Two foreign workers who climbed over the gates of a burning house to alert its residents were yesterday presented with an award for bravery.

The fire on Nov 10 left a two-storey bungalow in Sunset Place badly charred. A lightning strike may have been the cause of the fire that started at about 5.30pm.

In a Facebook post, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that Mr Rengasamy Kabilarasan and Mr Marudapillai Jayavelu had been given the SCDF Public Spiritedness Award. They were working in Sunset Place when the fire on the second storey of the house across the road broke out.

Dr Peter Tan, an 80-year-old retired surgeon, and his wife had been living there for more than 40 years. He was not home when the house caught fire, but neighbours said his wife and maid were in the house, and seemingly unaware.

Neighbours also told The Straits Times earlier that they had tried calling out to those in the house from outside the gates, but failed to get their attention.

“Acting instinctively, the two foreign workers immediately ran over, scaled a gate to access the premises, alerted the occupants and quickly evacuated them to safety,” the SCDF said.

“Their heroic act helped to prevent any loss of lives in the raging house fire.”

The award was presented to the two men by Bukit Timah Citizens Consultative Committee chairman Michelle Liem at the 1st SCDF Division Headquarters.

This article was first published on December 01, 2016.
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The authorities continue to search for a 60-year-old man who fell overboard from a cruise ship in waters off Malacca on Sunday.

Mr Wuan Poh Fatt was reportedly travelling from Singapore to Penang with five others, and is believed to have fallen into the sea off Tanjung Kling, just north of the central Malaysian state.

This took place at 11.05pm on Sunday, according to the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency.

Investigations show Mr Wuan was missing after a headcount. He did not respond to announcements shortly before the ship docked in Georgetown, Penang, on Monday, the New Straits Times reported.

Onboard closed-circuit camera footage confirmed that a person fell overboard at 11.05pm.

The ship was somewhere between 9.5 nautical miles off Pulau Besar and 12 nautical miles off Tanjung Kling at the time.

A search with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority shows Mr Wuan is a director of two companies dealing mainly in plumbing, heating and air-conditioning.

A Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman said in response to queries that it is providing consular assistance to the family.

She added: “The Singapore High Commission in Kuala Lumpur is in contact with local authorities regarding this incident.”

A Star Cruises spokesman said it is extending “full support and assistance” to Mr Wuan’s family in this time of difficulty.

She added that the company will “continue to work closely and coordinate with the local authorities on the investigation of the reported incident”.

The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency said search and rescue operations are ongoing .

When approached at their home yesterday, Mr Wuan’s family declined to comment on the matter.

This article was first published on December 1, 2016.
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A 15-year-old boy, Tan Yao Bin, was apparently electrocuted and killed while having a shower on Tuesday night.

He suffered cardiac arrest and despite attempts by paramedics, who administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), died later that night.

The tragedy happened at Block 233, Bukit Batok East Avenue 5.

Neighbour Wendy Wee, 60, an administrator, said she was alerted to the incident when she heard a boy cry out for his mother in Mandarin.

The victim’s brother, Mr Tan Qi Lin, 19, told The Straits Times he was doing his homework in the three-room flat at the time.

“My older brother, my dad and I immediately turned off the electrical supply at home.

We saw that the wiring for the heater was exposed in the toilet itself,” said the Institute of Technical Education student.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it received a call at 8.07pm and conveyed the victim to Ng Teng Fong General Hospital in an unconscious state.

The SCDF said paramedics administered CPR continuously throughout the journey to the hospital.

But he was pronounced dead at the hospital at 9.56pm.

The police are investigating the unnatural death.

Mr Tan said the family has been living there his whole life.

“I’m really worried about my mother. She’s not coping well.”

His mother works as a kindergarten assistant and his father is a production worker.

Mr Tan has another brother, aged 21.

His family and relatives were at the morgue yesterday morning to identify Yao Bin’s body.

Mr Tan described his brother as “an intelligent and playful boy”.

He said the family will change the unit’s electrical wiring, urging others to check on their heaters and electrical works regularly.

“Check that the wiring for your heater is properly installed so that the same thing doesn’t happen to your family.”

A neighbour who wanted to be known only as Mr Tan, 39, said: “We are all worried now. We don’t have knowledge of electrical works. It’s hard to actually identify these issues until something happens.”

The IT consultant continued: “We’re heartbroken that this happened to Yao Bin. He was a lively and friendly boy and had good grades.

“We saw him grow up and he would come by our home to play. His parents have sacrificed a lot for their sons. This kind of thing shouldn’t have happened.”

A 17-year-old was electrocuted in similar fashion on Aug 29, 2014.

A coroner’s inquiry into his death last year found that he could have received the fatal electric shock when his hand came into contact with an electrically energised metallic shower outlet hose that was attached to a water heater.

This article was first published on December 1, 2016.
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Enrolment has gone up as students seek to pick up critical thinking skills.

These days, tuition is not just about solving that difficult maths question.

Students can also get help to craft a literature essay or an answer to an open-ended history question.

At least five tuition centres specialising in the humanities have sprung up in the last three years.

The growing demand is partly prompted by syllabus changes that require greater analytical skills, said Ms Kristin Looi, founder of Wordsmiths Learning Centre.

Students also want to do well in the humanities to secure places in schools of their choice. A good grade in humanities subjects is needed to qualify for popular polytechnic courses, and those entering junior college need to use the grade of at least one humanities subject.

Ms Mabel Ng, director of Humanities Hub, said its enrolment since 2012 has doubled to about 300 O- and A-level students today.

Wordsmiths Learning Centre started in 2013 with 30 students in its humanities classes.

This has grown to 80 to 100 students now. “Not many centres specialise in teaching humanities, a field that is quite unique and different from other subjects,” said Ms Looi.

“Singaporean students are quite used to rote learning but education has evolved and it’s no longer about memorising dates and facts and regurgitating during exams.”

She said humanities subjects require critical analysis of sources and high-order thinking skills. “And in school classes of 30 to 40 students, it’s quite impossible for a teacher to teach these skills effectively.

They may not have enough time to coach students individually.” Ms Ariel Chew, director of Inspire Education Centre, who teaches literature, said: “In school, it’s quite touch-and-go.

There isn’t enough time to go through literary devices and skills in depth as they tend to spend more time on texts and content. We try to give students more practice – we could spend eight to 10 lessons on poetry analysis, for instance.”

Ms Phoebe Ye, founder of tuition centre Brain Matter, said it started offering humanities tuition in 2013 because of demand from its students.

It now has about 15 students in these classes, up from five to seven three years ago. “Students expect to be spoonfed, so they struggle when they have to think independently and they need a bit more guidance.”

For instance, social studies, which is a compulsory O-level subject, requires students to answer questions based on case studies that may not be covered in the syllabus, Ms Ye added. Second-year Temasek Junior College student Ng Weng Fai said he had social studies and history tuition at Humanities Hub when he was in secondary school as these were his weaker subjects.

“My mind is more wired towards sciences and I find essay writing quite challenging,” he said, adding that source-based questions that tested skills in inference and critical analysis were new to him.

“Tuition helped and it got easier to tackle those sort of questions once I got the hang of it,” said the 17-year-old who obtained As for social studies and history.

He now has economics tuition. “People say economics is like science, but it isn’t really – you still need the analytical skills, and the hardest part is applying the relevant content to questions.”

MORE PRACTICE

In school, it’s quite touch-and-go.

There isn’t enough time to go through literary devices and skills in depth as they tend to spend more time on texts and content.

We try to give students more practice – we could spend eight to 10 lessons on poetry analysis, for instance.

’’Ms Ariel Chew, director of Inspire Education Centre, who teaches literature.

TUITION HELPED

My mind is more wired towards sciences and I find essay writing quite challenging… Tuition helped and it got easier to tackle those sort of questions once I got the hang of it.” 

Ng Weng Fai, a second-year Temasek Junior College student, who had social studies and history tuition in secondary school. He said source-based questions that tested skills in inference and critical analysis were new to him.

This article was first published on December 01, 2016.
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Every weekend, the fresh salty air and therapeutic waves beckon, and Mr Mervin Low succumbs.

At daybreak, the 48-year-old business owner heads out from Pasir Ris beach in a specially designed kayak to fish – sometimes alone, sometimes with friends in their own kayaks.

Kayak fishing is a growing phenomenon fuelled by a love of nature and the ability to access productive fishing spots not available to shore anglers.

Its key advantage is that one can paddle almost silently into both deep and shallow waters without “spooking” the fish.

These days, one can see fishing kayaks being launched from the beaches at Sembawang, Pasir Ris, Changi, Sentosa and East Coast Park, as well as the jetties off Lim Chu Kang and Punggol.

These are not bare kayaks, but have been purpose-made for open- water fishing.

Many are stable, sit-on-top, self-bailing vessels which will not get flooded like a bathtub on rainy days or if, touch wood, they capsize.

The best types of fishing kayaks are those with pedal assist systems that are easy to use, even for beginners.

A responsive steering handle controls the direction of the kayak, and it frees the angler’s hands to fish.

“We are anglers first and kayakers second. These kayaks are our vehicles on the seas. At the same time, we can bring home some fish for the family,” said Mr Low, who enjoys getting away from the city’s hustle and bustle.

According to him, there are a few hundred active kayak anglers in Singapore today.

It is a multiracial melting pot, with participants from all walks of life, ranging from a 11-year-old student to a 66-year-old retiree.

Everyone shares a common goal – to enjoy a day at sea and do the thing they love the most in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way.

Mr Low has fished from a kayak for about six years.

The social sport was introduced to Singapore in 2009 by Mr Ian Pearl, a British expatriate who had become bored with fishing from the shore.

After some research, he imported a regular inflatable kayak with paddles with which he could explore Singapore’s coastline.

He posted his exploits in local fishing forums regularly, where they caught the attention of like-minded fishing enthusiasts such as Mr Low. And thus, kayak fishing in Singapore was born.

In Pasir Ris, in waters 6m to 21m deep, lie sunken kelongs and mangroves, which provide nurseries for the fish to breed in protected waters.

They are replete with fish, says Mr Low.

“People are amazed at how big they are. The largest fish I’ve caught is an 8kg grouper caught in the waters off Changi,” said Mr Low.

He lets go of the fish if “it is too small or if it is too big for the wok”.

He usually brings home at least one or two for his wife and two children.

The common types of fish found in Singapore waters all year round include the grouper, barramundi, snapper, giant herring and queenfish.

Many kayaks are mounted with fish finders – electronic devices which show the terrain of the seabed in 2D, much like a graph – which allow anglers to scan the seabed for fish-holding structures and drop-offs.

The use of technology increases the probability of landing a catch.

While kayak anglers have been teased for being crazy to go out on little kayaks under the hot tropical sun, the intense joy for Mr Low when a fish bites is “beyond words”.

This article was first published on Dec 01, 2016.
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UPDATE: The Hong Kong Customs have added security guards who are stationed 24-hours at the site housing the seized Terrex infantry carriers.

In a statement, the Ministry of Defence (Mindef) also revealed that the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department had not yet given formal reasons for the detention of the vehicles. This follows a meeting between APL, the carrier contracted to transport the vehicles, and the Hong Kong authorities on Nov 29.

SAF said that APL and the Hong Kong Customs will be having another meeting on Thursday (Dec 1). “We have advised APL to give its full cooperation to the Hong Kong authorities in order to expedite the recovery of the SAF’s assets,” it added.

The seizure of nine Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) armoured vehicles and equipment by the Hong Kong Customs authorities has drawn the attention of Singaporeans on social media.

Most expressed the hope that the nine Terrex infantry carriers would be released soon.

But a small minority wants Singapore to relook its position on issues involving China, a call that drew strong responses from many who urged the Government to stand its ground.

The vehicles were on an APL ship bound for Singapore, after a military exercise in Taiwan, when they were seized during the vessel’s transit in Hong Kong.

Observers said a key learning point from the incident should be that, when it comes to disputes with another country, Singaporeans must stand together in protecting the country’s interests and sovereignty.

Many online stressed that Singapore – and its people – should not be seen as pushovers.

Read Also: China lodges protest over SAF vehicles

Said Facebook user Robin Liu: “We have to be united as a nation, as a people, behind our government to let China know that we cannot be intimidated or bullied.

“We want to be friends with China, but it should be based on mutual respect and equal standing as sovereign nations dealing with each other, and not on a big brother to a younger brother footing.”

The seizure has ignited much debate that became more intense after China expressed its unhappiness on Monday over the incident, and called on Singapore to adhere to the “one China” policy.

Opinions, however, span two extremes, defence analyst Bernard Loo noted.

Some want Hong Kong to return the vehicles with no fuss while others argue that Singapore should “acquiesce to everything China demands”.

“Both are probably misguided at best,” said Associate Professor Loo of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS).

Read Also: SAF deploys team to Hong Kong to secure seized armoured vehicles

He sees the situation playing out thus: “Yes, the vehicles were routed through Hong Kong. Yes, the Hong Kong port authorities have every right to inspect the cargo.

“But Singapore has the sovereign right to train wherever it is welcome, and training in Taiwan does not compromise our acceptance of the ‘one China’ policy.”

Singapore, he added, is likely to stand firm on this.

The analysts also rejected calls for Singapore to adjust its positions on issues involving China, including an online petition – signed by 39 people in five days – that wants the Government to apologise to China.

Said Dr Alan Chong of RSIS: “You don’t want to set a precedent where you openly cave in to another state’s demands.”

Friction is inevitable in international relations, he pointed out.

Observers also stressed that Singapore, as a small country, cannot be seen as weak.

Read Also: SAF vehicle seizure: Use of shipping lines by militaries the norm in peacetime, says Ng Eng Hen

Workers’ Party MP Pritam Singh wrote on his Facebook page: “When Singapore is pushed around in the international realm, or belittled unceremoniously usually as a result of our size, our opponents do so with their interests in mind, and – for those with more nefarious intentions – to drive a wedge among Singaporeans.”

The only thing Singapore and its people should take away from this episode, he added, is a stronger sense of nation and identity.

“For it is in our destiny as a small state that similar spats will inevitably come to the fore again… But (it) is far from inevitable that Singaporeans are destined to be divided.”

Political observer Bilveer Singh of the National University of Singapore cites other differences that Singapore has had with big countries.

These include the Michael Fay caning incident with the United States in 1994, and then Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s 2004 trip to Taiwan that attracted Chinese opposition.

Singapore should also not change course at the request of Chinese leaders or opinion makers, he said.

“We are not a Chinese province and that must be made known clearly. This is not the Third China and, on these principles, we must never, ever compromise,” he said.

Read Also: SAF vehicle seizure: Singapore will not allow any single issue to hijack ties with China, says Vivian Balakrishnan

This article was first published on December 1, 2016.
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The Government does not have a specific candidate in mind for the next presidential election, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has told Malaysia’s national news agency, Bernama, but “we know there are people who will qualify”.

Asked if the Government has started to shortlist people, Mr Lee said: “There is no shortlist. It depends on who comes forward. It is not for the Government to arrange. It is for the candidates to come forward.”

The next presidential election must be held by August next year.

Although it has been reserved for Malay candidates, the election will become an open one if no one steps forward, Mr Lee added.

In the interview, he also explained the decision to reserve the election for a candidate from a minority community periodically.

As the president is picked in a national vote in a multiracial society, “it is harder for a minority candidate to win than for a Chinese candidate to win”, he said.

Since the elected presidency was introduced in 1991, Mr Lee noted that Singapore has had only one minority president: Mr S R Nathan, who served two terms.

As for the prime minister’s post, Mr Lee does not rule out a non-Chinese assuming it in the next few decades.

“It could happen in our lifetime,” Mr Lee said when asked about its possibility.

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2016-01-10 18:03:30

Photo Gallery

Singapore’s presidents over the years

Source: The Straits Times, Lianhe Zaobao

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Citing the example of Mr Barack Obama, who became the first black president of the United States in 2008, he said: “It is a long process but it is possible and I hope one day it will happen.”

He added: “The racial patterns of voting is something very deeply ingrained. It is so in Malaysia; it is so in Singapore, perhaps less so in Singapore but it exists.”

The US, which elected a new president last month, also showed clearly how voting patterns differed across ethnic groups.

“That is a reality of human nature which we have to accept,” he said.

Mr Lee was also asked how Singapore tries to remain corruption-free.

Civil servants and government ministers are paid a fair salary to minimise temptation, he said.

“You come in, you cannot expect to get rich in the Government, but you should not become poor because you had to do public service.”

From the start, the People’s Action Party wanted “a clean system, a clean civil service and a clean political leadership”, he said.

“We have been quite unsparing in enforcing that. Whoever transgresses… whether it is a civil servant or a minister, we have to investigate and consequences have to follow.”

The people of Singapore have also come to expect a clean system and high standards from the Government.

Such an attitude is very important, said Mr Lee.

If the people accept that giving bribes is a normal way to do business, “that if you are in power then these are perks of the office, that will be a very different situation even if we have the laws”, he said.

This article was first published on December 1, 2016.
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