SINGAPORE: Wading through a murky pond on a private property deep in the farmlands of Lim Chu Kang, farmer Shannon Lim is on a mission to capture a monster lurking just beneath the surface.

After seeing a flash of pink scales, the 32-year-old reached into the water and grabbed an arapaima that was so big, his hands could not touch when they wrapped around the fish. (He later estimated the fish to be 2m in length, weighing 150kg.)

His next move was to trap the arapaima with a net then move it to shallower ground, where six people could somehow jump on it and haul it out of the fast-draining pond.

But as Mr Lim dug his toes in, the torpedo-shaped monster pushed back.

The arapaima moved all 92kg of him – “like when a mum drags a kid through a mall” – before knocking back its head against his chest, creating a furious splash and sending him flying into the water.

Fortunately, Mr Lim’s protective vest absorbed most of the impact. If not it would have been an emergency trip to the hospital, “or I’d be dead”. 

“It’s one of those things where you have to recognise that as a person, you can’t win,” he told CNA on Friday (Jul 5).

UNDERSTANDING THE ARAPAIMA

Still, Mr Lim is trying to rehome the arapaima and other fish in the pond before they face almost certain death beyond 2021, when the lease for the plot in Lim Chu Kang runs out.

If no-one adopts the fish, their owner, who declined to be named, said they would have to be transferred to a nearby pond that supposedly leads to Kranji Reservoir, where chances of survival are low.

Native to South America, the arapaima is one of the world’s largest freshwater fish, capable of reaching 3.5m long and weighing up to 300kg. Common prey include a variety of fish, crustaceans, insects and land animals small enough to fit in its mouth.

Unlike most fish, the arapaima breathes oxygen through its mouth, meaning it comes up every now and then for a gulp of air. This allows it to live in murky, slow-moving waters that are usually very low in oxygen.

The fish owner said his father bought some 50 arapaima babies about a decade ago to keep as pets. As the years went by, people put other unwanted fish – like alligator gars, pacus and catfish – into the pond.

Now Mr Lim said there are about 90 fish – including at least two arapaimas – in the pond, and he has pledged to adopt and move all of them to another site at Dempsey Road. There, most of the fish would be ornamental.

As for the arapaimas, Mr Lim plans to breed them and export their meat – which he said costs more and tastes better than the locally popular sea bass – to major markets like Japan and China. He will also sell “small amounts” in Singapore.

This kind of business is lucrative, as arapaimas grow much faster than sea bass: Mr Lim said they can go from babies to 10kg in 14 months, while the latter can only hit 1kg in the same amount of time.

For those living in the Amazon basin, the arapaima has for centuries been part of their staple diet. So much that since the 1960s, its population has been in steady decline due to increasing human pressure.

In 1975, the arapaima received protection under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and was listed under appendix II, meaning commercial trade is allowed only with the relevant CITES permits.

When it comes to breeding and exporting, Mr Lim will work out local regulations and partner experts in Peru who have CITES permits and experience handling thousands of the fish each day.

Ultimately, he sees his business model as “conservation through food”.

“Basically, every domestic animal runs almost no risk of going extinct because businesses have a very strong financial incentive to keep them alive,” he said.

GRAPPLING WITH FISH

It is a lofty ambition that must first start with the successful capture of the pink-scaled arapaimas, which has gone on for slightly more than two days without success.

The initial plan was to use ketamine to sedate the fish before carrying them out, but that failed when authorities would not grant permission for the use of the drug.

The current plan of trapping the arapaima with a net and moving it to shallower ground was not working either, especially as Mr Lim has on each day been working with a team of about five inexperienced volunteers who are understandably afraid.

“The main challenge right now is getting them to put their hands on the fish,” said Mr Lim, who runs a number of farms and has experience handling giant fish. 

“A lot of people are unwilling to put their hands on something that could potentially kill them.”

To give a sense of the risk, Jeremy Wade, the British host of the popular Discovery Channel series River Monsters, was in 2012 slammed in the chest while drawing an arapaima in with a net.

“From nowhere, I had 100 pounds of solid bone smash into me,” he said. 

“Weeks later, a doctor described my injury as similar to the impact of striking a steering column during a car crash.”

During the first arapaima attempt on Jun 30, Mr Lim and a plucky volunteer managed to jump on the fish as a team-mate stood by almost in shock. The arapaima wriggled away and left the pair in a heap, before evading a second but equally futile attempt.

Even before the arapaimas, the relatively large catfish and alligator gars had proven a handful for the motley crew of volunteers, who wore black tactical vests but used basic tools like basins and fishing nets.

Once trapped, the catfish writhed in the basin and swung their muscular tails around like slabs of rubber, while the gars chomped through the nets to create a slimy, tangled mess.

The sweaty and exhausted volunteers then carried the fish to makeshift holding tanks made from kiddie pools, before transferring them into a large white tank in the back of a pick-up truck. This truck made the half-an-hour journey to Dempsey.

With a process that long and physical, there are bound to be injuries. 

Mr Lim has cut and bruised himself from traversing the rough base of the pond and wrestling the fish. He also felt his shoulder pop out after getting hit by the arapaima.

Every few minutes, it was not uncommon to hear roars, shrieks and expletives ring through the cavernous pond.

DANGERS OF REHOMING

Amid all the chaos, Mr Lim still has to ensure the safety of the fish.

So he came up with a new plan: Remove everything except the arapaima from the pond then drain it completely, causing it to be stuck in the mud. The volunteers would then throw a net over it and try to wrap a yoga mat around its head, protecting it from cracking its skull against concrete.

Then there was the small task of hoisting it up the sloped sides of the pond, when the arapaima was “most likely” to lash out. 

“If someone takes a bad hit, everyone’s going to let go of the fish,” Mr Lim said. “That’s when all the s*** happens.”

Mr Lim said nine fish have so far died during rehoming, from causes like overheating and a lack of oxygen during transport. But it was not for a lack of trying.

Mr Lim said he tried to get the most qualified personnel to help with the move, including seasoned fish farmers, divers as well as zoo and aquarium experts. None came.

He also tried getting a crane to help carry the fish, but the companies he approached said their equipment could not fit into the narrow spaces at Lim Chu Kang or Dempsey.

“Singapore is a small country and we exhausted our list,” he added.

NEW SURROUNDINGS

Nevertheless, the operation rumbled on. Mr Lim said about 40 fish have been successfully rehomed in the ponds beside Huber’s Butchery at Dempsey Road.

As each day went by, he tried to improve the process. During the transportation process, he used a smaller tank to make it easier to remove the fish from the truck. He also put ice cubes in the water for species of catfish that prefer cooler temperatures.

As soon as the truck pulled up, a posse of curious onlookers gathered around the back, whipping out their mobile phones and gawking at the large fish in the tank.

Mr Lim knew there was no time to lose. Panting heavily, he told people to stay clear before dragging a hefty block of plants away from the pond, creating an entry point for volunteers to release the fish.

The catfish, by now visibly weak, gratefully slipped into the water and slowly swam away to explore their new home. Children clung to their parents and gestured at the giants, intrigued by how fish could be so big.

But the bigger fish, the arapaimas, still prove elusive. Mr Lim said they will try again on Sunday.

When asked if he would ever give up on his mission, his reply was simple: “No.”

SINGAPORE: The school holidays have ended. I know this, not because I have a brood of school-going kids of my own, but because I see fewer kids everywhere this week than the weeks before that.

My Facebook feed have been filled with selfies of parents posing with their offspring in front of Jewel Changi Airport’s waterfall. This is typically followed up with close-up photographs of a Shake Shack burger or A&W root beer float and curly fries, their victorious spoils after braving long queues to get this nosh.

READ: It’s fast food galore at Jewel Changi Airport. Aren’t parents troubled by our kids’ junk food intake?

At some of the malls which I pass through frequently, like Takashimaya Shopping Centre, I am certain there’s more people milling around these past couple weeks – a mix of bargain hunters trying to snag good deals at the Great Singapore Sale as well as parents with their little ones in tow.

But do you know where I’m not noticing significantly more people? Singapore’s great outdoors.

HUMID WEATHER

Sure, our natural spaces are limited compared to the sprawling landscapes in many other countries, but we do have plenty of charming nooks and crannies to explore.

READ: Head out and enjoy Singapore’s nature spots, a commentary

Since the beginning of the year, I have been spending more time outdoors as part of a resolution to train for a marathon. While I am nowhere near achieving my goal yet, my jogs have taken me to pockets of greenery including the Southern Ridges, Hort Park and Gardens by the Bay.

On my evening and weekend runs, I typically see lots of joggers, cyclists as well as pet owners walking their dogs.

Understandably, tourists throng Gardens by the Bay but I have also been tickled to observe red-faced foreigners braving the heat to stroll around the not-so-typical tourist hotspots like the Southern Ridges and Hort Park. It is a lot harder to spot locals taking the time for a leisurely amble or a picnic in the park.

It is common knowledge that the hot, humid weather is a huge deterrent for locals who much prefer air conditioned comfort where they won’t have to break a sweat or risk getting bitten by mozzies and other bugs.

In Singapore, where there are climate-controlled versions of just about every outdoor activity imaginable, from adventure parks for children to gyms and exercise studios for adults and even gardens and waterfalls enclosed in domes, there is really very little reason to step out into the open.

FRESH AIR

But these past few months of small forays into my local parks have been enlightening in many ways. 

For one, compared to trudging away miserably on a treadmill, I have discovered I much prefer running outdoors where there is fresh air to breathe, flora, fauna and passers-by to observe and Singapore’s modern cityscape to admire.

There is also something magical about being surrounded by nature. It is surprisingly calming and soothing to huff and puff along paths that are lined with lush tropical greenery, and the shade provided by tree foliage overhead helps lower temperatures to a bearable range.

READ: A walk on the wild side: Singapore’s upcoming nature attractions

At the end of the run, instead of feeling flat-out drained, I am almost recharged, as if my time spent outdoors has replenished my energy stores. 

Oh, what a difference this is from the days when shopping was my cardio and I lived for the rush of purchasing something new and shiny, only to have that euphoria dissipate almost as soon as I step out of a boutique.

Research has shown that there are multiple benefits to spending time in nature. Studies are increasingly linking common modern day ailments such as myopia, vitamin D deficiency and a prevalence of allergies to a lack of outdoor exposure.

To get more people moving, the NParks has been working on conserving and strengthening a slew of green spaces around the island to make them more accessible to the public. The latest is the 36km Coast-to-Coast trail that traverses the island.

Someday, I might just be able to run its entire length but in the meantime, I’ll keep up with my regimen of exploring just a little bit more of the outdoors each time I go on a run.

For now, I’m enjoying the relatively generous amounts of personal space I get at the parks but it would certainly be nice to see more people enjoying the subtle delights that nature offers.

After all, if as a nation, we have enough stamina to queue up for limited edition curry sauce bottles or the latest burgers from a newly opened American fast food chain, we certainly can afford to expend a little bit of energy to walk off those calories.

Just don’t forget to slap on the sunscreen and use an (eco-friendly) insect repellent.

Karen Tee is a freelance travel and lifestyle writer. Six years ago, people thought she was crazy to leave the security of her full-time job. Today, most want to know how she does it.

SINGAPORE: He had taken more punches than he would have liked, in a fight that went the distance. But it was one that Muhamad Ridhwan Ahmad ultimately won — with one good hand.

Minutes after the cheers from the crowd had died down, off came the hand wraps, revealing a swollen knuckle on the right. The three-month-old injury had got worse since his last fight.

But nothing was going to stop him from relishing his victory on home ground over Indonesia’s second-ranked bantamweight Noldi Manakane.

As he put on an ice pack, the Singaporean pro boxer said, full of hope: “We might be the underdogs in the local Singapore sports scene, but I think we’ve proven that we can bring the people together.

“My dream is not only to be the world champion one day, but also to bring the whole nation together with my fist — my swollen knuckles.”

Rousing words from someone who has refused to knuckle under to pressure in the past nine months, a “roller-coaster ride” that began with September’s split decision loss in a world title fight, followed by another defeat in March.

READ: Boxing: Muhamad Ridhwan fails to claim Singapore’s first IBO world title

The 31-year-old also lost his manager and his long-time trainer. He is locked in a contract battle with fight promoter Ringstar, which still owes him half his purse money from his title tilt. He almost wanted to retire.

But he is fighting for his dreams, trading blows as a pugilist while taking chances as the co-owner of a boxing gym, a business borne out of his love for boxing and desire to take the sport further in Singapore.

At a time when fitness centres and fight gyms are giving him more competition outside the ring, it has been “mentally very taxing” to manage both his personal passion and business commitments, he admitted. And he has “sacrificed so much”.

But as his comeback win a fortnight ago shows, he is intent on living up to a Japanese proverb emblazoned in his gym. It says: “Fall down seven times, stand up eight.”

CHANCING UPON THE SPORT

Ridhwan, nicknamed The Chosen Wan (TCW), became Singapore’s first professional world champion in the sport when he won the Universal Boxing Organisation world super featherweight title in May 2017.

But he wants to rule the ring in one of the four major boxing organisations, such as the World Boxing Council, which ranked him 25th in the world at featherweight last year before he tumbled out of the top 40.

Despite the slide, his belief that “boxing is something (he) can be really, really good at” has not wavered. Nor has his love for the sport.

It was not exactly love at first sight, however, when he was introduced to boxing as a 16-year-old. He was a cook in a kitchen where his older colleagues were “always talking about boxing”.

“There was a television there, and it showed classic boxing fights. And that got me interested,” he recounted.

His colleagues kept mentioning one name: Syed Kadir, who represented Singapore at the 1972 Munich Olympics. So the first boxing school the teenager joined was the Olympian’s.

But within months, he became disillusioned. Doing the basics, like skipping, running and the basic punches, were “dull”, unlike the boxing films he had watched, such as Rocky and Cinderella Man.

“I didn’t see much sparring back then. And it didn’t feel (as if) the sport was going anywhere,” he recalled.

On the day he was going to dump his boxing gloves, his coach told him there was an opportunity to fight two months later, in a local tournament.

“I said, ‘Okay, why not? It should be easy, right?’” he recalled with a smile. “I prepared as best as I could. I was still working full-time … I was able only to train maybe once or twice a week.”

He was still full of confidence and felt “super ready”. But he lost in the first round, a defeat that “brought out the fighting spirit” in him. Lessons learnt, he worked on improving his boxing techniques.

At the age of 23, in the 2011 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, he bagged a bronze, a feat he repeated at the next two Games.

In 2014, two years before he turned pro, he and his friend Fairuz Mohamed set up their boxing gym Legends Fight Sport because he believed the sport needed coaches before it could go further in Singapore.

“I’ve travelled to Sri Lanka, Australia and many other countries to compete and to experience the coaching levels. And I realised that in Singapore, we do have a lot of talent, but we don’t have the knowledge,” he explained.

To date, he is the only boxing coach here to receive a coaching scholarship — to Hungary — from the International Olympic Committee.

SETBACKS AND COMPLICATIONS

When it comes to his pro boxing career, Ridhwan is the first Singaporean to hold the World Boxing Association’s Asia Featherweight Championship belt, which he clinched in 2017.

He started with 11 straight wins (eight knockouts), before his winning streak came to a halt last year.

Previously as an amateur who fought, by his count, about 140 to 150 fights, he had lost “a lot of times”. But the difference as a pro, he said, is that he lost “in front of thousands of people, not only in Singapore but internationally”.

“And I’m on YouTube. Everyone can see that over and over,” he added. That was how he felt before he started to accept that losing is “part of life”.

“That you have to be undefeated, I think, is overrated already. I think what matters more, what’s more courageous, is if you’ve lost and you can come back … until you reach your goals.”

In the end, losing his title fight against Namibian boxer Paulus Ambunda was not as “painful” as seeing people in his team leave — “people who I thought would be with me till the very end because they said they would”.

While his ex-trainer, former Philippine amateur boxing champion Rey Caitom Jr, had decided to return to the ring, ex-manager Scott Farrell, the then chief executive officer of Ringstar Asia — which holds Ridhwan’s contract — has switched to Ambunda’s camp.

Not once, however, did Ridhwan mention any names to CNA Insider when describing how “the negative news kept coming”.

“It opened my eyes to a lot of things: How some people just viewed me as an asset for their company or for their investment,” he said instead. “I won’t say it’s betrayal; I’d say it’s business, it’s all business.”

Bound to his contract, but with a struggle with Ringstar brewing, he threatened at first to retire — even announcing it on Facebook in January.

He has since sought out a legal team to get the S$15,000 owed to him and to “find the best solution … a middle ground”.

“But it’s a bit hard because the people in the company are avoiding me. They aren’t in the office, so it’s a bit tricky right now,” he said.

Of the lessons he has learnt from the boxing world, one is that “in life, you’ve got to give more than you take, like in boxing — you’ve got to give more punches than (you) take”.

This is something he has applied to his boxing gym, which works with groups like Trybe, a charity serving the youth, especially those facing adversity.

“(The business) must benefit the community. It must benefit the well-being of the people. That’s why our rates are … competitive, even though we’re in the Central Business District (Carpenter Street),” he said.

“We open our doors to at-risk youth and the Yellow Ribbon Project. We’ve been working with these people, and they’ve shown tremendous improvements. That’s one of the best rewards for doing what we do.”

RISING UP TO THE CHALLENGE

Ridhwan has seen how the sport can make a difference on many levels, including in his life. He has, for example, become “more focused”.

Boxing also got him to go back to school, which he had dropped out of before he first donned his gloves.

Explaining his change of heart, he said: “One day, a youngster came up to me and said, ‘You know what, Ridhwan? I want to be like you. I don’t have to go to school. I’ll just do boxing.’

“Then I realised I was creating the wrong kind of influence … Second, I learned to love to learn.”

Encouraged by others as well, he studied for a Diploma in Sport and Wellness Management at Nanyang Polytechnic. That was where he met his business partner, and how their boxing gym came to be after they graduated.

Through hard work and perseverance, Legends Fight Sport became profitable within a year. But the gym soon faced competition from fitness centres that started offering boxing classes.

That took away some business, but Ridhwan believes the true boxing enthusiast will go a training gym dedicated to the sport.

“People who love the sport, who love to learn the skills — the techniques — wouldn’t go through the motions and just get tired at the end of the day,” he said.

“And the fact that we’re only focusing on boxing (means) we make sure that this is something we’re really good at.”

But committing to training of the highest standards while competing for international titles in the ring can be “very tiring”.

“Sometimes I work the whole day, from 7am to 10pm straight. I have a two-hour break in between, and that’s supposedly my training time,” he shared. “And it goes on for days or weeks.”

He sees it as a necessary sacrifice, proffering this quote on success: “If we keep doing what’s easy, life’s going to get hard. I believe that if you keep doing what’s hard, somehow in the near future, things will get easier.”

For now, however, it is challenging times. He needs more funds to train with his new coach Alexey Volodin, who is based in Kuala Lumpur, and to get “quality sparring partners” overseas.

He plans to have at least three or four more fights by year end — his next fight is on Aug 17 — to get his ranking “up to at least top 40 or top 30”.

“I hope, by then, I can get a sponsor to show that I’m climbing up,” he said. A promoter who can give him high-profile fights, “which pay a lot more”, would also be a great help.

But with or without that kind of added boost, he has already banished all thoughts of hanging up his gloves.

“I have to retire on my own terms — not because the sport forces me to retire or because … I need to try to make the business better. For now, I believe I can make both work,” he said.

And he believes he can keep rising up to the challenges.

Muhamad Ridhwan was also featured on Money Mind, and you can watch the episode here. New episodes every Saturday at 10.30pm.

SINGAPORE: Five people were jailed for falsifying a safety permit after an accident at a Tampines work site left one worker dead, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said in a press release on Friday (Jul 5). 

Among them were project manager Chan Yew Cheong, who was overall in charge of work site matters, and site manager Wang Shiyang, who was responsible for safety, work progression and quality.

Both men were sentenced to 10 days’ imprisonment. In addition, Chan was fined S$900 and Wang was fined S$7,500.

Qingjian International (South Pacific) Group Development Co, the contractor tasked with providing project management services at the work site, was also given a S$205,000 fine for failing in its duties as an employer.

CNQC Engineering and Construction, formerly known as Qingdao Construction (Singapore), has also been charged for failing in its duties as an occupier.

EXCAVATOR MISHAP LEAVES ONE DEAD

On Jan 25, 2016, Wang Shiyang, who was employed by Qingjian as a site manager, instructed site supervisor Zhu Yong Bing to construct a septic tank 3.6m-deep at the work site. To do this, a permit-to-work (PTW) had to be issued by Wang before any excavation work deeper than 1.5m could begin.

According to MOM, the construction site was in the area of Tampines North Drive 1/Street 61/Avenue 6.

Zhu Yong Bing engaged a licensed excavator operator to carry out the job without a permit, MOM said. 

The excavation work ended on Jan 29, 2016 and he tasked six workers, including Mr Xu Shangbin, to get inside the excavation pit to erect formwork structures and rebars. 

Later that day, the site supervisor decided to start concrete casting for the septic tank. He told Mr Xu and two others to get into the excavation pit so they could spread the concrete once it had been poured.

Zhu Yong Bing, who did not have a licence to use the excavator, went ahead to operate the excavator with a concrete bucket attached to the excavator’s lifting hook to pour concrete into the pit.

During his second attempt at pouring the concrete, with the excavator’s arm extended to reach the position where the concrete cement was to be poured, the excavator started to topple.

Mr Xu, who was inside the pit, was hit by the concrete bucket. He died due to the multiple injuries he sustained, MOM added.

SIGNING BACKDATED SAFETY PERMITS

MOM’s investigations revealed that several people had signed a backdated permit form after a meeting at Qingdao’s headquarters a day after the fatal accident.

They include workplace safety and health officer from Qingdao Zhu Xiaoyi, safety coordinator from Qingdao Rathinam Ramesh and project director from Qingjian Chan Yew Cheong. Zhu Yong Bing and Wang had also signed the backdated permit form.

“This was intended to give the false impression that a PTW was properly issued before excavation works were carried out on Jan 28, 2016,” MOM said.

It added that before commencing any excavation work, Zhu Yong Bing ought to have applied for the safety permit to be evaluated by safety coordinator Ramesh and approved by workplace safety and health officer Zhu Xiaoyi. 

The permit should have then been issued by Wang in his capacity as a site manager. 

“However, as Wang had not attended the construction safety course for project manager at the material time, the PTW would have to be counter-signed by Chan for approval prior to issuance,” MOM said.

“The falsification of PTW was uncovered following separate interviews conducted by MOM investigators with the five employees involved in the falsification.”

FALSE DECLARATION

“By signing the PTW, the five employees falsely declared that the necessary safety measures were put in place before excavation work began,” the ministry added.

These safety measures entailed steps such as briefing workers involved on safe work procedures and ensuring they were wearing the required personal protective equipment.

“As key members managing the project and overseeing the construction works at the work site, the five employees were responsible for ensuring that necessary safety measures were implemented before carrying out the excavation works,” Mr Sebastian Tan, MOM’s director of occupational safety and health inspectorate said.

“Not only did they fail to do so, they also wilfully misled MOM’s investigation by submitting a falsified PTW form.”

Zhu Yong Bing, who operated the excavator without a licence, was given a three-month jail term for performing a reckless act which endangered the safety of others.

For their offences, Zhu Xiaoyi and Ramesh were jailed for a week for falsifying the PTW. MOM added that Zhu Xiaoyi’s workplace safety and health registration was also revoked. 

SINGAPORE: A fire broke out at Ang Mo Kio Central on Friday (Jul 5), with firefighters still battling the blaze at about 4.45pm. 

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it responded to a fire at Block 720 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 6 at about 3.45pm. 

Residents have been urged to stay away from the area.

“SGSecure mobile app users, M1, StarHub and Singtel mobile subscribers within the immediate vicinity of the fire incident would have received an advisory message urging members of public to stay away from the area,” said SCDF in a Facebook post. 

Videos and photos posted on social media show thick black smoke rising over blocks of flats. Firefighters are seen trying to put out the fire.

This is a developing story. Please refresh for updates.

This story came from a reader tip-off. If you would like to send in photos or videos of something newsworthy, WhatsApp our Mediacorp news hotline at +65 8218 8281 or message us on Facebook.

SINGAPORE: Singapore Airlines (SIA) customers can look forward to bigger spaces, upgraded facilities and more food selections when they visit SIA lounges at Changi Airport Terminal 3 from 2021.

The airline said on Thursday (Jul 4) it will spend more than S$50 million to revamp its SilverKris and KrisFlyer lounges to make them look “modern yet homely”. Hospitality designer Hirsch Bedner Associates has been engaged to “inject a fresh look”, SIA said.

“The new lounges will offer more generous open spaces, upgraded facilities and a wide array of F&B selections, all tailored to the needs and preferences of our customers,” the airline added in a news release.

READ: Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines sign deal to expand codeshare ties

The new Business Class lounge will be expanded and will have different zones to cater to travellers with different needs. 

“Customers with a short transit can have a light snack in a relaxed cafe setting, while those with more time to spend may explore a full selection of Asian and international cuisines in the dining hall,” the airline said.

It will also include a full-service bar that will double up as a self-service breakfast station in the morning. For those looking to catch a nap, a rest area with chaise lounges will be provided for customers. 

First Class customers will be treated to a new flagship bar and a full-service fine dining section within the lounge. Krisflyer Gold lounges will double in size and include dedicated work spaces, as well as large al fresco seating and dining areas. It will also be equipped with restrooms and showers.

“With extensive research and feedback garnered from our customers, we have re-looked and re-envisioned our customer journey to develop this new design concept for our lounges at Terminal 3,” said Mr Marvin Tan, SIA’s senior vice president for Customer Services and Operations.

“The project is a key part of our commitment to constantly elevate the customer experience, on the ground as well as in the air, and we look forward to revealing the exciting new offerings as construction progresses.”

Renovation is set to start in August and is expected to be completed by mid-2021.