Youth development in the local netball scene will undergo a major change, The New Paper has learnt.

In a bid to grow the talent pool, training and competition opportunities will be afforded to more young girls after the end of their National Schools campaigns, especially those who fail to make it past the zonal level.

Currently, Netball Singapore’s (NS) M1 Schools Challenge League offers competitions to teams that do not make it to the nationals, along with recreational school teams and those from international schools.

National age-group teams – Under-14, U-17, U-19 and U-21 – are then formed after the various competitions and compete in various international events, or local ones like the multi-division National League.

The expanded youth programme will be supported by a sponsor and will be launched in the next few months.

Netball Singapore chief executive Cyrus Medora declined to reveal details of the plan, but said that NS has been working on it since the start of the year.

“Yes, the current system has been working but I’m sure it can get a lot better, especially at the age-group level, and since we have more than 300 teams taking part in the school competitions every year,” he said.

“We have been doing well at the Open-level because of the focus, and amount of resources we put in there.

“Look at Malaysia, their U-21s are way up there and we haven’t been close to them.”

Malaysia won the Asian Youth Netball Championship in 2010, and a youthful senior team finished a close second to the Republic at last year’s South-east Asia (SEA) Games.

The Malaysians went on to dethrone Singapore when they won the Asian Netball Championship in Thailand this year, and are favourites for the SEA Games gold in Kuala Lumpur next August.

NS wants a bigger base of players to choose from for the various national squads, and Medora said: “Players develop late in netball. So you want to get more in your system and keep them as long as you can.”

Foraging for food in the wild might not seem like a common pastime among Singaporeans.

Unless you are an aspiring contender on reality TV show Survivor, of course.

But for amateur forager Esmonde Luo, learning about edible and inedible plants in the jungle is more than just a hobby.

It also helps him appreciate nature and do his part in preserving it.

This Saturday, the part-time tutor and nature enthusiast will be holding his second Foraging 101 outdoor workshop, where participants will be taught how to identify edible plants and other food options in the wild.

The class is among over 30 unique workshops run by the School Of Uncommon Knowledge as part of The Substation’s first A Home For The Arts programme. 

It is part of this year’s Singapore Biennale art exhibition. Participants will walk on a trail along the Rail Corridor near the Bukit Timah Railway Station, a journey that lasts at least 45 minutes.

This Saturday’s workshop is full, but interested parties can sign up to be placed on a wait list.

Last Tuesday, Mr Luo held an indoor workshop and demonstrated how edible plants can be incorporated into everyday cooking.

The 29-year-old, who developed a keen interest in foraging about five years ago, told The New Paper: “Singapore is a garden city, but most of the nature that we see is on TV or through car windows as we drive.

“I think it is useful to go out…and learn about the ecosystem. If we don’t touch and feel for ourselves, we will never truly appreciate nature and learn to take care of it.”

The free workshops operate on a barter system.

Mr Luo, who also dabbles in film and theatre, trades his knowledge for any of these three things: something he can plant, eat or drink, or cook.

When Mr Luo led this reporter on the trail, he shared interesting facts about plants such as lavender sorrel, ivy gourd and bananas.

SOUR

Once in a while, he would squat to get a closer look at a plant or gently brush aside vines overhead to find ripe fruits.

He munched on a lavender sorrel leaf – thumb-sized with round, neat edges – and spoke of its slightly sour taste.

“You can sprinkle the leaves over rice, like in nasi ulam (rice with herbs),” said Mr Luo, who grows plants such as galangal, turmeric and ivy gourd in his garden.

He was quick to warn against eating cocoyam leaves, which are big and spade-shaped, as they “prick” the throat when eaten raw.

Overeager foragers should also take note: Finding fruits that are suitable for eating is very rare.

“The chances of getting edible fruit, in reality, is close to nothing. All the other animals, birds and insects would have got to it first,” he said.

He popped the lone ripe banana we saw on the trail into his mouth, then expelled its tiny seeds back into some shrubbery.

“You can’t eat the seeds anyway, so you might as well give back to the earth so more plants can grow back,” he said.

If we don’t touch and feel for ourselves, we will never truly appreciate nature and learn to take care of it.

­­– Mr Esmonde Luo, a nature enthusiast and amateur forager

A 63-year-old driver allegedly involved in a hit-and-run accident on the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) in June was charged in court yesterday.

Ho Loong Chan faces 10 charges, including rash driving and causing hurt to a motorcyclist and his pillion rider.

The alleged offences happened between 11.10am and 11.30am on June 15.

Ho is first accused of driving without consideration for others by tailgating the motorcycle ridden by UberEats rider Muhammad Fazly Rahmat, 29, and cutting in and out of lanes and driving in an erratic manner.

He then allegedly veered right and came close to Mr Fazly’s bike.

SWERVED

Ho allegedly drove on the road shoulder and allegedly swerved towards the motorcycle, missing it.

He is also accused of veering into the path of the motorcycle, causing his car to sideswipe the bike and knocking down Mr Fazly and his fiancée Siti Farina Saptu, 27.

Ho allegedly did not stop and provide assistance after the accident and he did not make a police report within 24 hours.

A video of the alleged incident was uploaded online by a Facebook user in June and was shared on the Facebook pages of road community groups.

Ho, represented by defence counsel Peter Low, is expected back in court on Dec 14.

The phone call came out of the blue and caught her by surprise.

What surprised Mrs Eunice Tay even more was being told that the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) needed her back to helm the charity in the short term.

She is now living in Kuching in the East Malaysian state of Sarawak after retiring as NKF chief executive in 2013.

NKF announced yesterday that it had sacked her successor, Mr Edmund Kwok, for a “personal indiscretion”.

Mrs Tay told The New Paper in a phone interview yesterday that she had agreed to take over as interim head until a new CEO is found.

NKF CEO Edmund Kwok. TNP PHOTO: GAVIN FOO BH FILE PHOTO

She said she received a call on Tuesday from NKF chairman Koh Poh Tiong, who told her that Mr Kwok was leaving NKF. He did not tell her the reason and she did not ask.

“He asked if I could come back for a while and take over as CEO until a new one is found. I told him ‘Anything for NKF’,” she said.

Mrs Tay said the earliest that she could start her duties at NKF as interim CEO was mid-December.

“I could not drop everything and come back immediately as I have a commitment to the Anglican Church in Kuching.There are alot of things to settle before I can come back,” Mrs Tay said.

NKF issued a press statement yesterday morning that Mr Kwok had been sacked, which took effect on Monday, citing “personal indiscretion” as the reason.

Mr Koh later told a press conference that the “indiscretion” had involved a male employee who made a complaint to his immediate supervisor against Mr Kwok on Nov 7.

DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE

He said that given the “seriousness of the case”, the NKF board decided to form an inquiry and disciplinary committee to look into it.

When Mr Kwok met the committee on Sunday to respond to the accusation, he admitted to it.

Based on advice by NKF’s lawyers that such an “indiscretion” is a “reportable offence”, Mr Koh said the board agreed that Mr Kwok’s services should be terminated.

He was informed on Monday and a police report was made the next day.

Mr Koh said the male employee is still working at the charity.

A three-member executive committee comprising Mr Koh, and board members Bennett Neo and Johnny Heng, will take over Mr Kwok’s duties and responsibilities until Mrs Tay becomes interim CEO.

Reporters could not get answers to questions on what Mr Kwok had done, and what had been reported to the police.

Instead, Mr Koh and board member William Wan took pains to stress that “one man’s indiscretion must not affect the whole organisation”.

“As a board, we acted in the best interest of the organisation. The organisation is not about one man. It’s about 4,000 patients and many more… We did what was needed. We terminated his services,” Mr Wan said.

This is the second major scandal the charity has faced in just over a decade.

In 2005, then CEO T.T. Durai was found to be living a lavish lifestyle using funds raised by the charity.

He was later convicted of corruption and sentenced to three months’ jail.

IMPACT

Singapore Management University associate law professor Eugene Tan told TNP that Mr Kwok’s sacking is unlikely to have the same impact as that of the 2005 incident.

“It’s a blow but not fatal. This development does not point to systemic weaknesses but is confined to one person,” he said.

“Yes, it’s something that NKF can do without. It’s a setback but they have built a reservoir of goodwill in the past decade.”

On Mrs Tay’s return as interim head, Prof Tan said it is a stopgap measure “given the unexpected development”.

“With Mrs Tay back on board, it also assures stakeholders who know of her no-nonsense approach to corporate governance,” he added.

On the appointment of a new CEO, Dr Victor Yeo, associate professor of business law at Nanyang Technological University’s Nanyang Business School, said: “The choice must be one that the board believes to be best for the organisation.

“What is key is how the transition is managed and whether the interim measures can minimise any potential negative impact on the organisation concerned.

“A well-thought-out plan, supported by a robust succession planning framework that should already be in place, will help very much in managing any potential fallout that may adversely affect the organisation and its ability to meet the expectations of all of its stakeholders,” he said.

He has played in five editions of the AFF Championship and scored in three finals which Singapore won.

If the Lions are to make it past the group stages in this year’s competition, striker Khairul Amri has to be fit and in among the goals.

The 31-year-old is one of just four players, along with Faris Ramli, Safuwan Baharudin and Yasir Hanapi, who have scored during V Sundramoorthy’s reign as national coach.

The New Paper spoke to some members of the local fraternity and they believe that, while Amri’s form will be key to Singapore’s fate, Sahil Suhaimi, another talented forward in a similar mould, could have a breakthrough campaign.

That is, if Sundram breaks away from his tendency to play just one striker and deploy defender Safuwan in the No. 10 role.

Tampines Rovers coach Akbar Nawas said: “We all know what Amri can do as he has been Singapore’s main striker since Aleksander Duric retired.

“Once he hits form, he cannot stop, like what we have seen in previous Suzuki Cups.

“Sahil has a good eye for goal in and outside the box, but I’m not sure if they can play off each other because they do not fit the conventional big-small striking partnership and neither of them is really a true target man.

“So it’s up for debate whether they can play off each other, but I’m sure Sundram knows what he wants from them and he would have communicated his expectations to them.”

Former Hougang United coach K Balagumaran added: “Knowing what Sahil is capable of, he didn’t have his best S.League season this year.

“But he seems to be able to lift himself for the big occasion.

“We saw him do it at the 2013 SEA Games when he scored the goals to help Singapore qualify for the semi-finals, and in the 2015 Malaysian FA Cup final when he bagged a double for the LionsXII to beat Kelantan 3-1.

“Whether they will play together depends on how the game develops, and whether Sundram wants to play an attacking or counter-attacking game.

“Perhaps Sahil will do better as the second striker behind Amri compared to Safuwan (Baharudin), who I think is better off as a centre back.”

Singapore open their Group A campaign against co-hosts Philippines on Saturday, before matches against Thailand (Nov 22) and Indonesia (Nov 25).

CONFIDENT

Amri, who has a total of nine goals from five previous AFF Championships, is confident.

Speaking to TNP yesterday, after the team’s workout in Manila, he said: “We have quality and experience in our team.

“Obviously I want to score goals in the competition, but what’s important is that our team get the results.

“We have many players who can score from different situations and we will continue to work as a team.”

The jury is still out on 24-year-old Sahil, a player of undoubted talent, who has had his critics, who have questioned his attitude and work ethic.

Former Singapore striker Duric, who helped the Lions win the 2012 Suzuki Cup said: “Sahil is an option, but he is an enigma. There’s a lot of potential, but he hasn’t shown it on the senior international stage yet.

“Hopefully, Sahil will grab the chance to show what he can do if he gets it, because the whole of Asean will be watching and this is a good opportunity to market himself.”

Another former Singapore striker, Indra Sahdan Daud, who scored in the 2004 Tiger Cup final which the Lions won against Indonesia, said: “As his teammate at Geylang, I can say that, on his day, nobody can stop Sahil because he is so quick and sharp.

“He hasn’t had as much impact on the international scene compared to players from my era, probably because he was always playing among his age group and I was exposed to more mature and older teammates and opponents so I had more experience at the same age.

“Amri, for me, is still Singapore’s top striker. He holds the ball well and is lethal inside and outside the box, so it would be good if he is not made to run around too much and allowed to focus on scoring instead.

“If they have to play together, I hope they can hit it off straightaway because the national team need all the firepower they can get right now.”

Sahil, who has scored just once in 19 international appearances, is confident he will grab the opportunity when it comes.

“We have a side with good teamwork and I am ready to finish the chances the team create,” he said.

“We have been going through intense training to successfully follow through our game plan and finish with goals, and we will soon put what we have practised to the test.

“It is not just me, the whole team are ready to step up and put on a good show.”

Sahil Suhaimi
Age: 24
Height: 1.70m
Club: Geylang International (24 games, 7 goals)
Caps: 19
International goals: 1
Honours: SEA Games bronze 2013

Khairul Amri
Age: 31
Height: 1.72m
Club: Garena Young Lions (12 games, 5 goals)
Caps: 110
International goals: 31
Honours: AFF Championship 2004,2007, 2012; SEA Games bronze 2007

On his day, nobody can stop Sahil because he is so quick and sharp.

— Former Singapore striker Indra Sahdan Daud (above)

He has always been a player for this tournament and, even though opponents will know him well, Amri is unpredictable in a good way as he seems to always have a bag of tricks.

— Tampines Rovers coach Akbar Nawas (above)

I know it is difficult for him (Sahil) to come on for just 15 minutes and make an instant impact, but he is one of the few natural strikers we have got now.

— Former Singapore striker Aleksandar Duric (above)

Sahil has good individual technique and willingness to take on players, beat them and score in tight situations, although he can be guilty of holding on to the ball for too long.

— Former Hougang United coach K Balagumaran (above)

Foraging for food in the wild might not seem like a common pastimeamong Singaporeans.

Unlessyou are an aspiring contender on reality TV show Survivor, of course.

But for amateur forager Esmonde Luo, learning about edible and inedible plants in the jungle is more than just a hobby.

It also helps him appreciate nature and do his part in preserving it.

This Saturday, the part-time tutor and nature enthusiast will be holding his second Foraging 101 outdoor workshop, where participants will be taught how to identify edible plants and other food options in the wild.

The class is among over 30 unique workshops run by the School Of Uncommon Knowledge as part of The Substation’s first A Home For The Arts programme. (See report, right.)

It is part of this year’s Singapore Biennale art exhibition. Participants will walk on a trail along the Rail Corridor near the Bukit Timah Railway Station, a journey that lasts at least 45 minutes.

This Saturday’s workshop is full, but interested parties can sign up to be placed on a wait list.

Last Tuesday, Mr Luo held an indoor workshop and demonstrated how edible plants can be incorporated into everyday cooking.

The 29-year-old, who developed a keen interest in foraging about five years ago, told The New Paper: “Singapore is a garden city, but most of the nature that we see is on TV or through car windows as we drive.

“I think it is useful to go out…and learn about the ecosystem. If we don’t touch and feel for ourselves, we will never truly appreciate nature and learn to take care of it.”

The free workshops operate on a barter system.

Mr Luo, who also dabbles in film and theatre, trades his knowledge for any of these three things: something he can plant, eat or drink, or cook.

When Mr Luo led this reporter on the trail, he shared interesting facts about plants such as lavender sorrel, ivy gourd and bananas.

SOUR

Once in a while, he would squat to get a closer look at a plant or gently brush aside vines overhead to find ripe fruits.

He munched on a lavender sorrel leaf – thumb-sized with round, neat edges – and spoke of its slightly sour taste.

“You can sprinkle the leaves over rice, like in nasi ulam (rice with herbs),” said Mr Luo, who grows plants such as galangal, turmeric and ivy gourd in his garden.

He was quick to warn against eating cocoyam leaves, which are big and spade-shaped, as they “prick” the throat when eaten raw.

Overeager foragers should also take note: Finding fruits that are suitable for eating is very rare.

“The chances of getting edible fruit, in reality, is close to nothing. All the other animals, birds and insects would have got to it first,” he said.

He popped the lone ripe banana we saw on the trail into his mouth, then expelled its tiny seeds back into some shrubbery.

“You can’t eat the seeds anyway, so you might as well give back to the earth so more plants can grow back,” he said.

If we don’t touch and feel for ourselves, we will never truly appreciate nature and learn to take care of it.

­­– Mr Esmonde Luo, a nature enthusiast and amateur forager

Foraging for food in the wild might not seem like a common pastimeamong Singaporeans.

Unlessyou are an aspiring contender on reality TV show Survivor, of course.

But for amateur forager Esmonde Luo, learning about edible and inedible plants in the jungle is more than just a hobby.

It also helps him appreciate nature and do his part in preserving it.

This Saturday, the part-time tutor and nature enthusiast will be holding his second Foraging 101 outdoor workshop, where participants will be taught how to identify edible plants and other food options in the wild.

The class is among over 30 unique workshops run by the School Of Uncommon Knowledge as part of The Substation’s first A Home For The Arts programme. (See report, right.)

It is part of this year’s Singapore Biennale art exhibition. Participants will walk on a trail along the Rail Corridor near the Bukit Timah Railway Station, a journey that lasts at least 45 minutes.

This Saturday’s workshop is full, but interested parties can sign up to be placed on a wait list.

Last Tuesday, Mr Luo held an indoor workshop and demonstrated how edible plants can be incorporated into everyday cooking.

The 29-year-old, who developed a keen interest in foraging about five years ago, told The New Paper: “Singapore is a garden city, but most of the nature that we see is on TV or through car windows as we drive.

“I think it is useful to go out…and learn about the ecosystem. If we don’t touch and feel for ourselves, we will never truly appreciate nature and learn to take care of it.”

The free workshops operate on a barter system.

Mr Luo, who also dabbles in film and theatre, trades his knowledge for any of these three things: something he can plant, eat or drink, or cook.

When Mr Luo led this reporter on the trail, he shared interesting facts about plants such as lavender sorrel, ivy gourd and bananas.

SOUR

Once in a while, he would squat to get a closer look at a plant or gently brush aside vines overhead to find ripe fruits.

He munched on a lavender sorrel leaf – thumb-sized with round, neat edges – and spoke of its slightly sour taste.

“You can sprinkle the leaves over rice, like in nasi ulam (rice with herbs),” said Mr Luo, who grows plants such as galangal, turmeric and ivy gourd in his garden.

He was quick to warn against eating cocoyam leaves, which are big and spade-shaped, as they “prick” the throat when eaten raw.

Overeager foragers should also take note: Finding fruits that are suitable for eating is very rare.

“The chances of getting edible fruit, in reality, is close to nothing. All the other animals, birds and insects would have got to it first,” he said.

He popped the lone ripe banana we saw on the trail into his mouth, then expelled its tiny seeds back into some shrubbery.

“You can’t eat the seeds anyway, so you might as well give back to the earth so more plants can grow back,” he said.

If we don’t touch and feel for ourselves, we will never truly appreciate nature and learn to take care of it.

­­– Mr Esmonde Luo, a nature enthusiast and amateur forager

SINGAPORE: A man was injured after his foot got caught on an escalator at Bugis Junction mall on Wednesday (Nov 16) night. 

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it was alerted to the incident at around 9.15pm.

The man, who is in his 20s, was subsequently freed from the escalator using rescue tools and sent to the Singapore General Hospital, SCDF added. Channel NewsAsia understands his toe was injured.

An eyewitness said the man’s left foot was sitting in an awkward position to the side of the escalator.

The man was stuck on the escalator for 45 minutes, eyewitness said. (Photo: Tim Maohuam) 

“Three men were helping him, but he appeared to be conscious and all right. There was no screaming or shouting,” said Mr Tim Maohuam, 33.   

“I think the man was rescued after about 45 minutes,” Mr Maohuam added.  

Channel NewsAsia has reached out to the management of Bugis Junction mall for comment.