MONDAY JUNE 15, 2020 SINCE 1845

Home Business How four firms Home Gearing up for a GE

in Focus survived supply chain with safe distancing B1
Recovered shocks B9&10
workers
return to Sport
dorms Skateboarders
B4&5 compete
online
B22

Opportunities for Singapore, even

ments will also open up opportuni-
ties for businesses and “signal to
the world our confidence and deter-
mination to press on with regional
economic integration”, he added.

in a more uncertain world: Chan

Nation will seek to stay connected, but will
find opportunities even if world fragments
Poon Chian Hui
Deputy Business Editor
Countries are retreating from glob-
alisation in the wake of the Covid-19
pandemic, but Singapore’s workers
and businesses can tap opportuni-
ties even in a less connected world,
said Minister for Trade and Indus-
try Chan Chun Sing yesterday.
This is because the Republic has
“A less connected world means a
poorer world and fewer opportuni-
ties for all. A less connected Singa-
pore means fewer and poorer quality
jobs for us,” he said in the fourth of six
national broadcasts by ministers on
Singapore’s post-Covid-19 future.
Nevertheless, Singapore has de-
veloped resilience, such as by build-
ing networks, and diversifying sup-
ply sources and markets.
“Even in a more protectionist,
“We will work to stay connected
with the world, even as the world
threatens to fragment and regress
towards protectionism. Despite our
size, we can show the way, if we
have good ideas,” he said.
The immediate focus is on jobs,
given that the pandemic-induced
downturn has led to falling incomes
and job losses among workers, with
layoffs expected to rise in the com-
ing months.
A key initiative is the creation of
100,000 jobs and training opportu-
nities in the coming year across vari-
ous sectors, including healthcare
and early childhood education. “We
SINGAPORE BRAND HAS VALUE
In uncertain times,
our trusted brand
counts for even more.
Businesses have
noticed. When they
make their next
investments to
diversify their global
production bases, we
will be in the running.
But Singapore must look beyond
the immediate challenges and in-
vest in its intangible strengths.
Mr Chan noted that investors
have chosen to site and expand
their businesses here over the years
because Singapore is open and con-
nected to the world, is a trusted
brand, is a united and stable soci-
ety, and has a skilled workforce.
During the Covid-19 crisis, Singa-
pore has built trust by choosing not
to impose export restrictions or na-
tionalise foreign investments. Pro-
duction lines were kept open for
global supply chains, including criti-
cal materials for surgical masks.
Infrastructure projects, including
Changi Airport Terminal 5 and the
Tuas Mega Port, will also offer op-
portunities for the future.
Meanwhile, digitalisation and in-
ternationalisation will help trans-
form a generation of businesses
and people to thrive in the digital
world. Businesses can access new
markets and form industry partner-
ships beyond local shores.
People can learn new skills and
even gain the confidence to launch
a business, such as in the case of
Carousell’s co-founders, who spent
a year in Silicon Valley in the United
States before they launched the e-
commerce platform.
More will be done to boost indus-
try partnerships and intensify the
overseas exposure of Singaporeans,
said Mr Chan.
He also noted that the Economic
Development Board has captured
$13 billion of investment commit-
ments in the first four months of

its own intangible strengths which
are not easily replicated elsewhere,
including its connectivity as a trade
hub and the trust that it has earned.
And while the pandemic has led
to more protectionist barriers
being erected between countries,
Singapore must resist these pres-
sures, said Mr Chan.
less connected world, we can still
make a living and more,” he added.
Speaking at PSA Singapore’s
Pasir Panjang Terminal Building 3,
Mr Chan also said that Singapore
will press on to build connectivity
infrastructure to reinforce the coun-
try’s position as a hub for business,
finance, trade and data flows.
may well need to create more jobs,
if the situation worsens,” he added.
Mr Chan noted that even after Sin-
gapore reopens its economy, some
companies will need to change
their business models. Support will
be given to help them, he said, such
as in hiring and training graduates
and mid-career workers.
’’
“In uncertain times, our trusted
brand counts for even more. Busi-
nesses have noticed,” said Mr Chan.
“When they make their next invest-
TRADE AND INDUSTRY MINISTER ments to diversify their global
CHAN CHUN SING
production bases, we will be in the
running.”
SEE TOP OF THE NEWS A4&5, Partnerships with other coun-
OPINION A18 tries in the form of trade agree-
this year. This is despite the uncer-
tain outlook in the next few years.
“As you can see, there are still
many opportunities for us, but we
must be on our toes,” said Mr Chan.
“Survival favours not the strong,
but the agile.”
chpoon@sph.com.sg

44 new Covid-19 cases Online sports

linked to Beijing market betting
resumes today
China’s capital Beijing has declared
an area surrounding a massive
wholesale market “high risk” after 54 PAGES IN
44 new coronavirus cases emerged, Punters will be able to place 3 PARTS
$1.10
all linked to the market. bets online on sporting events
To subscribe:
The Xinfadi market, which has from today, with Singapore
6388-3838
since been shut down, is said to sup- Pools announcing it is gradually sphsubscription.
MORE ON ply nearly 90 per cent of the city’s resuming services. com.sg
COVID-19 fruits and vegetables. All of the mar- It added that it will also re-
PANDEMIC ket’s workers and some 46,000 peo- sume online betting on overseas
SEE TOP OF THE ple living in the vicinity will have to horse races on Wednesday. A Singapore
NEWS A4-9, undergo mass testing to see if they However, lottery draws for Press Holdings
WORLD A10-12, are infected, said the authorities. 4-D, Toto and Singapore Sweep publication
OPINION A17&18, will remain suspended. Prize MCI (P)
HOME B1-5, SEE TOP OF THE NEWS A9 payments will also continue to 044/01/2020 ★★
FORUM B8, be on hold.
BUSINESS B9-11, The betting operator had sus-
SPORT A22, A paramilitary police officer standing pended betting services in early
LIFE C2&3 guard at the entrance to the closed April.
Xinfadi Wholesale Market in Beijing
yesterday. PHOTO: EPA-EFE SEE TOP OF THE NEWS A8
A2 BRIEFING | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |

Straits Times

10
must-reads
for today
Digital
REACH US AT
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1 China truck blast kills 19

Nineteen people died and more
than 170 were injured after a
tanker truck exploded on a
highway in China’s eastern
Zhejiang province over the
weekend. Video footage
showed buildings with their
windows blown out from the
blast and thick black plumes
from the flaming wreckage.
WORLD A13
2 More rent relief details soon
More details on rent relief for
tenants and the criteria that
financially strapped landlords must
meet to be exempt from giving the
full rental waiver will be announced
in the next few weeks. This comes
after Parliament passed a landmark
law on June 5 to help 260,000 small
and medium-sized enterprises
cope as the economic outlook
worsens. TOP OF THE NEWS A6-7
3 Beijing fears second wave
Beijing yesterday declared an area
surrounding a wholesale market
“high risk” after dozens of new
coronavirus cases emerged,
sparking fears of a second wave of
infections in the capital. Health
authorities reported 44 new
infections in the city, all of whom
were linked to the market.
TOP OF THE NEWS A9
Rescuers searching for survivors in the rubble of a building damaged by a tanker truck explosion near Wenling, China, on Saturday. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
4 Cases surge in Indonesia
Indonesia saw around 1,000 fresh
coronavirus infections in a single
day last week. Experts warn this
may continue until at least the end
of the month as the authorities
boost testing and contact tracing.
The number of cases rose to 38,277
yesterday. WORLD A11
5 On toppling statues
Statues are now targets of anger for
various injustices. Instead of
pushing historical figures off their
pedestals, consider what Singapore
did in dealing with Raffles’ place in
its history, says global affairs
correspondent Jonathan Eyal
(below). OPINION A16
6 Sisters’ website for needy
Concerned about the impact of the
coronavirus crisis on the needy and
vulnerable, two sisters decided to
pitch in, creating hopebound
(www.hopebound.one), a website
that collates resources for people
affected by the pandemic,
including those who have lost their
jobs, domestic abuse victims, as
well as the young and the elderly.
HOME B2
7 Time banking on the rise
Since March 12, more than 4,000
companies have informed the
Ministry of Manpower of their
cost-saving measures. More than
120 companies have applied to
implement time banking, which
allows employees to be paid for
work to be done later. This is a
sharp jump from last year, when
only six did so. HOME B3
8 What to watch out for
The pandemic is not over, and
volatility will intensify as the market
heads higher. Cyclical and growth
plays could be the names to watch.
Firms best placed for a recovery
next year will be those with strong
balance sheets, sound businesses,
good management, proven
strategies and leaders in their
segments, says associate editor Ven
Sreenivasan. BUSINESS B10
9 Pitch invader in hot water
La Liga vowed to take legal action
against the pitch invader wearing
Lionel Messi’s Argentina shirt who
managed to evade security and run
onto the field in Barcelona’s away
game at Mallorca on Saturday. The
French Mallorcan resident was not
wearing a mask or gloves, and was
chased before being caught and
escorted away. SPORT B24
VIDEO
How much more
would you pay?
Around eight in 10
Singaporeans are willing to
pay more for essential
services such as cleaning
and security if the extra
amount goes to the workers
themselves, according to a
survey. str.sg/blurb425 8 How firms
One of the mos
the Covid-19 ou
10 Hong Kong stars’ romance way it has expo
Hong Kong actor Kenneth Ma in supply chain
(below) has been linked to an around the wo
actress whose surname is Tong Times takes a l
since he broke up with actress companies acr
Jacqueline Wong last year. It turned business secto
out to be Roxanne Tong instead of disarray cause
Natalie Tong as previously BUSINESS B9
rumoured. He was photographed
last Friday by the media driving to
Roxanne Tong’s house. He said
they have been dating for about
two months and have met each VIDEO
other’s parents. LIFE C10 Transforming
‘wasted’ space
Check out Bangkok’s new
skypark, which connects two
parks on the river banks of
the city’s historic district. It
features sheltered nooks,
terraced lookout points over
the water, as well as local
plants specially selected for
their hardy qualities.
str.sg/blurb426
ST FILE PHOTO

2021

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Companies that qualify for this year's ranking will be featured in a special supplement in The Straits Times' print and online editions.
Scan the QR Code to check out the 2020 growth champions or log on to: https://bit.ly/STStatista
| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES | A3
A4 TOPOFTHENEWS | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
TOPOFTHENEWS A5

Coronavirus pandemic

S’pore’s intangible S’poreans will be able

to improve their lives
Lengthy closures and cautious consumer
spending amid the pandemic are forcing
some firms to the wall, but others see

strengths like trust at every career stage

innovation as the key to survival.
Tiffany Fumiko Tay speaks to three local
firms that remain shut but are adapting to

cannot be easily Lim Min Zhang

Singaporeans will have opportunities to improve

the challenges and changing how they do
business for good.

replicated: Chan their lives at every stage of their careers, no matter

Republic maintained its openness during
crisis, showing the world it can be trusted
Aw Cheng Wei
Many investors have set up and ex-
panded their businesses here over
the years because they see Singa-
pore’s intangible strengths, which
cannot be easily replicated else-
where, Trade and Industry Minister
Chan Chun Sing said yesterday.
These strengths include Singa-
pore’s openness and ability to be
trusted, he added, citing how the
country did not impose export re-
strictions or nationalise foreign in-
vestments during the Covid-19 pan-
demic.
Mr Chan said: “We kept our pro-
duction lines open for global supply
chains, including critical materials
for surgical masks.”
Singapore has also worked with
companies to increase their produc-
MOVING AHEAD DESPITE ODDS tion so that global needs could be
met. It also facilitated the contin-
A less connected ued flow of essential goods and peo-
ple through its ports and airports.
Singapore means “Throughout this crisis, we have
fewer and poorer also continued to show the world
they can trust Singapore,” Mr Chan
quality jobs for us. said, adding that businesses have
Even in a more noticed.
In the fourth of six national broad-
protectionist, less
connected world, we
casts by ministers on Singapore’s
post-coronavirus future, Mr Chan
can still make a living
and more.
noted: “Just as how we did not re-
strict exports during the 1970s oil
crises, that enhanced our credibil-
ity later to establish Jurong Island
Mr Chan added that Singapore
must resist the pressures to retreat
from globalisation and erect more
protectionist trade barriers, as many
countries had done in this crisis.
“A less connected Singapore
means fewer and poorer quality
jobs for us. Even in a more protec-
tionist, less connected world, we
can still make a living and more.”
For example, capabilities can be
built for Singapore to play a critical
role in global supply chains for valu-
able and high-quality products and
services.
“We make four out of the world’s
top 10 drugs, we are the world’s sev-
enth largest exporter of chemicals,”
Mr Chan said.
He also outlined how Singapore
has made headway as an advocate
of free trade. An initial partnership
with Brunei, Chile and New Zealand
grew to become the 11-member
Comprehensive and Progressive
Agreement for Trans-Pacific Part-
nership that was signed in 2018.
A joint ministerial statement with
New Zealand to resist export re-
strictions and to uphold global sup-
ply chains during Covid-19 has
drawn 11 countries, and counting,
Mr Chan said.
Singapore is also growing its net-
work of digital economy partner-
ships for companies here to grow
their overseas markets.
Talks have concluded with Aus-
tralia, Chile and New Zealand, with
barring any unforeseen circum-
stances.
It will lower the cost of imports
and exports for consumers and pro-
ducers here, he added. The free
trade agreement (FTA) signatories
include the 10 Asean member
states, Australia, China, Japan, New
Zealand and South Korea.
Mr Chan said: “These agreements
and other FTAs open up new oppor-
tunities for our businesses, and will
make us a more attractive base for
Resilience is another one of
Singapore’s intangible strengths,
Mr Chan said, adding that the
quality is a result of networks and
the diversification of source
markets for supplies: “We will
never be able to have everything
we would possibly need, for the
next crisis.”
He noted how the public and pri-
vate sectors opened new supply
lines to bring to Singapore essen-
tial goods such as masks, personal
disrupted, if not broken,” Mr Chan
said. He cited companies involved
in bringing in supplies – PSA, Sin-
gapore Airlines, Sats, ST Logistics,
NTUC FairPrice, Sheng Siong and
many more – and added: “Without
all these unsung heroes, we would
not have been able to live our lives
as normally as we did in the last
few months.”
“We will work to stay connected
with the world, even as the world
threatens to fragment and regress
Singapore must resist the pressures
to retreat from globalisation and
erect more protectionist trade
barriers, as many countries had done
in this crisis, said Trade and Industry
Minister Chan Chun Sing in a national
broadcast yesterday on the country’s
post-coronavirus future. PHOTO: MCI
how old they are, Minister for Trade and Industry
Chan Chun Sing said yesterday, pledging that the
Government would always help Singaporean work-
ers.
“We will never be done upskilling our people. This
Zouk to set up eatery, rent
out club for live streaming
Zouk tied up with the Singapore
Tourism Board last month to host
three days of virtual parties featur-
ing performances by the likes of
is especially so for workers who have left school American DJ Diplo and local artist
many years ago and did not benefit from the more Jasmine Sokko.
recent improvements in our education and training “We’ve since had several re-
system,” he said. quests from companies, and we
“So long as you are able and willing, we will sup- What was once one of the most New revenue can even do proper events with
port you. Every Singaporean, regardless of back- crowded nightspots in Singapore streams will an emcee, awards and games. I
ground, can have the chance to take on the new jobs has sat empty for more than two hopefully keep think it could have future applica-
being created.” months with no end to the shut- Zouk afloat, tions after social distancing,” Mr
In the fourth of six national broadcasts on Singa- down in sight. says Zouk Li said.
pore’s post-coronavirus future, Mr Chan added: “In The closure has prompted Group chief These new revenue streams will
the 1980s, we uplifted a generation through comput- Zouk’s management team to get executive hopefully keep it afloat until rev-
erisation and automation. In the 2020s, we will creative to prevent layoffs. Andrew Li. ellers can return to the dance
transform another generation through digitalisa- For a start, it is inking a deal with floor, as well as speed up Zouk’s
tion and data.” Lazada to rent out its 31,000 sq ft when they will be able to reopen. transformation from nightclub op-
Noting that the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed Clarke Quay club as a live-stream- While most businesses and ser- erator to lifestyle group, he said.
many to embrace digitalisation, he said the Govern- ing venue during the day and to vices will be allowed to resume in The group also runs the Five
ment will ensure that Singaporeans of all ages can host monthly bazaars for e-com- phase two with safety measures in Guys burger joint at Plaza Singa-
go digital and thrive. merce vendors once restrictions place, the authorities are taking a pura.
This effort includes having a thousand-strong digi- allow for this. more cautious approach to “In good times you get bogged
tal ambassador corps to help companies apply digi- Capital, a lounge within the higher-risk activities that involve down by the day-to-day, but since
talisation and help senior citizens use technology. Zouk complex, will be trans- large groups gathering in enclosed everything has closed, we’ve had
He also cited examples of businesses and govern- formed into a dine-in eatery when spaces. to be a lot more innovative,” said
ment agencies already going digital. He said the Sin- Singapore enters phase two of its Some nightlife operators, includ- Mr Li.
gapore Tourism Board is helping hospitality compa- reopening, if its application for a ing Zouk, have been bottling their With the exception of Capital,
nies and event organisers overcome the collapse in food shop licence is approved. liquid creations for delivery and which will revert to a lounge when
travel demand by using digital tools. He pointed to “We’re thinking of it as a pop-up streaming DJ sets during the clo- clubbing resumes, all of the new
event organiser Web In Travel, which is holding a kitchen serving staples like pastas sure. initiatives will continue for the
virtual travel summit later this month. and steaks. Clubs will probably be Last week, it launched an online foreseeable future, he added.
Mr Chan also said businesses need to build part- the last to open, so it’s a good test shop selling merchandise, bottled “A lot of things have been accel-
nerships in the real world to access new markets. bed to see how we can safely enter cocktails and food from its Red- erated in terms of ideas and con-
He noted that property giant CapitaLand takes that space again in a more con- Tail kitchen. cepts that we thought we would
along Singapore companies in its overseas develop- trolled environment,” Zouk Group There are also talks with major do in two to three years, but we’re
ment projects, helping them to penetrate new mar- chief executive Andrew Li told retailers about putting canned now doing in two months.”
kets, he said. The Straits Times. cocktails on shelves, said Mr Li. While it will be some time be-
“The retail and hospitality sector may be going Bars and entertainment outlets Corporate packages for Zoom fore nightclubs can once again
through a challenging time, but CapitaLand will have been shut since late March – parties – complete with food, cater to packed houses, “at least
press on and do more to support our local SMEs before the start of the two-month booze and music – are also on the now there’s a bit of light at the end
(small and medium-sized enterprises).” circuit breaker – and it is unclear cards. of the tunnel”, he said.
To nurture a new generation of regional and
global businesses, the Government will facilitate
more industry partnerships and better organise
overseas Singapore business chapters and missions
to guide newcomers venturing overseas. Fashion retailer FJ Benjamin physical stores reopen.
Mr Benjamin told The Business
But Mr Chan also stressed that local business lead-
ers need to have a global outlook.
“Our business leaders and workers will be key to
launching online-only labels Times last week that the firm also
plans to diversify beyond fashion.
Asked about this, he would only
these efforts. We must have the aptitude and atti- say that it is expanding into “con-

’’
as a global petrochemical hub. more agreements in the pipeline, investments to serve the region. protective equipment and test towards protectionism. Despite tude to serve global markets,” he said. “We cannot sumer-facing products” in the
“When (companies) make their Mr Chan said. “This will signal to the world our reagents amid the various lock- our size, we can show the way, if be content with doing well just within Singapore.” When the coronavirus pandemic FJ Benjamin light of the Covid-19 situation,
next investments to diversify their Also in the making is the signing confidence and determination to downs around the world three we have good ideas.” To that end, he said that more will be done to help forced fashion retailer FJ Ben- CEO Nash adding that details will be an-
TRADE AND INDUSTRY MINISTER global production bases, we will be of the Regional Comprehensive press on with regional economic in- months ago. businesses access new markets. jamin to temporarily shut its Benjamin said nounced soon.
CHAN CHUN SING in the running.” Economic Partnership this year, tegration.” “Many of our supply chains were awcw@sph.com.sg The Scale-Up SG programme was introduced to nearly 300 stores in Singapore, it also plans to For now, the company is gearing
groom promising local companies into global cham- Malaysia and Indonesia, falling expand into up to reopen its 15 stores here
pions, said Mr Chan. “So long as our companies have back on online sales was not an “consumer- when Singapore enters phase two
the ambition, we will find the resources to support option. facing of the easing of restrictions, which
An artist’s them.” Brand owners traditionally products”. is expected to start by the end of
impression Overseas exposure will be intensified through ini- grant bricks-and-mortar rights to the month.
(right) of the tiatives like the Global Ready Talent programme, so Trade and distributors, so of the 18 brands in Lancel, in the three countries it op- “We will see how the business
Tuas Mega Port, that Singaporeans can gain fresh perspectives and Industry Minister FJ Benjamin’s portfolio, it only ran erates in. is; it could be that some stores
and a scale networks. Chan Chun Sing an e-commerce store for one – More brands without physical may need to close,” said Mr Ben-
model (far right) The programme, launched last year, provides sup- cited the Superdry – then. stores here – such as Swedish jamin.
of Punggol at port for young people keen to work abroad and for example of But the challenges posed by the footwear retailer Axel Arigato and In a decision made before the
the Punggol companies to train their staff through stints over- Carousell pandemic have made brand own- skincare line Dr Barbara Sturm – coronavirus outbreak, the Tom
Digital District seas. founders (below, ers more receptive to giving online will also be launched online. Ford boutique at Marina Bay
ground-breaking He cited the example of Carousell founders Quek from left) Quek rights as well, FJ Benjamin’s chief “It gives us an amazing opportu- Sands will be shutting down for
ceremony in Siu Rui, Marcus Tan and Lucas Ngoo, who all spent a Siu Rui, Lucas executive Nash Benjamin told The nity to see what works and what good as its lease has expired and FJ
January. The year in Silicon Valley as part of the National Univer- Ngoo and Straits Times. doesn’t work without the invest- Benjamin has decided not to re-
Government still sity of Singapore Overseas Colleges programme. Marcus Tan, who Over the last two months, the ments in leases and store fit-outs,” new the franchise rights.
sees major The online marketplace today has grown beyond all spent a year brand management firm has said Mr Benjamin. Social distancing measures and
infrastructure Singapore to eight markets across South-east Asia. in Silicon Valley launched e-commerce stores for Going forward, testing the wa- other restrictions are likely to
projects as Mr Chan also noted that earlier this year, the Min- as part of the Guess, Casio and Pretty Ballerina. ters for new brands online before have an impact on business for
critical istry of Education announced a “70-70 target” for National It has even introduced a new en- committing to bricks-and-mortar some time, Mr Benjamin said, but
investment for more local students from institutes of higher learn- University of trant, Anti Social Social Club, an stores will be a bigger focus, he the firm is optimistic that its new
future ing (IHLs) to have some form of overseas exposure. Singapore American streetwear label mak- said. omni-channel strategy will pay
generations, The aim is for 70 per cent of graduates from uni- Overseas ing its Singapore debut online. While retailers have been ramp- off.
says Trade and versities, polytechnics and the Institute of Techni- Colleges Plans are in the works to roll out ing up their e-commerce capabili- “I firmly believe there will still be
Industry Minister cal Education to get some international experience, programme. The online stores for at least seven ties to survive the closure of their a retail business, but it will take
Chan Chun Sing. whether through an internship, exchange pro- online more fashion and luxury brands, stores, online shopping habits are some time to get back to normal,”
PHOTOS: gramme, or service learning or study trip. marketplace including Rebecca Minkoff and expected to stick, even after he added.
MARITIME AND This is up from half of all IHL students currently. today has grown
PORT AUTHORITY Another 70 per cent of this proportion of IHL stu- beyond
OF SINGAPORE, dents will have exposure to Asean, China or India. Singapore to
ST FILE “We will press on with this once the Covid-19 situa-
tion allows,” said Mr Chan.
eight markets
across Art gallery turns to virtual pore’s National Day.
It is a format the gallery plans to

mzlim@sph.com.sg
South-east Asia.
ST FILE PHOTO studio tours and exhibitions continue with even after its exhibi-
tion space reopens.
“It’s a new way of presenting. I
think the virtual gallery is an essen-
tial thing because more and more
people will be shopping online,”
From a studio tour by The crisis has said Ms Chong.
Miami-based German sculptor provided an “We really have to see how we
Rainer Lagemann to a virtual exhi- opportunity can give the artists more expo-
bition hosted by Chinese artist Wu for Ode to Art sure; I think that’s the role of the
Qiong, homebound art lovers have to reinvent gallery,” she added.

Timelines may shift but long-term infrastructure plans remain talent, ideas and intellectual prop-
erty, to grow more businesses and
create better jobs... Talented peo-
HELPING SINGAPOREANS COMPETE

I know many Singaporeans are

Tee Zhuo
While timelines may shift, there
should be no doubt that Singapore’s
major infrastructure projects will
be completed, said Trade and Indus-
ment to its infrastructure plans.
“Our long-term plans remain
sound... We will pace the timelines
for these projects according to de-
mand. But do not doubt this: We
will get them all done,” he said.
He added that the Government
sors did for us,” he said.
The connectivity projects, he
said, will reinforce Singapore’s posi-
tion as a choice hub for business, fi-
nance, trade and data flows.
He listed key projects such as
Changi Airport Terminal 5, Tuas
Hsien Loong has highlighted in
past National Day Rally speeches.
For example, at the latest rally in
August last year, PM Lee gave more
details on the GSW, a 30km stretch
of coastal prime land about six
times the size of Marina Bay.
phases and will be about twice the
size of Ang Mo Kio. It was slated for
completion in 2040 and will be the
world’s largest fully automated ter-
minal.
PM Lee made Jurong Lake Dis-
trict a key highlight of his 2014 rally.
ple, including our own, can go any-
where,” he said.
Acknowledging concerns about
foreign competition, he stressed
that closing up was not the answer.
Instead, support will be provided to
help Singaporeans compete, he
said.
“We cannot escape competing
with the world, and proving our
been getting an inside look at the
creative process, thanks to an
initiative by local art gallery Ode
concerned with foreign to Art.
The weekly Facebook Live ses-
competition, but closing ourselves
sions are among the ways the firm
up is not the answer. We cannot has been engaging customers
escape competing with the world, since its gallery at Raffles City
and proving our mettle. We will Shopping Centre shut in April.
give our workers the training and It has also been ramping up on-
line sales through a digital
support to excel, and we will concierge service that provides
ensure that the competition is fair. personal consultations to collec-
itself, says its
director Jazz
Chong.
The gallery held its first online
auction in April, raising $60,600
for low-income households af-
fected by the Covid-19 outbreak
through the sale of 22 donated art-
works. All proceeds went to
Methodist Welfare Services.
“There are always people less
lucky than us... We weren’t confi-
Museums around the world
have been offering virtual tours
during the pandemic, while the-
atre companies here have also put
shows online as they await being
able to perform to live audiences.
Ms Chong noted that while art
dealing is an age-old business, sell-
ers must adapt to the changing
preferences of younger collectors,
particularly when it comes to com-
munication channels.
The current crisis has hurt busi-

try Minister Chan Chun Sing yester-
day.
In a televised speech, the fourth
in a series of national broadcasts by
ministers laying out Singapore’s
post-Covid-19 plans, Mr Chan
stressed that the pandemic has not
changed the Government’s commit-
still sees the projects as critical in-
vestment for future generations.
“While others have to tighten
their belts, our past prudence gives
us the means to continue investing
in our future. This way we will gift
the next generation a higher start-
ing base, just as how our predeces-
Mega Port and submarine cable
hubs. He also cited regional devel-
opments like Punggol Digital Dis-
trict, Jurong Lake District, Sungei
Kadut Eco-District, and the Greater
Southern Waterfront (GSW).
Several of these are high-profile
projects which Prime Minister Lee
It is slated for transformation
into an area for leisure, office
spaces and residential use once Tan-
jong Pagar Terminal – now being
used as a Covid-19 facility – moves
fully to Tuas from 2027.
The more than $20 billion mega
port at Tuas is being constructed in
The 360ha area will be the largest
mixed-use business district outside
the city centre when completed.
For Singapore to thrive as a hub,
Mr Chan said efforts will be intensi-
fied to attract the best ideas and tal-
ent. “We will make ourselves a
more attractive safe harbour for
mettle,” he said. “We will give our
workers the training and support to
excel, and we will ensure that the
competition is fair. This is the best
way to improve the well-being of
our people.”
teezhuo@sph.com.sg
’’
tors, using tools such as Zoom.
While nothing beats viewing art-
work in person, “at least we have
some momentum going instead of
TRADE AND INDUSTRY MINISTER not doing anything – and it’s help-
CHAN CHUN SING ing both the artists and the
gallery”, said Ode to Art’s director,
Ms Jazz Chong.
dent that people would want to
donate when times are bad, but
we were overwhelmed,” said Ms
Chong.
Ode to Art will also launch a
series of virtual exhibitions from
August, starting with the works of
local artists in celebration of Singa-
ness, but also provided an opportu-
nity for Ode to Art to reinvent it-
self, she said. “I think we just have
to move with the times – we can’t
be doing things as they’ve been
done for 10 or 100 years.”
tiffanyt@sph.com.sg
A6 TOPOFTHENEWS | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
TOPOFTHENEWS A7

Coronavirus pandemic

More clarity on First imported case since May 10

sessor, which means almost 90 per sive care, while 10,751 are recuper-
Update on cases
Rental relief framework
cent of the cases are resolved by the ating in community facilities.
parties themselves, Mr Tong said. So far, 26 people here have died

came here for unrelated treatment

“So we hope to have the same from complications due to New cases: 407
kind of attitude when we have the Covid-19. Ten others who tested Imported: 1
The new rental relief framework aims to help affected SMEs which need more time and (enhanced Act),” he said. positive for the coronavirus have In community: 9

rent relief for

support to recover from the impact of Covid-19, by providing mandated co-sharing of There are currently close to 300 died from other causes. (4 Singaporeans;
rental obligations between the Government, landlords and tenants. assessors working on the caseload, Meanwhile, the director of 1 work pass holder;
with plans for between 60 and 90 schools at the Ministry of Educa- 4 work permit holders)
more to be added. dence only for medical consulta- Saturday during the screening for tion, Ms Liew Wei Li, said yester- In dormitories: 397
Type of relief Commercial Industrial/office Vanessa Liu and Jean Iau
Landlords who have already tion and follow-up. MOH added persons working in dormitories. day that the 47 students who were Active cases: 10,989

tenants soon
This will ensure certainty and peace of mind
for tenants and financially strapped landlords
Grace Leong
Business Correspondent
More details on rent relief for ten-
ants and the criteria that financially
strapped landlords must meet to be
exempt from giving the full rental
waiver will be announced in the
next few weeks, Senior Minister of
State for Law Edwin Tong said.
Guidelines are being worked out
for the subsidiary legislation that is
expected to give more clarity to par-
ties on the new rent relief frame-
work. This comes after Parliament
passed a landmark law on June 5 to
help 260,000 small and medium-
sized enterprises (SMEs) cope with
issues of rent, among other things,
as the economic outlook worsens.
Under the enhanced Covid-19
(Temporary Measures) (Amend-
ment) Act, eligible tenants and sub-
tenants in the food and beverage
and commercial sectors will enjoy
four months of rental waiver from
April to next month – two months
each from the Government and the
landlord.
Those in the office and industrial
sectors will get two months of rent
waived for April and May – one
month each from the Government
and the landlord. This is as long as
their leases are in force on April 1.
The enhanced Act – which is
based on the premise of fair sharing
of rental obligations among land-
lords, tenants and the Government
– came into force as many SME ten-
ensure that non-residential prop-
erty owners unconditionally
passed on property tax rebates in
full to their tenants as part of the
Government’s relief measures.
Part of the problem with the ear-
lier scheme, said Mr Tong, who is
also Senior Minister of State for
Health, was “a mismatch in timing”.
“When rent is due may not always
coincide with when the landlord re-
ceives the property tax rebate. That
lack of coincidence sometimes
means the tenant is wondering why
the landlord hasn’t given the rebate.
“To the landlord, who might him-
self be also cash-strapped, he will
say, if I haven’t received it, then I
should not be funding this month’s
rental for the tenant. That mismatch
caused some tensions. We became
aware of that... and we realised that
MINIMISING PAIN
an easier way to do it would be what
the scheme (has been designed) for
now,” he said in an exclusive inter-
There will be some view with The Straits Times.
that will no longer be The enhanced Act aims to ensure
peace of mind and certainty, Mr
viable in a post- Tong said. “We didn’t want to put
Covid-19 world. So we the tenants in a position, where
even if it was their right to ask for a
need to find a way for rebate, (to have) to approach the
them to exit in the landlord because it’s not an easy
conversation. We wanted to make it
least painful way easy and not require the tenants to
possible, so that the have to apply,” he said.
“The cash grant will be made to the
individuals behind landlord around the end of July. And
those businesses can there will be a (moratorium) be-
tween when the Act came into force
come back, rescale, (on June 5) and end July, or whenever
retool, find new the Inland Revenue Authority of Sin-
gapore (Iras) issues the notices of the
businesses, new cash grant. During this period, land-
opportunities. lords will know that for their SME
tenants, no rent will be due. This cre-
Rental relief for all SMEs Rental waiver 2 months 1 month given rental waivers or rebates will that contact tracing is ongoing, A 40-year-old Singaporean male, in close contact with a student
(government assistance*) In hospitals: 238
(for April to May) (for April) be able to set off the equivalent A Bangladeshi man who came to and identified close contacts have who had already been quarantined, who tested positive last Friday (2 in ICU)
Additional rental relief for eligible SMEs value against the amount of waiver Singapore to seek medical treat- been placed on quarantine. is a family member of a previously have all tested negative In community facilities:
Rental waiver 2 months 1 month
(borne by landlord) (for June to July) (for May) they are required by law to give. ment that was not related to The Straits Times understands confirmed case. He was swabbed The 15-year-old student from St 10,751
The kinds of reliefs that landlords Covid-19 later tested positive for that the man does not hold a long- during quarantine to verify his sta- Anthony’s Canossian Secondary
Total 4 months 2 months can take into account will be set out the coronavirus, making him the term pass here. While Singapore tus and was asymptomatic. School had been in close contact Deaths: 26
(for April to July) (for April and May) in subsidiary legislation. first imported case here since banned short-term visitors at the The fourth Singaporean case with the students and 12 staff mem-
There will also be reprieve for ten- May 10. end of March, some of these visitors was a 43-year-old male who was bers before her serological test re- Patients with Covid-19 who
GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE ants whose lease contracts expired He is among the 407 new have been allowed entry due to ex- asymptomatic and unlinked to pre- sult came back positive. died from other causes: 10
Occupying SME tenants in qualifying commercial • Property tax rebate • Government during the circuit breaker period Covid-19 cases reported in Singa- tenuating circumstances. In April, vious cases. A positive serological test is in-
properties and industrial/office properties will for Year 2020 announced cash grant but who faced difficulties moving pore yesterday, the Ministry of 748 visitors entered Singapore. Overall, MOH said that in the dicative of a past infection, MOH Total discharged: 29,579
receive the rental relief through a waiver of rent in the Unity and announced in the out because they were not allowed Health (MOH) said. The new cases yesterday bring past two weeks, the number of had said, adding that the epidemio- Discharged yesterday: 781
from their landlords. The property owner will Resilience Budgets; and Fortitude Budget. to go back to the office or shop. In The patient arrived in Singapore the total number of Covid-19 infec- new cases in the community has re- logical evidence points to the likeli-
receive support through the: such cases, it would be unfair for last Wednesday. His health declara- tions here to 40,604. mained stable at an average of hood that she had been infected TOTAL CASES: 40,604
the tenant to have to pay double tion submitted before immigra- There were nine community eight per day, while the number of during the circuit breaker period,
ADDITIONAL RENTAL RELIEF PROVIDED BY LANDLORDS rent or similar charges under the tion clearance indicated that he cases comprising four Singapore- unlinked cases in the community and not after school reopening.
Tenants (including subtenants and licensees) will be eligible for the contract. The enhanced Act will did not have any symptoms, and ans, one work pass holder and four is also an average of eight per day. MOH said the test results for the
additional rental relief provided by landlords if they meet all the criteria below: also deal with these situations had not been diagnosed or sus- work permit holders. Five of the Migrant workers staying in dorms staff members are pending.
through subsidiary legislation. pected to have the infection. He nine cases were found to be linked made up the remaining 397 cases. Ms Liew said all 59 people are
Eligibility of tenant • SME at the group level (at most $100 million turnover in 2019)
• At least 35% drop in average monthly revenue on an outlet level
Going forward, there may be a was subsequently tested for to previously announced cases, There were no new clusters an- well and have been put on leave of
from April to May 2020, compared with April to May 2019 need to look at Singapore’s restruc- Covid-19 and his results came back while the rest are unlinked. nounced yesterday. absence or home quarantine. The
• Tenancy must be in force on April 1, 2020 and must have been: turing rules to help micro and small positive on Saturday. In particular, two Singaporean With 781 more patients dis- school premises have been thor-
(i) entered into before March 25, 2020; or enterprises get back on their feet, MOH said the imported case was males, a 59-year-old and a charged yesterday, 29,579 have oughly cleaned and disinfected.
(ii) entered into before March 25, 2020 but expired and was renewed Mr Tong said. “Restructuring is not placed on stay-home notice upon 48-year-old, had worked in the fully recovered from Covid-19.
automatically, or in exercise of a right of renewal in the contract. only for the big boys. It’s not just for arrival in Singapore, and could foreign worker dormitory, Cassia A total of 238 patients remain in liuxyv@sph.com.sg
Hyflux or Hin Leong (Trading) and leave his designated place of resi- @ Penjuru, and tested positive on hospital, including two in inten- jeaniau@sph.com.sg
Application for assessment • Landlord can request tenant to provide documentation all these large giants going through
• Landlord can apply for an assessment of the tenant’s eligibility restructuring. It’s also for the
for the relief
smaller enterprises,” he said.
• Landlord can apply for an assessment of his/her own grounds of
financial hardship “There will be some that will no
longer be viable in a post-Covid-19
world. So we need to find a way for
REPAYMENT SCHEME FOR RENTAL ARREARS them to exit in the least painful way
To allow for more time to repay arrears, eligible tenants can opt for a restructuring of possible, so that the individuals be-
accumulated rental arrears in equal instalments, with interest capped at 3% per annum hind those businesses can come
back, rescale, retool, find new busi-
Eligibility Tenants who qualify for additional rental relief provided by landlords
nesses, new opportunities,” he said.
Period of rental arrears Feb 1 – Oct 19, 2020 Data from BizInsights.net, an au-
thorised information service
Maximum accumulated arrears • 5 months’ base rent (commercial properties) provider of the Accounting and Cor-
• 4 months’ base rent (industrial/office properties) porate Regulatory Authority,
showed the number of companies
Number of months for repayment Over the remainder of the lease (Maximum of 9 months)
and businesses that ceased opera-
How to apply Tenants must serve notice on their landlords before tions in the first three months of
Oct 19, 2020 and start payment of the first instalment this year jumped 78 per cent to
no later than Nov 1, 2020 18,923, from 10,611 in the same pe-
Source: MINISTRY OF LAW STRAITS TIMES GRAPHICS
riod last year.
Pointing out that the effect of the
circuit breaker in April and May
may well be felt only in subsequent
Landlords can make an appeal if ond, if the landlord is also finan- sessment to not give the full waiver. months, Mr Tong said: “Govern-
their tenants did not suffer a 35 per cially strapped, then it would not be The assessment will also take into ment measures like the Jobs Sup-
cent or more year-on-year drop in fair to make him or her bear the full account the annual value of the port Scheme (which provides em-
average monthly revenues in April two months as well,” Mr Tong said. landlord’s properties. ployers with wage subsidies), and

ants continued to struggle in the
face of a slower economy.
Not all have had relief from their
landlords. This, despite the passing
of an earlier Covid-19 Act in April to
’’
ates certainty in the market,” he said.
At the same time, safety mecha-
nisms were built in to ensure finan-
SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE FOR LAW cially strapped landlords are not
EDWIN TONG forced to give the full rent waiver.
and last month.
“For example, supermarkets and
smaller minimarts have been doing
well. So we want to make sure there
is an out for the landlord. And, sec-
Furthermore, smaller landlords,
such as retirees for whom the
rental yield from one small commer-
cial property forms a large propor-
tion of their income, may seek an as-
As of May 29, since the initial Act
was passed in April, nearly 4,000 no-
tifications for relief (NFR) have
been served. But only about 10 to 11
per cent have ended up before the as-
so on are useful. But no business is
modelled on the basis of zero cash
flow, zero income.”
gleong@sph.com.sg

Landlord Wong
Hin Yet said he
is unable to
collect rent as
his shop space is
unoccupied. The
previous tenant
vacated in April
and the new
tenant is unable
to take over as
the space has
not been
restored to its
original
condition.
ST PHOTO:
GIN TAY

No rent for the Wongs as
their shop space sits empty
Since last month, landlord Wong
Hin Yet, 65, and his wife have not
been collecting rent from one of
their Housing Board shop spaces
because new tenant Guardian
Pharmacy could not take over the
space, as it had not been restored
to its original condition by the pre-
vious tenant.
Also, renovation works for com-
mercial premises have been sus-
pended since the circuit breaker
began on April 7, which meant
Guardian could not move into the
700 sq ft space at HDB Hub in Toa
Payoh on May 4, the scheduled
handover date.
Mr Wong said: “Guardian has
been understanding. They told us
to give them one day’s notice once
the shop is reinstated, and they
will take over. But that means I am
stuck with an empty shop and
collecting no rent.”
Meanwhile, MoneyMax Pawn-
shop, his other tenant of more
than 10 years at another 700 sq ft
space at HDB Hub, has stopped
paying rent for this month and
does not intend to pay rent for
next month, claiming that it is a
qualifying small and medium-
sized enterprise tenant, he said.
Pawnshops are allowed to re-
main open during the circuit
breaker period to help provide ac-
cess to cash for those with finan-
cial needs.
Mr Wong said: “The irony is,
both my tenants, because of their
essential business nature, are al-
lowed to do business during the cir-
cuit breaker. So they will suffer
less loss than most retailers.
“But we, the suffering landlord,
are asked to incur more losses with
the rent waiver. This is adding salt
to injury.”
He said he hopes the assessor
will help determine if MoneyMax
is eligible for rental relief, and how
much relief he has to provide.
The Wongs added that they have
given assistance to their previous
tenant of 18 years, a shoe shop that
vacated at the end of April.
Mr Wong’s wife, Mrs Wong
Keng Lan said: “(The tenant) was
able to clear his shoe stock but was
unable to restore the shop to its
original condition because of the
circuit breaker.
“We gave a lot of help to the shoe
shop tenant because from March,
his business was already zero. And
when the circuit breaker was ex-
tended, we returned his rental de-
posit to him and passed on the
property tax rebate to him, plus an-
other $10,000 in goodwill for the
years he has been a loyal tenant.
“We also will not pursue him for
rent he owes us for not being able
to reinstate the shop to its original
condition in time.”
Grace Leong
Move to a new location on
hold but rent waiver a relief
Handcrafted textile designer em-
gallery was supposed to have
moved to a new location in April.
But when Malaysia came under a
movement control order in March
because of the Covid-19 pandemic,
emgallery’s contractor could not
complete the renovation works as
scheduled because most of its work-
ers and building materials were
from across the Causeway.
Further disrupting the move, Sin-
gapore’s circuit breaker kicked in
on April 7 and lasted till June 1.
That meant founder and designer
Emiko Nakamura had to store her
textiles and other products in her
home for nearly five months, while
waiting for renovations to resume.
“Our renovations started in mid-
March and were supposed to have
finished by April 7, but it didn’t go
as planned. But at least we man-
aged to move out of our previous lo-
cation in Dempsey Road before
things spiralled down,” said Ms
Nakamura, a Singapore permanent
resident.
“The earliest we can move to our
new location is probably in July.
Renovation will take two weeks to
complete if there is no further dis-
ruption. After that, we have to start
putting in fixtures, which will take
another week.”
It will be at least four months with
no revenue for her, and rent obliga-
tions at her new shop began in
April. But the new Covid 19 (Tempo-
rary Measures) (Amendment) Act,
passed on June 5, will likely bring
some reprieve.
Eligible tenants and subtenants
in the food and beverage and com-
mercial sectors will enjoy four
months of rental waiver from April
through July – two months each
from the Government and the land-
lord. This is as long as tenants’
leases are in force on April 1.
“The rent waivers should cover
us. We paid our April rent in March,
as required by our contract. And we
couldn’t open our shop in May, so
we should be entitled to the relief,”
Ms Nakamura said.
She said she hopes to have more
clarity about the relief and an up-
date on when her new shop can
open in the second phase of the
economy’s reopening, at a meeting
her landlord is having with tenants
next week.
The pandemic and ensuing social
distance requirements also means
she has to rethink how she will de-
sign her shop and other aspects of
doing business.
“We can’t assume that customers
will shop the way they did before
Covid-19. Tourists aren’t coming
back any time soon. And we have to
ensure safe entry and safe distanc-
ing for our walk-in shoppers,” Ms
Nakamura said.
“We are also exploring selling
online via Facebook shop or
Ms Emiko Nakamura, founder and
designer of emgallery, sorting
through different fabrics in her home
studio while her shop remains shut.
She had to store her textiles and
other products at home for nearly
five months, while waiting for
renovations on her new shop to
resume. ST PHOTO: JOEL CHAN
Instagram shop.”
Already, the travel restrictions in
recent months meant she has had
to e-mail designs and send fabric
samples via courier to her weavers
in Cambodia.
“We managed to keep production
going in Cambodia because my
weavers were working on their
looms at home. I used to travel once
every three months to source and
get yarn. But we managed to get
around it,” Ms Nakamura said.
Grace Leong
A8 TOPOFTHENEWS | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |

Coronavirus pandemic

Online Public servant held for

allegedly leaking classified
sports info on phase two changes
betting Vanessa Liu allegedly shared the information
with a private WeChat group of

resumes
A public servant has been arrested
for allegedly leaking classified
information to the public on the
resumption of activities in phase
people who were not authorised re-
cipients. It was then disseminated
further.
The police received a report on
April 16 that the information was

in S’pore
two of the reopening of the Singa-
pore economy before it was offi-
cially released.
The 50-year-old Singaporean
man was arrested on Saturday for
leaked on an Instagram story post
before the Ministry of Health had
officially released the figure.
Further investigations found that
the woman, who was suspended by

today
Online bets on overseas horse races will be allowed
from Wednesday; lottery draws remain suspended
David Lee
Online sports betting will resume in
Singapore today, while punters can
bet online on overseas horse races
from Wednesday, said Singapore
Pools yesterday evening.
In a press statement, the gaming
operator said that all its outlets –
branches, authorised retailers,
Livewire venues and off-course bet-
ting centres – will remain closed till
further notice.
“This is in line with the Govern-
ment’s phased approach of safe re-
opening and resumption of busi-
ness activities,” it said.
Lottery draws for 4-D, Toto and
Singapore Sweep will remain sus-
pended, and customers who have
tickets for postponed draws are ad-
vised to retain them for upcoming
draws.
Prize payments also remain on
Singapore Pools will resume online betting for sports and overseas horse races
but all its outlets will remain closed till further notice. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
set to resume on Wednesday.
Bets can be placed online for
matches in these leagues, as well as
the Swedish football league. Horse
racing in Australia, Europe, Macau,
hold, and an announcement will be Hong Kong and South Africa will
made on the extension of eligible also likely be featured.
prize-winning tickets for lottery Liverpool fan Sivaraj Rajaraman
draws, sports and/or horse racing said: “It’s good to have football back
events held between Oct 10 last on, and it make things more inter-
year and April 5 this year when esting now that we can also start
these services resume. betting on the matches again.”
“Singapore Pools will continue its Chelsea supporter Jansen Lim
mission to provide safe and trusted added: “It has been boring since the
betting to counter illegal gambling, major leagues stopped and the cir-
which has seen rising cases during cuit breaker came into play in Singa-
the circuit breaker,” it added. pore. Of course, not being able to
In early April, Singapore Pools bet also meant we were able to save
and the Singapore Turf Club said some money, and now we can wa-
that they would not be offering bet- ger on some games to make things
ting and wagering until further no- more exciting while following Euro-
tice after the Ministry of Health an- pean football again.”
nounced plans for the circuit
breaker from April 7 to June 1 to davidlee@sph.com.sg
curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Of the major European football • Customers can call Singapore
leagues, the German Bundesliga Pools’ customer service hotline
restarted on May 16, while Spain’s on 6786-6688 or e-mail
La Liga kicked off again last Thurs- CustomerService@sgpoolz.com.sg if
day. The English Premier League is they have further queries.
the offence of wrongful communi-
cation of information under the
Official Secrets Act (OSA).
Police said they received a report
on Friday that information about
post-circuit breaker plans was circu-
lating via WhatsApp messages
among members of the public.
Preliminary investigations re-
vealed that the man, who was an
authorised recipient of the informa-
tion, had allegedly shared it on
Thursday with members of a pri-
vate WhatsApp chat group who
were not authorised to receive it.
The information was subse-
quently circulated widely, said the
police, who added that they are still
investigating the case.
On May 28, National Develop-
ment Minister Lawrence Wong
said that phase two of Singapore’s
exit from the circuit breaker will en-
tail the resumption of a wider range
of activities and the reopening of
almost the entire economy.
The arrest on Saturday is the
third case of public servants ar-
rested under the OSA for allegedly
leaking information during the out-
break here.
On April 23, police said they ar-
rested a 35-year-old public servant
under the OSA and Computer Mis-
use Act after she allegedly leaked the
number of new daily Covid-19 cases
here and retrieved a patient’s
records without authorisation.
The Singaporean woman had
the ministry after her arrest, had
shared the daily case figures with
the group on several other occa-
sions.
In another case on April 5, police
said they arrested a public servant
and her husband under the OSA for
allegedly leaking a draft media state-
ment by the Ministry of Social and
Family Development and the Min-
istry of Education on school clo-
sures due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
On April 3, the 37-year-old
woman had allegedly taken a
screenshot of the statement on her
computer and shared it with her
38-year-old husband – an unautho-
rised recipient – via WhatsApp,
who then shared it with his friends.
The image was circulated on vari-
ous social media platforms before
the statement was officially re-
leased at 4.30pm that day.
The police said yesterday that the
Government takes a serious view of
any wrongful communication of con-
fidential information, and will deal
firmly with anyone who does so.
The offence of wrongful commu-
nication of information under the
OSA carries with it a fine of up to
$2,000, and imprisonment for up
to two years.
The police said unauthorised re-
cipients should not circulate the in-
formation received, as they may be
similarly liable under the OSA.
liuxyv@sph.com.sg

Host of safety
procedures
before leaving
dorms and
entering
workplaces

Aw Cheng Wei

Construction worker Arockia Rajan

Sasi, 32, uses his mobile phone to
scan a SafeEntry QR code posted
outside a third-floor Housing Board
unit in Yishun to log his entry into
his workplace.
Once inside the jumbo flat, he
writes his name, contact number
and body temperature, among
other details, on a sign-in sheet
pasted on a pillar before starting his
work day.
Workers who stay in dormitories
need to comply with these health
and safety measures before they
can start working, reporters ob-
served during a media visit over the
weekend.
But that is not all. These workers
have to follow a set of precaution-
ary measures before they leave
their dormitories for work too.
These new and stricter proce-
dures are meant to stave off
Covid-19 before residents can be
given the all-clear from the min-
istry to resume work.
At Central Staff Apartments in
Serangoon, where Mr Sasi stays
with his colleagues, workers are
taught to fire up the national con-
tact tracing app TraceTogether be- Migrant workers staying at Central Staff Apartments in Serangoon scanning their identification cards before leaving the dormitory for work. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN
fore they leave for work.
They must also note down their
body temperature, heart rate and have received the ministry’s all- only food that is provided to us. We to start work soon, she added. workers have not complained that back since they stopped working
oxygen saturation through an app clear to resume work. don’t go downstairs to buy food, About 430 workers from 44 em- learning the different apps they there two months ago. Mr Sim’s
called FWMOMCare, using a ther- Speaking through a ministry and we will use hand sanitisers be- ployers stay in the purpose-built have to use is difficult. company had begun demolition
mometer and an oximeter. The app translator, Mr Sasi told reporters fore we start working again.” dormitory now, down from some “Some of the workers might even works in the unit before the circuit
will also ask them if they are suffer- that the new routine of taking his He said the measures were new, 900 that stayed there before. be more tech-savvy than I am,” he breaker period kicked in.
ing from any Covid-19 symptoms temperature twice daily and using “but as the Covid-19 situation calms The rest have moved into tempo- said. Mr Sasi, who has been working in
such as cough, sore throat or a hand sanitisers, among other mea- down, I hope it gets better”. rary accommodation provided by He has 14 workers staying in Cen- Singapore for 10 years, said: “We
runny nose. sures, “is definitely a little difficult Central Staff Apartments cus- the Government because they are tral Staff Apartments, divided be- have been under shutdown for two
FWMOMCare uses GPS or QR to adhere to”. tomer service manager Eleen Lian in essential services and continued tween two rooms. His main task has months, so I’m very relieved that
codes to verify if workers are in- One of the most difficult changes said the dormitory has created working during the circuit breaker been to ensure that workers staying I’m working... and breathing fresh
deed staying in the dormitories that involved breaking the cultural demonstration videos, among period. in the same room work at the same air. I can be out of the dormitory at
are registered as their residence. habit of having meals together, he other initiatives, to teach residents Ms Lian said her firm is waiting site and do not mix with those in last.”
The workers also have to check added. how to use the different apps. for clearer guidelines on how to other rooms.
SGWorkpass – another app – to con- Mr Sasi said: “We used to eat to- Employers have been coopera- start taking in more residents. Mr Sasi and his two colleagues re- awcw@sph.com.sg
firm if they, their companies and gether, but now we try to have dis- tive because they also want their Mr Sasi’s employer, Mr James turned to the jumbo flat in Yishun
the dormitories they are staying in tance while we are eating. We eat workers to be safe, healthy and able Sim, who runs L&H Reno, said that on Saturday. It was their first time SEE HOME B4&5
| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
Coronavirus pandemic
Beijing declares key market area
‘high risk’ amid infection spike
Dozens of cases linked to city’s largest wholesale food market; workers and 46,000 nearby residents to be tested
Elizabeth Law
China Correspondent
In Beijing
Beijing yesterday declared an area
surrounding a wholesale market
“high risk” after dozens of new coro-
navirus cases emerged, sparking
fears of a second wave of infections
in the capital.
The health authorities reported
44 new infections in the city, all of
whom were linked to the Xinfadi
Wholesale Market, which has since
been shut down.
All the market’s workers and
some 46,000 people living in the
vicinity will have to undergo mass
testing, the authorities said.
Thirty-six of the cases were de-
tected on Saturday during mass test-
ing of market workers, while eight
new infections were reported early
yesterday.
Many of them were people who
had visited the market or were
close contacts of those who had,
the Beijing authorities said, adding
that 11 infected people live in the
same neighbourhood.
Beijing has entered an “extraordi-
nary period”, city spokesman Xu
Hejian told reporters during a press
conference yesterday.
All markets, dining outlets and lo-
gistics companies countrywide
have been ordered to undergo disin-
fection, said a statement from a
coronavirus task force led by Pre-
mier Li Keqiang.
With the market very densely
populated with huge movements of
people, contact tracing needs to be
carried out in the “most stringent”
way, added the task force.
The government has also de-
clared Fengtai, the area where the
market is located, to be a high-risk
area.
Members of the public have been
asked to avoid going to the region,
while those who visited the market
on or before May 30 have been
asked to voluntarily take a Covid-19
swab test.
The Beijing authorities have put
out a list of the areas where the con-
firmed cases live, as well as a list of
their workplaces. They include two
restaurants and five markets, as
well as a company operating airport
buses.
Residents in 11 estates around the
market were ordered to stay home
starting from Saturday, with food
and groceries being brought to their
door by local community workers.
The move harks back to lock-
downs enforced in much of China
earlier this year when the outbreak
was in full swing. Much of the do-
mestic situation has come under
control through the strict enforce-
ment of such shut-ins, but pockets
of cases have continued to surface.
Meanwhile, the National Health
Commission said two other local in-
fections reported in China yester-
day were in north-eastern Liaoning
province, about 670km away, and
were linked to the Xinfadi cluster. A
further 19 infections were imported
by Chinese returning home from
abroad.
The authorities have been quick
to reassure Beijingers that their
food supply will not be disrupted by
the market’s closure, saying that
there are alternative distribution
channels. Xinfadi, the city’s largest
wholesale food market, is believed
to supply nearly 90 per cent of Bei-
jing’s fruit and vegetables.
Local media images showed
dozens of police and paramilitary
officers surrounding the sprawling
market yesterday, which has been
barricaded.
That the recent outbreak started
in a market has also sparked fresh
concerns about hygiene and food
safety, especially after traces of the
coronavirus were found on a cut-
ting board used for imported
salmon at the same market.
As a precaution, major supermar-
Singapore
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TOPOFTHENEWS A9
Expert not
surprised at
turn of events
Dozens of coronavirus infec-
tions emerging from a Beijing
wholesale centre have once
again put such markets under
the spotlight.
The virus first surfaced late
last year at the Huanan
Seafood Wholesale Centre, a
market in the central Chinese
city of Wuhan, where workers
were among the earliest cases.
But unlike the Huanan mar-
ket, where wild animals were
sold for meat, the sprawling
Beijing complex sells mostly
farm products, supplying up to
90 per cent of the city’s vegeta-
bles.
Xinfadi, the biggest of such
wholesale centres in Beijing,
supplies supermarkets, gro-
cery stalls and even small cor-
ner stores.
Usually a bustling hive of ac-
tivity, it is unsurprising the
virus resurfaced there because
of close interaction, and even
exposure to imported food
A security items, said Dr Wu Zunyou,
officer riding chief epidemiologist at the Chi-
past the nese Centre for Disease Con-
closed trol and Prevention, in an inter-
Xinfadi view with the official Xinhua
Wholesale news agency.
Market in “With tens of thousands of
Beijing new cases globally, it could be
yesterday. that an infected person over-
Fengtai, the seas contaminated meat or
area where seafood while handling it,” Dr
the market is Wu added.
located, has “The virus could have stayed
been alive longer because of the
declared a cool environment, and some-
high-risk one touching the contami-
area. Those nated produce could have
who visited rubbed their noses or eyes af-
the market ter, thus getting infected.”
on or before Since the early stages of in-
May 30 have fection present mild symp-
been asked toms, it is possible the person
to voluntarily continued going to work, thus
take a spreading the virus to others,
Covid-19 Dr Wu added.
swab test.
PHOTO: Elizabeth Law
AGENCE
FRANCE-
PRESSE
kets have pulled the fish off shelves
and Beijing has ordered the entire
city to undergo a thorough food
safety inspection.
Dr Wu Zunyou, chief epidemiolo-
gist at the Chinese Centre for Dis-
ease Control and Prevention
(CDC), said it is now imperative to
investigate Xinfadi’s food supply
chain to determine how the virus
entered Beijing.
“Beijing has not had any new coro-
navirus infections for over 50
days... If all the new cases don’t
have a travel history of leaving the
city and have truly been infected
here, then it is possible that im-
ported foods or contaminated
foods from outside the city have
brought in the virus,” he added.
Genetic sequencing of the virus
has shown that it came from Eu-
rope, according to an expert from
the Beijing CDC.
“The preliminary judgment is
that the virus was imported,” Dr
Yang Peng said in an interview with
state broadcaster CCTV.
“But it is still unclear exactly how
the virus (entered China). It could
possibly be from contaminated
seafood or meat, or have been car-
ried into the market by people.”
esmlaw@sph.com.sg
A10
Mr Yuki Sato, an employee in a start-up company, working from home in Tokyo while his wife Hitomi washes the dishes and his daughters do their homework. In Japan, many electronics firms have kept
in place telework arrangements as the “new normal”, after the state of emergency over Covid-19 was lifted last month. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Asia not
quite ready
to work
from home
While sectors like IT have embraced remote
working, many others are unable to do so
Raul Dancel
Philippines Correspondent
In Manila
Many companies in Asia are slowly
sending their employees back to
the office as the world reopens.
But with global coronavirus infec-
tions soaring past seven million and
still rising, working remotely will
continue to be a facet in the region.
Most firms are resorting to flexi-
ble work schedules so that at least
half their employees can remain
working from home while the rest
can return to the office. The goal is
to avoid densely packed work spa-
ces that facilitate viral spread.
Staff will certainly return to the of-
fice once the pandemic eases.
While a massive shift to working
from home has helped firms stay
afloat and sparked a rethinking of
the way offices can be run, the con-
sensus is that not everyone can
pivot to a home-run office and still
remain efficient.
“It is possible to do it during a pan-
demic, but not for prolonged peri-
ods,” said Mr Timboel Siregar, secre-
tary-general of the Indonesian
Workers’ Organisation (Opsi).
Working remotely is fine for the
IT and services sectors, said the
Philippines’ acting economic plan-
ning secretary Karl Chua, adding:
“But you can’t expect factory work-
ers, waiters and drivers to work
from home.”
Yet, even for those where every
part of work can be done remotely,
there is some hesitation.
A survey by a Nikkei unit showed
that while up to 88 per cent of
Japan’s large corporations have
adopted telework, only 46 per cent
of small and medium-sized firms
had done so by mid-April.
A South Korean study found that
only 40 per cent of firms were will-
ing to let staff work from home.
Most employees have returned to
the workplace but companies still
allow those who need to work from
home to do so.
The infrastructure in countries
like Indonesia and the Philippines
simply cannot support a wholesale
shift to working from home, given
patchy phone signals and often un-
reliable Internet.
Work culture among Asians also
leans towards in-person connec-
tions, so the urge to leave home is al-
ways compelling.
“The communal culture in In-
donesia means people prefer to
work together as a team rather than
alone,” said Opsi’s Mr Siregar.
Ms Kang Da-som, 31, who works
at South Korean telecoms giant KT
Corporation, said that while she
feels safer working from home, she
would still rather go to the office if
she has to meet or talk to someone.
In China, most seem to have al-
ready abandoned the “great work
from home experiment” and are
back in the office, though some
companies, like ride-hailing firm
DiDi, have allowed more flexible ar-
rangements such as telecommut-
ing for part of the work week.
WORK-HOME IMBALANCE
Life at home in a lockdown is also
much harder than usual.
Those who live alone complain of
the emotional grind from the en-
Mr Marcus Chu working on his 3D printer at home printing frames for face shields in Manila in April. Working remotely is
fine for the IT and services sectors, said the Philippines’ acting economic planning secretary Karl Chua. PHOTO: REUTERS
Mumbai communications executive Suraj Balakrishnan working from his home
earlier this year amid India’s lockdown. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
forced isolation, while people with
children find it doubly exhausting
to juggle childcare, homeschooling
and their jobs.
It is especially hard on women.
“For a lot of women, going to
work was the only time (they have)
for themselves... Work from home
erased all boundaries,” said Ms
Aarti Desikan, director of Anand
Rathi Financial Services, a wealth
advisory firm in Bangalore, India.
She said she has been working
longer hours at home, taking calls
from clients at all hours of the day,
even as she has to look after a daugh-
ter, cook and clean the house.
Like many other women, she is ea-
$36.2b
IN DIGITAL AND GREEN TECHNOLOGIES BY 2022 A14
ger to go back to the office as soon
as possible.
Ms Phenpaka Phraesiri, a
Bangkok-based human resource
manager, said she was working
even on weekends and holidays.
“I was on videoconference calls
for a few hours every single day,”
she added.
PR consultant Kwon Hee-sun, 43,
who is based in the South Korean
capital Seoul said her company now
allows her to work from home once
a week. “I usually prefer to work
from home. But sometimes it’s hard
to focus on work when my son is
also home having online lessons,”
she pointed out.
| THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |
S. KOREAN GOVT’S PLEDGED INVESTMENT
WIDENS INEQUALITY
Ms Siti Aiysyah Tumin, of
Malaysia’s Khazanah Research In-
stitute, said in a paper that forcing
firms to adapt work-from-home ar-
rangements could worsen inequal-
ity, as these arrangements favoured
those who are highly skilled and al-
ready enjoying substantial compen-
sation, with the self-employed
among the most vulnerable.
Most of those working from
home in Malaysia are in high-pay-
ing sectors like information and
communications. The smallest rep-
resentations are in food and bever-
age, agriculture, and transportation
and storage. That is the same as in
Indonesia, where less than a third
of the workforce are office workers
who can afford to work from home.
Those working from home in the
Philippines have been enjoying un-
interrupted salaries, but those who
cannot do so have not been paid for
more than three months.
They are now so desperate to get
back to work that they are walking
or cycling for many kilometres to
their offices, even during heavy
downpours, as very few buses have
been allowed on the road.
CRISIS-PROOF
But workplace experts agree that
working from home has proven ef-
fective at helping companies
weather something as cataclysmic
as the pandemic.
While it may not suit everyone,
those who can figure out how to
“virtualise” every part of work will
have an insurance against any kind
of global disruption.
Large companies in the United
States like Accenture have reported
a 4.4 per cent bump in productivity
among those working remotely.
In Japan, electronics firms Fu-
jitsu, Hitachi and Ricoh, building
materials group Lixil, glass manu-
facturer AGC and even the Tokyo
metropolitan government have
kept in place telework arrange-
ments as the “new normal”, after
the state of emergency over
Covid-19 was lifted last month.
Telecommuting has emerged as a
trend in South Korea, while about
40 per cent of the workforce in the
Philippines and Malaysia has been
working from home since restric-
tions were imposed.
Almost 85 per cent of IT staff in In-
dia began working from home after
the lockdown started on March 25,
and the government is keen on
pushing more remote work.
“Post-Covid-19, we want to make
work-from-home permanent,” said
Karnataka deputy chief minister
Ashwath Narayan.
India’s largest IT employer Tata
Consultancy Services has already in-
dicated that about three-quarters
of its nearly 500,000 employees
will be working remotely by 2025.
STILL THE WAY TO GO
When Covid-19 hit, Mr Vladimir de
Ramos, 50, was already spending
75 per cent of his time working
NO RESPITE from home.
He runs an infotech and audit
For a lot of women, company in the Philippines and
most of his work entails supervising
going to work was the consultants who were themselves
only time (they have) usually out in the field. The only
time he had to leave home was to
for themselves... Work meet clients who insisted on face-
from home erased all to-face time.
“So it wasn’t a big change for me,”
boundaries. he said, when the Philippines went
’’
into lockdown on March 16.
His company did not skip a beat;
everyone had been so used to work-
ing remotely that staying home
MS AARTI DESIKAN, director of Anand full-time was a welcome change.
Rathi Financial Services, a wealth advisory “I saved on (petrol). I got to ride
firm in Bangalore, India.
(my bicycle) every other day... I also
found time to cook restaurant-
ALL-ROUND IMPROVEMENT grade dishes for my family. My tem-
perament also improved because I
I saved on (petrol). was less stressed,” said Mr de
Ramos.
I got to ride (my His firm did suffer a 70 per cent
drop in earnings but it was because
bicycle) every other the lockdown forced clients to
day... I also found downsize. He expects things to
bounce back later this year.
time to cook Mr de Ramos said his company’s
restaurant-grade experience with working from
home has been so positive that he
dishes for my family. may make it permanent: “I may
My temperament also scale down the office to save on
overheads, and then transfer the
improved because I savings to the employees and con-
was less stressed. sultants in the form of profit-share
or additional medical benefits. It’s
’’
just the way to go.”
rdancel@sph.com.sg
MR VLADIMIR DE RAMOS, who runs an
infotech and audit company in the
Philippines.
• With reports from Walter Sim,
Chang May Choon, Elizabeth Law,
Arlina Arshad, Rohini Mohan, Hazlin
Hassan and Hathai Techakitteranun.
| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
Coronavirus pandemic
Experts are concerned that the relaxation of social curbs in many parts of Indonesia, including Bogor (above), will drive up the virus infection rate. Workplaces,
places of worship, shopping centres and recreational venues started reopening gradually this month, but with social distancing measures in place. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
Record rise in daily
infections likely to
continue in Indonesia
Aggressive contact-tracing set to reveal more
cases, with surge caused by Hari Raya exodus I think we’ve not yet
Linda Yulisman
Indonesia Correspondent
In Jakarta
Indonesia saw around 1,000 fresh
coronavirus infections in a single
day last week, and epidemiologists
warn the trend may continue until
at least the end of the month as the
authorities ramp up testing and con-
tact-tracing.
The world’s fourth most-popu-
lous nation reported 1,241 new
cases last Wednesday, a record sin-
gle-day jump, and saw more than
1,000 cases on Friday (1,111) and Sat-
urday (1,014), up from several hun-
dreds daily in the previous weeks.
The government spokesman on
Covid-19 management, Dr Achmad
Yurianto, has said that more aggres-
sive contact-tracing caused the sig-
nificant rise in new cases.
The number of total cases rose to
38,277 yesterday, while fatalities in-
creased to 2,134, the highest in
South-east Asia.
University of Indonesia epidemi-
Australia’s two largest
states set to further ease
curbs even as cases rise
SYDNEY • Australia’s two largest
states will further ease coronavirus
restrictions at libraries, community
centres and nightclubs, officials
said yesterday, despite recording in-
creases in new infections.
New South Wales (NSW), the
most populous state, said that from
July 1, a 50-person limit on indoor
venues such as restaurants and
churches will be scrapped, so long
as the venues observe a one person
per 4 sq m rule.
Nightclubs and music festivals
will also be allowed to operate from
August if new cases remain low,
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian
said.
The state last Saturday reported
the first locally transmitted
Covid-19 case in weeks, and offi-
cials yesterday said there had been
nine new infections since Friday.
In neighbouring Victoria, where
patronage of pubs and other venues
is limited to 20 people, indoor busi-
nesses will be allowed to have up to
50 seated patrons from June 22,
ologist Pandu Riono attributed the
considerable increase in daily cases
to the ineffective ban on the mas-
sive exodus to hometowns ahead of
Hari Raya Aidilfitri, which fell on
May 24 this year.
Each year, millions of people in
Jakarta and other big cities go back
to their hometowns at the end of
the Ramadan fasting month, a jour-
ney better known as mudik. But
this year, the government imposed
the ban to curb the spread of the
Covid-19. Despite the ban, it is esti-
mated that nearly 1.6 million man-
aged to leave the capital.
“The jump of cases is the impact
of mudik. The figure will continue
to rise in mid-June to end of June,”
Dr Pandu told The Straits Times.
He noted that the relaxation of so-
cial restrictions in many parts of
the country will also drive the surge
of infections in the coming weeks.
Workplaces, places of worship,
shopping centres and recreational
venues reopened gradually from
early June, but they must operate at
50 per cent capacity and ensure
said state Premier Daniel Andrews.
All sports for children will re-
sume, he said. Indoor sports cen-
tres and physical recreation spaces
like gyms can host 20 people, with
caps of up to 10 adults per group.
Strict lockdown restrictions and
the closure of state and national bor-
ders have allowed Australia to curb
the spread of the coronavirus.
With only 102 deaths, much
lower than most other developed
nations, the federal government
has stepped up pressure on state
and territory leaders to reopen in-
ternal borders, a step viewed as key
to reviving the country’s economy.
“We would love to open every-
thing tomorrow. We can’t do that.
Because if we did we would be al-
most making it certain that we
would have a second wave,” Mr An-
drews said yesterday.
Although Australia’s interna-
tional borders will remain closed
until at least Sept 17, Health Minis-
ter Greg Hunt has said officials are
exploring two possible ways to re-
YET TO PEAK
seen the peak. At the
national level, the
cumulative cases
keep rising, and new
cases keep surging.
’’
DR PANJI HADISOEMARTO, an
epidemiologist at the University of
Padjadjaran, is worried that the first wave
is not even over.
people keep 1m away from one an-
other. Earlier, many parts of Indone-
sia imposed partial lockdowns by
closing all these places.
President Joko Widodo has
warned of a potential second wave
of Covid-19 cases.
“I remind you that our big task
has not ended as the conditions are
still dynamic,” he told the Covid-19
task force last Wednesday.
“I warn you all, don’t let the sec-
ond wave come. Don’t let the cases
jump,” he added.
Australian Rugby League matches are being held behind closed doors to
prevent the spread of Covid-19. PHOTO: EPA–EFE
open borders.
“One is to use our quarantine sys-
tem with international students
and appropriately with people who
are delivering national benefit,
whether it’s in business or other ar-
eas,” Mr Hunt told the Australian
However, Dr Panji Hadisoe-
marto, an epidemiologist at the Uni-
versity of Padjadjaran, is worried
that the first wave is not even over.
“I think we’ve not yet seen the
peak. At the national level, the cu-
mulative cases keep rising, and new
cases keep surging,” he said, noting
that the peak should be followed by
a constant decline in infections.
Jakarta Governor Anies
Baswedan has said the city reached
its peak of infections in April. But af-
ter posting a low number of cases in
late May, the city of around 10 mil-
lion people has reported a rebound
in infections recently.
Epidemiologists have urged the
authorities to step up testing and
contact-tracing as activities in of-
fices and other venues resume grad-
ually in Jakarta and other cities.
According to the Indonesian gov-
ernment, the total number of tests
nationwide to date is 495,527, out
of a population of about 270 mil-
lion.
Dr Panji has noted that when
more testing leads to the discovery
of new cases, it could reflect the on-
going widespread infections on the
ground. He also said enhancing the
testing capacity in other regions
outside Jakarta will be key to pre-
vention efforts and lowering the
risks of infections, particularly in ar-
eas with poor health facilities.
All regions must have equal ac-
cess to testing, he said.
The World Health Organisation
has set one test per 1,000 popula-
tion a week as a laboratory testing
benchmark, and Jakarta Deputy
Governor Ahmad Riza Patria said
the capital city has been meeting
the standard.
However, on the national level, In-
donesia’s testing capacity has yet to
be able to achieve the standard.
ylinda@sph.com.sg
Broadcasting Corp yesterday.
The second option will be to al-
low bilateral travel between
“Covid-safe” countries, such as
New Zealand, without the manda-
tory two-week quarantine period,
he said. REUTERS
Sinovac says its shot
shows good potential
BEIJING • Sinovac Biotech yester-
day said its coronavirus vaccine is
safe and capable of eliciting an im-
mune response from human tri-
als, suggesting the shot’s potential
in defending against infection.
The Beijing-based company’s
vaccine, called CoronaVac, has
not caused severe side effects and
more than 90 per cent of those ad-
ministered with the shot on a
14-day interval have induced neu-
tralising antibodies two weeks af-
ter inoculation, Sinovac said.
The preliminary findings come
from trials of phases I and II in
China. A total of 743 healthy peo-
ple aged 18 to 59 received either
shots on two schedules or a
placebo.
More data will be uncovered
from another group in the trial
that received shots on a 28-day in-
terval. Sinovac plans to publish its
results in academic journals.
Using a killed version of the coro-
navirus, Sinovac’s vaccine is
among five Chinese experimental
A Sinovac engineer with an experimental vaccine for the coronavirus in April.
It is among five Chinese vaccines at the crucial final stage of human testing
before they can be approved for public use. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Deal inked to provide
EU with 300m doses
of a possible vaccine
BERLIN • Germany, France, Italy
and the Netherlands have signed
an agreement with pharmaceuti-
cal group AstraZeneca to guaran-
tee the supply to the EU of 300 mil-
lion doses of a possible coron-
avirus vaccine, the German gov-
ernment has announced.
The four countries have signed
an agreement with the group,
formed in 1999 from the merger of
the Swedish company Astra and
British firm Zeneca, which pro-
vides for the supply of a vaccine to
all EU member states as soon it is
discovered, the German Ministry
of Health said last Saturday.
AstraZeneca is partnering in the
enterprise with Britain’s Oxford
University, which has pioneered
the inoculation.
The firm has been building sepa-
rate supply chains around the
world during the tests, striking
other deals earlier this month to
double production capacity to
more than two billion doses.
“This agreement will ensure
that hundreds of millions of Euro-
peans have access to Oxford Uni-
versity’s vaccine following ap-
proval,” chief executive Pascal So-
riot said in a statement.
“With our European supply
chain due to begin production
soon, we hope to make the vac-
cine available widely and rapidly.”
Oxford University began initial
trials with hundreds of volunteers
in April and is now expanding
them to 10,000 participants.
The development of a vaccine
could be successfully completed
by the end of the year, German
government sources told Agence
France-Presse.
The doses announced last Satur-
day, potentially rising to 400 mil-
lion, “must be distributed to all
member states that want to partic-
ipate, depending on the size of
their population”, the German
ministry said.
“In order for the vaccines to be
available in large numbers very
quickly after their possible ap-
proval this year or next year, pro-
duction capacities must be guaran-
teed by contract now.”
According to the World Bank,
WORLD A11
shots that have reached the cru-
cial final stage of human testing
before they can be approved for
public use.
The company announced a part-
nership this month with Instituto
Butantan to conduct its phase III
trial in Brazil, where the pathogen
has caused the second-largest out-
break in the pandemic.
Since lockdowns and social dis-
tancing measures have helped to
keep infection rates low in many
countries, some of the world’s
leading vaccine efforts are seek-
ing to conduct phase III trials in
places of active outbreaks to evalu-
ate the effectiveness of their
shots.
The authorities in Brazil have al-
ready given approval for late-
stage trials for a vaccine co-devel-
oped by the University of Oxford
and AstraZeneca, while the Cam-
bridge, Massachusetts-based
Moderna is set to go into phase III
trials in the United States.
BLOOMBERG
the EU has a population of around
447 million.
German Minister of Health Jens
Spahn said that “the swift and co-
ordinated action of a group of
member states” would see “all EU
citizens” stand to benefit.
The European Commission de-
fended the idea last Friday that
EU countries should join up to
guarantee privileged access to a fu-
ture vaccine, arguing strongly for
the establishment of advance pur-
chase contracts.
With the laboratories trying to
find a vaccine in record time – 12
to 18 months instead of several
years in normal times – these ad-
vance payments allow them to in-
vest in production, even though
the clinical trials on humans have
not yet been finalised.
This commitment would give
the EU’s member states the right
to buy doses at a certain price
once the vaccine is available, in re-
turn for the risk taken in terms of
investments.
Major pharmaceutical groups
are engaged in a race to develop a
vaccine against the coronavirus,
which has so far killed more than
432,000 people and infected
more than 7.9 million worldwide.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
SECURING GUARANTEE
In order for the
vaccines to be
available in large
numbers very quickly
after their possible
approval this year or
next year, production
capacities must be
guaranteed by
contract now.
’’
THE GERMAN MINISTRY OF HEALTH, on
the deal with AstraZeneca.
A12 WORLD
Coronavirus pandemic
Mumbai slum’s dogged
approach holds
lessons for others
MUMBAI • India’s Dharavi, Asia’s
most crowded slum, has gone from
coronavirus hot spot to potential
success story, offering a model for
developing nations struggling to
contain the pandemic.
The authorities in the Mumbai
slum have knocked on 47,500
doors since April to take tempera-
tures and measure oxygen levels,
screened almost 700,000 people
and set up fever clinics.
Those showing symptoms were
moved to nearby schools and
sports clubs that had been con-
verted into quarantine centres.
Fresh daily infections are now
down to a third compared with
early May, more than half the sick
are recovering, and the number of
deaths plummeted this month in
the tenement where as many as 80
residents share one toilet.
The numbers are in stark contrast
to the rest of India, whose daily tally
of new infected cases has quadru-
pled since early last month.
Located near Mumbai’s financial
district, Dharavi’s dogged approach
to “chase the virus” could be a tem-
plate for emerging markets across
the world, from the favelas of Brazil
to shanty towns in South Africa.
“It was next to impossible to fol-
low social distancing,” said Mr Ki-
ran Dighavkar, assistant commis-
sioner at Mumbai’s municipality,
who is in charge of leading the fight
in Dharavi.
Two sides of India’s virus crisis
‘Chase the virus’ response in Mumbai slum yields rewards, while Delhi struggles to cope amid soaring cases and scarce testing capacity
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“The only option then was to
chase the virus rather than wait for
the cases to come. To work proac-
tively, rather than reactively.”
Officials were initially worried as
positive diagnoses rose, but Mr
Dighavkar and his team made it
clear that screenings and testing
would continue even as the count
increased – their objective was to
keep deaths limited.
“We were able to isolate people in
the early stages,” Mr Dighavkar
said. “Unlike in the rest of Mumbai
where most patients are reaching
hospitals at a very late stage.”
The strategy has helped reduce
mortality and improve recovery.
About 51 per cent of Dharavi resi-
dents who tested positive eventu-
ally recovered, better than Mum-
bai’s 41 per cent rate. Fresh infec-
tions are down to an average 20 a
day from 60 early last month.
A strict lockdown and accessible
testing was part of Dharavi’s strat-
egy. If someone was not feeling well
and wanted to get tested, he
needed only to get institutionally
quarantined and on-site doctors
would take care of it.
However, Mr Dighavkar knew
none of this would be possible with-
out gaining the community’s trust.
Home to nearly a million people
where a family of seven may be liv-
ing in a 100 sq ft hut, word travels
fast in Dharavi and small gestures
help. For instance, Ramadan – the
US-China spat
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• Science of Covid-19
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• A city at a standstill
• Covid-19’s Smart Nation push
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Muslim holy month – was crucial.
Those in isolation centres were
concerned about how they would
keep up with rituals, such as break-
ing their religious fasts at sunset.
The authorities ensured the Mus-
lims got fruit and dates and distrib-
uted proper meals at appropriate
times, while all others received
three meals a day.
Everyone in the isolation centres
also received round-the-clock medi-
JUNE ISSUE
cal supervision free of charge, even
as millions around the country lost
their jobs due to the nationwide
lockdown and reports trickled in of
people dying before they were allot-
ted hospital beds.
Dharavi’s methods seem ade-
quate to contain infections and the
authorities must test everyone with
symptoms like fever or a cough,
said Dr T. Sundararaman, the New
Delhi-based global coordinator of
Fears mount in Delhi as hospital
beds run out and infections soar
NEW DELHI • Mr Ashwani Jain suc-
cumbed to the coronavirus in an am-
bulance as his family pleaded with
several hospitals to take him in, the
latest victim of the pandemic
sweeping through the Indian capi-
tal and exposing a deadly shortage
of hospital beds.
“They don’t care whether we live
or die,” said his 20-year-old daugh-
ter Kashish, whose uncle Abhishek
sat with Mr Jain in the back of the ve-
hicle on its desperate journey
across Delhi.
“It won’t matter to them, but I
have lost my father; he was the
world to me,” she said, tears welling
up as she showed a photo of him.
All of the hospitals the 45-year-
old businessman’s family tried re-
fused to admit Mr Jain, even though
an app set up by the city govern-
ment indicated Covid-19 beds were
free, Mr Abhishek told Agence
France-Presse.
With surging infections highlight-
ing the precarious state of the In-
dian healthcare system, the death
of Mr Jain and others like him have
heightened anxiety in Delhi over
the growing threat.
More than 1,200 have died from
the virus in the Indian capital and
more than 1,000 new cases are be-
ing reported each day.
Mortuaries are overflowing with
bodies, and cemetery and cremato-
rium staff say they cannot keep up
with the backlog of victims.
Some local Delhi councils say the
real death toll is twice the number
given by the regional government.
Federal Home Minister Amit
Shah said in a tweet yesterday that
India will use rail coaches to house
people infected with Covid-19 in
New Delhi because of the shortage
of hospital beds.
The government will deploy 500
carriages to add about 8,000 beds
for patients in the capital city, Mr
Shah said after chairing a meeting
of senior ministers, the New Delhi
chief minister and officials.
The number of tests will be dou-
bled, he added.
The Indian media has been full of
tragic stories of people dying after
being turned away at hospitals.
One pregnant woman died as she
was being shuttled between hospi-
tals. A 78-year-old man petitioned
the Delhi High Court for a ventila-
tor bed, but died before the matter
| THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |
the People’s Health Movement, a
public health group.
However, Dharavi’s war against
the virus is far from over. Once shel-
ter-at-home restrictions are fully
lifted in Mumbai and the bustling
city goes back to work, there is a
risk of a second wave of infections.
“The battle can’t be over until the
virus has gone from the entire city,
state and country,” said Mr
Dighavkar. BLOOMBERG
Relatives carrying the coffin of a man who died of Covid-19 before his burial
at a New Delhi graveyard last week. PHOTO: REUTERS
NO REAL SUPPORT
The government is
doing nothing. They
are just playing with
our feelings.
’’
MS KASHISH, whose father died of Covid-19
after hospitals refused to admit him.
could be taken up.
India has now recorded more
than 300,000 coronavirus cases,
with nearly 9,000 fatalities.
Several families have used social
media to recount their harrowing
experiences after being refused hos-
pital beds.
Mr Jain’s family had joined a
noisy, nationwide tribute to health
workers, banging pots and pans
from rooftops and balconies after a
nationwide lockdown started in
March. Now they feel abandoned.
“The government is doing noth-
ing. They are just playing with our
feelings,” Ms Kashish said.
Mr Jain’s devastated relatives are
now waiting to get tested them-
selves, but the Delhi government al-
lows that for only high-risk and
symptomatic family members.
The city government has esti-
Healthcare workers and volunteers
visiting the Dharavi slum in Mumbai
earlier this month. The authorities
have knocked on 47,500 doors since
April to measure temperatures and
oxygen levels, and have screened
almost 700,000 people, in an
aggressive effort to stem infections
in the packed squatter cluster.
PHOTO: REUTERS
mated that it could need 80,000
beds by the end of July, and warned
hotels and wedding venues that
they are likely to be turned into hos-
pitals. Currently, government hospi-
tals have 8,505 designated pan-
demic beds, while private hospitals
have 1,441.
But families say they are being
forced to spend a small fortune for
the few beds that are available.
A sting operation by the Mirror
Now TV channel showed five Delhi
hospitals asking coronavirus pa-
tients to pay up to US$5,250
(S$7,310) in order to be admitted.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejri-
wal has accused private hospitals of
lying about available beds and
promised tough action if they were
found to be extorting money.
Experts are questioning the city’s
handling of the pandemic, how-
ever. Virologist Shahid Jameel said
Delhi, like other major cities, has
not tested enough people. So far, it
has covered just 1 per cent of its pop-
ulation. “At the moment, (the)
Delhi government is doing every-
thing to make people panic,” he
told Agence France-Presse.
“It should be testing aggressively.
I don’t understand the logic of test-
ing only people who are sympto-
matic. How will you find how much
the infection has spread in the com-
munity if you don’t test them?”
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
WORLD A13

HK’s rich hedge their

The process is unfolding against
the backdrop of a presidential vote
in the US which President Donald
Trump has sought to run against
China, announcing last month that

bets amid political,

he would “begin the process” of re-
voking special trade privileges for
the Asian financial centre because
of its political autonomy.
The United States gave Hong

economic crises
Emigration, offshore bank accounts and
overseas property among contingency plans
HONG KONG • One Hong Kong busi-
nessman moved US$10 million
(S$13.9 million) to Singapore and
plans to transfer more. Another is
eyeing London property, worried
prices in Hong Kong are too high.
Well-to-do families across the
city are opening offshore bank ac-
counts and applying for alternative
passports. While it does not add up
to an exodus just yet, Hong Kong’s
rich are increasingly hedging their
bets as the financial hub suffers its
worst economic and political crises
since at least 1997.
Many high-net-worth investors
are either reducing their Hong
Kong exposure or taking steps to en-
sure they can withdraw assets at a
moment’s notice, underscoring the
challenge for Chief Executive Car-
rie Lam as she tries to maintain the
city’s status as magnet for Asian
wealth. Rich individuals are major
players in Hong Kong’s equity and
real-estate markets as well as big
buyers of Chinese corporate bonds
issued in the city.
Private bankers say their clients
accelerated contingency planning
efforts after China announced last
month that it would impose contro-
versial national security laws on
Hong Kong. The legislation threat-
ens to erode the former British
colony’s judicial independence, pro-
voke sanctions from the US and re-
vive street protests that battered
bit like a slow-moving train wreck,”
said Mr Richard Harris, chief execu-
tive of Port Shelter Investment
Management in Hong Kong. “Peo-
ple who haven’t moved their
money out may be tempted to
think: ‘Well, maybe I should be mov-
ing my money out.’ That process is
likely to continue.”
To be sure, there is little evidence
so far of widespread capital flight.
Hong Kong bank deposits in-
creased to a record in April and the
city’s currency has continued to
trade at the strong end of its permit-
ted band against the US dollar.
Hong Kong’s wealthiest billion-
aires have publicly endorsed the
proposed security laws and ex-
pressed confidence in the city’s fu-
ture. In private, however, many
Hong Kong entrepreneurs and
high-earning professionals are
sounding a more pessimistic note.
MULLING OVER EXIT
What we’re basically seeing
is a bit like a slow-moving
train wreck... People who
haven’t moved their money
out may be tempted to
think: ‘Well, maybe I should
be moving my money out.’
Mr Cheng, the businessman who
moved US$10 million to Singapore,
also secured his permanent resi-
dent status in the city-state this
year and has been selling his Hong
Kong properties. He has no con-
crete plans to emigrate yet, but is
considering his options.
He and his family have passports
from the US, Canada, Australia and
France. Mr Cheng said he worries
about China’s tightening grip on
the city and the prospect of more
unrest. Like several of the people
quoted in this story, he asked not to
reveal his full name because of the
political sensitivity of the subject.
Mr Sam, a senior investment
banker, has decided to leave the
city. The 43-year-old is emigrating
to Australia with his wife and two
young boys in about three months,
the second time he would have left
Hong Kong during a period of politi-
cal turmoil.
He grew up in the city, but moved
to Brisbane when he was 12 after his
parents got spooked by China’s
crackdown on protesters in Bei-
jing’s Tiananmen Square in 1989.
He came back to Hong Kong 20
years ago for his career but now
sees no upside to staying.
“Things are looking bad and dete-
riorating,” he said. “We may as well
pack our bags and move to Aus-
tralia so that the kids can have a bet-
ter environment growing up.”
Mr Dennis, a 34-year-old execu-
tive at a Hong Kong-based consult-
ing firm founded by his parents,
said his family and many of their
friends have started moving cash
Mr Alvin Yeung (centre) being restrained by security officers at a Legislative
Council meeting last month. PHOTO: REUTERS
Democrats in HK
fear disqualifications
ahead of key polls
HONG KONG • As the leader of one
of the largest pro-democracy par-
ties in Hong Kong’s legislature, Mr
Alvin Yeung could make history if
the city’s opposition wins an un-
precedented majority in Septem-
ber elections.
Or the 39-year-old lawyer could
find himself disqualified before
the campaign even starts.
Mr Yeung is among prospective
candidates accused by the Chinese
authorities of behaviour that oppo-
sition politicians fear could be
used to bar them from running or
expel them after the vote.
After rejecting a half dozen “lo-
calist” candidates for seeking inde-
pendence from China four years
ago, the government and its sup-
porters have criticised activists by
name for a growing range of ac-
tions that could run afoul of the
new national security legislation
and other laws.
politicians. He was also featured
on decks of novelty playing cards
handed out in the city showing pic-
tures of prominent opposition fig-
ures superimposed against prison
bars and listing their “crimes”.
“No one in the opposition can
guarantee that they would be able
to get into the race,” said Mr Ye-
ung, whose Civic Party holds five
of the Legislative Council’s 70
seats. “The only thing we can do is
to stick to our own principles.”
The push has cast fresh doubt
over democracy advocates’ hopes
of converting the enthusiasm gen-
erated by a historic wave of
protests in the former British
colony last year into real political
power. Not only could the opposi-
tion use the council to block Chief
Executive Carrie Lam’s agenda, it
could also theoretically force her
to resign by repeatedly rejecting
her budget proposals.
Kong its special status after China
agreed with Britain to preserve the
city’s capitalist economy and Com-
mon Law legal system until at least
2047 under a “one country, two
systems” framework. Mr Trump
levied his threat shortly after
China’s National People’s Con-
gress (NPC) approved a plan to by-
pass Hong Kong lawmakers and
impose measures to criminalise
the harshest criticism of Beijing.
The legislation, which local me-
dia has said could be enacted be-
fore the Sept 6 election, is ex-
pected to provide the government
sweeping powers to jail opposition
figures or otherwise block them
from office.
While details of the measures
have yet to be made public, a simi-
lar proposal withdrawn after
protests 17 years ago would allow
for sentences up to life in prison
for offenders convicted of crimes
such as sedition and subversion.
The legislation could be finalised
as soon as this week’s meeting of
the NPC’s Standing Committee.
Hong Kong’s sole representative
to the NPC Standing Committee
Tam Yiu-chung wrote in a pro-es-
tablishment magazine this month
that candidates who oppose the ef-
fort “should be disqualified”.
That would rule out just about all
opposition candidates, with a
Hong Kong Public Opinion Pro-
gramme poll on May 29 showing
96 per cent of democracy support-
ers are against the legislation.
“The entire democratic camp, in-
cluding sitting democratic legisla-
tors, can be wiped out because all
of us must have or will openly op-
pose the law as part of our political
platform,” opposition lawmaker
Fernando Cheung said.
The Hong Kong Constitutional
and Mainland Affairs Bureau said
in a statement last Saturday that

the tourism and retail industries
even before the coronavirus out-
break plunged the economy into its
deepest recession on record.
“What we’re basically seeing is a
’’
MR RICHARD HARRIS, chief executive of
Port Shelter Investment Management.
out of the city. He is looking to buy
more properties in the UK.
“I’m just trying to protect my
money against any uncertainty,” he
said. BLOOMBERG
Last Friday, for instance, China’s
top agency for Hong Kong accused
Mr Yeung of “glorifying illegal be-
haviour” in a statement denounc-
ing several other high-profile
How the election unfolds may
have big consequences for the fu-
ture of Hong Kong, which has be-
come a key friction point among
China, the US and Britain.
the government would uphold resi-
dents’ right to seek elected office,
while noting that candidates must
sign a declaration to uphold the
law. BLOOMBERG

China death
penalty for
Aussie man
‘may not be
retaliation’
CANBERRA • An Australian
man’s death sentence by a Chi-
nese court for drug smuggling
should not necessarily be seen
as retaliation over tensions be-
tween the two nations, accord-
ing to Trade and Tourism Minis-
ter Simon Birmingham.
The Guangzhou Intermediate
People’s Court announced the
sentencing of Cam Gillespie last
Saturday, Australian Associated
Press reported. He was arrested
with more than 7.5kg of metham-
phetamine in his check-in bag in
2013 while trying to board an in-
ternational flight from Baiyun
Airport in Guangzhou, it said.
The sentencing comes amid in-
creasing signs of a widening rift
between the key trading part-
ners after Australian Prime Min-
ister Scott Morrison led calls for
an independent probe into the
origins of Covid-19. Beijing re-
sponded with verbal attacks, ac-
cusing Australia of doing the bid-
ding of the United States.
Tariffs on Australian barley
and a ban on beef from four
meat producers have raised con-
cerns in Canberra that China is
retaliating with “economic coer-
cion”.
Australia condemns the use of
the death penalty and would con-
tinue to provide consular assis-
tance and make representations
on behalf of Gillespie, Mr Birm-

Tanker truck city of Wenling, showed a large ex-

plosion that appeared to send the
chassis of the truck careening into
people trapped in the residential
and factory buildings, some of
which had collapsed.
appeared to have caught fire before
the explosion.
China has been trying to raise
Rescuers
searching for
survivors in a
ingham said yesterday in a televi-
sion interview with Sky News.
Asked whether the sentence

blast on China nearby buildings.

State news agency Xinhua re-
ported yesterday that there was a
The truck was carrying gas be-
tween two cities on China’s east
coast, Ningbo and Wenzhou, and
safety standards in the gas and
chemical industries after deadly ex-
plosions at a number of plants in re-
building
damaged by a
tanker explosion
was retaliation over bilateral ten-
sions, Mr Birmingham said: “We
shouldn’t necessarily view it as

highway kills 19 second blast when the truck fell

BEIJING • Nineteen people died
and more than 170 were injured in
the eastern Chinese province of
Zhejiang over the weekend after a
truck carrying liquefied gas ex-
ploded on a highway.
Videos of the accident, near the
onto a workshop near the express-
way after the first explosion which
took place the day before.
Other footage picked up by Chi-
nese state news outlets showed
charred facades of nearby buildings
with their windows blown out by
the shock wave, and flaming wreck-
age sending up thick black plumes
into the sky.
Chinese state news outlets said
rescue workers were searching for
was exiting the highway when the
accident occurred, according to the
state-run Zhejiang News.
The accident shut down traffic on
the highway in both directions.
Other videos showed cars nearby
on fire. A local official said the
cause of the crash and explosion
was being investigated.
More than 100 rescue personnel
and 34 firetrucks had been called to
the scene. Video picked up by state
news outlets showed that the truck
cent years.
Over the past two decades China
has built an extensive highway net-
work, and the number of vehicles
on it has grown rapidly.
That has driven problems with
road safety that the government
has sought to address in sporadic
safety campaigns.
More than 200,000 Chinese die
each year in road accidents, accord-
ing to the World Health Organisa-
tion. NYTIMES, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
near Wenling, in
China’s eastern
Zhejiang
such.”
China has made extensive use
of the death penalty and carried
province, last out sentences on citizens from
Saturday. the Philippines, Japan and other
PHOTO: AGENCE parts of the world, he said.
FRANCE-PRESSE Mr Birmingham reiterated his
desire to visit China for talks
when appropriate and said Aus-
tralia was continuing to make
representations at an official
and diplomatic level on a range
of issues. BLOOMBERG
A14 WORLD | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |

S. Korea yet to zoom in Germany

on net-zero emissions goal
Govt turns focus to economic
recovery in wake of virus crisis
Chang May Choon
South Korea Correspondent
In Seoul
Hopes have been high for months
that the administration of South Ko-
rean President Moon Jae-in would
back grand plans by the ruling
Democratic Party to achieve net-
zero carbon dioxide emissions by
2050, becoming the first country in
East Asia to pledge so.
But the first concrete details of
the “Green New Deal” unveiled on
June 1 were instead aimed at boost-
ing economic recovery after the
coronavirus pandemic, with the
government setting aside 12.9 tril-
lion won (S$14.9 billion) to create
133,000 jobs by 2022, build eco-
friendly infrastructure and expand
renewable energy sources.
Climate activists are upset at the
shortfall in commitment to decar-
bonise the world’s seventh-biggest
greenhouse gas emitter.
Mr Daul Jang, advocacy specialist
of the Greenpeace East Asia non-
governmental organisation, said
the announcements are “clearly
not sufficient to be considered as
‘green’, ‘new’ or ‘deal’”.
Lawmaker Lee The plan also did not set a clear vi-
So-young, who sion for net-zero emissions and
drafted the “lacks a clear road map”, he told
Democratic The Straits Times.
Party’s green Mr Kim Joo-jin, managing direc-
manifesto, is tor of non-profit group Solutions
confident about For Our Climate, said the Green
leading New Deal “looks like a repacking of
discussions on already existing plans and policies”.
climate change “What should have gone in were
in Parliament, commitments made in the Demo-
but admitted it cratic Party’s pre-election Green
will be a New Deal manifesto, including a
challenge to commitment to net-zero (emis-
change public sions) by 2050 and end the financ-
attitudes. ing of coal power,” he told ST.
“The current situation is very rem-
iniscent of the Lee Myung-bak ad-
ministration’s grandiose green
growth commitment – and failure
to curb Korea’s emissions – a
decade ago.”
In a move mirroring that of the
United States and Japan, South Ko-
rea had in 2009 announced an ini-
tiative aimed at creating 960,000
new jobs by investing 50 trillion
won in green businesses over the
next four years.
It turned out to be an ecological
disaster, with Lee’s signature four-
rivers restoration project plagued
by accusations of water pollution
and corruption.
Eleven years on, a fresh deal was
brought to the forefront by green ac-
tivist-turned-lawmaker Lee So-
young. Inspired by a 2006 docu-
mentary about climate change by
former US vice-president Al Gore,
she has made it her life mission to
“raise voices about the problems of
climate change and find solutions”.
Joining the Democratic Party in
January, Ms Lee drafted the party’s
green manifesto, unveiled in
March, with a clause on reducing
carbon emissions to net-zero by
2050 – an ambitious goal that is al-
ready endorsed by the European
Union, Canada and New Zealand.
“Before this, South Korea never
announced any long-term goals to
cut emissions,” she told ST.
“But that must be our future desti-
nation, and we need to set our vi-
sion before we can start to reshape
our society.”
Ms Lee, a lawyer, is confident
about leading discussions on cli-
mate change in Parliament over her
four-year term, but also admitted
that it will be a challenge to change
public attitudes.
About 40 per cent of South Ko-
rea’s electricity comes from coal
and there are seven new coal power
plants being built, she noted.
It might also be tough to increase
the 3 per cent to 4 per cent share of
renewable energies such as solar
and wind power, as there is a false
but widespread perception perpetu-
ated by the opposition that such en-
ergies could pose hidden health
and environmental hazards, she
added.
Many key industries in South Ko-
rea are also heavily dependent on
fossil fuel, making it hard for compa-
nies to go green. In fact, the govern-
ment recently had to bail out
Doosan Heavy Industries & Con-
struction, which makes coal power
plant equipment, with US$3 billion
(S$4.2 billion) of public funds.
Mr Kim of Solutions For Our Cli-
mate stressed the need for South
Korea to end coal financing, noting
that the country is heavily criticised
for being one of the largest fi-
nanciers of coal plants in South-
east Asia.
“Even Al Gore sent a letter to Pres-
ident Moon saying it’d be good if he
got rid of coal financing,” he added.
Despite the ruling party’s land-
slide victory, with 180 out of 300
seats in the April elections, Mr Jang
of Greenpeace said it will not be as
easy a task as expected for South Ko-
rea to achieve net-zero emissions
by 2050 as it requires “drastic sys-
tem changes”.
But he is “cautiously optimistic”
that discussion on the Green New
Deal will continue as President
Moon has shown a clear will to sup-
Demonstrators port it. “We see there is a chance of
at a “Korea Not making the Green New Deal bigger
Coalrea” rally in and stronger to tackle the global cli-
front of the mate emergency,” he added.
South Korean Ms Lee also gave the assurance
Embassy in that “there is much more to the
Jakarta last Green New Deal” that is still being
October, calling discussed, with details about mis-
on South Korean sion and objectives to be an-
financiers not to nounced next month. Parliament is
support a also working on a legislative Bill for
coal-fired power the deal, she added.
plant expansion “Net-zero is not really a choice,”
project in she said. “The government should
Cilegon in start by adopting it as a policy direc-
Indonesia’s tive, then design and implement
Banten province. policy measures upon it.
PHOTO: “At this point, I believe consen-
COURTESY sus-building is an imperative task
OF DHEMAS and I will continue to communicate
REVIYANTO, with the government and the pub-
TREND ASIA lic in general, to persuade (them of)
the need for the net-zero target.”
changmc@sph.com.sg
‘to unblock’
path to
2030 goals
for green
energy
FRANKFURT • Germany is set to
seal deals to remove two stum-
bling blocks that might have pre-
vented Berlin from hitting its tar-
get for green energy to reach 65
per cent of production by 2030.
Documents seen by Reuters
last Friday show that Chancellor
Angela Merkel’s government
has made renewable energy a pil-
lar of Germany’s post-coron-
avirus economic recovery plans
and Berlin is stepping up the
pace ahead of the parliamentary
summer break and its European
Union presidency.
A draft of an addendum to a
law on energy in buildings
shows the removal of a solar ca-
pacity cap of 52 gigawatts and a
general rule to build wind tur-
bines 1,000m away from homes
are set to be passed at a Cabinet
meeting on Thursday.
The factors had contributed to
concerns among investors in so-
lar energy, as the cap was fast be-
ing approached, as well as a
sharp fall in the building of on-
shore wind power.
The draft shows that the final
decision on the minimum dis-
tance between homes and tur-
bines will be left up to Ger-
many’s 16 state governments, un-
blocking a stalemate.
Germany submitted a 10-year
energy and climate plan to the
EU last Thursday, and also ap-
proved a hydrogen strategy and
cuts in consumer bills in support
of renewable subsidies.
The country’s solar energy in-
vestments grew by 15 per cent to
around US$3.4 billion (S$4.7 bil-
lion) last year, but wind turbine
financing fell by 68 per cent to
US$1 billion, a UN-backed global
report showed. REUTERS

Sri Lanka puts health measures to the test with mock polls
A polling officer handing a voter a
ballot paper during a mock election
in Negombo, Sri Lanka, last Saturday.
Sri Lanka is conducting a series of
mock polls across the country to test
new health measures that will be
implemented at polling booths and
counting centres.
The exercise will also acquaint
people with how to vote safely under
the social distancing regulations.
The country’s parliamentary
elections will be held on Aug 5, more
than three months late, after they
were postponed due to the
coronavirus pandemic.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput dies at 34
MUMBAI • A young Bollywood
heartthrob lauded for his portrayal
of cricket star M.S. Dhoni on the sil-
ver screen has died, Mumbai police
said yesterday.
“Police found Sushant Singh Ra-
jput’s body at his residence on Sun-
day afternoon,” said police
spokesman Pranaya Ashok, con-
firming that the 34-year-old had
taken his own life.
Rajput, renowned for his numer-
ous hits on the big and small
screens, had reportedly battled de-
pression. He died just a few days af-
ter the shock death of his former
manager Disha Salian.
“It pains us to share that Sushant
Singh Rajput is no longer with us,”
Rajput’s management team said in
a statement. “We request his fans to
keep him in their thoughts and cele-
brate his life and his work like they
have done so far.”
“This is just so shocking. A won-
derful talent. RIP Sushant,” actor
Abhishek Bachchan tweeted.
“I will miss him so much,” Bolly-
wood superstar Shah Rukh Khan
said in a Twitter post, alongside a
selfie with Rajput. “His energy, en-
thusiasm and his full happy smile.”
Fellow star Akshay Kumar wrote
on Twitter that he was “shocked
and speechless... may God give
strength to his family”.
HELPLINES
Samaritans of Singapore:
1800-221-4444 (24 hours)
Mental Health Helpline:
6389-2222 (24 hours)
Singapore Association for
Mental Health: 1800-283-7019
Tinkle Friend (for primary
school-aged children):
1800-274-4788
Bollywood is still struggling to
come to terms with the loss of two
luminaries, Irrfan Khan and Rishi
Kapoor, in April.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra
Modi also expressed shock over the
death of Rajput. “A bright young ac-
tor gone too soon... His rise in the
world of entertainment inspired
many and he leaves behind several
memorable performances,” Mr
Modi said on Twitter.
Earlier this month, 42-year-old
Wajid Khan, one of the top com-
posers of Bollywood dance songs,
died after contracting the coron-
avirus, according to media reports.
Celebrated filmmaker Basu Chat-
terjee also died earlier this month,
at the age of 90.
Rajput, born in Patna in the east-
ern state of Bihar, quit his studies in
engineering to pursue a career in
acting and dance.
He got his big break in Bollywood
in 2013 with Kai Po Che!, a film about
cricket, love and politics that won ac-
claim at the Berlin Film Festival. His
most recent films were the comedy-
drama Chhichhore and action movie
Drive, both released last year.
In 2016, Rajput told Agence
France-Presse of the emotional
roller-coaster he went through film-
ing the biopic of Indian cricket hero
Dhoni. The movie, M.S. Dhoni: The
Untold Story, included retelling the
death of the retired skipper’s for-
mer girlfriend. He said: “It was very
difficult because, after we did the
preparation, in my head I was him
and everything that was happening Mumbai police confirmed Sushant
was actually affecting me.” Singh Rajput had taken his own life.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
A Wendy’s restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia, was set on fire last Saturday, following the police shooting death of 27-year-old black man Rayshard Brooks outside the outlet the previous day. Images on local
television showed the restaurant in flames for more than 45 minutes before fire crews, protected by a line of police officers, arrived to extinguish the blaze. PHOTO: REUTERS
Protesters burn Atlanta restaurant
after black man shot dead by police
Incident caught on video fuels unrest in US
city; police chief resigns in wake of shooting
ATLANTA (Georgia) • Demonstra-
tors shut down a major highway in
the US city of Atlanta last Saturday
and set fire to a Wendy’s restaurant
where a black man was shot by po-
lice as he tried to escape arrest, an
incident caught on video and sure
to fuel more nationwide protests.
The unrest broke out after dark in
Atlanta, where earlier in the day
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said
she had accepted the resignation of
police chief Erika Shields over the
death last Friday night of 27-year-
old Rayshard Brooks at the fast-
food outlet.
Deputy chief Rodney Bryant, a
black man, will serve as interim
chief. The police department has
terminated the service of the offi-
A fight between protesters supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and
their opponents in central London last Saturday. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Second
week of
global
protests
against
racism
cer who allegedly shot and killed
Mr Brooks, police spokesman Car-
los Campos confirmed late on Satur-
day. Another officer involved in the
incident has been put on adminis-
trative leave.
The authorities have not yet re-
leased the names of the two offi-
cers. Both of them are white.
Images on local television show
the restaurant in flames for more
than 45 minutes before fire crews,
protected by a line of police offi-
cers, arrived to extinguish the
blaze. By that time, the building,
next to a petrol station, had been re-
duced to charred rubble.
Other demonstrators marched
onto Interstate 75, stopping traffic,
before police used a line of squad
LONDON/PARIS • Thousands took
to the streets in cities worldwide
for a second week of rallies to sup-
port the Black Lives Matter move-
ment in the US, but also to highlight
problems in their own countries.
There were rallies in cities across
Europe last Saturday, with thou-
sands demonstrating in France,
and clashes breaking out in Paris
and the south-eastern city of Lyon.
Yesterday, thousands in Tokyo
took part in a march, calling for an
end to racial discrimination and po-
lice abuse in the US.
In London, police arrested sev-
eral far-right demonstrators.
The international rallies come in
the wake of the killing last month of
black American George Floyd by a
white police officer in Minneapolis.
At the end of a rally in Paris, po-
lice stopped people from launching
a march through the streets of the
French capital, firing tear gas after
cars to hold them back.
“I do not believe that this was a
justified use of deadly force and
have called for the immediate termi-
nation of the officer,” Mayor Bot-
toms said at a news conference.
Mr Brooks was the father of a
young daughter who was celebrat-
ing her birthday on Saturday, his
lawyers said.
His death from a police bullet
came after more than two weeks of
demonstrations in major cities
across the United States in the
name of Mr George Floyd, a
46-year-old black man who died on
May 25 under the knee of a Minne-
apolis police officer.
Street protests broke out in At-
lanta near the scene of the shoot-
ing, with more than 100 people call-
ing for the officers to be charged
criminally in the case.
Police had earlier been called to
the Wendy’s outlet over reports
A protester in the Japanese capital Tokyo showing her solidarity with the Black
Lives Matter movement in the US. PHOTO: REUTERS
some protesters pelted them with
projectiles. In Lyon, police used wa-
ter cannon and tear gas at the end
of a demonstration attended by
about 2,000 people.
The Paris rally was called by a
pressure group campaigning for jus-
tice for Mr Adama Traore, a young
black man who died in police cus-
tody in 2016. Mr Traore’s sister, Ms
Assa Traore, one of the driving
forces of the group, called on those
attending the rally to “denounce
the denial of justice, denounce so-
cial, racial, police violence”.
The rallies in France came at the
end of a week when the police
watchdog revealed it had received
almost 1,500 complaints against of-
ficers last year – half of them for al-
leged violence.
In London, far-right protesters
clashed with police in the city cen-
tre after gathering to counter an
anti-racism march. Thousands of
that Mr Brooks had fallen asleep in
the drive-through line. Officers at-
tempted to take him into custody af-
ter he failed a field sobriety test, ac-
cording to the Georgia Bureau of In-
vestigation (GBI).
Video images shot by a bystander
capture Mr Brooks struggling with
two officers on the ground outside
Wendy’s before breaking free and
running across the carpark with
what appears to be a police Taser in
his hand.
A second videotape from the
restaurant’s cameras shows Mr
Brooks turning as he runs and possi-
bly aiming the Taser at the pursuing
officers before one of them fires his
gun and Mr Brooks falls to the
ground.
Lawyers for the Brooks’ family
told reporters that Atlanta police
had no right to use deadly force
even if he had fired the Taser, a
non-lethal weapon, in their direc-
people defied anti-coronavirus
rules to assemble around Parlia-
ment Square. Footage on television
news channels showed some agita-
tors throwing punches, bottles and
smoke bombs at officers as well as
fighting with rival protesters.
British Prime Minister Boris John-
son condemned the violence, say-
ing “racist thuggery has no place on
our streets”.
A London protest by the Black
Lives Matter group originally
planned for Saturday had been
switched to Friday to avoid clashes
with counter-protesters. But sev-
eral hundred Black Lives Matter ac-
tivists nevertheless demonstrated
on Saturday in London.
Anti-racism protests went ahead
in other British cities, including
Brighton in the south and Liverpool
in the north.
In Switzerland, thousands
marched in several cities, with the
tion. “You can’t shoot somebody un-
less they are pointing a gun at you,”
attorney Chris Stewart said.
Fulton County District Attorney
Paul Howard Jr said in a statement
that his office “has already
launched an intense, independent
investigation of the incident” while
it awaits the findings of the GBI.
Meanwhile, the US embassy in
the South Korean capital Seoul
draped a huge Black Lives Matter
banner on its building and tweeted
a picture of it in support of the anti-
racism campaign across the US.
“The US Embassy stands in soli-
darity with fellow Americans griev-
ing and peacefully protesting to de-
mand positive change.
“Our #BlackLivesMatter banner
shows our support for the fight
against racial injustice and police
brutality as we strive to be a more in-
clusive & just society,” the embassy
tweeted on Saturday. .REUTERS
Smoke bombs erupting over riot police during a rally against racism and police
brutality in the French city of Marseille. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
largest gathering in Zurich, where
10,000 people turned out.
Police said one officer was hurt af-
ter a few hundred hard-left ac-
tivists there began throwing projec-
tiles. They made several arrests. Ear-
lier last week, around 10,000
marched against racism in Geneva.
In Germany, around 2,000 rallied
in the southern city of Stuttgart, the
DPA news agency reported. In the
north, another 500 turned out in
Lubeck and 250 in Hamburg. There
were no reports of any trouble.
Over in Australia, thousands
turned out in several cities for the
second weekend running, despite
official warnings that demonstra-
tions would undermine the coun-
try’s success in suppressing the
coronavirus. The biggest protest
was in Perth, Western Australia.
Many protesters carried signs
such as “Stop deaths in custody”
and “White Australia stop lying to
WORLD A15
Google to
investigate
missing
photo of
Churchill
LONDON • Google yesterday
said it would look into the disap-
pearance of World War II British
leader Winston Churchill’s
photo from a top search results
list of the country’s former
prime ministers, amid contro-
versy over his record on racism.
The search giant said the re-
moval of Churchill’s photo from
its horizontal list atop search re-
sults for former British premiers
was due to an automatic update
and “not purposeful”, but apolo-
gised “for any concern”. It noted
that the issue applied only to its
so-called “knowledge graph” list-
ing and that many images of
Churchill were still easily found
on its search engine.
“We’re aware an image for Sir
Winston Churchill is missing
from his knowledge graph entry
on Google,” the firm’s search liai-
son arm said on Twitter.
“We apologise for any con-
cern. This was not purposeful &
will be resolved. Images in such
panels are automatically created
& updated. During an update,
they can briefly disappear.”
The statement added that the
photo would be restored to the
list as rapidly as possible.
“We’ll want to explore exactly
why an automatic update caused
it to disappear & see if there are
any improvements in those sys-
tems to address.”
However, the change pro-
voked a swift backlash on social
media. “Mind blowing if this is
deliberate policy, @Google,”
said Conservative lawmaker Si-
mon Clarke. “Western Europe
would almost certainly be en-
slaved if it wasn’t for the man
whose photo is now absent.”
Britain’s WWII prime minister
became engulfed in controversy
after a Black Lives Matter
protest in central London last
weekend led to his statue being
defaced with the word “racist”.
The vandalism was widely con-
demned but Churchill critics
also argue he was consistently
bigoted and discriminatory to
non-whites during his lengthy
political career.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson,
who wrote a biography of
Churchill, has called his target-
ing “absurd and shameful” and
said anti-racism protests have
been “hijacked by extremists”.
Thousands of self-styled “patri-
ots”, backed by far-right groups,
assembled in central London
last Saturday vowing to guard
statues and memorials there.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
yourselves”, highlighting the
deaths of more than 400 indige-
nous people in custody over the last
three decades.
Smaller protests for Aboriginal
rights were held in Darwin, capital
of the Northern Territory, and
towns in neighbouring Queensland
– both regions with numerous in-
digenous communities.
In Asia, hundreds gathered in a
Taipei park with some holding
signs with slogans such as “This is a
movement, not a moment”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin
yesterday criticised the anti-racism
protests in the US for sparking
crowd violence, in his first com-
ments on the issue.
“If this fight for natural rights, le-
gal rights, turns into mayhem and ri-
oting, I see nothing good for the
country,” Mr Putin said in an inter-
view with Rossiya-1 television.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
A16 | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |

THE STRAITS TIMES

Ng Yat Chung Warren Fernandez Zakir Hussain News Editor

SPH Chief Executive Officer
Anthony Tan
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Ignatius Low Chief Marketing Officer
Glen Francis Chief Technology
Officer
Chua Wee Phong Executive
Vice-President (Circulation)
Editor-in-Chief
(English/Malay/Tamil Media Group)
and The Straits Times Editor
Sumiko Tan
The Straits Times Executive Editor
Dominic Nathan
Managing Editor
(English/Malay/Tamil Media Group)
Helen Chia, Paul Jacob, Rahul Pathak,
Lim Chuan Huat, Ravi Velloor,
Vikram Khanna Associate Editors
Paul Cheong, Abdul Hafiz
Print Editors
Ong Hwee Hwee Digital Editor
Karamjit Kaur
Transport and Housing Editor
Li Xueying Enterprise Editor
Jeremy Au Yong Foreign Editor
Susan Long Lifestyle Editor
Lee Yulin Sports Editor
Chua Mui Hoong, Audrey Quek
Opinion Editors
Peter Williams Art Editor
Stephanie Yeow Photo Editor
Mathew Pereira Forum Editor

The Straits Times says

Stemming a tide of misinformation

A
s misleading information continues to pour out
on social media platforms, restraints must neces-
sarily be applied. Last week, Twitter took down
tens of thousands of accounts that it said were
broadcasting “manipulative” Chinese narratives
on the coronavirus and Hong Kong protests. Two
weeks earlier, Twitter flagged as dubious two
posts by United States President Donald Trump
on mail-in voting. It also hid another tweet that it
said glorified violence. The same post, however,
could be viewed unfettered on Facebook which
continues to catch criticism for its refusal to
administer fact checks on posts by politicians and
on political advertisements. Between them, the
two social media giants host hundreds of millions
of posts per day. The sheer volume means that
fake or incendiary posts filter past their modera-
tors, both human and algorithmic.
The last high tide in fake news occurred in 2016
when it is thought to have influenced the
outcomes of the US presidential election and the
Brexit vote. Now, amid the pandemic, a travesty is
being inflicted in the form of false cures, anti-vac-
cination propaganda and conspiracy theories
related to the coronavirus. In March and April,
Facebook flagged nearly 90 million pieces of con-
tent related to Covid-19 as misinformation. Twit-
ter has challenged more than 4.3 million accounts
over similar concerns. The virus is seen as the
biggest phishing bait yet. Google blocks nearly 18
million scam e-mails on the topic every day.
The region has also seen a surge in Covid-19-
related fake news cases. Malaysia is investigating
179 such incidents while 30 are before courts. In-
donesia and India have made scores of arrests
over virus-related claims. In Singapore, around
40 instances of speculation, rumours, and out-
right falsehoods about the coronavirus have been
debunked by the Government since January. The
purveyors of falsehoods, both Singaporeans and
foreigners, based here and overseas, were asked
to place factual corrections alongside their false
claims under the Protection from Online False-
hoods and Manipulation Act. This approach seeks
to balance the right of expression with the no less
important consideration for the veracity and relia-
bility of public information.
With Singapore likely to face a general election
soon, Facebook has removed accounts that in-
fringed its content rules which include the use of
fake accounts for influence operations conducted
by foreign governments, while Twitter has
banned political advertisements and Google will
not accept them in Singapore. Facebook will re-
quire those who run advertisements on its plat-
form to disclose who is responsible for the ads.
These efforts are necessary. Misinformation can-
not be allowed to undermine matters of security,
harmony between communities or trifle with the
way citizens think, feel, decide and act.

GlobalAffairs

The problem with toppling statues

Instead of pushing historical figures off their
pedestals, consider what Singapore did
during the bicentennial year in dealing with
Raffles’ place in its history
continent. And such destructive
movements never produce any
good.
And there are better ways of
dealing with such emotions;
protesters in Europe or North
America should look only at how
Singapore continues to handle such
Jonathan Eyal thorny historic questions without
violence, while also not
Global Affairs Correspondent compromising on moral principles.
There is no doubt that, if you are a
black person in the US and find
They were once feted as pioneers, yourself walking down the famed
leaders who created empires and Monument Avenue in Richmond,
powerful nations, worthy Virginia, lined up with statues of all
characters of worship by their the Confederate leaders who
successors. Some of their statues plunged the country into a civil war
stood on their pedestals for in order to defend their “right” to
centuries in city squares and other own slaves, you would not only be
central locations, seen by millions deeply hurt, but you’d also be
of passers-by and pointed to wondering why such people are
reverentially by parents and still standing on plinths in the 21st
teachers of successive generations century.
of schoolchildren. The same applies to British black
Now, however, the statues are people going past statues of those
being toppled. And this is not just who created the empire,
the fate of a relatively unknown monuments still adorned with
individual such as Edward Colston, praising captions such as a “The
a 17th-century wealthy trader Conqueror of Natal” or the “Victor
whose statue stood for 125 years in of Magdala”.
the heart of the English city of And what is one to say to Belgian
Bristol, only to be ripped out now citizens of African origins passing
by demonstrators objecting to his daily by the gigantic statue of King
role in the slave trade. Leopold II, who not merely
And it is not just a single episode colonised the Congo but also used
in a corner of England. Neither the colony as his private property,
Italian explorer Christopher sanctioning the murder and
Columbus in the United States nor mutilation of millions? Why is he
his British counterpart James Cook still standing near the headquarters
in Australia is spared as of the European Union, astride his
demonstrators and activists around huge horse, still supposedly
the world agitate for statues to be revered as “King of the Belgians”?
removed.
Even Winston Churchill, Britain’s SYMBOL OF CHANGE
venerated wartime leader, rated in Undoubtedly, the act of toppling
every national poll as the greatest statues has a huge symbolic effect –
Briton to have ever lived, is now it is a visible sign of radical change,
endangered. His statue opposite of not only the collapse of a slab of
Big Ben in the heart of London was marble or bronze, but also of a
defaced with obscenities and is political system.
now boarded up by the police in The first thing revolutionaries in
order to prevent further damage. France did after toppling King
According to the promoters of Louis XVI in 1792 was to topple or
this wave of destruction, the age of melt down the statues of his royal
colonialism, racial oppression and ancestors. The American
war which many of these people – revolutionaries did the same with
invariably men, of course – stood statues of the British king.
for should not be merely So did the people of Eastern
condemned, but erased; their Europe, after they shook off
statues must not be allowed to communism in the late 1980s; the
stand, for merely having them first to go were the statues of their
upright is an insult to the memory communist dictators and their
of their victims. Soviet occupiers. And the most
Most of the activists promoting iconic image of the US-led invasion
this destruction are not hooligans; of Iraq in 2003 remains, of course,
they genuinely find the statues the sight of Saddam Hussein’s
deeply offensive. statue collapsing.
But sincerely held opinions can On every occasion, the message
still be dead wrong. For the reality was unmistakable: a decisive,
remains that the ritual and mass sudden and irrevocable break with
destruction of statues and images – the past.
whether because they represented Still, those currently pushing for
gods and saints no longer the destruction of monuments are
acceptable or were either deemed operating in a very different
pagan or religious – is a recurring political environment, one in which
theme in human history, in every the decision to remove a statue can
Is there a way of satisfying
the real sense of historic
injustice which some
people feel about past
historic figures without
descending into wanton
vandalism? There certainly
is, as Singapore has shown.
be made through the normal
political process rather than
through violence.
And although the current
demonstrators claim to represent a
new and refreshing mood of
change, the truth is that
controversial monuments have
already been subjected to political
debates for a long period of time.
Take Colston, the English slave
owner whose statue was first
toppled in this current wave of
violence. Over the past two years,
Bristol’s local authorities have been
discussing the possibility of adding
at the bottom of Colston’s statue an
explanation about his involvement
in slavery, one which would
present Colston in a different light
and would have replaced the
existing plaque which praises him
as “virtuous and wise”.
However, the local authorities
could not agree on what the plaque
should say, and Mr Marvin Rees,
Bristol’s mayor, decided that he
had more important matters to deal
with. “I could have expended a lot
of political capital on a statue,
entering into a symbolic act. But
that would not have actually fed,
clothed, or paid any bills for people
in Bristol,” said Mr Rees.
Perhaps his decision was wrong.
But that does not give a few
hundred demonstrators the right to
impose their own decision by force,
especially since nobody could
accuse Bristol’s local leader of
being unaware of race sensitivities.
For Mr Rees is Britain’s first
directly elected black mayor. In
effect, therefore, those who
toppled the statue in Bristol
decided that their views mattered
more and should be imposed on
others.
COMPLEX FIGURES
The movement to destroy
monuments also tends to promote
a single view of past personalities, a
– no pun intended –
black-and-white perspective in
which people are either wholly
good or entirely bad, and therefore
should be remembered or
expunged from history.
And that’s simply nonsense, for
most historic figures have their
achievements and warts, and the
question is one of balance.
It is a fact, for instance, that
Churchill had a dim view of some
“natives” in the colonies; he
referred to Mahatma Gandhi, for
instance, as a “half-naked fakir”.
Churchill was also behind the
carpet bombing of rebellious Iraqi
tribes in the 1920s and German
cities in the 1940s and, of course, a
horrible famine in India.
Incidentally, the British leader is
not much loved in Eastern Europe
either, for his part in consigning the
eastern part of the continent to
Soviet domination.
Yet none of this should obscure
the fact that Churchill’s leadership
defeated a much bigger evil, a Nazi
monster for whom the
extermination of people as a race
was an article of faith. It is
interesting to note that neither
Indians nor Germans nor East
Europeans are among those
seeking to deface Churchill’s statue
in London, and some of those who
did engage in vandalism had little
idea of who Churchill really was: “I
have not met Churchill personally,”
explained a young demonstrator at
the site, seemingly oblivious to the
fact that Churchill died in 1965.
The same applies to the
campaigns against Cook in
Australia or Columbus in the US.
Undoubtedly, their so-called
“discovery” of Australia and the
Americas heralded the start of
horrible colonial episodes. But it
also transformed the world,
expanding knowledge and
economic progress.
Furthermore, their failings – and
the crimes committed by the
colonialists who came after them –
are now widely acknowledged and
documented. The celebration of
Columbus Day in the US is now
increasingly challenged, while the
Latin Americans have long marked
Oct 12, the day of Columbus’
landing in the Americas, as the
“Day of the Race”, the seminal
event where different races were
forced to mingle. So, what purpose
is achieved by pulling their statues
down, when their significance and
their historic context are already
being reinterpreted?
Besides, where does one stop in
the quest to settle scores? Those
who consider Churchill a monster
because of the way he treated India
may be interested to know that a
petition is now making the rounds
in Britain to remove a statue of
Gandhi from the English city of
Leicester. More than 5,000 have
signed the petition accusing one of
the world’s greatest humanitarians
of “well-documented anti-black
racism” – a reference to his
comments about Africans during
his early years in South Africa.
Is there a way of satisfying the
real sense of historic injustice
which some people feel about past
historic figures without descending
into wanton vandalism? There
certainly is, as Singapore has
shown.
RECASTING HISTORY
Sir Stamford Raffles was neither a
democrat nor a believer in a
multiracial society. So, upon
Singapore’s independence, the
easiest thing would have been to
have him removed; that, after all, is
what many former British colonies
did to statues of their old founders
or rulers.
But instead, he was set into a new
context, recast for a new Singapore
and, last year, as part of the
Singapore Bicentennial, Raffles’
statue was joined by those of four
other historic leaders of local
communities: Sang Nila Utama, Tan
Tock Seng, Munshi Abdullah and
Naraina Pillai.
A similar approach was taken to
the Victoria Theatre and Concert
Hall, which had its British coat of
arms removed from the facade to
be replaced by Singapore’s, but
recently had the old British crown
restored to its roof.
None of these suggest for one
moment either a nostalgia for the
empire or an inability to deal with
past historic wrongs. Indeed, it is
precisely the opposite: They suggest
a confidence in a nation’s ability to
take a critical look at its history and
recast it for today’s generations.
And the same should be done in
the US and Europe: reinterpreting
the significance of old monuments
or augmenting them with new
ones, rather than simply trying to
destroy them in an effort to erase
the past.
Mr Barack Obama, the former US
president and the first
African-American to break through
what was considered an
insurmountable barrier, recently
warned those who sought to make
change by being “as judgmental as
possible about other people” and by
assuming that that’s enough.
“If all you’re doing is casting
stones”, said Mr Obama, “you’re
probably not going to get that far”.
jonathan.eyal@gmail.com
| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
US stands with its partners for
a free and open Indo-Pacific
It will work to build closer security
relationships with regional allies and
partners amid challenges posed by Covid-19
and the Chinese Communist Party
Mark Esper
For The Straits Times
As an Indo-Pacific nation, the
United States is committed to
ensuring the region remains free
and open for all, and upholding the
rules and norms that have secured
prosperity for nations of all sizes.
In the year since the Department
of Defence released the
Indo-Pacific Strategy Report, we
have made great strides across the
three pillars of our strategy:
preparedness, strengthening
partnerships, and promoting a
more networked region – but
there is still much more work to be
done.
First, under preparedness, we are
prioritising investments that
modernise our force and
A statue of Christopher Columbus with the head pulled off overnight last week in Boston, Massachusetts, amid protests
against racial inequality in the United States in the aftermath of a black man’s death in police custody. PHOTO: REUTERS
We bemoan statues
– but cling to heroes
Janan Ganesh
To stroll my neighbourhood is to
encounter Abraham Lincoln,
Mahatma Gandhi, Alexander
Pushkin, assorted generals and a
weirdly recumbent Albert
Einstein. Few cities have as many
as statues per capita as Washington
(Vienna, perhaps?) – but then
hardly any do entirely without
them. As much as architecture and
urban planning vary, the sculptural
heroisation of people seems to hold
across the world.
Even those who would topple,
deface or merely petition against
some of them can often tell you
which other figures should stand in
their stead. In that sense, if no
other, the two sides of the statue
debate are as one. They both
believe that individual agency is the
motor of the world. The question is
which individuals to venerate.
It is now 180 years since Thomas
Carlyle advanced his “great man”
theory of history. It is the
exceptional human who
determines the course of events, he
said, and not the impersonal trends
of economics, ideas and technology.
We cannot say, for instance, that
post-revolution France, in all its
mayhem, would have swung
pendulously back to order.
This stress on the individual was
strengthen deterrence, as
demonstrated by the largest
research and development budget
in the department’s history. While
we develop advanced technologies
such as hypersonic weapons, 5G
and artificial intelligence, we are
also investing in platforms critical
to the Indo-Pacific theatre, such as
submarines, B-21 stealth bombers,
P-8 maritime patrol aircraft,
unmanned underwater and
surface vehicles, long-range
precision munitions and a new
class of frigates.
Moreover, we are modernising
the way we fight by developing a
new joint warfighting doctrine for
the 21st century, and implementing
novel concepts such as distributed
maritime operations and
expeditionary advanced base
operations. These efforts prepare
our military for future conflicts that
we hope we won’t need to fight, but
contentious even at the time. After
Marx, who saw the future as all but
written, it came to be viewed as
almost primitive. “History from
below” – the doings of the masses –
became more credible. Yet for all
that his argument struggles for
scholarly favour, Carlyle
understood how the rest of us
think. We are a species of
shameless hero-worshippers.
It is there in the
over-remuneration of corporate
executives. The usual justification
– this boss is special, not a
replaceable cog – works too well
too often. It is there in the
proliferation of strongmen. “I
alone can fix it,” said Donald
Trump, in a version of the same
pitch made by leaders from Brasilia
to Manila, to widespread credulity.
We seek out a few people and read
specialness into them. It is even
there in the pyramid structure of
celebrity. With near-zero barriers to
entry, the Internet – and YouTube
especially – had the power to
democratise fame, to spread it
among many. Instead, it has thrown
up a handful of genuine megastars
(KSI, Logan Paul) and a jobbing
mass of vloggers and yoga-mat
reviewers. I doubt that this reflects
the distribution of talent any more
than Hollywood’s pyramid, with its
rare Ryan Goslings and its fat base
of also-rans. More likely, it is a
demand-side problem. We are
must be prepared to win.
Second, we continue to build
closer relationships with our
Indo-Pacific allies and partners
through security cooperation,
information sharing and exercises.
This includes our work with Japan
in the space, cyber, missile
defence, and advanced technology
domains.
It includes our efforts alongside
South Korea to achieve the final,
fully verified denuclearisation of
North Korea and an enduring peace
on the Korean peninsula. It
includes our strong defence trade
and information-sharing with
India. And it includes cooperation
with New Zealand, Thailand and
the Philippines, as well as the
co-development of defence
capabilities, intelligence
cooperation, and close policy
alignment with Australia.
Additionally, we remain
committed to a democratic Taiwan,
and are strengthening our critical
defence partnerships with Asean
member states, in addition to
cultivating robust relationships
with Timor Leste, Papua New
Guinea, Fiji, Tonga and other
Pacific Island nations.
predisposed to seek out a few
people and read specialness into
them. Carlyle got history wrong but
us right.
While there is statuary, there is a
case for it to be more diverse.
Britain’s blue plaques might be a
model to emulate. George Frideric
Handel’s and Jimi Hendrix’s
plaques are on adjacent buildings
in Mayfair.
But real progress will come when
we grow out of the need for
superheroes altogether. The cult of
the great man or woman is rich
with problems. For one thing, it is a
poor way of understanding the
messiness of history. For another,
it often gives bad art a good name.
Think of Jacques-Louis David’s
kitsch vision of Napoleon at the
Alps. Or those biopics (Lincoln,
Gandhi) that we feel shy to call out
for their deathly ponderousness.
And more than that,
hero-worship contradicts the
supposed zeitgeist. It was natural
enough that a Victorian chauvinist,
a believer in brute hierarchies,
would emphasise the outstanding
individual. Carlyle even argued that
studying such people could tease
out one’s own epic potential. The
real wonder is that his outlook
survives into our hyper-democratic
age, when Everyman is so
romanticised and the idea of elites
so roundly traduced.
Deference is over, we assure
ourselves. Wisdom lies in the
masses. We are all potential agents
of change. But then look at all the
inert titans as you roam the city,
and the clamour for yet more and
different ones. We don’t mean a
word of it. FINANCIAL TIMES
A MORE NETWORKED REGION
Finally, under promoting a more
networked region, we are
encouraging Indo-Pacific nations
to expand their own intra-Asian
security relationships and
strengthen their network of
like-minded partners based on
shared principles. India’s capacity
building with Vietnam and
Indonesia is one such example, as
well as our work with Asean to
expand maritime cooperation.
To support all three pillars of our
strategy, the administration looks
forward to working with the US
Congress to establish a Pacific
deterrence initiative that will
prioritise our investments,
maintain a credible deterrent, and
demonstrate an enduring,
whole-of-government
commitment to the region.
At the same time, our efforts in
the Indo-Pacific have prepared us
well to address the Covid-19
pandemic. The US government has
committed more than US$305
million (S$425 million) in
coronavirus relief support for our
Asian and Pacific partners, as part
of the more than US$10 billion the
American people have provided
The hydroxychloroquine saga
is just how science works
Faye Flam
The hydroxychloroquine saga
shouldn’t erode public trust in
science – though it should serve as
a reminder not to take any
individual scientist or study too
seriously.
Science in the long haul is
self-correcting, which is why we
have laser surgery and space
stations and telescopes that see to
the dawn of time. It never finds
absolute truth, and it sometimes
trips, but it can right itself and
move on.
After United States President
Donald Trump touted
hydroxychloroquine as a “game
changer” in March, the drug
became the centre of a political
battle that led to retracted papers,
lawsuits and even death threats.
It’s also now the most widely
studied treatment for Covid-19.
It all started with a small French
pilot study that yielded intriguing
results, which sparked some
scientific interest. It may have
ended earlier this month, when
scientists announced that a large
controlled trial of
hydroxychloroquine showed no
benefit.
Though that study has yet to be
published in a peer-reviewed
journal, experts said the study was
credible enough to stop further
research on the drug for treating
advanced cases of the disease.
Studying this drug for Covid-19
wasn’t crazy. The related
compounds, chloroquine and
hydroxychloroquine, had been
proved safe enough to be
prescribed routinely for malaria,
lupus and other conditions. And
they do kill viruses, including
Sars-CoV-2, in a test tube at least.
Hydroxychloroquine had also
been tested against dengue fever;
while it didn’t appear to help, it
seemed reasonable to try it against
the new coronavirus.
However, there were early red
flags. The drug can interfere with
the so-called innate immune
system, says rheumatologist and
biotech founder Arthur Krieg. The
drug interferes with a pathway by
which the body senses invading
viruses and sends in a first line of
attack – compounds called
interferons.
The drug’s potential to dampen
the immune system wasn’t widely
appreciated, says Dr Krieg, who
told me he contacted Dr Anthony
Fauci and people at the US Food
and Drug Administration about his
concerns. That didn’t bode well for
people taking the drug to prevent
infection after possible exposure,
as Mr Trump claimed he was doing
late last month, and others were
doing as part of a clinical trial.
Dr Krieg says his fears were
allayed when a new study in The
New England Journal of Medicine
concluded there was no protective
effect, but also no obvious harm.
OPINION
that will benefit the global
Covid-19 response.
Our collective battle against the
virus, marked by new challenges
and missions for our personnel, has
reinforced the importance of a
rules-based international order
rooted in transparency, openness
and shared values. It has
demonstrated the importance of
resilient defence supply chains and
securing access to our nation’s
critical resources, from
pharmaceuticals to semiconductor
chip manufacturing, in times of
uncertainty. The virus has also
shown us how far some are willing
to go to shift blame, sow confusion
and exploit a crisis, instead of
collaborating in good faith to aid
recovery.
THE CCP THREAT
No one is more familiar with the
Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP)
extensive history of malign
activities than its neighbours in the
region. While the US and our
Indo-Pacific allies and partners
work to preserve the free and open
global system, China has tried to
weaken and reshape it, contrary to
our shared values and interests.
The CCP’s destabilising
behaviour in the in the East and
South China Seas, through the
navy, coast guard and maritime
militia, includes attempting to
undermine Japan’s administration
of the Senkaku Islands; harassing
Malaysian and Vietnamese oil and
gas development; sending escorted
fishing fleets into South-east Asian
countries’ claimed exclusive
economic zones; and militarising
occupied features in direct
Hydroxychloroquine has come under
the spotlight after US President
Donald Trump touted the drug as a
“game changer”. PHOTO: REUTERS
The death threats followed a
study that focused on already ill
patients. A group of researchers
studied chloroquine’s effect on
patients in Brazil, Spain and
Mozambique, but had to halt the
trial early after they saw signs of
potential toxicity – including heart
arrhythmias.
The trial used no placebo, but
compared patients getting a high
dose with those getting a lower
one, and saw more deaths and signs
of heart problems in the higher
dose group. (That dose was within
the range considered safe for other
illnesses.) Soon after the authors
posted an unpublished preprint of
their results, they got death threats
and were sued, according to a news
report in The Lancet.
They were allegedly attacked by
conservative bloggers and social
media users, including Mr Eduardo
Bolsonaro, the son of Brazilian
President Jair Bolsonaro.
The results of the trial were later
published on April 24 in the Journal
of the American Medical
Association.
More controversy followed
when another study was retracted
this month. It was not a controlled
trial but an analysis of data from
different hospitals’ electronic
health records. The researchers
claimed to have a huge set of data –
15,000 patients getting the drug
under emergency authorisation
and 81,000 control patients who
didn’t get the drug. That study’s
conclusion, published in The
Lancet on May 22, was that the
drug failed to help patients and
might have killed a few by causing
heart arrhythmias.
Soon, critics started to raise
serious doubts about the validity of
that data, which had been supplied
by a private company called
Surgisphere. Problems included an
erroneous overstatement of the
number of deaths in Australia,
among other things. The lead
researcher asked The Lancet to
retract the paper when Surgisphere
couldn’t supply the data for an audit.
Surgisphere data was used in
another big study that was
retracted at the same time – one
published in The New England
A17
contravention of China’s
commitments under international
law.
In doing so, the CCP has bullied
Asean nations out of access to an
estimated US$2.5 trillion in
offshore oil and gas, in addition to
fishing grounds on which millions
of people in the region depend for
their livelihoods. Simply put,
threatening and intimidating its
neighbours undermines the CCP’s
calls for stability and cooperation
in the South China Sea.
We stand with all of our partners
and allies in the Indo-Pacific, big
and small – and together, we
remain vigilant to resist the CCP’s
efforts to chip away at the
sovereignty of other nations
and undermine international rules
and norms.
The United States’ strategy in the
Indo-Pacific is based upon the core
belief that the values we share
across the region bind us together,
make us stronger and preserve
peace and prosperity.
Together, we must work to
maintain a free and open
Indo-Pacific, and defend these core
principles: respect for sovereignty,
peaceful resolution of disputes,
adherence to international rules
and norms, and the promotion of
free and fair trade and investment.
The United States stands ready
to uphold and reinforce these
values, recognising that they are
not only American principles –
they are universal.
stopinion@sph.com.sg
• Dr Mark Esper is the
US Secretary of Defence.
Journal of Medicine allegedly
showing that certain commonly
used blood pressure medications
did not increase patients’ risk of
death from Covid-19.
Harvard medical professor and
bioinformatics expert Isaac
Kohane says he and his colleagues
were surprised by the data set. He’s
been using electronic health
records too, as part of a sprawling
collaboration across dozens of
hospitals. They are trying to gather
clues as to why some patients get
so severely ill, why some die, and
how to predict and avoid those
deaths. It’s slow, painstaking work,
he says, so he was surprised that
Surgisphere, a company he’d never
heard of, pulled off a “Herculean”
feat of data collection from so
many thousands of patients in
such a short time.
He said he’s worried that the
retraction will reflect badly on
good data science, which he
considers vital for finding side
effects of drugs or devices that
don’t always show up in clinical
trials, and for learning on the fly
during a fast-moving pandemic.
“There are a lot of challenges
with observational data, but when
used correctly, they can be
incredibly helpful,” he says.
Did the political leanings of the
authors and journal editors, or
some enthusiasm for putting Mr
Trump’s claims to rest, lead people
to overlook obvious flaws in the
data?
Perhaps some scientists are
emotionally tied to the idea that
anything Mr Trump said must be
wrong. That’s not rational – but
neither is the insistence on the part
of some conservatives that the
retraction of The Lancet study
shows the drug does work after all.
A retracted study cannot prove a
drug is safe.
The death rate from Covid-19 has
become a political issue as well.
Some researchers doing
widespread surveys reported very
high rates of past infection and,
proportionally, a lower death rate,
which some people interpreted as
reason to treat this disease more
like influenza. Others attacked the
findings as motivated by a vested
interest in preserving the
economy.
In the end, deciding how to
tackle the pandemic isn’t a purely
scientific question. It should be
partly a political process, in that
citizens of a democracy should
have a say in how to balance risk
and the need for normal economic
activity and life.
We can disagree about where to
draw that line, but everyone
should be working with the same
facts – even if sometimes, it takes a
little while to agree on them.
BLOOMBERG.
• Faye Flam is a Bloomberg Opinion
columnist. She has written for The
Economist, The New York Times, The
Washington Post, Psychology Today,
Science and other publications.
A18 OPINION | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |

Making a living in a Covid-19 world

This is the transcript of a national broadcast groom promising local companies
into global champions. So long as
by Minister for Trade and Industry Chan our companies have the ambition,
we will find the resources to
Chun Sing on how to keep Singapore’s support them.
We will intensify the overseas
economy competitive so that businesses can exposure of our people, through
prosper and good jobs can be created. The initiatives like the Global Ready
Talent Programme, so that they
broadcast is the fourth in a series of six by gain fresh perspectives and
networks.
ministers. The next broadcast is on That is what we did for many
Wednesday by Senior Minister and students, including Carousell
co-founders (Quek) Siu Rui, Marcus
Coordinating Minister for Social Policies (Tan), and Lucas (Ngoo). They
spent a year in Silicon Valley, as
Tharman Shanmugaratnam. part of the NUS (National
University of Singapore) Overseas
Fellow Singaporeans, Covid-19 has We will invest to develop our Colleges programme. This laid the
impacted our lives, livelihoods and intangible strengths – what foundation and gave them the
lifelines, and it has aggravated distinguishes us; our infrastructure confidence to later launch
already difficult global challenges. – for they are key enablers; and Carousell, which their team has
Trade and investments have above all, our people and businesses. grown beyond Singapore to eight
come down. People and businesses markets across South-east Asia
in many countries have lost Intangible strengths today. We will scale up such
confidence in globalisation and First, our intangible strengths. WORKERS NOT LEFT BEHIND opportunities for our people.
technology. They have been Over the years, many investors Earlier this year, MOE (Ministry
disrupted, and their governments have chosen to site and expand Our local companies are of Education) announced our
have been unable to help them their businesses here, in Singapore. “70-70” target to enable more
adjust. Bigger countries have been They did not make this decision for
confident too. In my regular students from institutes of higher
fighting over the tax revenues of the short term, nor did they choose visits to our local companies, I learning (IHL) to gain overseas
global companies, and that has Singapore because we have exposure – 70 per cent of IHL
affected international competition abundant natural resources, or have seen many big and small students to have an overseas
for investments and jobs. because we are cheaper. companies in different sectors exposure, 70 per cent to focus on
Countries are all doing their best They chose us because of our China, India and Asean. We will
to keep people safe and healthy, strengths, which are not easy to actively transforming their press on with this once the
secure essential items, such as food replicate elsewhere. We are open, businesses, such as Prima, Hai Covid-19 situation allows.
and medicine, save jobs and and connected with the world, we We will never be done upskilling
businesses in the face of severe are trusted, we are united and Sia Seafood, and Markono Print our people. This is especially so for
decline in demand and stable as a society, and we have a Media. What cheered me most is workers who have left school many
investments. skilled workforce. years ago and did not benefit from
Singapore is not immune. Many For many countries, Covid-19 has that they have upskilled their the more recent improvements in
Singaporeans have already lost accelerated the retreat from workforce in the process. They our education and training system.
their jobs. More job losses are globalisation, and the erection of Our promise is this: We will create
expected in the coming months. more protectionist barriers. We didn’t leave the workers behind. opportunities for all Singaporeans,

Others have seen their incomes fall.
It will be a tough job market in the
coming years. Some businesses
have closed. Many more are
struggling. Most wonder how to
survive, never mind thrive.
We cannot save every job and
every business, but we will take
care of every Singaporean. We will
not let widespread unemployment
erode the confidence and dignity of
our people. We will grow new
businesses and create good jobs for
all Singaporeans.
This Government has committed
almost $100 billion to care for every
Singaporean, help save businesses
and jobs. But it is not just about
spending money.
What is even more important is
our ability to plan, adapt and
execute.
This is how we will do it.
IMMEDIATE PRIORITIES
Our immediate focus is jobs. We
will create 100,000 jobs and
training opportunities in the
coming year. The range of jobs will
include healthcare, early childhood
education, transport, ICT
(information and communications
technology) and financial services.
One hundred thousand jobs – that
is three times our usual annual
number. This is how many we will
need, to help those coming out
from schools, as well as those
retrenched. We may well need to
create more jobs, if the situation
worsens.
We will also increase the capacity
of our training institutions to equip
more workers, especially
mid-career ones, with new skills
required for the new economy. This
help will come to where you are. We
will set up job centres in every town
to match displaced workers to new
jobs. We will work hard to make
sure everyone who wants a job can
get a job.
Many say the best way to save
jobs is to resume our economic
activities more quickly.
I understand. But opening up
hastily and closing businesses
again if infections spike once more,
will be more disruptive to
businesses and workers. Hence, let
us resume safely, progressively and
sustainably.
Even after reopening, we should
not expect “business as usual”. Some
businesses will need to change their
business models. We will help you to
redesign your operations and serve
new markets. Many F&B businesses
like SaladStop! and Beauty In The
Pot have launched delivery-friendly
menus to serve new customers.
Others still have viable business
models. We will help you to rebound
when demand picks up. We will
support you to hire and train
graduates and mid-career workers
in advance. Logistics and
professional services are examples
of sectors where we are starting to
do this.
LONGER-TERM GOALS
As we tackle the immediate
challenges, we must also prepare
for the future. The Future Economy
Council, chaired by DPM (Deputy
Prime Minister) Heng (Swee Keat),
has been driving this for the last
few years.
must resist these pressures. A less
connected world means a poorer
world and fewer opportunities for
all. A less connected Singapore
means fewer and poorer-quality
jobs for us.
Even in a more protectionist, less
connected world, we can still make
a living and more.
We can build capabilities to play
critical roles in global supply chains
to produce high-quality products
and services that others value. For
example, we make four out of the
world’s top 10 drugs, we are the
world’s seventh-largest exporter of
chemicals.
Our resilience comes from
building networks, and diversifying
our supply sources and markets.
We will never be able to have
everything we would possibly
need, for the next crisis. Indeed,
when lockdowns started across the
world three months ago, many of
our supply chains were disrupted, if
not broken. Credit goes to the
ingenuity and tenacity of our
people for keeping us going. Our
public and private sectors swung
into action, reached out to their
networks, opened new supply lines
to bring back essentials like masks,
PPE (personal protective
equipment) and test reagents from
across the world.
Individuals from PSA, SIA
(Singapore Airlines), Sats, ST
Logistics, NTUC, Sheng Siong and
many more. Without all these
unsung heroes, we would not have
been able to live our lives as
normally as we did in the last few
months. Thank you all!
Another intangible strength is
trust. Singapore is trusted globally.
Throughout this crisis, we have also
continued to show the world they
can trust Singapore. We did not
impose export restrictions or
nationalise foreign investments.
We kept our production lines open
for global supply chains, including
critical materials for surgical
masks. We worked with companies
to increase their production, so that
we could meet Singapore’s and the
world’s needs, and we facilitated
the continued flow of essential
goods and people through our ports
and airports.
In uncertain times, our trusted
brand counts for even more.
Businesses have noticed.
When they make their next
investments to diversify their
global production bases, we will be
in the running. Just as how we did
not restrict exports during the
1970s oil crises – that enhanced our
credibility later to establish Jurong
Island as a global petrochemical
hub.
Our investors have stood by us
through this difficult period. We
know the challenges investors face,
with manpower flows and family
reunions. We will work closely with
you to overcome the challenges
together. We will keep faith with
you, as you have with us.
We will work to stay connected
with the world, even as the world
threatens to fragment and regress
towards protectionism. Despite our
size, we can show the way, if we
have good ideas.
When promoting free trade, our
initial partnerships with Brunei,
Chile, and New Zealand eventually
grew to become today’s CPTPP
(Comprehensive and Progressive
Agreement for Trans-Pacific
Partnership). Together with New
Zealand, we issued a joint
ministerial statement to resist
export restrictions and uphold
global supply chains. From a party
of two, we now have 11 subscriber
countries, and counting.
We are building a network of
digital economy partnerships. The
partnerships will define the rules
for competing and cooperating in
the new economy. They will create
opportunities for our companies to
grow their overseas markets. We
have concluded such agreements
with Australia, Chile and New
Zealand. More are on the way.
Barring unforeseen
circumstances, we look forward to
signing the RCEP (Regional
Comprehensive Economic
Partnership) agreement this year.
This will cover all 10 Asean member
states, plus Australia, China, Japan,
New Zealand and South Korea. It
will lower the cost of imports for
our consumers, and exports for our
producers.
These agreements and other
FTAs (free trade agreements) open
up new opportunities for our
businesses, and will make us a more
attractive base for investments to
serve the region. This will signal to
the world our confidence and
determination to press on with
regional economic integration.
Together with our trade
association partners, we will
translate these trade agreements
into tangible advantages for our
companies, through platforms like
GlobalConnect@SBF.
Infrastructure
Second, as we develop our
intangible strengths, we will invest
in the next generation of
infrastructure for Singapore. While
others have to tighten their belts,
our past prudence gives us the
means to continue investing in our
future. This way we will gift the
next generation a higher starting
base, just as how our predecessors
did for us.
We will press on to build our
connectivity infrastructure to
reinforce our position as a choice
hub for business, finance, trade and
data flows. This is why I am here
today at our port, which is the heart
’’
MINISTER FOR TRADE AND INDUSTRY CHAN CHUN SING,
referring to local firms (left, from top) Prima, Hai Sia Seafood and
Markono Print Media.
PHOTOS: MCI, ST AND LIANHE ZAOBAO FILE
of our trade connections to the
world.
Our long-term plans remain
sound. They include projects like
Changi T5, Tuas Mega Port, and
submarine cable hubs. Likewise,
regional developments like
Punggol Digital District, Jurong
Lake District, Sungei Kadut
Eco-District, Greater Southern
Waterfront.
We will pace the timelines for
these projects according to demand.
But do not doubt this: We will get
them all done. Together, they will
create a vibrant and innovative
Singapore for our children – full of
opportunities, full of life.
We will also intensify the efforts
to attract the best ideas and talent
to compete on our side, and
complement our strengths.
Initiatives like the Global
Innovation Alliance connect us
with talent hubs across the world.
We will make ourselves a more
attractive safe harbour for talent,
ideas and intellectual property, to
grow more businesses and create
better jobs. Competition is intense.
Talented people, including our
own, can go anywhere.
I know many Singaporeans are
concerned with foreign
competition, but closing ourselves
up is not the answer. We cannot
escape competing with the world,
and proving our mettle. We will
give our workers the training and
support to excel, and we will ensure
that the competition is fair. This is
the best way to improve the
well-being of our people.
Our businesses and people
Finally, beyond investments in
intangibles and infrastructure, this
Government will ensure that every
member of Team Singapore shares
the benefits of growth. Let me
highlight two efforts: digitalisation
and internationalisation.
Covid-19 has pushed many
businesses and consumers to
embrace the digital world. The
digital trajectory will only
accelerate, and not reverse. We
must enable every Singaporean,
young and old; every business, big
and small, to go digital and thrive.
Companies will embrace digital
tools to create new business
models and transcend our local
market constraints. For example,
STB (Singapore Tourism Board) is
helping our hospitality companies
and event organisers to overcome
the collapse in travel demand by
using digital tools. One event
organiser – WiT or Web In Travel –
is engaging global audiences
though a virtual travel summit later
this month, across different
countries.
In the 1980s, we uplifted a
generation through
computerisation and automation.
In the 2020s, we will transform
another generation through
digitalisation and data, and not just
the young in high-tech companies.
We are building a thousand-strong
Digital Ambassador Corps to help
small and micro enterprises apply
digitalisation, and help senior
citizens to learn to use the
technology.
But helping businesses access
new markets must go beyond the
digital online to establish real
partnerships in the real world.
Many Singapore businesses have
established regional and global
presence in the past years, often in
partnerships. The more established
and larger companies help
newcomers and smaller
businesses. For example,
CapitaLand brings along Singapore
companies in its overseas
development projects, thus helping
them to penetrate new markets.
The retail and hospitality sector
may be going through a challenging
time, but CapitaLand will press on
and do more to support our local
SMEs (small and medium-sized
enterprises).
We will step up such efforts to
nurture a new generation of
regional and global businesses. We
will facilitate more industry
partnerships, including in the
digital space, like how Singapore
E-Biz and Alliance 21 are helping
local food manufacturers drive
international business. Likewise,
we will better organise our overseas
Singapore business chapters and
missions to guide newcomers
venturing overseas.
Our business leaders and workers
will be key to these efforts. We
must have the aptitude and attitude
to serve global markets. Our people
must have the entrepreneurial
spirit to venture abroad to
compete, and seize the
opportunities of a fast-growing
Asia. We cannot be content with
doing well just within Singapore.
We introduced Scale-up SG to
no matter how old you are, to
improve your lives at every stage of
your careers. So long as you are able
and willing, we will support you.
Every Singaporean, regardless of
background, can have the chance to
take on the new jobs being created.
CONFIDENCE FOR THE FUTURE
We can be confident that our
investments in our strengths, our
infrastructure, and our people are
all coming together. This is why in
the first four months of this year,
EDB (Economic Development
Board) has already captured $13
billion of investment
commitments, from companies like
ExxonMobil, Micron, and ST
Microelectronics, and some
companies continue to hire and
grow their businesses, like
Innosparks, Secretlab, and Shopee.
Even though the outlook for the
next few years is uncertain,
investors maintain their confidence
in Singapore to base their new and
exciting projects here.
For example, Hyundai will be
setting up their Mobility Global
Innovation Centre in Jurong. It will
be a next-generation innovation
and manufacturing platform
incorporating artificial
intelligence, Internet of Things,
and robotics to produce electric
vehicles of the future. When ready
in 2022, it will create many new and
exciting opportunities for our
workers.
Our local companies are
confident too. In my regular visits
to our local companies, I have seen
many big and small companies in
different sectors actively
transforming their businesses,
such as Prima, Hai Sia Seafood, and
Markono Print Media. What
cheered me most is that they have
upskilled their workforce in the
process. They didn’t leave the
workers behind.
As you can see, there are still
many opportunities for us, but we
must be on our toes. Survival
favours not the strong, but the agile.
CONCLUSION
Our Pioneer and Merdeka
Generations built our economy
from scratch. They laid our strong
foundations, brick by brick –
Changi Airport, HDB (Housing
Board) flats, MRT lines, SIA, DBS,
PSA and many more. In fact, they
moved us from Third World to First
in one generation, and saved
enough to set aside reserves for
future generations.
They showed us what it means to
be Singaporean. That while we are
not of common ancestry, race,
language or religion, we are defined
by our determination to chart our
own destiny, guided by the values
of openness, inclusiveness,
self-determination, meritocracy
and incorruptibility for us to defy
the odds of history, and not only
survive but thrive with the world as
our hinterland and our markets.
Fifty-five years on, we are better
positioned to keep Singapore
going, growing and glowing.
We will build a better Singapore
together, where our future
generations have the pride, the
means, and the gumption to be
called Singaporeans.
| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
Primer
2021 could see packed calendar of
forums, summits... if a vaccine is found
Some organisers have gone online with webinars but others are opting to wait till next year to host events on pre-pandemic scale again
Shefali Rekhi
Asia News Network Editor
The pandemic could still be
spreading in some of the major
world economies but with
lockdowns being eased in others,
and early signs that air travel could
begin, hopes of a return to life
before the coronavirus are getting
lit.
This is also true for those
affiliated with the world of
summits, conferences, trade fairs
and exhibitions, but industry
insiders say it will be a while more
before momentum picks up.
The rapid and unprecedented
spread of Covid-19 across borders
led to several summits and meets
being cancelled or postponed as
governments and businesses kept
their focus on containing the fallout
from the pandemic.
Travel came to a near-complete
halt, the hospitality industry saw a
downturn like never before and
several businesses, including those
that support summits, trade fairs
and exhibits, shuttered.
The need to meet, however, is on
the increase as professionals seek
knowledge to understand the
deeper implications of how
Covid-19 will impact their
businesses and people’s lives, but
for now experts say businesses will
ask their employees to continue
with virtual meets and conferences
as companies focus on recouping
profits.
In the absence of a vaccine or
treatment, the fear of the virus will
also coax many to refrain from
travelling.
A survey commissioned by the
International Air Transport
Association, released in April,
shows that six in 10 people plan a
return to travel within one to two
months of the pandemic being
contained, but the remaining 40
per cent say that they could wait six
months or more, indicating
lingering fears.
Also, nearly 70 per cent of those
polled said they would be willing to
postpone travel until their financial
situation stabilises.
Not surprisingly, prominent
think-tanks, consultancies and
conference organisers have
created events online like webinars
using Zoom, Microsoft Teams or
other applications.
These, however, attract limited
audiences. As a result, some other
organisers are opting to wait until
next year to host their events again
on a scale similar to what they had
pre-pandemic.
They are hoping effective
vaccines, cures and treatments for
Covid-19 would hit the market by
then and fears about the
coronavirus would have receded.
Looking at the scheduling of
major meets here and elsewhere,
there are indications that the
earliest regional and global
conferences will take place only
towards the end of the year, or the
beginning of next year. Even then,
the first ones could be a
combination of physical and virtual
events.
Those optimistic suggest that
most of 2021, though, could well
end up to be a crowded period for
forums, summits, conferences and
exhibitions.
TheSingaporePerspective
Striving to stay relevant as host of regional conferences
The Lee Kuan Yew School of Public
Policy’s (LKYSPP) Asia Thinker
Series – its thought leadership
forums with academic experts,
policymakers and business leaders
– was launched as an online event
in March.
The webinars featured
prominent speakers such as
(From right) Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon with Singapore’s National Development Minister Lawrence Wong and other guests visiting the Seoul booth at the World Cities Summit at Marina Bay Sands in
July 2018. Mr Park won the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize that year for the leadership shown in managing the South Korean capital city. ST FILE PHOTO
MICE INDUSTRY STRUGGLES
Thriving on face-to-face
interactions to break the ice, build
trust and kick-start new political
and business relationships as well
as spur new thinking, the several
trillion-dollar global Mice
(meetings, incentives,
conferencing and exhibitions)
industry suffered knockouts
similar to those engulfing the travel
and hospitality sectors, in the wake
of the coronavirus.
The relevance of the industry,
which employs hundreds of
thousands of people, has shot up in
recent years in an increasingly
interconnected world as
globalisation took root and
businesses increasingly sought
markets elsewhere. The credible
meets have built up dedicated
audiences who opt to return every
year, with the number of exhibitors
generally growing as well.
A study conducted in 2018 had
projected 2021 to be a high growth
year for the Mice industry in
Singapore.
But by February, the virus and the
fear over its spread were beginning
to have an impact. The Singapore
Airshow, billed as Asia’s largest
aerospace and defence event, went
ahead as scheduled in mid-February
but saw some well-known
international aviation companies
pull out and lower visitor numbers.
The World Association of
Newspapers and News Publishers’
inaugural Asian Media Leaders
Summit scheduled for March was
postponed. That same month, the
London-headquartered
International Institute for Strategic
Studies, organisers of the
Shangri-La Dialogue, decided they
would not convene the dialogue
this year.
The annual gathering of defence
ministers from around the world,
often marked as a must-visit event
Professor Jeannette R. Ickovics,
dean of faculty and professor of
social sciences at Yale-NUS College,
and LKYSPP’s founding dean,
Professor Kishore Mahbubani.
The sessions, streamed via
Facebook Live, attracted viewers
from Asean states, India, Japan,
South America, Africa and Europe.
About The Big Quiz
On Mondays, for 12 weeks until
July 13 in the Opinion section,
this paper’s journalists will ad-
dress burning questions, offering
unique Singaporean perspec-
tives on complex issues.
The primers are part of the out-
reach of The Straits Times-Min-
istry of Education National Cur-
rent Affairs Quiz, or The Big
Quiz, which aims to promote an
understanding of local and global
issues among pre-university stu-
dents.
The primers will broach con-
temporary issues such as the nec-
essary skills that will count in the
post-pandemic world of work,
and journalism in the age of disin-
formation.
Other issues include the rise
and future of e-sports and an ex-
amination of how technology is
for defence and foreign policy
observers, has taken place every
year since its inception in 2002.
Singapore’s biennial World Cities
Summit, which was due to be held
next month, has been postponed to
next year. Held together with the
Singapore International Water
The school is now working to
launch a second virtual series and is
considering feedback from its
Chinese viewers to launch the
sessions on WeChat in Mandarin.
LKYSPP’s efforts during the
pandemic allowed the school to
continue to provide a platform for
dialogue, and widen its reach at
being used to help vulnerable
groups in Singapore.
Each primer topic will give a lo-
cal perspective to help students
draw links back to the issues’ im-
plications for Singaporeans.
For the third year, The Big Quiz
will be online, allowing all pre-
university students to take part in
the current affairs competition,
this time over six online quiz
rounds – on March 30, April 13
and 27, June 15 and 29 and July 13.
The online quizzes are based
on the primer topics and will be
available for two weeks from the
start date of each quiz.
This nationwide event is
jointly organised by The Straits
Times and the Ministry of Educa-
tion.
The fourth round of The Big
Quiz begins today.
Week and the CleanEnviro Summit
Singapore, the forums attract tens
of thousands of visitors from
around the world, with business
transacted or negotiated during
that period running into millions of
dollars.
Participation in the forum is
the same time.
Singapore’s strategic location in
the heart of Asia makes it the ideal
destination for regional summits
and conferences. But it also means
institutions must stay abreast of
developments, and adapt and
innovate to offer the most engaging
conversations, accurate insights
OPINION
PUBLIC-PRIVATE COOPERATION
To perform the Great Reset,
we have to be resetting
together. This pandemic
has shown us that
public-private cooperation
has never been needed
more.
’’
MS AMANDA RUSSO, head of media
content at WEF, on next year’s Davos
meeting theme of The Great Reset.
driven by the growing importance
of building smart cities. A key
announcement during the
week-long meet is that of the
recipient of the Lee Kuan Yew
World City Prize. It was won in
2018 by Mr Park Won-soon, mayor
of Seoul, for the leadership shown
in managing the city.
At the World Economic Forum
(WEF), organisers have been
keenly tracking the coronavirus
situation after hosting the annual
meeting in Davos in January. For
one thing, they opted to go virtual
with their events to keep up
public-private engagement till the
situation improves.
In China, the Annual Meeting of
the New Champions on innovation,
science and technology, which is
held annually in the cities of Dalian
or Tianjin, has been postponed
with no new date set.
The WEF annual Asean meet that
is held in an Asean capital city is not
taking place. The forum instead
teamed up with the World Health
Organisation last month for its
first-ever Asia Briefing session on
Covid-19 that included speakers
and latest knowledge to allow
participants to flourish.
However, hosting virtual-only
events may not be the way to go.
Ms Tracy Lee, who heads the
external affairs and marketing
team at LKYSPP, noted that
thought leadership events can be
translated easily online. However,
A19
like Mr Warren Fernandez,
editor-in-chief of the Singapore
Press Holdings’ English/
Malay/Tamil Media Group and
chairman of the Asia News
Network. Mr Fernandez is also
editor of The Straits Times.
Around 300 people signed up for
the virtual session held over Zoom.
The forum is now turning its
attention to the annual Davos
meeting next year, which will be a
unique twin summit, to be held
both in-person and virtually, with
The Great Reset as its theme. A
highlight will be the forum’s effort
to connect key global
governmental and business leaders
in Davos with a global
multi-stakeholder network in 400
cities, for a forward-oriented
dialogue driven by the younger
generation.
“To perform the Great Reset, we
have to be resetting together,” says
Ms Amanda Russo, head of media
content at WEF.
“This pandemic has shown us
that public-private cooperation has
never been needed more,” she tells
The Straits Times.
For now, the United Nations
General Assembly is still scheduled
to take place in New York from Sept
15 to 30 but reports indicate it could
be a virtual one.
Malaysia, host of the Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation (Apec) meet
this year, is due to call a meeting of
Apec ministers to decide on a firm
date for the meeting that was
originally scheduled for November.
In Singapore, preparations have
begun for the Singapore FinTech
Festival from Nov 9 to 13, although
organisers are monitoring the
Covid-19 situation closely. More
than 60,000 people from 140
countries participated in last year’s
event.
shefali@sph.com.sg
she said it “can complement but not
completely replace a physical event
as some events are more sensory,
especially those that require
showcase or networking”.
Besides established forums,
Singapore also hosts some of the
world’s best-known events here.
The inaugural Gamescom Asia, an
offshoot of Germany’s Gamescom,
which is one of the world’s largest
gaming events, was to take place
here from Oct 15 to 18, but has now
been pushed to October next year.
Shefali Rekhi
A20 | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |

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| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
Parliament Speaker Tan Chuan-Jin (right), MP for Marine Parade GRC, holding an online meeting with community leaders in
his ward. Weekly Meet-the-People Sessions have also switched to a remote format. PHOTO: TAN CHUAN-JIN/FACEBOOK
PAP taps live chats, Opposition parties
WhatsApp to reach bolster efforts
out to residents on social media
Activists say election
candidates may also
go door to door alone
or in small groups
Danson Cheong
and Linette Lai
Political Correspondent
Getting candidates to go door to
door alone or in small groups, hold-
ing online dialogues, and using
WhatsApp to reach residents –
these are some ways the People’s
Action Party (PAP) intends to cam-
paign in the upcoming general elec-
tion, say party activists.
With safe distancing measures
likely to still be in force when the
hustings begin, they told The
Straits Times it will be challenging
to get campaign messages out.
The ruling party is preparing to
wage a very different battle for
votes, added the activists, who
spoke on condition of anonymity.
For starters, campaign staples like
mass rallies and market walkabouts
with entire GRC teams and party ac-
tivists in tow will likely be out of the
question, they said. Traditional
press conferences where the party
introduces new candidates to the
public will also likely be held online.
The coming GE must be held by
April 14 next year, but activists and
observers expect the election to be
called in a matter of weeks, citing re-
cent signals from PAP leaders.
This would see the campaign pe-
riod taking place in the second
phase of Singapore’s reopening af-
ter its Covid-19 circuit breaker,
where the Government has said so-
cial gatherings would be limited to
a maximum of five people.
National Development Minister
Lawrence Wong said in a national
broadcast last Tuesday that if the
virus situation remains stable, the
country will move into the second
phase before the end of this month.
Last Monday, the Elections De-
partment said political parties
should prepare for a campaign that
would require less physical interac-
tion with large groups, and con-
sider options like reaching out to
voters through the Internet.
PAP activists say candidates have
spent the circuit breaker getting fa-
miliar with reaching out to residents
virtually, by holding live chats,
Zoom sessions and responding to
residents’ queries over messaging
West Coast GRC MP Foo Mee Har holding an online dialogue on how Covid-19 will
impact the Home Improvement Programme. PHOTO: FOO MEE HAR/FACEBOOK
PAP activists say
candidates have spent
the circuit breaker
period getting familiar
with reaching out to
residents virtually, by
holding live chats, Zoom
sessions and responding
to residents’ queries over
messaging apps like
WhatsApp.
apps like WhatsApp.
Weekly Meet-the-People Ses-
sions also switched to a remote for-
mat, after these sessions were sus-
pended during the circuit breaker.
One party activist said the exact
method of online engagement will
depend on “what kind of style” indi-
vidual candidates are comfortable
with.
Some, like West Coast GRC MP
Patrick Tay, have been trying out
various things, including hosting di-
alogues on Zoom to help Singapore-
ans with job woes. “It has been a
learning journey for me, using the
various platforms and doing
livestreams from them,” he said,
adding such methods would help in
reaching out to more residents.
A second PAP activist pointed
out that all incumbent PAP MPs
have some form of online pres-
ence, such as on social media plat-
forms Facebook and Instagram.
But such an “online brand” is de-
NUMBER OF PIECES OF AIRISM INNERWEAR UNIQLO IS DONATING TO
Besides chat apps,
they are looking at
other ways to reach
non-Internet crowd
veloped over years and must be
based on regular interactions with
voters on the ground, he said. “This
is very important because this is
your credibility, it’s the homework
you have done over the years.”
With the emphasis on getting
votes on cyberspace, there is also a
concern that such efforts would fail
to reach older voters, who tend to
be less tech-savvy.
The second PAP activist said can-
didates would have to lean on exist-
ing networks with elderly residents
built up by party and grassroots ac-
tivists, in order to reach out to them
via WhatsApp. “WhatsApp is very,
very critical. Using these networks,
you can push your messages to the
seniors,” he said.
Activists say they are counting
on being able to do house and mar-
ket visits in small groups or in twos
– the candidate and an assistant.
“Door-to-door visits would be one
of the most important things. We
won’t go (into homes) but main-
tain a safe distance and pass resi-
dents materials like our mani-
festo,” said an activist.
But safe distancing restrictions,
limiting as they may be, would likely
benefit the PAP, since they already
have established ground networks
of activists and grassroots leaders
with links to the community, said
former PAP MP Inderjit Singh. He
said: “These personal relationships
and networks are one area where
the PAP is way ahead of other par-
ties, especially if they have not been
spending time on the ground.”
dansonc@sph.com.sg
linettel@sph.com.sg
10,000
HELP KEEP HEALTHCARE WORKERS COOL WHILE THEY WORK B2
Singapore People’s Party chairman Jose Raymond has set up a small studio to film video messages in his office. He
posted this photo on Facebook last Wednesday, saying: “Online broadcast? I’m all set.” PHOTO: JOSE RAYMOND/FACEBOOK
Aw Cheng Wei
and Fabian Koh
With rallies and home visits un-
likely to feature if the next general
election is to take place during the
pandemic, opposition parties here
are looking for alternative
methods to get their message
across to voters.
While all parties said social me-
dia and instant messaging apps will
be a prominent part of their cam-
paigns, they are also looking for
ways to reach the non-Internet
crowd.
This includes having volunteers
distribute fliers door to door with-
out knocking on any of them and
blasting their message from a car
with a speaker attached to its roof.
National Solidarity Party secre-
tary-general Spencer Ng said that
the party is preparing to deliver or
mail its campaign materials to vot-
ers. Party members are also com-
mitted to observing social distanc-
ing should home visits be allowed,
he added.
The Progress Singapore Party
(PSP), meanwhile, has already
started leaving little packs – con-
taining a mask, a flier and a pen –
on doorsteps.
Singapore Democratic Alliance
(SDA) chairman Desmond Lim
said that party supporters are fit-
ting speakers to the tops of their
cars. The party’s slogan will be
among the messages that the speak-
ers will broadcast during the cam-
paign period, he added.
The use of such devices are illegal
outside of the campaign period.
The Elections Department last
week urged candidates and politi-
cal parties to plan for campaigning
methods that minimise large group
gatherings, given that the Republic
is likely to be fighting the Covid-19
crisis for the long haul.
The department has yet to re-
lease guidelines on how campaign-
ing can be conducted due to the
volatile nature of Covid-19, but it
has committed to giving political
parties and candidates as much
lead time as possible, to prepare for
their campaigning activities.
It is considering other modes of
Singapore Democratic Alliance chairman Desmond Lim said party supporters
are fitting speakers to the top of their cars. PHOTO: DESMOND LIM BAK CHUAN
For now, opposition
parties have focused on
boosting their capabilities
to do video broadcasts
and reach voters online.
Some, like the Workers’
Party and Singapore
Democratic Party, are
hoping to get people to
sign up to their channels on
WhatsApp and Telegram.
campaigning – such as additional
television broadcast time – which
will allow parties and candidates to
convey their messages to the public.
The next general election must
be held by April 14 next year,
though speculation is rife that Sin-
gapore might head to the polls as
soon as next month.
For now, nearly all opposition
parties said they have focused on
boosting their capabilities to do
video broadcasts and reach voters
online.
Some, like the Workers’ Party
(WP) and the Singapore Demo-
cratic Party (SDP), are hoping to
get people to sign up to their chan-
nels on WhatsApp and Telegram.
An SDP spokesman said: “We
will explore all non-mainstream
platforms... to cast our net wider
and spread our messages further.”
He added: “We (had) Twitter,
YouTube and Instagram accounts
before GE2015.”
B1
SDP also uses Facebook and
WhatsApp for outreach.
Last Monday, the WP posted a re-
minder on Facebook that official
messages are posted on its social
media sites such as Twitter, Insta-
gram and Telegram.
The party also posted a survey
link on its Facebook page, asking
Singaporeans for their take on poli-
cies.
PSP, meanwhile, has held several
sessions on Facebook and via video-
conferencing service Zoom to intro-
duce party members.
During the sessions, it also con-
ducts live polls and quizzes, and win-
ners are given party merchandise.
PSP has a public Telegram chan-
nel and uses Instagram to reply to
questions posed to the party by the
public.
SDA’s Mr Lim and Singapore Peo-
ple’s Party chairman Jose Ray-
mond have both also set up small
studios to film video messages in
their offices.
Last Wednesday, Mr Raymond
posted on Facebook a photo of his
studio, showing an area set up with
a desk and a backdrop with the
party’s logo, as well as studio light-
ing and microphones.
“Online broadcast? I’m all set,”
he wrote on Facebook.
But Mr Raymond told The Straits
Times: “Nothing beats meeting
people face to face in the course of
elections campaigning.”
awcw@sph.com.sg
fabkoh@sph.com.sg
• Additional reporting by
Cheow Sue-Ann
B2 HOME | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |

IN
THIS
together

KNOW ANYONE who has

stepped up to fight Covid-19 or
who is doing good around the
neighbourhood? Write in to
gyanhan@sph.com.sg at
The Straits Times Newsdesk

Great
Eastern
Mr Ben Tan and his wife Catherine Fong (both in black) delivering free bento sets to healthcare staff at Singapore General
Hospital. The food (right) is prepared by staff at their modern Chinese fusion restaurant Le Fusion. PHOTOS: LE FUSION raises $265k
for three
Restaurant owners serve up charities

free meals for hospital workers Employees at Great Eastern (GE)

have dug deep to raise $265,000
to fund charities helping people
affected by the pandemic.
The money – including
$100,000 from the insurer itself –
will go to essential support such as

Couple have dipped into their savings to
provide over $18k worth of food since April
Melissa Yip
After a long day of caring for pa-
tients, nurse clinician Amy Ong is
looking forward to a bowl of spicy
kung pao chicken, salmon, vegeta-
bles and capsicum omelette.
What makes the meal better is
that it is free.
Since April, a husband-and-wife
team have provided 1,220 free
bento sets to front-line healthcare
workers at six hospitals that care
for Covid-19 patients. They are KK
Women’s and Children’s Hospital,
the National Centre for Infectious
Diseases, National University Hos-
pital, Ng Teng Fong General Hospi-
tal, Singapore General Hospital and
Tan Tock Seng Hospital.
“I am grateful to receive the ben-
tos as they are comfort food for
many of us working in an isolation fa-
cility. A hot meal during our break is
a great morale booster and gives us
the energy to continue providing
the best care for our patients,” said
Ms Ong, who works at Singapore
General Hospital and receives the
food once or twice a week.
The bentos are provided by Mr
Ben Tan, 57, and his wife, Madam
Catherine Fong, 46. They run mod-
ern Chinese fusion restaurant Le Fu-
sion at The Pier @ Robertson, which
opened last November.
They were inspired to do their
part in Singapore’s battle against the
Covid-19 pandemic after they learnt
about their neighbour’s tiring days
working as a doctor.
Dipping into their own savings,
Mr Tan and Madam Fong have
served more than $18,300 worth of
meals for healthcare workers.
Mr Tan said: “Catherine and I
opened our restaurant to share joy
through our food. As a chef, I feel
that this is the best way to contrib-
ute.”
Healthcare workers can choose
from a variety of bento sets, each
containing two protein sources, veg-
etables and eggs. Each set usually
costs at least $15. The menu for the
healthcare workers includes sweet
and sour chicken, deep-fried fish
with herb salt and pepper, stir-fried
vegetables and tomato omelette.
Mr Tan and four employees at Le
Fusion prepare the food while
1,220
Number of free bento sets Mr Ben Tan
and his wife Catherine Fong have
given since April to front-line
healthcare workers at six hospitals
that care for Covid-19 patients.
Madam Fong oversees the logistics
for the deliveries, which range from
weekly deliveries to ad hoc ones de-
pending on the hospitals’ needs.
Besides serving healthcare work-
ers, Mr Tan and Madam Fong are
also helping those in need.
They have sold 100 bento sets at a
nominal fee to Local x Local, a spon-
sorship platform on Facebook.
The bentos are distributed to the
Safe Sound Sleeping Place at Yio
Chu Kang Chapel.
The chapel’s lead pastor Rick
Toh said: “The food sponsorship
programme has helped us provide
lunch for the homeless and rough
sleepers staying at our shelter. Our
residents have given positive feed-
back on the quality of the food.”
With safe distancing measures
that ban dining in at restaurants
still in force, Mr Tan and Madam
Fong are struggling to keep their
new business afloat.
Still, they will continue to donate
meals for as long as they can.
Said Madam Fong: “The circuit
breaker may be over but health-
care workers are still working hard
to ensure our safety. We hope to
continue helping them.”
melissay@sph.com.sg
hot meals, subsidies and shelter.
Last month, the company used
the online fundraising platform
Giving.sg to allow employees to
contribute to the Great Eastern
Cares Community Fund.
The money will be shared
equally among Awwa, Care Cor-
ner Singapore and New Hope
Community Services through the
Community Chest.
GE said it worked with the Com-
munity Chest to identify areas and
beneficiaries where support was
most needed.
Community Chest managing di-
rector Charmaine Leung said the
Covid-19 pandemic has affected
social service agencies and their
service users significantly.
“At this time when support is
most critical for the vulnerable
groups, we are grateful to Great
Eastern for being our longstand-
ing partner since the 1980s and
for their sustained contributions,”
she added.

Uniqlo donates innerwear to were treated at locations including

Ng Teng Fong General Hospital
and the community care facility at
Mr Colin Chan, GE’s managing
director of group marketing, was
one of the main champions of the

keep healthcare workers cool

Melissa Heng
Japanese clothing company Uniqlo
is donating 10,000 pieces of its
Airism innerwear to help keep
healthcare workers cool while they
work in protective gear.
The fashion retailer announced
on June 3 that it has partnered the
Healthcare Services Employees’
Union (HSEU) to make the dona-
tion to three healthcare clusters
this month – SingHealth, National
Healthcare Group (NHG) and Na-
tional University Health System.
Uniqlo had donated 2,300 pieces
of Airism innerwear to front-line
workers in April. The clothing line
uses a fabric weave that wicks mois-
ture and releases heat.
HSEU general secretary Simon
Ong said: “We decided to reach out
to Uniqlo in March for this partner-
ship, as we learnt that the health-
care staff working in the polyclinic
red zones have to work long hours
in a non-air-conditioned environ-
ment while, at the same time, hav-
ing to be dressed in full protective
equipment.”
Mr Yuki Yamada, chief executive
of Uniqlo Singapore and Malaysia,
said wearing the innerwear under
protective clothing can help allevi-
ate stuffiness.
He said: “Our business exists to
make our society a better place
through clothes. The global pan-
demic means that countries and
companies like ours must work to-
gether to identify and act on ways
to best serve society.”
Uniqlo also gave 4,700 clothing
items, including T-shirts and
shorts, to foreign workers who had
tested positive for Covid-19.
These included workers who
Uniqlo Singapore and Malaysia CEO
Yuki Yamada said wearing the Airism
innerwear under protective gear can
alleviate stuffiness. ST FILE PHOTO
the Singapore Expo in April and
May.
Mr Yamada said: “As they were
admitted without much of their be-
longings, they were given a set of
clothes. This enabled them to have
a fresh set of clothing when they
were discharged.”
The donations follow an an-
nouncement in March from Fast Re-
tailing, Uniqlo’s parent company,
to distribute 10 million masks to
high-priority medical facilities
around the world where there is an
urgent need for protective wear.
From this quantity, 100,000
masks have been provided to medi-
cal facilities in Singapore under the
NHG last month.
melheng@sph.com.sg
fundraising drive, encouraging
his colleagues to donate.
He said: “I believe that every ef-
fort counts and I’m happy to give
where I can, at the same time with
the greater appreciation that
some of us are fortunate enough
that we still have jobs and regular
incomes.
“Some of our employees and fi-
nancial representatives have also
expressed that they are happy to
support communities in need dur-
ing this difficult period.
“Thus we launched the (initia-
tive) to reach out online to every-
one working from home to do
their bit during the circuit
breaker.”
Goh Yan Han

Sisters create website their industries. Now, there are

about 40 mentors on board.
Most have about 15 to 20 years of

to help those in need experience in fields such as fi-

BEYOND MONETARY HELP
We realised we can help by
offering these
programmes, other than
provide money which is
already covered by so
many professional
organisations. If we can
find others who are
genuinely keen to help,
we can work together to
assist more people.
Goh Yan Han
Concerned about the impact of the
coronavirus crisis on the needy and
vulnerable, two siblings decided to
pitch in.
Ms Nishka Menon, 21, and
Ayesha, 17, created hopebound
(www.hopebound.one), which col-
lates resources for people affected
by the pandemic, including those
who have lost their jobs, domestic
abuse victims, as well as the young
and the elderly.
“We hope to make people aware
of the resources by giving them one
platform with all the information
they need,” said Nishka, a second-
year student at Queen Mary Univer-
sity of London who is now back in
Singapore.
The pair launched the website at
the end of last month, along with a
free mentorship scheme for the un-
employed.
nance, education, consulting and
shipping.
Nishka and Ayesha have already
helped to link the mentors with 35
people.
The programme allows people to
engage the mentors anonymously,
as being jobless can be a sensitive is-
sue for some, said Ayesha, a student
at the United World College of
South East Asia (East Campus).
Mentors help with editing re-
sumes and cover letters, as well as
providing help with practising for
job interviews – services not usu-
ally offered for free, said Nishka.
Mr Gautam Kumar Roy, 62, presi-
dent of shipping firm J M Baxi & Co,
helps people format and edit job ap-
plications, and offers vocational
guidance in shipping and logistics,
sectors where he has clocked 31
years of experience.
He said: “This platform is de-
signed to come to the aid of people
distressed by the global pandemic,
in terms of jobs and livelihoods, and
it is a noble endeavour worthy of
our support.” Ms Nishka Menon (left), 21, and her sister Ayesha, 17, showing their website hopebound, which collates resources for peo-
The sisters plan to roll out free ple affected by the coronavirus pandemic. PHOTO: COURTESY OF NISHKA AND AYESHA MENON

’’
MS NISHKA MENON, on hopebound, which
provides help such as a free mentorship
scheme for the unemployed.
They began scouting for mentors
among people they knew person-
ally, creating a list of different indus-
tries they hoped to cover.
The project snowballed as those
contacts then roped in others in
counselling next month, in particu-
lar for victims of domestic abuse,
but with the potential to expand to
others who need help.
Three counsellors and psycholo-
gists have agreed to help so far, and
the siblings are hoping to add two other than provide money which is uinely keen to help, we can work to-
more. already covered by so many profes- gether to assist more people.”
Said Nishka: “We realised we can sional organisations.
help by offering these programmes, “If we can find others who are gen- gyanhan@sph.com.sg
| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
Coronavirus pandemic
More firms turn to
‘pay now, work later’
practice to avoid cuts
But some workers upset about time-banking
method used by employers to manage costs
Joyce Lim
Senior Correspondent
Her friends had their salaries cut
or were laid off amid the Covid-19
outbreak.
So manicurist Mary (not her real
name) was relieved – even grateful
– when her employer told her that
she would be receiving her full ba-
sic pay of $2,100 last month and
this month.
Soon, though, she was disap-
pointed after her boss told staff
they would have to “return the
working hours” by putting in 50
hours of overtime when business re-
sumed after the end of the circuit
breaker. Her 14 days of annual leave
entitlement would also be reduced
to seven days.
Speaking on condition of
anonymity, the 30-year-old
Malaysian work permit holder told
The Straits Times in Mandarin: “I
don’t know if this is allowed under
the MOM’s regulations. But I feel
that it is unfair as my boss has re-
ceived help from the Singapore Gov-
ernment. She also did not explain
how she came up with the 50 hours
of overtime.”
Many employees have found
themselves in the same situation as
Mary, disgruntled because they are
caught in a bind by what they feel
Community adapted well despite Hari Raya challenges: Maliki
Aqil Hamzah
Traditional Hari Raya festivities
may have been cancelled this year
because of Covid-19, but the Malay-
Muslim community here has
adapted admirably and found op-
portunity amid adversity, said Se-
nior Minister of State for Defence
and Foreign Affairs Maliki Osman.
While the Geylang Serai Bazaar
could not take place this year, on-
line bazaars sprung up in its place,
Dr Maliki noted. And while families
and friends could not buka puasa
(break fast) in person, they still
gathered together to do so using
technology.
Speaking to viewers as part of
Wisma Geylang Serai’s (WGS)
Riuh Riuh Raya Geylang Serai
show streamed live on Facebook
on Saturday night, Dr Maliki said:
“During Ramadan, even now dur-
ing Syawal (the Islamic month that
begins with Hari Raya Aidilfitri),
we have never stopped reaching
out to our community.
are unfair employment practices.
Some have reached out to their
MPs or turned to the Ministry of
Manpower (MOM) for advice.
When told of Mary’s situation, an
MOM spokesman said her em-
ployer was not “unreasonable”.
The spokesman explained that
the employer had borrowed the
concept of time-banking, which al-
lows employees to be paid now for
work to be done later.
“Overall, it appears that Mary
would be paid her full basic salary
for three months, while the em-
ployer has only asked her to con-
sume part of her annual leave entitle-
ment and time-banked less than two
weeks of unworked hours,” she said.
“As Mary is a Malaysian work per-
mit holder, her employer would not
have received any Jobs Support
Scheme payout and only the for-
eign worker levy rebate of $750
each month, while her basic salary
is much higher at $2,100.”
The spokesman said that since
March 12, over 4,000 companies
have informed MOM of their cost-
saving measures. More than 120
companies have applied to imple-
ment time-banking, a sharp jump
from last year when only six did so.
“Time-banking is a viable way for
employers to manage costs and op-
timise the use of manpower, while
supporting their employees with
During the Riuh Riuh Raya Geylang Serai livestream (above) on Saturday, viewers
got a glimpse of the surprise two-hour light-up of Geylang Serai (right) on the eve
of Hari Raya Aidilfitri last month. PHOTOS: WISMA GEYLANG SERAI/FACEBOOK LIVE
“We can turn challenges and ad-
versity into opportunities any time,
if we put our hearts and minds to it.”
Likewise, cultural activities organ-
ised by WGS online will continue in
the same way for the foreseeable fu-
full pay during business down-
time,” she said. “The flexible work
schedule allows for employers to
offset time-banked hours as future
overtime payment, while employ-
ees are still protected from being
overworked as the working hours
and overtime cap under the Em-
ployment Act still apply.”
The companies that had applied
for time-banking are mainly in the
food and beverage, hotel, retail and
manufacturing sectors.
Labour MP Patrick Tay (West
Coast GRC) believes time-banking
is generally done out of good inten-
tions. “For those companies that do
not receive the 75 per cent wage
subsidies outside of the circuit
breaker, this can help them manage
business costs and retain man-
power,” said Mr Tay, assistant secre-
tary-general of the National Trades
Union Congress.
“However, this must be imple-
mented fairly. In unionised compa-
nies, there are controls put in place
for such a practice as it is a negoti-
ated position between union and
>120
Number of companies that have
applied to implement time-banking,
a sharp jump from last year when only
six did so.
ture, at least until the Covid-19 situa-
tion stabilises, said Dr Maliki.
This is an extension of ongoing ef-
forts to reach out to the Malay-Mus-
lim community, in place since April
during Ramadan.
management. For example, limits
on the number of hours to time-
bank, the redemption rate, etc. In
addition, this is also subject to
MOM’s approval.”
Mountbatten MP Lim Biow
Chuan, who sits on the Govern-
ment Parliamentary Committee for
Manpower, is concerned that some
employers may not implement
time-banking fairly.
“It is not a practice that I will con-
done, making an employee sign an
agreement to say that you owe me a
certain number of hours. Then you
are asking staff to commit hours
way in advance... At the end of the
day, the welfare of employees has
to be taken care of as well. It cannot
be a free market for unreasonable
employment practices,” said Mr
Lim, who feels that the ministry
needs to closely monitor and inter-
vene to prevent employers from
abusing the system.
Ang Mo Kio GRC MP Gan Thiam
Poh said he has received requests
for help from residents who felt that
their employers had resorted to un-
fair cost-cutting measures, includ-
ing wage cuts, retrenchment and
work redeployment.
Many of these requests have come
from blue-collar workers working in
small and medium-sized enter-
prises, said Mr Gan, who has re-
ferred such cases to MOM.
To ensure fair and responsible im-
plementation of cost-cutting mea-
sures, MOM requires employers to
submit measures they intend to un-
dertake and it says it has found most
of them to be fair and responsible.
The majority of complaints and
disputes arose because of poor com-
munication by employers, judging
by what has been referred to MOM
and the Tripartite Alliance for Fair
and Progressive Employment Prac-
tices (Tafep).
“MOM and Tafep have stepped in
to guide these employers on engag-
ing their employees, so that they
would understand and support the
cost-saving measures, which were
implemented to save their jobs and
prevent retrenchment,” the MOM
spokesman said.
joycel@sph.com.sg
Dr Maliki, who was the show’s
guest of honour, was joined by co-
median Suhaimi Yusof, who hosted
the show alongside artists Farhana
M. Noor and Khairudin Samsudin.
Celebrities Patricia Mok and Ku-
HOME B3
DBS staff to
befriend 1,000
seniors virtually
to boost morale
Clara Chong
One thousand senior citizens, who are mostly living
in rental flats, will be interacting with a similar num-
ber of DBS Bank employees in virtual befriending
sessions next month and in August.
The sessions, which are aimed at helping the el-
derly cope with social isolation and loneliness, will
include conversations and other virtual activities
like sing-along sessions, simple home-gardening
projects, as well as online games, DBS and Lions Be-
frienders (LB) said in a joint statement yesterday.
Singapore’s largest virtual befriending volunteer
initiative will be called LB Virtual Befriending@SAC
(Senior Activity Centre).
The programme has been launched officially fol-
lowing the successful culmination of pilot sessions
run by both organisations since early this month.
In a typical session, a senior would be paired with
up to two DBS volunteers, and they would interact
with one another in an hour-long session via video-
conferencing tools, such as Webex and Zoom, on
tablet computers provided to the seniors at LB cen-
tres. The bank will also donate 40 tablets for LB’s use.
The programme could potentially be extended to
the 6,000 at-risk seniors served by LB, most of
On the practice whom live in rental flats and are on financial assis-
of time-banking, tance schemes.
which allows Since February, LB has conducted twice weekly
employees to be check-in calls and says it has noticed a gradual de-
paid now for cline in the seniors’ emotional and mental health.
work to be done During the eight-week circuit breaker, LB was
later, a Ministry alerted to four attempted suicides – up from the av-
of Manpower erage of one every three to six months prior to the
spokesman said Covid-19 outbreak.
it is a “viable Despite the recent reopening of nine SACs, LB con-
way for
employers to
manage costs
and optimise the
use of
tinues to face challenges in giving visiting seniors
the full attention they require, owing to constraints
on the number of on-site staff.
“While we have reopened our doors, we found
that our seniors long for human interaction more
manpower, while than anything else, especially when socialising is cur-
supporting their rently not encouraged,” said LB chairman Anthony
employees with Tay. “This LB Virtual Befriending@SAC programme
full pay during adds a bright spot to their day and gives them a
business sense of purpose as they embrace and adopt technol-
downtime”. ogy into their lives. We plan to continue to grow and
ST PHOTO: expand the virtual befriending programme even af-
GAVIN FOO ter the guidelines on social distancing are relaxed.”
Mr Shee Tse Koon, DBS Singapore country head,
added: “We can all empathise with the emotional im-
pact of social isolation. Pre-Covid-19, this was some-
thing that many seniors in Singapore had already
been experiencing involuntarily, and the lack of on-
line access or smart devices among seniors is now
making it even more challenging for them to con-
nect with others... Our hope is this initiative will go
on to catalyse greater societal awareness around at-
risk seniors and action among fellow Singaporeans.”
This befriending programme is a continuation of
DBS’ initiatives to serve LB’s seniors over the past
five years. Since 2015, more than 3,600 DBS volun-
teers have put in over 17,000 hours to reach out to
3,000 seniors via activities such as grocery shop-
ping and board game sessions.
chongcjy@sph.com.sg
Following successful pilot sessions, the initiative will
see 1,000 at-risk seniors interact with a similar number
of DBS Bank volunteers. PHOTO: LIONS BEFRIENDERS
runtime and showcased some of
the programmes WGS had organ-
ised, including the surprise light-up
of Geylang Serai last month.
The annual light-up was post-
poned because of the circuit
breaker. To have the light-up pro-
ceed as usual would have caused
some people to violate safe distanc-
ing measures, said Dr Maliki.
However, the lights were turned
on for two hours on the eve of Hari
Raya Aidilfitri as a show of support
from the authorities to the Muslim
community here, and in the hope
that it would lift spirits.
Dr Maliki said he was hopeful that
Singapore could move forward
from the pandemic. He urged Singa-
poreans to work together in the
face of challenges, while taking pre-
cautions to keep safe and healthy.
“Let’s put our hearts and minds to-
mar were also part of the gether, and with the effort that we
livestream, which featured perfor- put in together, we will be able to
mances by artists such as Aliff Aziz move into a better and brighter fu-
and Rahila Rashun. ture for all of us.”
The livestream saw close to
17,000 views during its two-hour haqil@sph.com.sg
B4 | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES | B5

HOME IN FOCUS
LOOKING FORWARD TO WORK

I have not resumed work

yet, but I am ready and
eagerly looking forward
to it.

’’
MR THANGARAJ RANJITH, 41,
a Block 14 resident from India, who
has been in Singapore for 10 years.

GLAD TO BE BACK

I’m glad to have recovered

and to be back. I
understand why we are
kept in this block and
cannot mix with other
residents, for our own
health and safety. This will
help us remain healthy.

’’
Above: A worker
using an
oximeter to
record his MR KUTTIYANDI DINESH, 27, an
oxygen Indian construction worker and
saturation level fellow Block 14 resident at Westlite.
and heart rate –
which must be
done once a day
– at Block 14 of
Westlite Toh
Guan dorm.

Far left: Recovered residents heading

to their rooms at Block 14 at Westlite
Toh Guan dormitory, which was
decorated with signs and balloons in
preparation for their return. Most of
Right: A worker them spent at least a month away in
at Block 14 hospital or at recovery facilities.
being given a
green wristband Left: Indian construction worker
last Friday to Kuttiyandi Dinesh, who tested positive
indicate that he for Covid-19 in April, returned to
has recovered Westlite after being away for nearly
from Covid-19. two months. ST PHOTOS: MARK CHEONG

Back to
With about 38,200 cases among
dorm residents today, they make
up 94 per cent of Singapore’s total
tally.
But today, Westlite also repre-
sents a sliver of hope that the tide

dorm after
may finally be turning for these
workers, and that the Govern-
ment’s efforts at the purpose-built
dorms over the past two months
are bearing fruit.
Among its eight blocks, which

Covid-19
hold some 5,300 workers, there is a
specially protected and prepared
block housing 195 workers who are
healthy or have recovered from
Covid-19. They will soon be able to
join more than 48,000 other work-

recovery
ers cleared of Covid-19 to resume
work when the authorities give
them the go-ahead.
Such workers at Block 14, the des-
ignated block at the Westlite dorm,
wear green wristbands to differenti-
ate themselves from others.
Mr Vasudevan Krishnan, the dor-
mitory manager, said officers from
Healthy workers the forward assurance support
team have made a huge difference
return to Westlite in taking care of the workers.
The dorm has also made use of an
Toh Guan and will existing in-house mobile app,

Tee Zhuo
Mark Cheong
Block 14 of Westlite Toh Guan is a specially protected and prepared block that houses 195 workers who are healthy or have recovered from Covid-19. Westlite was Executive Photojournalist
one of the first two dormitories – the other being S11 Punggol – to be gazetted as an isolation area on April 5 after a spike in infections among migrant workers.
soon be able to work
If Westlite Toh Guan sounds famil-
iar, that is likely because it was one
of the first two dormitories to be
gazetted as an isolation area back in
early April. It was an early sign of
the spread of Covid-19 among Singa-
pore’s migrant workers.
Several more dorm clusters
would soon be identified, and now
hundreds of cases are reported at
the dormitories daily, with the au-
thorities saying they form the “vast
majority” of new infections.
adding functions such as tempera-
ture recording and Covid-19-re-
lated announcements and news, to
support the workers’ well-being.
One of the workers staying at
Block 14 is Mr Thangaraj Ranjith, 41,
from India, who has been in Singa-
pore for 10 years.
Speaking in Tamil, he said he first
experienced difficulty breathing on
April 9, and called the dorm’s secu-
rity for help. An ambulance was
called and he was taken to Ng Teng
Fong General Hospital, where he
was swabbed and later confirmed
to have Covid-19. Residents with green wristbands looking out from their room where they will continue to stay, before their employer applies to the Ministry of Trade and Industry for them to return to work.
He was then transferred to
Mount Elizabeth Hospital, where
he was isolated and hospitalised for
42 days before he returned to West-
lite on May 23.
The construction worker said he
did not tell his family he had
Covid-19 as he did not want them to
worry. “I have not resumed work
yet, but I am ready and eagerly look-
ing forward to it,” he said.
Fellow Indian construction
worker Kuttiyandi Dinesh, 27, also
stays at Block 14. He was confirmed
to have Covid-19 on April 20, after
he had a cough and slight fever.
He said he was well cared for at
the Singapore Expo, where he
stayed for 40 days.
He was transferred to Tanjong Pa-
gar Terminal and stayed there for
another 10 days before returning to
Westlite on June 6.
“I’m glad to have recovered and
to be back. I understand why we are
kept in this block and cannot mix
with other residents, for our own
health and safety. This will help us
remain healthy,” he said.

Residents who have recovered from Covid-19 dancing with Westlite dormitory office staff during a “welcome home” cere- A returning Westlite resident, who has recovered from Covid-19, getting his temperature taken before receiving a care mcheong@sph.com.sg Recovered workers waiting to re-enter Westlite dorm. When they first left the dormitory to receive In Block 14, the maximum occupancy of each unit is 10 residents. While the block can hold a total of
mony. The dorm has also made use of an existing in-house mobile app to support the workers’ well-being. pack with essential items. He also had a quick briefing from the dorm management about updated rules and regulations. teezhuo@sph.com.sg medical treatment, they were told to prepare personal items to last them approximately six days. 430 residents, the current number is 195.
B6 HOME
Trial on SCDF
ragging death ends;
verdict out in July
Fire station’s two commanders were legally
obliged to keep NSF safe that night: DPPs
Dominic Low
The trial of two Singapore Civil De-
fence Force (SCDF) officers al-
legedly involved in a 2018 ragging
incident, in which a national ser-
vicemen drowned in a pump well,
closed last Friday, with the court
set to deliver its verdict on July 10.
Kenneth Chong Chee Boon, 37,
and Nazhan Mohamed Nazi, 40, are
each contesting one charge of inten-
tionally aiding a group of SCDF ser-
vicemen to cause grievous hurt to
full-time national serviceman Kok
Yuen Chin, 22, via a rash act endan-
gering human life on the night of
Thinner crowds at Lucky Plaza after new remittance rule kicks in
Enforcement officers from the Ministry of Manpower patrolling Lucky Plaza yesterday afternoon, with crowds notably thinner compared with the previous weekend. A new rule
requiring those who want to remit money through agencies at Lucky Plaza, City Plaza and Peninsula Plaza to make appointments before heading down kicked in last Saturday. The
rule applies on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. ST PHOTO: KELVIN CHNG
Social norms valued in 2018
remain important today: Expert
Cheryl Tan
Removing stagnant water to pre-
vent mosquitoes from breeding is re-
garded as the most desired social
norm by Singaporeans, followed by
refraining from spitting or littering.
A survey of 3,000 Singaporeans,
carried out from August to Decem-
ber 2018, found 73 per cent rated
stagnant water removal as a very im-
portant social norm, followed by
72.6 per cent for not spitting or litter-
ing in public.
The results of the survey were re-
leased last Friday by Associate Pro-
fessor Leong Chan-Hoong, who is
now with the Singapore University
of Social Sciences.
The study was commissioned by
the Ministry of Culture, Community
and Youth as part of SG Cares, a
movement that aspires to build a
more caring society in Singapore.
Prof Leong said the results, which
took some time to analyse, remain
relevant amid the Covid-19 pan-
demic and the resurgence in
dengue, both of which highlight the
importance of health and hygiene.
May 13, 2018.
They are accused of doing so by
failing to prevent the group from
pressuring Corporal Kok to enter
the 12m-deep pump well at Tuas
View Fire Station that night – in a
ritual known as kolam – to mark the
impending completion of his na-
tional service.
Chong was commander and
Nazhan, deputy commander, of the
station then.
Cpl Kok eventually drowned after
he was pushed into the well by an-
other serviceman, Muhammad Nur
Fatwa Mahmood.
Three regulars, including Nur
Fatwa, have already been convicted
“People are still as cognisant that
these civic norms are important,
but I would expect more individu-
als to take active steps to encour-
age those around them to do the
same, especially when the impor-
tance of such socially responsible
behaviour comes to the forefront,”
he said.
For instance, desirable norms
such as refraining from spitting in
public now bear much greater
weight, as failing to do so could pose
a health hazard to others. This is es-
pecially so because the coronavirus
that causes Covid-19 spreads
through respiratory droplets.
Not surprisingly, removing stag-
nant water to prevent mosquito
breeding was rated as the most desir-
able social norm because there was a
sharp rise in dengue in 2018, with
3,285 cases reported.
As the number of dengue infec-
tions surges past 10,000 this year,
Prof Leong noted that the concerns
then were just as valid today.
He hoped that this would lead to
more civic-minded behaviour
among individuals, such as people
taking active steps to remove stag-
and sentenced for their involve-
ment in the death.
Deputy Public Prosecutors Ku-
maresan Gohulabalan, Kelly Ho
and Sheryl Yeo said in their written
closing submissions that Chong
and Nazhan were legally obliged to
keep Cpl Kok safe while the NSF
was on duty that night.
The DPPs argued that both men
had breached their legal obligation
by omitting to interfere even as
they knew that the group of SCDF
servicemen were pressuring Cpl
Kok to participate in the kolam
ritual.
Instead, Chong turned back to his
duties in the station’s watch room,
while Nazhan left the pump well
area – where the rest of the service-
men and Cpl Kok were – to return
to the station’s office, they said.
“These were calculated acts – by
SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOUR
People are still as cognisant that
these civic norms are important,
but I would expect more
individuals to take active steps to
encourage those around them to
do the same, especially when the
importance of such socially
responsible behaviour comes to
the forefront.
’’
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR LEONG
CHAN-HOONG, on how the 2018 survey
results remain relevant today.
nant water in common corridors
and their neighbourhoods.
Other norms that were rated as
very important in the survey in-
cluded giving up seats on public
transport (62.1 per cent), keeping
common areas clean (53.3 per cent)
and getting along well with neigh-
bours (48.7 per cent).
turning away from the scene, they
signalled to the servicemen their in-
tention for the rash act to be com-
mitted, or at the very least, their in-
difference to whether the rash act
would be committed,” the DPPs
added.
In their separate written submis-
sions, defence lawyers for Chong
and Nazhan argued that the prose-
cution had not proven its case “be-
yond reasonable doubt”.
Mr Wee Pan Lee and Ms Low
Chang Yong – who represent
Chong – said their client trusted the
servicemen to protect one another.
Chong also believed Cpl Kok
would have entered the pump well
only voluntarily and on his own,
which would have a “very low” risk
of harm, they said.
It was therefore not a “foresee-
able or probable consequence” to
Chong that Nur Fatwa would have
pushed the NSF into the well, the
lawyers added.
Nazhan’s defence lawyers, Mr
Singa Retnam and Ms Josephine
Lezu Costan, said their client had
left the pump well area before Cpl
Kok was pushed and could not have
“intentionally aided the commis-
sion of the rash act”.
Senior District Judge Ong Hian
Sun is expected to deliver his judg-
ment on July 10.
If convicted, Chong and Nazhan
can each be jailed for up to four
years, or fined up to $10,000, or
both.
domlow@sph.com.sg
In the 2018 survey of 3,000 Singaporeans, 28.2 per cent rated the clearing of one’s own plates in hawker centres as very
important. With dining-in at eateries set to be allowed during phase two of the post-circuit breaker reopening, Professor
Leong Chan-Hoong suggested that more thought should be given to this social norm. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
However, only 29.7 per cent rated
smiling and greeting others as very
important, and 28.2 per cent rated
the clearing of one’s own plates in
hawker centres as very important.
Prof Leong suggested that more
thought should be given to this as
dining-in at eateries will soon be per-
mitted as Singapore moves towards
| THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |
Doc sued for
breaching
exclusive
relationship
K.C. Vijayan
Senior Law Correspondent
From top:
Kenneth Chong A woman is taking a doctor to court in a case be-
Chee Boon and lieved to be the first here of a person suing another
Nazhan for allegedly promising they would have an exclu-
Mohamed Nazi sive relationship when he had no intention of keep-
are each ing his word.
contesting one Ms Serene Tiong is seeking damages for the psychi-
charge of atric harm caused by Dr Chan Herng Nieng for al-
intentionally legedly inducing her into such an arrangement that
aiding a group of he later breached. Ms Tiong is further alleging that
SCDF servicemen Dr Chan was negligent in causing her to be addicted
to cause to an anti-anxiety drug. Dr Chan, then a senior con-
grievous hurt to sultant psychiatrist at Singapore General Hospital
full-time national (SGH), is contesting her claims in defence papers
serviceman Kok filed in the High Court on June 5.
Yuen Chin in May Ms Tiong, in court papers filed, said she had en-
2018. The NSF tered into a serious relationship with Dr Chan in Jan-
drowned after he uary 2017, in the wake of her own marital problems,
was pushed into which caused her anxiety and depression.
a well at Tuas She claimed that towards the end of the relation-
View Fire Station. ship, he had prescribed the drug Xanax obtained in
his own name purportedly for his use but meant for
her. In this way, she claimed she was his de facto pa-
tient and he owed her a duty of care to ensure she
would not be addicted to Xanax, but this is disputed
by Dr Chan.
Ms Tiong said she was vulnerable given their inti-
mate relationship at the time and alleged he ne-
glected her after they broke up.
She said she suffered short-term side effects like
slurred speech and long-term cognitive difficulties
from the drug use, and is undergoing psychiatric
evaluation on the extent of her Xanax dependency.
In addition to the negligence lawsuit, she is also su-
ing him on the relationship front in court papers
filed by her lawyers from Ong Ying Ping ESQ last
month. Ms Tiong claimed Dr Chan had induced her
into their relationship when he told her he was com-
mitted to a long-term and exclusive relationship.
But in April 2018, she claimed she discovered he was
involved in affairs with other women. Following
this, she suffered anxiety disorder and sought psy-
chiatric help elsewhere.
In defence papers filed, Dr Chan countered that he
had complied with his obligations as a doctor and
given her a limited quantity of Xanax for short-term
use only.
Dr Chan clarified he first met her socially, not as a
patient, and she was never his patient. He added
that when they met regularly and were in close con-
tact, he had not seen Ms Tiong develop any symp-
toms of the side effects she claimed.
He said their intimate relationship was consen-
sual and denied committing to a long-term and ex-
clusive sexual relationship with her.
In defence papers filed by Rajah & Tann lawyers
led by Ms Rebecca Chew, it emerged that Ms Tiong
had allegedly demanded “hush money” of up to
$150,000 in May 2018 to not publicise screenshots of
private WhatsApp messages between him and his
close surgeon friend, Dr Julian Ong. She had accessed
his mobile phone while he was asleep during the cou-
ple’s vacation to eastern Europe in April 2018.
This incident triggered their break-up. When they
returned, he allegedly suffered insomnia and panic
attacks, being very stressed by her fury and threats
to expose the screenshots.
Dr Chan claimed he took Xanax himself, and when
she asked for the drug, he obliged out of concern. He
also gave her 14 tablets of Venlafaxine to reduce anxi-
ety for short-term use and told her to consult an-
other doctor.
Defence papers said Ms Tiong was issued a warn-
ing by police in January this year, for attempted ex-
tortion, with regard to the “hush money”.
Dr Chan and Dr Ong were asked by the Singapore
Medical Council in April to stop contacting female
patients outside of work, after Dr Ong lost a defama-
tion suit against Ms Tiong. A pre-trial conference is
due later this month.
vijayan@sph.com.sg
phase two of its reopening after the ing driver of empathy may not be as
circuit breaker period. salient,” he said.
“There are two factors at play “This is a good habit that may re-
here. There’s the health dimension quire greater awareness, and more
of keeping public areas clean and hy- targeted messaging could be pro-
gienic, but also the dimension of moted to induce more socially desir-
civic consciousness, such as clean- able behaviour among the public.”
ing up after yourself to lessen the
load on cleaners, where the underly- tansuwen@sph.com.sg
| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
More keen to make wills amid pandemic
The Straits Times
is launching a law
series that examines
legal issues of
interest against the
backdrop of the
Covid-19 pandemic
landscape, such as
the making of wills
and estate planning.
The series of planned
fortnightly articles
by Senior Law
Correspondent
K.C. Vijayan is meant
to inform, educate
and enhance
awareness. Future
topics include
perspectives on
family law, legal
technologies and
contracts disrupted
by Covid-19.
Madam Jamaliah Jamaludin drew
up her will earlier this year as she
was “not getting any younger” and
life, she said, was fragile.
The 60-year-old mother of two
adult daughters, who also has five
siblings, said her will was done to
“ensure each family member’s inter-
ests are taken care of under Islamic
law”, crediting her lawyer Mo-
hammed Shakirin for the work.
Not everyone has the foresight to
get their affairs in order early. Wills
service provider PreceptsGroup In-
ternational had a client, a 50-year-
old end-stage cancer patient, who
made his will just three days before
he died last month.
His family sourced the company
to prepare the document, which he
signed in a hospital bed with an at-
tending doctor as one of the two wit-
nesses required.
“These things happen and it’s a re-
lief to all concerned, especially the
family members,” said the group’s
chief executive, Mr Lee Chiwi.
Mr Lee, whose company is an es-
tate and succession planning ser-
vice provider, said the current pan-
demic has spurred interest in these
areas. He added that the firm’s webi-
nar last month on the subject drew
nearly 100 participants, compared
with about half the number at its
seminars in pre-Covid-19 days.
Lawyers contacted said the eco-
nomic slowdown owing to Covid-19
has also given people time to priori-
tise matters they had put off, such as
estate planning. “I am seeing more
queries from individuals about wills
and powers of attorney,” said lawyer
Dhamendra Yadav.
He has noticed two main groups:
Young or mid-career professionals
seeking powers of attorney to make
decisions on behalf of their aged
parents; and LGBTQ (lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender and queer)
couples who want to make sure
their partners are taken care of, and
By making a will, a person can express his or her wishes, ranging from equitable asset distribution to
honouring relationships with family members and friends, or charities. PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO
can handle their estate.
A will signed by the testator and
witnessed by two people who are
not beneficiaries is a formal docu-
ment that the court recognises, and
it respects the wishes therein, said
lawyer Peter Ong Lip Cheng.
He said if a person dies intestate,
without a will, the assets left are duly
listed and distributed to next-of-kin
after the administrator is appointed
by the court to administer the estate.
“In a will, a testator may bequeath
his assets to whom he wishes to the
exclusion of others considered close
to him, and it is respected,” he said.
“I have done wills, for example,
where the testator left her assets to a
charity, and in another case, not to
his wife, but someone else.”
WillCraft founder Alvin T’ng said
the increased number of people mak-
ing wills is driven generally by in-
creased financial literacy among Sin-
gaporeans, adding it is now cheaper
and more convenient than before.
I.R.B. Law managing partner Mo-
hammed Baiross noted that wills
can be done with a lawyer, starting
from about $150, or through a
“form-filling exercise” on a service-
provider portal for less than $90.
“Prices vary but there cannot be a
one-size-fits-all in terms of choice
and the client decides what is good
for him. Many are comfortable with
human interface encounters where
concerns are addressed and costs
are billed based on the complexity
of the will,” he said.
While there is no immediate data
on the number of wills made overall,
figures from the Wills Registry man-
aged by Singapore Academy of Law
(SAL) show a rise between January,
when 250 wills were registered, and
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HOME B7
Help in estate planning
Law Society president Gregory Vijayendran said it
is prudent for adults at whatever age to consider
end-of-life issues like wills.
“Rather than letting intestate succession laws op-
erate as a default rule, through a testamentary in-
strument like wills we can express our wishes from
equitable asset distribution to honouring unique
relationships with different family members and
friends, or charities, among others,” he said.
Senior Counsel Vijayendran said appropriate be-
quests reflect “our personalities and passions. Con-
sulting a lawyer helps you memorialise those
wishes validly, clearly, precisely and uniquely so
that it speaks after death”.
The Law Society’s Pro Bono Services’ free Know
The Law booklet has a section on estate planning
and making a will. It can be found at www.lawsoc
probono.org/Pages/know-the-law-booklet.aspx
Separately, details on Singapore Academy of
Law’s Wills Registry can be accessed at
http://wills.sal.sg
More details on the Legal Aid Bureau and the
means test in relation to legal assistance can be
found at lab.mlaw.gov.sg
K.C. Vijayan
3,9111
from the Ministry of Law (MinLaw)
last month, holds details of the will
and not the will itself, said SAL. It is
meant to provide beneficiaries and
next-of-kin with information about
Number of wills registered last year a person’s will, such as who drew up
the will and where it is held. It is not
with the Wills Registry managed by
Singapore Academy of Law.
mandatory to register one’s will.
Separately, the Legal Aid Bureau
received slightly more than 90 appli-
cations for the drafting of wills per
>90
year, on average, from 2017 to last
year, said a MinLaw spokesman.
The Bureau provides legal assis-
tance, such as drafting of wills for
people who pass a means test.
Number of applications received by Mr Mohammed Baiross, whose
the Legal Aid Bureau for the drafting general legal practice also has exper-
of wills per year, on average, from
tise in Syariah law in addition to
other areas, said mindset is the key
2017 to last year. to draw more people to effective es-
tate planning. “The focus should be
on who the testator intends to bene-
April, which had 307. There were fit and not the inventory of items
3,911 wills registered last year, up that make up the estate.”
from 3,535 five years ago.
The registry, which SAL took over vijayan@sph.com.sg
✓ my children and loved ones?
❐
Does having a will safeguard
✓ adopted child?
❐
How do I provide for a step/
✓ children in the event that I
❐
Can I appoint a guardian for my
pass away?
✓ What is a trust and its purposes?
❐
✓ should I fall into a coma or become
❐
What will happen to my assets
mentally incapacitated?
✓ and do I need it?
❐
As a muslim, can I have a will
✓ others who are not my beneficiaries?
❐
As a muslim, how do I provide for
✓ loved
❐ Can I raise an objection to my
ones’ will upon their death?
✓ How
❐ will my family know that I
have drafted a will?
B8
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318994
In a survey, artists top the list of jobs considered non-essential.
I just sold my painting for $350,000.
I still have my SkillsFuture credits.
False death cert case: SMC should have kept an eye on doc False accusation can destroy doctor’s reputation, career
Like Mr Peh Chwee Hoe, I was
taken aback that a doctor was
served with a notice of inquiry 51/2
years after the Singapore Medical
Council (SMC) lodged a complaint
against him with the chairman of
the Complaints Committee
(Review composition of Singapore
Medical Council, June 9).
Given that that was the fourth
time the doctor was found guilty of
wrongly certifying the cause of
death, the onus was on SMC to
respond more promptly and
proactively.
Income relief No necessity to consult doctor in hospital if test results are negative
scheme managed In public hospitals, patients have to and wait to see the doctor.
inefficiently schedule an appointment with the
doctor to receive test results. This
It has been more than two months
since the National Trades Union
Congress (NTUC) started
administering the Self-Employed
Person Income Relief Scheme
(Sirs), and it seems clear to me that
NTUC does not have the resources
to manage a project of this scale.
When applications first opened,
many were unable to submit them
because the NTUC website was
overwhelmed by the large volume
of applications (Flood of claims
stalls website for self-employed
income relief, April 28). I was one of
them, and could not submit my
application until much later.
I was also surprised to learn that
there is no system in place to
synchronise information across
different ministries and statutory
boards. I thought that the launch of
SingPass was meant to fill this role.
When I called NTUC’s hotline to
ask for information on why my
application was not approved, I was
first put on hold for more than an
hour, then told to contact the
Central Provident Fund (CPF)
Board as NTUC did not have the
information.
When I called the CPF Board, I
again had to wait for more than an
hour, only to be told that I should
have contacted the Inland Revenue
Authority of Singapore (Iras)
instead. It then took me several
days before I was able to get
through to Iras’ hotline.
Having one system in place,
where the people in charge of
processing Sirs applications could
have access to all the necessary
information, would have sped up
the process of approval.
Benjamin Ong
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I can’t
agree more.
Me too.
Quick, google “art courses”!
Clearly, the three-month
suspension and $5,000 fine
imposed in 2011 for the first offence
were insufficient deterrence.
After the second and third
offences, I would have expected
SMC to impose stricter measures.
These could have included placing
conditions on the doctor’s practice
and auditing his clinical notes. This
could have prevented further harm
to other patients and their families.
The death of a family member is a
stressful and emotional time.
Receiving a false death certificate
Often, if the test results are
negative, the patient will be out of
means patients have to take time off
to travel to the hospital, go through
various administrative procedures
VoicesOf Youth
Protecting oneself
from online scams
Singapore has seen a surge in
cases of online scams this year
(Spike in online scams as people
stay home, May 28).
Online scams are a perennial
scourge in e-commerce, but
knowing how to identify them
may save people from making
expensive mistakes.
A golden rule of online shopping
is that if a deal is too good to be
true, it probably is. Check retail
prices of items to determine price
ranges. If a platform is listing a $20
price on a $200 retail-priced item,
alarm bells should sound.
Communication regarding
delivery is crucial to make sure
neither party is scammed. For
instance, insist on sellers providing
proof that products are sent –
through postage receipts or
invoices – before making payment.
Finally, do research before
purchasing items with outrageous
claims. Check official sources to
make informed decisions before
forking out cash.
Report scams to the police and
online platform immediately.
Also, visit www.scamalert.sg to
stay informed on the latest
information and updates on scams
Are banks observing due diligence before selling elderly customers high-risk products?
I thank the Monetary Authority of
Singapore (MAS) for clarifying the
measures in place to ensure
financial institutions sell suitable
investment products to their
customers (Checks in place for
banks selling investment products,
April 8).
I hope MAS can also clarify what
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compounds a family’s grief and
distress, and creates confusion and
distrust.
As the medical watchdog, SMC
has an obligation to protect public
health and safety by ensuring that
the doctors it registers are
competent and fit to practise
medicine.
That fitness to practise extends
to all stages of the patient’s life,
including the final paperwork a
doctor completes when a patient
dies.
Brenda Long
waste of time. Patients also have to catching disease, and tie up
pay consultation charges, which
are not cheap.
hospital staff when the only thing
being done is the release of test
the doctor’s office in a few minutes.
Going to the hospital just to be
told that everything is okay is a
in Singapore.
Lance Wu, 20
Pre-university student
Perils of social
media activism
Many people have been posting
black squares on their social
media accounts with the caption
“#blackouttuesday” to pay tribute
to the Black Lives Matter
movement in the United States.
But other users often question
whether their support is genuine,
and accuse them of jumping on the
bandwagon and posting just
because everyone else is doing so.
On the other hand, those who
have yet to post anything are
being called out for not supporting
the black community.
In short, those who do post are
condemned for their ignorance,
and those who do not are ridiculed
for their silence.
Whether an individual voices his
support on social media or not is
entirely up to him; people should
not be turning what is supposed to
be a sign of support into an
obligation or an argument.
We should continue to actively
seek other ways in which we can
help. Activism does not start and
checks are in place to ensure that
banks do not push structured
products on to vulnerable elderly
customers.
According to MAS’ rules, financial
institutions must do a “customer
knowledge assessment” with a
customer before recommending
structured products. But how does
Proper way to carry out
examination on patient
I refer to the report (Doctor
accused of molestation, rape
cleared of all charges, June 11) and
in particular to an earlier report on
the case (Doctor concocted story in
case his DNA found: DPP, May 26,
2018).
A patient should be treated with
respect by her doctor. The
examination should be explained,
including the reason and the
method and emphasising the risk of
a hymenal tear in a virgin, and
permission must be obtained
before proceeding.
The dignity and privacy of the
patient are of utmost importance. A
male doctor should ensure the
presence of a chaperone
throughout a pelvic examination on
a female patient so that she feels
safe and comfortable.
The doctor should use clean,
I feel sorry for general practitioner
Wee Teong Boo, who was cleared of
all charges by the Court of Appeal
(Doctor accused of molestation,
rape cleared of all charges, June 11).
He had been sentenced to 10 years’
jail for sexual assault and
molestation last year.
In some countries, chaperones or
impartial observers are used during
intimate medical examinations,
especially when the doctor is
performing a thorough exam of the
genital or anal region or breasts of
the patient.
There is no need to get patients to
go to the hospital, where they are
exposed to a greater risk of
end with social media. It starts
with doing what you can and it
keeps going until justice is served.
Tseng Jie Ling, 18
JC2 student
Wake-up call
on equality
The death of Mr George Floyd at
the hands of police in the United
States has reignited the Black
Lives Matter movement, and led
to protests in many countries.
The dictionary definition of
equality is the state of being equal,
especially in status, rights or
opportunities. However, there is
much more to equality than just
having equal rights and
opportunities. Equality is treating
everyone around you in the way
you would want to be treated.
Equality is ensuring that no one is
judged based on how he looks.
Equality means that no one is
bullied for his skin colour or
ethnicity.
We’ve all learnt in school and
through our parents that we must
treat everyone equally, but that’s
just on paper. Even in Singapore,
which is considered a racially
harmonious country,
discrimination exists.
MAS validate that this assessment
was done by the bank, especially for
elderly customers who understand
only Mandarin, and that all the
required information and risk was
communicated to the customer?
My illiterate parents were
convinced by a bank’s relationship
manager to invest in a unit trust
| THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |
disposable gloves and
medical-grade lubricant. At the
It is important that senior
doctors behave with the
full decorum of our
profession and set an
example for our younger
colleagues. Our
professional standards of
behaviour have developed
over millennia and have
indisputably proven their
value.
In some cases, the doctor may ask
the patient to undress for a skin
check. It is also possible that
patients may perceive such an
examination as abusive because of
their lack of understanding of the
procedure or due to inadequate
communication.
The function of a chaperone is
primarily to protect the patient, but
the chaperone also protects the
doctor from a patient’s false
accusations. The consequences of a
false accusation if no chaperone is
present can destroy a doctor’s
results with no follow-up.
Can teleconsultation be used for
such cases? Or can staff other than
This is definitely a wake-up call
for all of us to understand what
equality really is.
Charmaine Wong Yu Xin, 14
Secondary 3 student
Covid-19 has widened
digital divide
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the
use of technology has become
essential, with people working
and learning from home, and
relying on e-commerce to get their
food and supplies delivered.
This has widened the digital
divide, with the advantages
provided by technology available
only to those who can access it.
According to a joint statement
by the World Health Organisation
and the International
Telecommunication Union in
April, an estimated 3.6 billion
people remain offline.
Lacking access to technology
presents many challenges, one of
which is being cut off from
information on how to respond to
crises. This results in the spread of
misinformation and fake news.
With lessons mainly being
conducted online during the
pandemic, education has been
affected. Students who don’t have
product when they went to renew
their fixed deposit last year.
According to my father, he was
briefed that there was very little
risk involved with the product.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic,
the unit trust product they invested
in was badly hit. After seeing the
monthly statements, my father
same time, the doctor should
verbally reassure the patient while
performing the examination
because the procedure may feel
uncomfortable. These are the
rights of a patient and should be
requested if not provided.
It is important that senior
doctors behave with the full
decorum of our profession and set
an example for our younger
colleagues.
Our professional standards of
behaviour have developed over
millennia and have indisputably
proven their value.
These professional views are
expressed in my personal capacity
as a member of our community, and
as a doctor who has been teaching
medical students and doctors for
more than 35 years.
Kesavan Esuvaranathan (Professor)
reputation, and may lead to
suspension and removal from the
medical register and possible
criminal proceedings.
The American Medical
Association recommends that an
authorised health professional
should, whenever possible, serve as
a chaperone during a medical check.
An experienced chaperone
would be able to identify unusual or
unacceptable behaviour by a
doctor and also protect the doctor
against abusive patients.
Heng Cho Choon
the doctor, such as senior nurses,
release test results to patients?
What can be done to reduce
inconvenience and cut
unnecessary costs?
De Silva Raymond
access to individual digital devices
at home are heavily
disadvantaged. They also need to
have a stable electricity supply
and Internet connectivity.
I know of students who don’t
own digital devices and have had
to borrow devices or share them
with their siblings. Sharing may
not be feasible as some online
lessons can span the entire day.
Some low-income families also
have limited Internet bandwidth,
which results in frequent
disruptions during online classes.
The concern is that people who
are already underprivileged suffer
disproportionately due to the
pandemic. As the world tries to
control the spread of the
coronavirus, and schools and
workplaces reopen, I hope to see
this gap bridged.
Sara Shriram, 16
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became worried and went to see
the relationship manager.
Only then did he realise that it
was a high-risk product, and
fearing the possibility of losing all
of his hard-earned savings, he sold
the product at a loss of 20 per cent
of what was invested.
Sim Chwee Sean
| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
B9

60
PROPORTION OF EMPLOYERS USING OR INTENDING
TO USE PANDEMIC PERIOD TO TRAIN WORKFORCE B11
%

Surviving supply chain shocks Many businesses,

including those in
Singapore, were
caught out and have

caused by Covid-19 pandemic had to adapt quickly

Ovais Subhani
Senior Correspondent
One of the most striking impacts of
the Covid-19 outbreak is the harsh
way it has exposed the weaknesses
in supply chains for businesses
around the world.
Many were caught out amid panic
buying of daily necessities, such as
toilet paper, the unexpected de-
mand surges for baking products
and some food items, and most
tragic of all, the scarcity of life-sav-
ing drugs, ventilators, masks and
personal protective equipment.
Despite decades spent fine-tun-
ing supply chains, most companies
found themselves struggling to ful-
fil their needs for raw materials or
finished products.
Traditional methods for manag-
ing supply chain risk rely on know-
ing how any potential event can dis-
rupt a firm’s operations.
But it is a different story for low-
probability, high-impact events,
because historical data on these
rare events is limited or non-exis-
tent.
That meant many companies
were not prepared for the turmoil
Covid-19 would cause.
Even operationally savvy firms
scrambled as one country after an-
other locked down their economies
to contain the disease.
New technologies, such as artifi-
cial intelligence, 5G and the Inter-
net of Things, may dramatically im-
prove visibility across end-to-end
supply chains and help absorb simi-
lar crises in the future, but more
pertinent lessons have already
been learnt.
Most businesses now realise how
important their relationships with
their employees, suppliers and cus-
tomers will continue to be.
Here is how a few companies
across Singapore’s business sectors
survived the disarray caused by the
pandemic:

SMH Food Industries RESPONDING QUICKLY

We dished out
Sin Mui Heng (SMH) Food Industries, which makes
chilled and frozen dim sum, encountered a few blips in
whatever we could in
recent months. the shortest time.
Sourcing for raw materials from overseas, such as
packaging materials and personal protective equip- These included direct
ment, was a challenge for the Singapore firm. factory sales,
Exporting food products, such as dim sum and pau, to
the Middle East also met with some issues due to work-from-home dim
Covid-19 restrictions, said SMH’s director of opera- sum packages,
tions Johnson Tay and director of business develop-
ment Evan Tay in a joint reply. marketing to
The food manufacturer started exporting its halal consumers via
dim sum to Europe and the Middle East in 1997.
To get around the roadblocks, SMH decided to pro- Facebook, Instagram;
duce more machine-made products mainly for retail and we got ourselves
sale instead.
“This means cutting down on labour-intensive lines listed on more online
which produce handmade items that are for hotels and stores.
restaurants,” said Mr Tay and Ms Tay.

’’
The management was quick to realise that the only
source of income during the outbreak would be from di-
rect consumers, they added.
SMH thus continued organising promotions and SMH’S DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
even pushed out new product lines in supermarkets. JOHNSON TAY AND DIRECTOR OF
It also ramped up the number of delivery trips to BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EVAN TAY
stores.
Staff chipped in as well. Those who were managing
the hotel and restaurant sector volunteered to become
merchandisers in supermarkets to help with stock-tak-
ing and replenishing of empty shelves.
“As a result, our April sales from supermarkets were
the highest in our 60-year history,” said Mr Tay and Ms
Tay.
“We have since diverted and are concentrating all
our resources to produce supermarket ranges and on-
line ranges of products.”
Meanwhile, SMH looked for solutions on the export
front.
In order to ship products to the Middle East, the firm
carved out alternative shipment channels, said Mr Tay
and Ms Tay.
SMH also worked with its distributor in the United
Arab Emirates, with the support of Enterprise Singa-
pore, to send the food products to Kuwait via trucks in-
stead of the usual approach of using sea freight.
“We had to consider factors such as costs and timing
as we turned to trucking, as (it) tends to be more expen-
sive compared with sea freight.” Mr Johnson Tay, director of
This pandemic has forced SMH to learn new skills operations at Sin Mui Heng Food
within a short time, noted Mr Tay and Ms Tay. Industries, in a 2019 file photo. The
“We dished out whatever we could in the shortest food manufacturer’s management
time. These included direct factory sales, work-from- was quick to realise that the only
home dim sum packages, marketing to consumers via source of income during the
Facebook, Instagram; and we got ourselves listed on outbreak would be from direct
more online stores,” they said. consumers so it continued organising
The diversification of supply chains was also another promotions and even pushed out new
lesson learnt, and SMH now plans to embark on a digi- product lines in supermarkets.
tal business transformation. ST PHOTO: ZHANG XUAN

Royal Insignia here and that will also make us less

As the pandemic gathered pace and
spread from China to Europe ear-
lier this year, Royal Insignia was hit
hard.
The maker of bespoke medals,
luxury gifts and jewellery had to
grapple with the closures of suppli-
ers’ factories due to lockdown mea-
sures in various parts of the world,
such as China and Italy, said general
manager Lin Yiqun.
“This led to severe disruption in
our manufacturing delivery time-
line as we procured some of the raw
materials and semi-finished parts
from these suppliers,” he recalled.
There were manpower issues to
deal with as well.
As factories were closed in China,
the firm had to move its entire man-
ufacturing process to Singapore,
but some of its key production su-
pervisors had travelled to China for
Chinese New Year and could not re-
turn for work as travel restrictions
were imposed.
But Royal Insignia took things in
its stride. It started working with lo-
cal suppliers to procure materials
reliant on our overseas suppliers,”
said Mr Lin, noting that the pan-
clients and markets. demic has sharpened the need to di-
In 2017, the firm was one of the versify its supply sources.
first small and medium-sized enter- “Often SMEs like us always go for
prises (SMEs) to turn to online mar- the most price-competitive sup-
keting through the SME Go Digital plier,” he said. “It is important to
programme run by Enterprise Sin- have alternative sources of supplies
gapore. The early move paid off dur- to mitigate the risk of supply chain
ing the pandemic as the firm was disruption. It is also important to
still able to promote itself on digital constantly innovate by leveraging
platforms and generate new in- new technology to improve our
quiries for more sales without any craft.” MITIGATE RISK WITH ALTERNATIVES
disruption, said Mr Lin. The firm has a programme in
Even prior to the circuit breaker place to bring in a Russian enamel- It is important to have
measures, the firm was able to im- list to train the local craftsmen in
plement safe distancing measures enamelling, and to guide local de-
alternative sources
at its manufacturing and office fa- signers to design products with of supplies to
cility, and telecommuting from enamelled elements.
home for non-manufacturing em- “In addition, we have made use of mitigate the risk of
ployees. machines and technology to fabri- supply chain
Manufacturing staff have stag- cate more parts during the circuit
gered working hours and split- breaker period,” he said. disruption. It is also
team arrangements. The firm also With its suppliers in China resum- important to
tapped Singapore Business Federa- ing operations, Royal Insignia is
tion’s ManpowerConnect scheme working with them to manage the constantly innovate
to manage manpower needs. production delays due to the circuit by leveraging new
It also assisted staff who were re- breaker in the past weeks.
turning from overseas with their Mr Lin said: “We will need to technology to
leave of absence and stay-home no- work closely with both overseas improve our craft.
tice requirements. Expenses were and local manufacturing to make

and try to fabricate semi-finished
products on its own.
It tapped digital tools, such as
YouTube marketing, search engine
marketing and display ads, to reach
fully subsidised by Royal Insignia,
added Mr Lin.
Future plans now include shifting
manufacturing processes to Singa-
pore. “We have skilled manpower
’’
up for the time delay due to the ex-
tended circuit breaker in Singa-
pore.”
Craftsmen at Royal Insignia working while maintaining a safe distance. ROYAL INSIGNIA GENERAL MANAGER
Non-manufacturing employees telecommute from home. PHOTO: ROYAL INSIGNIA CONTINUITY KEY continued on B10 LIN YIQUN
B10 BUSINESS | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |

Commentary 57.9 cents a share. The pandemic and lockdown

S-Reits, which I highlighted in an have also raised the strategic role of

Keep an eye on cyclical, growth earlier column, remain good yield

plays, though many have recovered
some ground over the past two
months.
Within the Reits sector, logistics
food supply chain players.
Sats stands out.
Besides controlling 80 per cent of
the market at Changi Airport, Sats
also has a presence in 14 countries

plays as recovery begins

Tech stocks, and those with strong balance
sheets and businesses, could benefit
stimulus packages rolled out by
central banks and governments to
boost growth. The market has also
been supported by relief that the
pandemic is gradually being brought
under control.
The reopening of businesses and
economies is underpinning this
Ven Sreenivasan optimism, so liquidity in search of
returns flowed to beaten-down
Associate Editor equity markets.
Many macro funds that sold out
during March rushed to get back in
Was the sharp pullback on Wall and position themselves for a
Street that wiped out around US$2 potential recovery. It’s the “don’t
trillion (S$2.8 trillion) from the want to miss out” mentality at full
market a new major correction or a throttle.
blip? That is the million-dollar But last week’s cautionary tales
question investors were pondering from the United States Federal
in the wake of the sharp correction Reserve and Organisation for
last Thursday which saw key Wall Economic Cooperation and
Street indexes plunge almost 6 per Development and fears of a second
cent. wave of the pandemic sweeping the
Still, a 12-week gravity-defying southern parts of the US amid the
rally has lifted New York stock reopenings have stoked jitters.
markets over 40 per cent since late It is early days yet, but all
March while the Straits Times Index indications are that the uptrend
rose about 27 per cent to a high of remains intact. However, the
2,800 points last Wednesday before volatility will continue, so it might
giving back some ground. But it still be time for those not in the market
closed on Friday 22 per cent ahead yet to start scanning the scenery.
since March. But first, some home truths.
Much of the rally has been fuelled Corporate results for the first half
by liquidity generated by aggressive of this year will be poor.
The full frontal impact of the
Covid-19 shutdowns will show up
on company financials during the
upcoming results period ending
this month. Markets could also be
weighed down by huge
unemployment figures and
negative economic news flows.
Secondly, as far as Covid-19 is
concerned, we are not out of the
woods yet. A second wave could hit
before this pandemic passes. There
are at least 10 ongoing vaccine trials
globally, and some are indeed
showing promise. But even after a
vaccine is found, it will take almost
a year before it hits the market.
Thirdly, there is danger of
“irrational exuberance” sweeping
over the market. Coined by former
Fed chief Alan Greenspan, the
phrase described the tech rally in
the late 1990s before the tech
bubble hit home. Optimism based
on facts yields results, but
exuberance based on blind faith
can end in a proverbial train wreck.
So if you are thinking of getting
into the market, study the data and
do reality checks.
Many stocks, especially the
defensive plays, have already run
up. Counters like Sheng Siong have
benefited hugely. Glove maker Top
Glove is up almost 300 per cent in
the year so far. Many front-line blue
chips and marquee names have also
recovered much lost ground.
Cyclical and growth plays could
be the names to watch.
Companies best placed for a
recovery next year will be those
with strong balance sheets, sound
businesses, good management,
proven strategies and leaders in
their segments.
Stocks leveraged on the tech
sector are still worth looking at;
there are several on the Singapore
Exchange.
Specialist semiconductor
component maker AEM is one.
Though it has run up somewhat,
there could be more upside if the
tech recovery continues. There is
also some speculation that it could
seek a Nasdaq secondary listing.
Then there is NetLink NBN Trust,
a prominent player in the high-end
digital cabling business. It is well
positioned to capitalise on demand
as digital connectivity grows.
CGS-CIMB has just put out a
“buy” call on precision metal
stamping and moulding specialist
InnoTek. Controlled by the
low-profile Chandria family, it
makes components for the auto,
office equipment and TV
manufacturing sectors.
The company is run by a brilliant
chief executive, Mr Lou Yiliang,
who owns around 11.5 per cent of
InnoTek and is credited with
turning the firm around.
The company offers a steady
dividend yield of over 4 per cent.
CGS-CIMB has a price target of
trusts could benefit as supply
chains rebuild. Hospitality Reits
have also seen upgrades on a
potential recovery in travel.
There are several lower-profile
names that fit the cyclical recovery
theme. One is energy, geospatial
engineering and specialised
construction player Boustead,
which was trading at about 80
cents in January.
At the time, UOB Kay Hian had a
target of 92 cents on the stock,
citing its strong order book,
diversified business, strong
balance sheet and decent yield. The
stock is now around 62 cents.
Boustead sits on around $200
million cash, or net cash per stock
of 33 cents. It has historically paid
out about three cents a share,
translating into a dividend yield of
over 4.5 per cent.
Singaporean-owned Straco
Corporation is another cash-rich
company. It owns tourism sector
assets such as the Singapore Flyer,
Shanghai Ocean Aquarium,
Underwater World Xian and others.
The travel lockdowns have been
brutal on the stock but with around
$175 million in cash, no debt and a
pre-Covid-19 profit margin of over
30 per cent, this is a company worth
watching as a recovery in China’s
domestic tourism starts kicking in.
Straco’s 50 per cent payout ratio
has translated into a dividend yield
of almost 4.7 per cent.
Another recovery play is ST
Engineering, a global aerospace
player and one of Asia’s largest
defence engineering groups. It
chalks up annual revenue of almost
$8 billion and pays a dividend of
over 4 per cent. This company is on
the buy list of most broking houses.
covering 53 cities and 47 airports. It
owns Sats Food Services (formerly
listed Singapore Food Industry), an
integrated food logistics and
catering supplier.
Despite being battered by the
virtual shutdown of the aviation
market, Sats is cash-rich with the
financial wherewithal to ride out the
storm. Analysts have given it an
average price target of around $3.94.
It has been rewarding
shareholdings with a payout in
excess of 80 per cent of its earnings.
Another food supply chain stock
is Japfa. It runs industrial-scale
animal protein supply operations
(poultry, pig, beef and dairy farms)
in five countries in the Asia-Pacific
region. The target price ranges
from DBS Group Research’s 84
cents to Maybank-Kim Eng’s $1.07.
There are many other solid
cyclical and growth stocks within
the Singapore market that have yet
to be lifted by the tide of liquidity.
Those who went through the
severe acute respiratory syndrome
crisis in 2002 and 2003 would
know that the market started
recovering five months before the
pandemic disappeared. And after
the 2007 to 2008 global financial
crisis, the market started
recovering half a year before
economies were back from the
brink. Could history be repeating
itself? Perhaps.
The search for yield in a low
interest rate environment will
continue to see inflows into stocks.
But this global pandemic is not over
yet. Volatility and turbulence will
intensify as the market heads
higher.
ven@sph.com.sg

Ensuring business continuity, boosting flexibility Perennial’s

MAINTAINING OPERATIONS
We have activated multiple
rapid response teams to
coordinate strategies to
maintain supply chain
operations, protect our
people and ensure
business continuity in
Singapore and the region.
CEO, other
shareholders
offer to take
firm private
Perennial Real Estate Holdings’
chief executive Pua Seck Guan is
partnering with several other sub-
stantial shareholders, including

Despite additional restrictions mandated by different governments in the region, 3M’s manufacturing operations for disposable respirators in Asia have been
running 24/7 since late January, says Mr Trevor Bilicke, vice-president for manufacturing and supply chain in Asia-Pacific for the industrial giant. PHOTO: 3M
3M Singapore
From B9
Many of the United States-based in-
dustrial giant’s products are essen-
tial in fighting Covid-19 around the
world.
Its plants in Woodlands and Tuas
manufacture respirators, polymer-
processing additives and adhesives
among a host of other products.
3M Singapore was founded in
Micron Technology
When the first case of Covid-19
emerged in China back in January,
Micron Technology already
kicked into action, first by taking
steps to protect its supply of raw
materials.
The world’s leading producer of
1966 and now serves a diverse set
of industries from healthcare to
electronics.
To ensure global supply chains
can continue to operate, 3M’s crisis
action team is meeting daily, said
Mr Trevor Bilicke, vice-president
for manufacturing and supply
chain in Asia-Pacific at 3M.
“The situation we are facing
changes daily – sometimes hourly.
“We also added assembly and
test capacity... to provide redun-
dant manufacturing capability in
multiple regions.”
Aside from logistics delays, there
have been no other issues with
products reaching customers, he
“We have activated multiple
rapid response teams to coordinate
strategies to maintain supply chain
operations, protect our people and
ensure business continuity in Singa-
pore and the region,” he said.
3M’s global network has helped
the company to obtain raw materi-
als and packaging materials for its
plants when needed.
Since February, the company has
managed its supplies in a
30/60/90-day planning cycle, said
Mr Bilicke.
“We have also accelerated new in-
ternal and external supply qualifica-
tions to help alleviate issues where
demand far exceeds supply or
where there are export restric-
tions,” he added.
When neighbouring Malaysia in-
stituted a movement control order
in March, 3M worked with the Sin-
gapore Government to provide ac-
commodation and other support to
Malaysian workers who used to
commute to the Republic daily for
work. This helped to minimise the
’’
MR TREVOR BILICKE, vice-president for
manufacturing and supply chain in
Asia-Pacific at 3M.
impact to manufacturing opera-
tions here, said Mr Bilicke.
Meanwhile, 3M’s production em-
ployees have increased overtime
work, with government approval.
“We have also hired more contin-
gent workers in order to sustain run-
ning our operations 24/7,” he
added. “We will continuously in-
crease productivity to maximise pro-
duction of disposable respirators to
help protect healthcare workers.”
These changes were made with
safety in mind. Many employees
are now working remotely.
At the plants, for example,
changes made include stringent
cleaning and medical screening,
staggering shifts and reorganising
how work is done to increase social
distancing, said Mr Bilicke, adding
that despite the additional restric-
tions mandated by different gov-
ernments in the region, 3M’s manu-
facturing operations for disposable
respirators in Asia have been run-
ning 24/7 since late January.
REDUCING SUPPLY RISKS
We have increased our
on-hand inventory of raw
materials and stored more
on our sites to minimise
the impact of any logistics
delays.
Mr Kuok Khoon Hong and Mr Ron
Sim, to take the company private.
In a statement on Friday night,
Perennial announced that an en-
tity called Primero Investment
Holdings is offering 95 cents a
share in cash for all its shares.
The offer price represents a 37.7
per cent premium over the inte-
grated real estate and healthcare
company’s close at 69 cents on
June 9 – the last trading day before
the offer announcement.
It also represents a 95.1 per cent,
112.5 per cent, 124.1 per cent and
105.2 per cent premium over the
12-month, six-month, three-
month and one-month volume-
weighted average prices, respec-
tively, up to May 15. The offer price
is, however, just 60 per cent of
Perennial’s reported net asset
value of $1.584 as at Dec 31 last year.
Primero is a consortium com-
prising Mr Pua, Perennial’s chair-
man Mr Kuok, Perennial’s vice-
chairman Mr Sim, agri-food group
Wilmar International and Beau-
fort Investment Global Company.
The latter is an entity managed or
advised by Hopu Fund Manage-
ment Company, an Asian alterna-
tive asset management firm that is
financing the offer.
The consortium owns or has se-
cured irrevocable undertakings
for 82.43 per cent of Perennial’s
shares, and Hopu will fund the
cost of acquiring the remaining
17.57 per cent of Perennial.
Perennial said shareholders
who accept the offer will still be
entitled to the final cash dividend
of 0.2 cent per share declared for
FY2019 ended Dec 31. The record
date for this entitlement is July 7.
Primero also plans to make an
appropriate proposal or offer to
holders of the 90.9 million out-

data memory and storage technolo-
gies and solutions also increased
the flexibility of its supply chains to
ensure it could deliver orders to cus-
tomers on time, said Mr Chen Kok
Sing, corporate vice-president and
Singapore country manager of Mi-
cron.
The Nasdaq-listed company
based in Boise, Idaho, has since in-
creased its focus on multi-sourcing
of parts to reduce supplier-depen-
dence risk, he added.
“We have increased our on-hand
inventory of raw materials and
stored more on our sites to min-
imise the impact of any logistics de-
lays,” said Mr Chen.
noted.
Here in Singapore, Micron was al-
lowed to continue production dur-
ing the circuit breaker period in
April and last month as semicon-
ductor manufacturing is desig-
nated an essential service.
However, adjustments had to be
made to ensure work was carried
out safely.
Besides allowing some staff to
telecommute, Micron divided its
Singapore staff into three teams.
The first group comprises the
most critical people who need to
work on site. They are further di-
vided into smaller groups to ensure
safe distancing at the workplace.
Micron Technology took steps to protect its supply of raw materials when the
first case of coronavirus emerged in China in January. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
The second group rotates be-
tween working on site and at home
on a weekly basis
The third group worked at home
during the entire circuit breaker pe-
riod, and will continue do so until
further notice.
Safe distancing measures at the
facility includes distancing of 1m at
lift areas and cafeterias. Work sta-
tions have also been separated with
a distance of 2m between them.
“In addition, we continue to con-
duct safety campaigns for on-site
team members,” said Mr Chen.
Covid-19 may well lead to some
permanent changes to the way Mi-
cron manages its relations.
’’
MR CHEN KOK SING, corporate
vice-president and Singapore country
manager of Micron Technology.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has
shown us that to maintain business
continuity, leaders need to commu-
nicate with clarity and timeliness,
and take effective actions to pro-
tect the teams and communities in
which they operate,” said Mr Chen.
osubhani@sph.com.sg
standing options, which are exer-
cisable into the same amount of
shares. The proposed offer is con-
ditional upon Primero receiving
enough acceptances to give it a 90
per cent stake in Perennial as it in-
tends to delist the company.
Primero believes a privatisation
will allow it to raise money more
easily, optimise its resources and
focus on its “strategic pursuits of
acquiring and developing inte-
grated development projects next
to transportation hubs, reposition-
ing its operating assets and grow-
ing its healthcare management
business”, said Perennial’s state-
ment. THE BUSINESS TIMES
| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
BUSINESS B11

Firms using Skills in demand during the Covid-19 pandemic

downtime to
train workforce
Poll finds this is especially so for those in sectors severely
hit by slowdown; top priority is for soft or adaptive skills
Joanna Seow
Manpower Correspondent
Employers here are using the extra
time on their hands during the eco-
nomic slowdown to boost staff capa-
bilities in areas such as technical
and technology-related skills, a sur-
vey noted.
It found that 60 per cent of em-
ployers are using or intend to use
the pandemic period to train their
workforce.
The poll done in April amid the
circuit breaker also noted that 67
per cent of firms in severely af-
fected industries such as tourism,
aviation, retail, food services, land
transport and the arts wanted to
train staff during the downtime, a
higher proportion than those in
other industries, which registered
55 per cent.
Soft or adaptive skills emerged as
current roles.
And 58 per cent wanted to im-
prove their workers’ general tech-
nology-related skills, noted the sur-
vey released last week by training
provider NTUC LearningHub.
Its poll of 200 employers also
found that the top three adaptive
skills they want now are adaptabil-
ity and resilience, teamwork and
collaboration, and innovation. The
top three digital skills are digital
marketing, project management
and data analysis.
Digital marketing ability was
most sought-after by the lifestyle,
trade and connectivity, and profes-
sional service industries.
Employers in the built environ-
ment and essential domestic ser-
vice sectors tend to place a higher
priority on project management
skills, while manufacturers want
staff to be adept at data analysis.
NTUC LearningHub chief execu-
TOP 10 ADAPTIVE SKILLS
1 Adaptability and resilience
2 Teamwork and collaboration
3 Innovation
4 Effective communication
5 Service excellence
6 Leadership
7 Creativity
8 Negotiation and influencing skills
9 Analytical reasoning and
complex problem solving
10 Design thinking
NOTE: From an online survey of 200 employers in April 2020
THE DIGITAL EDGE
In this new world order
where social distancing is
the new norm, a business’
ability to stand out
amongst the crowd
digitally would give it a
competitive advantage,
and that could explain why
digital marketing emerged
as the No. 1 digital skill.
TOP 10 DIGITAL SKILLS
1 Digital marketing
2 Project management
3 Data analysis
4 Basic IT support
5 Data-driven decision making
6 Web/App design and development
7 Cyber security
8 Governance, risk management and
personal data protection
9 AI or machine learning
10 Robotic process automation
Source: NTUC LearningHub STRAITS TIMES GRAPHICS
He added that as Covid-19 has fare Skills Support scheme from
transformed the way many people July 1, which has higher levels of sup-
look at businesses and lifestyle, em- port.
ployers are more ready than before There is also the Union Training
to embrace digital solutions that Assistance Programme that sub-
previously seemed daunting. sidises course fees for National
NTUC LearningHub recom- Trades Union Congress (NTUC)
mends that workers identify gaps members while the SkillsFuture
in their skill sets and make learning Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy as-
a continual habit. sists mid-career Singaporeans.
They should also actively find out The report urged employers to
how their employers are navigating structure their businesses with
the Covid-19 economy so that they people at the heart, which will re-
can align their individual goals with sult in better engagement and loy-
those of the organisation. alty.

a top priority, with 65 per cent of
bosses who are sending or intend-
ing to send employees for training
citing this option.
This was followed closely by tech-
nical skills, with 64 per cent of em-
ployers saying their priority was to
deepen staff competencies in their
tive Kwek Kok Kwong said: “In this
new world order where social dis-
tancing is the new norm, a business’
ability to stand out amongst the
crowd digitally would give it a com-
petitive advantage, and that could
explain why digital marketing
emerged as the No. 1 digital skill.”
’’
There are various schemes avail-
able for workers who go for training
on their own.
These include the Workfare Train-
NTUC LEARNINGHUB CHIEF EXECUTIVE ing Support Scheme, which pro-
KWEK KOK KWONG vides low-wage workers with fund-
ing for course fees and allowances.
This will be replaced by the Work-
They should also make use of
available training grants and
schemes to reskill and redeploy
workers, so that their businesses
can become more efficient and
transform.
joseow@sph.com.sg

Japfa scales up to feed emerging Asia

What drives Japfa chief executive
Tan Yong Nang out of bed every
morning is the awareness that he is
contributing – one way or another
– to the fight against hunger and
malnutrition in Asia.
A report by United Nations agen-
cies last year found that more than
20 per cent of the region’s popula-
tion – estimated at 3.5 billion – is
grappling with moderate or severe
lack of access to food.
“Japfa has a mission to feed
emerging Asia,” Mr Tan said. “With
China, India, Myanmar, Indonesia
and Vietnam accounting for more
than 40 per cent of the global popu-
lation, I’m glad to be able to contrib-
ute to the well-being of consumers,
and play a small part in the efforts
to end regional hunger.”
As a leading, pan-Asian industri-
alised agri-food company, Japfa
provides consumers with safe and
affordable animal proteins,
ranging from poultry and beef to
pork, aquaculture and dairy prod-
ucts.
Headquartered in Singapore, it
employs more than 40,000 people
across a network of modern farm-
ing, processing and distribution fa-
cilities in Indonesia, Vietnam,
Myanmar, India and China.
Prior to its listing on the Singa-
pore Exchange in August 2014,
Japfa was a poultry-focused, In-
donesia-centric business.
“Our ambition then was to fur-
ther expand and strengthen a busi-
ness that already spanned multiple
markets and pillars, offering a
range of animal proteins,” said Mr
Tan.
Since its listing, Japfa has lever-
aged its diversification strategy by
replicating its vertically integrated
business model, which spans ani-
mal feed production and breeding
farms in the upstream industry,
milking and fattening farms in the
mid-stream segment, as well as pro-
cessing and distribution opera-
tions, which constitute the down-
stream sector.
The group’s first pillar is poultry
in Indonesia, where it maintains a
leadership position through its
listed subsidiary, Japfa Comfeed In-
donesia, one of the two largest pro-
ducers of poultry in the country
with a robust market share and
economies of scale.
The second core pillar is its dairy
operations in China, where Japfa is
one of the leading producers of pre-
mium raw milk.
This April, Meiji agreed to buy 25
per cent of Japfa subsidiary AustA-
sia Investment for US$254.4 mil-
lion (S$353.4 million) in cash, fur-
ther cementing Japfa’s position as
an independent raw milk producer
in China.
The group’s third pillar is its
swine business in Vietnam.
Japfa has poultry operations in
Vietnam, India and Myanmar, as
well as aquaculture and beef opera-
tions in Indonesia. It leverages on
its quality raw materials to produce
premium, mass-market dairy prod-
ucts under its Greenfields brand
sold in markets across Asia, includ-
ing Singapore, as well as packaged
foods under its So Good brand,
available in Indonesia.
However, the agri-food business
will inevitably be subject to cycles,
which in turn will affect sales and
profits. These cycles are deter-
mined by factors such as seasonal-
ity, government policies and
macroeconomic drivers, which af-
fect consumer spending.
“Our diversification across five
proteins and five countries cush-
ions us against cyclicality in any
one market or protein group,” Mr
Tan said.
And given the growing affluence
of Japfa’s target middle- and lower-
income consumer groups, it ex-
pects animal protein consumption
to continue climbing. The region’s
poultry output surged 56 per cent
over the last decade to 9.2 million
tonnes in 2018, and is forecast to
reach 12.3 million tonnes by 2028.
Likewise, pork production grew 23
per cent between 2009 and 2018,
and is projected to rise another 21
per cent by 2028.
China’s per capita milk consump-
tion doubled to 36kg in 2018 from
18kg in 2007, but it still stands at
less than one-third the global aver-
age. The country’s per capita dairy
intake will continue to rise, particu-
larly in third- and fourth-tier cities,
USDA-Economic Research Service
data showed.
Looking back on his 13 years
within the group, with the last six
as CEO, Mr Tan gets a sense of satis-
Japfa CEO Tan
Yong Nang says
that amid the
Covid-19
outbreak, the
group is focused
on reducing
costs and
remaining
efficient, as well
as adjusting its
investments and
deploying its
resources
appropriately.
PHOTO: JAPFA
faction from witnessing Japfa’s
steady growth and the group’s abil-
ity to navigate choppy waters.
“Since our IPO (initial public of-
fering), revenues have expanded
by nearly a third to US$3.9 billion,
while our Ebitda has nearly dou-
bled to almost US$500 million,” he
pointed out, referring to earnings
before interest, tax, depreciation
and amortisation.
Nevertheless, one challenge the
59-year-old is keeping a close eye
on is none other than Covid-19.
“As Japfa provides an essential
service by supplying staple pro-
teins, largely to the domestic mar-
kets in which they are produced,
our day-to-day operations have
not, thus far, been materially im-
pacted by the lockdowns,” Mr Tan
noted.
In particular, Japfa has seen a re-
covery in demand for raw milk in
China. “With the general shortage
of raw milk in the country, and as
an independent raw milk pro-
ducer, we’re poised to benefit,” he
added.
In Vietnam, pork demand re-
mains relatively stable. However,
the situation in Indonesia remains
fluid – the country’s partial lock-
downs have reduced consumer
spending and impacted poultry de-
mand, leading to a continued de-
cline in broiler prices.
“As this pandemic is an unprece-
dented event, the ultimate impact
cannot be estimated with any cer-
tainty. Against this backdrop,
we’re focused on reducing costs
and remaining efficient, as well as
adjusting our investments and de-
ploying our resources appropri-
ately,” Mr Tan added.
• This is an edited excerpt from
Singapore Exchange’s Kopi-C: The
Company Brew, a column featuring
C-level executives of SGX-listed
firms. Previous editions are on SGX’s
website www.sgx.com/research.
 B12 BUSINESS | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |

WEEKLY

Straits Times Index Indexed closing prices

FTSE ST Catalist Index Hang Seng Shanghai Comp Nikkei 225 Dow Jones
June 12, 2020 June 12, 2020
JUNE 12, 2019 = 100 30,000 3,100 24,000 30,000
2,648.63 110
Straits Times Index
241.15
-66.87 (-2.43%) +1.39 (+0.58%)
Current streak 100 Current streak 28,000 3,000 22,000
1 day 26,000
2 days
25,605.54
Week high 90 Week high
FTSE ST Catalist Index 26,000 2,900 20,000 (-1,505.44)
2,800.57 244.47
June 12
Week low 80 Week low 24,301.38 2,919.74 22,305.48 22,000
2,684.63 239.17 24,000 (-469.03) 2,800 (-11.06) 18,000 (-558.25)
52-week high 70 52-week high June 12 June 12 June 12
3,381.26 (July 25, 2019) 286.27 (July 24, 2019)
52-week low 22,000 2,700 16,000 18,000
52-week low J J A S O N DJ FM A M J J J A S O N D J F MA M J J J A S O N D J F MA M J J J A S ON D J FMA M J
J 2,233.48 (March 23, 2020) J A S O N D J F M A M J 183.71 (March 23, 2020) ‘20 ‘20 ‘20 ‘20
2020
NOTE: Based on Friday’s figures. Source: BLOOMBERG

Straits Times Index stocks FTSE ST Small-Cap Index stocks Gainers

BY CENTS

52-WEEK CURRENCY LAST ’VOL GROSS 52-WEEK LAST ’VOL GROSS CLOSE UP % 52w high/low
HIGH LOW COMPANY TRADED SALE +OR- ’000 YIELD % P/BV HIGH LOW COMPANY SALE +OR- ’000 YIELD % P/BV
Great Eastern .................................... 2020 74.0 3.8 2609/1640
348 222 Ascendas Reit ........................................ 310 -14 72372 5.2 1.4 340 95.5 AEM ............................................................. 310 -17 25452 2 4.8 Sembcorp Ind ..................................... 200 47.0 30.7 250/136
231 130 CapitaCom Trust ................................. 176 -6 95964 5 1 UOB ..................................................... 2228 28.0 1.3 2702/1728
397 256 CapitaLand ............................................... 300 -17 62061 4 0.6 150 90 AIMS APAC Reit ................................ 124 -3 9300 7.7 0.9
Vicom ................................................. 237 15.0 6.8 250/167
275 149 CapitaMall Trust ................................ 205 -7 153625 5.8 1 81 32 ARA LOGOS Log Tr ........................... 53 -4 12586 10.4 0.9
1151 611 CityDev ........................................................ 853 cd -65 16772 2.3 0.7 DairyFarm USD .................................. 484 12.5 1.9 768/348
76 41 Accordia Golf Tr ............................... 59 cd unch 6338 2.9 0.8
290 133 ComfortDelGro .................................... 161 -1 161883 6.1 1.3 BY PERCENTAGE
2704 1665 DBS Grp......................................................... 2193 -35 52658 5.6 1.1 183 98 Ascendas-iTrust ............................. 146 +1 8299 4.2 1.4
768 348 DairyFarm USD ............................... US484 +9 5631 4.3 - 19.7 10.6 Asian Pay TV Tr .................................. 12.8 -0.2 28727 9.4 0.2 CLOSE % UP 52w high/low
96 51 Genting Sing .......................................... 77 -6 182715 5.2 1.2 81 34 Bumitama Agri ................................. 44 -3.5 2938 0.9 0.9
681 346 HongkongLand USD ................. US403 -23 16307 5.5 0.2 Zhongxin Fruit ................................... 1.9 280.0 1.4 2.1/0.3
6550 3966 JMH USD .............................................. US4396 -54 3534 3.9 0.4 138 72 China Aviation .................................. 105 xd -11 4974 4.5 0.8 LifeBrandz .......................................... 0.3 200.0 0.2 1/0.1
4000 1781 JSH USD ................................................. US2221 -53 2122 1.6 0.3 37.5 19.1 China Everbright ............................. 21 xd -1.5 21599 6.3 0.4 Blumont ............................................. 0.2 100.0 0.1 0.4/0.1
3750 1658 Jardine C&C ............................................ 2185 -173 3587 5.4 0.9 58.5 26.5 ChinaSunsine .................................... 36 -2.5 5348 2.8 0.7 Incredible .......................................... 1.3 85.7 0.6 2.2/0.2
697 482 Keppel Corp ............................................ 604 -26 20357 3.3 1
248 146 Mapletree Com Tr ............................... 204 -8 75994 3.9 1.2 73.5 43.5 Chip Eng Seng ................................... 56 cd unch 6212 7.1 0.5 ChinaKundaTech ............................... 2.4 84.6 1.1 3.4/0.5
209 120 Mapletree Log Tr ................................. 189 -10 133314 4.3 1.6 34.5 16.1 Cosco ......................................................... 21 -1.5 22261 - 0.9
1182 780 OCBC Bank................................................. 924 -20 62545 5.7 0.9 58.5 28 CromwellReit EUR .......................... 44.5 -1 20544 9.2 0.6
545 252 SATS ............................................................... 326 +9 94936 5.8 2.3
18.6 8.8 Duty Free Intl ...................................... 9 -0.6 2101 20 0.6
1072
689.1
746
353
SGX .................................................................. 825
SIA .................................................................... 416
-20
-17
26309
111897
3.6
1.9
8.2
0.5 79.5 41 EC World Reit ...................................... 70 xd -2 2877 8.6 0.8
Losers
255 125 SPH .................................................................. 135 -1 90009 8.9 0.6 BY CENTS
56.4 24 ESR-REIT ................................................. 40 -1 146261 10 0.9
442 278 ST Engineering .................................... 345 -8 42591 4.3 4.8
250 136 Sembcorp Ind ......................................... 200 +47 178001 2.5 0.5 73 13.6 Eagle HTrust USD ............................ 13.7 susp - 18.8 0.1 CLOSE DOWN % 52w high/low
356 219 Singtel........................................................... 255 cd -8 208078 4.8 1.6 112 50 First Reit .................................................. 70 -1 15044 12.3 0.7
95.5 49 ThaiBev ....................................................... 69.5 -3 120979 2.1 3 Jardine C&C ........................................ 2185 -173.0 -7.3 3750/1658
74 31.5 Frasers HTrust................................... 49 -1 12419 9 0.7 Venture Corp ..................................... 1525 -144.0 -8.6 1739/1252
2702 1728 UOB................................................................... 2228 cd +28 37217 5.8 1
858 601 UOL .................................................................. 716 cd -33 8547 2.4 0.6 16.6 7 Geo Energy Res ................................ 12.5 -0.1 1950 - 0.8 JMH USD .............................................. 4396 -75.0 -1.2 6550/3966
1739 1252 Venture Corp ......................................... 1525 -144 8571 4.6 1.7 72 40.5 HRnetGroup ........................................ 50 -2 535 5.6 1.5 JSH USD............................................... 2221 -73.6 -2.3 4000/1781
438 283 Wilmar Intl ................................................. 396 cd -11 30431 3.2 1.1 168 70 Hi-P Intl ................................................... 107 -6 8524 2.6 1.4 CityDev................................................ 853 -65.0 -7.1 1151/611
154 73 YZJ Shipbldg SGD ............................... 98 -5 113367 4.6 0.6
70.5 36 Hong Leong Asia .............................. 51 cd -3 1274 2 0.5 BY PERCENTAGE
302 195 Hong Leong Fin ................................ 243 cd +2 1121 6.2 0.6 CLOSE % DOWN 52w high/low
88.5 40.5 IREIT Global ......................................... 73 -1.5 4653 7.4 0.9
FTSE ST Large & Mid-Cap Index stocks 72 37 Japfa .......................................................... 67.5 cd +0.5 19626 1.5 1.1 China Jishan .......................................
Starland .............................................
7
10
-41.7
-39.4
-5.0
-6.5
26.5/7
18.8/5.7
82 39 KepPacOakReitUSD ..................... 71 -1.5 12822 8.5 0.7
52-WEEK CURRENCY LAST ’VOL GROSS
Acesian Partners ............................... 1.1 -35.3 -0.6 2.2/0.5
81.5 54.5 Koufu.......................................................... 65.5 xd -1.5 2992 3.8 3.6 Reenova Investment.......................... 0.2 -33.3 -0.1 0.4/0.1
HIGH LOW COMPANY TRADED SALE +OR- ’000 YIELD % P/BV
4.1 3 KrisEnergy ............................................ 3 susp - - - Sembcorp Marine .............................. 57.5 -32.4 -27.5 159/45
348 222 Ascendas Reit ......................................... 310 -14 72372 5.2 1.4 96 44 Lendlease Reit ................................... 68 -3.5 46249 - 0.8
138 67 Ascott Trust .............................................. 103 -2 103301 - 0.8 54.5 31 Lian Beng ............................................... 40.5 -0.5 2751 5.6 0.3
168 63.5 CDL HTrust .................................................. 111 +1 36485 8.1 0.7
231 130 CapitaCom Trust.................................... 176 -6 95964 5 1
24.5 10.2 Lippo Malls Tr ..................................... 14.3 -0.3 79112 15.6 0.7 Most active
397 256 CapitaLand.................................................. 300 -17 62061 4 0.6 31 10.3 MM2 Asia ................................................. 20 +0.5 3286 - 1.1
275 149 CapitaMall Trust .................................... 205 -7 153625 5.8 1 108 54.5 ManulifeReit USD ........................... 75.5 -7 27642 7.9 0.7 VOLUME VALUE ($)
170 92 CapitaR China Tr .................................... 133 -4 18264 7.4 0.9 62 36 PEC ............................................................... 46 -0.5 192 4.3 0.5
1151 611 CityDev............................................................ 853 cd -65 16772 2.3 0.7 107 50 Prime US REIT USD ......................... 78.5 +0.5 6513 4 0.7 DBS Grp .......................................... 1,192,126,357
Rex Intl .......................................... 277,368,700
290 133 ComfortDelGro ........................................ 161 -1 161883 6.1 1.3 Oceanus ........................................ 231,620,200 UOB................................................. 840,927,077
31 18.1 SIIC Environment ............................ 21.5 -1.5 2174 4.7 0.3
2704 1665 DBS Grp .......................................................... 2193 -35 52658 5.6 1.1 Singtel ........................................... 208,078,200 OCBC Bank .................................... 594,107,050
768 348 DairyFarm USD ................................. US484 +9 5631 4.3 - 48.5 22.5 Sabana Reit .......................................... 36 -0.5 12997 8.1 0.6 Singtel .......................................... 545,226,388
Sembcorp Marine ....................... 206,800,400
78.5 35 Far East HTrust ...................................... 53 -1.5 19168 7.2 0.6 92 52.5 Sasseur Reit ........................................ 76.5 -3 8783 8.5 0.8 Medtecs Intl .................................. 198,972,200 SIA .................................................. 477,835,814
194 100 First Resources ....................................... 135 -11 2889 1.7 1.5 159 100 Sheng Siong ........................................ 153 cd -3 20124 2.3 7.3 Genting Sing ................................... 182,715,600 Sembcorp Ind ................................ 363,725,615
307 155 Frasers Cpt Tr .......................................... 239 -19 22302 5.1 1.1 Sembcorp Ind ................................. 178,001,700 CapitaMall Trust ........................... 330,740,281
55.5 21 Silverlake Axis .................................. 24.5 -1 31554 7.3 3.1 SATS ............................................... 313,596,073
134 62.5 Frasers L&C Tr ......................................... 115 -3 83379 5.9 1.2 ComfortDelGro .............................. 161,883,000
96 51 Genting Sing ............................................. 77 -6 182715 5.2 1.2
62.4 19.9 SoilbuildBizReit .............................. 38.5 -3 10879 11 0.7 Sino Grandness ............................. 154,724,900 ComfortDelGro .............................. 261,324,602
31.5 12.7 Golden Agri-Res ..................................... 15.1 -0.6 87164 3.8 0.3 95 50.5 Tianjin ZX USD .................................... 80.5 cd +1.5 2909 - 0.6 CapitaMall Trust .......................... 153,625,000 Mapletree Log Tr ........................... 255,933,283
23.5 8.2 HPH Trust USD .................................. US11.5 unch 41595 22.9 0.2 110 55 UMS ............................................................. 90.5 c1 -3 33722 3.9 1.9 MARKET VOLUME .......... 9,709,214,000 MARKET VALUE ........... 10,277,890,000
681 346 HongkongLand USD ................... US403 -23 16307 5.5 0.2 86 43.5 Valuetronics........................................ 56 -3.5 25005 6.6 1.1
6550 3966 JMH USD .................................................. US4396 -54 3534 3.9 0.4
41.5 15.5 Yoma Strategic ................................ 24.5 -2.5 34910 - 0.7
4000 1781 JSH USD .................................................. US2221 -53 2122 1.6 0.3
3750 1658 Jardine C&C ............................................... 2185 -173 3587 5.4 0.9
55.5 35 Kep Infra Tr ................................................. 52.5 -0.5 69310 7.1 2.1 Government securities
697 482 Keppel Corp ............................................... 604 -26 20357 3.3 1
259 157.1 Keppel DC Reit ........................................ 245 -3 47182 3.1 2.1 GOVERNMENT BONDS Jun 12
129 79 Keppel Reit ................................................. 115 -1 56850 4.9 0.9 ETFs Period Issue Coupon Maturity Close Day’s
248 146 Mapletree Com Tr.................................. 204 -8 75994 3.9 1.2 code rate (%) Bid High Low
304 186 Mapletree Ind Tr .................................... 268 -7 44698 4.6 1.7
209 120 Mapletree Log Tr ................................... 189 -10 133314 4.3 1.6 52-Week Vol Last Quote
High Low Counter Last Sale +/- (’000) Buy Sell 2-Year N517100F ................... 1.750% 01-Apr-22 102.59 102.63 102.62
148 63 Mapletree NAC Tr ................................. 95 +1 88365 7.5 0.7
103 78.5 NetLink NBN Tr ........................................ 96 -5 135241 5.3 1.3
5-Year NY09100H ................. 3.000% 01-Sep-24 110.45 0.00 0.00
1182 780 OCBC Bank ................................................... 924 -20 62545 5.7 0.9 126.7 114.8 ABF SG Bond ETF ................................................. 124.5 +0.4 2751 124.1 124.6 10-Year NY14100E .................. 2.875% 01-Jul-29 116.7 116.90 116.75
159 93 OUE ..................................................................... 116 -2 1744 5.2 0.3 16591 12563 GLD US$................................................................ US16305 +221 101 16300 16310 15-Year NZ16100X .................. 2.250% 01-Aug-36 114.45 0.00 0.00
1500 1138 IS ASIA HYG S$D .................................................. 1366 -15 23 1367 -
57.5 28 OUE Com Reit ............................................. 40 unch 21803 8.3 0.7 1700 766 IS ASIA HYG US$ ............................................ US984 -10 207 986 988 20-Year NZ19100S ................... 2.375% 01-Jul-39 118.02 0.00 0.00
201 126 Olam Intl ....................................................... 145 -4 2742 5.5 0.7 1150 969 IS Asia BND US ................................................ US1086 +4 22 1052 1124 30-Year NA20100F .................. 1.875% 01-Mar-50 112.43 0.00 0.00
38.5 19.5 Oxley ................................................................. 24.5 -1 23336 4.1 0.7 926 541 IS MS INDIA US$.............................................. US710 -27 628 714 - Note: Based on latest issue Source: Monetary Authority of Singapore
380 256 ParkwayLife Reit ................................... 339 -13 3213 3.9 1.8 121.6 76.5 Lion-Phillip S-REIT ............................................ 105.3 -3.2 6095 105 105.3
110 73 Raffles Medical ....................................... 89.5 -2.5 4889 2.8 1.9 347 228 Nikko AM STI ETF ................................................ 280 -5 2561 279 280
545 252 SATS .................................................................. 326 +9 94936 5.8 2.3 105.5 100.6 NikkoAM SGD IGBond ETF ............................ 104.7 +0.7 2082 104.7 104.8
1072 746 SGX ...................................................................... 825 -20 26309 3.6 8.2 97.8 59.9 NikkoAM-STC A_REIT US$ .................... US78.8 -2.9 0 - -
689.1 353 SIA ........................................................................ 416 -17 111897 1.9 0.5 132.7 86 NikkoAM-STC Asia REIT ............................... 111.9 -2.4 2538 111.7 112
296 148 SIA Engineering ..................................... 208 -14 7381 3.8 1.4
115 76 PHIL SING INC ......................................................... 95.6cd -1.9 517 95 100 Bonds
116.6 58.8 Phll Ap Div Reit US$ .................................... US87cd -3 251 87 -
255 125 SPH ...................................................................... 135 -1 90009 8.9 0.6 1021 616 Principal ASEAN40 US$ ......................... US800 -4 0 800 -
116 67 SPHREIT ......................................................... 87 -2.5 15754 6.4 0.9 Vol
98.3 65 Principal S&P AP Div US$........................ US76.2 +3.3 7 - - Company Last Sale +or- (‘000)
442 278 ST Engineering ....................................... 345 -8 42591 4.3 4.8 344.4 222.9 STI ETF ........................................................................ 273 -6.5 22105 273 273.2
250 136 Sembcorp Ind .......................................... 200 +47 178001 2.5 0.5 4500 2304 XT ASX200 US$ ............................................. US3290 -153 3 3260 - CapMallTrb3.08%21022 ............................................................ 101.9 +0.3 93
159 45 Sembcorp Marine.................................. 57.5 -27.5 206800 - 0.6 576.8 251.5 XT MSBrazil US$ ........................................... US366.2 -16.4 238 265 366.2
2005 1514 XT MSCHINA US$........................................... US1890 -51 43 1890 1975 CityDev NCCPS ...................................................................................... 105 -0.7 47
102 57.5 SingPost ....................................................... 77 -4 21600 4.5 1.1 DBS Bk 4.7% NCPS ............................................................................ 10180 -15 9
356 219 Singtel ............................................................ 255 cd -8 208078 4.8 1.6 7460 4422 XT MSKorea US$ ........................................... US6498 -324 5 6498 6781
206.6 108.4 XT MSPHILS US$ ........................................... US161.5 +6.7 355 130 161.4 FPTrea 3.65%n220522 ................................................................ 101 unch 512
158 109 StarHub ......................................................... 134 -7 14134 6.7 4.5
666 397 XT MSPacXJp US$........................................ US558 +51 3 - - Hyflux 6% CPS ....................................................................................... 6537 susp -
80 37.5 StarhillGbl Reit ....................................... 53.5 -2 28573 8.4 0.6
3521 2502 XT MSTaiwan US$ ......................................... US3280 -33 7 - - UE Pref .......................................................................................................... 190 - -
201 104 Suntec Reit ................................................. 147 -13 87598 6.5 0.7 6310 4128 XT S&P500 US$.............................................. US5694 -172 0 - -
95.5 49 ThaiBev ........................................................... 69.5 -3 120979 2.1 3 3297 2026 XT Vietnam US$ ............................................ US2660 -169 23 2650 -
6.9 3.8 Thomson Medical ................................. 5.7 -0.1 20649 - 2.3
2702 1728 UOB ..................................................................... 2228 cd +28 37217 5.8 1
858 601 UOL ...................................................................... 716 cd -33 8547 2.4 0.6
SGX derivatives trading
1739 1252 Venture Corp ............................................ 1525 -144 8571 4.6 1.7
Jun 12
438 283 Wilmar Intl ................................................... 396 cd -11 30431 3.2 1.1
215 141 Wing Tai .......................................................... 177 -12 2204 2.8 0.4 OPEN HIGH LOW SETT VOL OP/INT
154 73 YZJ Shipbldg SGD ................................. 98 -5 113367 4.6 0.6
136 90 Yanlord Land ............................................ 116 cd +5 19514 5.9 0.4
FTSE CHINA A50 INDEX FUTURES
Jun20 13550.00 13670.00 13415.00 13657.50 299964 651873
Jul20 13350.00 13455.00 13205.00 13447.50 2151 6460
NIKKEI 225 INDEX FUTURES
Price and volume movers Sep20 22330.00 22345.00 21560.00 22070.00 130759 75810
Dec20 22000.00 22000.00 21985.00 21935.00 264 15727
MSCI TAIWAN INDEX FUTURES
VOL CLOSE($) CHANGE +/-
Jun20 436.10 437.20 426.70 431.50 63804 161711
Tye Soon ............................................. 50.2 0.100 +0.021 +26.58 Jul20 427.80 428.10 419.20 422.90 33 1081
Polaris ................................................ 6,969.7 0.003 -0.001 -25.00 CNX NIFTY INDEX FUTURES
Hor Kew .............................................. 47.1 0.180 -0.035 -16.28
Metal Component ............................... 42,512.6 0.030 +0.003 +11.11 Jun20 9857.50 9977.00 9465.50 9899.50 102001 197659
Figtree ................................................ 59.5 0.080 -0.008 -9.09 Jul20 9750.00 9967.00 9507.00 9922.50 118 392
SingMyanmar ..................................... 539.0 0.030 -0.005 -14.29 MSCI SINGAPORE INDEX FUTURES
Excelpoint .......................................... 59.4 0.320 +0.055 +20.76 Jun20 310.25 310.60 298.25 306.75 37107 145823
Sincap ................................................. 24,028.6 0.006 -0.001 -14.29
Jul20 306.20 306.20 293.70 306.10 21 20
AnAn Intl ............................................. 12,019.1 0.053 +0.008 +17.78
Zhongxin Fruit ................................... 5.0 0.019 +0.010 +111.11 * Denotes an Opening Range has been established S’pore Exchange Derivatives Clearing Ltd (Co Reg No 200005878M)

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B20
BLACK LEADS BLUES IN
FRONT OF 43,000 FANS
He boots Auckland to win over Hurricanes,
outshining teammate and debutant Barrett
AUCKLAND • Last weekend saw the
return of professional sport in New
Zealand after a three-month coron-
avirus-enforced hiatus and Kiwis,
starved of live action, turned out in
droves yesterday.
The Auckland Blues, featuring
NBA restart ‘smells a little fishy’ to Irving
LOS ANGELES • Brooklyn Nets star
Kyrie Irving was among National
Basketball Association ( NBA) play-
ers, who on a conference call on Fri-
day night, raised doubts about re-
suming the season as planned in a
“bubble” in Orlando, Florida, ac-
cording to multiple reports.
ESPN and The Athletic, citing un-
named sources, said that they ex-
pressed their misgivings over the
tightened health and safety mea-
sures in the wake of the coron-
avirus pandemic that forced the
campaign to shutdown in March.
The NBA is hoping to get going
again after a four-month hiatus – re-
portedly on July 30 – but to do so, it
must convince the players the en-
Calvillo catches the Eye in her 1st UFC flyweight bout
Cynthia Calvillo (far right) kicking
Jessica Eye in their flyweight bout
during UFC Fight Night at the UFC
Apex on Saturday night. American
Calvillo shook off a slow start to
control her compatriot on the
ground and secure victory via
unanimous decision in the main
event in Las Vegas. Calvillo (9-1-1),
who moved up a weight class and
was in her first five-round fight,
had just a few weeks to train for
the fight. Eye (15-8) landed several
jabs to control the first round,
giving Calvillo a small cut on the
nose. But Calvillo proceeded to put
on a grappling show to win the
non-title fight. PHOTO: REUTERS
their blue-chip signing Beauden
Barrett for the first time, overran
the Wellington Hurricanes 30-20
as the Super Rugby Aotearoa con-
test drew a full house to Auckland’s
Eden Park.
More than 43,000 packed the
hanced measures are in their best
interests.
Among the major sticking points
is that visitors will not be permitted
to enter the “bubble” until the end
of the first round of the play-offs.
That is almost seven weeks after
players arrive at the Disney World
Resort – tentatively scheduled to
be from July 9 to 11.
Players who leave the facility are
also set to be subject to a 10-day
quarantine period upon their re-
turn to the team.
While Irving will play no part in
the Nets’ post-season bid after un-
dergoing shoulder surgery in
March, the All-Star guard has be-
come a leading figure against the
ground in the largest turnout at a Su-
per Rugby match in New Zealand
for 15 years, as fans celebrated the
return of an unfettered contest less
than a week after the country de-
clared itself free of the coronavirus.
The packed stands had been ex-
pected as authorities did not place a
cap on the crowd size. With all safe
distancing requirements removed,
the pre-match talking point was
solely about the debut of former
season’s resumption.
“I don’t support going into Or-
lando,” the 2016 NBA champion
told The Athletic. “Something
smells a little fishy.”
In a statement provided to CNN
by Dwight Howard’s agent, the Los
Angeles Lakers centre backed Irv-
ing’s stance that the season should
be curtailed amid the pandemic
and the wave of ongoing anti-
racism protests in the US.
The 34-year-old said yesterday:
“I agree with Kyrie. Basketball or
entertainment period isn’t needed
at the moment and will only be a
distraction. Especially with the
way the climate is now... no basket-
ball until we get things resolved.”
Hurricane stalwart Barrett, a two-
time world player of the year.
The Blues were further bolstered
by the appearance of All Blacks and
Canterbury Crusaders legend Dan
Carter offering guidance from the
sidelines.
But their input was overshad-
owed by the Blues pack, who
bossed the Hurricanes in the fast-
paced match, and the kicking of
Otere Black, who wore the coveted
Agents have reportedly warned
players they could lose US$1.2 bil-
lion (S$1.67 billion) in salaries if the
season ends early, but it seems the
league has a lot more convincing to
do before they agree to come back.
Younger stars like Bam Adebayo,
22, De’Aaron Fox, 22, Kyle Kuzma,
24, Donovan Mitchell, 23, and
Jayson Tatum, 22, are also said to
be requesting league-financed in-
surance policies to protect against
career-threatening injuries and ill-
nesses.
They are concerned about the ex-
tended break, the likelihood of a
shortened training camp and the
risk of contracting the Covid-19 dis-
ease. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
| THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |
No. 10 jersey with Barrett playing at
fullback.
While Black scored 15 points off
the boot, Barrett was not at his cus-
tomary best against a team he spent
nine years with, underlined by a
missed tackle that let Dane Coles in
for a try.
However, Blues captain Patrick
Tuipulotu claimed it was the All
Black’s “composure” that made a
significant contribution to the vic-
tory.
Barrett jokingly shook off his mis-
take, insisting he would get better
as he gels with his teammates. On
Coles, he said: “That was the mo-
ment he wanted eh?
“But I think it probably would
have been better for him if I had the
ball. He’s a tough man to stop one-
on-one. He’s pretty quick and he
still has got it. I just have to work on
my covering tackles.”
The Blues have had a history of
strong starts and poor finishes, win-
ning the last of their three Super
SportsWorld
No sweat for Southgate
over 30% pay cut
LONDON • England manager
Gareth Southgate yesterday said
it was an easy decision to accept
a 30 per cent wage cut to help
the Football Association (FA)
mitigate the financial impact of
the coronavirus pandemic.
The English governing body
has said the lack of international
matches since last November
will cost it £100 million
(S$174.5 million) and the
49-year-old told The Times of
London that he took a £225,000
wage reduction, as he was not
able to “fulfil the whole part of
my job at the moment”. REUTERS
Cavani and Silva to leave
PSG after season ends
PARIS • Paris Saint-Germain’s
record goalscorer Edinson
Cavani and captain Thiago Silva
will leave the club after the
conclusion of the Champions
League campaign, which is
likely to resume in August, the
Ligue 1 champions’ sporting
director said yesterday.
Former Brazil midfielder
Leonardo confirmed that
Uruguay striker Cavani, who has
scored 200 goals in all
competitions, and Brazil
defender Silva, who has been
with PSG since 2012, would not
be given extensions. REUTERS
Rugby titles in 2003.
But with the additions of Carter
and Barrett, they look set to put
their underperforming reputation
behind them.
The domestic series is a tempo-
rary replacement for the usual Su-
per Rugby competition, which also
features teams from South Africa,
Australia, Argentina and Japan.
The international format has
been on hold since March owing to
the pandemic, resulting in the birth
of the domestic Super Rugby
Aotearoa tournament.
Australia, which has also enjoyed
success in containing the Covid-19
disease, will start its own competi-
tion between its four existing Super
Rugby franchise teams and Perth’s
Western Force on July 3.
But South Africa remains under
lockdown, while Japan’s Sunwolves
have already been booted out, with
Argentinian outfit Jaguares facing a
similar uncertain future.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
Blues’ Dalton
Papalii diving for
a try during the
Super Rugby
Aotearoa match
against the
Wellington
Hurricanes at a
sold-out Eden
Park yesterday.
PHOTO: AGENCE
FRANCE-PRESSE
Hudson-Odoi off the
hook over rape claim
LONDON • Chelsea forward
Callum Hudson-Odoi said on
Saturday that British police
have confirmed they will take
no further action over a rape
allegation.
The 19-year-old was arrested
on May 17 following an
argument with a woman and the
England international tweeted
he knew “the day would soon
come when my name would be
cleared”. REUTERS
Afridi gets virus as
cases in Pakistan soar
KARACHI • Pakistan’s
well-loved former cricket
captain Shahid Afridi confirmed
on Saturday that he had tested
positive for the coronavirus, as
the pandemic accelerates across
the country, with just under
140,000 cases and over 2,600
deaths up till yesterday.
The 40-year-old all-rounder,
known for towering sixes and
his celebrations after taking a
wicket as a bowler, still holds
the record for the most sixes in
one-day internationals, hitting
351 in 398 matches.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES | B21

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B22 SPORT | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |

Coronavirus pandemic

HOME’S NO
Clockwise from top left: Filipino John
Panugalinog fashions makeshift
obstacles, ramps and ledges using
objects at home such as a
motorcycle, table and chairs; Hussam
Al Hinai practising at Oman’s only

BARRIER skatepark before all sports facilities

were shut; When skateparks were
closed for two months in Tokyo,
11-year-old Indonesian Aliqqa Kayyisa
Noverry took to the streets to

FOR THESE
practise her tricks. PHOTOS: COURTESY
OF JOHN PANUGALINOG, HUSSAM AL
HINAI, ALIQQA KAYYISA NOVERRY

• Watch the videos at str.sg/JPFi

SKATERS
Park closures lead Asian skateboarders to
improvise for their online competition moves
Kimberly Kwek
Skateboarder John Panugalinog has
not been to his usual skate spot at
Plaza Independencia in Cebu city,
the Philippines, for the past two
months because of social distanc-
ing measures to curb the spread of
the coronavirus.
Determined not to let that stop
him from skating, the 19-year-old
has converted his home, which he
shares with his 10 siblings and par-
ents, into a mini-skate park, fashion-
ing makeshift obstacles out of a mo-
torcycle and other household ob-
jects.
He performs ollies by vaulting
over the bike – a much bulkier hur-
dle than the boxes at his usual
haunt – and uses chairs as ramps
and an outdoor sink as a ledge.
Video clips of his home adven-
tures have been submitted to an on-
line skateboarding competition,
Asian Skateboarding Champi-
onship 2020 Lockdown 5, which is
organised by urban sports events
company Millennial Events.
With many countries in various
lockdown stages, Millennial Events,
which operates in Singapore and
Shanghai, organised the virtual com-
petition to encourage home-bound
skateboarders to think out of the
box and come up with ways to con-
tinue skateboarding.
With sports competitions on hia-
tus, the online contest also allows
athletes around the world to con-
nect with one another.
Panugalinog said: “I definitely
miss going out to skate and seeing
my friends but we don’t really have
a choice. When I’m at home, I’m still
as hyped and excited as ever espe-
cially when an idea for another
video comes into my mind.”
Other skateboarders around Asia
have also come up with creative en-
tries for the competition, which has
attracted 160 entries from 38 coun-
tries.
Local skateboarder Syahmi Noor,
24, was among the participants and
submitted a video of himself using a
box as an obstacle to do tricks. He
said: “It was a fun experience... It
gave everyone something to do, to
watch and take an inside look at
how participants from other coun-
tries were coping with their lock-
downs.”
With all sports facilities closed in
Oman, including its only skatepark
Omanskate, Hussam Al Hinai, who
used to train there three to four
times a week, found his routine dis-
rupted.
The 18-year-old had wanted to
master a kickflip – a move in which
one flips the skateboard 360 de-
grees – down the 11-stair drop at the
skatepark. He said: “The fact that I
can’t go (to the place) and try to get
it is a bit frustrating, but it’s fine, we
manage what we can.”
The pandemic also scuppered
plans for Hussam to fly to Singa-
pore for the Asian Skateboarding
Championships, a Tokyo Olympic
Games qualifier, that was originally
scheduled for February. The compe-
tition was postponed to March and
eventually cancelled.
Most of Hussam’s skateboarding
over the last two months has been
limited to his garden, where he uses
objects like crates as obstacles. He
also skates at an underground
carpark near his home and con-
structed a small flat bar that he occa-
sionally uses to do tricks in his
house.
For Indonesian Aliqqa Kayyisa
Noverry, whose family relocated to
Tokyo in February, sessions at the
city’s skateparks stopped when
they closed after the Japanese gov-
ernment declared a state of emer-
gency in the country on March 25.
Although the situation has not
been ideal for the 11-year-old, who
competed at the 2018 Asian Games
in Palembang, Indonesia, she was
determined not to let it stop her
from skateboarding.
Aliqqa took to practising her
tricks at a park, which proved chal-
lenging at first as the pavements
were rough and the ledges available
were made of small pebbles, which
made it hard for her to slide.
While she had some experience
skateboarding in Indonesia’s
streets, she was always accompa-
nied by other skateboarders who
could advise her on how to over-
come obstacles, so filming the en-
try for the competition took longer
than usual.
Skateparks have since reopened
in Tokyo, but the time on the
streets has been a good experience
for Aliqqa.
Her mother Nin Hardi said: “It’s a
very good way to motivate Aliqqa to
skate again in these hard times.
She’s really determined to (keep try-
ing the) tricks until she gets them
right.”
kimkwek@sph.com.sg

Djokovic’s event Host IPL overseas to

a hit despite hitch
BELGRADE • Novak Djokovic’s
charity tennis tournament suf-
fered an embarrassing setback on
Saturday when the planned Mon-
tenegro leg of a four-nation tour of
the Balkans was cancelled over
coronavirus protocols enacted to
stem its spread.
However, the unforeseen blow
did not deter fans from praising the
17-time Grand Slam winner’s brain-
child to turn Belgrade into the tem-
porary “capital” of the sport.
The Adria Tour, which features
world No. 1 Djokovic, as well as
third-ranked Dominic Thiem,
world No. 7 Alexander Zverev and
19th-ranked Grigor Dimitrov got
under way on Saturday.
The Montenegro leg was due to
be the penultimate stop on June 27
and 28 after Croatia, with the event
concluding in Bosnia.
However, a spokesman for the or-
ganisers said the visit to neighbour-
ing Montenegro was called off
when it became apparent the coun-
try had not lifted its border restric-
tions against Serbia.
“The fact that citizens of Serbia
are not on the list of the Montene-
grin public health institute, and
cannot travel to Montenegro, is an
insurmountable obstacle,” an offi-
cial statement read.
Podgorica reopened its borders
on June 1 for countries with fewer
than 25 people infected for every
100,000 inhabitants but Serbia,
which reported over 12,200 cases
and 253 deaths until yesterday, is
not included.
However, Djokovic insisted his
country had done well in contain-
ing the Covid-19 disease, although
he admitted it was at the discretion
of Montenegrin authorities to de-
termine the level of success.
“Of course you can criticise, you
can also say this is dangerous or
not, but it’s not up to me to make
the calls what is health-wise right
or wrong,” he told, stressing he was
acting in line with recommenda-
tions of the Serbian government.
The event, however, was a raging
success with local fans despite the
limited seating with social distanc-
ing measures in place.
Organisers initially put 1,000 tick-
ets on sale, but the demand meant
an additional 1,000 tickets had to
Social distancing is clearly not a priority for these fans, who rushed for a wefie
with Novak Djokovic after his victory over fellow Serb Viktor Troicki at the
Adria Tour tournament in Belgrade on Saturday. PHOTO: EPA-EFE
be put up, with all 2,000 sold out in
a matter of minutes. Another
2,000 were given to sponsors.
While spectators were each
given a mask to wear inside the No-
vak Tennis Centre, they appeared
to have little regard for safety regu-
lations as few were seen wearing
them and many were observed tak-
ing selfies with players.
Even Zverev appeared surprised
at the turnout, saying: “To tell you
the truth I didn’t see that many peo-
ple in one room in quite a while.”
But the crowd were seemingly
less concerned about keeping a
safe distance and more with enjoy-
ing the top-level tennis on show,
with former women’s No. 1 Jelena
Jankovic coming out of retirement
after more than two years to play
mixed doubles with Djokovic.
The tournament now shifts to
the Croatian coastal city of Zadar
on Saturday and Sunday, where the
field will be bolstered by more big
names – 2014 US Open winner
Marin Cilic and Borna Coric.
It will close on July 5 with an exhi-
bition match in Sarajevo between
Djokovic and Damir Dzumhur of
Bosnia. The money raised will be
donated to various regional chari-
ties. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
avoid T20 clash: Sunil
NEW DELHI • Batting great Sunil Gavaskar has sug-
gested that the Indian Premier League (IPL) could be
staged in Sri Lanka in September, especially as Aus-
tralia’s chances of hosting the Twenty20 World Cup
in October are looking better.
The showpiece cricket tournament is set to take
place from Oct 18 to Nov 19 but remains under threat
because of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, Australia’s decision to allow crowds of up
to 10,000 in sports stadiums that have a capacity of
40,000 or less – from next month – has increased
hope the event can be staged, with the International
Cricket Council set to make a decision next month.
The season has been indefinitely put on ice since
March and with the monsoon season set to hit India
later this month – it will last around four months – the
IPL has instead earmarked a possible September-Oc-
tober window.
That will however coincide with the T20 World
Cup, if the green light is given, so former India captain
Gavaskar believes Sri Lanka may be the best bet to be
the host. “The IPL looks difficult because it could only
be held if the World T20 is postponed,” he told local
TV channel Aaj Tak.
“In September, you can’t have the IPL in India due
to monsoon. But maybe (it can be held) in Sri Lanka
from early September with teams playing each other
once instead of double-headers.”
Should the IPL move overseas, it would not be an un-
precedented decision – South Africa hosted the sec-
ond edition in 2009 and the first half of the 2014 sea-
son took place in the United Arab Emirates.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
LEON LIGHTS UP BAYERN’S BID
Goretzka’s winner
against Gladbach
means Flick’s men
are one win from title
MUNICH • If Bayern Munich’s Bun-
desliga title coronation comes at
relegation-threatened Werder Bre-
men tomorrow, Leon Goretzka will
be one of the biggest contributors
to their eighth straight German
league triumph.
Before the coronavirus pan-
demic halted the competition in
March, the Germany midfielder
had scored three goals in 15 appear-
ances.
However, Goretzka has been a
player reborn since its resumption
a month ago, starting all six games
and being directly involved in six
goals, netting three times.
One of those strikes was the win-
ner against Borussia Monchenglad-
bach on Saturday as Bayern ground
out a late 2-1 home victory over the
top-four contenders, meaning they
need just one win out of the remain-
ing three games to seal the title.
This had been their biggest test
in the run-in as they were without
the suspended Robert
Lewandowski and Thomas Muller
– the leading scorer in the German
top flight with 30 goals and the
league’s top assist-maker (20) re-
spectively.
But Bayern’s faith in teenage
striker Joshua Zirkzee paid off as
the 19-year-old burnished his grow-
ing reputation in what has been an
impressive debut campaign for the
senior team.
He struck the opener – his fourth
strike in eight league appearances
this season. And while Benjamin
Pavard’s own goal pegged the hosts
back, Goretzka netted four min-
utes from time.
After ensuring the Bavarian gi-
ants now have one hand on the tro-
phy with their 10th successive
league victory, Goretzka could not
hide his delight.
“Turning such a late goal into a
victory that will allow us to win the
title on Tuesday makes me over-
joyed,” he said.
“We want to win there (at Bre-
men) and bring this thing home.”
Bayern skipper and goalkeeper
Manuel Neuer also hailed his inter-
national teammate, adding: “We’ve
seen that he can not only create as-
sists but also (score) goals. We can
also grind out wins, now the title is
Virus rules not Gattuso’s cup of tea
HARD TO ADAPT
Everything has
changed, even coming
to the stadium is
different. Keeping
your distance is not
easy and it’s not nice.
’’
GENNARO GATTUSO, Napoli coach, on the
strange feeling brought upon by the
coronavirus curbs.
Get noticed
more widely.
Bayern Munich’s Leon Goretzka celebrating with teammates after scoring the second goal in the 86th minute of their 2-1 win over Gladbach. PHOTO: REUTERS
getting a bit closer.”
With Lewandowski and Muller
set to return at 19th-placed Bre-
men, Hansi Flick looks primed to
lift his first piece of silverware
since taking over from fired prede-
cessor Niko Kovac in November.
The Bayern coach, who boasts an
unbeaten run this year with 17 wins
from 18 games in all competitions,
believes his side are on a roll.
NAPLES • Napoli coach Gennaro
Gattuso has conceded that playing
amid enhanced health and safety
regulations set up to deal with the
coronavirus pandemic was neither
easy nor nice.
His team held Inter Milan 1-1 last
Saturday to reach the Italian Cup fi-
nal 2-1 on aggregate, in their first
match since the three-month stop-
page as a result of the Covid-19 cri-
sis.
The competition is being played
as a prelude to Serie A’s restart on
Saturday, with the final against Ju-
ventus scheduled for Wednesday.
But following the conclusion of
Call 6289 8822 or e-mail
notices@sph.com.sg
to book your AGM & EGM,
Auction & Tender,
Financial Statement, IPO,
Merger & Acquisition or
Move to Mainboard notices.
NOTICES
%
100
Goal return of Leon Goretzka since
Bundesliga’s resumption, his three in
six games for Bayern matching his
season’s tally before the suspension.
their semi-final second-leg tie with
Inter, which saw Dries Mertens can-
cel out Christian Eriksen’s opener
for the visitors, Gattuso admitted
that the closed-door and strict hy-
giene measures were an alien con-
cept to him.
“Today, it wasn’t easy after 95
days (of not playing football),” he
said. “Everything has been strange,
and both the staff and the players
did well to make it happen tonight.
“Everything has changed, even
coming to the stadium is different.
Keeping your distance is not easy
and it’s not nice. But respect for the
(tens of) thousands of people who
They remain in the hunt for their
13th double and possibly the treble.
They will face Bayer Leverkusen in
the German Cup final and are in the
last 16 of the Champions League.
“We were able to maintain our
distance (seven-point lead over sec-
ond-placed Borussia Dortmund)
with the win, this big result makes
me very happy,” he said. “In Bre-
men we want to seal the deal and
have left us, it’s been a devastating
thing.”
The fiery former Italian interna-
tional was pleased with his team’s
display although he called Erik-
sen’s goal, which flew into the net
direct from a corner, “daft”.
“It wasn’t (goalkeeper) David Os-
pina’s fault, it was an error of posi-
tioning by the defence,” he said.
“But the team did well, we man-
aged to start up where we left off 95
days ago.
“The boys are giving everything
both in terms of commitment and
availability. Now we will play the fi-
nal with our weapons. If we con-
continue our streak of success. I am
absolutely happy, also because we
have put together a fantastic run in
2020. As a coach and as a coaching
team, we can be very pleased. It’s
obvious that Robert and Thomas al-
ways help us. Now they can recu-
perate for a few days and then it’s
clear that they’ll be able to play
against Bremen.”
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
tinue on this path we can take great
satisfaction from ourselves.”
With Napoli stumbling in Serie A
– there is a nine-point gap between
them and fourth-placed Atalanta
(48) – the Cup looks to be their best
chance of getting into Europe next
season.
It would also be their only oppor-
tunity of silverware this term and
their first since winning the same
trophy in 2014.
The hosts had Mertens to thank
for keeping them in the hunt as he
overtook Marek Hamsik to become
the club’s most prolific goalscorer
with 122 strikes.
Napoli director Cristiano Giun-
toli later revealed he was close to
agreeing a contract extension with
the Belgium forward, whose deal
expires at the end of the term.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
SPORT B23
Norwich
player to
miss EPL
restart
LONDON • Norwich confirmed
one of their players was infected
with the coronavirus, one of two
positive results in the latest round
of testing ahead of the Premier
League’s restart on Wednesday.
The English top flight said on
Saturday that two players from dif-
ferent clubs had come down with
the Covid-19 disease out of a sam-
ple of 1,200 individuals.
The Canaries said the player
would self-isolate for seven days
before being tested again, mean-
ing he will not be available for the
club’s first game following a
three-month coronavirus-en-
forced break. The bottom side
host Southampton on Friday.
“The club will not name the
player in question and asks that
his request for privacy and confi-
dentiality are respected at this
time,” Norwich added.
The results continue a trend of
low positive cases since the re-
sumption of training last month.
In eight rounds of testing, only 16
players and staff have been picked
up for the virus.
The league resumes with Man-
chester City taking on Arsenal and
Aston Villa facing Sheffield
United – all four clubs are playing
their game in hand – before a full
round of fixtures, the first of nine
left, over the weekend.
All remaining games are to be
played behind closed doors owing
to the pandemic, but Watford goal-
keeper Ben Foster feels the ab-
sence of fans could help players
struggling for confidence.
“You’re going to get players com-
ing into form that haven’t been in
form all season... and then sud-
denly thriving,” he told The
Guardian. “I know for a fact there
are players that do feel massive
pressure when they know they
have 30-, 40-, 50,000 people
watching them... Not having the
crowd there will, without doubt,
benefit some people.”
But he is not a fan of the piped-
in artificial crowd noise, which
Sky Sports has planned for its
broadcasts.
After experiencing that during a
friendly, he called it “really annoy-
ing”. REUTERS
Next 48 Hours
TODAY
FOOTBALL
Spanish La Liga Levante v Sevilla
(tomorrow, 1.25am), Betis v Granada
(tomorrow, 3.55am) – Singtel TV
Ch109 & StarHub Ch213.
TOMORROW
FOOTBALL
German Bundesliga M’gladbach v
Wolfsburg (Wednesday, 12.20am),
Bremen v Bayern (Wednesday,
2.20am) – Singtel TV Ch114 &
StarHub Ch208. Freiburg v Hertha
Berlin (Ch115 & Ch209), Union Berlin
v Paderborn (Ch116 & Ch210) –
Wednesday, 2.20am.
Spanish La Liga Getafe v Espanyol
(Wednesday, 1.25am), Barcelona v
Leganes (Wednesday, 3.55am) –
Singtel TV Ch109 & StarHub Ch213.
B24 | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |

160
ONLINE ENTRIES FOR ASIAN SKATEBOARDING
C’SHIP LOCKDOWN 5 COMPETITION B22

PITCH INVADER’S
ACTIONS ‘A CRIME’
Messi fan sneaks onto the pitch to take selfie
with his idol, who completes 4-0 thrashing
MADRID • La Liga yesterday con-
firmed that it will launch criminal
proceedings against the pitch in-
vader who ran onto the field while
Barcelona were playing against Mal-
lorca on Saturday, even though the
Spanish league game was played be-
hind closed doors.
In the 52nd minute of the leaders’
4-0 away win, a man wearing an Ar-
gentina shirt with Lionel Messi’s
name emblazoned on its back some-
how sneaked into the Son Moix Sta-
dium, before taking a selfie with
Barcelona defender Jordi Alba in
the background.
The perpetrator was not wearing
a mask or gloves, and was chased be-
fore being caught and escorted
away by security.
Spanish football authorities have
imposed strict health and safety
will file criminal actions against the
invader who entered the pitch with-
out permission and broke the proto-
cols established in current health
legislation and disobeyed the or-
measures for top-flight fixtures, ders of private security personnel.
which resumed last Thursday after “His actions constitute a crime.
a three-month stoppage, amid the La Liga wants to express its abso-
coronavirus pandemic. lute condemnation of this type of
This includes fans being barred conduct that jeopardises the health
from attending, with fewer than of others and the integrity of the
300 people – they are all involved competition.”
in the staging of the game – allowed Mallorca has since said they are
into the stadium. investigating how the fan managed
However, the French Mallorcan to get into the stadium.
resident reportedly managed to get The bizarre incident, however,
past security by scaling a two-me- did not distract the Catalan giants
tre high fence. from the task at hand.
He told Spanish radio station Ca- Prior to their trip to the Balearic
dena Cope yesterday: “I’d planned island, Barcelona coach Quique Se-
this ever since I knew the match tien, who remains under pressure
was happening. due to a series of unconvincing dis-
“I wanted a photo with Messi and plays since taking over in January,
to meet him because he’s my idol.” admitted that his side probably had
But La Liga is taking a dim view of to “win every game” if they want to
this serious breach of rules. In an of- land their third straight title tri-
ficial statement, it said: “La Liga umph.
Setien’s men took the first step on
Saturday, winning the first of 10
games remaining as Arturo Vidal,
Alba and Messi all got oOKn the
scoresheet.
Martin Braithwaite also nabbed
his first goal for the club after arriv-
ing at the Nou Camp in February.
The Denmark striker was thrilled to
get off the mark in just his second
start since the league gave Above: A French
Barcelona special dispensation to Mallorcan pitch
make an emergency signing out- invader is
side the January transfer window. removed from
“I’ve been waiting for it for a long the field of play
time, so it’s amazing to score my at Son Moix
first goal,” he said. Stadium.
“As an offensive player you want
to score goals and I’ve been work- Left: Barcelona’s
ing a lot in this break... I’m happy, Lionel Messi
I’m really happy. celebrating their
“It’s really important because we second goal –
have to start with confidence, and scored by Martin
to score four goals and not concede Braithwaite (not
is really important for us... We need pictured) – with
that to continue pursuing what we Jordi Alba.
want.” AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE PHOTOS: REUTERS

Atletico Madrid
forward Diego
Costa scoring
past Athletic
Bilbao custodian
Unai Simon for
the equaliser in
their La Liga
game, his first
goal since last
October. Atletico
stay sixth,
behind fellow
Madrid side
Getafe on goal
difference.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE

Sluggish Atletico’s European spot in peril
BILBAO • Atletico Madrid may be in
the quarter-finals of the Champi-
ons League, but this could be their
last season in premier European
competition – at least for a year –
with a dull showing like yesterday.
#GameOfTwoHalves
• Difficulties faced as
sports begin to restart
around the world
str.sg/JPnS
Diego Simeone’s players failed to Fifth-placed Getafe had lost 2-1 at
make ground on their top-four ri- Granada on Friday, meaning the vis-
vals, stumbling to a 1-1 La Liga draw itors could have leapfrogged their
at 10th-placed Athletic Bilbao to fellow Madrid club with a victory at
leave them in sixth place, two spots an empty San Mames.
outside the coveted top four. But Atletico were sluggish in their
first game in three months follow-
ing La Liga’s shutdown due to the
coronavirus pandemic, with only
two shots on target.
Iker Muniain gave the hosts the
lead, prodding home in the 37th
minute to complete a clever move.
While Atletico responded two
minutes later when Diego Costa
slotted in following a through ball
into his path off a redirected cross
from Renan Lodi.
The share of the spoils means
Atletico have now drawn 13 La Liga
games this season – an unwanted
club record, especially as no other
Spanish top-flight team has racked
up more draws.
They have also failed to win their
past five away games in the league,
with Costa’s poor form not helping
their cause. His goal at Bilbao was
just his third of the term, and his
first since last October.
However, the Brazil-born Spain
international won plaudits after he
words... You are amazing! Thanks
from the bottom of my heart.”
The classy act, however, did not
save Costa from being substituted –
one of 10 changes made by both
sides – in the second half for Alvaro
LITTLE WRIGGLE ROOM Morata, although his replacement
was not any better.
We’re not in the worst Atletico skipper Koke afterwards
lamented at letting another oppor-
situation as this was tunity go by, adding: “We’re not in
our first game back the worst situation as this was our
first game back and Athletic are a
and Athletic are a difficult side, but we cannot afford
difficult side but we to slip up again if we want to get
cannot afford to slip
into the Champions League.
“It’s strange to come to a place like
up again if we want to San Mames, which lives for football
and to have no fans, but we hope we
get into the can get back to normality soon.”
Champions League. Simeone is also not giving up on
Champions League qualification via

from Koke, they could not find an-
other way past Unai Simon.
SCAN
TO In a game where chances were far
LISTEN and few in between, Simeone’s side
could have won it in the second half
but the Bilbao goalkeeper was up to
the task, saving Santiago Arias’
strike after the ball had rebounded
dedicated his strike to Virginia Tor-
recilla, a midfielder who plays for
Atletico’s women’s team.
She underwent surgery on a brain
tumour last month and Costa held
up her shirt following his equaliser.
Torrecilla was touched by his ges-
ture, yesterday tweeting: “I have no
’’
a top-four finish with 10 games left,
saying: “We were closer to victory in
the second half. We couldn’t win,
KOKE, Atletico captain, on the need to start but now we have to keep working be-
winning to secure a Champions League cause each match is a final... Every
spot. game will be difficult for all the
teams.”
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

Published and printed by Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E. A member of Audit Bureau of Circulations Singapore. Customer Service (Circulation): 6388-3838, circs@sph.com.sg, Fax 6746-1925.

A Singapore study
shows seniors who
have a normal
nutritional status
are also at risk of
having low muscle
mass, which may
compromise their
ability to fight
infections
Amrita Kaur
One in five Singaporeans above 65
has low muscle mass, according to
the first phase of a two-part study
done by Changi General Hospital
(CGH), SingHealth Polyclinics and
healthcare company Abbott.
The loss of muscle mass and
strength is referred to as sarco-
penia – a disease associated with
ageing that can impact the body’s
immune system.
Although ageing is the main
cause of sarcopenia, other factors
such as a sedentary lifestyle, poor
nutrition and certain medical con-
ditions like heart disease can also
lead to the loss of muscle mass.
Symptoms may include a
decrease in muscle size, weakness,
loss of stamina and loss of
endurance. The condition affects
balance, the way a person moves
and his ability to perform daily
tasks.
The first phase of the study
started in 2017 and was carried out
here on 400 community-dwelling
seniors – 183 men and 217 women.
It investigated the body compo-
sition, nutritional biomarkers and
associated factors with low muscle
mass in physically able seniors with
a normal nutritional status.
A normal nutritional status
means that a person is not under-
weight, has not experienced weight
loss in the past three to six months,
has no acute illnesses and has had
normal nutritional intake over the
past five days.
Among the findings that were
published in a peer-reviewed jour-
nal PLOS One in October last year,
researchers said the prevalence of
low muscle mass was higher in
women at 24.9 per cent compared
with men at 15.5 per cent.
The study showed that seniors
above the age of 65 have a 13 per
cent higher chance of having low
muscle mass each time they turn a
year older.
Abbott’s nutrition divisional
vice- president, scientific and medi-
cal affairs, Dr Low Yen Ling, said
the loss of muscle mass can happen
to everyone.
“Muscle loss can begin in the 40s
and increases considerably with
age. On average, adults lose up to
8 per cent of their muscle per
decade starting at age 40. That rate
can double after the age of 70. Ill-
ness, injury or lack of nutrition can
further accelerate muscle loss,”
said Dr Low, co-author of the first
phase of the study.
Though it has been reported that
proper nutrition is essential to treat
sarcopenia and may prevent or
delay the condition, new findings
from the study suggest that nor-
mally nourished seniors are also at
risk of having lower muscle mass.
Adjunct assistant professor
Samuel Chew, who is a senior con-
sultant at CGH’s department of
geriatric medicine, said most other
studies suggest that muscle mass
loss is limited to people who are
malnourished.
“However, the findings of our
study show that the prevalence of
low muscle mass in normally nour-
ished seniors is significant as well,”
said Dr Chew, principal investiga-
tor of the study.
The high prevalence of low mus-
cle mass among seniors with nor-
mal nutritional status shows how
important it is for them to be aware
MORE THAN OKAY
C Kim Soo-hyun
returns to the
small screen
C7
Are you
a senior
with low
muscle
mass?
of their muscle mass status in order
1 in 5
Singaporeans above the age
to maintain muscle health.
To best determine muscle health,
people can work with their health-
care providers to perform simple
tests, such as the Malnutrition Uni-
versal Screening Tool and the Bio-
electrical Impedance Analysis.
of 65 has low muscle mass
Adjunct associate professor Tan
Ngiap Chuan, a family physician
and director of research at
SingHealth Polyclinics, said:
“Healthcare professionals should
8%
take note of these results and
encourage patients to consider
early screening of their muscle
mass and adopt a lifestyle that incor-
porates physical activity and the
right diet, including optimal levels
That is the average amount of protein.”
of muscle an adult loses Food rich in protein helps to
each decade, starting at age 40 make new cells, maintains bone
health and keeps muscles healthy.
They include chicken breast, fish,
tofu, beans, nuts and eggs.
Dr Low said those above the age
of 65 require more dietary protein
to help maintain their muscles.
“Some seniors experience a
decreased appetite or have prob-
lems chewing meat, which can hin-
der their protein intake, so making
sure they consume enough protein
is important,” she added.
Dr Chew said seniors can main-
Muscles are a major tain muscle mass with physical
storage site for amino activity and proper nutrition.
“The key to avoid losing muscle
acids used by the body mass is to include resistance or
during a trauma or weight exercises and sufficient pro-
tein. This not only improves one’s
infection. Hence, low muscle health, but also contributes
muscle mass, coupled positively to bone health and nutri-
tional status.”
with inadequate Strong muscles, he added, are
protein intake, may associated with the regulation of
the immune system.
affect the body’s Citing studies, Dr Chew said that
response to an injury muscles produce and release com-
pounds which play an important
or infection. role in the proliferation, activation
’’
and distribution of some immune
cells.
“While additional research is
needed, there is data that suggests
ADJUNCT ASSISTANT PROFESSOR loss of muscle mass is associated
SAMUEL CHEW, senior consultant at
Changi General Hospital’s department of with compromised immunity and
geriatric medicine infections,” he said.
| THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020
TRUE GRIT
Hailee Steinfeld
steps up on
new EP
C8
Avoid losing
muscle mass
by including
resistance
or weight
exercises and
ensuring
sufficient
protein intake.
PHOTO:
ISTOCKPHOTO
“Muscles are a major storage site
for amino acids used by the body
during a trauma or infection.
Hence, low muscle mass, coupled
with inadequate protein intake,
may affect the body’s response to
an injury or infection.”
Given the evidence linking mus-
cle to the immune system, maintain-
ing or improving muscle health
should be a priority, said Dr Chew.
Other nutrients that support mus-
cle health or the immune system
include zinc and vitamins A, C, D
and E.
Vitamin D, in particular, plays an
important role in the normal func-
tioning and strength of muscles.
Sources of vitamin D include
salmon, mackerel, tuna, sardine,
shiitake mushroom and egg yolk.
Dr Chew said: “Oral nutritional
supplements can be helpful for
those who are unable to meet these
requirements through their usual
diet, as they are nutrient-dense and
easy to consume, so people can get
important nutrients, regardless of
their appetite.”
He advised seniors to do resis-
tance exercises such as lifting light
weights, one-leg stands, squats,
heel raises and lunges.
Simple household chores such as
cooking, carrying groceries or
watering the garden can also main-
tain muscle strength.
Dr Chew said: “I advocate sit-to-
stand exercises on a daily basis for
geriatric patients. It is important to
make these exercises a habit. Sup-
port from the carer and family is
essential for this to be successful.”
The second phase of the study
involves 811 community-dwelling
seniors aged 65 and above who are
at risk of malnutrition.
It will investigate the impact of
oral nutritional supplement intake
on health outcomes and physical
ability. The results from this study
are expected to be ready by
October.
amritak@sph.com.sg
SIX SIMPLE EXERCISES
FOR SENIORS on C5
 | THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
C2 life life C3

30 Days Of Art With NAC

To inspire and uplift readers as the country emerges from the Covid-19 circuit breaker, The Straits Times,
supported by the National Arts Council as part of the #SGCultureAnywhere campaign, has commissioned
30 works by local writers and artists on the pandemic and what it will be like when all this is over

Day 6

The Window by Theophilus Kwek

Zero waited by her window as the Another National Day song
air became raw with the noise of blared from her speakers, joining
engines, and looked up to see with the tinny voices wafting
plumes of red-and-white smoke down her corridor. On the sur-
billowing toward the horizon. This face – and sometimes, she
was her favourite part of the thought, even deep down – she
Parade: hearing the wave of sound was not so different from her
wash over the city, so loud it neighbours. Except this year,
seemed to drown out thought. any apparent similarity was a lit-

5
From her Bukit Ho Swee flat, she tle further from the truth. The ill-
had a clear – but not unaffordable nesses she had spread would
– view of the flypast, and if she make them think of their own,
looked out again later in the first, when they thought of “Sin-
evening, might even see the fire- gapore”. For each of them, the
works bleaching the night sky city had become a crowd resem-
above Marina Bay. bling only their image of them-
Framed by the windows of the selves.

Things block opposite, families were gath-

ering in front of glowing TV sets:
parents clapping toddlers’ hands
in time with the singalong, and
She found herself smiling at
the thought. She knew she was
good at what she did, they didn’t
call her “Patient Zero” for noth-

to do teenagers on their phones, pre-

tending to ignore the excitement.
To the untrained eye, some looked
nearly identical. Only she knew
ing. But she wouldn’t count her
chickens, either. This city could
surprise her, even at the best of
times; it had a strange knack for

today
that even now, with the same pulling together despite her best

1 LISTEN: Titled A World Together, the video presents voices of scene broadcast in every living efforts, and deep reserves of

Music video with

the migrant worker community accompanied by the
Voices of Singapore Children’s Choir, members of the
non-profit organisation HealthServe and healthcare
workers. It is a remake of Diana Ross’ If We Hold On
Together.
Stay in and help fight migrant workers The music video is available on Voices of Singapore
and HealthServe’s YouTube channels.
Write in
We would also like to hear from you, our readers, on
how you are coping and keeping busy while at home.
Please send us videos, pictures, stories, poems or
room, each one had their own idea
of the country they were celebrat-
ing. They all imagined a different
“Singapore” to any of the others.
She would take credit for that.
For months, she had successfully
lulled the city into believing that
symptoms in the first weeks of the
outbreak when people began crow-
ing about how well the city had
done in fighting the disease. As the
numbers continued to rise, they
developed an immunity to Panic.
Or right after the disease took hold
in the migrants’ dormitories, when
people rushed to support charities
delivering food to facilities on the
decency she hardly knew about.
The fight was hardly over, but
she would be prepared. Still smil-
ing, she went back inside, then
turned and shut the window
firmly behind her.

Covid-19. The Straits Times Go to: bit.ly/3cSOmR6, bit.ly/3cRVbSN other contributions at stlife@sph.com.sg or on ST’s they were fighting an unknown found a way to talk about those very fringes of the island.
recommends fun, uplifting
Facebook and Instagram accounts. We will curate disease, creating the perfect condi- numbers as if they were in some Yet these were few and far be- • Theophilus Kwek, 26, has four
and showcase some of these, including at tions to hasten the spread of three far-flung place, not the same com- tween, singular acts of kindness poetry collections, including
things to do each day str.sg/stayhomeST common, but deadly illnesses in munity they inhabited. Even now, that never really gained momen- Moving House, which will be out
her arsenal. The first, Panic, was as the tanks rolled on-screen, tum. She suspected that they, too, later this month. As an extrovert,
easy. It flared up like an old infec- Pride threatened to make a come- were reactions to the disease, the some things he has missed during
tion, and almost immediately back. It had a way of spreading body responding in strange ways the circuit breaker are the ambient
caused an itch that sent everyone quickly on festive occasions, and to the shock of attack. In any case, noises of coffee shops and
to the shops. The second, Preju- could be exceptionally contagious. resistance to common illnesses laughing naturally with someone
dice, was more subtle. You couldn’t Truth be told, all this had gone was at an all-time low. All she did else.
An outline of normally tell if someone had it, but more smoothly than she expected. was persuade her neighbours that
Berbagi Cerita it showed up as a verbal tic when There were points when she these were less malign than the
(Sharing Stories) they tried to explain, for instance, thought her plans would be ruined, virus out there. Most forgave them- • To read the other works in this
by Tito Tyramei why some seemed more suscepti- like when places of worship selves easily, for letting these series online, go to str.sg/30Days.
is put up on UOB ble to the disease than others. opened their doors to the home- maladies have the upper hand as For more local digital arts offerings,
Art Explorer for A third ailment, Pride, was al- less, a startling moment of generos- they busied themselves with the go to a-list.sg to appreciate
viewers to fill in ready endemic. You could see the ity that made her think they’d crisis. #SGCulture Anywhere
with colour and
recreate. PHOTO:
TITO TYRAMEI, UOB
ART EXPLORER

Comfort
Cooking
At a loss as to what to
cook today? Fret not.
In this daily series,
STFood Online
Editor Hedy Khoo
features nourishing
recipes you can whip up

2 EXPLORE:
4 DRAW:Try
Check out a 360-degree virtual tour of the former Ford The UOB Art Explorer programme offers different
Factory, the site of the British surrender to Imperial online activities to bring the benefits of art therapy and
Japanese forces in 1942. art appreciation to people at home.
Old Ford The Upper Bukit Timah Road site was restored by the
National Archives of Singapore and houses a
permanent World War II exhibition, which includes
art therapy A session by art therapist Yoko Choi guides viewers
through accessible and sustainable activities such as
making fresh paper from scrap material pulp, while a METHOD
SLIPPER LOBSTERS
Indulge in a
ST PHOTO:

Factory archival footage and relics.

Go to: bit.ly/2MNXADu
floral drawing session in Art At Home guides viewers
through oil pastel techniques.
Go to: bit.ly/3cSO3FW
WITH FERMENTED
BLACK BEANS
1. In a wok over medium heat, fry the
ginger in the cooking oil for 1 minute.
HEDY KHOO

slipper lobster INGREDIENTS

2. Add the garlic and fry for 45 seconds.
3. Add the fermented black beans and

stir-fry 3 Tbs cooking oil fry for 45 seconds.

VIEW:
3 5 LOOK BACK: 30g ginger, sliced 4. Add the red onion and fry for
45 seconds.
4 garlic cloves, chopped

Online art
5. Add the slipper lobsters and fry for
National Slipper lobsters are great ingredients to work with if
you want an indulgent seafood meal at home but do
not fancy dealing with the icky process of dispatch-
1 Tbs fermented black beans
1 red onion (120g), sectioned
2 minutes.
6. Add the oyster sauce, dark soya
exhibition service ing live seafood.
There are many ways to cook slipper lobsters and
a straightforward approach is to use fermented
6 slipper lobsters (1.2kg), cleaned
and halved
sauce and water.
7. Add the Shaoxing wine, white pepper

Singapore-based Addicted Art

shortened
Gallery is holding an online
exhibition titled Hidden Messages,
which runs till Sept 4. On June 15, 2004, then Defence
Viewers can see art pieces by Minister Teo Chee Hean
Dutch contemporary art duo Skye announced in Parliament that
Brothers through the gallery’s national service would be cut by six
online viewing platform. The months to a maximum of two years.
artworks, which are executed The reduction was made possible
in white, black and gold, can be with the Singapore Armed Forces
purchased online, relying more on technology and
with prices ranging between less on having large numbers of
$2,335 and $9,000. soldiers. The cuts were the first
Go to: bit.ly/2UFqQAO major changes to NS duration
since 1971.
Go to: bit.ly/2MUozNy
Compiled by Malavika Menon with
Zero by Dutch contemporary art duo Skye Brothers. input from SPH Information Resource
PHOTO: SKYE BROTHERS, ADDICTED ART GALLERY Centre.
black beans as a base ingredient for the gravy.
It is a bonus if you have chicken stock, but don’t
sweat it if you don’t.
2 Tbs oyster sauce
1 tsp dark soya sauce
and sesame oil.
8. Cover and let the mixture cook on
high heat for 4 minutes.
The slipper lobsters impart a marvellous sweet- 150ml water
ness to the gravy and the fermented black beans add 9. Uncover and stir in the beaten eggs.
aromatic savouriness. 1 Tbs Shaoxing wine 10. Stir well. Mix the cornflour with
Add more water and adjust with more seasoning if Dash of ground white pepper 2 Tbs of water and add this to the wok.
you want more gravy.
The best part about dining in the comfort of your 1 tsp sesame oil 11. Once the gravy reaches a simmer
own home? and the shells are orange in colour,
2 eggs, beaten turn off the heat.
Soldiers at the national education show in 2004. You will not be judged when you choose to add
PHOTOS: NATIONAL LIBRARY BOARD, ST FILE, VOICES OF SINGAPORE, rice to the serving dish to mop up any remaining 2 Tbs cornflour and 2 Tbs water 12. Add the spring onion and stir briefly.
HEALTHSERVE gravy.
15g spring onion, cut into 5cm lengths 13. Serve immediately.
hedykhoo@sph.com.sg
Serves three to four
• Follow Hedy Khoo on Instagram @hedchefhedykhoo
• Follow Straits Times Food on Instagram and
Facebook @straitstimesfood
C4 life mind & body
| THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |

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| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
DocTalk
A mother’s love
blooms in adversity
A mum who cares for
her teenage son
battling with mental
illness refuses to give
in to despair, but
musters courage to
pave the path to his
recovery
Amelia Sim
Years ago, when I was expecting
my first child, I came across a
Hallmark card for Mother’s Day
while browsing at the bookstore.
“The day you become a mother is
the day you start watching your
heart walk around your body,” it
cooed.
Well, I’m usually not one for
sentimental quotes and I did not
buy the card, but somehow this
phrase found its way into the
recesses of my memory.
It would surface from time to
time and, last month, it came up
again, as much of the world
celebrated Mother’s Day at home
amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Being a parent is tough, and
especially so when the world is
engaged in a battle with an invisible
and stealthy enemy.
From coming up with Plan B
childcare arrangements should one
be quarantined, to grappling with
decisions on when and where
would be the least crowded for the
weekly grocery runs, the minds of
many become a conducive
environment for the breeding of
another uninvited guest – anxiety.
Anxiety is certainly nothing new
to anyone, least of all parents.
Raising a secure and confident
child takes a certain degree of
calculated risk and trust in societal
safety nets on the parents’ part.
From the moment we remove the
training wheels of our child’s
bicycle to the day we wave goodbye
to our sons when they start national
service, the risk we take is
tempered by our belief that
society’s fail-safes will keep them
well.
We do our utmost to keep our
children safe from harm and yet
have to let go of enough strings to
let them soar.
After all, the weather does not
remain perfect forever. Storms
happen and will pass.
Mental illness can begin at any
age, but most begin earlier in life.
According to the World Health
Organisation, half of all cases begin
by the age of 14, although most may
remain undetected and untreated
till much later.
This peculiar trait of mental
illness may be due to the fact that
teenagers and young adults have
many changes to deal with as they
navigate significant life transitions
such as changing schools, facing up
to peer pressures, traversing
romantic relationships, entering
university or starting out at their
first job.
I first met M, an 18-year-old
polytechnic student, three years
ago. He had come to my clinic with
his mother, citing problems
concentrating at school.
M had been a stellar student for
I watched as M’s mother mustered
her inner strength to face the
difficulties in caring for her son
and I saw her transform into a
fierce advocate of his recovery.
most of his academic life.
He was popular with friends,
captain of his soccer team and the
apple of his parents’ eye.
But in the past year his mother
reported that he had several
falling-outs with his good friends
and his grades had steadily
dropped from a grade point
average of 3.4 to just 1.0.
Apart from problems with
concentration, M had become
more withdrawn and lethargic,
refusing to leave home even to
attend his favourite soccer games.
He was eventually diagnosed with
early symptoms of psychosis.
Typically, the types of
presentation in early psychosis can
be myriad and easily confused with
other forms of mental conditions.
In M’s case, he had started to
experience symptoms of psychosis
such as an inability to feel pleasure
(anhedonia), a lack of motivation
to accomplish tasks (avolition),
reduced social drive and
attentional deficits.
He did not, however, present
with auditory hallucinations or
paranoia, which are typically
associated with the condition.
During the first two years of M’s
illness, his mother faced many
challenges in adjusting to her new
role as her teenage son’s caregiver.
Initially she faced resistance on
several fronts – her son was
reluctant to take his medication; her
in-laws said his illness was a result of
her neglecting him during his
childhood due to her career; and
ST ILLUSTRATION: CEL GULAPA
lastly, she felt guilty as she
wondered if she had indeed caused
it.
She bravely dealt with these
challenges every day, but when alone
in my clinic room, she would break
down in soft sobs, saying: “I can’t do
this anymore. I want to give up, but I
can’t. I can’t give up on my son.”
And she didn’t.
As a doctor, I have seen the
brightest of flowers bloom in the
harshest of climates.
I watched as M’s mother
mustered her inner strength to face
the difficulties in caring for her son
and I saw her transform into a
fierce advocate of his recovery.
She channelled her energies into
reading voraciously about
psychosis and its treatment.
Armed with the information, she
agreed to me giving her son a
monthly injectable medication
instead of having to face the daily
tussle of getting him to take his oral
medication.
This helped to improve relations
between mother and son. She also
found solace in caregiver support
groups, forming alliances with
like-minded parents while sharing
tips on their children’s recovery
journey.
I last saw her and her son about
two months ago and he had just
finished his final-year
examinations.
We spoke about what changes
graduation might bring while he
mused about his job prospects and
she about a family holiday.
Despite these trying times
brought on by the Covid-19
pandemic, I hear that they remain
well and I look forward to seeing
them again when blue skies
return.
stlife@sph.com.sg
• Dr Amelia Sim is a consultant at the
department of psychosis at the
Institute of Mental Health
mind & body life
From C1
6 simple exercises
for seniors
Amrita Kaur
Regular exercise can help seniors
control their body weight, lower
blood pressure, strengthen
muscles and reduce the risk of
heart disease.
It also helps lower their chances
of being injured from a fall.
VERTICAL SIT-TO-STAND
WOOD CHOP
The muscles in the legs, glutes, core
and shoulders are mainly used in
this exercise, which helps in im-
proving the senior’s full-body and
controlled movements throughout
the torso.
1. Sit on the edge of the chair and
with fingers interlaced, position
your feet wider than your hips.
2. Apply pressure on your feet as
you stand up and raise your arms
above your head.
3. Keep your torso stable without
arching your lower back and do not
shrug your shoulders.
ST ILLUSTRATION:
CHAIR-SUPPORTED SIDE LUNGE
CEL GULAPA
This exercise works muscles in the
legs and glutes, which are impor-
tant in maintaining sideway move-
ments for deceleration and fall pre-
vention.
1. Place your hands on the chair at
the height of your hip and position
your feet wider than your hips.
2. Push your bottom backwards
and shift your weight towards the
right hip, while keeping your right
foot grounded.
3. Keep your left leg straight with
your left foot grounded.
4. Return to step 1 position and re-
peat steps 2 and 3 for the other leg.
STANDING HIP EXTENSION
This exercise uses mainly muscles
in the glutes and hamstrings to help
build a stronger posterior chain – a
group of muscles on the posterior
of the body.
1. Place your hands on the chair at
the height of your hip and position
your feet wider than your hips.
2. Lift one leg and extend it back-
wards leading from the heel.
3. Keep your hips squared and
levelled.
4. Return to your position in step
one and repeat the exercise by ex-
tending the other leg.
C5
The Health Promotion Board
recommends that people above the
age of 50 do strength and balance
exercises at least twice a week, in
addition to 150 minutes of moder-
ately intense physical activity each
week.
Fitness First training manager
Christine Chiam shares six easy
exercises for seniors to do at home:
STANDING CAT-COW
This stretching exercise increases
the flexibility of the neck, shoul-
ders and back, and involves the
muscles mainly in the neck, back
and chest.
1. Place your hands on the chair at
the height of your hip. Position
your feet wider than your hips.
2. Inhale while tilting your pelvis
backwards as your tailbone
reaches up.
3. Open your chest, with your eyes
looking forward.
4. Exhale as you tilt your pelvis
forward, tucking the tailbone under.
5. Tuck your chin in with your eyes
looking down.
STANDING HIP FLEXOR STRETCH
This exercise stretches the sitting
muscles and uses the muscles in
the hip flexor – a group of muscles
near the top of your thighs which is
important for lower body
movements.
1. Make sure the chair is not
slippery before placing one foot on
it.
2. Position the other leg on the
ground slightly farther away from
the chair.
3. Place both your hands on the
thigh of your elevated leg.
4. Lift the heel of the leg on the
ground slightly and push your hips
towards the chair.
5. You may also try raising one arm.
SEATED FIGURE-4 STRETCH
This exercise, which uses mainly
muscles in the glutes, helps the
elderly to stretch the glutes and re-
duces stiffness in the lower back.
1. Sit on a chair and cross one of
your legs over the other, ensuring
that your ankle is on top of the
knee.
2. Use your hands to push the knee
on top towards the floor.
PHOTOS: FITNESS FIRST
C6 life mind & body
| THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |

Living Well

Moving my
way to a goal
I might not have accomplished
much during the circuit breaker,
but I have managed to develop
one good habit – exercising daily
for the first time in my life
Tee Hunching
About two weeks before Singapore
was due to lift its circuit breaker, I
was suddenly seized with regret.
Two life-changing,
history-making months were about
to whizz by and I had little to show
for it.
Like most people, I’d taken the
chance to reflect and recalibrate as
Covid-19 upended lives and forced
a radical reset worldwide.
Work still kept me busy and I had
much to be thankful for. But with
nowhere to go and no one to meet, I
couldn’t help thinking I should be
more productive and purposeful
with this unexpected gift of
downtime.
I’d told my kids the same thing
and they actually heeded my advice
to pick up a new skill or hobby
when school let out early in May.
For over a month now, my
10-year-old daughter has been
faithfully keeping up with her
Spanish lessons on Duolingo.
Meanwhile, her older brother has
been trying to bake or cook
something almost every weekend,
even if the results aren’t always
edible.
But the only new thing I’d done
up till mid-May was to finally
subscribe to Netflix.
Finding meaning, purpose and
areas of personal growth during the
pandemic has helped many to cope
with the anxiety, uncertainty or
sheer ennui.
“Quarantine goals” is apparently
a thing, and people around the
world have been cooking, crafting,
cosplaying and Marie Kondo-ing
their way through enforced
isolation.
Then there were those who took
lockdown challenges to a whole
new level.
A Chinese man in Hangzhou ran
laps around his living room that
totalled 50km in February.
A guy in France completed a
marathon on his 7m-long
balcony a month later.
Then in April, a paralysed
ex-rugby player from Britain
climbed the equivalent height of
Mount Everest on the staircase of
his parents’ home over four days
and raised more than £41,000
(S$72,390) for charity.
Domestic and athletic feats aside,
there have also been touching
accounts of selfless acts by Good
Samaritans who stepped up to
donate food, sew masks, deliver
supplies or bring hope and help in
myriad ways.
Consumed by purpose anxiety, I
thought: Even if I can’t do much
good in these bleak times, I should
at least develop one good habit.
So when my kids settled down to
watch TV one night, I decided to
attempt something constructive at
the same time: I worked out next to
them, to a short YouTube video by
British personal trainer Lucy
Wyndham-Read.
Exercising has become one of
those cliched quarantine activities,
along with baking and decluttering.
But how, I’ve always wondered, can
people actually enjoy something so
excruciating?
The last time I made it a point to
move my flabby butt at least three
times a week was four years ago. I
started working out with a personal
trainer after a health scare in 2013
and later signed up for tennis
lessons and a Pilates class with
friends.
But as the costs added up and my
will atrophied, I threw in the towel.
Since then, many valiant
attempts to revive my exercise
routine have sputtered and died.
I can recall only a few bouts of
serious physical exertion last year,
including panting my way through
the shortest distances of the ST Run
and Terry Fox Run.
I last sweated buckets in early
March, when my husband signed
the family up for a run-bike event, ST ILLUSTRATION: CEL GULAPA
which I was woefully unprepared
for.
So it was no surprise that I was
winded even before the end of rolling your eyes. It’s like bragging be rid of my muffin top or bat-wing The varied exercises are a
Wyndham-Read’s seven-minute about brushing my teeth every day. arms in a week and I wasn’t. But by welcome change to the tedium of
workout. But it is a personal record. This is then, I was too thrilled with my new the sequestered life, where the days
But the TV helped distract me the first time in my adult life I’ve fitness regimen to care. seem to blur together.
from the pain, and I ended up been physically active for more When boredom set in after the Covid-19 has stripped away all my
stringing together a few more quick than five days in a row. More 10th day, I tapped on the free Nike usual excuses for not exercising —
routines for a session that lasted incredibly, I’m looking forward to Training Club (NTC) mobile app for too busy; too tired; too crowded —
more than 30 minutes. clocking more. its wide range of workouts. and gives new impetus for me to
It was more manageable than I Wyndham-Read got me off to a It customises exercise plans stay healthy.
expected, so I did the same the next good start by enticing me to build based on your fitness level and It will take months, maybe years,
night. And the next. up a workout plan through small preferences, such as the number of before I can run 5km without
As I’m writing this, I’ve worked steps. Her videos promise results if sessions a week and whether you stopping, and I might never acquire
out for 21 days straight, mixing you stick to the various short want to add runs or equipment like cobbled abs. But that’s fine.
endurance, strength and mobility workouts for seven days. weights. After weathering such an
exercises. Each time I completed seven I’ve lost count of the number of unprecedented crisis, we should all
Three full weeks of mindfully, minutes, I decided I could manage times I’ve aborted an NTC plan learn to find joy in little triumphs
deliberately breaking a sweat for at another seven, then another. within a week. But I’m now on and not sweat the small stuff.
least 30 minutes. Every. Single. And after seven days, I thought I Week 2 of a four-week plan and
Day. might as well stick with it for 10. think I might actually complete it
I know. Many of you are probably I didn’t actually believe I would for the first time. stlife@sph.com.sg

Feeling down during 35 per cent, a significant difference

from the control group, whose
depression scores had barely

the pandemic? Exercise budged.

Hostility levels in the exercise
group plummeted.

regimen can help Declines in anxiety and anger

NEW YORK • During these trying
times, exercise could provide indis-
pensable mental health support for
many of us, according to a timely
new study.
The study finds that among a gen-
erally healthy, but sedentary group
of adults in their 20s, 30s and 40s,
working out lowers levels of depres-
sion, hostility and other negative
feelings.
The study also finds that the
mood benefits of exercise can
linger for weeks after people stop
working out, offering another com-
pelling reason for us to try to move,
whenever and wherever we still
can, during this coronavirus
pandemic.
Epidemiological studies have
shown associations between physi-
cal activity and lower levels of de-
pression, anxiety, hostility and
other bad moods.
But those studies were observa-
tional, meaning they looked at peo-
ple’s lives and found links between
regular exercise and buoyant
moods.
So for the new study, which was
published recently in Health Psy-
chology, researchers at Columbia
University Medical Centre in New
York City and at other institutions
decided to mount one of the first
experiments to test the effects of an
exercise regimen on the mental
health of generally healthy,
although inactive, people.
They hoped to see, in effect,
whether people in generally good
mental health – without a history of
depression, anxiety or other mood
disorders – could become even bet-
ter adjusted and happier if they
started to exercise.
The scientists began by recruiting
119 sedentary adults age 20 to 45
without any known mental health
problems.
The scientists invited them to the
lab, where they confirmed the state
of their mental health with a series
of questionnaires designed to mea-
sure people’s current levels of
depression, anxiety, hostility and
anger.
The researchers then randomly
assigned the volunteers to two
groups. One continued their normal
lives and served as a control group.
The others began exercising four
times a week at the lab.
Their exercise programme was a
Cyclists at Gardens by the Bay East. Research has shown that regular exercise not only keeps your mood up, but the
benefit also persists for weeks even after stopping exercise. ST PHOTO: MARK CHEONG
standard moderate aerobic routine.
They walked or jogged on tread-
mills or rode a stationary bicycle for
about 35 minutes at a pace that left
them somewhat breathless.
This routine continued for three
months.
Then both groups of volunteers re-
turned to the lab to repeat the mood
questionnaires and the members of
the exercise group were asked to
stop working out and resume their
former inactivity for a month.
“Most of them didn’t much want
to quit,” said Dr Richard Sloan, a pro-
fessor of behavioural medicine at
Columbia who oversaw the new
study.
The exercising group had learnt
to enjoy the exercise, he said.
But they complied and avoided
workouts for a month.
Then everyone completed the
mood questionnaires a final time
and the scientists checked for
changes over the four months.
As expected, they found that all
119 men and women had begun the
experiment with sturdy mental
health.
Their scores showed them to be
well-adjusted and jovial, with partic-
ularly low scores on anxiety.
But the group that exercised had
managed to bump down their
already low numbers.
After three months of working
out, their overall scores on the
depression scale fell by about
were slighter, but the researchers
think their volunteers began with
such low levels of those feelings,
they realistically could not fall
much further.
The mood improvements also
lingered. Even after a month of inac-
tivity, the former exercisers
showed healthier scores for depres-
sion and hostility than the control
group, although numbers were start-
ing to return to where they had
been at the start.
Overall, the results suggest that
“exercise has real benefits for
mood”, even if our moods are not
dour or surly to start with, said
Ms Kathleen McIntyre, an instruc-
tor in psychiatric social work who
led the study.
“This study reminds us that we
have this coping tool available to
us,” she said.
“If you can get outside and walk
or hike or run safely, it should help
with the negative feelings that just
about everyone is experiencing
right now.”
And if outdoor activities seem
unwise where you are, substitute
with online exercise classes, she
said, or bounce around the living
room with your children.
“Whatever physical activity you
can manage is great,” she said.
NYTIMES
| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
K-idol returns
to the small screen
Benson Ang
If absence makes the heart grow
fonder, fans of South Korean actor
Kim Soo-hyun must be eagerly
counting down to Saturday.
That is when the debonair heart-
throb – who shot to superstardom
after acting in K-dramas such as
Moon Embracing The Sun (2012)
and My Love From The Star (2013
to 2014) – will make his much antici-
pated small-screen return as a
leading man after completing his
military service last July.
His last starring role in a televi-
sion series was in The Producers
(2015). In the new romance drama
It’s Okay To Not Be Okay on Netflix,
Kim, 32, plays Moon Gang-tae, a
caregiver in a psychiatric ward.
During a recent virtual press
Diva impersonator recounts
golden era of black models
NEW YORK • At a piano bar in the
Hell’s Kitchen neighbourhood of
Manhattan, just before nightlife
shut down across the city, a 71-year-
old former model named Shailah
Edmonds performed her one-
woman cabaret show to a two-
drink-minimum crowd.
Edmonds, who stands at 1.87m
tall in heels, wore a chiffon dress
and a bejewelled head wrap as she
told her life story: that of a starry-
eyed girl from Portland, Oregon,
who came to New York in the 1970s
and rose to success as a model
during an era when black women
were excluded from the elite
runways of haute couture fashion.
“My career started when I won
the couture award at a modelling
contest. I didn’t even know what
couture meant. My first big cam-
paign was for a ski catalogue. They
put the skis through my Afro,” she
said.
When the lights dimmed, though,
Edmonds told the crowd her
modelling career did not take off in
New York the way she had hoped.
“The agencies would tell me, ‘We
have enough black girls here,’” she
said. “‘We don’t need any more of
them. We can’t do anything for
you.’ And my blood would boil.
America wasn’t interested in black
beauty and the agencies were bla-
tant about this. That’s the way it
was and we had to accept it.”
As the United States roils with
protests after Mr George Floyd died
in police custody, Edmonds has
reflected intensely on the racism
she had experienced in the fashion
industry.
“Right now, the fashion world
conference with the Asia-Pacific
media, the star said from Seoul that
while serving in the military, he felt
a thirst to be on screen again.
He added: “After my military
service, I have become physically
stronger and a little bit more
experienced.
“I think that for anyone who has
seen my acting prior to that, you
will be able to notice that once you
see our show.”
When he first read the script for
the show, he felt his heart ache and
decided the show was something
he wanted to challenge himself to
do.
“I wanted to be able to express
that heartache in my acting.”
In the 16-episode drama, Kim’s
character meets a female author of
children’s books, Ko Mun-yeong,
played by South Korean actress Seo
isn’t talking about what is happen-
ing in the country because they
don’t want people looking at them
too closely,” she said. “The truth is
that the fashion industry is racist.
Models today have no idea what we
went through and continue to go
through.”
“I think black models get more
play now, but I’m sceptical,” she
said. “I think the industry decided
inclusivity is a message the public
finally wants to hear. If it was left to
them, it would still be white models.”
Today, Edmonds is considered
one of the top Diana Ross and Tina
Turner impersonators in the New
York area. She has lived in a
rent-stabilised apartment on
Central Park West since 1985 and
her walls are lined with old Polaroid
photos of her gallivanting in Paris.
Her bedroom is filled with wigs,
boas and sequin dresses.
“Every day, I wake up thinking:
‘Who am I?’” Edmonds said. “Am I
Tina? Am I Diana? But no, I’m
Shailah Edmonds. That’s who I
really am.”
Born Barbara Lyons in Portland
in 1949, Edmonds was raised a
Baptist. Her father worked in a ship-
yard and her mother was a house-
wife. She fled her home after
becoming a teenage mother.
Later, she married a college
basketball star, taking his last name,
and moved with him to Washing-
ton, D.C. She had another son, they
got divorced and Edmonds started
working as a telephone operator.
An older woman stopped
Edmonds on her way to work one
day, introducing herself as a former
model named Ruth Turner who had
Yea-ji. What transpires is an
unusual romance between the two
as they end up healing each other’s
emotional and psychological
wounds.
Gang-tae is described as patient,
smart and able to empathise with
others. But although the character
seems strong, when he is by
himself, he is much weaker.
Kim said: “I wanted to be able to
express all of the hurt that Gang-tae
has.” He added that he wants this
vulnerability to resonate with
viewers.
When his character meets Mun-
yeong, he lets his guard down. “He
is able to complain about things and
becomes like a child in front of her.
So, I think meeting Mun-yeong is
like a transitional point in
Gang-tae’s life.”
On working with Seo, the actor
Shailah Edmonds in her cabaret show at the Don’t Tell Mama nightclub in Manhattan in January. PHOTO: NYTIMES
worked in Fifth Avenue depart-
ment stores in the 1950s and was
now running a school for aspiring
black models. She wanted to teach
her.
Edmonds was reluctant, but soon
started visiting Turner’s apartment,
practising catwalk down her
hallway.
“I just had to go up to her,” Turner,
90, recalled. “I said to her, ‘Girl, do
you model? Because let me tell you
something. You have it. And you
need to walk like you have it.’”
When Turner heard about a
modelling contest in New York, she
decided it was time for her
protegee’s debut.
Edmonds won the competition
and she started booking appoint-
ments with agencies in the city,
many of which proved humiliating.
Then, the fateful day arrived
when a photographer told her to go
to Paris. When she arrived in 1978,
she felt like she had entered
another dimension.
recalled: “As one tends to be around
people you meet for the first time,
there was a sense of awkwardness
and difficulty between the two of
us.”
But as the actors spent a lot of
time together and began to get into
character, there grew to be “a com-
fortable chemistry” between them.
Seo, 30, who was also at the press
conference, said of her co-star:
“From my first day, he has been
considerate towards me. I feel like
our chemistry started off, and
continues to be, quite good.
“I would even go as far as to say he
is probably the best partner whom I
have had.”
Seo said of her character: “She
lacks the ability to feel empathy
towards other people. She is a cold
character. I have to channel this
image of a witch to express her.”
Agencies were eager to meet her.
Her first season was fully booked
within a few weeks. She began walk-
ing runways for fashion designers
Thierry Mugler, Pierre Balmain and
Claude Montana. The next season,
an invitation arrived from the
atelier of haute couture designer
Yves Saint Laurent asking Edmonds
to try out as a fitting model.
By 1980, Edmonds was a top
model in Europe and she wanted to
give the US another shot. This time,
she was treated differently in New
York.
Agents clamoured to sign her. She
modelled for fashion designers Bill
Blass, Donna Karan, Isabel Toledo
and Anne Klein. She opened a
restaurant called Cafe Shailah and
became a fixture at Studio 54.
Around 1985, Edmonds’ tele-
phone started to ring less. Then, it
stopped ringing completely. The
fashion industry was reinventing
itself again, with “girl next door”
models such as Christie Brinkley
life C7
Seo Yea-ji
(far left) and
Kim Soo-hyun
(left) star in
It’s Okay To
Not Be Okay.
PHOTO: NETFLIX
In his first lead role after
completing military
service, Kim Soo-hyun
plays a caregiver in
the Netflix romance
drama It’s Okay
To Not Be Okay
But the character goes through a
significant change after meeting
Gang-tae, the actress added.
Seo’s credits include the psycho-
logical thriller Save Me (2017) and
the legal thriller Lawless Lawyer
(2018).
Asked what made her decide to
take on her latest project, she cited
director Park Shin-woo for his “irre-
sistible” talent and writer Jo Yong
for the intriguing story.
She added: “Last but not least, I
think any actress would be
extremely happy to have Kim as her
partner.
“I had no reason not to do it.”
bang@sph.com.sg
• It’s Okay To Not Be Okay premieres
on Netflix on Saturday at 9.30pm.
and Cindy Crawford taking centre
stage – the “girl next door” was
almost always white.
Edmonds’ agent dropped her, she
said, and she watched her cohort
take ordinary day jobs. She let go of
her Paris apartment.
“It just all came to an end,” she
said. “They got over the novelty of
using black models. I went into a
dark spiral after that. What
happened in Paris finished and it
never came back.”
Edmonds is uncertain about the
future of her act and with the
fashion industry experiencing an
existential crisis of its own, she
despairs her efforts may never
break through.
“All I can do now is put my story
into the universe and hope it takes
wings,” she said. “No one knows
what we saw. I feel we’re about to
be forgotten all over again.
“If my show doesn’t come back, I
will stand on a street corner to
shout my story if I have to.” NYTIMES
C8 life
Lockdown
a great
time for
making
music
Actress-singer Hailee Steinfeld has
converted a guest room at home into
a music studio and been learning to use
software to record and cut her own vocals
Eddino Abdul Hadi
Music Correspondent
In the last decade, Oscar nominee Hailee Steinfeld has
made her name as both an actress and pop singer.
With the recent release of her sophomore EP, Half
Written Story, she adds another title to her resume –
director.
The 23-year-old co-directed the music video for I
Love You’s, one of the singles for the EP, together with
director Sarah McColgan.
“I’ve grown up on film sets and I’ve worked with some
of the most incredible directors of our time,” she tells
The Straits Times in a recent Zoom interview. “I almost
feel like I’ve sort of shadowed the directors that I’ve
worked with in a way. And so when it came to
co-directing the video, it was just so fun to be in that
position where I could throw my hat in and share input.”
At the age of 14, Steinfeld received several nomina-
tions, including for Best Supporting Actress at the Os-
cars, a Bafta and a Screen Actors Guild award, for her
role as a tough teen in acclaimed Western True Grit.
The 2010 film was helmed by brothers Joel and Ethan
Coen.
The last few years have also seen her taking on star-
ring roles in blockbuster films such as Oscar-winning
animated flick Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse and
Transformers spin-off Bumblebee (both 2018).
More recently, she played the titular role in Apple
TV+’s Dickinson, a 2019 series based on the life of the
iconic American poet Emily Dickinson.
Asked if she is taking the current downtime in Holly-
wood – filming has largely been put on hold due to the
coronavirus outbreak – to focus on her music career,
Steinfeld says no.
She finished filming the second season of Dickinson
before the pandemic shut down many industries
around the world and it had always been her plan to
spend time on her music in 2020.
“This time was always carved out for music so I do
feel grateful that I have the time to continue making
more.”
She has been staying busy while under lockdown at
her family home in California, where the guest room
has been converted into a music studio.
“I’ve been having a really good time just figuring out
how things work with certain software and I’ve been
recording and learning how to cut my own vocals so
there’s definitely a lot to learn and a lot to do.”
While she started acting at age 10, it was a chance en-
counter that led to her getting a music label contract.
At an event in 2015, she found herself seated next to
Mr Charlie Walk, the former president of Republic
Records. She played him some of her music and within
four months, she had signed with the label.
Her debut single released in August that year, Love
Myself, peaked at No. 30 on the United States charts.
She put out her debut EP, Haiz, three months later.
“That was such an incredible and wild experience
because of how quickly everything came together.”
She was a lot more involved in the writing process of
Half Written Story, which comprises love songs such as
Wrong Direction and End This (L.O.V.E.). I Love You’s
samples Annie Lennox’s 1995 song No More “I Love
You’s” and is about Steinfeld recovering from a break-
up.
“I wanted to be incredibly transparent for myself in
this music and I feel like I was able to do that.”
She envisions this EP as the first of a two-part project.
“I am so proud of them,” she says of her new songs.
“And just excited as I continue working on what’s to
come. I wanted to put these out for people to enjoy and
continue working towards a bigger body of work.”
dinohadi@sph.com.sg
Biker Boy
Hit the open road
and explore life
on two wheels
tnp.sg/lifestyle
| THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |
Hurdles
aplenty, but
quartet’s
first online
concert
a success
REVIEW / CONCERT
CONCORDIA QUARTET @ HOME
Streamed live via YouTube Live
(www.tinyurl.com/youtubeCQ)
Last Friday
Chang Tou Liang
The Concordia Quartet, Singapore’s latest profes-
sional chamber group, made its debut in February at
the Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre (Funan Centre) to
critical acclaim.
Its second public concert was another first, a live per-
formance by four musicians on the Internet, separated
physically by the Covid-19 circuit breaker and social
distancing rules.
Its players, violinists Edward Tan and Kim Kyu Ri,
violist Matthias Oestringer and cellist Theophilus Tan,
did not have face-to-face rehearsals for this concert.
Instead, they played from their own living rooms,
united by nifty technology, employing the Jamulus
audio software, high-tech headsets and microphones,
and the ubiquitous Zoom app for visual cues.
Its audience was alerted via social media and tuned
into YouTube for the concert experience.
While it seemed a surreal experience attending a
concert remotely, one was spared distractions like
rustling programmes, fidgety children and, worst of
all, coughs and sniffles.
Concordia’s programme was a compact one, just
under half an hour of music, with a question-and-an-
swer session hosted by technical controller and Re-
sound Collective’s founder Mervin Beng. These pre-
cious few minutes were, however, hard earned given
the logistical hurdles to overcome, but paid off hand-
somely.
There was a false start at the beginning with
Mozart’s Divertimento In D major (K.136) which was
quickly remedied.
As there was a lag phase between visual and aural in-
puts for the musicians, it seemed a miracle they even
came together at all. This was all down to hard work
getting used to the medium and how professional
musicians adapt to each other’s music-making.
Like in a jazz combo, a three-count from first
violinist Tan was needed to start the music flowing,
when a nod of the head used to suffice.
The issue of balance surfaced for a short while in the
lively opening movement, when accompanying low
strings sounded over-emphatic but that was also
corrected.
The slow movement was lovingly coaxed, while the
fast finale which necessitated pin-point accuracy was
driven to a breathless close.
The heart of the concert belonged to Russian nation-
Hailee Steinfeld alist composer Alexander Borodin’s Second String
says she was a Quartet. While some hoped to hear its popular and
lot more involved melancholic Notturno, the more meaty opening move-
in the writing of ment was performed instead.
her EP Half By now, the quartet had more than warmed up and
Written Story, wearing heart on sleeve, this ultra-Romantic music’s
which she passionate throes were milked for all their worth. For
envisions as the the online listener, this was as good as it gets.
first of a As a short encore, the world premiere of young local
two-part project. composer Jonathan Shin’s highly idiomatic arrange-
PHOTO: UNIVERSAL ment of The Beatles’ hit song Eleanor Rigby was the
MUSIC SINGAPORE icing on the cake.
Judging by the positive live comments from its audi-
ence, this experiment was a success.
While live concerts witnessed by a live audience in a
concert hall will not die an ignominious death, could
online concerts such as this be a regular feature of the
new normal?
you ask, we answer, come listen
Wuhan after Covid-19
lockdown
• Has China returned to
a state of normality?
SCAN TO LISTEN
• What lessons can the
Chinese experience
offer Singapore?
Hear from ST’s China
correspondent Elizabeth Law str.sg/JACs
| MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 | THE STRAITS TIMES |
ST AUDIO
When All This Is Over
Podcast
Local poetry and prose about Covid-19
From an unusual circuit breaker theft to a tongue-in-cheek
e-mail about time, listen to poetry and prose about the
Covid-19 pandemic by home-grown writers O Thiam Chin,
Christine Chia, Marc Nair, Clara Chow and Stephanie Chan.
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C10 life trending
Kenneth Ma dating
actress Roxanne Tong
Lim Ruey Yan
Hong Kong actor Kenneth Ma has
been linked to an actress surnamed
Tong since he broke up with actress
Jacqueline Wong last year.
It turned out to be Roxanne Tong
instead of Natalie Tong as
previously rumoured.
Last Friday, he was photographed
by the media driving to Roxanne
Tong’s house. He stayed at her apart-
ment for about four hours before
they were seen leaving together for
a shopping trip at about 8pm.
Ma, 46, and Tong, 33, admitted to
their relationship a few hours later.
They posted on Instagram a photo
of a toy unicorn and a toy white
horse on their respective Instagram
accounts last Saturday, with the
caption “Thanks for the care” and
tagged each other in the posts.
The actor was approached by the
Hong Kong media when he
reported for work at TVB City, the
headquarters of broadcaster TVB.
He said they have been dating for
about two months and have met
each other’s parents. He added that
he liked Tong’s character and that
his mother liked her too.
Ma and Tong had acted together
in the psychological crime drama
My Dearly Sinful Mind (2017).
“We did not keep in touch much
after filming My Dearly Sinful
Mind,” he said. “But we met up
recently and felt that we could
Andy Hui to
perform for the
first time since
cheating scandal
HONG KONG • Hong Kong singer Andy Hui may be per-
forming for the first time in 14 months.
The 52-year-old has not been in action since he was
caught in a cheating scandal with actress Jacqueline
Wong in April last year.
His planned concerts in September were cancelled af-
ter that.
He has rarely been seen in public since. At his pop
star wife Sammi Cheng’s concerts in July, he was met
with shouts and boos from her fans.
Hui, who is known for songs such as Why Did You
Love Others Behind My Back and Men’s Greatest Pain,
has also not updated his social media accounts since he
posted an apology for his indiscretion in April last year.
Hong Kong media Apple Daily has reported that he
would be returning to work today, performing on
ViuTV programme Polygram 50th Anniversary Chill
Club.
He will also be a guest singer at his good friend singer
Edmond Leung’s scheduled concert in October.
Hui and Leung were part of the music group Big Four,
together with their long-time buddies singer William
On social media
MOST-FOLLOWED JAPANESE
MALE ARTIST ON INSTAGRAM:
Japanese talent agency Johnny
& Associates used to ban its
artists from having social media
accounts.
However, it relented in May last
year and actor-singer Tomohisa
Yamashita (right) was its first
artist to set up an Instagram
account. It attracted more than
one million followers in one day.
Last Saturday, the 35-year-old
heart-throb became the first
Japanese male artist to attract
more than five million followers
on Instagram.
After Yamashita, other artists
under Johnny & Associates also
set up their Instagram accounts,
including singer-actor Takuya
Kimura and boy band Arashi.
Kimura has 2.4 million followers
on Instagram so far, while Arashi
have 4.2 million followers.
Japanese comedian Naomi
Watanabe is the top female artist
in Japan, with more than member of idol group News, came
9.4 million followers on her to prominence after acting in the
account. television series Kurosagi (2006),
Yamashita, who is in the an adaptation of a best-selling
international thriller series The manga of the same title.
Head (2020), recently posted a He has also acted in the
few photos of himself visiting the popular television series Code
United States last year. He wrote: Blue and its movie, which was
“I took these photos a year ago. Japan’s top-grossing domestic
I hope that a bright future will film of 2018.
come, just like this time.” PHOTO: TOMOHISA YAMASHITA/
Yamashita, who was a former INSTAGRAM
Published and printed by Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E.
| THE STRAITS TIMES | MONDAY, JUNE 15, 2020 |
New rules to
boost diversity
of Oscar
nominees
Kenneth Ma and
Roxanne Tong
last week LOS ANGELES • Hollywood’s motion picture academy
admitted to will introduce new eligibility rules to boost diversity
being in among Oscars nominees under a raft of new measures
a relationship. announced last Friday.
PHOTO: The move comes after years of criticism over a lack of
ROXANNE TONG/ diversity among the Academy of Motion Picture Arts
INSTAGRAM and Sciences’ members, and among the Oscar nomi-
nees and winners they select.
“To ensure more diverse representation”, a new task
force will be set up “to develop and implement new rep-
resentation and inclusion standards for Oscars eligibil-
ity”, the organisation said in a statement.
The measures will not affect films in contention this
year.
The academy did not give any details about the new
rules, but said the changes are intended to “encourage
equitable hiring practices and representation on- and
off-screen”.
It will also host a series of panel discussions on diver-
sity, including a talk hosted by academy governor
Whoopi Goldberg on “the lasting impact of racist
tropes and harmful stereotypes in Hollywood films”.
The changes were announced following mass anti-
racism protests that have swept the United States since
the death of Mr George Floyd when he was being
arrested by the police in Minneapolis on May 25.
Since 2015 and the #OscarsSoWhite campaign, the
academy has made concerted efforts to broaden its
develop our relationship further. I friend. They both took part in the membership.
am not young either.” Miss Hong Kong Pageant in 2012, in The annual intake of new members reached 50 per
Tong is the daughter of veteran which Wong was the first runner- cent female for the first time last year, while non-white
actor Tong Chun Chung and niece up and Tong finished in the top six. membership has doubled in five years.
of actor Kent Tong. Tong took over Wong’s role in the But fewer than one-third admitted were people of
Tong Chun Chung, 63, told the television serial Forensic Heroes 4 colour.
media that he was satisfied with her after Wong was caught kissing “To truly meet this moment, we must recognise how
daughter’s boyfriend and rated Ma married singer Andy Hui last year. much more needs to be done and we must listen, learn,
“100 marks”. embrace the challenge and hold ourselves and our com-
Roxanne Tong is Wong’s good rueyyan@sph.com.sg munity accountable,” said academy president David
Rubin.
Among other changes agreed at last week’s governor
meeting, the Best Picture category will have a mandatory
10 nominees from next year.
Andy Hui will
perform on Currently, the category has a fluctuating number of
ViuTV between five and 10 contenders each year.
programme
Polygram 50th
Anniversary Chill
No decision was taken on the timing of the Oscars
ceremony, following reports that its Feb 28 date is
expected to be postponed due to the coronavirus
Club today.
PHOTO: ANDY
HUI/INSTAGRAM
pandemic. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Bob Dylan: My songs
write themselves
LOS ANGELES • Legendary Ameri-
can folk singer Bob Dylan (right)
gave a glimpse into his song-
writing process and commented
on the death of Mr George Floyd in
a rare interview published last
Friday.
Dylan’s wide-ranging conversa-
tion with The New York Times was
So and Dicky Cheung. his only interview outside his own
Hui’s manager Paco Wong said the singer still has a website since he won the Nobel
contract with Sun Entertainment Culture, but several Prize for Literature in 2016.
of his activities have been cancelled due to the coron- But the 79-year-old musician,
avirus pandemic. regarded as one of the world’s
Mr Wong added that the artist has been doing charity most influential singer-song-
work during this period, including helping to distribute writers, gave few clues about what
face masks. motivated his creativity.
He also did not reveal much
about the meanings behind the
new songs that are stuffed with
Japanese model-actress pop culture references from the
past five decades.
On Friday, he is set to release his
says sorry for first album of original songs in PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
eight years, titled Rough And
Rowdy Days
husband’s affair In late March, shortly after Cali-
fornia imposed stay-at-home orders to contain the pan-
demic, Dylan surprised fans by releasing Murder Most
Foul, his first original song since 2012’s Tempest album.
He said he had been surprised when the 17-minute bal-
TOKYO • Japanese model-actress lad, about the 1963 assassination of then President John
Nozomi Sasaki (right) has F. Kennedy and the evolution of 1960s counterculture,
apologised for her husband’s rose to the top of the Billboard chart.
infidelity after he was exposed by It was also the first song Dylan has penned and re-
the media. leased since he reluctantly accepted the 2016 Nobel
Sasaki, 32, has been married to Prize for Literature. He is the first songwriter to be
comedian and television presenter awarded the honour.
Ken Watabe, 47, for three years, He said the songs came from a stream of conscious-
and the couple have a one-year-old ness.
son. “Most of my recent songs are like that. The lyrics are
Last week, Watabe quit eight the real thing, tangible, they’re not metaphors,” Dylan
programmes, including chat show told American historian Douglas Brinkley in the inter-
King’s Brunch and Love Music, view.
after a Japanese magazine accused “The songs seem to know themselves and they know
him of having improper relation- that I can sing them, vocally and rhythmically. They
ships with several women. kind of write themselves and count on me to sing
Watabe apologised to his wife them.”
through his agency after the scan- Referring to the death of Mr Floyd who was pinned un-
dal came to light. PHOTO: NOZOMI SASAKI/INSTAGRAM der the knee of a white police officer last month, Dylan
Sasaki did not comment, but said it “sickened me no end to see George tortured to
sources reportedly close to her said death like that. It was beyond ugly. Let’s hope that
she would not divorce him for the justice comes swift for the Floyd family and for the
sake of their son. However, she has deleted photos of nation”.
the two of them together from Instagram. He revealed that he enjoyed the work of the Eagles
Last Friday, in her first public reaction, she posted an and The Rolling Stones, some of the many cultural refer-
apology on Instagram together with an all-white ences on his new album.
photo. Asked which Stones songs he wished he could have
She said she and her husband had had a good talk and written, Dylan replied: “Maybe Angie, Ventilator Blues
she hoped for everyone’s understanding over his and what else, let me see. Oh yeah, Wild Horses.”
indiscretion. The singer-songwriter maintained a relentless tour-
The actress also asked for privacy for the sake of her ing schedule until the coronavirus pandemic struck,
young child and neighbours. forcing him to cancel a string of dates in Japan and
Sasaki is known for acting in movies such as Ju-On: North America this spring and summer.
The Beginning Of The End (2014) and My Korean REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Teacher (2016).
A member of Audit Bureau of Circulations Singapore. Customer Service (Circulation): 6388-3838, circs@sph.com.sg, Fax 6746-1925.