SINGAPORE: Jewel Changi Airport is no longer a diamond in the rough. 

The mega retail and lifestyle development, with the world’s largest indoor waterfall, mesmerised visitors on Thursday (Apr 11) when it opened to the public for a ticketed preview, ahead of its official opening next week.

A five-year project in the making, the much-anticipated Jewel captivated its scores of visitors who began pouring in at about 1pm. They were first greeted by its majestic centerpiece – the 40m-high HSBC Rain Vortex.

Despite a light drizzle because of the cascading sheets of water from the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, many whipped out their mobile phones enthusiastically to snap photos and pose for selfies.

When mist descended from the oculus of the Rain Vortex, shrouding visitors, the crowd oohed and ahhed. 

As gentle melodies played in the background, the biosphere-style structure, with its lush five-storey indoor forest, one could easily forget – momentarily – that the 10-storey complex is also home to 280 shops and food and beverage outlets.

On the topmost level, visitors wandered around the terraces for vantage points of the Rain Vortex, while enjoying the various play attractions.

The only area that was off limits was the 14,000 sq m Canopy Park that will open to the public in a few weeks.

Jewel Changi Airport will officially open on Apr 17.

SINGAPORE: The last time 66-year-old Jerry Yeo took a bite out of an A&W coney dog and sipped their famous root beer float was decades ago.

So when American fast-food chain A&W reopened its doors in Singapore on Thursday (Apr 11) after a 16-year hiatus, Mr Yeo and his children trooped eagerly down to Jewel Changi Airport.

He was greeted by long, snaking lines of diners – but a 90-minute wait was not about to stop him from getting a taste of nostalgia.

“I am not a very patient man, but I was willing to wait an hour and a half for my coney dog and original root beer float,” he said.

READ: Jewel Changi Airport opens its doors to first visitors

Mr Yeo said he decided to brave the first day of A&W’s reopening because of the fond memories he has of the fast-food chain.

“I was telling my kids that the very first A&W outlet that we went to was the one in between Bukit Timah Road and Dunearn Road. Basically, we were discussing the history of A&W (while having our meal),” Mr Yeo said. 

A&W – which stands for Allen and Wright – made its debut in Singapore in 1966 at Dunearn Road, and the first A&W drive-through opened in 1970 at Bukit Timah Road.

The fast-food joint’s hamburgers, hot dogs and root beer soon became hugely popular among Singaporeans and it is believed its success helped pave the way for other fast-food establishments to set up shop in Singapore, including McDonald’s (1979), Kentucky Fried Chicken (1977) and Burger King (1982).

However, by 2003, A&W faced stiff competition from its competitors and shuttered its remaining outlets.

With the opening of Jewel Changi Airport, however, the well-loved chain is back with an 80-seater outlet, which will be open 24 hours a day.

ABSENCE MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER

The A&W outlet saw a huge turnout on its first day of operations, with multiple lines of diners snaking out of the store.

One such diner was Mdm Beatrix Poh’s daughter, who patiently stood in line for her parents’ favourite orders while they waited around for a seat. 

Mdm Poh and her husband were all smiles despite the wait. 

“Way back in 1975, when the children were young, we would take the children to A&W in Kallang. We would have the root beer and hot dog. We would even collect the little root beer glasses,” she said, smiling. 

What brought her back to A&W on Thursday was the promise of a root beer float. 

“The taste is really very different. I told my husband, I must come here (for a) taste of what it was like in the 1970s,” she said. Mdm Poh said she had tried to recreate the popular drink at home, to no avail. 

“When we heard it’s going to open at Jewel, we were so happy. Looking forward (to it),” she said. 

The long lines did not deter Mdm Poh either. “You want to eat food that you love … you must be patient!” 

Homemaker Rachel Loh and her 21-year-old daughter Yuxuan Kok made a trip down to A&W on Thursday for Mdm Loh’s first root beer float since 1976.

Mdm Loh said that when she was in secondary school, she used to meet her friends at the chain’s Bukit Timah branch. On Thursday she waited 30 minutes for one of her favourite drinks. 

“I really love root beer float by A&W,” said Mdm Loh. “It’s the taste – it’s different from Coke.” When asked if the drink tastes the same to her after all these years, she said decisively: “Yes! The same.” 

For Mdm Loh’s daughter, her first experience at an A&W restaurant was more muted. Ms Kok’s verdict? “Not bad”, although she said she has yet to try other items on the menu. 

The crave for familiar comfort food was a common reason among the diners willing to wait hours in line for a burger or coney dog.

“After so many years, you have a craving for it,” said Mdm Irene Tan, who was there with her husband.

The last time Mdm Tan had what her husband billed as “her favourite” in Singapore was about 20 years ago.

After A&W left Singapore, she would sometimes have a meal at its branch in Malaysia. 

Mdm Tan’s favourite dishes? The coney dog and root beer float, she said.

However, the items at the new outlet looked a little different to her.

Upon opening the box, she said: “Very small.”

Mr Jerry Yeo felt the same way.

“My wife was telling me that the size of the hot dog has shrunk a little bit – maybe they need to do something about it,” he said with a laugh. 

SINGAPORE: Jewel Changi Airport welcomed its first visitors on Thursday (Apr 11) as it opened its doors to the public for a preview of its wide range of offerings.

Those who registered will get a sneak peek into Changi Airport’s S$1.7 billion dollar project between Apr 11 and 16, ahead of its opening on Apr 17.

Jewel Changi Airport has more than 280 shops and food and beverage (F&B) outlets, with 95 per cent of lease space already occupied, said Changi Airport Group (CAG).

Fast food chain A&W, Shaw Theatres and a Pokemon merchandise store are among the brands hosted by Changi Airport’s 10-storey mega retail and lifestyle development.

Jewel will also feature early check-in counters and kiosks, a baggage storage service and a 150-seat Changi Lounge. There is also a 130-cabin hotel within the complex.

“It is our vision for Jewel to be a destination like no other,” said head of leasing at Jewel Changi Development Tan Mui Neo.

READ: Shaw Theatres Jewel opens first dedicated family and children cinema in Singapore

Visitors to Jewel can look forward to a slew of long-awaited new-to-Singapore brands that will open their first stores alongside familiar homegrown favourites such as In Good Company, Supermama and Tiger Street Lab.

About 50 per cent of its tenant mix consists of brands that originate from Singapore, with a dedicated retail cluster of homegrown brands on Level 1 that is meant to be a one-stop shop for travellers looking to bring home a piece of Singapore.

Construction of Jewel began with ground-breaking in December, 2014, with structural works completed by 2017.

THE JEWEL CENTREPIECE

The 135,700 sqm complex is built on the site of the former Terminal 1 open air carpark and is designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie and features a distinctive dome-shaped facade.

The centrepiece of the attraction is the 40m HSBC Rain Vortex – the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. 

Mr Ashith Alva, head of projects at Jewel Changi Airport Development told CNA that water falls through the roof at a velocity of 10,000 gallons per min. During the light and sound shows in the evening, this is reduced to 1,500 to 2,000 gallons per minute.

Mr Alva added that water is circulated through pipes concealed within the building, where a water tank with a 500,000 litre capacity and the control room is stored at basement 3 of Jewel.

He also said that it took water feature design firm, WET, two years of conceptualisation with up to seven models before construction began.

Surrounding the rain vortex are 52 speakers hidden within the Shiseido Forest Valley, added Mr Alva.

Mr Jeremy Yeo, head of user experience for Jewel Changi Airport Development, said that there are 120 species of plants in the Forest Valley, five per cent of which are local. They include ferns and orchids.

He highlighted that the temperature in the Forest Valley is a constant 23 degrees Celsius, and that especially curated plants include two olive trees from Spain that are each over 100 years old.

Both Mr Alva and Mr Yeo say that Jewel has around 30 technicians maintaining the Rain Vortex, while another 80 personnel are in charge of the Forest Valley.

In a media release, Jewel Changi Airport Development chief executive officer, Hung Jean said: “The vision for Jewel Changi Airport is to be a destination where ‘The World meets Singapore, and Singapore meets the World’. 

“The unique proposition of world-class shopping and dining, seamlessly integrated with lush greenery, fulfills the needs of increasingly discerning travellers for a meaningful and experiential journey, even for brief layovers.”

At a media briefing, Hung Jean, added that the airport expects a footfall of around 40 to 50 million guests annually and that Jewel is targeted at not just locals but also transit passengers who have a more than five-hour layover in Singapore.

SINGAPORE: One key area the Singapore Police Force (SPF) will focus on will be defending the country’s social cohesion, particularly in the areas of racial and religious harmony, said Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam on Thursday (Apr 11).

Speaking at this year’s Police Workplace Seminar, Mr Shanmugam pointed out that many countries are struggling with identity politics and fractured relations between communities.

New Zealand, for one, was rocked last month when a right-wing extremist shot and killed 50 worshippers and wounded dozens more in two mosques in Christchurch. Australian Brenton Tarrant, a suspected white supremacist, has been charged with 50 counts of murder. 

These have led to predictable trends like the rise of Islamophobia, white supremacy movements and radical and political Islam with its own creed, he added. 

In Singapore, racial and religious relations are always fragile, Mr Shanmugam said.

“If we do not take care, (race and religious relations) rupture, all of Singapore suffers,” he said. “And police know this. (They) can never take racial, religious harmony for granted.”

They are aware of how insensitive attacks on social media can go viral quickly and can evoke strong, emotive responses, the minister said, adding that police have had to intervene as the impartial party on various occasions to deal with the issue before the situations get more tense.

He cited an example in 2018 of a 38-year-old lady who made insinuations that members of one race acted in a racist manner towards other races in a Facebook post. The post went viral and the online exchange of views was bitter and divisive, the minister recounted.

“When she returned to Singapore, police investigated and gave her a warning. Which is how we deal with most of these things,” Mr Shanmugam said. 

The Home Affairs and Law Minister had addressed the issue of hate speech through a ministerial statement in Parliament earlier this month. In it, he highlighted the serious consequences that can follow when countries are lax about this issue and how restricting hate speech can help maintain racial and religious harmony. 

READ: Shanmugam warns ‘serious consequences can follow’ when countries are lax about hate speech

PROTECTING THE VULNERABLE

Mr Shanmugam also stressed that the police must continue to protect the vulnerable in Singapore’s society.

He pointed out that the Criminal Procedure Code and Evidence Act has been amended to give victims of sexual or child abuse added protection during court trials. These, he said, include the questions that can be asked of these victims and what the courts have to look out for. 

The minister pointed to the sweeping changes proposed to the Penal Code that include enhanced punishments for those who commit offences against vulnerable victims like children, foreign domestic workers and persons with mental or physical disabilities. 

READ: Children to get more protection against sexual predators in Criminal Law Reform Bill

READ: Sweeping changes proposed to Singapore Penal Code; attempted suicide to be decriminalised

Women, too, will receive more protection going forward, Mr Shanmugam said.

For example, intimate partners will be able to apply for Protection Orders. This was not possible previously as the Women’s Charter only applied to married women. 

“In the past you had to go to the police and treat it like an assault, as in other cases of assault. Now, additional avenues,” the minister said. 

He mentioned that the police will continue to invest in technology, and highlighted the automation of investigative processes, police cameras and autonomous technology as areas that have resulted in significant productivity gains. 

READ: Singapore police roll out drone-equipped surveillance vehicles

On police cameras, Mr Shanmugam said the SPF has completed the installation of about 10,000 cameras under the PolCam 2.0 programme. These bring the total of fully operational police cameras deployed in public areas of Housing and Development Board (HDB) estates to nearly 80,000, he added.

The police will be pressing ahead with the use of video analytics and “smart” cameras, and these will allow for the earlier detection of criminal and security threats. These, in turn, will mean earlier intervention, he said. 

The minister also reiterated the support that will be given to the SPF and the Home Team to allow them to do their jobs.

He said: “We cannot let our guard down in Singapore. So there has got to be and there will be a commitment to continue to resource the police, keep our laws updated, fit for purpose, and we will support the police in your mission.”

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has launched a fleet of drone-equipped vehicles it plans to use for pre-planned security events, search missions and situations requiring aerial surveillance.

The one-year pilot programme is one of the high-tech law enforcement measures SPF is rolling out to enhance its operational effectiveness and become a “smart force”, it said in a briefing on Wednesday (Apr 10) for this year’s Police Workplan Seminar.

These vehicles, called the Sky Aerial Response Command (Sky ARC), will each carry up to three drones.

Other incidents in which the drones could be used include tracking suspects across a large area, such as a forest. The drones are equipped with thermal imaging and can detect human presence.

The drones, which can fly to an altitude of a few hundred metres, will feed information and transmit images back to an integrated command and control system, said SPF.

In response to concerns about privacy, SPF said that the drones come with sirens and markings to make their presence clear to people in the area.

In addition, SPF will comply with existing government data storage and privacy policies.

Speaking on how the police intend to deal with privacy concerns, director of planning and organisation Assistant Commissioner Daniel Tan said: “It’s a matter of the trust we have with the public, and this is something we don’t take for granted.

“(This is) something that we have to emphasise to our officers and continue to have the systems and structures in place so that (there is) the trust with the public,” he added.

READ: Police officers to get specialised smartphone with custom-built apps

OPERATIONAL, OUTREACH AND TRAINING TECHNOLOGIES

The police are also exploring the use of wearable technology such as smart glasses equipped with video feeds for information gathering, said SPF.

The glasses will be able to perform real-time video analytics such as facial recognition.

The police will also use a miniature humanoid robot to enhance its outreach to pre-schoolers and students.

Named Mi-ASTRO, the robot is programmed with customised messages on police information and safety tips for children, and is a “useful icebreaker between officers and kids”, said SPF.

The robot has already been trialled at three PCF pre-schools. SPF hopes to eventually equip the Mi-ASTRO with a translator to communicate with the elderly.

There were also demonstrations for two other training technologies to improve police defence tactics and marksmanship.

The Impact Measurement Trainer, a manikin with embedded force sensors, is meant to provide immediate feedback to trainees. Display screens on the side will show the accuracy and strength of the trainees’ hits.

The Enhanced Live Firing Range System will similarly provide real-time feedback on marksmanship. Sensors will provide users with recommendations on weapon handling, breathing, posture and gaze.

SINGAPORE: Baker’s Brew Studio was on Wednesday (Apr 10) fined S$1,000 for operating a food establishment without a licence, said the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) in a media release. 

An unlicensed kitchen was found at 8A Admiralty Street on Jan 11, during a regular inspection by an officer from the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore. 

The kitchen produced confectionery items such as pineapple bak kwa cookies and ondeh ondeh cookies for sale at the bakery’s three retail outlets, said SFA. 

“Our investigation found that Baker’s Brew Studio Pte Ltd had knowingly used the unlicensed premises to produce baked tarts for the Lunar New Year, as they did not apply for the licence in time,” said the agency. 

It added that all food manufacturing activities in the unlicensed unit were ordered to stop immediately. 

All finished food products, semi-processed food items, as well as raw materials that had been opened were disposed of. 

“The operator was also instructed to retrieve the food products that were produced at the implicated premises from their outlets for disposal,” said SFA. 

“The Singapore Food Agency takes a serious view on food establishments that do not adhere to regulations or comply with food safety requirements.”

All food establishments that operate and process food for sale to wholesalers and retail food businesses must be licensed by SFA. 

Offenders may be fined up to S$5,000 if convicted. 

Repeat offenders may be fined up to S$10,000, given a maximum jail term of three months or both. 

SINGAPORE: Scores of Marvel fans in Singapore were left frustrated on Wednesday (Apr 10) after several cinema websites were temporarily overwhelmed by demand for Avengers: Endgame advance sales tickets.

Tickets for the superhero blockbuster were released at 9.30am at all cinemas, both online and over the counter. 

The film, which opens in Singapore cinemas on Apr 24, sparked an online frenzy with thousands of seats snapped up within a few hours of sales opening. 

A Golden Village spokesperson said their website experienced “extremely high traffic” due to the “unprecedented demand” for tickets, causing customers to wait longer than usual.

The spokesperson added that more than 15,000 tickets for Avengers: Endgame were sold in the first hour at Golden Village, surpassing all previous advance ticket sales records for a single movie.

Customers had even queued for tickets at all of Golden Village’s 13 locations before the cinemas opened.

READ: Empty seats, no spoilers and nervous stars as Avengers: Endgame cast assembled

As of Wednesday afternoon, several CNA readers who attempted to purchase tickets from the Golden Village website encountered payment errors when they tried to complete their transactions.

The Golden Village spokesperson said its regular website service has since resumed, and that patrons are advised to clear their cache and refresh the website should they still encounter any issues. 

Several customers also took to Twitter to share their frustrations about using the Golden Village and Cathay Cineplex websites.

Marvel fans who attempted to book tickets online with Cathay Cineplexes on Wednesday morning told CNA that they received an error message and could not access the website at all.

Cathay Cineplexes said that the response from fans had been “overwhelming” and some even queued at their outlets early in the morning for tickets.

“Due to the unprecedented high online traffic, our website experienced intermittent down time. Our team is working to fix this as a soon as possible,” a spokesperson said.

Cathay Cineplexes added that its mobile app was not affected and patrons can use it to purchase their movie tickets.

“YOU ARE NOW IN QUEUE”

Those who visited the Shaw Theatres website were redirected to a booking page where they were assigned queue numbers. A progress bar and estimated wait time was also displayed.

Once a customer’s queue number is called, the user has a set amount of time to complete their transaction.

The queue number shot to four digits within a minute of sales being opened. As of Wednesday evening, there were more than 53,000 users in the queue, with an estimated wait time of about an hour. 

Cinema goers who wanted to purchase tickets for other movies were also unable to do so as the Shaw Theatres website was converted entirely to focus on the Avengers: Endgame pre-sales.

A Shaw Theatres spokesperson told CNA that its queue system was activated this morning for public access to their website and for all online booking systems for all movie titles.

“This was to help us better manage the extraordinarily high volume of traffic to our site … Unfortunately, the measures we had put in place were still insufficient to meet demand. 

“It was more than twice the traffic compared to our last encounter of a similar nature, and thus the system moved rather slowly and stalled at times,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson extended Shaw Theatres’ apologies to all their patrons for any inconvenience caused and said that they are looking into “improving the resources needed”.

The spokesperson also advised patrons to not entertain touts: “When it is a popular movie, we at Shaw Theatres will do our best to increase the number of screenings and the duration that the title is screened.  There will be an opportunity to watch the movie and they do not need to consider ticket touting options.”

SCALPERS TOUT TICKETS ONLINE

Within hours of the pre-sale launch, ticket scalpers in Singapore quickly capitalised on the hype for the film by attempting to resell tickets on online marketplace Carousell.

Carousell user “eszx6969” offered a pair of Golden Village Gold Class tickets for an evening screening of the movie on Apr 24 at VivoCity for S$12,000. Another Carousell merchant offered a full row of eight tickets at Golden Village Bishan on premiere day for S$2,500.

Another post by Carousell merchant “ulath” advertised a pair of “couple” seats at Cathay Cineplex Jem for S$888 on Apr 27, several days after the movie’s premiere.

READ: Avengers: Endgame movie tickets selling for almost US$10,000 on eBay

In the United States, where sales opened on Apr 2, resale bids for the coveted tickets reached US$9,199 (S$12,443.49). 

In six hours, the Marvel film broke the pre-sale ticket records in the US for three Star Wars films (The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi and Rogue One) and 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War.