can chose from three subscription plans: Gold at $128 a month, for two bottles of wine from mostly the “New World” vineyards in Australia, New Zealand, the United States and South America; Platinum, at $188 a month, for fine wines from France, Italy and Spain; and a Starter pack at $88 for a one-off, two-bottler sampler of wines rated RP85 to 89 points, meant for those who are just starting to discover the joys of wine.
ST Wine is the latest initiative under the ST+ programme, which aims to offer more value and benefits to both subscribers and readers alike. Just last month, The Straits Times launched its revamped ST Food website and its ST Videos programmes.
Said ST Editor Warren Fernandez, who is also Editor-in-Chief of SPH’s English, Malay, and Tamil newspapers: “We know that many of our readers enjoy a drink with their favourite foods, from wines to whiskeys. We want to make discovering great wines fun and fuss-free for more of them, and this ST Wine Club will do just that.”
Mr Patrick Sauze, Robert Parker Wine Advocate’s Associate Director for Sales and Business Development, said; “We are delighted to work with The Straits Times for ST Wine. Quality Robert Parker rated wines are now more accessible with ST Wine, showcasing a wide range of wines RP90 pointers and above.”
As part of the partnership, every subscriber of ST Wine will get a monthly access to robertparker.com, which will give them insights to the exquisite wines reviewed by independent reviewers from The Wine Advocate. “While we don’t profit from the wine sales from ST Wine, this partnership allows Robert Parker Wine Advocate to remain the consummate authority as the world’s wine guide post. Indeed, with ST Wine and Robert Parker Wine Advocate, wines are now accessible for every palate and pocket,” he said.
ST Wine is also launched with support from Official Card American Express and Official Beauty Partner Elizabeth Arden.
Mr Cheng Heng Chew, American Express’ Country Manager, said: “American Express is all about delivering the extraordinary customer experiences and giving our card members what they want. One of Singapore’s national pastime is enjoying great food and drinks; and we have been offering our card members exclusive experiences at Singapore’s top restaurants and bars with our Love Dining and Chillax programmes. Partnering ST Wine is a natural extension of this and a great opportunity to show our support for Singapore’s love for wining and dining.”
As a special treat to those who sign up for the 3-month and 6-month packages which already comes with better savings, Elizabeth Arden is giving each subscriber a goodie bag with more than $250 worth of cosmetic and treatment packages.
Its brand manager, Ms Vanessa Mok, said: “Wine and dine is very much an aspiring lifestyle that we believe our customers subscribe to, just like how we believe to be beautiful is the birth right of every man and woman. We are delighted to partner ST Wine on this journey and we look forward to welcome its subscribers to a world of indulgence and pampering treats from Elizabeth Arden,”
By early next year, subscribers of ST Wine will also be treated to offers and special privileges at various fine restaurants around the island.
“No wine offer is complete without dining specials. We will be working with various restaurants and partners to introduce special privileges and dining experience for all our members,” said Mr Tan Ooi Boon, senior vice-president for Business Development for the English Malay/Tamil Media Group.
“This is just the beginning. We will work hard to deliver more and more benefits under the ST+ programme for all our subscribers and readers. It is our way of saying a big Thank You to everyone for being with us.”
Go to www.stwine.sg to sign-up and for more details. For enquiries, call 6319-5076 during office hours or email stwine@sph.com.sg
A day after South Korean lawmakers impeached scandal-hit President Park Geun-hye, hundreds of thousands of South Koreans gathered in central Seoul, this time to celebrate the impeachment.
Despite the sub-zero temperature, some 800,000 people bundled up in thick jackets and flocked the Gwanghwamun Square to express their joy at the result. But they said firmly that the impeachment was not the end of their fight.
Many of the protesters vowed to hold up candles until Park resigns and those who assisted her in committing wrongdoings are held accountable.
“I was so excited when I heard the president was impeached. I clapped with my colleagues at work. I think it was a rational decision,” Kang Hoon, 37, who came with his 3-year-old child, told The Korea Herald. “But we cannot call it a victory until President Park steps down.”
“I will continue to holda candle until she resigns.”
South Korean lawmakers on Friday voted to impeach the embattled leader over her involvement in an influence-peddling and corruption scandal, with the approval of 234 lawmakers from the 300-seat National Assembly.
This was the first rally since lawmakers impeached her and the seventh straight Saturday rally to demand President Park Geun-hye step down. Across the nation, more than a million people took to the streets.
Now, the fate of her presidency is left up to the Constitutional Court as it requires final approval from it, which could take up to 180 days.
“The Constitutional Court should make a decision as quickly as possible to uphold the public calls,” said 62-year-old Cho Min-koo, who came with his family. “I am here today to enjoy the festivities. I have been surprised and proud to see how mature my fellow Korean citizens are.”
Until the court makes its ruling, Park is stripped of presidential authority and Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn will serve as acting president. But she retains the title of president and is immune from criminal investigation.
On Saturday evening, the boulevards surrounding the Gwanghwamun Square turned into a festive outdoor concert venue, with citizens taking to the stage to make speeches and local singers performing.
At the peak of the event, fireworks were displayed, participants hugged strangers next to them and waved candles.
Following the main event, some 30,000 marched to three locations, as close as 100 meters from the presidential office, to surround it. They chanted “President Park Geun-hye, resign!” “Arrest Park Geun-hye” and “We cannot stand another day!”
“It is a triumph of the people. We have fought hard to defend our democracy,” said Kim Yool-gu, 47, while taking a selfie with his family at the square. “But we are only halfway through until she steps down.We need to keep raising our voices to root out corrupt political and economic systems.”
Many protesters also said the outcome taught them what democracy means.
“I cannot believe that we made this impeachment happen. I am so touched and excited. I learned that I can change society if I participate,” said 18-year-old student Kwon So-yoon. “I am not even cold, because of the people around me.”
Some expressed hope for a fairer society through structural reforms.
“I am happy, but it is not the end to making a society that can be ruled by the people. We need to take this as an opportunity to remove corrupt links between the prosecution, family-owned conglomerates and powerful politicians,” said Cho jong-joo, who was giving out free coffee and tea at the square
Others demanded a thorough probe and stern punishment of Park, her friend Choi Soon-sil and ex-presidential aides such as Woo Byung-woo and Kim Ki-choon, who are also implicated in the scandal.
“Park Geun-hye and her friends in the political and economic circles who assisted her to commit crimes should all be arrested and punished so that such corruption can never happen again,” said 21-year-old student Kim Na-jin.
Earlier in the day, a variety of civic organisations, farmers groups, students groups and labour unions gathered for a rally at various locations in central Seoul to call for an end to controversial policies such as the reinstatement of the state-issued text books, deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence anti-missile system, and labour market reforms.
One of the key remaining issues is to reveal what happened on the day of the Sewol ferry disaster, which cost the lives of more than 300 people in April in 2014. The president has come under fire for the administration’s botched rescue efforts to save the victims, with questions growing over what she did for seven hours while the ferry sank.
“If the president did her job properly, this tragedy could have not taken place,” said Lee Young-jin, 39, attaching a yellow ribbon to an instalment in front of the memorial altar for the victims of the Sewol ferry disaster. “The cause behind the ferry sinking should be clearly revealed to prevent a recurrence of such a tragedy.”
Some 15,000 people, mostly in their 60s or older, from right-wing civic groups and President Park’s fan club staged a rally near Gwanghwamun Square, calling for the impeachment to be cancelled. They carried banners reading, “Don’t cry. Don’t be sad. Be confident,” slamming the parliament for passing the impeachment motion.
South Koreans have taken to the streets and lit candles across the nation for the past six weeks to call for Park’s ouster, with cumulative participation standing at about 6 million, according to the rally organizers.
President Park has been criticised for colluding with Choi Soon-sil, who has neither an official government post nor policy background, to extort money from conglomerates and let her meddle in state affairs.
While an independent counsel continues to investigate the scandal, Choi is set to stand trial for fraud and embezzlement on Dec. 19.
About 250,000 people flocked to a pop music concert featuring local and foreign stars held in support of same-sex marriage in Taipei Saturday, organizers said.
The concert on Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office was one of the biggest-ever gay rights events in Taiwan.
Organizers put the turnout at 250,000 while police estimated 75,000.
The event, coinciding with Human Rights Day, came amid pressure from some civic groups seeking to stop the government’s bid to legalize same-sex marriage.
The concert opened with the Amis-language song “Don’t Give Up” by indigenous singer-songwriter Suming Rupi.
“I hope the right to marry will be extended to all people in Taiwan,” he said while addressing the crowd.
Other performers included Philippine pop chanteuse Sandee Chan, Hong Kong Canto-pop singer Denise Ho and Taiwanese Mandopop singer Dai Ailing.
Ho, who is openly gay and a fervent supporter of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, said she was proud to be part of the “historic moment,” referring to the concert.
Three of Taiwan’s top pop stars, A-mei, Jolin Tsai and Elva Hsiao, recorded video messages that were played at the concert.
A-mei, a staunch advocate of gay rights, funded the design of a flag that was handed out at the concert, according to the organizers, the Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBT) Hotline Association and Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy.
“Gay people also have the right to get married,” President Tsai Ing-wen was cited as saying by Presidential Office spokesman Alex Huang, at a different event.
Lawmakers were already reviewing bills on marriage equality and the government hopes people can be more tolerant and engage in dialogue to improve the institution of marriage, Huang said.
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Legislator Yu Mei-nu told the crowd she would keep her promise to see through legislative committee review of the marriage equality bills by Dec. 26.
DPP Deputy Secretary-General Hsu Chia-ching, also speaking at the event, said her party’s position would not change her support for same-sex marriage.
Party lawmakers have yet to reach a consensus over marriage equality legislation.
While the DPP is seeking to have the Civil Code revised to give all forms of marriage equal status, its legislative caucus leader, Legislator Ker Chien-ming, has called for the introduction of a special provision for same-sex marriage – a law the pro-gay rights camp sees as yet another form of discrimination.
Before the start of the concert, anti-gay rights groups held a press conference in Taipei, calling for a referendum on the same-sex marriage issue.
Shih Chun-yu, a Fu Jen Catholic University student and head of the Protection of Family Value Students Organisation, said many people who opposed same-sex marriage kept their feelings private out of fear of being bullied by gay rights activists. A referendum would let these people express their views, Shih said.
The anti-gay rights camp last Saturday held demonstrations in Northern, Central and Southern Taiwan to protest the same-sex marriage bills, arguing that the draft amendments to the Civil Code were contrary to traditional family values.
He was in the police during national service and had to drive during the midnight shift.
After nearly falling asleep at the wheel several times, Mr Loo Jun Wen, 21, realised how easy it was for motorists to doze off.
His teammate, Mr Aiden Chia, 21, also worries about his taxi driver father’s safety when he does the night shift.
That was what prompted the first-year students from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) to come up with the Risk Watch.
It is a device made up of a watch and ring that monitors the driver’s state of wakefulness and stimulates the driver to respond or an alarm would go off.
The prototype, made by a team of five, was one of 87 projects featured yesterday at SUTD’s The Technological Body exhibition, which involved first-year engineering and architecture students teaming up to make design technology to be worn.
Mr Chia told The New Paper: “The consequences of falling asleep at the wheel can be very dangerous and we’ve heard of a lot of accidents happening.”
A recent study by the American Automobile Association showed that driving with less than five hours of sleep is the same as driving drunk.
The watch lights up every 15 minutes and the driver has to flex the finger wearing the ring or the watch will vibrate.The ring measures the driver’s heartbeat, and if it senses the driver is falling sleep, the watch will vibrate.
The prototype took the group 12 weeks to complete and the biggest challenge was making it compact. “Our target audience would be night shift drivers like police officers or even taxi and Uber drivers,” said Mr Chia.
SUTD will shortlist six projects who will attend a workshop where they will produce enhanced versions of their prototypes.
Associate professor for engineering product development Arlindo Silva said: “Considering they’re just first-year students, they’ve gone very far.”
This article was first published on December 11, 2016.
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NEW YORK – Madonna was presented on Friday (Dec 9) with Billboard magazine’s Woman Of The Year award, but the seven-time Grammy Award winner said one of her biggest challenges was being a good mother.
“The biggest accomplishment I think was finishing my tour, doing my shows every night. And dealing with the challenges of being a mother. That’s always the challenge for me. Being a good mother, being an artist, getting through it all,” the singer told reporters on the New York red carpet at Billboard’s Women In Music 2016 event.
Madonna, 58, who has four children, in March completed her 82-show Rebel Heart world tour while embroiled in a legal battle over the custody of her 16 year-old son Rocco with ex-husband Guy Ritchie.
Rocco left Madonna during the tour to live with Ritchie in London. The dispute was settled in September, with Rocco reportedly continuing to live with his father.
The annual Billboard Women in Music awards recognise women who have made significant contributions to the music business and who have inspired other women.
Other honorees on Friday included, pop singer Kesha, country-pop star Shania Twain, jazz singer Andra Day, pop star Meghan Trainor, electro-pop artist Halsey and country singer Maren Morris.
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Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong gave a thumbs up to “Temasek Rice”, a grain variety made in Singapore, in a Facebook post on Saturday (Dec 10).
He visited the Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, a non-profit research institute funded by Temasek Trust, on Friday (Dec 9) and said in his post that he enjoyed “learning about the lab’s work, its focus on sustainability and on using science to improve our environment and lives”.
Temasek Rice, which is the first and only rice variety to be created and sold here, was launched at Meidi-Ya supermarket in Liang Court in August this year.
Each 1kg packet sells for between $6.95 and $7.45.
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The lab, located at the National University of Singapore, developed the rice, which is being grown in Tasikmalaya, Indonesia, on a small scale.
Senior principal investigator at Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory Yin Zhongchao told The Straits Times in a report in September that his grains are softer and as tasty as, or even tastier than other brown rice varieties.
Temasek Rice is specially bred to be hardy grain, able to withstand tough weather conditions such as heat, drought and floods.
Said PM Lee in his Facebook post: “I was given a packet and look forward to trying it soon.”
In October, Temasek Rice seeds were deposited into the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, the world’s largest secure seed storage facility.
The facility houses seeds of more than 4,000 plant species for the aim of regenerating food supplies in the event of catastrophes such as natural disasters, and as a backup for other seed banks.
This article was first published on December 10, 2016.
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The Cat Welfare Society (CWS) has reaffirmed the importance of keeping pet cats indoors after one was found dead on a doorstep in Marsiling on Friday (Dec 9).
In a Facebook post on Friday, that has since been shared more than 1,000 times, Muhd Nur Hakim wrote that he was woken up by his mother at about 5am after she found his cat dead on their doorstep amid a pool of blood.
The 28-year-old despatcher told The Straits Times on Saturday (Dec 10) that the cat, which was about 10 years old, regularly roamed outside the house.
He added that he suspected “nobody as all my neighbours around me look after each other”.
His neighbour had alerted his mother to the dead cat, he said.
CWS spokesman Veron Lau said that Town Councils often refer complaints about roaming cats to the society.
“We try to prevent just this type of escalation of issues that leads to abuse or culling by educating cat owners to keep their cats indoors,” said Ms Lau.
She added that CWS is “very saddened to hear of the fate of this cat” and “urged the authorities to take serious action to catch such a cruel perpetrator”.
A spokesman for the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said that AVA is aware of the case and is looking into it.
Mr Hakim said his cat had no wounds to suggest attacks from other animals such as dogs.
“When I carried it, its mouth was full of saliva and bubbles,” he said.
The incident has got netizens talking about the importance of keeping cats indoors.
In a comment on Mr Hakim’s post, Lim Suu Swen asked the pet owner why his cat was outside his house. “Shouldn’t you be keeping it indoors?”
Another commenter, Shu Hui, added that it’s “funny how it’s always the cat killer who gets all the scolding but nobody really reprimands the owner for allowing the cat to roam”.
In response, Mr Hakim said that “though cats are house pets, and they are meant to be kept at home, they are living things. If my cat keeps scratching the front door to go out, I can’t deny it”.
He wrote on his Facebook post that he wanted to alert “people to be on a lookout for such creatures near my area that are killing cats or dogs for pleasure”.
This article was first published on December 11, 2016.
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