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Uniqlo’s Black Friday sale features discounts of up to $90 from 25 – 27 Nov 2016
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SINGAPORE – Video streaming service Hooq is finally available in Singapore, starting today (November 24).
Joint venture Hooq was established by Singtel, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros. Entertainment in January 2015. It was first launched in the Philippines, and has since expanded to Thailand, India and Indonesia.
It has a catalogue of more than 20,000 movies and television shows, from Hollywood television productions such as Supergirl and Gotham, to Bollywood hits like Amitabh Bachchan’s Black.
It also features original content, such as Filipino crime drama OTJ, which was announced in June.
In Singapore, a subscription costs from $8.98 a month, to $78.98 for 360 days ($6.58 a month).
Hooq also announced a partnership with Singtel, that allows the telco’s pre-paid mobile customers to access the service as part of a bundled package, starting from $7 for 1GB of streaming.
More bundles will be made available to Singtel post-paid and broadband customers over the next few months.
Hooq faces competition from the likes of American video streaming service Netflix, which launched here in January this year. Subscription costs $10.98 a month, and users can access original Netflix content such as Daredevil and Jessica Jones.
Telco StarHub also launched CatchPlay in June this year. The $12.90 a month service has a catalogue of over 150 movies, from Hong Kong dramedy Golden Chicken to Hollywood shows like the Twilight saga.
lting@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on November 24, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
SINGAPORE: He is studying economics at the University of Texas, and is about 16 months away from completing his bachelors’ degree. But when Joseph Schooling heads back to Austin on Friday (Nov 25), he could well make the decision to turn professional, and give up on the collegiate sporting career that has nurtured his rapid impr ovement from an Asian to a global star.
The 21-year-old admitted in an interview Thursday (Nov 24) with Channel NewsAsia that leaving school is something he has been contemplating.
Asked what had prompted this, Schooling said: “I don’t know, there’s a lot of things going on.
“Swimming has such a short life span, you’ve got to make use of your opportunities while you can. A year and a half is a lot of time, but we’ll see.
“I’ve really got to go back, sit down, think hard about it. It’s a huge decision. For right now, I’m still focusing on school.”
That last sentence would be reassuring for his mother, May, who told this reporter to tell his son to “stay in school”.
Day 6 since the swimmer touched down at Changi Airport last Friday was again a whirlwind of activities, and if Schooling was tired, he was not letting on that he was.
Beginning at a downtown Mixed Martial Arts gym where he learned a few grappling moves, and described it as a lot of fun, Schooling’s official duties ended at an awards dinner where he finally received the S$1 million reward for his win in Rio de Janeiro.
On his second trip home since making history as Singapore’s first Olympic gold medallist, the young man continues to see the power of his appeal, the marketability of that megawatt smile, and how he is able to connect with all fans young and old.
At an event at Sentosa’s One Degree 15, he made sure all his young fans went away with a photo, a signed book and an encouraging word. He did the same in an MRT train decked out with his photos and inspirational quotes, bringing to life The Schooling Effect for fellow commuters.
Following that, at the Kallang Wave Mall, he again engaged with many young fans, as he formalised a partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, donating proceeds from the sales of his book and limited prints to the foundation.
Asked if one day a future champion might take out a photo taken with him, much like the famous one he took with Michael Phelps in 2008, Schooling said he certainly hope that would happen.
“Michael has been such an inspiration to so many people, and being put in that context is a real compliment, a real honour,” he said.
“I’d love for people to see me in that light on day. That’ll be pretty neat. That means I did a good job.”
Tuesday’s golf fundraiser, with Schooling as the main draw, netted more than $500,000 for the Singapore Swimming Association (SSA). The SSA’s coffers will be further swelled by another $200,000 when the association takes its mandatory 20 per cent cut from his Olympic reward.
Schooling’s appeal in Singapore is unquestioned, and he is beginning to wonder if he is able to make a similar impact on a global scale, and perhaps start repaying his parents for the well-documented US$1 million (S$1.42 million) that Colin and May spent to base him in the United States to develop his talent.
That could go some way to explaining his remarks before Tuesday’s charity golf event teed-off. It ruffled some feathers when he questioned whether more could be done to support local athletes through their development years.
Reminded that his parents’ investment could well have returned nothing, Schooling agreed, saying: “That’s what life is about. Life is a risk. You succeed or fail, they go hand-in-hand.
“I’m glad it turned out this way, and I’m glad I used this opportunity well. I just got to keep working right now.”
Asked if he had in mind a gift for his parents for all they have done for him, Schooling wants a “super nice family vacation”, which would include taking his father golfing at the Old Course at St Andrews, Scotland. Alternately, he would want to bring Colin to play three of the best courses in the United States.
“If there’s any chance I can get my Dad on to Augusta National, Pine Valley or Pebble Beach … those are the three courses he wants to play while he can. We’ll see if we can make it happen,” Schooling said.
Home-grown film-maker Boo Junfeng’s drama Apprentice won the Netpac award at the prestigious Golden Horse Awards in Taipei on Wednesday (Nov 23).
Speaking to The Straits Times upon his return to Singapore from Taiwan on Thursday afternoon (Nov 24), Boo, 32, said: “It was a little unfortunate that the film couldn’t compete in the main Golden Horse Awards because it didn’t fulfil its language criterion, so it is very nice to still be able to come home with an award from Golden Horse.”
The Golden Horse main event, which is known as the Mandarin-speaking world’s equivalent of the Academy Awards in the United States, will be held on Saturday (Nov 26).
The Netpac, or Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema, award is the only one at the festival that is given out to a non-Chinese language film.
The award promotes Asian cinema and highlights emerging cinematic talents from the region.
Apprentice, which tells the story of a young prisons officer (Firdaus Rahman) learning the ropes of becoming an executioner in Singapore, contains dialogue in Malay and English.
Boo said he was “encouraged” by the comments that the jury gave him about his film in the official citation: “With a tight script and mise-en-scene, the director successfully demonstrated a unique visual style to get inside the character psychology and tackle the issue of death penalty.”
The jury members were Macau film and culture critic Lei Chin Pang, Taipei Film Festival programme director Kuo Ming-jung, and Hong Kong film-maker Freddie Wong.
Competing against Apprentice for the award were films such as South Korean thriller The Truth Beneath and Japanese crime drama Twisted Justice.
The Netpac award is the latest accolade in a string for Boo and Apprentice. Last month, he was conferred the Rising Director award at Busan International Film Festival’s Asia Star Awards and the film was named Best Film at the Philippines’ QCinema International Film Festival’s Asian New Wave.
Earlier this month, the cast received a Special Mention (Acting Ensemble) at the Hawaii International Film Festival.
It all started in May for Apprentice, which premiered at Cannes International Film Festival and competed in the Un Certain Regard section.
yipwy@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on November 24, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
SINGAPORE – Just nine days before she took her first Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) paper, Putri Lydia Hemamalini lost her father to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Despite the death of her 64-year-old father, who had suffered from the condition for about three years, the 12-year-old decided to soldier on with her revision for the PSLE.
“(My father) was like my best friend. When I had problems, I would share with him and he would give me advice,” the Primary 6 pupil at Lianhua Primary School said.
“I wanted to do my best at the PSLE and make him proud.”
On Thursday (Nov 24), Putri was recognised by her school principal for her perseverance. She attained an A grade for Malay, C for English, and Ds for science and mathematics at the national exam, and can move on to a secondary school.
Putri had to juggle preparing for the PSLE and offering emotional support to her 47-year-old mother and three siblings aged between eight and 17. Besides revising daily, she would go home after school to help out with household chores.
“I had to stay positive for my family, because we need to move on,” she said.
Her teachers and schoolmates rallied around her during that trying period, clarifying doubts that she might have and encouraging her to remain positive.
“The school is like a second home to me,” said Putri. “My teachers and friends have been very supportive. I am thankful for them and will miss them when I leave this school.”
Madam Po Mun Ying, her form teacher, said Putri is a cheerful and bubbly girl who demonstrated resilience to work hard in her studies.
Madam Po added: “She also knew she had to do her best to make her dad and family proud.”
calyang@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on November 24, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
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SINGAPORE – For his historic gold-medal feat at the Rio Olympic Games, swimmer Joseph Schooling received $1 million as part of the Singapore National Olympic Council’s (SNOC) multi-million dollar awards programme (MAP) on Thursday (Nov 24).
The 21-year-old will give 20 per cent of that amount to the Singapore Swimming Association for its training and development schemes, as stipulated by the SNOC.
He was presented with the cheque by Tote Board chairman Moses Lee, together with guest of honour SNOC president Tan Chuan-Jin and Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
Said Schooling: “It’s great support from (the Tote Board); I don’t think a lot of people will offer that much money to people that easily and that just goes to show how genuine they are and how invested they are in the sporting scene in Singapore, and that’s really sweet.”
Paying tribute to the 2016 Olympians, Mr Tan, who is also Minister for Social and Family Development, said: “I had the privilege to be in Rio to support our athletes and officials and to witness the tenacity of our athletes as they put in their best efforts to compete against the best in the world.
“I witnessed the camaraderie of Team Singapore, displayed when athletes of different sports come together to form friendships, cheer each other on and encourage one another when times were tough. What I witnessed truly exemplifies the spirit of Team Singapore.”
The MAP rewards medallists of the SEA, Commonwealth, Asian and Olympic Games, and is sponsored by the Tote Board family comprising Tote Board, Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club.
Schooling set a new Olympic record of 50.39 seconds en route to winning the 100m butterfly final in Brazil in August, nearly one second ahead of a joint-silver finish of 51.15sec shared by 23-time Olympic champion Michael Phelps of the USA, South Africa’s Chad le Clos and Hungary’s Laszlo Cseh.
Last year, Schooling received $31,250 for his six individual golds and three relay golds at the SEA Games.
The swimmer also received the Meritorious Service Medal (Pingat Jasa Gemilang) from Minister for Culture, Community and Youth Grace Fu.
cnicole@sph.com.sg
This article was first published on November 24, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.
From December, commuters will be allowed to carry their foldable bicycles and personal mobility devices (PMD) such as e-scooters onto buses and trains all day in a six-month trial.
Currently, only bicycles with a length of 114cm, a height of 64cm and a width of 36cm when folded are allowed on board public transport only during off peak hours.
In a statement today (Nov 24), the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said: “This is another step taken by LTA to encourage more people to use public transport, and to adopt active mobility for the first and last mile of their daily public transport commutes.”
The foldable bicycles and PMDS must meet the following dimensions: Length of up to 120cm, a height not more than 70cm and a width of 40cm or less.
Most bikes and PMDs currently used by commuters fulfil these requirements.
Signs showing the specifications will be put up in stages at all MRT and LRT stations, as well as bus hubs and interchanges, from December.
Bikes and PMDs must be folded at all times, and the power switched off when carried onto trains and buses. They are also not allowed to be placed on the staircase or on upper deck of double-decker buses.
Mr Jeremy Yap, deputy chief executive for public transport, policy and planning at LTA said: “This initiative integrates active mobility with our public transport system, and brings us closer to our aspiration for walking, cycling and riding public transport to be the best way to get around in Singapore.”
chenj@sph.com.sg
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SINGAPORE: Serviced residence operator Ascott has unveiled its newest accommodation concept, Lyf, which is “designed for and managed by millennials who wish to experience destinations as locals do”, it announced on Thursday (Nov 24).
In a press release, Ascott said the properties will be designed to facilitate interaction between guests, with communal spaces and co-working areas that can be easily transformed into zones for workshops or social gatherings.
“Each Lyf properly has its own unique personality with fun and quirky design elements”, it said, adding that interactive digital art pieces or giant ball pits may be incorporated “for the kids amongst us”.
Ascott said millennials already form a quarter of its customers and it expects this segment to grow exponentially. Said Ascott’s chief executive officer Lee Chee Koon: “Lyf is a unique accommodation tailored for this demographic, including technopreneurs, start-ups and individuals from music, media and fashion.”
A common kitchen area, under Ascott’s new Lyf brand. (Photo: Ascott)
Millennials are defined as those aged 18 to 34, according to Pew research published in 2016. However, Ascott said the brand does not define millennials by age, but as “a social generation who crave discoveries and desire to be part of a community.”
The properties will be managed by “Lyf Guards” – millennials who may be residents themselves, but also perform the role of community manager, city and food guide, as well as bar keeper, explained Ascott.
A common laundry area, under Ascott’s new Lyf brand. (Photo: Ascott)
Ascott said it aims to have 10,000 units under the Lyf brand globally by 2020, adding that it is looking out for sites in Australia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the United Kingdom.
It said the types of accommodation will include studio apartments and twin rooms with a shared kitchen.
MANILA: A wax mask covered the face of Ferdinand Marcos for the 23 years his corpse was on show, but the body on display was no fake.
That’s according to the Philippine dictator’s mortician, Frank Malabed, the embalmer of choice for high profile politicians and celebrities.
He revealed the secrets of his trade following the controversial burial at the Heroes’ Cemetery in Manila last week.
The interment stoked fresh speculation about the dictator’s final resting place, with many believing the real Marcos was secretly laid to rest years ago and the body on display had been a wax replica.
But Malabed, who embalmed the body, insisted it was real.
“The face the people saw was wax. But for the rest of the body there was no need for that because it was clothed,” the 66-year-old said.
“The hair, that’s only a wig.”
Marcos died in exile in Hawaii in 1989, three years after the “People Power” revolution forced him from office.
Critics say during 20 years in power he looted state coffers and ordered the torture and killing of thousands of foes.
Marcos’s body was embalmed by Malabed in Hawaii. In 1993 it was flown to the ancestral home in the northern Philippines, where it was put in a glass case for public viewing.
Malabed said Marcos, who died from lung, kidney and liver complications aged 72, was disfigured by oedema – the build-up of fluid that causes tissues to become swollen.
Embalming drains blood and other body fluid, which is replaced with preservative solution. But the resulting “shrivelled skin did not look good”, the mortician said.
“Ma’am did not care for that,” he added, referring to the widow Imelda.
“She wanted Filipinos to see President Marcos (the way) he looked before, when he was still young.”
Malabed said he received the already embalmed body a week after Marcos’s death, but had to repeat the procedure because the face looked “bloated” and he feared it would decompose within a week.
“I’m a perfectionist when speaking about embalming,” he said, later telling the Marcos family the reworked body would be intact for 30 years.
“I’m proud, because he was a 20-year president and not an ordinary person.”
In 1991, Malabed said the widow paid another mortician to work on the face with materials “similar to” the restorative wax used to rebuild the faces of people disfigured in fatal accidents.
Malabed said he last checked the corpse “by hand” on August 8, pronouncing it in good condition as burial preparations began in secret. He said another mortuary handled the actual ceremony.
The dictator’s eldest daughter Imee, the family’s official spokeswoman for the body, did not respond to AFP’s requests for comment.
But days before the burial, Imee told ABS-CBN television that “of course” the body was real, though “all kinds of procedures, all kinds of chemicals had been used” on it.
As a child, Malabed dreamed of becoming an engineer, but he soon followed in the footsteps of his mortician father.
By the time he was an 18-year-old apprentice, Malabed was working on the mangled bodies of US soldiers killed in the Vietnam War, which had been flown to the then-US air base at Clark.
Malabed got his first big break embalming a brother and a sister of Imelda, a job which opened doors to the Marcos family.
But it has not been all Marcos: he also embalmed Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, the Marcos family’s arch-political foe whose assassination at Manila airport by government forces in 1983 altered the course of Philippine history.
Under strict instructions from the family matriarch, Malabed preserved the body, but made no effort to fix the bullet-shattered face.
Aquino’s corpse – wearing the same bloodstained jacket in which he had died – became the rallying point for the revolution that ultimately brought his widow to power, and sent Marcos into exile.
For Malabed, a devout Catholic, the identity of a person when they were alive is not important; he treats all his clients equally.
His skills do not come cheap, he admits, but says the final result is well worth it.
“I make people beautiful even in death.”
