This pre-schooler is a tiny terror. And his antics have repeatedly shocked neighbours, with some wondering why no adult family member is supervising him.

One worried neighbour even went to the extent of filing a police report for the boy’s safety.

According to residents, the boy and his younger sister would hang precariously “halfway out” of their third-storey flat kitchen window and throw water on people and stray cats below.

On one occasion, neighbours from the opposite block were so concerned that they yelled at the children, which alerted an adult in the flat who then pulled them in, said one neighbour, Mrs Amy Lee, 75, a retiree.

On other occasions, the boy, sporting a crew cut and wearing the uniform of a childcare centre, was seen jumping up and down on the bonnets and tops of parked cars at the open-air housing estate carpark.

He even helped himself to some tools in the back of a parked lorry after climbing into it.

The neighbour who filed the police report, a 53-year-old housewife who declined to be named, said she tried to stop him.

“I saw the boy playing in the carpark a few times and every time, there was no adult was with him. I’m concerned because it is a carpark and drivers may not see him,” she told The New Paper.

But when her attempts to stop him from climbing onto cars and jumping on them fell on deaf ears, she took a video of his antics on March 3.

In the clip, the boy is seen climbing onto a black Volvo and jumping and stomping on the bonnet. He is also seen running towards and climbing into the back of a white pickup, where he helps himself to some tools.

POLICE REPORT

Armed with the video, the neighbour made the police report.

She said: “This is not a place for a kid his age to run around. He might get knocked down or worse – get driven off by a stranger. It’s so dangerous.”

Police confirmed that a report had been lodged and that the matter had been referred to the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).

A check with the boy’s childcare centre revealed that children under its care are not released without a parent or caregiver present.

A spokesman for the centre said: “Only nominated adults registered with the centre are permitted to pick up the children. They are also required to sign on the centre’s attendance register when they do so.”

Boy treats carpark like his playground

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The New Paper

When TNP visited the boy’s home on March 4 and informed his father about the neighbours’ concerns, he denied there was no adult supervision when his son was playing in the carpark.

“I was there. I had just picked him up from childcare and I was walking him home,” he said.

But when asked why he did not stop his son’s carpark antics, the man only said “he was punished”, before shutting the door.

TNP understands that the boy’s father recently suffered a stroke and the mother is now the sole breadwinner, leaving her three children in the care of her mother.

Last Wednesday, TNP approached the boy’s grandmother after she had picked him and his sister up from the childcare centre.

She said the boy “is very playful and extremely active”.

“There are times he wouldn’t even listen to his father,” she said, adding that the police and social workers had come to the house to speak to them. “We are now keeping a closer eye on the children.”

TNP is not naming anyone in the family to protect the boy’s identity.

This is not a place for a kid his age to run around. He might get knocked down or worse – get driven off by a stranger. It’s so dangerous.

– The 53-year-old housewife who made the police report

BOY’S CASE REFERRED TO CHILD PROTECTION CENTRE

After receiving the report on the boy playing in an open-air carpark, the police referred the matter to the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).

In an e-mail reply, the ministry’s spokesman told The New Paper that both MSF and Heart@Fei Yue, a child protection specialist centre, are reaching out to the family “to support them and their care of the child”.

When contacted, Heart@Fei Yue said the case had just been referred to them and that it would take eight weeks to make a thorough assessment.

“The results will be presented to a multidisciplinary team, then we would decide what sort of intervention to take,” the centre’s spokesman said.

Ms Koh Wah Khoon, senior director of the Singapore Children’s Society Family Service Centre in Yishun, said: “Sometimes people who need help do not know where to seek help or they do not know how to ask it. They may even feel ashamed to seek help outside of their family circle.

“The larger community, whether it is a neighbour or a passer-by, can be the bridge or catalyst to link those who need help to agencies that are best positioned to give them the needed assistance.”

She added: “I am heartened and encouraged that a member of the public takes an interest in what is happening in the community; shows care and concern for fellow citizens, especially very young children who are more vulnerable and need the protection and supervision of adults.”

Families who are experiencing difficulties are advised to seek assistance early by approaching a family service centre or a social service office.

juditht@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 14, 2016.
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It was seen being beaten on the head, lifted off the ground by its collar and swung around in mid-air.

In October last year, the alleged abuse of a six-month-old puppy that was caught on video sparked a furore here.

After the video went viral, the dog, named Pumpkin, was rescued by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and put up for adoption.

At least 20 people applied to adopt the puppy, said the SPCA. (See report on far right.)

Today, the 10-month-old dog has a new home, a new life and a new name.

Its new owner, Ms Gourie Pandey, 26, a part-time cycling instructor, told The New Paper that she renamed the dog Liska, which means fox in Czech.

“I don’t understand how anyone could treat a dog like that, especially a puppy,” she said.

Related story: Shocking video shows guy dangling dog by its neck on leash

“I didn’t want her to be associated with her old name and her horrible past. So I gave her a new name for her to start a new life – one that’s happier.”

The New Paper visited Ms Pandey’s semi-detached home in Kovan last Thursday and an excited Liska was at the gate to greet us.

As soon as we were inside, it jumped on us, nuzzled against us and followed us everywhere during the hour-long interview.

But Liska, a cross-breed between a Japanese spitz and a samoyed, was not as friendly when she was first adopted, said Ms Pandey.

In the first two weeks, it was sullen and quiet, and displayed an adverse reaction to loud, metallic noises.

“Maybe it was also that she was in a new environment,” said Ms Pandey.

But perhaps the most telling was how Liska hated wearing a collar around her neck, she added.

In the video, Liska’s former owner was seen yanking its leash, which was attached to a collar around its neck, and lifting the dog off the ground.

Ms Pandey said: “Initially, Liska really hated wearing a collar. She would try to bite it off. It took a month for us to get her used to it.”

PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE

Animals, like humans, suffer psychological damage and take time to recover, veterinarians told TNP. (See report on right.)

Ms Pandey said she first watched the video sometime in November last year, just as she was looking to adopt a dog.

She jumped at the chance when she found out that the SPCA, through its Facebook page, had put Liska – or Pumpkin, as it was known then – up for adoption.

“I was always looking to adopt a dog from a shelter because there are so many of them who need to be cared for,” she said.

“I knew there would be many people interested to adopt Liska, but I didn’t rush down or anything.”

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Video screengrabs

Ms Pandey said she visited SPCA, which was then at its old premises in Mount Vernon, on Nov 23 to do the adoption paperwork.

“Perhaps it’s fate because they called me the very next day and said I got her. I was overjoyed,” she said.

Today, Liska is toilet trained and understands basic instructions such as to sit and follow its owner.

Ms Pandey, who is its main caretaker, feeds, bathes and grooms the dog. She also takes it for hour-long walks at East Coast Park or Punggol Park almost every day.

“As an owner, you have the responsibility to care for and love your pet,” she said.

“Liska has also brought my family closer because everyone loves her to bits and chips in every now and then to care for her. She’s our bundle of joy.”

Lasting effects of abuse

Dogs, like humans, do suffer some form of post-traumatic stress disorder after they are abused, veterinarians told The New Paper.

Dr Jason Teo, a vet and owner of Point Veterinary Surgery who has over 14 years of experience, said he has seen many cases of dogs becoming withdrawn and different after they are abused.

He also took in a shiba inu (a spitz-style dog) that had been locked in a small toilet for many years by its former owner.

“Today, it still gets aggressive easily, is very hesitant towards humans and has a deranged look in its eyes. There’s a chance it will never be the same again,” Dr Teo said.

The rate and length of recovery depend on each dog’s personality and character, he added.

Related story: SPCA removes dog from home of man after Stomp report on him pulling leash to lift it by its neck

“Some dogs will remember and take the abuse to heart forever. Some are more happy-go-lucky and tend to forget after a while.”

Dr Rachel Tong of Spring Veterinary Care said owners can help their pets get over their unhappy pasts through actions of positive reinforcement.

“For example, if your dog hates wearing a leash, make it wear one while giving it a treat,” she said.

“That way, it will come to change the association to something that makes it happy.”

Dr Tong said there is no definite period of post-trauma recovery, which could take as long as a year.

“Be patient and dedicated. Once you gain your pet’s confidence and trust, then you can slowly modify its behaviour and help it,” she said.

Dr Teo agreed, saying: “The way to recovery is very simple: Just love your dog, properly care for it and make it feel comfortable in your home.”

rloh@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 14, 2016.
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As the lift door opened, her father, looking tired and lost, emerged.

The sight of her dad shackled with handcuffs and being taken to the waiting police car was too much for the daughter.

Surrounded by relatives, the slim woman in a T-shirt and pants cried out: “Pa! Pa!”

Two words that carried a volume of pain.

Pain that came from the shattering knowledge that her 68-year-old father had been arrested for allegedly killing her mother.

The man kept his head down and did not say a word as he was led to the car at about 7.30pm yesterday.

His family had been at the void deck for more than an hour, waiting for him to appear. He was being questioned by police in the flat.

The police said they received a call for assistance at 4.35pm.

The 63-year-old woman was found motionless in a pool of blood in the living room of their five-room flat in Compassvale Crescent.

Related story: Woman allegedly murdered in Compassvale flat

She was pronounced dead at 5pm.

The couple have two daughters in their 20s, according to neighbours.

As the husband was retired and the wife was a housewife, neighbours often spotted them together in the neighbourhood.

The New Paper understands that one of their daughters alerted the police after receiving a call from her father.

The two daughters, who were visibly distraught, as well as their relatives and friends who had gathered at the void deck, declined comment.

They were questioned by the police and left the block at about 8pm.

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Lianhe Zaobao

The couple’s immediate neighbour, who wanted to be known only as Mr Lin, 50, was shocked to hear about the tragedy.

He was not allowed to enter his flat for nearly an hour while the police cordoned off one section of the corridor.

His wife and daughter were not allowed to leave their flat as well.

He said in Mandarin: “My wife looked out of (our) flat and told me that the husband was being kept in the flat by the police.

“She told me that there were many police officers outside our neighbour’s flat.”

Other neighbours learnt of the grisly incident when they were asked by the police if they had heard anything.

They said they did not hear any commotion before the woman was allegedly killed.

Mr Lin said the couple’s elder daughter got married a few years ago and the couple were living with their younger daughter, who is a teacher.

He added that the husband and wife were very loving and he had never heard any quarrels from the flat.

“The couple would leave the house together in the morning for breakfast and come home together.

“They were very kind. I remember my daughter forgot her keys once when we first moved in and the wife invited my daughter into her flat to rest.”

The police were in the flat till late, collecting bags of evidence.

They have classified the case as murder and are investigating.

linheng@sph.com

This article was first published on March 14, 2016.
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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Monday (March 14) that no Singaporeans were affected by the car bomb attack which shook Turkey’s capital on Sunday.

According to the ministry, Singapore’s embassy in Ankara has contacted all registered Singaporeans and ascertained their safety.

AFP reported that the attack killed at least 34 people, and injured another 125.

The blast took place at a bus stop and reduced numerous nearby vehicles to charred husks.

A MFA spokesman said: “Singapore strongly condemns the car bomb attack in central Ankara which has resulted in the loss of many lives with dozens more injured.”

“We extend our condolences to the bereaved families and wish those injured a speedy recovery,” he added.

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AFP / Reuters

Singaporeans who require consular assistance should contact the embassy or the 24-hour MFA Duty Office at:

Embassy of the Republic of Singapore in Ankara
Tel: + 90 530 066 7311
Email: singemb_ank@mfa.sg

MFA Duty Office
Tel: +65 6379 8800 / 8855 (24-hour hotline)
Email: mfa_duty_officer@mfa.gov.sg

minlee@sph.com.sg

The slowing economy might be dampening demand for luxury goods, but home owners are still willing to pay top dollar for unique furnishings, retail experts said.

Homes are prized possessions here, so proud owners will spend to doll them up, even if they are becoming more selective about bigger-budget items, said Assistant Professor Elison Lim of the Nanyang Business School at Nanyang Technological University (NTU).

“They are increasingly looking for pieces with stories or personal meanings that they connect with,” she said about shoppers who have the spending power for mid-range to high-end home products.

But stores whose products are not perceived as being exclusive could be hit by such changing tastes, retail experts said.

Lifestyle and home accessories retailer iwannagohome, which observers said falls into this category, told The Straits Times last month that it would close its two stores at the end of May. It announced a closing down sale at its Tanglin Mall and Great World City outlets on its Facebook page on Feb 19.

A spokesman for lifestyle group Gill Capital, which started the brand in 2007, said it is bringing in new concepts, but declined to elaborate. It also runs franchises for H&M and Candylicious in Singapore.

On Gill Capital’s website, iwannagohome is described as a concept brand that sources affordable luxury home fashion from around the world.

Mr Amos Tan, a marketing and retail lecturer at Singapore Polytechnic, noted that the brand sources its products rather than creates its own, so brand loyalty would be difficult to build because consumers could easily find the same or similar items online, at lower prices.

Several mid-range to high-end homeware retailers said business is still fine, as they have made efforts to meet evolving consumer needs.

Home accessories retailer Molecule, which has two concept showrooms at Great World City, registered slower but stable sales last year.

Senior manager Steven Goh said the company keeps a close watch on regional property markets to help it optimise merchandise planning. It also adjusts offerings and prices during slow periods such as the current one.

He noted that more customers are getting “design-savvy and house-proud”, and are willing to spend on home decor.

Multi-label store Naiise, which sells lifestyle and homeware goods, started as an online retailer in 2013. It now has five brick-and-mortar outlets, including a flagship store at Central mall in Clarke Quay. Its revenue last year was four times higher than in 2014.

Founder Dennis Tay said that, even though online shopping is convenient, “there remains strong demand for a highly personal shopping experience that offers more than familiar household brands”.

Around 70 per cent of Naiise’s products are by local designers, and include offerings such as a kueh-shaped cushion and a handmade bamboo ladder with a shelf attachment.

Singapore Polytechnic’s Mr Tan said today’s consumers are well-educated and care about the shopping experience.

“If you’re talking about mid-range to high-end, it’s not enough to just be a shop that looks good and sells products. You have to tell a story and sell an experience.

“If you want people to part with that kind of money,” he said, you need to appeal to their emotions.

tiffanyt@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 14, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

The bell of the 146-year-old Church of Saints Peter and Paul is ringing once again – filling the historic civic district with its rounded chime.

It follows a year of silence after the once-crumbling Catholic church underwent an $8 million year-long restoration that has transformed it into a gleaming national monument.

The effort involved fixing its corroded ceiling and termite-infested roof structure; restoring its 1900s teak pews and stained glass windows with the aid of Italian craftsmen and reinstating a high altar shipped in from a church in the United States.

The building at 225A Queen Street has also been equipped with air-conditioning.

It is slated to reopen for worship on Sunday, which falls on Palm Sunday. An official dedication ceremony will be conducted on June 29 by Archbishop William Goh.

Parish priest John Chua, who consulted old photos of the structure for the recent restoration, said the project was timely as there had been safety concerns about the widespread damage that had developed over the years.

The issues included cracks in the walls and floors, a ceiling that leaked, beams that were full of termites, and doors that had shifted out of their frames.

A major challenge was fixing the roof according to its original style, said Father John, adding: “Because no welding was allowed, about 1,000 holes were drilled into the wooden roof structure to secure it with bolts and nuts, as per the original design of the church.”

Chemicals were also pumped into the perimeter of the church’s walls, which will infuse into its bricks over time to address years of water seepage.

Inside the restored Saints Peter and Paul national monument

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The Straits Times, Church of Saints Peter and Paul

The church, which has been credited with the growth of the Chinese Catholic community in Singapore, was gazetted as a national monument in 2003.

The National Heritage Board’s Preservation of Sites and Monuments division awarded the church a $1.2 million grant for the restoration project. The neo-French Gothic building features elements of Chinese architecture, such as lotus plasterwork on its exterior columns, as well as French floor tiles within the sanctuary.

Father John said he is eager to welcome people back. He added: “The concept of restoration is both physical and spiritual. The church itself is a living entity which is restoring itself spiritually alongside its physical transformation.”

In the interim, its 1,700 parishioners have been attending weekend services under a tent at the church’s open-air carpark.

Father John said: “A couple of people even fainted because of the unbearable heat. Surprisingly, attendance did not dwindle.”

The restored church, which can seat 450 people, will be holding five weekend masses each week.

Father John said the church is not just for Catholics. “We’re right smack in the middle of an arts and cultural centre,” he said.

“Anyone who comes by will get to enjoy or appreciate its architecture – a unique combination of French, English colonial and Chinese stylings which also reflects the culturally rich and diverse history of Singapore.”

melodyz@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 14, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

New look for Novena Church wows many people

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Novena Church

Early yesterday morning, a small contingent from the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) turned up for a walkabout in Bukit Batok.

It comes as no surprise that the opposition party has so quickly staked its claim for the constituency that is headed for a by-election after the shock resignation of People’s Action Party MP David Ong over an alleged affair.

Not only is Bukit Batok the party’s old stomping ground, but the upcoming by-election could also be its best chance to emerge from two decades in the political wilderness. It was once the top dog in Singapore’s opposition scene, wining three seats in the 1991 General Election. But infighting saw the party lose its seats in one term, and it has not had a presence in Parliament since 1997.

During last September’s general election, it had come back fighting, but still fell far short of winning any of the 11 seats it contested.

The upcoming by-election in Bukit Batok is thus seen by the SDP as its best chance of re-entering the House. For starters, the party has a history of contesting the area and is the opposition party with the strongest presence there. Besides last year’s polls, it contested Bukit Batok in 1988 and in 1991, getting over 48 per cent of the votes before the seat was absorbed into a GRC.

Bukit Batok also has about 27,000 voters and will not require the daunting levels of logistics needed to contest a GRC.

On the party’s side is also the much-touted by-election effect – what observers see as voters being more willing to elect an opposition candidate because the ruling party is in no danger of losing power.

Some say this by-election effect played a part in the Workers’ Party’s (WP) victory in the 2013 Punggol East by-election, triggered by the resignation of then Speaker Michael Palmer.

There are parallels in both situations. Like Mr Ong, Mr Palmer had admitted to an affair.

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The Straits Times, Berita Harian, Shin Min Daily News

Both areas are also newly carved out single seats, barely warmed by the resigning MPs after a recent general election.

Punggol East had been hived out in the 2011 election, and Mr Palmer won it in a three-cornered fight. He resigned a year later. Likewise, Bukit Batok was just carved out in the last election, where Mr Ong also won in a three-cornered fight.

The SDP says it has not decided who to field, but the choice of candidate could be key to determining the party’s chances.

If former teacher Sadasivam Veriyah – who stood against Mr Ong last year – is picked again, the party must be confident that its groundwork in the six months after the polls has been solid enough to improve on his 26.4 per cent performance.

Party chief Chee Soon Juan has also not ruled himself out.

He had pulled in the crowds at his rallies last year, but it did not translate into votes at the ballot box, and his GRC team polled 33.4 per cent in Holland-Bukit Timah.

If he runs, it would mean the SDP is keeping faith that his more moderate image in recent years will win over voters.

But fielding another candidate will help dispel criticism from certain quarters that the SDP revolves around Dr Chee.

One possibility is National University of Singapore medical professor Paul Tambyah, a recognised infectious diseases expert who does not have the historical baggage of Dr Chee’s numerous run-ins with the law that makes some older voters wary of electing him.

For now, the most immediate task for the SDP would be to dive into the retail politics of house visits. Bukit Batok is seen as an uphill battle for the opposition as it is in the west, which has given the PAP handsome margins of victories in the past few general elections.

The SDP will have to comb the constituency thoroughly to raise its chances of winning.

It will also have to play its cards right to clear the field of other opposition parties to ensure it gets to contest the PAP one-on-one.

On this count, the continued silence of the WP – the only opposition party with MPs – must be especially worrying for the SDP.

In 2013, the SDP declared its intention to contest in Punggol East, encroaching on WP ground, before ultimately backing down.

If the WP does contest Bukit Batok to settle scores, the SDP will find its attempt to regain a foothold in the House undone by the party it ceded its opposition crown to, even before the by- election begins.

ziliang@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on March 14, 2016.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.