Thursday, July 28, 2005

Just 'fine' city suits Aussie tourist

SINGING PRAISES OF SINGAPORE AT 40

I RETURNED recently to Perth, Western Australia, from a nine-day visit to your 'fine' city of Singapore and, oh, what a glorious nine days.

Yes, nine glorious days of using a transport system that has not been trashed by vandals. Nine glorious days of walking streets that are not littered with empty beer bottles, beer cans and other alcohol-related residue.

Nine glorious days without having to suffer the sight of graffiti left by a class of people for whom crime is a pleasure and a pastime.

Nine glorious days without hearing the foulest of foul language flowing casually from the mouths of people in their everyday conversation.

Nine glorious days without seeing gangs of louts strutting victoriously about the streets in their baggy black uniforms.

Nine glorious days of feeling completely safe, day and night, indoors or outdoors.

Yes, nine glorious days in a clean society, maintained by effective laws.

Singaporeans are very fortunate to have a law-enforcement system that is still a terror to the criminal and a protector of the people, and a justice system that has not apostatised from justice, but still punishes evil-doers.

I wonder, though, do Singaporeans really appreciate their present situation, or do they take it for granted? Are they eternally vigilant or do they believe that the blessings of today would be carried through to tomorrow?

Is it possible that in Singapore, too, righteous laws and rigorous policing will one day be abandoned for soft laws and scant policing that embolden criminals and pave the way to anarchy?

Unrestrained by law and order, will marauding gangs of criminals terrorise Singapore, striking at whosoever and whatsoever they choose?

Will criminals one day be free to menace, maim and murder, in the knowledge that if captured they would never feel the rod of retribution or the hangman's noose?

I hope not. And to that end, I further hope and trust that Singapore will always maintain its just laws and firm policing, and that its citizens will actively support their Parliament in maintaining those peace-preserving institutions.

And do this, not just for their own sake, but for us also. Yes, us also, that we may point to the example of Singapore, and ask why we may not have the same.

Chris Hopkins
Perth, Western Australia

from The Straits Times Interactive
28 July 2005

Wednesday, July 27, 2005

SIA - world's best for the 10th time

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) has been voted World's Best International Airline for the 10th straight year, in a survey conducted by Travel And Leisure magazine.

For the first time, SIA's wholly owned subsidiary, SilkAir, was among the top 10 in the survey, launched 10 years ago by the American travel publication.

SilkAir, which was in 10th place, was the only regional carrier to make it to the list.

Rankings were based on readers' average ratings in five areas: cabin comfort, food, inflight service, customer service and value. SIA scored 88.43 and SilkAir, 72.55 out of a possible 100 points. Commenting on the achievements, SIA chief executive Chew Choon Seng said: 'We are appreciative of the support that our customers have shown us all these years. These awards are an encouragement to our staff to continue their good work and to do even better.'

SIA was ranked ahead of Emirates of the United Arab Emirates, Cathay Pacific of Hong Kong, Thai Airways International and Malaysia Airlines.

from The Straits Times Interactive
27 July 2005

Saturday, July 23, 2005

ICE number in your handphone

Store emergency contact number on cellphone

FOLLOWING the recent terrorist attacks in London, the East Anglian Ambulance Service in Britain has launched a 'In Case of Emergency (ICE)' campaign.

The idea is to encourage everyone with a mobile phone to store the word 'ICE' in his phone's address book, and enter the number of the person he would want to be contacted against the entry.

This would enable ambulance, hospital or police staff to contact his next-of-kin as quickly as possible.

The next-of-kin could be someone who knows his medical condition (for example, allergies or other medical problems). In the case of school children, the 'ICE' contact could be a parent or guardian who would be able to give consent for medical treatment.

I hope the authorities in Singapore will consider adopting this move. More information can be found at www.icecontact.com

Low Yen Ling (Ms)
Cambridge, UK

from Forum Page, The Straits Times Interactive,
23 July 2005

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Shafiq heads for Princeton

Ivy League university offers him scholarship under its financial aid programme

COME September, national sprinter Shafiq Kashmiri will follow in the footsteps of John Nash, Albert Einstein and John von Neumann - famous thinkers who have graced the corridors of Princeton University. That is when the 21-year-old begins his four-year financial engineering course at his 'dream' university.

Shafiq, who is a member of the national 4x100 metres relay squad, recalled: 'I fell in love with Princeton when I watched A Beautiful Mind in JC 1. I was just in awe of the beautiful campus and the intellectual environment of the place.'

Despite four As and merits in his two Special Papers in the 2002 A-Level exams, the former Victoria Junior College triple-science student was sceptical about his chances of landing a place at the Ivy League university.

'To be honest, I didn't think I stood a chance. After all, only a few get in every year.

'But I had to apply because, if I didn't, I would've regretted it for the rest of my life,' said Shafiq, who did his national service after his A levels.

The institution not only gave him a place but also offered him a scholarship under its financial aid programme. Under the scheme, the school would pay a percentage of his fees depending on the financial status of his family.

Princeton will foot about 60 per cent of his first-year fees of some US$45,000 (S$76,000) with his parents taking up the rest.

'My parents had wanted me to be a doctor but it just wasn't me,' he said. 'I prefer maths and I've always dreamt of being in a suit and tie and working in Wall Street.'

An only child, he spent most of his childhood, first in Germany and later in China, where his father Amir, who was then a senior engineer with Siemens, was based. His mum Ayshah is an administrative officer with Singapore Airlines. He returned to Singapore when he was nine and continued his primary education at Griffiths Primary School before joining St Joseph's Institution in 1997.

When he was offered a place at Princeton last March, he was moved to tears. A place there is not the only thing that Shafiq is looking forward to. He is also aiming for a spot in the 4x100m and 4x400m squads for November's South-east Asia Games in Manila.

And his chances of being selected are looking bright, after he helped the 4x100m team beat the qualifying mark last month. Shafiq, together with Shameer Ayub, Erzalmaniq Rawi and Alfred Sim, clocked 40.66sec - surpassing the 2003 SEA Games silver-medal time of 40.86sec.

He made his SEA Games debut in 2003 in the 4x400m relay but the team finished fourth.

The self-confessed 'late bloomer' picked up athletics only at the age of 15. His breakthrough came at the 2001 Schools National championships where he won the 400m hurdles in record time and was drafted into the Combined Schools team.

The switch to the 100m came only last year after he competed at an inter-club race as training for his 400m.
His 10.98sec time convinced his personal coach Melvin Tan to persuade him to give the 100m a try - and he has not looked back.

Said national sprints coach Uli Kunst: 'His biggest strength is his consistency and versatility. He is reliable both as a runner and as a team-mate. 'He is also the only team member who is comfortable with any position in the relay.' However, the German added that his technique and speed still needed improvement.

Despite being away from September, Shafiq is confident that he can improve under Fred Samara, Princeton's head coach and former US decathlete.

Shafiq, whose personal best is 10.90, said: 'There are two runners in the Princeton team who are faster than Shyam, our nation al record holder. Training with them, I'm confident my timings will improve.'

Said Singapore Amateur Athletic Association director-general Eric Song: 'I believe he is the first national track athlete to study at an Ivy League university. Hopefully, it can show youngsters that it is possible to excel in both athletics and studies.'

Shafiq believes that sports is the reason for his academic excellence, saying: 'I wouldn't have done well in my studies if not for track. 'Because of my busy schedule, I realised the importance of quality work, not just quantity.'

And he still manages to find time for his hobbies, which include cycling, bowling, watching Formula One and collecting model cars.

So which prospect excites him more - the SEA Games or starting a new phase of his life at Princeton?

'It would have to be Princeton,' he said. 'Of course, my goal is to win a SEA Games medal, but starting school is a new experience and adventure for me. Here, I'm like a big fish in a small pond. Over there, I'll be a small fish in a big sea.'


by Chan Yi Shen
yishen@sph.com.sg
The Straits Times Interactive

Sunday, July 17, 2005

COE - Figure it out

Should you get new set of wheels?

Now may be the time to take advantage of high COE and scrap rebates on cars more than a year old
As prices of Certificates of Entitlement (COEs) have fallen to 12-year lows, it is time to take out the calculator and do some homework.

If you currently own a car, you may discover that it could cost the same, or even less, to run a new car.

Says car reviewer Chye Kit Soon: 'There are people who are not aware of the attractiveness of switching to a new car. In the first place, it seems logically perverse that it is not much more expensive to switch to a new car.

'People think: 'A new car must depreciate at a higher rate, right?' So, it has not crossed their minds to do some calculations, or ask someone for help with the math.'

Dig out your car registration card, and check how much the COE cost you.

If it came to much more than $15,501 or $16,112 - the figure for cars above and below 1,600cc, respectively, in this month's first bidding - you could be better off giving up your old car for a new one.

In doing so, you will get a rebate on the COE value for the remaining lifespan of the COE from the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

Check also the scrap rebate - also known as the Preferential Additional Registration Fee (Parf) rebate - that your existing car can fetch when it is de-registered.

Due to a change in LTA policy, cars with COEs obtained before the May 2002 auction fetch a higher scrap rebate than others.

Together, the COE and scrap rebates, which are determined by formulas, can make a compelling reason for you to make the switch.

Find out what your rebates are at the LTA website, http://www.onemotoring.com.sg/, by clicking on 'Online Enquiries' and then 'Parf/COE Rebate', and keying in the required information.

In recent years, tens of thousands of motorists whose COEs cost them as much as $110,000 - yes, COEs once went for crazy prices - have made the switch, by trading in their car to a car dealer who went on to export it or scrap it.

Of course, if you wait a few more months, and if COE prices fall in a big way later, you would be even better off switching to a new car then.

However, as Mr Chye, a lawyer, says: 'In markets such as that for stocks and COEs, few people can catch prices at the bottom. COE prices may well go further down, but if the math makes sense now, why not switch?'

The Sunday Times presented real-life scenarios to him for his analysis.

The analysis below will take you through the process step by step, showing when it is attractive, and when it is not, to switch to a new car of an equivalent model.

The calculations do not take into account factors that vary from motorist to motorist, such as loan amounts and interest rates.

If the interest rate on your loan is higher than the present market rate, it would be even more attractive for you to switch to a new car.

In comparing annual depreciation rates, note that the figures are calculated as averages over the remaining lifespan of the car. In practice, the depreciation rate is higher in the car's early years.

So, if you switch to a new car now and sell it later after driving it for only a few years, it will be subject to a higher depreciation rate.

by Leong Chan Teik
chanteik@sph.com.sg
The Straits Times Interactive

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Worth the switch

Current car: Honda Civic VTi (1,600 cc)

COE: $36,992

Car registered: November 2000

Total of COE and scrap rebates if car is deregistered this month: $47,603

Car sale price to dealer now: $49,000

Scrap rebate if car is kept till 10th year: $17,299

Annual depreciation for remaining 5.25 years: ($49,000 - $17,299) divided by 5.25 = $6,038



New car: Honda Civic VTi (1,600 cc)

Price: $70,500

Scrap rebate at 10th year: $10,056

Annual depreciation over 10 years: ($70,500 - $10,056) divided by 10 = $6,044

Observations: This case illustrates the benefits of switching to a new car, says Mr Chye.From now till it reaches its 10th year, the five-year-old Civic will depreciate at around $6,000 a year - the same rate at which a new Civic will depreciate over 10 years. Why keep the old Civic when you can get a brand new one for the same depreciation cost? Maintenance costs will be lower for the new Civic, and you will enjoy its improved engineering features.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Borderline case

Current car: Mitsubishi Lancer auto (1,600 cc)

COE: $27,564

Car registered: May 2004

Total of COE and scrap rebates if car is deregistered this month: $36,970

Car sale price to dealer now: $45,000

Scrap rebate if car is kept till 10th year: $8,558

Annual depreciation for remaining 8.75 years: ($45,000 - $8,558) divided by 8.75 = $4,164



New car: Mitsubishi Lancer auto (1,600 cc)

Price: $55,988

Scrap rebate at 10th year: $7,796

Annual depreciation over 10 years: ($55,988 - $7,796) divided by 10 = $4,819

Observations: This case is what might be called a borderline one.The Mitsubishi is only a year old and it has a lower depreciation rate than a new one, so why switch?On the other hand, it is not prohibitively expensive to switch.For $655 more a year in depreciation, the owner may still want a new car.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Definite no-no

Current car: Nissan Prairie (2,000 cc)

COE: $28,998

Car registered: November 2001

Total of COE and scrap rebates if car is deregistered this month: $48,860

Car sale price to dealer now: $55,000

Scrap rebate if car is kept till 10th year: $18,915

Cost of ownership for remaining 6.25 years: ($55,000 - $18,915) divided by 6.25 = $5,773



New car: Nissan Lafesta (2,000 cc)

Price: $86,500

Scrap rebate at 10th year: $13,196

Annual depreciation over 10 years: ($86,500 - $13,196) divided by 10 = $7,330

Observations: It is cheaper to hold on to the present car. The Nissan Prairie has a significantly lower depreciation rate than the new equivalent model, the Lafesta. Only if COE prices fall further will the owner find it attractive to switch to the Lafesta.Mr Chye says an option is to switch now to a model which costs less, such as the $82,469 Mazda 5 or the $71,888 Hyundai Traject.

Sunday, July 03, 2005

Singaporeans conquer Mt Everest


FOUR days before mountaineer Ernest Quah left for Mount Everest on March 14, he handed over personal documents like his identity card and motorcycle log card to his family. The 25-year-old National University of Singapore (NUS) graduate also gave his sister the personal identification number to his bank account.

'It was really hard to do, telling your family what the worst-case scenario might be. My father was very upset,' he said.

When you want to scale Everest, you plan for every contingency - even death. The NUS Centennial Everest Team braced themselves for the possibility even as they prepared for their three-month expedition to scale the world's tallest mountain.

For instance, the five mountaineers from NUS had to sign 'body disposal forms'. These forms let the Nepalese authorities know if the climber wants to leave his body in the mountain or have it shipped home in case of an accident. All the climbers chose the latter option.

NUS associate scientist Lindley Zerbe, 27, remembered they joked about how their bodies would be 'garbage' if left on the mountain. The joke originated from the fact that there is a garbage disposal deposit of US$4,000 (S$6,750) which the expedition must pay as part of a permit fee for climbing Everest. Not only do litterbugs lose the deposit, but it can also be forfeited whenever a climber dies and his body is not retrieved.

Thankfully, they all returned to Singapore safely on June 15. And when interviewed last week, the upbeat team were none the worst for wear, save for streaks of darkened skin on some cheekbones caused by windburn.

'It's funny in a morbid way, but it shows the brutal reality of climbing,' said Zerbe, who hails from Carmel, California, and came to Singapore to do satellite imagery research three years ago.

Together with mechanical engineering student Teo Yen Kai, 24, and NUS alumni Stefen Chow, 25, and Ee Khong Lean, 27, Zerbe and Quah were part of the team sent to conquer the mountain as part of the university's 100th anniversary celebrations.

Three out of the five made it to the top. Zerbe was the first to reach it on May 31. Chow got there two days later. Teo arrived about two hours after Chow at around noon, making him the first Singaporean to reach Everest's summit. Chow is Malaysian and a permanent resident here.

The other two could not reach the peak. Ee almost got frostbite while Quah had to turn back when his oxygen tank malfunctioned.

BUT as Ee will calmly tell you, it's not just scaling the mountain that matters but also the two years of blood, sweat and tears that led up to the expedition. 'In a results-oriented society, the idea of success is that you must always get to the top. But the training also honed our fighting spirit and helped us become more determined and tenacious.'

Indeed, Lulin Reutens agreed that the adventure has changed the boys into men. The Singaporean journalist, 59, was the base camp manager for the climb and served as counsellor and coordinator for the team. 'They're mature and think before they act,' said Reutens.

Scaling the 8,850m-tall Mount Everest was certainly no walk in the park. Temperatures near the peak then were minus 50 deg C. A bottle of boiling water in an insulated pouch turned to ice in less than an hour. The air was so thin that they gasped for breath.

Chow said: 'Reality slowed down. Your senses were numb. And while you could see the flicker of the head torches of other climbers, you still felt very alone.'

The weather was also extremely bad this year, which meant that the climbers had to brave gusts of 60 to 100kmh winds while climbing. At heights of 8,000m, many also suffered altitude sickness, loss of appetite and nausea. Chow lost 11kg while another, who declined to be named, was down with such bad diarrhoea that he soiled his tent.

Quah even saw a dead mountaineer being pulled out of a crevice as he was climbing downhill: 'An avalanche also engulfed one of the camps. Luckily none of us was there.'

Research scientist and mountaineer Robert Goh, who trained the NUS team, summed up the quintet's life-changing experience: 'When the weather was bad and the summit chances were slimmed down, there were
almost tears in their eyes.'

There were more positive moments. The team mingled with people from all over the world at base camp. Zerbe even celebrated his birthday there with a cake made out of Milo powder.

He recalled a particularly sublime occasion: 'Sometimes you can see a lightning storm below you, and you feel as if you can reach out and touch it.'

So what's next for the NUS team? They plan to help out aspiring mountaineers, such as the Singapore Women's Everest Team who plan to scale the mountain in 2008.

And when asked if being the first Singaporean on Everest has improved his chances with the women, Teo, who is single, replied meekly: 'No lah. Everything is pretty much the same.'

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

BEFORE the NUS mountaineers could even touch the heavens, they had to go through hell. Since December 2002, the mountaineers, who were handpicked from 100 applicants, underwent a punishing regime. This included 20km runs at MacRitchie Reservoir and scaling Block 21, a 30-storey HDB flat near Tiong Bahru Plaza.

They usually did the stair-climbing 20 times in a row, with weighted backpacks that were as heavy as 20kg.
The five would train up to three hours a time for six days a week: four together as a team, and two on their own.

Then they would do on-site training in mountains like Nepal's 6,012m-high Mera Peak and Pakistan's 8,035m-high Gasherbrum II.

The training left little time for anything else. Mechanical engineering student Teo Yen Kai took a year off from school. NUS alumni Ee Khong Lean and Stefen Chow, who graduated in 2003, did not take on full-time jobs so that they could focus on mountaineering. Chow said his studies actually improved despite such time-consuming training: 'My mind became more focused. When you have more time, sometimes you waste it without knowing it.'


by Karl Ho
The Straits Times Interactive
3 July 2005