Get your fitness assessed by Zoe Tay, cook like Li Nanxing and more at Healthier SG roadshows
If you haven’t had much luck motivating your grandparents or parents to pay attention to their health and diet, hearing it from their favourite Mediacorp artiste or celebrity chef in person might be the nudge they need.
Starting from Saturday (Jul 8) and running until November, celebrities such as Zoe Tay, Xiang Yun, Chen Hanwei, Marcus Chin, Najip Ali, Nity Baizura, Aura Shai, AB Shaik, Rafi and more will be showing up at 17 various roadshows taking place across the island.
It’s all part of Healthier SG, a nationwide initiative by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to help those aged 60 and above take steps towards better health and quality of life in the years to come.
The roadshows will feature the four-zone STEP experience, which is an acronym derived from Healthier SG’s four maxims: “Step” into the Healthier SG journey; “Take” time to stay active; “Eat” well, live well; and “Participate” in community activities.
Have your parents’ fitness assessed by Zoe, do piloxing with everyone’s favourite ajoomma Jin Yin Ji, take part in a nutrition quiz with director Jack Neo, or simply get moving with Mike Kasem and Chen Liping. Learning about the Healthy Plate can also be more palatable for your folks when it’s their favourite radio DJs Pan Jia Biao and Anand K dishing out the nutrition information.
Speaking of food, if the seniors at home enjoy watching culinary competitions on TV such as the returning MasterChef Singapore and King Of Culinary, they’ll be in for a treat at these roadshows. Familiar faces such as MasterChef’s Leon Lim as well as King Of Culinary’s veteran chefs such as Pung Lu Tin, Chef Bob and Anand Kumar will also be there to share their healthy cooking tips.
Artistes such as Dennis Chew, Liu Ling Ling, Priscelia Chan and Rayson Tan will be chatting with general practitioners (GPs) about health goals and how a customised health plan is important. It is the perfect segue into a conversation to convince Ma and Pa to sign up for the free health planning offered at participating polyclinics and over 900 GP clinics. (Those aged 60 years and above will receive the SMS invite from MOH first, followed by those aged 40 years and above.)
If you’re not at home to help with the registration via the HealthHub app, you can ask your parents and grandparents to visit the enrolment stations at community clubs, and joint testing and vaccination centres for assistance.
For more details on the Healthier SG roadshows, visit www.healthiersg.gov.sg/roadshows/about/
Chuan warns Dems over coalition choice
Tells party to steer well clear of ‘cheats’
(Photo: Nutthawat Wichieanbut)
Former Democrat Party leader Chuan Leekpai warned his party it would tread a dangerous path if it joined a coalition government full of people who he said listen to so-called cheats.
Mr Chuan said on Thursday that if certain parties continued to be attached to cheats and believed in them, the Democrats would find themselves in dangerous water by being associated with them.
However, the Democrat patriarch insisted his remark was hypothetical.
Mr Chuan made his comments as the Move Forward Party (MFP) tries to form a government with seven other parties in the so-called pro-democracy alliance, which includes the Pheu Thai Party.
The Democrats are also convening an assembly on Sunday to elect a new executive board and a new leader to replace Jurin Laksanawisit, who resigned earlier in a show of responsibility over the party’s poll defeat.
Mr Chuan said the Democrats should keep their ambitions in check if and when it decides whether to take part in a government.
It was speculated that if the MFP-led eight-party alliance, which does not include the Democrats, failed to assemble a government, a new line-up may be established with the Democrats invited to join.
Mr Chuan reminded the Democrats it only had 25 MPs, including three from the party list. “We even lost on our own turf in the South to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha,” he said.
Gen Prayut is also the chief strategist of the United Thai Nation Party.
“We must realise how small we’ve become. Only when we face reality will it dawn on us what kind of people we need to sort out [the party’s] problems,” Mr Chuan said. He added that throughout its 77 years, the party has firmly upheld its zero tolerance for voting fraud. That should continue to be the party’s mantra, and future party leaders should adhere to it.
Mr Chuan said the new Democrat leader should unite and restore the party to its former glory. He said whether the new party executives were from younger or older generations made no difference.
The new executive board should be a mixture of people who represent the past and future, he said.
Mr Chuan, also a former premier, admitted he was worried some party members were overlooking the importance of denouncing corruption.
So far, Alongkorn Ponlaboot, the acting Democrat deputy leader, is the only member who has announced his bid to run for the party leadership.
Other potential candidates include Suchatvee Suwansawat, the Democrat Party’s Bangkok governor candidate; Watanya Bunnag, who heads the party’s working group on political innovations; and Det-it Khaothong, the Democrats’ acting secretary-general.
City flyover contractor set new deadline
Na Ranong project must end this month
Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt has imposed a new deadline on the contractor of the Na Ranong intersection flyover to finish the long-delayed project by the end of this month.
Also, a new footbridge underneath the traffic flyover has not been finished on time. The old one was knocked down, forcing pedestrians to cross the roads, putting themselves in harm’s way.
Sahakarn Wisavakorn Co, the contractor building the 1.34-billion-baht traffic flyover, said the remaining work will likely be completed no later than Aug 15.
Although the flyover was opened on June 1, some unfinished work remains. The company contracted to build the flyover, and the footbridge is being fined 3.3 million baht a day until it finishes construction by Aug 15.
The contractor was given a deadline extension by the cabinet to help offset the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the company’s operation, according to Anurak Rattanachotpanit, chief engineer of the flyover construction project.
He admitted that the delay had resulted partially from the pandemic, which caused the firm financial problems and a shortage of workers.
Since the opening of the new flyover on June 1, several construction details were left unfinished, said Mr Chadchart during a recent inspection of the construction site.
Aside from the new footbridge to replace the one demolished to make way for the construction of the overpass years ago, manholes and underground cable-protecting pipes, for instance, have yet to be completed, said Mr Chadchart.
He has instructed the Department of Public Works under the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) to help speed up the remaining work and return the road below the flyover to motorists no later than the end of this month, said Mr Chadchart.
The concrete barriers obstructing people from using the zebra crossing under the footbridge will be removed.
“I wonder why the footbridge has yet to go up. The old one was [mostly] demolished years ago,” said Phirapat Namruamwong, 63, who lives close to the intersection.
“This intersection covers a large area, and it’s very dangerous for pedestrians to cross the road without a footbridge,” he added.
Zebra crossings are not safe enough for pedestrians to cross. Many need to use more than one zebra crossing to get from one side of the intersection to the other, he said.
Mr Phirapat added the demolished footbridge was the preferred means of crossing the intersection teeming with traffic.
“At any other intersection, people might prefer crossing the road at a zebra crossing because they can’t be bothered to walk up the footbridge steps.
“But that’s not the case here. So, we’re looking forward to seeing the new footbridge taking shape sooner rather than later,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Anurak admitted it was a mistake to place concrete barriers so close to the zebra crossings. He attributed the problem to miscommunication between workers and their supervisors. The mistake was being rectified.
Pita sees senators backtrack
PM bid weakened by MFP’s S112 policy
Several senators have now backtracked and said they will no longer vote for Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat to become the new prime minister as they are concerned about his party’s policies, especially the planned amendment of the lese majeste law and a shift in foreign policy.
Despite pledging to vote for him, they have apparently had a change of heart due to the party’s stance on changing Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lese majeste law. The MFP has vowed to press for an amendment.
“One of the main reasons … is that he is seeking to amend Section 112 as well as reform the monarchy,” Senator Prapan Koonmee said. “The MFP’s stance on foreign policy also poses a danger to the country.”
“Thailand is a friend to every country. If Mr Pita comes to power, foreign policy will be changed in a way that leans towards a particular superpower,” he said.
“Let alone the complaints questioning Mr Pita’s eligibility due to his [former] shareholding in iTV Plc.”
He said the MFP has also been accused of trying to overthrow the constitutional monarchy, citing a petition filed by lawyer Theerayut Suwankesorn to the Office of the Attorney-General.
Mr Theerayut claimed the MFP’s policy on Section 112 is a breach of Section 49 of the constitution.
According to sources at parliament, 24 senators were asked whether they would vote for Mr Pita at the joint sitting of parliament scheduled for July 13.
They include 14 senators who previously said they would vote for him.
A check on Thursday found that eight senators cited the plan to amend Section 112, whereas five said they would vote in Mr Pita’s favour in line with a decision by a majority of the House.
Another nine said they would decide on the day of the vote, while the other two refused to comment, according to the sources said.
Senator Weerasak Futrakul said he wanted to consider whether the MFP’s policies are in the country’s best interests before making a decision.
Another senator, AVC Chalermchai Krea-ngam, said he would take into account the national interest and security first.
Chalermchai Fuengkhon, also a senator, admitted he had previously decided to vote for Mr Pita, but the Section 112 issue had since caused him to change his mind.
“If Mr Pita agrees to back down from that bid, I am ready to vote for him,” he said.
He also revealed that representatives of the MFP had approached senators about voting for Mr Pita, but most said they would make a decision shortly before the July 13 vote.
Senator Songdet Samueakham confirmed he would vote for Mr Pita, but he admitted Mr Pita was unlikely to receive enough support to successfully emerge as the nation’s next prime minister.
“Mr Pita should step forward and declare that he will leave Section 112 alone. This is the only way for him to become prime minister,” Mr Songdet said.
A joint sitting of MPs and senators will convene on July 13 for the crucial vote.
According to the charter, the 250 senators appointed by the now-defunct coup-engineer, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), are allowed to join MPs in electing a prime minister in parliament.
It will be the last time these senators are able to co-elect a prime minister. After the 2019 election, they joined MPs in voting for Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha to return as premier.
The charter stipulated the Senate could only serve a five-year transitional term following the 2019 election. That ends in May next year.
Commentary: Will fresh supply of private homes ease property prices in Singapore?
Locations like the Upper Thomson Road parcels offer an enticing option for those looking to escape the city’s hustle and bustle while enjoying good accessibility. These suburban sites are typically larger, with each site listed in the 2H2023 GLS programme offering more than 500 units.
With larger sites in the GLS programme, buyers have more options in the market. The larger sites also mean that the rental market is likely to moderate in the medium term when the units are completed, as a portion of these private residential units are likely to be leased out.
The upcoming executive condominium (EC) sites will be music to the ears of property upgraders and first-time homebuyers who are not eligible to purchase Build-to-Order homes due to income ceiling restrictions.
Considering that ECs are often more affordably priced than private condominiums and eligible buyers have access to Central Provident Fund housing grants, we expect to see steady and resilient demand for these properties.
MORE CHOICES FOR BUYERS BUT MORE CONSIDERATIONS FOR DEVELOPERS
Given that half of the GLS Confirmed List supply is in the OCR, this should cater to the upgrader demand for the HDB flat lessees which will reach their minimum occupation period in the next 24 to 36 months.
That said, the announcement of the new GLS programme sites may not have an immediate impact on home prices because the new sites would take a while to be launched in the market. Property seekers are unlikely to see owners and developers lowering prices.
Developers will need to consider a variety of factors when deciding how much to bid for land. While previous bids can give some indication, the rapidly changing market landscape means developers need to reassess their future pricing predictions and corresponding risks. This can make land acquisition a big, bold bet.
Dr Tan Tee Khoon is Country Manager of Singapore at PropertyGuru, and Dr Lee Nai Jia is Head of Real Estate Intelligence, Data and Software Solutions at PropertyGuru Group.
Commentary: How Barbie got caught in the South China Sea dispute
It turned out, however, that this was not a widely known or shared view by the international community. Since then the commission has become something of a de facto legal battleground for various views regarding the status of the nine-dash line.
In addition to China continuously advancing its position regarding the legitimacy of the nine-dash line, countries including Australia, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam have rebutted China’s assertions.
But the commission is not a court and is comprised of scientists who assess continental shelf claims.
It was up to the Philippines, as the other nation with possible claims on the region, to separately challenge the legality of China’s nine-dash line claim under the law of the sea. In 2016, a United Nations Law of the Sea Convention Tribunal ruled unanimously that China’s claim had no basis in international law.
That ruling was clear-cut and conclusive, but it was immediately rejected by China. While the Philippines conclusively won the legal argument that the nine-dash line had no basis in modern international law or the law of the sea, China refused to respect the outcome of that case and continues to assert its South China Sea entitlements.
China does this in multiple ways. It has built artificial islands in the South China Sea, harassed foreign naval and military aircraft passing through the region, intimidated Vietnamese and other foreign fishermen, asserted rights to explore and exploit maritime oil and gas reserves, and continued to publish maps depicting the nine-dash line claim.
Taylor Swift and Coldplay will perform at the National Stadium â but will the sound quality be good enough?
Another factor that could affect sound quality is the temperature at a venue, Mr Spencer pointed out.
The heat at the National Stadium during K-pop band Blackpink’s concert in May made headlines, even though there were no reports of sound issues.
“Sound propagates through the air, like through waves. The warmer it is, the less dense the air; the colder it gets, the air is actually more dense, so it’s harder to (have) sound especially in the higher frequencies which is where all the clarity is,” he explained.
But in Singapore, it’s humid most of the time, he said. “If there’s a lot of moisture in the air, that also stops the propagation of sound.
“Essentially, if you really want good sound, you need to be near the speakers because then you have very direct sound,” he added.
“You (want to) try to give everybody direct sound rather than giving reflections. But in order for that to happen, you need to deploy more speakers, which is more budget and more setup time as well. It’s more manpower, more cost.”
ECONOMICS OF CONCERT BUSINESS
With internationally acclaimed artistes like Coldplay and Taylor Swift making Singapore a multi-day tour stop, the country is on its way to cementing its branding as an entertainment hub, tourism experts previously told CNA.
Such artistes are drawn to Singapore for various reasons including its state-of-the-art event facilities, easy connectivity to other Southeast Asian cities, stable governance and promotion efforts by the Singapore Tourism Board.
As such, despite the National Stadium’s limitations, turning it into a concert venue boils down to business, said LAMC’s Mr Knudson.
“Sports arenas are generally not designed for live music, but the economics of the concert business require them to be used because they can accommodate higher capacities.”
Selecting the venue is also about dollars and cents, as concert promoters who pay for the audio equipment for the artiste will have to balance between expenditure and profit, said Mr Spencer.
Illustrating the eye-watering cost of renting audio equipment, he noted that most companies charge per concert day with rehearsals costing an additional sum. Should artistes choose to put in temporary infrastructure, the cost of venue rental also increases.
“If we’re looking at something the size of Coldplay, the rental will be north of S$250,000 for the entire week just for the audio itself. Whereas if you’re looking at Indoor Stadium, that S$250,000 will give you your entire production – lighting, sound, video and whatever else,” he said.
Ultimately, a concert promoter’s venue choice is “very dependent” on the genre, the artiste and “especially the artiste’s fan base, the size of their fanbase and the expectations of the artiste and their fanbase”, added Mr Knudson.
He acknowledged that a venue is “critically important” to create “the vibe of the show” for the artiste and fans, as the sound and ambience of the venue will help make the show a success.
But in the end, the “most important element is always the artiste”, he added. “Fans will generally go wherever their favourite artiste performs.”
Migrants get an extension on amnesty
500k workers need to sort out their permits
The cabinet has agreed to extend its foreign migrants’ amnesty programme until the end of the month, allowing about 500,000 workers from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam to sort out the permits they need to legally reside and work in the country.
Deputy government spokeswoman, Traisuree Taisaranakul, said on Thursday that the decision to extend the amnesty programme was reached on Tuesday.
First launched on Feb 7, the foreign migrants’ amnesty programme was intended to help stem the nation’s labour shortage by allowing migrants from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam living in Thailand illegally to come forward and register without being penalised.
However, when the scheme ended on May 15, it was found that over 500,000 workers had yet to register with labour authorities, citing administrative and/or financial hurdles.
Ms Traisuree said the programme’s extension would ensure more foreign migrants are protected under Thailand’s labour laws.
“This is important as migrant workers are a vital part of Thailand’s labour force and are key to the country’s post-pandemic economic recovery,” she said.
The extension will also cover any dependents of the migrant workers who are under 18, she said.
In an effort to streamline the registration process, the migrants will be processed depending on which category they fall under.
The first, she said, are migrants from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam who hold valid passports but failed to renew their permits, while the second are migrants from said countries who came to Thailand on a special labour arrangement. The third, she said, are migrants who entered Thailand illegally and had never applied for a work and/or residence permit.
Tech upgrades to boost public service
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has come up with a plan to reduce public service wait times at district offices by upgrading their technological capabilities.
During a meeting with Bangkok’s heads of agencies yesterday, governor Chadchart Sittipunt said from January to last month, 70,000 people applied for ID card services, and about 400,000 asked for house registration services.
However, the BMA found that 52% of them had to wait more than 15 minutes to receive services, especially for ID cards, he said, adding the BMA had a target to limit the waiting time for each person to 15 minutes.
Only 48% of the people received services within 15 minutes of waiting. As a result, the governor said the 50 district offices need to improve the speed of services given to people. “We will use technology to quicken [services] so people do not waste their name hanging out inside each district office,” he said.
He said he is considering implementing online booking for queues related to ID cards and housing registration, Line alerts on queues and a system that records the timestamps of problems that may occur.
He said the Line alerts will also inform him and the management team of each district about problems that arise. The system will also record complaints from people, which will help improve service efficiency, he said.
Regarding call congestion and lack of answering the phone at some district offices, he said the BMA sent out letters to more than 1 million people informing them that officials upgraded its database and land tax system so they can handle 400,000 additional people.
As a result, landlines in some district offices were jammed up, he said, adding that the BMA will order each district office to have a dedicated phone line so officials can answer questions.
Mr Chadchart also discussed his waste management plans.
He said the use of rubbish trucks in most districts is not in-line with their rental contracts, causing management inefficiencies. He said each truck is required to work for 16 hours a day, split into day and night shifts. However, the trucks only run for eight hours, he said.
He then outlined plans to enhance truck usage, including allowing rubbish collectors to work overtime, modifying collection routes or employing homeless people to work. He said he is also planning to change the collection period to twice a week to help boost truck usage.
Tech upgrades to boost Bangkok public service
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has come up with a plan to reduce public service wait times at district offices by upgrading their technological capabilities.
During a meeting with Bangkok’s heads of agencies on Thursday, governor Chadchart Sittipunt said from January to last month, 70,000 people applied for ID card services, and about 400,000 asked for house registration services.
However, the BMA found that 52% of them had to wait more than 15 minutes to receive services, especially for ID cards, he said, adding the BMA had a target to limit the waiting time for each person to 15 minutes.
Only 48% of the people received services within 15 minutes of waiting. As a result, the governor said the 50 district offices need to improve the speed of services given to people. “We will use technology to quicken [services] so people do not waste their name hanging out inside each district office,” he said.
The governor said he is considering implementing online booking for queues related to ID cards and housing registration, Line alerts on queues and a system that records the timestamps of problems that may occur.
He said the Line alerts will also inform him and the management team of each district about problems that arise. The system will also record complaints from people, which will help improve service efficiency, he said.
Regarding call congestion and lack of answering the phone at some district offices, he said the BMA sent out letters to more than 1 million people informing them that officials upgraded its database and land tax system so they can handle 400,000 additional people.
As a result, landlines in some district offices were jammed up, he said, adding that the administration will order each district office to have a dedicated phone line so officials can answer questions.
Mr Chadchart also discussed his waste management plans.
He said the use of rubbish trucks in most districts is not in-line with their rental contracts, causing management inefficiencies. He said each truck is required to work for 16 hours a day, split into day and night shifts. However, the trucks only run for eight hours, he said.
He then outlined plans to enhance truck usage, including allowing rubbish collectors to work overtime, modifying collection routes or employing homeless people to work. He said he is also planning to change the collection period to twice a week to help boost truck usage.