In recent years, beef consumption has grown considerably, mainly because cattle are part of the small group of domesticated animals that are naturally fed. And the feeding process of cattle has a major impact on the quality of the meat we all end up eating.
Large businesses or small farms in rural areas raise cattle for sale, knowing that these animals are especially appreciated and bought for beef. There are some popular beef-producing breeds that are raised in great numbers, breeds that are so well-known that you have most certainly heard about them before, even without having a special interest in cow’s meat. But these aren’t the only ones worth talking about. Out of all the 1000 existing cattle breeds in the world, there are some that are absolutely excellent for beef, while remaining relatively low-key. As such, bear in mind that the most promoted breeds aren’t always the best-tasting ones, since there is a strong marketing strategy in place for promoting certain breeds.
One question that might come up is: does the breed make any difference when it comes to meat quality or taste? The simplified answer is yes. So, let’s take a look at some of the cattle breeds raised for their excellent meat.
Top 3 best beef-producing cattle breeds in the world
Although cattle livestock are raised for both milk and meat, there are some larger breeds that are prevalently beef-producing when compared to others.
1. Angus
Their ability to gain healthy body weight through the grazing process, along with the non-problematic process of giving birth, makes the Angus breed a real “money-maker” for farmers.
Originally from Scotland’s Highlands, the Aberdeen Angus (known internationally as Black Angus) is a solid, healthy and sinewy breed that provides outstanding quality beef.
The easiest way to recognise Angus cattle is the complete absence of horns. Although they are considered small to medium size cows (the female’s height ranges between 1.10 and 1.25 meters, while male’s height reaches up to 1.35 meters), they compensate through highly developed muscles, visible on both chest and limbs. Otherwise, their weight ranges between 550 kilos for females and 850 kilog for males.
2. Simmental
The Simmental cattle are known as a cross-breed between a large German cattle breed and a smaller sized cattle breed, indigenous to Switzerland. The name of the breed comes from the Simme Valley in Switzerland, the area where these cattle were raised for the first time.
The Simmental, recognised by its red colour and its heavy dewlap, is considered as the best breed in the world. Why is that so? Because from all of the cattle livestock around the world, this one is the easiest to handle (due to its calm and gentle temper). Plus, it has a heavy body mass, despite the medium size body while also being a rather prolific breed of cows. One of the main economic assets of this breed is the fact that these cows can become pregnant at the age of 2, giving birth to up to 13 calves throughout their life. And when it comes to weight, they also provide a good weight to meat ratio, making them ideal for farmers all around the world.
3. Blue Belgium
Originally from Belgium, the Belgium Blue breed is an extremely developed breed, with a very solid construction. The cow colour may vary from white, black or blue or a combination of these.
Being such a large animal with prominent muscles, there’s no wonder that it can provide a large quantity of great quality meat. The parts of the body that are heavily muscled are the shoulder, the back, the loin and the rump, with their appearance being known as „double-muscling”.
Because of this particular characteristic, the cattle have an extraordinary ability to convert their feeding material into lean muscle, which leads to a low-fat meat. No wonder that in this case, the beef prices are slightly higher.
Each of these breeds has its own specificities which, in the end, make a difference in terms of meat taste. Of course that marketing will always play a role in promoting some breeds to the detriment of others, but that’s why it is so important to pay close attention to the provenance of the meat we consume.
Seradria – the largest livestock exporting company in Romania
With more than 23 years of experience in this field, Seradria is best known in Romania as the largest business who fattens and exports livestock – sheep and cattle, throughout the world.
With a great number of amazing breeds throughout its 10 ha farm, Seradria maintains a good exporting relation to EU countries, but also with countries in the Middle East, having included Iran among its main meat importing countries in the area in 2019.
The company is authorized by the National Sanitary Veterinary Authority for Food Safety and for each export is accompanied by all the required documents.
SINGAPORE: The Tuas Terminal mega port will commence its first phase of operations in 2021 with two berths for ships.
This was revealed by the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) which also said that it had reached a construction milestone for the project following the installation of the 221st and final caisson on Tuesday (Apr 23).
A caisson is a prefabricated box-like concrete structure, around the height of a 10-storey HDB block, that is transported offshore and then sunk into water to form part of the permanent wharf line.
MPA said the installation of the final caisson was “critical” as it enabled the completion of the wharf construction and for the first few berths to be operationally ready. The usage of caissons compared to conventional piling to create a deep foundation results in improved quality of the wharf structure, added MPA.
MPA’s caisson fabrication facility, which pre-fabricates the structures on land before being transported offshore. (Photo: Darius Boey)
The authority added that the foundational land created from land reclamation processes and the laying of caissons will be transferred to the PSA, so that the port operator can begin construction on container yards and terminal facilities.
The MPA also said that the two berths at Tuas Terminal will operate alongside existing container terminals at Pasir Panjang, Keppel and Brani which will be progressively shut down when their leases expire and Singapore’s port operations are consolidated at Tuas Terminal from 2027.
PSA told CNA that the berths at Tuas will increase its total handling capacity and complement current port operations. They will be able to handle what it describes as “mega container vessels”, including “the world’s largest container vessel”, PSA added.
Construction for Phase 1 of Tuas Terminal commenced in 2015 and cost S$2.41 billion, with 294 hectares of land reclaimed, MPA said. It will feature 21 deep-water berths that can handle about 20 million standard-sized container units yearly.
Meanwhile, Tuas Terminal will continue to be developed in another three phases, and is targeted to be fully operational from 2040. The facility can eventually handle up to 65 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of cargo annually.
“The capacity of up to 65 million TEUs per annum enables us to meet future demands and to maintain Singapore’s competitive edge, strengthening our Global Hub Port status. When (the) Tuas container terminal is fully developed in 2040s, it will become the world’s largest container terminal located in a single location,” said Mr Tham Wai Wah, MPA’s chief engineer and director of engineering & project management.
KEY INNOVATIONS USED TO CONSTRUCT TUAS TERMINAL
The MPA also highlighted that it developed five other innovations in the construction of the Tuas Terminal, besides the usage of caissons.
One such innovation was that of deploying a specially designed and fitted vessel called the “TEMAROCK”, a next generation, all-in-one rock mound construction vessel that automates the process of rock laying, rock compacting, as well as underwater surveying. Conventional processes require multiple vessels as well as the assistance of divers.
MPA said that the deployment of the “TEMAROCK” resulted in safer operations, less manpower, a reduction in material wastage and a 50 per cent reduction in caisson installation time.
MPA’s TEMAROCK vessel that automates the process of rock laying, rock compacting, as well as underwater surveying. (Photo: Darius Boey)
The project also saw the re-using of materials such as excavated earth from land construction projects as an eco-friendlier approach. This, MPA said, reduces the quantity of sand required for reclamation by around 70 per cent for Phase 1 and 50 per cent for Phase 2. MPA expects to achieve cost savings of around S$2 billion.
SINGAPORE: The case of a student who filmed National University of Singapore (NUS) undergraduate Monica Baey while she was showering erupted on social media on Friday (Apr 19), when Ms Baey released a set of Instagram Stories calling for tougher action against him.
Responding to both Ms Baey and the surge of online reactions that followed, NUS issued a statement the next day.
“We hear the concerns expressed by members of our community and the public about having a safer and more supportive campus environment, and recognise that advances in camera technology can be easily abused,” it said.
Arguably, it wasn’t technology that was abused but the very basic trust the 23-year-old had that she could take a shower where she lived without being spied on.
It was a fundamental violation of privacy, personal space and campus safety. Many have argued that it was criminal.
SOME CLARIFICATIONS MAY HELP
While we should avoid speculation that could add more fire to the fuel, there are gaps in our understanding of this story that would be beneficial for NUS authorities to clarify, in the interest of preserving public trust and informing debate over possible next steps.
Notwithstanding the 12-month conditional warning given to the culprit by the police, it would be useful for NUS to clarify how they separately arrived at the measures imposed on the man – which included a one-semester suspension, 30 hours of community service, and a ban from on-campus housing premises, as well as counselling and rehabilitation sessions.
NUS said the decision on disciplinary actions considered factors such as the severity of the offence, the need for justice for the victim, the rehabilitative needs of the student offender, the safety of the NUS community, and the penalties imposed by authorities.
File photo of the National University of Singapore.
Still, its statement does not shed light on the calculations made by the discipline board based on the circumstances of this case.
Was alcohol influence a mitigating or exacerbating factor, for instance? Should it even be a factor?
What about Ms Baey’s point that he had access because he knew someone else in the same hall?
Without these details, online voices are asking if NUS had simply replicated a standard set of punishments without deeper thought given to the damage the incident has wrought on this young woman, its causes or how such offences can be prevented.
Online chatter suggests this wasn’t the first peeping tom case in bathrooms around NUS.
Allegations of similar past transgressions have since emerged, and many are waiting to see how NUS will address these claims.
BUSINESS AS USUAL?
In this fog of information, what is clear is it doesn’t seem like harsher punishment for the culprit is currently on the cards.
Ms Baey said she tried to appeal for a heavier sentence, but was told by the police’s investigating officer “You just have to accept the outcome” or “go to NUS and push for action”.
Yet NUS’ statement does not suggest the university will be taking further action on this specific case, even as they review current disciplinary frameworks.
Ms Baey’s account paints a picture of how hard it is for a victim to find closure in the administration of justice for such misconduct.
A view of Ridge View Residential College at the National University of Singapore. (Photo: Ridge View Residential College)
It doesn’t help that NUS’ prompt public response to media queries on this case didn’t seem mirrored in the very private manner in which they managed the case with Ms Baey.
Ms Baey’s screenshot of the letter of apology conveyed by NUS came in February, almost three months after her ordeal began. How whole-hearted then are NUS’ recovery actions?
In a climate of uncertainty, the risk is if people come away with the idea that NUS writes off such misconduct or sidesteps concerns over women’s safety because the problem isn’t serious enough to warrant attention. Until it gets media coverage.
Petitions have sprouted up on Change.org, with one garnering 22,000 signatures and counting. Some online vigilantes are hunting for the man’s details.
SUPPORT FOR VICTIMS
We should be careful not to suggest authorities should be pushing for some form of revenge, but a tougher course of action from NUS could send a clear message about what the educational institution stands for and act as a stronger deterrent against such acts.
The worry also is if remedial actions target preventive measures without increasing individual accountability.
NUS Students’ Union says it condemns any form of sexual harassment, but calling it a serious community problem that everyone has a responsibility in handling skirts the issue that, in this case, something was done by one individual.
Some have also called for greater awareness and education of sexual harassment on campuses, but hopefully such discussions have started since Ms Baey reported it to university authorities – and not after this past week.
File photo of the University Town at the National University of Singapore (NUS). (Photo: Alif Amsyar)
More can also be done to provide a supportive environment for victims. NUS said on Saturday that it was “in the process of reaching out to her to offer our support and assistance”.
Where Ms Baey’s perpetrator had rehabilitative and counselling sessions, one hopes the same strong support and much more help were extended to Ms Baey well before this incident went viral.
SAFE PLACE FOR STUDENTS
“How can we place our trust in NUS … This trust is now broken,” said Ms Baey’s mother in a Facebook post on Sunday.
“We, as parents, expect NUS to provide a safe and secure place for students to live in ad to protect them from such instances,” she added.
A line has been crossed and a young woman’s privacy was violated. One case is one case too many.
Each time campus safety is compromised, the education institute has a duty to restore confidence and provide speedy, timely and unqualified help to the victim – and not wait until the issue comes under the media spotlight.
More facts may emerge. Meanwhile, we should feel heartbroken by what has unfolded.
Observers and consumers say that they have not seen an increase in pork prices in Singapore.
This photo taken on Aug 10, 2018 shows workers moving pigs out of a pen at a pig farm in Yiyang county, in China’s central Henan province. (Photo: AFP/Greg Baker)
(Updated: )
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SINGAPORE: Pork prices in Singapore remain stable amid concerns about rising global pork prices due to an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) in China.
While observers have not seen an impact on pork prices in Singapore yet, they expect rising Chinese demand to have a spillover effect.
“We already see an increase (in prices) in the US, and it may not end so soon,” said OCBC economist Tommy Xie in a phone interview on Thursday (Apr 18).
“I’m not so sure about pork prices in the region. But if China’s pork prices increase, it may have a spillover effect in the region. It’s a more second-order kind of effect,” he added.
In a statement issued on Friday the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said that the recent spate of ASF had “minimal impact to the overall supply of pork to Singapore”.
“SFA has been continually monitoring development on the outbreak of ASF across the globe and have suspended all import of pork and pork products from areas affected,” said SFA.
SFA added that as part of their diversification efforts, it has made efforts to “increase imports of food from non-traditional sources countries” and “explore new potential source countries for supply of food to Singapore”.
As such, any potential supply disruptions will be mitigated by these arrangements.
ASF was first discovered in China in August 2018, and has now reportedly spread to every province in the mainland.
Dutch bank and international financial services provider Rabobank estimated that China has culled a total of 200 million pigs, reducing supply in the country.
CNA spoke to consumers in Singapore, who said that they had not observed an increase in pork prices in the recent months.
Ms Justina Lim, 55, said: “There’s no notable change to pork prices, and there’s no talk in our local wet market about it either.”
Similarly, retiree Seah Kok Song did not notice an increase in pork prices.
“Don’t think got price change since we get our pork from Indonesia,” he said.
SINGAPORE: Although she was left heartbroken after her seven-year relationship ended in 2014, Ms Jessebelle Peh had not given up on love.
Then 24, she knew she “did not want to waste time” and wanted to settle down if the right person comes along.
Following recommendations from friends who had found their partners online, Ms Peh decided to give dating apps a shot several months after her break-up. Over two weeks, she went on five separate dates with men whom she got to know via the Paktor dating app.
Among them was Mr Andrew Chia, a bank analyst and part-time swim coach who was about a decade older than her. Less than two years later, the pair got married in 2016 and they just had their first child earlier this month.
“Yes, it is actually quite fast,” she said, “The app definitely helps to shorten the process in choosing the right one, because you are able to filter through potential matches and suss out who is likely to have the traits you are looking for.”
Ms Peh’s experience reflects just how much the dating scene has been changed by apps designed for those who are looking for love or companionship.
Not too long ago, the notion of meeting a partner online “seemed freakish, and not a little pathetic”, as The Economist put it in its article on modern love last August. Today, a growing number of young Singaporeans are finding Mr or Ms Right via dating apps — sometimes in a matter of a few clicks and swipes.
This new phenomenon may be welcome news for a society grappling with falling birth rates and late marriages.
But while the process of finding love has become easier and more efficient, the old adage of “easy come, easy go” could describe how romantic relationships are formed these days, dating gurus and sociologists said.
A woman uses her smartphone. (Photo: Xabryna Kek)
Singapore Management University (SMU) Associate Professor of Psychology Norman Li, whose research interests include mate preferences and mate value, said relationships could become “shorter and much less stable”, given the limitless choice the app opens users up to.
Apart from Ms Peh and her husband, Mr Jason Ye, 29 and Ms Seah Ling Ling, 28, got attached in March 2017, within a month of connecting with each other on the app Coffee Meets Bagel (CMB).
Exactly a year later, Mr Ye got down on one knee, and the pair will get hitched this October. He said:
It seems pretty fast, but modern dating has sped up because of apps.
“It allows two people with very similar intentions to meet, so that helps to accelerate the process,” he added. “All the good and bad, you compress it into two, three years because we meet so often.”
Dating apps, from the likes of Tinder, CMB, OkCupid — which are all based in the United States — to homegrown outfits such as Paktor, have radically changed romance and the way singles date.
With their speedy account set-ups and “swipe to like” interface, coupled with “secret recipes” — the algorithms which match different users — finding a potential date has become much faster and efficient as well as more convenient than ever before.
Mr Ng Jing Shen, chief executive officer of Paktor Group, said that based on observations from the Paktor app, guys spend less than a second deciding on matches online while girls spend five to 10 times longer.
Most dating apps are free, unlike speed dating or matchmaking services, which would require users to fork out anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars in search of the perfect one.
As such, since the early 2010s, the Internet has overtaken schools, universities, and offices as settings in which singles could potentially meet a partner.
Gone are the days of relying on friends and family to introduce potential partners too, said Mr Ye.
Assoc Prof Li observed: “Before dating apps and technology, people would get introduced to others through friends and family. In the really old days, marriages were pretty much arranged.” He added:
Now, decisions are made more by the individuals and less by the considerations of family and friends.
But not all countries are embracing dating apps at the same rate, or in the same way.
Americans lead the way, in part due to the fact that most of the popular apps were invented in the United States.
In other countries like India, which has a history of arranged marriages, dating apps have also hit cultural walls, but are slowly seeing greater acceptance.
Dating apps first took off among the gay community, helping single men link up with others within a specific geographic radius. But the advent of Tinder in 2012 soon saw people of all sexual orientations to start looking for love on their mobile apps — casual, or for the long term.
Similar apps popular internationally include CMB, OkCupid and Bumble, which was started in 2014 by an ex-Tinder executive.
The dating app Tinder is shown on an Apple iPhone in this photo illustration taken February 10, 2016. (Photo: REUTERS/Mike Blake/Illustration/File Photo)
The success of these apps in the Western markets also spawned clones targeted at Chinese users, such as Tantan.
According to data by analytics company App Annie, published by the BBC, just four apps dominated the entire online dating market in 23 European countries.
But in Asia, there are seven big players among the region’s 13 economies, which suggests that Asians have more idiosyncratic tastes.
This preference for a more localised dating app — an app that is, or perceived to be started by locals and targeted at locals — is observed in South Korea and Taiwan, said Mr Ng from Paktor Group, which provides online as well as offline dating and coaching services.
“For example, we found that generally, Koreans prefer to date fellow Koreans,” he said.
The Paktor app, which means “dating” in the Cantonese dialect, was launched in Singapore in 2013, but has since expanded regionally to South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
SINGAPORE A MAJOR MARKET FOR DATING APPS
While Asian countries seem late to the game, user activity is growing steadily — especially in Singapore and Hong Kong, which industry players say are more cosmopolitan and open-minded when it comes to the dating game.
The two cities were cited by CMB co-founder Dawoon Kang as the among its stronger markets in the region.
“Both cities are full of educated, young professionals, many from overseas, who are eager to meet new people but just can’t make the time for it,” she said.
She added that Singapore is one of CMB’s biggest markets, with the Republic’s users among the most actively engaged.
CMB data shows that in 2017, 2.2 million and 1.6 million introductions were made on its app in Hong Kong and Singapore, respectively.
Meanwhile, Paktor, which has about 850,000 users on its app in Singapore, has seen an increase in the number of “successful” matches between singles in recent years. The firm defines these as instances where two users exchange more than five messages and their mobile numbers.
In Singapore, Paktor saw a 7 per cent increase in number of matches between 2017 and 2018, with the figure rising another 36 per cent from 2018 to this year. Currently, Mr Ng said the app has an average of about 60,000 matches a month.
Screegrabs from the Paktor app on Google Play Store.
According to Paktor’s data in 2017, Singaporeans also appeared to be more enthusiastic users compared to their Asian counterparts.
Here, each user on Paktor swiped about 1,600 times, which is four times more than users in South Korea and twice of users in Taiwan.
According to App Annie’s data, Tinder is the top dating app in Singapore while others such as OkCupid, CMB, Paktor are also popular among users here.
While such apps give users a variety of new matches a day, homegrown app LunchClick — founded by dating agency LunchActually — differentiates itself by providing only one match to non-paying users daily.
LunchClick’s CEO and Lunch Actually co-founder Violet Lim said the app “positions itself as an app for ‘serious singles’”.
Apart from sending only one match to users daily, the app also screens new sign-ups for their marital status using their identification number.
Users who wish to get more matches and secure dates can subscribe to LunchClick’s premium plans, which go from S$30 to S$80 a month.
To help those looking for partners, most dating apps have given users some way to “cut through the clutter”, by allowing them to set up filters or indicate preferences for their matches — though the degree of control varies for different apps.
On Tinder, for example, users can set their preferred age group of matches. On CMB, users can go further to indicate their preferences for age, height and also religious beliefs.
On other platforms, such as OkCupid, users can also fill out a list of questions ranging from their favourite foods to movies and their faiths.
For Ms Deanna Lim, 25, and her fiancé Mr Leuven Lee, 27, who first met on OkCupid, such questions were useful in establishing a connection at the beginning — it was where they first found out they had a similar liking for the popular drama series, Game of Thrones, among others.
Ms Deanna Lim, who writes for an online food publication, said: “It also helped us find out similarities in views, for example, we were both liberal, agnostic and leaned towards open communication.”
The couple noted that there is also greater clarity when using the apps — generally, users make known whether they are seeking a long-term relationship, or a casual hook-up.
“With dating apps, it is a lot more straightforward, there is none of that second-guessing as to whether this is a date when you go out. It feels more clear-cut,” said Ms Deanna Lim.
Mr Lee, a financial consultant, said: “With traditional dating, if you’re interested in someone, you usually meet up as a group of friends, get to know each other in a group, before meeting up alone, dating apps help bypass all of that.”
At what point should one take the online conversation offline? (Photo: Pixabay/Rawpixel)
Mr Ye, a public servant, concurred, saying that it was easier to meet someone like-minded and had similar intentions about settling down through dating apps.
Recounting an incident prior to using dating apps, Mr Ye said he had been introduced to a potential partner through a friend. “But she was not ready, unlike me, who wanted to settle down.”
WIDENING ONE’S SOCIAL CIRCLE
Dating apps have been soaring in popularity because they also allow users to expand their social circles exponentially, industry players said.
Said Mr Ng from Paktor: “With its sheer scale, the volume of people, and the pool of people one can meet is unlimited. Spending 10 minutes on a toilet bowl swiping on potential matches, you essentially ‘meet’ more new people than you possibly would in a year.”
For those with relatively closed social circles, dating apps have proved to be useful.
A 30-year-old educator, who only wanted to be known as Mrs Lim, said that before she met her husband on LunchClick, most of her friends were women.
“Growing up, my interests were in Chinese dance, and when I studied linguistics in university, there were only three guys in my course. Then, I started working in the education industry which was largely female-dominated, all these didn’t help to expand my social circles,” she said.
She then tried using about two or three apps, including Tinder, before meeting her husband on LunchClick in 2015.
She said: “(Dating apps) expand your social circles beyond your immediate possibilities and friends’ recommendations.”
Apart from increasing interaction with the opposite gender, dating apps also allow users to date more broadly, by opening up a pool of racially and ethnically diverse users.
A 24-year-old marketing and public relations executive in the hospitality industry, who only wanted to be known as Ms Tay, said she always thought she would end up with a Singaporean partner. She said:
I met my boyfriend on Tinder. He is American Chinese, and I never thought I’d date someone of a different nationality.
“Since all the guys I dated before were locals, I had a small-town mentality, and I simply thought I would never really have the chance to meet or even date people who were not from Singapore.”
National University of Singapore (NUS) sociologist Tan Ern Ser agreed:
I reckon the apps do open up more options, and in turn more opportunities for inter-ethnic dating.
DIFFERENT MEANS, SAME ENDS
While dating apps have changed how people find and court potential partners, what they are looking for is largely the same, say experts.
Assoc Prof Li said: “We’ve evolved as human beings to look for certain characteristics, and these characteristics haven’t really changed.”
A couple holding hands. (File photo: Reuters)
He added: “A majority of men continue to look for youthful and physical attributes, while generally women seek men who have resources and status.”
Mr Ng had similar observations from analysing matches on the Paktor platform.
We found that for guys, looks are still important. Girls value looks, but to a smaller extent. To them, hobbies, personality and profession are also factors.
But while dating apps are becoming more popular here, they have not quite become mainstream, as the stigma attached to their use still exists to some extent, said Mr Ng. In addition, the use of dating apps comes with its own risks.
Mr Dax Xu, for one, is steering clear of dating apps. On these platforms, “everybody is seeking a potential mate, and as such, they have a tendency to be the best version of themselves, not the true version of themselves”, he noted,
The 36-year-old tech executive, who is based in Hong Kong, added: “Fundamentally, I’m someone who believes in serendipity. I’m a purist for romance.”
Many dating users themselves, while welcoming the widening of choices that the online world offers, are also becoming aware of its downsides.
An increasing problem that has been highlighted in the media is the issue of catfishing, where a person creates a fake social media account, often in order to deceive a particular person.
In February, a 47-year-old Malaysian man was sentenced to five years’ jail for swindling a woman of some S$68,000 by pretending to be a silver trader by the name of “Daniel” on Tinder.
Then, there is also the blurred line between expectations and reality.
(Photo: rawpixel / Unsplash)
Ms Tay said that one of the first few guys she met on the dating app was “quite unlike” who she thought he would be.
“Online, he presented himself (as) a smooth Casanova but when I met him he was a little awkward and shy. There’s always a possibility that you might get catfished,” she said.
While some are out to cheat, others create profiles to solicit potential deals.
“I’ve heard many stories of insurance agents, or financial consultants using the app to get clients,” said Ms Peh.
While fake profiles and cheats have tangible repercussions, there are also emotional downsides to using dating apps, as many looking for love may also experience being “ghosted”.
This happens when someone cuts off contact often abruptly, without reason and a proper goodbye.
For those who are ghosted, it can often be emotionally exhausting to continue conversations with other people on the app, and they can experience feelings of rejection.
PROTECTING USERS
To eliminate the risk of users meeting scammers and married men or women, Ms Violet Lim said that LunchClick runs all potential sign-ups through the Registry of Marriages in Singapore.
By giving non-paying users only one match a day, she said the app becomes less attractive for scammers and cheats, who hunt by casting a wide net for potential victims.
Paktor, on the other hand, said it uses artificial intelligence to sieve out potential bots which create fake profiles.
Mr Ng said: “We put in measures such as crowdsourcing and machine learning to detect unusual behaviours, such as when a new user ‘likes’ and matches with every existing person on the app.”
“Bots tend to have very high activity, such as liking thousands of users’ photos in a second. That is not humanly possible, so the system is able to pick it up.”
File photo of a ring being placed on a finger. (Photo: AFP)
He added that about five staff members manually screen new profiles on the app, to catch the use of fake profile photos, among others.
CMB co-founder Ms Kang described romance scams as “a big problem affecting the industry right now”.
She said that her firm manually reviews the profile of every single person who signs up before approving them.
“If someone is reported for suspicious behaviour, our team investigates. If someone is reported more than three times, we ban them completely from being able to access our platform,” she added.
“We also have an internal scammer model running 24/7 that looks for suspicious profile attributes and behaviour.”
However, Ms Violet Lim said that some fake profiles could be introduced by apps themselves to increase retention rates.
It was a point she raised in a TEDtalk which she gave in August last year at the Nanyang Technological University. It was titled “What dating apps are not telling you”.
“You actually have some dating apps which are creating bots to lure their users to pay,” she said then. “Take for example a guy who has seen many rejections and non-replies from many women, and he suddenly receives a match from a beautiful woman, but the app prompts him to pay to start a conversation with her. What is he likely to do?”
Then, there is also the possibility of losing personal data in the event of a breach. In February, over 6 million CMB users — including Singaporeans — had their details leaked.
The users of the popular dating platform were informed that their account data might have been “stolen by an unauthorised party”.
It was later reported that the data, which included the names and e-mail address of more than 6 million users, were put on the dark web, prompting the company to issue an apology.
Dating app Coffee Meets Bagel’s website. (Screengrab: Coffee Meets Bagel)
THE PARADOX OF CHOICE
Apart from changing the way people date, have dating apps changed the nature of relationships?
Assoc Prof Li said that a possible consequence in the age of dating apps is that “relationships end up getting shorter and much less stable”.
The main reason for that is the multitude of choices available on the apps.
Presented with seemingly endless possibilities, the irony is that users then find it harder to commit to a person at any one time.
Assoc Prof Li said: “What has changed is that people now have access to a wider (network) than ever before. When you perceive that you have many options, then it gets you to shift more towards a short-term mating strategy rather than a long-term one.”
He noted that while users have more options, “their options also have more options, and the result is that relationships end up getting shorter and much less stable”.
LunchActually’s Ms Violet Lim added: “Because there is so much choice, there is a temptation to think, ‘is there a better one out there?’”
She believes that dating is ultimately “an offline activity”.
“When people meet in person, there is often a chance to get to know more about their personality and their charisma, even if they might not be so good-looking,” she said.
Most of the couples interviewed said that once they decided to get together, they deleted the dating apps.
For Ms Peh and her husband, along with others who are in lasting relationships after finding Mr or Ms Right online, dating apps simply provide a practical and useful channel to connect potential soul mates. But that is just a start, Ms Peh said.
“It doesn’t mean that just after connecting on the app and meeting, it means a fairytale ending,” she said. “The real relationship is built offline, through communication.”
From the beginning, there was one key obstacle to architect Moshe Safdie’s vision of building a domed glass complex with a waterfall cascading through the centre of its roof.
Changi Airport’s Skytrain track was already there – and the entire Jewel complex had to be built around it.
Not only that, the train track ran straight through the centre of the dome – right through where the waterfall would have been.
“Every three minutes, the train coming through would have gotten a train wash,” Safdie quips.
There was only one thing to be done. The waterfall had to move off centre.
You go out, you look up, you see it’s not in the middle. And that was a geometric nightmare.
MOSHE SAFDIE
Here’s why.
Jewel isn’t strictly a dome, but a toroid – essentially a massive glass doughnut.
In the middle is an 11-metre-wide hole – the oculus – except that it isn’t actually in the middle.
“Doing an asymmetrical toroid was very complex – moving the toroid off centre because the train is in the middle,” Safdie says.
“But I think it also made it so much more beautiful and created a tension in the geometry.”
“There’s something about a toroid,” Safdie says. “There’s something about the fact that it turns on itself, the fact that it’s hanging there and that the water’s coming through it, that makes it very magical compared to a dome.”
“I think if this was a dome you would look up and say, yeah I’ve seen a dome before. They’d probably take fewer Instagram pictures.”
Intrinsic to the idea of the toroid was the idea of a waterfall running through it: Collecting the rainwater that falls on the entire building and funnelling it into the structure through the oculus.
“We calculated that the surface would bring, on a good Singapore rainfall – and you got a lot of them – 12,000 gallons a minute. Well, that’s something to reckon with. And water can be recirculated and used.”
Over the next five years, Jewel took shape, right in the heart of Changi Airport aerodrome, without disrupting vital operations, services, traffic or infrastructure around it.
Workers dug five storeys deep – the deepest basements in the whole of Changi Airport.
A massive canopy rose over it, formed with more than 9,000 slabs of glass, no two of them alike.
The world’s tallest indoor waterfall was engineered, with thousands of gallons of water cascading over seven storeys.
And finally, the air-conditioned terraces were lined with thousands of trees, plants, ferns and shrubs brought in from around the world.
“Now, you’re creating a garden which you want to be like a magical place of nature,” Safdie says.
He notes that nature works in much the same way: The landscape collects the rain; brings it into valleys, brings it into rivers, brings it into waterfalls.
“And here you’re discovering it inside a building.”
This is where the waterfall begins.
As much as 10,000 gallons of water flows through the oculus every minute,
tumbling 40m from the oculus,
through ground level,
and to the bottom of basement 2.
“If the water had hit the main valley floor, we would all be wet now,” Safdie says.
“We realised we’ve got a hell of a lot of water coming down with a bang, so to speak; we realised we had to buffer it somehow, so that led us to say, ‘Let’s enclose it.'”
It became a major feature of the waterfall: an acrylic funnel spanning basements 1 and 2, creating a buffer for the water as it hit the bottom.
Inspired by aquariums, the column is made of more than 40 sheets of acrylic, fused to form a seamless screen.
“It’s a sensational experience,” Safdie says. “All that power of water is right in front of your nose but you can’t hear it, because it’s absolutely sound-proof.”
The water goes into massive tanks in the basement, where it is filtered before being pumped back up to level 5.
At level 5, another series of pump rooms send the water up the surface of the glass dome through a network of pipes on the facade.
The aim is to make it look seamless.
Take a close look at the “fins” on the facade – there are 24 pipes concealed within them.
The pipes flow down to a chamber known as a manifold, which runs around the entire oculus, Ashith Alva, Jewel’s head of project design explains.
From there, the water falls freely to the ground.
WET senior designer Tim Hunter says the water design firm took inspiration from the curving roof structure of Jewel itself.
The water falls as a continuous parabolic arch rather than a straight line, he points out.
“As the roof bends inward, the glass canopy seamlessly transitions into water as it continues its journey down into the heart of Jewel.”
“The biggest challenge was to create a place that’s good for the trees and good for people.”
MOSHE SAFDIE
“If you wanted to design a place where nature is indoors, you’ve got to give it sun. If you give it sun, it’s a glass house. That’s what Jewel is,” Safdie says candidly.
Alva notes that there had been concern about the heat potentially generated as a result of the glass house effect.
As such, each panel in the facade is made of three layers of glass – an outer layer, a 16mm air gap and a double-laminated layer. This reduces the amount of radiant heat that gets in the dome, Alva says.
If you touch the floors in the Canopy Park on level 5, you’ll notice that they are cold.
They are literally chilled floors – pipes with chilled water going into the flooring system, to absorb the heat.
The chilled slabs are used all over the areas likely to get the most direct sunlight – the top level, as well as on the ground floor around the waterfall.
Because chilled slabs absorb the heat, less air-conditioning is required.
To be more energy-efficient, the dome isn’t cooled in its entirety.
Only the first 2 metres or so of each level is cooled – “about human level”, Alva explains.
“You don’t want to bring the cold air from above. You want to bring it from below,” Safdie adds.
This is why the benches all over the Canopy Park have an extra purpose. The air-conditioning system is concealed within them, he reveals.
“So those sitting there get their tush cooled nicely.”
“Here, people were number one. 24 degrees, comfortable humidity. What kinds of plants were going to thrive in these conditions, was the question.”
MOSHE SAFDIE
Such plants generally come from tropical climates and high altitudes, so the team established the geographic range where they would be sourced from: Malaysia, Thailand and Australia, as well as China, the United States and Spain.
“I didn’t want the plants that are sort of associated with interior planting – tropical plants that had been used over and over and over, and mostly selected for their indestructibility,” Safdie says.
“I want things that have delicate foliage, that resonate in the light … and so we aimed for plants, many of which are not familiar in an interior environment, but remind you of being out there in a mountain forest. I like being in a mountain forest.”
In all, there are 2,000 trees and palms and more than 100,000 shrubs from 120 species.
However, one part did not go according to plan.
The car park that Jewel was built on had been shaded by large, mature trees. “We were going to use them in the building, but it turned out we couldn’t because they didn’t survive,” Safdie says.
“But we used them to make the benches for the building, so these benches were the trees that were in the parking lot on the site.”
KEY FIGURES
GROSS FLOOR AREA:
135,700sqm
FULL SITE AREA (SPECIFIC TO JEWEL):
38,500sqm
NUMBER OF STOREYS:
10 (five above ground and five basement storeys)
FACILITIES FOR AIRPORT OPERATIONS:
19,400sqm
INDOOR GARDENS AND ATTRACTIONS:
21,100sqm
RETAIL:
90,000sqm (NLA: 53,600sqm)
HOTEL:
5,200sqm (for 130 rooms)
KEY FIGURES
CAR PARK:
2,500 lots
CHARGES:
Short-term parking (B2M and B2):
S$0.04/min for first 90 mins;
S$5/30 mins for subsequent 30 mins or part thereof
GENERAL PARKING (B3 TO B5):
S$0.04/min
OVERALL PROJECT COST:
S$1.7b, including land, construction and related costs and financing
SINGAPORE: A new mixed-use development in the Beach Road district, Guoco Midtown, will offer 200 residential units and 770,000 sg ft of office space when it is completed in the first half of 2022.
There will also be more than 32,000 sq ft of retail space, which spans two storeys, in a development that is aimed at rejuvenating the district.
Unveiling the concept and design of Guoco Midtown on Monday (Apr 22), developer GuocoLand said the project will “redefine public spaces and enhance street life”.
An artist’s impression of Guoco Midtown’s Market Place. (Image: GuocoLand)
“Although Guoco Midtown is a mega mixed-development, it is unlike most such developments that often comprise podium blocks.
“Instead, street level buildings and public spaces have been designed to the human scale,” said GuocoLand, adding that all ground floor restaurants will have alfresco dining spilling into the two large sheltered public spaces.
“An internal street – called Seawater Street – has been created, flanked by public spaces and low-rise retail and restaurants.”
A series of community spaces will allow public activities and events to be held, the developer added.
The former Beach Road Police Station, a three-storey conserved building, is a part of the development as well.
Map showing the location of Guoco Midtown. (Image: Guocoland)
The 99-year leasehold land parcel was sold for S$1.62 billion in 2017, which translates to about S$1,706 per square foot per plot ratio.
The project is the latest in series of recent developments in the Beach Road district, following the completion of South Beach and Duo.
“The name Guoco Midtown represents GuocoLand’s vision for the area to be like the Midtown areas in many capital cities around the world where there is an exciting mix of shopping, culture, entertainment, amenities and prime corporate offices,” said the developer.
An artist’s impression of Guoco Midtown at Beach Road. (Image: GuocoLand)
GuocoLand added that it is introducing a “new leasing concept” which allows companies to expand or contract their teams without having to move or renovate their main offices.
Fifteen per cent of the office net lettable area has been set aside for such “flexible and adaptable spaces”, it said, to cater to companies with “dynamic business needs and shorter business cycles”.
It added that there will be two floors for tenants to set up “innovation laboratories” or experimental start-ups.
The 30-storey office tower includes amenities such as a 40m swimming pool, a jogging circuit, a skygarden as well as an outdoor gym.
More details of the residential segment will be announced in the second half of this year.
SINGAPORE: When a former colleague, Eliza*, who has dedicated years in tech start-ups, quit and joined a government-linked company (GLC), it came as a surprise. Why the drastic change?
Then she broke it down for me: The horrendous long hours, non-existent welfare and the “talented” cut-throat slave driver boss at the start-up was driving her nuts. The “996” work schedule – a term that refers to working from 9 am to 9 pm, six days a week – wasn’t tolerable anymore.
I found out too that her headfirst dive into start-ups wasn’t because she was passionate about them, but found it necessary to help her reach her end-goal – a role in an innovation lab.
After years gaining experience first supporting one tech start-up and then managing another – she eventually landed a role at the GLC’s innovation department, where she now works regular hours and under bosses who genuinely care for her welfare.
I was reminded of her story when former Google executive Rajan Anandan announced earlier this month that he’s leaving Google after eight years to join venture capital firm, Sequoia, on developing Surge – a scale-up programme for start-ups.
Small toy figures are seen in front of Google logo in this illustration picture, April 8, 2019. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
Mr Anandan did not specify the reason to his departure from the Big Tech company, but rumour has it that one of the reasons was to relive his passion in nurturing early stage start-ups. Before Mr Anandan took responsibility in driving Google’s growth in India, he was an angel investor, supporting Indian entrepreneurs.
Eliza and Mr Anandan’s careers pathways are very different, but they both demonstrate how life stages bring about different needs and wants for us all, and planning ahead in your career might give you an edge in landing your eventual dream job at 40 or so.
That was a message Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo underscored on Tuesday (Apr 16) when she highlighted the Government’s emphasis on helping workers improve their career mobility, as a bulwark against disruption.
So how do we get there?
PLANNING FOR FUTURE JOBS
In planning for future jobs, take a few minutes of your day to ponder on the ideal role you want to be in 10 or 20 years’ time. Then, look for clues to help you craft your own path.
That can include looking up and tracing the journey of someone who is in a position you want to reach for in the future.
Want to work in Facebook? Dan Neary, the current Vice-President of Asia-Pacific at Facebook for example, built his career in big names – Skype, eBay and Kellogg among others, and has experience building partnerships in China, Europe, Middle East and Africa.
But for some unsure of their end-career goal, it’s going to be more complicated.
Still, life presents many twists and turns that may change your values or perceptions, and staying open-minded and attuned to changes about what as a job gives you satisfaction can beneficial. Just count the number of banker-turned-farmer or baker or teacher.
But ultimately, what you may want to focus on is what you can achieve within each decade and how those could snowball into something valuable along the way.
Most people see their 20s as a foundational decade to gain news skills and relevant experience in a specific industry or function.
But instead of using these years to narrow yourself into one kind of role, it should be a discovery decade where you figure out what you’re good at and what parts of a career give you the most fulfillment.
Man in his twenties working on a laptop. (Photo: Unsplash/Matt Wildbore)
My nephew had wanted to be a successful financial consultant like his aunt whom he saw as a role model.
But after getting his bachelor in accountancy, and joining one of the Big 5, he realised that it just wasn’t enjoyable. He finds it more fulfilling in his current job as a corporate relationship manager in a local bank.
When I started my first recruitment business at 24, I was very sure I wanted to do that for the rest of my life.
Over that 11-year journey I learnt how to run and manage a business that includes managing cash flow, people, marketing, and the media. I picked up an important skill too – public speaking.
While that business didn’t last, the skills and knowledge I gained were things only experience could have given. And that experience opened up many other opportunities.
Experience points accumulated during your 20s are like shiny badges: Important to attract attention of headhunters or companies in the future.
Time is the only currency of abundance at this point. Get involved in other works like charity, or a pet project. They may grow into passive income streams or help you grow your network.
GET WIDER EXPOSURE IN YOUR 30S
Companies setting up big offices here in Singapore are likely supporting Asia-Pacific offices elsewhere in the region. If you are working in one of them, aim to get regional exposure. This would prepare you for future opportunities.
While relocation for an overseas assignment may mean three years or so in a foreign country, the achievement will be engraved in time on your resume.
(Photo: Unsplash/rawpixel)
Going overseas, moving beyond your comfort zone and proving that you can survive under ambiguity make you an asset in the eyes of future employers.
If your current company doesn’t provide overseas postings, you should check out if close competition can provide you with those opportunities.
As Reid Hoffman mentioned in his second book The Alliance, one should look at each employment as a tour of duty. Get what you aim for and then move on to the next bigger role.
Most importantly, the move should put you closer to what you want next. If you’d like to jump into the Japan market, it would make more sense to join a Japanese company.
BE A MENTOR AFTER 40
Professionals, managers and executives in their 40s will most likely be very highly skilled in their area of expertise.
If you are a Gen X reading this and have yet to market yourself, it’s not too late to build a personal brand. Put yourself on career social media platforms like LinkedIn, go to networking sessions, or speak at events.
Woman speaking to a colleague in the office. (Photo: Unsplash/Mimi Thian)
Be an expert who can offer advice and opinions in matters related to your job role and/or industry.
This can make you a thought leader in the process. And chances are if you are in a senior management level, you may even be invited to deliver a public presentation to share your insights.
My career coaching client-turned-friend Ram Dubey did just that when he transitioned from a banking career to counselling. And what better way to cement your authority by giving out a published book as your calling card.
Ideally, we should aspire to be like Rajan Anandan in his 50s: Mentoring others to help boost their businesses and career potential … rather than grinding it out yourself.
Even if that is not going to happen (there is only one Rajan Anandan after all), a firm career footing with decades of accumulated experience should put you in a good state to pursue your version of meaning when you hit your 50s.
Adrian Tan is currently supporting the APAC expansion of PeopleStrong, an enterprise cloud HCM provider. The co-creator of Singapore HR Tech market Map, he also writes regularly on HR Tech at adriantan.com.sg.
SINGAPORE: The executive committee (Exco) of the National University of Singapore Students’ Union (NUSSU) said it is in the process of considering if there should be heavier punishments in cases of sexual harassment on campus.
This comes after undergraduate Ms Monica Baey revealed in a series of public Instagram Stories on Friday (Apr 19) that she had caught another student filming her with a mobile phone while she was in a hostel shower.
She called for tougher action against the student, adding that the man had been given a 12-month conditional warning by police.
NUS said it would convene a committee to review its current disciplinary and support frameworks.
In a statement released on Facebook, the NUSSU committee said: “NUSSU Exco is in the process of considering whether for future cases, as a matter of general policy against sexual harassment, there should be heavier punishments as a matter of deterrence, and for retributive justice for victims.”
It added that it was drafting a report on whether existing sentencing guidelines should be revised, while “considering other processes”.
It said it condemned any form of sexual harassment, calling it “ a serious community problem that everyone has a responsibility in handling”.
The committee also urged victims of sexual harassment to report cases to NUS, and that students should alert the students’ union if they have been told not to report such matters.
“NUSSU Exco also recognises, that as opposed to a criminal court, that rehabilitation is an extremely strong principle in how student offenders are treated in the Board of Discipline, given that NUS is an educational institution,” the Exco wrote.
“NUSSU Exco also notes that the Board of Discipline had acted in accordance with existing precedent and due process, and respects that the decision by the board was arrived at in good faith.”
CALL FOR ‘REAL ACTION’
Ms Baey said she had filed a police report after the incident in November last year. CCTV footage of the suspect, as well as the actual video recording of her, were submitted to the police.
An NUS undergraduate is seeking “real” justice from the authorities after she was filmed in a hostel shower. (Photo: Instagram/Monica Baey)
“The outcome of the entire investigation was a 12-month conditional warning,” Ms Baey wrote, adding the suspect would only get “an actual punishment” if he re-offended in the coming year.
Ms Baey said she tried to appeal for a heavier sentence, but was told by the investigating officer “you just have to accept the outcome” or “go to NUS and push for action”.
She said she has been “seriously distressed” by the incident and that her mental health had suffered badly.
“I live in fear. I need to know you will take real action and let the rest of the school know that what happened is wrong and will not be tolerated. You need to protect us! This keeps happening!” wrote Ms Baey, appearing to address the university.
She also shared an apology letter, which was signed by the perpetrator.
INCREASED AWARENESS AND EDUCATION
The students’ union committee said the university should review how it provides support for victims, and called for greater transparency and education on how sexual harassment cases are dealt with at the university.
It also wants increased awareness and education of sexual harassment on campus, while “improving the culture” of reporting such cases in NUS.
“NUSSU Exco also stresses that all members of NUS have a role to play in creating a culture where sexual harassment is not acceptable,” the statement read.
“This is not the sole responsibility of the administration, and NUSSU Exco encourages students to play their part in ensuring that we create an empowering, safe and trusting environment for all.”
SINGAPORE: Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has offered his “deepest condolences” to the victims and families of the deadly blasts in Sri Lanka that killed more than 150 people on Sunday (Apr 21).
Eight bomb attacks tore through various locations in Sri Lanka, including hotels and churches in and around the capital city of Colombo. The attacks have been identified as a “terrorist incident” by the Sri Lankan defence minister in a press conference on Sunday afternoon.
In a Facebook post, Mr Lee said he was “horrified” by the attacks.
“Horrified by the heinous attacks on churches and hotels across Sri Lanka today on Easter Sunday,” he wrote.
“I offer our deepest condolences to the victims and their families. Singapore condemns such senseless acts of violence.
“We stand firmly behind Sri Lanka in its efforts to preserve the hard-wrought peace and stability.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Sri Lanka. May they find strength and unity to overcome this adversity together.”
Sri Lankan security personnel keep watch outside the church premises following a blast at the St. Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade in Colombo on Apr 21, 2019. (Photo: AFP/Ishara S. Kodikara)
Sri Lankan State Minister for Defence Ruwan Wijewardene said in a press conference that the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), police and military forces were investigating the blasts.
“We believe that all the culprits who have been involved in this unfortunate terrorist incident will be taken into custody as soon as possible,” he added.
President Halimah Yacob also took to Facebook to offer her condolences.
“My deepest condolences to the families of the victims and those injured in the terrorist attacks on churches and hotels in Sri Lanka while people are observing Easter Sunday,” she wrote.
“An occasion of peace and worship with families and friends have been turned into a carnage. These vile acts of violence by extremists are absolutely shocking and are aimed at creating conflicts and hatred among the communities.”
She added that we must “continue to stay vigilant and united against such acts of terrorism”.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) confirmed there are currently no reports of Singaporean casualties in the incidents.
“The Singapore Government strongly condemns the heinous acts of violence in Sri Lanka which led to significant loss of civilian lives,” said a spokesman.
“We convey our condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and our wishes for speedy recovery of those injured.”
The spokesman added that the ministry has reached out to Singaporeans e-registered in Colombo.
“The Singapore Honorary Consulate-General in Colombo is in close contact with the Sri Lankan authorities and is monitoring the situation closely.
“Singaporeans in Colombo should remain vigilant, follow the advice of the local authorities, stay in touch with their family and friends so that they know you are safe.”
An ambulance is seen outside the church premises with gathered people and security personnel following a blast at the St. Anthony’s Shrine in Kochchikade, Colombo on Apr 21, 2019. (Photo: AFP/Ishara S. Kodikara)
The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) also issued a statement condemning the attack.
“We are deeply saddened to see another act of terror on places of worship and on peaceful worshippers,” it said.
“Such despicable acts of violence have no place in society, and we stand in solidarity with the affected communities.”
MUIS in their statement also said that Islam “respects the sanctity of religion and human life and calls for the protection of all worshippers and places of worship”.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Sri Lanka in these difficult and trying times,”it added.
Singaporeans who require consular assistance can contact the Honorary Consulate-General in Colombo at +94 77 00 44 868 or the 24-hour MFA Duty Office at +65 6379 8800/8855.
