SINGAPORE: A website has been launched to provide the public with regular updates on crowd levels in malls across Singapore amid the COVID-19 outbreak.
The website, Space Out, indicates the crowd levels at the malls at different times of the day, serving as a guide for people heading out to buy essential goods and services, said the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on Sunday (Apr 5).
“This helps the public make informed choices on where and when to make their essential purchases and maintain safe distancing,” said URA in the statement.
People are less likely to visit malls that are very crowded or those that have reached maximum operating capacity, it added.
With a more even spread of shoppers across different malls, the website aims to make it easy for safe distancing to be practiced, as well as to ease pressure on retail mall operators in terms of crowd management.
On the website, each mall is represented on a map with a coloured circle.
Green would mean the mall is not crowded, orange means crowded, while red means the mall is at maximum capacity.
The crowd levels are derived based on the data from retail malls on shopper traffic and the safe distancing guidelines for retail malls by Enterprise Singapore (ESG).
URA said it will continue to invite more mall operators to join this initiative and progressively provide information on crowd levels for more malls on the website.
SINGAPORE: It was not till viewing a friend’s Instagram story post that alarm bells started to ring.
“My friend was on a university programme in London and they had to return to Singapore earlier. And she had tested positive,” said the 25-year-old woman, who requested not to be named.
“I felt that I needed to ask her what were her symptoms. It was a sore throat, cough and loss of smell and taste … I was like ‘Oh my gosh.’”
She and her husband had recently returned from London, where they were based as he pursued further studies. And days before returning home, they had recovered from what seemed like a mild bout of the common cold.
“The weather was very cold those few days, it was raining as well. We were just very cold,” she said. “My body felt warm but I didn’t feel too terrible. We just didn’t go out and stayed at home … I told my husband that since we didn’t go to the crowded places in London, we should be fine.”
And when it came to social distancing, the couple had taken all the necessary precautions. Not attending the usual church service, not heading out farther than the neighbourhood, not going out to crowded areas.
A woman walks past graffiti on a wall in Brentford, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, London, Britain, April 1, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville
“I felt that it was impossible that I would have gotten COVID-19,” added the 25-year-old husband, who also requested not to be named. “We had been socially responsible in the last one or two weeks before coming home … The swift recovery made it clear to me that it was just a common cold or something like that.”
So when the cold disappeared, they thought little of it.
“There was no fever, no flu, no anything,” she said. “He only had a cough … a kind of cough once in a couple of hours. For me, when I had my flu, I couldn’t smell and taste, so I thought that was normal for somebody who had just recovered from the flu.”
While serving her Stay Home Notice after returning from the UK, what was perplexing for the wife was that her sense of taste and smell still had not returned.
“It was frustrating because my body felt well, but I just couldn’t smell and taste,” she said. “At that point our bodies felt perfectly fine, but we didn’t know there was a virus inside of us.
“It got a bit worrying because I felt that it wasn’t normal to lose both these senses. I was wondering if it was a nerve issue … I could stand beside my husband frying garlic, and I still couldn’t smell anything.”
After the conversation with her friend on Instagram, things started to click into place. “I felt very worried after that because out of her three symptoms, the both of us could identify to one of each,” she said.
The couple decided to call the People’s Association and an ambulance swiftly arrived to take them to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).
Medical staff preparing pre-screening procedures at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases building at Tan Tock Seng Hospital in Singapore on Jan 31, 2020. (Photo: AFP/Roslan Rahman)
“Everything was done in a professional manner – they were completely suited up because they had to come into the house,” she recalled. “I was very scared the neighbours might see it. People are rather unsettled at the moment and I was afraid that they might ostracise us or that they would be living in fear.”
After thorough questioning and tests at NCID, the couple were sent home and told to wait on the results of the tests.
Her husband was later found to be COVID-19 positive and admitted to NCID, while his wife was found to be negative.
“The reason why we wanted to get tested is because he was convinced that I would be positive and he would be negative, we didn’t expect that he would be the one who would have been tested positive,” she said.
But at the same time, she wasn’t convinced that she was COVID-19 free.
“I didn’t feel very confident of the results based on my symptoms,” she said. “At that point of time there were more articles online about the loss of smell and taste, how that is a crucial symptom for the virus. So I really thought I had it.”
After making a few calls and explaining her situation, she was eventually sent to the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) for testing on Mar 26. This time, she was warded, even before the tests results were out.
“I remember there were three people with me as I was on the wheelchair to be transported to the ward,” she recalled. “One in front of me, one was pushing me and one was behind me … One of them would call on the walkie-talkie to say that they were in the process of transferring me up and told everybody in my path to clear.
“I was quite impressed that just to transfer one patient they had to coordinate with so many departments, it wasn’t just about preparing the ward itself.”
At 6.30am the next morning, she was informed that she had tested positive. “The doctor said he suspected that I was nearing the tail-end of the infection, but because the virus was still in me, I still have to be here as you can still spread it to people,” she said.
For the next few days, she was in a ward by herself, with nothing but a phone and a charger – there had been no opportunity for her to return home from KTPH after being tested.
“The days felt very long and there was nobody to talk to,” she recalled. “What I could do was text and call people, some times make video calls … It was a very weird feeling, even though I was digitally connected to people, it felt that I was isolated as well.”
“Some days we do feel that it would be nice to walk around and catch a breather, or have the freedom to do something that you like,” added her husband, who was later transferred to Gleneagles Hospital. “But we know why we are here.”
But to know that her husband was also able to understand what she was going through also helped, she said. “We could understand the discomfort of the swab for example, these were the kind of small things that only we could relate,” she said.
The support of friends and family have been encouraging throughout the couple’s stay in the hospital, said the husband.
“You see the community of family and friends banding around you and sending you messages of encouragement,” he said. “Sometimes it’s a bit funny because you feel totally fine but people are sending you all these things! But the intent is very encouraging.”
The kindness and professionalism of the nurses was also something that stood out.
“Sometimes I couldn’t recognise the nurses, because when they came in they were masked (in full PPE), so I tried to remember them by their voices,” she said. “One of them left me a note and I was really touched. It’s really the fact that you are so void of physical contact that something like that made me very happy.
“When the nurses would come in, they would also ask how my husband was … It was quite nice that they talked to me and not just did their job.”
After five nights in an isolation ward and two consecutive negative swab tests, she could finally be discharged. Her sense of smell and taste have not returned fully, but doctors have assured her that she was virus free and this would come with time.
“Losing my sense of taste and smell – it was something that I never ever thought I would lose, until you realise how important it is in your daily life,” she said.
But with her husband still currently warded, it has been a bittersweet feeling to have been discharged.
“It would have been nice to come out together,” she explained. “Even though I know he has no symptoms now, I know that the fact that he is still testing positive, which is cause of concern.”
Said her husband, who has now been in hospital for over a week: “The thing that is unsettling is that we do not know the extent of its spread among the community because of the mildness of some of the symptoms.”
“Being tested positive for COVID-19, you really don’t know when you can be discharged,” added his wife. “You don’t know if your next swab test will be negative or positive.”
SINGAPORE: When 78-year-old Liong May Swan tied the knot with her sweetheart, 81-year-old Tom Iljas, her wedding accessories included a wheelchair with a strap around her waist, and a green wrist-band stating she was a “fall risk”.
As the bride recited her vows before an intimate crowd on March 28, her speech was punctuated by pauses and stutters. These were not wedding nerves — they were side effects of the stroke she suffered 12 days before the wedding.
Their solemniser paired his formal shirt with a face mask, while their handful of guests gathered in a nondescript room in Alexandra Hospital — where Liong had been warded since March 25, when she was transferred from the National University Hospital.
Owing to the Covid-19 safety measures, the couple had to cancel their original wedding ceremony at a restaurant in Dempsey, but they insisted on proceeding with the solemnisation. They were not going to wait for the global pandemic to pass.
Here comes the bride. (Photo: Vivien Wee)
In January, Iljas, a Swedish national, started to suspect “there was something wrong with (Liong’s) head”. No longer would she call him three to four times a day, but every 10 minutes. She would even phone at 4am.
There were also instances when she left her phone in a shop, lost her identity card and left her house door open, realising she had forgotten to lock it only upon returning home.
“I sensed her health was worsening. My plan was to marry her and take her back to Sweden to care for her. We can’t travel back and forth when one of us is sick,” says Iljas, who discovered she had suffered a stroke only after they did a scan.
“We didn’t know if there’ll be another stroke when we’re in Sweden. It was a race against time. I didn’t want to be separated without our relationship being legitimised.”
He sometimes jokes with her when they’re flying that he hopes the plane will go down so that they can die together.
Their wedding was hardly normal, but then again, their relationship had never been run-of-the-mill.
A CHANCE ENCOUNTER
A decade ago, in their late 60s and early 70s respectively, Liong and Iljas started chatting online. After three years of online communication, the Singaporean writer met her future husband in person for the first time — by accident.
A few of her friends in Europe, including Iljas, were organising her book launch in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Before flying in to Germany on her way there, she planned to contact another friend to receive her at Frankfurt Airport.
Instead, she called Iljas because his name also began with ‘T’.
Despite living in Sweden, he agreed to meet her, and arrived in Frankfurt the day before her flight. When she landed, he was waiting for her with a red rose and a car, ready to drive her to Amsterdam.
The couple, when they first met in 2013. (Photo: Tom Iljas and Liong May Swan)
The gesture might appear straight from a film, but their feelings for each other already had three years to slowly blossom.
The elderly couple knew their friendship had turned romantic when they realised they felt obliged to inform each other of their daily activities.
“She’d become part of my life, to the point where I reported everything that I did to her, even though we weren’t a couple yet. These acts were reciprocated by May Swan,” says Iljas.
“Then she called me ‘darling’ for the first time. I was shocked. Wah! This was before we met.”
LESS A ROMANTIC, MORE A REALIST
Maintaining a long-term online relationship in one’s 70s is one thing, but family and friends of the couple might have been surprised at Iljas’ change of mind about marriage too.
He did not see a need to bring in a “third party” to affirm one’s relationship; as long as a couple loved each other, it did not matter whether they cohabitated or got married.
On the other hand, Liong considers the institution of marriage a milestone in a relationship.
Although the couple are open about their conflicting opinions on marriage, Iljas admits he has come to accept her views over time. Two months ago, his daughter even chided him for “being very foolish”.
“She said, ‘Why’s the relationship like that, such that you have to make trips to Singapore? Father, you’re already old; why don’t you ask May Swan to live with you here?” he recounts.
“I was startled. Come to think of it, flying for 13 hours is tiring. In the end, I decided we should get married.”
His new wife might be a fan of marriage, but she also believes romance is overrated — a concept invented by writers. For her, love does not hinge on trivial actions, like how often her husband kisses her.
“If he kisses me thrice a day, that means he loves me; if he does it only once a day, he doesn’t love me so much. This is bullshit,” she says.
At her age, what she looks for is “a sense of commitment” and “maturity of the mind”.
“You can fall in love in five minutes and then fall out of love in 10 minutes, but love is more profound. It’s a commitment and willingness to accept each other for what he or she is,” she adds.
“When you marry somebody, you expect the other party to make you happy, but you can only make yourself happy. It doesn’t mean my husband will make me happy or your wife will make you happy.”
LOVE BEGAN WITH COMMON GROUND
Neither of them were planning on falling in love, much less getting into a decade-long courtship, after their respective partners had died in their old age.
Iljas was happy living the rest of his life with his circle of friends, while Liong did not want to find anyone because she had married her first husband when she was 18, and lived a “very, very protected life”.
They both grew up in Indonesia, but Liong moved to Singapore in 1959, while Tom sought political asylum in Sweden in 1973, after finding himself unable to return home from China. He had just completed his studies when the 1965 coup in Indonesia happened.
When the pair first talked online, they were simply looking for meaningful conversation, which they found in their shared interest in Indonesia’s political situation.
Their decision to remain together since has been much more deliberate. It starts with embracing each other’s quirks, which enables the couple to fight well.
For example, Iljas thinks his wife can be “really sensitive” because she “always analyses so deeply into things, and sometimes it makes (him) annoyed”. As a result, small arguments tend to occur.
Liong, however, is the first to initiate conversation when there is tension between them. Although she might get angry and say things that hurt, she does not hold grudges.
“After we quarrel, we don’t speak for about one to two hours. Then a text message will come to me when I’m here and she’s there with the phone. She’ll say, ‘I’m sorry, I apologise.’ This is very romantic,” says Iljas.
Seeking common ground also means accepting that there are friends in each other’s network whom the other party dislikes. At first, this was an uncomfortable issue, but the pair eventually let it go since these were long-time friends.
Beyond the bigger issues, compromise exists in their everyday actions too. For example, when Liong has cooked for the whole day, Iljas would do the dishes.
SENSE OF TOUCH STILL IMPORTANT
When the couple are together, Liong likes to place her feet on his leg, while he automatically reaches out to rub them for her — a sign of the physical affection between them.
They also enjoy holding hands, although the gesture has become second nature to Iljas that he does not think about why he does it.
Liong feels an added sense of security and calm with him by her side since her stroke, although he had made a habit of holding her hand on the bus and train even before her incident.
Sexual attraction is still significant to them, but it has been long since it resembled the fleeting infatuation one experiences as a teenager.
Liong, who recalls her fascination with a schoolmate in her teens that lasted only a week, has realised over the decades that love and being in love are two different things.
“Love’s a long process. It doesn’t stop and start, like start at 1pm and stop at 4pm. It’s not like that,” she says.
“People have the idea that having sex is just boom, boom, boom, boom. It’s not just that. It’s the act of caring for the other’s feelings. Surely you don’t expect me to tell you in detail?”
For her, sex is more than the physical aspect; intimacy is about the mind too.
MORE THAN WORDS
Having penned more than 10 novels, Liong describes herself as “more verbal”, while her husband is “more into action”.
“He keeps saying, ‘You know, whatever I feel for you, I’ve shown it in my action.’ But I’m a writer — words are important to me. To him, words are almost nothing,” she says.
Her husband might have told her that he loves her, but “not often enough”.
He says: “I’ve never heard either of my parents say ‘I love you’. This is possibly why I don’t have the phrase in my dictionary. But there’s the word ‘commitment’. Whatever I say, I prove it and make it real.”
Nonetheless, Liong has got used to his lack of verbal affection. Sometimes, she adds, men might have a sweet tongue but are not necessarily committed.
In contrast, Iljas’ commitment is readily displayed. Since she was warded, he has visited her from noon to 8pm every day.
Once, he brought a bean-paste ball from Old Chang Kee, and held the wrapper under her chin to catch the crumbs as she chewed on her snack. Six small cakes sat on the chair at the corner of the ward.
He handed her a cup of water, before proceeding to tease out the knots in her hair with a comb. After that, he accompanied her on her walk along the hospital corridors as part of her daily exercise.
Later in the day, as she lay in bed, he bent over her and dabbed cream on her lip that had been injured in the fall from her stroke.
Wendy Yue, the advanced practice nurse at the specialised rehabilitation ward, shares that Iljas has been trained to accompany his wife on walks. And his desire to participate in her recovery process motivates her to get well.
“I just don’t want him to get burned out. He’s so dedicated to taking care of her, but we also want to remind him to take care of himself,” says Yue.
THE PERFECT WEDDING VENUE
When Liong was first admitted to Alexandra Hospital on a Wednesday, she immediately made a request to have four visitors on the coming Saturday, even though the hospital only allowed one visitor during visiting hours.
After probing further, Yue discovered that the couple were planning to conduct their solemnisation in the hospital.
“I thought, it’s such a special day, how can we do it at the bedside? So my colleagues and I explored (whether) we could decorate another room and how we could facilitate the session,” she says.
“We didn’t view it as any trouble. We just wanted to help her. I mean, she’s the main star.”
For the hospital staff, the ceremony was even more special because it was in a hospital, complete with stark walls.
Stripped of the typical frills of a wedding, the sterile environment highlighted the common refrain in wedding vows — “in sickness and in health” — while reinforcing the couple’s simple, enduring love for each other.
On her wedding day, Liong put on a translucent blue tunic with an ornate collar. She got light makeup done, and requested for her fringe to be pushed up into a pouf. It was a special hairstyle for a special day.
Her 57-year-old son, Teo Choo Chuan, could not find the words to describe his mother’s happiness. “How do I describe (their relationship)? Look at them. Just look at them. I think that answers it,” he said.
After the hour-long ceremony, Liong returned to her ward for lunch. Her right wrist donned the hospital band, but her left hand now sported a wedding band. Her husband wheeled her from behind, continuing to have her back.
SINGAPORE: Not trying hard enough. Weak. Crazy. Seeking attention. Selfish. Beyond help.
These are common accusations rooted in myths that people with suicidal behaviour have to contend with.
For Lucy (not her real name), having witnessed and lost a friend to suicide, she finds herself struggling with suicide ideation on a daily basis.
It cost me my university education, landed me in tens of thousands of debt, and left me with little means to earn enough to pay back my study loan and survive on my own. I will likely never be able to earn more than S$1000 a month, and will likely take my life than die of other causes in the near future.
Unfortunately, Lucy is not alone in her hopelessness and despair. Alongside 46 other respondents in a public consultation on mental health conducted by my team, their struggles were compounded by stigma and the lack of understanding surrounding suicides in our society.
DISPELLING MYTHS AROUND SUICIDE
In Singapore, it is a common fear that talking about suicide could encourage suicidal behaviour.
Rather than avoiding conversation, it is important that we learn how to talk about suicides responsibly. The expert consensus is to promote resources and reasons for optimism in our conversations, rather than engaging in stigmatising language.
Therefore, if we suspect that a family member or friend may be suicidal, there is no need to give solutions to their problems immediately. Without any judgement, just listen and be with them until the despair and desperation fades, before gently encouraging them to speak with a counsellor or doctor.
Secondly, suicides do not arise from mental illnesses alone.
According to the WHO, there are social and environmental factors embedded within our society and structures that contribute to an individual’s intention to self-harm or suicide.
In Singapore, intense feelings of hopelessness can also arise from sudden and adverse life events including unemployment, trauma and the loss of loved ones.
I understand this all too well. 13 years ago, I contemplated the possibility of ending it all in the despair caused by a messy divorce, a failed business, and only S$16 in my bank account. Thankfully, I neither attempted nor self-harmed.
It is, therefore, important to understand that suicidal thoughts can be experienced by anyone, not just certain segments of our society.
One in seven people in Singapore will be experiencing a mental health condition in their lifetimes. File photo. (Photo: TODAY/Nuria Ling)
Thirdly, portrayals of suicides as a selfish decision is inaccurate.
My cousin, who has attempted suicide several times, often shares that he feels that he’s a burden to his family, even as he acknowledged that he knows how much we love him.
While reading a research study on suicide notes in Singapore, a note that brought me to tears was left by a father for his family.
“Father is reluctant to leave all of you. I have failed so badly that I have no choice.”
We need to understand that people who attempt suicide commonly feel that their lives hamper others, viewing their decisions as relieving their loved ones.
Most importantly, it is a myth that those intent on suicide are beyond help.
Suicides are preventable. Studies have shown that suicides occurs after much thought and deliberation, which suggests that timely interventions do matter. Moreover, 50 to 60 per cent of suicide victims give some warning of their intentions to a friend or family member.
Struggling with depression, Mark (not his real name) shared with me that unlike his previous counsellors who were dismissive, his current psychologist took the effort to pick up his calls at any hour of the day, especially during the worst of his episodes. He is incredibly grateful to her support.
“She was the one who worked with me until I was able to hold a job, and until I no longer needed sessions with her. She is the one who saved my life.”
THE REALITY OF SUICIDES IN SINGAPORE
Although it is important to dispel myths surrounding suicide, what is more fundamental is for our Government to lead and coordinate efforts in suicide prevention.
I was dismayed to find out that Singapore was one of the few “high income” countries listed without a national suicide prevention strategy by the World Health Organization (WHO). Given the current situation of suicides in our country, I worry that a lack of strategy is costing us dearly.
From 2017 to 2019, there were 1,204 attempted suicides yearly.
Last year, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) reported that there were 8.36 suicides per 100,000 Singapore residents in 2018, up from 7.74 in 2017.
Although our numbers are not high by international standards, the number of deaths by suicides in Singapore has not seen a significant fall from 9.5 suicides per 100,000 residents in the 1980s to 8.3 suicides per 100,000 residents today.
(Photo: Unsplash/Maranatha Pizarras)
In 2018, teenage suicides were the highest since suicide tracking started in 1991. This is the same for the elderly aged 60 and above who took their own lives. Suicide has also entrenched itself as the leading cause of death for those aged 10 to 29.
“Every life is precious, and each suicide is one too many.”
In Parliament last year, Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee made this commitment towards a national response for suicide prevention.
If we are to walk the talk, we need to commit to a zero-suicide Singapore. Through a clear commitment of prioritising and tackling suicide, the Government could make accessible resources for necessary interventions throughout our society.
TOWARDS ZERO SUICIDES
To achieve a zero-suicide Singapore, the Government must start with identifying currently available resources, while committing further resources and funding towards suicide prevention.
One example is to expand funding for organisations like Samaritans of Singapore (SOS), not just to operate our de-facto national suicide helpline, but to ensure timely follow-ups with callers who need further support.
I am heartened by the Government’s recent assurance that hospitals will track admissions arising from suicide attempts. This should feed into a national strategy of data surveillance coordinated across government agencies and community partners, allowing us to develop informed strategies on suicide prevention.
In schools, many education systems such as the State Government of Victoria in Australia establish step-by-step guidelines on what to do in the event of a suicide attempt. Similarly, the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Singapore should consider laying out their suicide protocols to parents and students clearly and transparently, to help confront increasing suicides amongst our teens.
When developing a national strategy for suicide, it is also important to include the police, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), hospitals, our teachers and community support groups, including the SOS, Please Stay Movement, Caring for Life and Oogachaga. Such alignment is necessary, to avoid having a fragmented and sub-optimal approach in suicide prevention.
Above all, we need to remember that all of us play a part in achieving zero suicides. Apart from educating ourselves about suicides, we should be compassionate and empathetic towards those experiencing suicide ideation.
We must work together towards a zero-suicide society that cares because every life matters. And we will not be alone – countries such as the United States, South Korea, Japan and Sweden have already adopted their respective zero-suicide visions.
A zero-suicide Singapore as a goal complements our Vision Zero aspiration for workplace safety, and the Zero Accident movement for our public transportation. This is because when it comes to human lives, such as Lucy’s and Mark’s, nothing short of zero should ever been good enough for us.
Anthea Ong is a Nominated Member of Parliament, a social entrepreneur (Hush TeaBar, A Good Space, WorkWell Leaders Workgroup) and the author of 50 Shades of Love. www.antheaong.com. This commentary is an adaptation of Ms Ong’s speech as part of an adjournment motion in Parliament on Mar 25.
SINGAPORE: Nestled in the north of Bishan, 23,439 registered voters sit in the new Marymount Single Member Constituency (SMC).
Bounded by Marymount Road, Ang Mo Kio Ave 1 and the southern fence of Catholic High School and Whitley Secondary School, the seat has been carved out of Bishan-Toa Payoh Group Representation Constituency (GRC),and will likely set the scene for more than one opposition party to contest against the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) in Singapore’s looming General Election.
As it stands, the new SMC consists mostly of areas under the Bishan North ward overseen by Manpower Minister and three-term PAP MP Josephine Teo, with its residents living across seven polling districts live in HDB flats spread out across from the Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park at one end to the Shunfu neighbourhood and Sin Ming industrial estate, with pockets of landed homes and private condominiums in between.
Amenities include the Bishan North Shopping Mall, Shunfu Market, as well as Marymount MRT station. It is also in close proximity to Bishan MRT station and the upcoming Upper Thomson MRT station.
Following the announcement of new boundaries by the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee (EBRC) on Mar 13, two opposition parties have signalled that they are looking to field candidates in the constituency, with one saying “it’s a natural choice”. While also interested, the other needs the “blessings” of other parties in its alliance.
Explaining why the ward is a “natural choice” for the Singapore People’s Party (SPP), assistant secretary-general Ariffin Sha said Marymount was carved out from Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, where the party contested in the 2011 and 2015 general elections and “have been active on the ground”.
“We will serve the needs of the residents at the constituency level by ensuring competent management of the town council and taking care of their needs,” he said of what the party can offer to residents.
“At a national level, we will serve as an effective check and balance on the Government,” Mr Sha added.
Secretary-General of Democratic People’s Party (DPP) Hamim Aliyas similarly said that it’s looking to contest there, given that it is part of Bishan-Toa Payoh where he and former DPP party chief Benjamin Pwee stood in the 2015 GE under the SPP umbrella.
Six members of the party met on Mar 21, when they decided that the DPP would run in Marymount SMC, Kebun Baru SMC and Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.
The next step is for the party to secure buy-in from parties in the four-party opposition alliance – the Singaporeans First Party, Reform Party and the People’s Power Party.
Mr Hamim, who said that there are four members so far who have committed to running in the next GE, will focus on identifying, and assisting low-income residents in Marymount, making sure they have enough daily essentials to live on.
As for how he plans to serve the other residents, Mr Hamim said that he will raise the issue of the CPF withdrawal age if he enters Parliament, adding that the issue was regularly raised to him during walkabouts prior to the last hustings.
The DPP also has a long-term – “10 to 20 years from now” – economic plan for Singapore in the works that it will share with the alliance and the public when the election draws nearer, he said.
Inside Shunfu Mart Food Centre, one of the hawker centres and wet markets in Marymount. (Photo: Rachel Phua).
When asked whether he had been making the rounds in the estate, he replied: “frankly speaking, no”. But the party will start making the rounds soon, he said.
Based on his members’ feedback, he thinks that the ward’s cleanliness – specifically pointing out its drains – can be improved.
Both men declined to reveal who their parties intend to field in the ward, saying that more details will be released in due course.
Mrs Teo similarly declined to say if she will run in the SMC.
“We don’t know when GE will be called, but when the time comes, I seek residents’ continued support for the PAP team in Marymount,” she said, adding that the “foremost priority” is to look after the residents’ interests and needs.
“Within the boundaries of Marymount, there are amenities that residents value (such as) two community clubs, a hawker centre, a neighbourhood shopping mall. The Town Council is also likely to continue to cover Marymount SMC so service levels should be maintained,” she said.
“I have spoken to my grassroots leaders who are glad they can continue to work together to support residents,” she added. “They have many friends among the grassroots leaders in the rest of the GRC, and these bonds remain strong even when the boundaries have changed.”
Residents CNA spoke to said that they are generally happy with how the constituency has been managed. Void decks are clean and there are ample facilities such as parks and senior activities centres, they said.
Other amenities that could be added include community gardens and events organised for the residents, “given that (Shunfu) is quite isolated from the main Bishan area,” said public officer Tan Yan Liang, 35.
His wife, Annabelle Lee, 33, added that the infrastructure can be improved as well, given the many elderly residents she noticed in her neighbourhood.
While satisfied with the estate’s day-to-day operations, Chris Yap, 65, said that he is glad that the ward is now a single-seat constituency.
This means a better chance that he will get to choose among parties, he said, as opposition parties tend to gun for SMCs.
“I treasure the chance to voice my opinion,” Mr Yap said.
The retiree said that he is looking for someone who can “represent an alternative voice”, adding that there needs to be a greater diversity of opinions in Parliament because “that’s democracy at work”.
Mr Yap added that he would not be overly concerned if the ward were to be managed by the opposition.
Having moved to Shunfu a year and a half ago from Hougang SMC, Mr Yap said that Mr Png Eng Huat from the Workers’ Party and his team had done a “good job” maintaining the estate.
Member of Parliament Png Eng Huat speaking in Parliament on May 16, 2018.
WHY IS THE SMC POPULAR?
Political observers say there are two primary reasons why Marymount SMC is gearing up to be a hotly-contested seat in the next GE: its blank slate, and its size.
As a newly-created constituency, it would allow a new candidate to be fielded easily since there is “no historical baggage of an existing political leader there”, said Dr Felix Tan, an associate lecturer at the Singapore Institute of Management Global Education.
But given that Bishan-Toa Payoh has been helmed by “heavyweight” ministers, Singaporean voters, who tend to prioritise stability and security, might opt for some form of continuity “in order to reap the benefits that its former GRC has (brought), especially in town council management,” Dr Tan said.
“Singaporeans have always traditionally been known to focus more on bread-and-butter issues,” he said. “Voters will generally gravitate towards those candidates that can provide voters with solutions to these issues.”
As a SMC, Marymount is also attractive to candidates because they are able to compete directly with one another, compared to a multi-member GRC where the strength of a strong candidate could be diluted by other teammates, said Singapore Management University (SMU) law professor Eugene Tan.
Unlike most other SMCs, Marymount also has a significant share of private housing, he added, which could appeal to candidates who feel that they better at connecting with voters from higher socio-economic backgrounds.
Using the 2015 General Household Survey as a proxy – the Marymount sub-zone covers a larger area and has a 31,540-resident counts – 22 per cent of residents live in condominiums, apartments and landed properties, compared to the national average of 18 per cent.
The Thomson Garden estate is one of the landed property areas in Marymount. (Photo: Rachel Phua).
And Dr Tan expects more three-cornered fights in general, not just in Marymount. For example, political competition from the opposition could sharpen as there will be more Non-Constituency Member of Parliament seats up for grabs – from nine in the last elections to 12 this time round.
This raises the stakes, he said. Aside from turning to newly-carved constituencies, “some opposition leaders might see this as a good opportunity to be in Parliament.”
“The seats that they perceive to be weaker for the PAP will attract a lot of interest and may result in a three-cornered fights.”
However, Dr Tan said it is unlikely that these medium-sized opposition parties will prevail, as they cater to a “niche group” of residents, given their populist agenda and a “presence” that rests on personalities within the party with a larger followings.
His assessment, ultimately, was that voter support for the incumbent will largely remain unchanged, and that the opposition’s impact will lie in contributing to multi-cornered fights, which could also dilute and shrink voter shares that each opposition party will eventually garner.
LIVERPOOL: I’ve never been one for going out. As an undergraduate studying in the United Kingdom, Friday nights were Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV nights with my housemates.
Even now, when colleagues ask me out for post-meeting drinks, more often than not, my reply is a Witcher-style, non-confirmatory “hmmm”.
You can tell that I watch too much television.
So when UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson tells the nation to stay at home, you can be sure I’ll be there to do my part, no matter how long it takes. Toilet paper? Check. Frozen food? Check. Fresh milk? Uh-oh.
With new social distancing measures, many individuals have taken to using home delivery services to get staples. It has become almost impossible to book a delivery slot with major supermarkets, and smaller specialist retailers (like farmshops and dairies) regularly put up signs on their websites saying they are unable to take new customers.
And that is only if you have the resources and know-how to search for retailers, register an account, navigate your way through shopping baskets and make an online payment.
It is something we in technology-riddled cities like Singapore take for granted. “Why wait? Shut it down! Shut everything down! Order everything online, work from home! Easy.” You hear some netizens say.
But it’s not always so easy.
RECOGNISING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
For many years, scholars across multiple social science disciplines have noted the ever-growing gap between individuals who have access and knowledge to technology (particularly the Internet and all its trappings), and those who do not. They call this the digital divide.
When a quarantine order hits you out of nowhere, online delivery services will save the day. (Photo: Pexels/Canva Studio)
The digital divide can affect individuals and groups in many ways, more so than just being able to order stuff. For example, with the shutting down of university campuses in the UK, many modules have been converted to online learning.
Such conversions bring significant challenges if you cannot guarantee all your students have a reliable computer, a decent broadband connection (lots of broadband plans in the UK still meter downloads), and a quiet space where they can participate.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, libraries and cafes with free Wi-Fi would be open, and students could find a corner to watch (or take a nap) during recorded lectures. But that is no longer the case.
In the last two weeks, I have conducted my consultation hours online with students dialling into Zoom, but the results have been mixed – connections can be good, but sometimes, significantly patchy.
In other words, those without the right tools are disproportionately disadvantaged.
WIDENING SOCIAL INEQUALITIES
The digital divide is only one instance of how inequalities are now surfacing more strongly with current social policies around the world.
The introduction of social distancing and isolation has exposed and exacerbated many inequalities usually remain hidden in everyday life. These are often economic in nature (employed versus unemployed, stable job versus gig economy), but they are also social.
A ride-hail in Indonesia. (Photo: AFP/BAY ISMOYO)
Such inequalities include gender – where caregiving duties and professions fall disproportionately on women, and those of a certain socioeconomic class – those with wider social networks and deeper resources are less impacted by changes to society and economy and sometimes even ethnicity, especially for minority and migrant communities.
An example of this is how the experience of home is not nearly the same for everyone. The word home often evokes a sense of safety and belonging, but sociologists and social workers know that is not a universal truth.
In recent weeks, commentators and scholars have clearly and powerfully articulated the dangers of isolation for victims of domestic abuse. This is not a unique problem for any one society – it is a global issue that affects millions of individuals.
NO EASY OR CHEAP ANSWERS
This is not to say that isolation and lockdowns are not necessary – they are a key part in protecting the physical health of the most vulnerable. But at the same time, it is crucial society recognises there are no easy (or cheap) answers when reducing individuals’ income and interaction.
Governments around the world are borrowing or drawing down reserves to mitigate the damage caused to businesses and employment.
In Singapore’s recently announced Resilience Budget, it was heartening to hear of increased measures to help self-employed and precarious workers. I was also pleased to see at least a little bit of Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat’s speech address social and psychological issues related to COVID-19.
But policies and politics are not enough to support the most socially vulnerable – i.e. those most affected by inequalities. While throwing more money at the situation won’t hurt, each of us also needs to ensure we prevent the “social deaths” of those around us.
Isolation and lockdown can affect many of us in a myriad number of ways. Sociologists have pointed out death can come in many ways, where physical death is only one such possibility.
(Photo: Unsplash/Volkan Olmez)
A social death is one where individuals are cut off from the rest of society, sequestered away and ignored. In non-lockdown situations, the individuals who experience social deaths are often the elderly, the ill or the homeless.
One only needs to remember how “death houses” operated in Singapore’s Sago Lane to see how dying individuals were conveniently sealed off in their last days, put in rooms above coffin-making shops while their family waited downstairs for the inevitable.
PREVENTING ‘SOCIAL DEATHS’
It sounds obvious doesn’t it? People get lonely, and we need to make sure they are not lonely. Indeed, many individuals and groups are doing excellent work in reaching out to those most in need during this crisis.
I think that more can be done on a micro-scale. For at least a brief moment of time, we need to exit our echo chambers on social media (yes, all of us) and ask ourselves this – in what practical ways can we physically isolate but prevent social isolation?
Different people will have different solutions. Technology, with all its problems, still affords many opportunities for reaching out. I don’t mean Virtual Reality or anything fancy – even a simple text, asking after someone, is often appreciated.
(Photo: Pexels/Adrianna Calvo)
I learnt this having moved to the countryside. For the first time in my life, neighbours would actively knock on my door just to check up on me.
Maybe they saw me flailing around with the lawnmower and took pity, but it was here that I experienced an actual “kampung spirit”.
And that was how my fresh milk problem was solved. After mumbling about how I could not find a milk delivery service to one neighbour, who then told another neighbour, I discovered a bottle of milk sitting in my garden, no questions asked, no reward expected.
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Terence Heng is a senior lecturer in Sociology at the University of Liverpool, UK, where he is also an associate at the Centre for Architecture and the Visual Arts.
SINGAPORE: This being the last weekend before much of Singapore grinds to a halt on Apr 7 – when more “circuit breakers” kick in to contain the spread of COVID-19 – shoppers were out in force and many thronged eateries before dining out is forbidden.
On Saturday, snaking queues were spotted at some malls, with many people rushing last-minute buys, presumably for work-from-home arrangements. Groups were also seen crowding popular food haunts such as Holland Village and Newton Food Centre.
Come Tuesday, under sweeping safe-distancing measures announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, most workplaces will close. Retail outlets, save those providing essential services, must shutter for a month. F&B outlets can stay open but can only offer takeaway or delivery services.
The ministerial task force to tackle the pandemic has repeatedly urged Singaporeans to go out only when necessary and advised that if they do have to go out, to return home as soon as possible. They will still be allowed to go out and exercise. Here’s a handy tool to check how crowded a park is: safedistparks.nparks.gov.sg/
People taking in the sights and jogging at Merlion Park near Marina Bay Sands, Apr 4, 2020. (Photo: Jeremy Long)
A quieter-than-normal Marina Bay Sands shopping mall on Apr 4, 2020. (Photo: Jeremy Long)
A restaurant in Marina Bay Sands with diners sitting at least 1 metre apart from each other in accordance with safe-distancing rules on Apr 4, 2020. (Photo: Jeremy Long)
Cyclists and tourists along The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands, Apr 4, 2020. (Photo: Jeremy Long)
People strolling along Haji Lane on Apr 4, 2020. (Photo: Jeremy Long)
Haji Lane which is often crowded on weekends, saw lighter-than-usual traffic on Apr 4, 2020. (Photo: Jeremy Long)
A line outside a Singapore Pools outlet in Bencoolen on Apr 4, 2020. Singapore Pools says it will shut its outlets and suspend all 4D and Toto lottery draws from Apr 7 till further notice to comply with ramped up measures to curb the spread of COVID-19. (Photo: Jeremy Long)
Waterloo street remained busy on Apr 4, 2020. (Photo: Jeremy Long)
A crowded Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf outlet in Holland Village, Apr 4, 2020. (Photo: Marcus Mark Ramos)
A crowded Newton Food Centre on Saturday afternoon, Apr 4, 2020. (Photo: Marcus Mark Ramos)
A line of people waiting to get their bubble tea fix at Redhill on Apr 4, 2020. (Photo: Marcus Mark Ramos)
People maintaining their distance as they line up to visit a sports store at Holland Village on Apr 4, 2020. (Photo: Marcus Mark Ramos)
Diners sitting at a safe distance from each other at the Holland Village food centre on Apr 4, 2020. (Photo: Marcus Mark Ramos)
SINGAPORE: A total of 75 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Singapore on Saturday (Apr 4), the highest daily increase to date, bringing the national total to 1,189 infections.
Of the new cases, 69 are local infections. Six are imported with a travel history to Europe, North and South America and ASEAN.
Forty of the new infections are linked to previous cases or clusters, while 29 are currently unlinked, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its daily update.
Four new clusters have also been identified, including three workers’ dormitories and events venue The Orange Ballroom in Tanjong Katong.
As for previously announced clusters, four additional cases have been linked to Mustafa Centre, bringing the total to 19 cases.
The cluster at S11 Dormitory @ Punggol has also grown to 41 confirmed cases, after 17 additional infections were linked.
One additional case is linked to the cluster at Westlite Toh Guan dormitory (18 Toh Guan Road East), which has a total of 18 confirmed cases now.
Three additional cases are linked to the cluster at a construction site at Project Glory (50 Market Street), which has a total of nine confirmed cases.
The number of cases linked to the Keppel Shipyard cluster has also increased to six cases.
NEW CLUSTERS
The four new clusters announced on Saturday are: Sungei Tengah Lodge (500 Old Choa Chu Kang Road) with three cases; Toh Guan Dormitory (19A Toh Guan Road East) with five cases; Cochrane Lodge II (49 Admiralty Road West) with four cases; and The Orange Ballroom (845 Geylang Road) with four cases.
The Orange Ballroom offers wedding packages and serves as a venue for other events.
Several workers’ dormitories have emerged as COVID-19 clusters in recent days, prompting the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to issue advisories on additional measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
Among the new clusters announced on Saturday, Sungei Tengah Lodge is described as the largest purpose-built dormitory in Singapore, according to its website.
The youngest patient announced on Saturday is a seven-year-old Singaporean boy who is warded at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. He is related to Case 850, a 37-year-old Singaporean man who was first diagnosed on Mar 29 and not linked to a cluster.
MORE CASES FROM PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SECTOR
There have been more COVID-19 cases from the public healthcare sector.
CASE 1137
Case 1137 is a porter at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
The 24-year-old Malaysian woman is a long term pass holder with no recent travel history to affected countries or regions. As she had been identified as a contact of Case 853, she was issued a home quarantine order on Mar 31, MOH said. She reported onset of symptoms on Apr 1, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Apr 3 afternoon.
She is currently warded in an isolation room at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). Prior to hospital admission, she had not gone to work.
CASE 1151
Case 1151 is a healthcare assistant at Sengkang General Hospital (SKH) but had not gone to work since onset of symptoms.
The 20-year-old Malaysian woman who is a Singapore work pass holder has no recent travel history to affected countries or regions.
She reported onset of symptoms on Mar 31, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Apr 3. She is currently warded in an isolation room at SKH.
CASE 1159
Case 1159 is a patient service associate at NCID, but had not interacted with any patients or visitors since onset of symptoms.
The 33-year-old Singaporean woman has no recent travel history to affected countries or regions. She reported onset of symptoms on Apr 3, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on the same day. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
CASE 1170
Case 1170 is an administrative staff at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital and had not gone to work since onset of symptoms.
The 54-year-old Singapore permanent resident has no recent travel history to affected countries or regions. As she had been identified as a family member of Case 953, she was issued a home quarantine order on Apr 3.
She reported onset of symptoms on Apr 2, and subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 infection on Apr 4. She is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.
To date, a total of 297 cases have fully recovered from the infection and been discharged from hospitals or community isolation facilities.
Of the 500 confirmed cases who are still in hospital, most are stable or improving, while 26 are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.
A total of 386 cases who are clinically well but still test positive for COVID-19 have been isolated and are cared for at Concord International Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital and the Community Isolation Facility at D’Resort NTUC.
Singapore on Saturday reported its sixth death from COVID-19, an 88-year-old permanent resident with no recent travel history to affected places. The man had a history of heart and kidney disease, cancer and diabetes.
New clusters have been emerging in the past week, including a cluster at the Ce La Vi rooftop bar at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Cricket Club and Mustafa Centre.
“Food establishments, markets and supermarkets, clinics, hospitals, utilities, transport and key banking services will remain open. They are essential services,” Mr Lee added.
The move will ensure that most of Singapore’s workforce stays at home and limits their physical interaction to as few people as possible, said Mr Lee.
SINGAPORE: Text and audio messages circulating claiming there are people robbing residents under the pretext of distributing reusable masks as part of a new Government initiative are untrue, the police said in a Facebook post on Saturday (Apr 4).
The message claims that residents would be made to try on masks believed to be doused with chemicals which made them lose consciousness.
“This is untrue. The police have not received any report regarding such incidents,” the Singapore Police Force (SPF) said. It added: “The police urge the public not to spread unsubstantiated information which may cause public alarm.”
CNA heard one such WhatsApp voice recording being circulated. In it, a woman claimed that her friend had encountered an unknown person at her door. That person attempted to hand over a mask, then tried to open the door to rob her friend, she said.
“The police take a very stern view against anyone who knowingly spreads false information to mislead the public and will not hesitate to take actions against such individuals,” SPF said.
There are currently no Government initiatives to distribute masks directly to households amid the ongoing COVID-19 situation in Singapore, police said. There are however plans for reusable masks to be given out at community centres and residents’ committee centres from Apr 5 until Apr 12.
Several reports of scams relating to the coronavirus outbreak in Singapore have surfaced in recent weeks.
On Monday, the Prime Minister warned people that an email from someone impersonating him is making the rounds. The email asks for “contributions and thoughts” as Singapore tackles the spread of COVID-19. PM Lee said the matter has been reported to police.
The Ministry of Health last week also cautioned that scammers are using automated voice calls or impersonating its staff and COVID-19 contact tracing personnel.
SINGAPORE: Despite the Government’s call for people to stay at home as much as possible to stem the spread of COVID-19, queues of shoppers were seen at some malls on Saturday (Apr 4), ahead of next week’s closure of schools and most workplaces.
Shoppers who spoke to CNA said that they were out to buy items like toiletries, toys, books and electronics.
Mr Zack Zuraini, who was in a fast-moving queue outside Toys R Us at VivoCity, said he was there to buy educational toys for his 10-year-old daughter, to prepare for her to be home every day.
“I’m planning ahead to entertain her. If not, the house will be topsy-turvy,” he quipped.
It was announced on Friday that Singapore will implement full home-based learning from Apr 8 to May 4, as part of the country’s stricter measures to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.
From Apr 7, most workplaces, with the exception of essential services and key economic sectors, will be closed.
All supermarkets, wet markets, hawker centres and F&B establishments will remain open. But dining in will no longer be allowed, and food and beverage outlets can only offer take-away and deliveries.
Another parent, Mr Kevin Ong, was in a similar queue outside Popular bookstore on Saturday to buy stationery for his school-going children.
“I am also looking for a printer, in case they need to print out work sheets,” he said.
A queue outside Popular bookstore in VivoCity on Apr 4,2020. (Photo: Jalelah Abu Baker)
A queue forms outside Popular bookstore in United Square shopping mall, Novena, Apr 4, 2020.
BUYING ITEMS FOR WORK
Others were out to buy electronics so that they can work from home. Mr James Goh bought several headsets for his wife, a business owner, so she can distribute them to her employees as they prepare to work from home.
Shops at Sim Lim Square remained open for business on Apr 4, 2020. (Photo: Jeremy Long)
Part-time tutor Adrian Ong was at Nex mall in Serangoon to find a tablet which he can write on to conduct his lessons online.
Then there were others who were out to enjoy what could be their last meal out in weeks.
Mr Adrian Tay, who was at VivoCity, said he was with his wife and two children, aged four months and two years, to have a meal and do some window shopping.
“We usually try to come out during the weekend, and it is the last weekend before most shops will be closed. Of course, when the rules kick in, we will follow them,” he said.
WET MARKETS CROWDED
Even though Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in his address to the nation on Friday that wet markets and supermarkets will remain open, there were crowds who went to stock up on items.
Tekka Market was so busy it looked like a mad rush for groceries for Hari Raya Puasa or Chinese New Year, said butcher Aidyl.
Tekka Market was bustling on Apr 4,2020. (Photo: Jalelah Abu Baker)
He said there were people queuing up outside his shop from just after 5am, and they were buying more than usual. Instead of the usual 1kg to 2 kg of beef, they were buying double, he said.
“Usually, I will be sold out by about 12pm, but today I was sold out by 8 plus (in the morning), and I ordered so much to sell,” he said.
Mr Malik Derwish, who shops weekly at Tekka Market, said that he bought more meat than usual.
“Usually I buy about S$50 worth of meat. But this time, I bought about S$85 worth,” he said.
He added that it was only after he ordered that he found out from the vendor that wet markets will remain open. Still, said he felt more reassured buying groceries to last for about eight days, compared to about five days usually.
“Things are changing all the time, so we want to be prepared,” he said.
Shoppers at Cold Storage in Holland Village, Apr 4, 2020. (Photo: Marcus Mark Ramos)
Bugis Street was filled with people despite the recent advisory to remain at home, Apr 4, 2020. (Photo: Jeremy Long)
At Pek Kio wet market, things were less busy, but egg seller Lim Kok Leong said that people were snapping up his items. There was a steady stream of customers, and he assured them that his supply of eggs from Malaysia was not affected.
“Usually, they will buy 10 eggs, but today, they are buying trays of 30 eggs, instead of their usual 10 eggs,” he said.
