Scientists create new hair follicle model to speed up cure for baldness Published on Jul 19, 2013 11:43 AM By Debbie Lee Hair loss is a common disorder among men and women, but a research team has created a hair follicle model that mimics the structure of actual hair, which they hope will speed up a cure for baldness. The team of scientists from the Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) said the model would allow them to understand the mechanisms that control hair growth, said the institute's executive director, Professor Jackie Ying in a statement on Friday. Unlike existing models, the hair cells in the new model can be easily examined under the microscope, said the team's leader, Dr Andrew Wan. If commercialised, the technology can be used by pharmaceutical companies to screen drugs that promote or restrict hair formation, said the IBN. It can also be used to determine if the active ingredients in hair growth products are effective.
Four special news editions to teach values in secondary schools Published on Jul 19, 2013 11:42 AM By Serene Luo Four commemorative editions of IN, the student newspaper of The Straits Times for secondary school students, will look at values like appreciating others or learning from adversity. These editions are part of a new tie-up between the Ministry of Education and Singapore's biggest English daily broadsheet. Announcing the pilot collaboration on Friday at Pioneer Secondary School, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat said that the first issue, which looks at Racial Harmony Day, had been "well-received and has enriched discussions on racial harmony in classrooms". For instance, one of the articles looked at milestones in Singapore's tumultuous past that shaped its multi-racial society. The issue has accompanying activities for students to think about their roles in maintaining racial harmony in Singapore. These issues, which will be produced in tandem with special national occasions, will be used in classrooms over the next year. The next issue will be given out in August. These special editions are part of The Straits Times' award-winning Newspapers In Education programme, which is in its ninth year. The programme uses daily news to bring across language and literacy, national education and values lessons.
Sailing: Singapore win team title at Optimist World Championships POSTED: 22 Jul 2013 6:49 AM TODAY RIVA DEL GARDA (Italy): Singapore's optimist sailors have won the team racing title at the Optimist World Championships for the third successive year. The team of Koh Yi Kun, Fathin Rasyikin, Loh Jia Yi, Edward Tan, Bertha Han knocked out Uruguay, Brazil, Britain and the United States en route to the final where they faced hosts Italy for the crown. The Republic subsequently won two out of three races to win the world title. In all, 48 countries competed in the event. Singapore had previously won the team racing title at the 2011 and 2012 World Championships. The result means that the Singapore quintet are now three titles away from sweeping all the titles at the world meet for the third successive year. In 2011, Singapore won the Overall World Champion title and the Individual Girls' World crown through Kimberly Lim in New Zealand. They also clinched the Nations Cup and the World Team Racing title. Twelve months later, Singapore made it two sweeps in a row as Elisa Yukie Yokoyama captured both the Overall World and Individual Girl titles in the Dominican Republic and combined with her team-mates to take the two team titles. Singapore's optimist sailors have won the team racing title at the Optimist World Championships for the third successive year. (Photo: Singapore Sailing)
Fewer kids with both parents from Singapore A rising number of babies are being born to Singaporeans with foreign spouses. Theresa Tan and Jane Ng examine the implications of this demographic shift. Published on Jul 21, 2013 9:12 AM Posed photo of a woman carrying a baby. There were 42,663 babies born in Singapore last year, but only half of them had parents who were both Singapore citizens. Their proportion of all births shrank sharply from 2000. -- ST FILE PHOTO: LAU FOOK KONG There were 42,663 babies born in Singapore last year, but only half of them had parents who were both Singapore citizens. Their proportion of all births shrank sharply from 2000. The rest were born to citizens with foreign spouses, or foreign couples. And this group swelled considerably from before. It is a significant demographic shift, experts say, with implications for what it means to be Singaporean and how to integrate foreigners who are here to stay. The data on parents' nationality appears in the Report on Registration of Births and Deaths 2012, published by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) this month.
Let women choose to do NS, says female focus group 'They shouldn't be left out of critical rite of passage' Published on Jul 24, 2013 8:28 AM 2-hour session at Ulu Pandan Community Club, which was attended by 54 women. -- ST PHOTO: CAROLINE CHIA By Jermyn Chow Defence Correspondent ALLOW women to do national service - and no, this is not a call from a group of disgruntled men. Instead, the suggestion that women should be allowed to volunteer for NS came from the first all-female focus-group discussion on how to strengthen the commitment to national service. The 54 women, of between 19 and 60 years old, taking part yesterday said NS is a critical rite of passage and females should not be left out. Instead of the usual two years, they can serve shorter NS stints of between six months and a year, and be able to choose between combat and administrative, logistics, or nursing jobs.
Two new taxi models for Singapore roads They join array of over 30 available and come with higher flagdown rates Published on Jul 24, 2013 8:25 AM http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/s...20130724/ST_20130724_CTNEWCABS24_3758790e.jpg Trans-Cab has ordered 500 turbodiesel Renault Latitudes (above) while Premier Taxi has bought 50 Toyota Prius petrol-electric hybrids. -- PHOTOS: WEARNES, PREMIER TAXI http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/s...0724/ST_20130724_CTNEWCABS2498BK_3758797e.jpg Trans-Cab has ordered 500 turbodiesel Renault Latitudes while Premier Taxi has bought 50 Toyota Prius petrol-electric hybrids (above). -- PHOTOS: WEARNES, PREMIER TAXI By Christopher Tan Senior Transport Correspondent TWO new models have joined Singapore's already bewildering array of taxis. And both will cost commuters more in flagdown fares. Trans-Cab, the country's second-largest operator, has ordered 500 turbodiesel Renault Latitudes - the first Renault cabs here. Its flagdown rate is $3.90, versus $3.20 for other normal cabs and as low as $3 for the older vehicles. Premier Taxi, the third smallest player, has bought 50 Toyota Prius petrol-electric hybrids, which are a larger and newer variant of the Priuses used by Prime Taxis. The flagdown fare for this new environmentally friendlier taxi is $3.50. Background story Trans-Cab set to take over Smart taxis TRANS-CAB, the newcomer that became the second largest taxi operator here in less than 10 years, is set to acquire the fleet of rival Smart Taxis. Smart will relinquish its operating licence in September after it failed to meet the Land Transport Authority's service standards and maintain a minimum fleet size of 800. Smart, with 268 cabs last month, started in 2003 - the same year as Trans-Cab - when the Government liberalised the industry. Trans-Cab chief executive Teo Kiang Ang told The Straits Times yesterday that the deal has yet to be finalised. He would not disclose the sum involved. Smart's powder-green taxis will be resprayed to sport Trans-Cab's corporate red. The deal, if concluded, should bring Trans-Cab's fleet to more than 4,700. Smart Taxis managing director Johnny Harjantho was not available for comment.
Rolls-Royce, NTU launch new $75m laboratory Published on Jul 23, 2013 11:43 AM http://www.straitstimes.com/sites/straitstimes.com/files/20130723/RoyceTwo2307e.jpg (From left) NTU Chief of Staff Prof Lam Khin Yong; NTU Provost Prof Freddy Boey; NTU President Prof Bertil Andersson; Mrs Josephine Teo, Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Transport; Rolls-Royce Director of Research and Technology Prof Ric Parker; National Research Foundation CEO Prof Low Teck Seng; and Mr Jonathan Asherton, Rolls-Royce, Regional Director, Asean & Pacific; officially launching the new Rolls-Royce@NTU Corporate Lab. -- PHOTO: NTU By Kash Cheong Global engineering company Rolls-Royce and the Nanyang Technological University of Singapore (NTU) have launched a new laboratory costing $75 million. A key purpose of this laboratory is to develop local scientific and engineering talent. The laboratory can accommodate 70 researchers and 165 graduate and undergraduates, about half of whom are expected to be from Singapore. The new tie-up will see 32 new projects in aerospace and maritime in the next five years focusing on three core research areas- electrical power and control systems, manufacturing and repair technologies, and computational engineering. The new lab is also the first under the Corp Lab@University scheme established by the National Research Foundation, which supports universities in industry-relevant research. Research at this lab will help Singapore "gain in terms of enhanced competitiveness in aerospace and transportational sectors", said Minister of State (Transport and Finance) Josephine Teo at the launch of the laboratory. Rolls-Royce employs more than 2,200 people in Singapore and accounts for more than 15 per cent of the country's aerospace output.
Sailing: The heat is on (From left): Fathin Rasyiqin Mohd Firdaus, Edward Tan, Koh Yi Kun, coach Fernando Alegre, Bertha Han and Loh Jia Yi. The squad successfully defended their team racing title at the 2013 Optimist World Sailing Championship in Lake Garda, Italy. Photo: Matias Capizzano But S’pore’s sailors calm despite favourites tag at Optimist World Championship TODAY 23 July By Amir Yusof SINGAPORE — Having dominated the Optimist World Championship in recent years, it is no surprise Singapore are regarded as the team to beat at this year’s edition, which is currently ongoing in Lake Garda, Italy. The regatta is for youth aged 15 and below. Last year, the Republic won the team racing event, the Nations Cup, and claimed all three podium places in the individual category to become the first nation to successfully defend all three titles. On Sunday, they started their quest to do so again when they retained the team title after edging hosts Italy 2-1 in a best-of-three final, a result which was also Singapore’s eighth podium finish in the regatta’s history. The quintet of 15-year-olds Loh Jia Yi and Bertha Han, and 14-year-olds Edward Tan, Koh Yi Kun and Fathin Rasyiqin Mohd Firdaus spent their rest day yesterday at the Gardaland Park, but know a much sterner test from the rest of the 47-strong field awaits them when the individual fleet racing resumes today. “It feels different this time. Our opponents are more aware of us and they have upped their preparation,” said Jia Yi who, along with Edward, is the only member from last year’s squad competing in this year’s Championship. “In terms of technique and quality, some teams have improved to the point they are on par with us.” But the Secondary 3 student at Raffles Institution added: “We have worked hard and all we can do is to focus on ourselves. It will not matter what our opponents do if we perform to the best of our ability.” Singapore successfully defended their team racing title — conducted in a two-day match racing format — after overcoming Tunisia, Portugal and Slovenia on Saturday to progress into the last 16. The next day, they negotiated their way past Uruguay, Brazil, Britain and the United States before triumphing over the Italians in the final. The individual fleet racing resumes today where after six races, Jia Yi leads the 259-strong field, followed by Edward (4th), Bertha (5th), Yi Kun (8th) and Fathin (21st). Although competing at the Optimist World Championship is a new experience for Bertha, Fathin and Yi Kun, they remain unfazed at the possibility that their rivals could single them out. Said Fathin: “I think the key will be to remain calm and not be nervous. We have worked hard and that will get us through.” The Sec 3 student at Tanjong Katong Girls’ School described Sunday’s win as her “greatest achievement”, but admits she is not used to the attention from the media, friends and family back home. Also receiving plenty of congratulatory messages from family and friends was team-mate Bertha. Said the Sec 3 student from Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary): “When I race tomorrow onwards, I will remember the messages, and I hope to use them to motivate me. It will be a hard race, but beyond just physical preparation, we are also mentally stronger from our win on Sunday.” Singapore Optimist sailing coach warns against complacency ByTan Yo-Hinn 6 hours 34 min ago SINGAPORE — Unlike the old adage, when it comes to sailing, you still have to fix it even if it is not broken. After dominating recent editions of the Optimist World Sailing Championship, to the point of winning the team racing event, the Nations Cup and claiming all three podium positions in the individual category, there is a possibility that Singapore’s sailors could start taking success for granted, warned national Optimist coach Fernando Alegre. Competition at Lake Garda, Italy, resumed yesterday with the individual fleet racing regatta, with Singapore’s Loh Jia Yi starting the day as the leader of the 259-strong field after six races. Also in the contention are team-mates Edward Tan (4th), Bertha Han (5th), Koh Yi Kun (8th) and Fathin Rasyiqin Mohd Firdaus (21st). Races 7 and 8 were still going on at press time, but if Jia Yi, 15, continues his form, he could lead Singapore to a third individual title in three years. Edward and Bertha are also battling for top-three finishes. While confident of their chances for the remaining six races, Alegre, who also masterminded Singapore’s success at last year’s meet in the Dominican Republic, warned much work lay ahead if the Republic are to stay ahead in the coming years at the Optimist, or under-15, level. “Next year will be harder, because other teams will come better prepared, and Singapore’s sailors could fall into some complacency,” he said. “In football, a team that is successful (should) never change its formation. But in sailing it’s not the same ... If you maintain the same structure, the other teams are watching and coping with it ... (You) also must innovate and invent new things to add extra value. If not, the performance will not be as consistent.” For now, routine — rather than change — such as waking and eating at the same time is key for the team to stay focused and comfortable. The individual fleet racing competition is scheduled to end by Friday, but the overall individual champion could be decided earlier depending on results and weather conditions. (Singaporeans can really be proud of our young sailors who are able to beat the best in the world to be crowned Team Optimist Sailing World Champion 2013! Keep it up guys!)
Singapore maintains top ranking city and country for international meetings Published on Jul 24, 2013 2:28 PM By Charissa Yong Singapore remains the world's most preferred destination for international meetings, according to the Union of International Association's global rankings for 2012. For the second year running, Singapore was the city and country which hosted the highest number of international meetings. In 2012, there were 952 meetings here which were organised or sponsored by international organisations or organisations of "significant international character". This made up about 10 per cent of all the meetings captured by the association and included 18 world congresses. Coming in second and third on the cities list were Brussels and Vienna, with 547 and 326 meetings respectively while Japan which held 731 meetings and the United States which held 658, came in second and third on the countries list.
Football AirAsia scores 3-year sponsorship deal with FAS AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes and Football Association of Singapore President Zainudin Nordin formalise their three-year sponsorship deal at the Jalan Besar Stadium on July 24, 2013. Photo: Kathy Cheng AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes with Singapore national team players Shahril Ishak (left) and Hariss Harun at the signing of AirAsia and the Football Association of Singapore's three-year sponsorship deal at the Jalan Besar Stadium on July 24, 2013. Photo: Kathy Cheng AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes with Singapore national team players at the signing of AirAsia and the Football Association of Singapore's three-year sponsorship deal at the Jalan Besar Stadium on July 24, 2013. Photo: Kathy Cheng Photo: Xabryna Kek AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes with Singapore national team players Shahril Ishak (left) and Hariss Harun, and Football Association of Singapore President Zainudin Nordin, at the signing of AirAsia and the Football Association of Singapore's three-year sponsorship deal at the Jalan Besar Stadium on July 24, 2013. Photo: Kathy Cheng AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes with Singapore national team players Shahril Ishak (left) and Hariss Harun at the signing of AirAsia and the Football Association of Singapore's three-year sponsorship deal at the Jalan Besar Stadium on July 24, 2013. Photo: Kathy Cheng Deal worth S$1.8m covers all national teams, including age-group and women’s teams TODAY 1 hour 47 min ago SINGAPORE — Malaysian budget carrier AirAsia has signed a three-year sponsorship deal with the Football Association of Singapore (FAS). The sponsorship, worth S$1.8 million, will include flights for the under-21, under-23 and senior national teams, as well as the National Football Academy’s age-group teams and women’s teams. The partnership with FAS is set to provide the necessary support to the association to gamer further success and raise footballing standards for all levels. The Singapore national football team is the recent victors of the Asean Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup campaign. AirAsia will also offer “attractive travel packages” for football fans travelling to away matches, it said in a release. “I never looked at the commercial aspirations ... but to aim high and do something meaningful for Singapore football,” said AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes. “Having AirAsia on the Singapore jersey is important, we want to put forward the message that we want to do better, that we want to dream. We hope to be part of that success; to help some of those young kids realise their aspirations.” Mr Fernandes added that the sponsorship does not have “a fixed set of rules”. “Whatever the FAS comes up with and requires our assistance, we are ready to help,” he said. AirAsia has a track record of sports sponsorship, having backed the English Premiership football team Queens Park Rangers, Formula 1 outfit Lotus, the ASEAN Basketball League and MotoGP. FAS President Zainudin Nordin said he is “absolutely thrilled to have concluded an agreement with an organisation of AirAsia’s calibre and reputation”. “We are really thankful to Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and AirAsia for their staunch support for football and we are looking forward to working closely with them to further promote the sport in the coming years,” he said. He added: “It is a positive thing for us, because AirAsia and Mr Fernandez are supporting youth, and sports in particular.”
Singapore's first UN resolution adopted; now, every Nov 19 is World Toilet Day Published on Jul 24, 2013 11:00 PM By Robin Chan The United Nations (UN) has agreed to mark World Toilet Day on Nov 19, thanks to a Singapore initiative. Singapore had tabled the resolution, Sanitation for All, to raise awareness of the global challenge of sanitation and toilets. It is the first time Singapore, since it became a UN member 48 years ago, had put a resolution before the UN's General Assembly of 193 members. The resolution was supported by 120 countries, said the the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources in a joint statement on Wednesday. The UN estimates that 2.5 billion people worldwide lack access to improved sanitation. This causes poor health and gender inequality as well as slows economic growth and erode the personal dignity of the poorest people in the world, the statement said. After the resolution was adopted, Foreign Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam said it was important for the issue of sanitation to receive greater prominence as the UN comes up with a Post-2015 Development Agenda to replace the Millennium Development Goals. "Singapore hopes the resolution will focus the attention of the international community in making a positive impact on the lives of people all around the world," he added. Singaporean Jack Sim, who came up with the idea, added: "It is a very big benefit in accelerating sanitation, so that everybody around the world will have a toilet." Mr Sim is the founder of World Toilet Organisation, which aims to promote good toilet habits and clean toilets. (My view: Although most people in Singapore have a toilet, but in public, especially in the coffee shops and small restaurants, toilets are poorly maintained. However the big shopping centres and government buildings are generally acceptable. Part of the blame is attributed to bad personal habits and attitude. Some people have this mentality that "the toilet is not mine, not in my house, why should I bother too much about its cleanliness"? Such attitudes should change and education plays an important role.)
48 Singaporean Seconds: Multi-racial Singapore is unique, says K-pop fan Published on Jul 24, 2013 7:51 PM Singapore celebrates its 48th birthday on Aug 9, and to tie in with this, The Straits Times Picture Desk has put together 48 Singaporean Seconds, an audio-visual tribute to Singaporeans who have made this little red dot their home. We are releasing their stories and videos in the next few weeks. In the 13th instalment of our series, we talk to K-pop fan Nazurah Atiqah. Nazurah Atiqah, 23, civil servant Like many K-pop fans, civil servant Nazurah Atigah cheers her idols at the K-pop gigs she attends. Ms Nazurah Atiqah (right), 23, a South-east Asian Studies arts degree holder who speaks fluent Korean after taking language electives for six semesters because of her love for korean pop. -- ST PHOTO: NEO XIAOBIN What sets the 23-year-old apart from other Singaporean fans, though is that she actually understands every single word the performers are singing about. She had taken a Korean-language elective while studying at the National University of Singapore as she wanted to understand what the Korean stars were singing about in their videos. She graduated last year with an arts degree in South-east Asian studies and now works as an executive handling engagement and outreach. Her interest in Korean culture has also made her more curious about multi-racial Singapore. "In Singapore, we may not have a homogeneous culture, yet people are still united through shared concerns," she says. "At a football match, for example, you can see a Chinese uncle and a Malay boy discussing the game," she observes. "And when a goal is scored, everyone stands and cheers together." As she sees it, "we're unique because we take bits from different cultures, adapt them and make them our own" - even K-pop, too. - Photos and videos by The Straits Times Picture Desk
A bigger, more animated NDP The stage will be turned into sports arenas such as a basketball court during the Represent segment, when athletes come on stage to show off their sporting skills. Photo: NDP 2013 Three-tier stage, multimedia highlights to help provide more organic performance, heighten experience for viewers By Emily Liu 6 hours 5 min ago SINGAPORE — The organisers of this year’s National Day Parade have promised audiences a visual feast, with a bigger stage extended closer to the audience, as well as a slew of multimedia highlights during the annual spectacle. Performances will be spread across a three-tier stage, one of which sits upon a large LED screen in the middle. The Parade and Ceremony part will be held mainly on the lowest platform, while the show segment will take place on all three tiers. “The three tiers allow performers to creatively use the different spaces to showcase their talents,” said Military Expert 7 Chow Wai Yein, who is Chairman of Infrastructure and Decoration for this year’s parade. In one segment, 800 performers from the Singapore Soka Association will form a giant human LED screen as they line up along the stairs of two tiers of the stage. Construction of the stage took 34,000 man hours, 400 tonnes of steel and 150 tonnes of plywood, according to organisers. It will provide 4,600 sq m of usable space for more than 6,000 performers. With a larger performance area, the Red Lions parachuting team will be able to descend right into the middle of the action at the centre of the stage on the first tier. This year’s show will also feature more multimedia elements, including 3D animation and floor projections that paint a digital floor canvas across the floating platform. Singapore’s national icon, the Merlion, will also make its debut appearance on the NDP stage, animated in 3D. Compared to last year’s use of multimedia, which primarily formed the backdrop to the performance, this year’s show hopes to heighten the experience for spectators with a more organic, heartfelt performance, multimedia designer Sally Lee told TODAY. Aspire, one of nine segments in the show, will feature inspirational deaf performer Ramesh Meyyappan, as he mimes and acts across the vast canvas of the stage.
S’pore sailors on track at Optimist World C’Ship Singapore’s Loh Jia Yi kept his composure to retain his overall lead at the Optimist World Sailing Championship in Lake Garda, Italy. Photo: Matias Capizzano By Tan Yo-Hinn 6 hours 25 min ago SINGAPORE — Having swept the team racing, individual world and best overall team titles last year, the hope had been for Singapore to match those achievements. And now, going into the penultimate day of the Optimist World Sailing Championship at the Lake Garda, Italy, the Republic’s sailors remain firmly on track to retain all three titles, with Loh Jia Yi on course to clinch the individual world crown. After a blip in Tuesday’s Race 7 in which he finished 23rd, the 15-year-old bounced back from his worst result of the individual fleet regatta so far to win Race 8 and maintain his lead in the 259-strong field. As all sailors are permitted to discard one race result, Jia Yi continued to enjoy his five-point advantage over second-placed Nils Sternbeck of Germany, who has 16 nett points with four of the 12 races left. Singapore’s other sailors also did well enough to move into the top-10 rankings. Edward Tan improved from fourth spot to third (33 points) while Koh Yi Kun (36) climbed from sixth to fourth. Bertha Tan (39) remained fifth overall and Fathin Rasyiqin Mohd Firdaus improved her position from 11th to eighth (52). At press time last night, the other races scheduled for yesterday had been called off due to poor wind conditions. Still, the current standings mean that Singapore have improved their chances of retaining the Nations Cup, the award for the best overall nation. Having already secured the team racing title on Sunday, national Optimist head coach Fernando Alegre has been left pleasantly surprised by his charges’ performances. “We’re doing what seemed impossible, which was to match what we did last year,” he told TODAY. “I don’t know how this can be possible, so I am also surprised (at how we’ve performed this year). But, there is still nothing to be excited about yet. We must stay focused and keep a low profile, and remain focused on what we have to do.” When asked what he thought of Jia Yi’s performance in Race 7, Alegre said the poor result was not the fault of the Raffles Institution Secondary 3 student. Said Alegre: “He started well, but unfortunately the wind shut down in the area where he was. But he knew he sailed well and got his position right and stayed calm. If he continues like that, he will claim the world title.”
How the ‘Toilet Man’ and George Yeo made it happen World Toilet Organisation founder Jack Sim was instrumental in getting the UN General Assembly to endorse World Toilet Day. Photo: Jack Sim By Teo Xuanwei 11 hours 2 min ago For 12 years, most Singaporeans knew Mr Jack Sim only as the “Toilet Man”, trying to bring about cleaner toilets here, even though he had also been jetting around the world trying to convince politicians to do more to provide proper toilets for their people. Yesterday, the 56-year-old founder of non-governmental organisation World Toilet Organisation was given a big boost for his mission: The Nov 19 World Toilet Day he started in 2001 was endorsed by the United Nations General Assembly. How a social entrepreneur’s initiative became recognised by the UN involved a large dose of luck. After former Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo lost in the 2011 General Election, Mr Sim decided to try his luck at getting Mr Yeo to open his World Toilet Summit on Hainan island that year. To his surprise, Mr Yeo accepted his invitation. “We spent three days together, and he said to me: ‘I’m very impressed with what you are doing. Is there anything I can do to help?’” said Mr Sim. “So, I told him I wanted to make World Toilet Day official.” Mr Yeo spoke to Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ (MFA) Deputy Secretary Vanu Gopala Menon, who agreed to meet Mr Sim. Mr Menon said while he was initially cynical about meeting someone to talk about toilets, he was quickly sold on the importance of Mr Sim’s mission. Mr Yeo told TODAY via Facebook: “Jack’s passion is infectious. Toilets are a daily necessity for everyone but, everywhere, we have to make do with sub-standard ones, to put it mildly ... Toilets cost much less than their utility, yet they are often under-provided.” He added: “(There are) complex reasons for this market failure. (The) big reason is because it is a subject we often think (is) beneath us, so we don’t address it as a problem. World Toilet Day will help make toilets a legitimate, even desirable, subject of management and group cooperation.” In April this year, armed with a draft of the “Sanitation For All” resolution, the MFA arranged for Mr Sim to speak to delegates from other UN member states in New York. Things progressed swiftly from there and, yesterday, the resolution initiated by Singapore was tabled with more than 100 co-sponsors. On the General Assembly’s adoption of the resolution, Mr Sim, a self-described “toilet evangelist”, said: “It feels like I won the Nobel Prize for sanitation.”
Nov 19 is World Toilet Day, thanks to S’pore Students painted toilet seats to celebrate World Toilet Day on Nov 19, 2008. TODAY file photo UN member states adopt Republic’s resolution to tackle a global sanitation crisis By Teo Xuanwei 11 hours 8 min ago SINGAPORE — Mark the calendar: Nov 19 has been designated as World Toilet Day by the United Nations, thanks to Singapore. Tabling its first-ever resolution at the UN General Assembly yesterday, Singapore called on member states to commemorate the date as part of a pledge to tackle the global sanitation crisis. The “Sanitation For All” resolution, which had 120 co-sponsors, was adopted by consensus. The Republic had championed for the UN’s endorsement of World Toilet Day — an initiative started in 2001 by a non-governmental organisation here, the World Toilet Organisation — to draw greater attention to the severe challenges in sanitation globally. According to the UN, some 2.5 billion people around the world had poor access to proper sanitation last year. Of these, 1.1 billion still practise open defecation. To tackle the issue, the resolution, which is non-binding, urges all member states to put in place policies for improving access to sanitation among the poor and eradicate open defecation. All countries are also urged to accelerate progress in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) related to sanitation. The MDGs are a set of eight international development goals that the UN established in 2000, which includes ensuring environmental sustainability. Multinational companies, international organisations, schools and other stakeholders are also encouraged to “redouble their efforts, through scaled-up ground-level actions ... to promote greater public awareness of the serious developmental, health and social problems caused by the lack of adequate sanitation”, said a joint statement by Singapore’s Foreign Affairs and Environment and Water Resources ministries. Noting that the UN is formulating the post-2015 Development Agenda to replace the MDGs, Foreign Affairs and Law Minister K Shanmugam said Singapore hopes that the resolution will “focus the attention of the international community in making a positive impact on the lives of people all around the world”. Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan added that Singapore’s work in improving sanitation has “made a major difference” for public health and hygiene. Plans for how Singapore will commemorate World Toilet Day will be announced later.
Founding of SMU a risk that paid off: Heng Swee Keat Published on Jul 25, 2013 2:56 PM By Debbie Lee As the Singapore Management University (SMU) celebrated its tenth and largest batch of graduates on Thursday, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat lauded the university on the progress it has made since its founding in 2000. "We had serious concerns," Mr Heng said. "Would the new university, with no track record, be able to attract high-calibre candidates?" The risk paid off, he said, noting that last year's batch of graduates registered a robust employment rate of 91.7 per cent. Mr Heng was speaking at Resorts World Sentosa to over 2,000 graduates including 500 postgraduate students. SMU also conferred honorary degrees to former Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong and former Xerox Corporation chief John Seely Brown.
7 in 10 NTU students secured jobs ahead of graduation Published on Jul 25, 2013 2:21 PM By Linette Lai Almost seven in 10 Nanyang Technological University (NTU) graduates secured jobs ahead of graduation this year, according to a university survey carried out at the end of June. These numbers mark a slight increase from 2012. Speaking at the first of the university's graduation ceremonies, NTU President Professor Bertil Andersson also announced that a record 87.19 per cent of this year's graduates made contributions to the university, up from 82.02 per cent last year. "Each year, it warms my heart when I see the graduating class making a class gift to help their juniors - even before they have drawn their first pay check," said Professor Andersson.
Singapore youth sailor Loh Jia Yi claims Optimist world champion title Published on Jul 26, 2013 12:13 AM Singapore's Optimist sailor Loh Jia Yi in action at the Optimist World Championships, where he leads the 259-strong fleet. The 15-year-old Raffles Institution student is the first local boy to win the individual title at the annual Optimist World Championships. -- PHOTO: MATIAS CAPIZZANO By Chan U-Gene SINGAPORE sailor Loh Jia Yi has won the individual title at the annual Optimist World Championships. At Lake Garda in Italy, the 15-year-old Raffles Institution student, who became the first local boy to win the crown, emerged tops in a field of 259 international competitors. He won six of the 10 races. His victory follows the success of compatriots Kimberly Lim and Yukie Yokoyama, who won the overall title in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Earlier in the competition, Jia Yi, along with Bertha Han, Edward Tan, Koh Yi Kun and Fathin Rasyiqin Mohd Firdaus, also won the competition's team title. Sailor Loh Jia Yi seals individual title at sailing competition in Italy Published on Jul 26, 2013 7:22 AM Singapore sailor Loh Jia Yi in action at the Optimist World Championships in Italy, where he led the 259-strong international fleet. -- PHOTO: MATIAS CAPIZZANO By Chan U-Gene Sailor Loh Jia Yi tamed the currents of Lake Garda in Italy yesterday to claim Singapore's third successive individual crown at the annual Optimist World Championships. The 15-year-old recorded an emphatic victory over the 259-strong international field by sailing away from the start and never surrendering his lead. After the five-day contest, Jia Yi recorded six wins out of 10 races to become the first Singaporean boy to earn the crown. Said Singapore Sailing Federation chief executive Tan Wearn Haw: "This win is rewarding for Jia Yi and the team, as they have worked long and hard over the past years. It's a fantastic way to start the next and more important step of their Olympic journey. Background story DESERVING WINNERS They have worked long and hard over the past years. – Tan Wearn Haw, Singapore Sailing Federation chief executive, hailing the team after their Optimist individual and team triumphs [HR][/HR]THE WAY FORWARD Our junior sailors have shown that they have the capability. if they continue on this trajectory, with the same commitment and fortitude, they will excel at the youth and Olympic levels for sure. – SSF’s Tan
New book by Lee Kuan Yew to be launched on Aug 6 Published on Jul 29, 2013 11:38 AM By Melissa Lin A new book by former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew will be launched on Aug 6. Titled One Man's View of the World, the 400-page volume covers Mr Lee's views on the future of the major powers and regions of the world. He also writes about the global economy and climate change, and reflects candidly on life and death. The final chapter of the book captures a series of conversations between Mr Lee and his old friend, former chancellor of West Germany, Helmut Schmidt. The two met to discuss international affairs over three days in May 2012 when Mr Schmidt was in Singapore. A team from The Straits Times provided research and editorial material, and conducted a series of interviews with Mr Lee. Excerpts of these interviews are included in each of the eleven chapters. Published by Straits Times Press, the book will be launched by Mr Lee at the Istana. It will be available in bookstores for $39.90. The book will be made available in Malaysia and around the region soon after the launch. Orders may be done through the Straits Times Press website at www.stpressbooks.com.sg
