The Falcon Times by Isabelle Liew

SHINE

Shave is the New Rave

FESTIVAL Is the arts scene in Singapore really dead after all?

Giving hope to cancer patients

HAPPENINGS PAGE 3

ARTS PAGE 8

PAGES 4&5

FALC N TIMES

A Quartery Publication by The Falcon Times

THE

SPECIAL

Vol. 1, Issue 1 MICA (p) 014/08/2015

Still Not Litter Free

Is the Sentosa Embraces Litter Free (S.E.L.F.) programme not effective enough? By Isabelle Liew

espite the Sentosa Embraces Litter employs less than 10 cleaners on the beach, Free programme, local beach-go- along with the usage of a beach-cleaning maers continue to litter and Sentosa chine. is still far from being litter-free. He went on to add that cleaners “cannot be The Sentosa Embraces Litter Free everywhere”, therefore it is important for em(S.E.L.F.) programme was initiated in Febru- ployees to be driven to keep the island clean. ary 2014, led by the Public Hygiene Council, He thinks that it is difficult to change peotogether with Singaple’s behaviour and pore Kindness Movemindset towards litI don’t really think that ment, Keep Singapore tering, even through Beautiful Movement, the initiative, and many people know as part of the Keep thinks that more about this, so they Singapore Clean could be done to reshould put in more Movement, and supduce littering, such as ported by the National continuous education awareness about this Environment Agency. through programmes programme This programme like S.E.L.F.. encourages employees Muhammad Jessica Lie of Sentosa to pick up Hafiz, 26, a local Student from NUS litter, rather than rebeach-goer, thinks lying on cleaners. Thus, a bi-monthly litter that the beaches on Sentosa are not clean as picking initiative where more than 100 Sen- he sees cigarette butts and cans littered on the tosa staff go to Palawan and Siloso beaches to sand. He attributed the litter to a lack of garpick up litter was put in place. However, there bage bins, which is also the reason he himself is still litter on the beach. litters. In fact, Chanel Lim, 20, an employee Sherrill Sim, 19, also says that the lack of of Sentosa for two and a half years, has not garbage bins is the reason she disposes cigaheard about the S.E.L.F. programme. Other rette butts indiscriminately. employees refused to comment. However, she thinks that Singaporeans do Mr Elvis Yip Yew Boon, Assistant Direc- not litter in general due to the fines imposed. tor of the Environmental Control Unit at Sen- “We get fined so a lot of people are scared to tosa, said in an email interview that Sentosa litter,” she says.

Bottles and pieces of food strewn across Sentosa’s Palawan beach.

PHOTO: ISABELLE LIEW

Leslie Low, 21, another local beach-goer, said the reason he litters on the beach is laziness. “I don’t think I care enough, and I don’t come to beaches often as well,” he says. He still thinks that Singapore is relatively clean, and that people do take the initiative to pick up litter. “I do see people who aren’t necessarily cleaners who are going around picking up stuff,” he adds. On Jul 15, students from the National University of Singapore (NUS) went to Palawan beach for some camp activities. One of the games in which they played involved throwing water bombs at each other,

resulting in broken plastic bags strewn across the sand. Although most of them made an effort to pick the litter up, a number of broken plastic bags were still left behind. Jessica Lie, 22, an NUS student, says that litter is inevitable even though they tried to clean up as much of their litter as possible. She does not know about the S.E.L.F. initiative. “I don’t really think that many people know about this, so they should put in more awareness about this programme.”

STories From The Past, An Optimistic Future Ahead

The Straits Times celebrates 170th anniversary and SG50 with exhibition: ‘Singapore STories: Then, Now, Tomorrow’. By Isabelle Liew

eld at the ArtScience Museum, ‘Singapore STories’, which follows the history of The Straits Times, has gathered a crowd of more than 40,000 as of Aug 4. Launched by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Jul 15, the exhibition consists of six galleries showcasing stories and photographs from newspapers in the past. The exhibition was arranged following the sections of a newspaper: Business, Home, World, Sport, Life and Forum. The sections covers topics such as industrialisation, education, defence, health and alliances for survival and success. The Forum section of the exhibition features the #BuildSG2065 showcase where

there are interactive activities for visitors to imagine Singapore’s future. They are encouraged to post pictures with the hashtag on social media to stand a chance to win cash prizes. The first issue of The Straits Times, dated July 15, 1845, is also on display with a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius to preserve its quality. Among the visitors were many senior citizens, who visited to recount and reminisce about the past. Mr Joe Lee, 74, a visitor to the exhibition, felt that his favourite part of the exhibition was where they recounted the aftermath of the 1959 Tiong Bahru fire, where the government helped to build houses for the people affected.

“It gave me a sense of pride that the government did a very good job for their own people, and take care of their lives,” he says. Madam Serena Leong, 56, was at the exhibition to reminisce about stories that she has read over the last 50 years in The Straits Times. “Merger and separation, especially. Because it’s Lee Kuan Yew,” she adds. Like Madam Leong, another visitor, Mr Lawrence Yeo, also visited the exhibition because he has previously read a good deal of the articles that were on display. “I kind of refreshed my memories of the events that happened,” he says. He also found the interactive and virtual part of the exhibition interesting, where vis-

An innovative approach in showcasing the Business section of the exhibit. PHOTO: ISABELLE LIEW

itors could see what Singapore would be like in the future. The younger generation also visited the exhibition to learn more about Singapore’s history and to see what is in store for the future of Singapore. Varella Tan, 18, says, “I like the newspaper articles from back in the day, the yellow ones, because you don’t get to see those. It’s hard to get access to those.” The free exhibition will continue to run until Oct 4 at the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands.

2 HAPPENINGS

THE FALCON TIMES | APRIL 2015 - AUGUST 2015

It’s Time To “Move It”

A Peek Behind Project Bloom Raising awareness for the same cause, with different purposes. By Isabelle Liew

o reach out to the public about their upcoming community service project, Project Bloom held a Social Movement Campaign in Marine Parade on Sunday, May 17. Project Bloom is a house cleaning event held annually for selected households in the Marine Parade estate. In hope of helping more households than the 20 this year, this Social Movement Campaign was held to raise awareness for next year’s event. The organisers and volunteers did so by approaching people to give out flyers and explaining their cause to them. However, the outcome was relatively unsuccessful as they only managed to reach out to a couple of people at a nearby bus stop. There were only a total of six people run-

ning the event – four volunteers and two organisers. Fifteen-year-old Dunman High Secondary School student, Chua Yi, volunteered for this campaign because her friend was volunteering as well, and she had free time. Community Involvement Programme (CIP) points also played a contributing factor. She also understands the importance and benefits of community service, and would consider attending the upcoming Project Bloom. Chairperson Madam Ching brought along her two children. She brings them to every community service event she volunteers at, and teaches them the importance of helping the needy. This is in hope they would be more confident, and have the initiative to actively serve the community in the future.

exercise.

Ching feels that most parents do not see the point of community service and helping others; thus, most youths these days are unwilling to participate in it, and will only do so if school requires them to. As for herself, she says that community service has become a natural part of her life,

Mascot Blood Buddy is filling up the health assessment questionnaires along with the donors for Jurong Spring CC’s blood donation drive. PHOTO: CYNTHIA HO

period of hospitalisation or surgery and needed blood … either themselves or their family members will appreciate the real importance of donating blood and have that personal connection to this whole process.” JJC student volunteer Jonetta Pek knows

A Donor Today, Save A Life Tomorrow

Out of the 55 per cent of Singaporeans who are eligible to donate blood, only 1.5 per cent of us actually do so.

ore than 80 Tampines residents came forward to donate their blood and give back to the community during the blood donation drive at Tampines Changkat Community Club. The blood donation drive brought in residents from various walks of life together for a common cause. Organised by the neighbourhood’s Community Emergency Engagement Committee (C2E), the blood donation drive saw a better than anticipated response from their residents. “We usually target about 60 to 80 donors for every blood donation drive,” says Mr

Henry Goh, Chairman of the C2E who was thrilled to see the encouraging turn out.The committee liaises with Raffles Medical Group and the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) twice annually to hold its blood donation drives. The blood donation drive was a special occasion for some donors in attendance. “Today was the first time I donated blood after the birth of my son,” says Candy Ho, 30, who has already donated 28 times over the years since she was 17. “I find it meaningful to donate my blood for another person’s life,” she adds. She brought along her son and husband, whom she influenced to donate blood as well.

Hougang Residents: Satisfied?

By Muhammad Farhan

Organisers and volunteers looking optimistic right before the commencement of the event. PHOTO: ISABELLE LIEW and hopes to get more youths involved in it. “It becomes so inborn, built in to what you’re supposed to do. Most of the time, I learn to empower people,” she says.

Residents of Nee Soon enthusiastically moving to the beat of their morning Zumba workout together. PHOTO: IFFAH NADHIRAH

By Iffah Nadhirah

By Cynthia Ho

By Hazique Hibri

Paya Lebar Division residents voices level of satisfaction with Aljunied GRC.

117 units of blood collected at Singapore Red Cross donation drive.

healthy. “More importantly, it is a signal of a trend that the newer generations, as they grow up, as they grow older; they are getting more and more altruistic,” he said. “Those who have had experienced a

HAPPENINGS

Residents of Nee Soon South come together to have fun and

Strong Community Spirit at Jurong Spring CC

ore than 160 donors took part in the Singapore Recreation Club (SRC) blood donation drive on Sunday, due to the strong community spirit and increased publicity of the event. Mr Wong Woei Luen, Chairperson of the Youth Executive Committee representing Jurong Spring Community Centre (CC), says that they were aggressive in their marketing efforts this time round and ended up with 163 donors turning up at Jurong Spring CC, which was double the estimated number of 80 to 90 people. Jurong Junior College (JJC) initiated the blood donation drive, and student volunteers helped to raise awareness by pasting posters at lift-landings, while Jurong Spring Residents’ Committee used social media platforms to help increase publicity. Around 60 donors were national youths aged between 16 to 35 years old. However, there are demands for more young donors to come forth. Mr Desmond Lee, Minister of State for National Development and Advisor of Jurong Group Representation Constituency (GRC), says that most of the blood donors are middle-aged and he wishes to see more young donors, but not solely because they are fit and

THE FALCON TIMES | APRIL 2015 - AUGUST 2015

this all too well. “A lot of my family members passed away due to the shortage of blood,” she says. Jonetta, however, was turned away after the health screening checks because she had thin veins. This was her second attempt to donate blood. Evonne Hing, 45, says she failed twice at previous health screening checks, as her veins were too thin, but succeeded after doing plenty of exercises. She and her sister have been regular donors since 2014. An undergraduate donating blood infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) was discovered in May 2015. He dishonestly declared that he had not engaged in sexual intercourse with another male. He was jailed 15 weeks and dealt with a $10,000 fine. Mr Lee said that the health assessment questionnaires are rigourous and the health screening is a thorough process. “Assurance of the blood bank is critical for public confidence,” says Mr Lee. The amount of blood needed by patients exceeds 100,000 units each year.

that more men should do Zumba because it is just cardio, and also trains the flexibility of your body. Mr Tan feels motivated to go for Zumba classes because he loves dancing and aerobics. “Zumba is a mixture of dancing, cardio and aerobics, so I continue to do it,” he adds.

As long as the residents enjoy the event, we will carry on to do it Mr Alan Goh Chairman for CSC Madam Rohanah Bte Adis, 54, is one of the many female participants who have been doing Zumba for two years. “I started with

‘Lose to Win’ programme in March 2013,” she says, and was delighted to share her experience. She was then introduced to different types of dance such as Zumba and Bollywood dancing. Madam Rohanah continues to be active in Zumba to maintain a healthy lifestyle. She also mentioned that taking an hour off her morning schedule to do Zumba would “boost up her energy for the whole day”. The residents and non-residents of the neighbourhood were aware of this Zumba event because of the great publicity done by the committee. Banners and posters were placed along areas where many people would pass by. They even publicised posters on their official website and Facebook page to “spread the event towards a bigger crowd”. This event has successfully attracted many residents to come together for a morning exercise and bonding session. Nee Soon South GRC committee members are hoping that more Residents’ Committee (RC) from different areas will participate in such events in the future.

Shave is the New Rave

EstimateD BLOOD usage rate

Student photographer Benjamin Loh, 22, was present to capture the event through his photos. However, he was unable to donate blood as he had already done so in March. One can only donate blood every four months. “I am typically a paid photographer for these community events but since I was unable to donate today, I felt that volunteering my services was the least I could do,” says Benjamin. As red blood cells can only last for 42 days, there is a need to constantly replenish the supply of blood in the banks through such donations. Furthermore, with advances in medical procedures, the demand for blood is on the rise.

he first mass ZumbaBollyAerobics event held at Nee Soon South Group Representation Constituency (GRC) was well-received. The Women’s Executive Committee (WEC) and Community Sports Club (CSC) collaborated to run the mass Zumba event in conjunction with SG50. The free event welcomes women from all walks of life. Despite running the event for the very first time, the number of people who turned up was more than expected. “With the amount of people seen at the event, I think it’s quite successful,” says Mrs Ellen Lee, Chairman for the WEC. With the positive responses from the participants who attended the event, they intend to do it monthly or yearly. The number of males who came down for the event was rather surprising. Out of the many females, only four were male participants. “Not many men like to Zumba and I agree that 90 per cent are all girls,” says Mr Roger Tan, 55, an active Zumba member who has been involved for four months now. He thinks

units needed per HOUR

316

units needed per DAY

115,340 units needed per YEAR

ILLUSTRATION BY: CYNTHIA HO

Strong individuals came together with one idea in mind – giving hope to cancer patients. By Sathia Selvam

wenty-one brave souls did their part for society by making a ‘bald statement’ on May 24, at Nee Soon South’s Group Representation Constituency’s (GRC) event. The GRC collaborated with the Children’s Cancer Foundation (CCF) as one of Hair For Hope’s satellite events. This is the second time Nee Soon South has organised an event with the goal of encouraging more residents in Nee Soon to donate and come together as a community to help the less fortunate. After surpassing their target by having 28 shavees and raising a total of $8,218 in donations from their first Hair for Hope event at Nee Soon South last year, the event coordinator, Mr Andrew Goh, a member of Nee Soon South’s GRC, had planned to turn this into a tradition by making this an annual event.

Guest of Honour Dr Lee Bee Wah, the Minister of Parliament for Nee Soon South GRC, has no expectations for the event. She says, “We don’t set a goal, we just want to encourage as much people to come forward as possible. No amount is too small.”

One of the shavees getting her hair cut by Dr Lee Bee Wah. PHOTO: SATHIA SELVAM

The first brave soul who sacrificed his hair for the noble cause was Mr Chee Poh Tew. He says that this year was the first time he shaved for the cause, and his motivation came from his 10-year-old daughter. Back in 2010, Mr Chee’s daughter was diagnosed with leukemia, before she won the battle three years later. “People donated for my daughter and I felt the need to give back to society,” he says. Dr Lee also expressed her gratitude towards the shavees and volunteers. She had also braved cancer herself, and has a message for cancer patients: “never give up, do your best”. Hair for Hope started 12 years ago with just nine volunteers, managing to raise about $2,000 in donations. Now, almost 6,000 volunteers have braved the razor while raising millions of dollars yearly. For more information, head over to hairforhope.org.sg.

t a Group Representation Constituency (GRC) Meet-the-PeopleSession (MPS) in Aljunied last week, several residents voiced their level of satisfaction with the Workers’ Party-run Town Council’s management ever since the 2011 elections. The MPS is a weekly event held by the Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) across its seven divisions to address concerns and issues that residents have. According to Mr Chen Show Mao, Member of Parliament (MP) for the Paya Lebar Division, the session serves to address the needs and problems of the residents as best as possible, be it financial or social. The session commenced as usual on May 25, 7.30pm at the void deck of Block 117 Hougang Avenue 1. Residents queued up to seek help from the town council regarding any issues or problems they had. Around 50 residents turned up to seek help from the Workers’ Party. Tang Yang Yew, a first-time attendee of the session, says that he was satisfied with the service as the MPS team “dealt with my issue personally instead of just another case”. Madam Nur Hamidah, one of the attendees of the session, said that despite the People’s Action Party’s (PAP) criticism of the Aljunied Town Council, they managed to solve her financial problems proficiently. Mr Chen also said that he finds that he and his team have been effective in helping residents so far. Although residents were generally contented with what the town council has delivered, some think otherwise. Mr John Sia, a retiree, found the town council to be ineffective. He explained that he requested for the flats in his neighbourhood to be repainted, but the repainting only started many months after. Sebastian Tan, a Junior College (JC) student, was not convinced that the town council improved after the election as “although there’s bound to be change, there’s no visible change”.

I needed financial help when my son was in polytechnic and Mr Chen managed to solve my problems within a month Madam Nur Hamidah Attendee

However, Madam Hamidah says that despite the criticism, she feels that “there’s not much difference” in the standard of the management before and after the 2011 elections. Mr Chen adds, “I am not bothered by such comments and I really just want to focus my attention on the residents.” To seek his help, one can attend an MPS, which is held every Monday at Block 117 Hougang Avenue 1.

4 SG50 SPECIAL NORTH

THE FALCON TIMES | APRIL 2015 - AUGUST 2015

Celebrate Singapore’s Jubilee at Sembawang

CENTRAL

Many families living in the North gathered at the event to celebrate this joyous occasion with other citizens.

Pastries For Pioneers To Commemorate SG50

By Muhammad Farhan

“The food is what we had last time. Nowadays, we rarely see kids eating the popsicle. My girls are definitely enjoying the snack,” she adds. Mr Ming Feng was another resident who was delighted to find popsicles at the event. It reminded him of his younger days and how cheap it used to be. “I used to eat it on hot days and after doing different kinds of activities. It was only 10 cents last time,” he says. Families and residents who attended the event were pleased with the food and activities, as it was a way for them to reminisce. The event allows people to socialise with fellow citizens, as well as catch up on lost times they had with their family. Madam Rashidah says, “Usually when we go to a park, everybody doesn’t mingle around. But with events like this, it enforces interaction with others.” “I like how as a family we managed to make the terrarium and it was free. My family and I enjoyed it very much,” says Misa

Throngs of families brought their children to Sembawang Park as fun activities were lined up for them, such as the bouncy castles. PHOTO: IFFAH NADHIRAH

Mitsugi, a 19-year-old student who was eager about visiting Sembawang Park. The event garnered a good deal of positive feedback from the crowd, with some even wanting events like this to be conducted every year. “They should probably do this kind of event on a yearly basis,” says Madam Rashidah.

t Dong Po Colonial Café, pioneers are given free drinks when a customer decides to “pay it forward”. As part of our Jubilee year, the ‘Forward it!’ campaign started as a show of appreciation for Singapore’s pioneers. At selected cafés, customers can pay for drinks ahead of the orders made by other customers. An appreciation note by the customer would then accompany the payment. Started in January to commemorate SG50, this campaign was inspired by cafés from around the world that have similar “pay it forward” schemes. Cafés involved in the campaign include Dong Po Colonial Café, Flee Away Café, Old School Delights, Po Tea To, Tamper & Co, The

Holqa Café and The Mama Shop Café. Mr Kelvin Sow, owner of Dong Po Colonial Café, started his business following the closure of his grandfather’s shop after World War II. His main motivation for starting Dong Po was because he wanted to let Singaporeans taste his homemade cakes. He felt that pastries and cakes sold nowadays were generic and ordinary. When approached to take part in ‘Forward it!’, Mr Sow did not hesitate. He says, “I like the idea of trying to incorporate kindness among Singaporeans.” Part of the reason why he chose to participate in the movement was that the “educational system has created an individualistic society”, a society that he hopes to change by encouraging kindness. He also feels that most families do not know their neighbours well enough. The aim of the campaign was to raise 50,000 cups of drinks for pioneers throughout all participating cafes. The goal has been fulfilled, although

Kelvin Sow, owner of Dong Po Colonial, hopes that through the campaign, more Singaporeans will learn of the importance of helping one another. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD FARHAN

according to Mr Sow, not all elderlies claim their free drinks. “Most of them come with their families then their children pay for them. Some old folks say they don’t need. However, there are regular pioneers who come with their friends for free coffee,” he says. Mr Sow’s staff donates and distributes the remaining drinks and pastries that remain

unclaimed to the Kampong Glam Community Centre. When asked whether he would participate in a similar campaign in the future, Mr Sow responded, “I’d have to see. Things like this, I don’t mind.” For those interested in paying it forward, do make a trip down to the mentioned cafés. For more information, visit forwardit.sg.

MOE Paves Journey Down Memory Lane for SG50

An exhibition dedicated to pioneer teachers to appreciate their commitment in education. By Cynthia Ho

eachers, parents and students visited the showcase held by the Ministry of Education (MOE) at Westgate to commemorate Singapore’s 50 years of memories.The exhibition called ‘Good Morning ‘Cher: Our Schools, Our Teachers, Our Stories’ was a nostalgic experience, especially for pioneer and young teachers.

“For us, we relive our memories as students,” says Ms Elphia Tan, a teacher from Westspring Primary School. “Maybe you want to invite them to a meal or write a letter… all these are good in helping us to reconnect with our educators from the past.” Ms Teo Jie Huey, an event helper, also said that some retired teachers shared their

De La Salle School student leaders were using iPads as interactive elements to take pictures of the pledge that visitors made. PHOTO: CYNTHIA HO

ILLUSTRATION BY: CYNTHIA HO

WEST

SG50 SPECIAL

Spread kindness by treating our pioneers to a simple brew of coffee.

By Iffah Nadhirah he SG50 picnic at Sembawang Park was held to commemorate Singapore’s first ever Jubilee Weekend event, and successfully brought back memories that are old but gold. The event at Sembawang Park was one of the few parks that kicked off the Jubilee Weekend on Aug 7. The event featured ‘old school’ carnival games and snacks from the Families for Life Mobile Café, bouncy castles, a movie screening, a terrarium workshop and the sale of picnic baskets. Madam Rashidah Zaini, a mother of three children, thinks that the carnival games are very much related to the traditional games she had played when she was younger. “Games such as throwing the balls into the hole and throwing the rings into the standing bottles were games that reminded me of the past,” she says. The event also provided ‘old school’ snacks such as popsicles, also known as ‘mama shop ice pops’, a popular thirst-quenching dessert.

THE FALCON TIMES | APRIL 2015 - AUGUST 2015

ILLUSTRATION BY : CYNTHIA HO

experiences from the past while reminiscing about their old times, and added that it was a good event to remind students to be grateful for their teachers. The exhibition also displayed teaching tools from the past that intrigued students from the younger generation. “I learnt how my parents studied last time,” says Ashlley Jane, a student leader from De La Salle School. “Instead of using whiteboards right now, they used chalkboards.” Many parents were also seen having a fun time watching the interactive booths with their children. Ms Jenny Chan, mother of a 6-year-old daughter, says, “It’s actually very interesting for young parents to know what’s going on in a primary school… it’s a good learning platform for parents.” Displaying various artefacts and information about the growth of Singapore’s education system, it is an exhibition that brings visitors back to their memories in school. The start of the exhibition was commemorated at Changi City Point and moved to different areas of Singapore such as Westgate, Ang Mo Kio Hub and will be visiting Suntec City Mall. The exhibition will end on Aug 30 at Suntec City Mall.

EAST

Malay Heritage Centre Dedicates a Day to Diversity Singapore’s racial harmony has played an important role throughout our 50 years.

Traditional classroom games were set up at tables and played by people of all ages. PHOTO: CYNTHIA HO

By Muhammad Farhan

he Malay Heritage Centre combined the celebration of Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Racial Harmony Day on Aug 7 as part of Singapore’s Jubilee Weekend. There were two main components for the event, Racial Harmony Day and the Hari Raya Open House. The Racial Harmony Day event took place at Kampong Glam early in the afternoon, starting with ‘Kampong Gelam Tales: a Dramatised Tour’, an interactive tour of the interior of the heritage centre where participants learn more about Singapore’s Nusantara, or Malay history. At the same time, visitors got to try out the games and art activities of the different ethnicities in Singapore. Among the various craft activities were Indian rangoli making and Chinese Opera Masks crafting. Some of the games played were traditional ones such as Malay Congkak and Capteh. There were also food bazaars consisting of the different races that visitors could sample. Ms Nura Manaff, Senior Producer at Dua

M Productions, the event company in charge of curating the event for the centre, hopes for “all the racial groups to have fun and learn as much as they can from each other”. Even drink vendors played a part in the theme of the event. ‘The Nomad’, a start-up coffee business, was chosen for the event due to their fusion of traditional drinks like ‘bandung’ with modern drinks like ‘frappes’. Mr Ahmad Al Abbas, General Manager of ‘The Nomad’ says, “Out of all this, I hope to introduce Singapore’s traditional culture into the modern café culture.” The second interaction tour of the centre commenced at 2pm, and was followed by an Indian Dance group performance. At 5pm, Minister for Communications and Information and Minister-in-Charge of Muslim Affairs, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, arrived and was welcomed by drum performances by Lagu Singapura and Indian Bangra Dhol. Dr Yaacob partook in some of the activities before announcing the gazetting of the of the Malay Heritage Centre as a national monument.

Volunteers teach children more about the Chinese Opera Culture by painting masks and making dolls. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD FARHAN

6 COMMUNITY

THE FALCON TIMES | APRIL 2015 - AUGUST 2015

Geylang Vendors: A Trying Time Could this be the most challenging year for the Geylang Bazaar vendors?

THE FALCON TIMES | APRIL 2015 - AUGUST 2015

COMMUNITY

Strong Support for New Jurong Lake Gardens

As Jurong Lake Park transforms into a Destination Park, residents voice their approval and concerns.

By Muhammad Farhan

his year, many vendors of the famous Geylang Bazaar face more challenges than before due to rising rental costs and a decline in popularity. The bazaar is set up annually along the roads surrounding Geylang Serai to celebrate the month of Ramadan and to prepare for the upcoming Hari Raya. Vendors set up their tents and arrange their goods for display along the roads. The Ramadan Bazaar was always a hit with the Malay-Muslim community ever since it started decades ago. However, in the last few years, a visible change in the bazaar’s standard is obvious to some. This has caused a decline in customer traffic, which has adversely affected vendors of the bazaar. Furthermore, according to The Straits Times, rental prices have risen drastically this year. The rental prices differ for each vendor, depending on their location and what they sell. All contractors have standardised the cost of vending food to be $7,000. Non-food vendors have different rental prices, depending on their contractors and location. Mr Richard Teo, owner of BVM Furniture Trading, has been selling furniture at the bazaar for at least 10 years. He said he has noticed a visible decline in the visitors of the bazaar over the last three years. This year, his business is at its lowest due to other factors such as the increase in rental prices. “The organisers bid very high this year, which is why our rent is so high,” he says.

To overcome his decline in sales, he has ventured into e-commerce as an effort to expand his customer base. Despite the decline in popularity, Mr Teo feels that its popularity will remain unmatched by other bazaars. He says, “For Muslims, it is a must to come. Whether or not people buy is another story.”

People would still prefer coming here due to how rooted the bazaar is in our Malay culture. Mr Mazrizal Owner of a boutique

However, some vendors remain optimistic. Yanny, an employee for Mark Ashley Furnitures, has been selling carpets and mattresses at the bazaar for at least three years. Unlike Mr Teo, he says his business is doing moderately well. He adds that he noticed the bazaar’s quality dipping over the last few years. On the other hand, when asked about its popularity, he says, “Geylang Bazaars popularity will never go down. It will always be popular. During this season, it is a must for us Malays to attend during Ramadan.” Mr Mazrizal, an owner of a ‘baju kebaya’ boutique, admits that his business is not doing as well this year due the high rental costs. Even so, he claims that the rent does not gradually increase or decrease over the years.

Woodlands: The Northern Gateway Residents look forward to using the newly completed Shuttle Tebrau in Woodlands.

Instead, it fluctuates almost every year. Nevertheless, like most other vendors, he agrees that the quality of the Geylang Ramadan Bazaar has deteriorated over the years. Although the bazaar is not at its best, he says, “People would still prefer coming here due to how rooted the bazaar is in our Malay culture.” Some vendors even feel that the bazaar’s quality did not decline at all.

The employees at ‘Mr Teh Tarik’, a food and drinks vendor, has been vending for 10 years, beg to differ that the quality of Geylang Ramadan Bazaar decresed. Instead, they say that its standard is still high. One of the employees says, “When it comes to Ramadan, it’s still the best place for Malays.” The bazaar ends Jul 16.

Lift Installations at HDB Multi-Story Carparks Expected to have lifts across Singapore at all Multi-Story Carparks (MSCP) by 2017. By Iffah Nadhirah

By Sathia Selvam oes the Malaysian rail link, Shuttle Tebrau, really help to ease traffic conditions for Singaporeans and Malaysians who cross the border daily? A new shuttle train service between Woodlands and Johor Bahru called the Shuttle Tebrau, run by Malaysian rail operator Keretapi Tanah Melayu, was launched Jul 1. It was created to help reduce time crossing between the border at Woodlands. Seven trips that can accommodate at least 320 passengers each time are made daily with one-way tickets from Woodlands costing about $5 and RM5 (S$1.80) from Johor Bahru. Previously, people wanting to cross the border would have to spend at least two hours taking a bus across the highway, but now it merely takes five minutes to cross the border while only needing to get checked once. The new trains are also a much more comfortable form of transport with shorter queues than the buses. A resident from Woodlands, Nurul Afiqah Salim, 29, says, “At least now I don’t have to spend hours in a jam by taking a bus whenever I’m going shopping in Malaysia.” As the trains only operate seven times a

Mr Mazrizal with his wide collection of vibrant ‘baju kebayas’ in his boutique. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD FARHAN

The 2.30pm Shuttle Tebrau arriving at the Johor Bahru Sentral railway station in Malaysia.

PHOTO: THERAKYATPOST.COM

day, some question the efficiency of the trains. “Some of us still need to take the bus back when the trains are not operating as we don’t have the time to wait for the trains,” says 20 year old Elvin Thien, a Malaysian student studying in Singapore. “Even though the train tickets are more expensive here, than getting a train ticket in Malaysia and in comparison to the bus tickets from either side, the guarantee that I will always get a seat is more than enough for me, as standing in the bus for hours in a jam was what I hated most about travelling to Malaysia in the past,” commented 32-year-old Amirul Asyraf after returning from Malaysia for Hari Raya visiting. Is the Shuttle Tebrau the solution to the traffic problems in the border? Let us know at falcontimes@gmail.com.

ore lifts in HDB Multi-Story Carparks (MSCPs) will be built due to the high amount of vehicle ownership and requests from residents of Sembawang Group Representation Constituency (GRC). The first MSCP lift was installed in Sembawang in 2011. As of 2015, there are 69 MSCP lifts that are still undergoing construction in the Sembawang GRC district. Priority will be given to areas with high requests for MSCP lifts. “More HDB residents have been requesting for lifts to be installed in the MSCPs in order to provide more ease and convenience to those parking at higher floors,” says Mr Mohammed Yusof Bin Abdul Latif, a Property Manager of Sembawang Town Council. The provision of lifts is to provide greater accessibility for the residents and visitors, especially aiding families with young children and the elderly. Moreover, there is still a significant amount of 972,037 vehicle ownerships as of 2014. Madam Fan Keu May, an elderly woman who lives on her own in a rented HDB flat, finds it hard to find handicapped parking lots each time she reaches home late at night after a day out with her children. Moreover, she would bring her walking

stick around to support herself while climbing up and down the stairs. “By the time we reach home at night, there are no available carpark lots and same goes for the handicapped ones,” says Madam Santhi Rani, a senior citizen who lives with her children. Other residents of the district are hoping that with lifts installed at various MSCPs, it would be much easier for them to maneuver around, especially with heavy and bulky items. Muhammad Hilmi, an 18-year-old student who works at Yishun Country Club, thinks that the lift installation is a good idea. “Some people may have prams to bring around and an elderly on wheelchair to board the car. So it’s easier for them as they don’t need to bring the car down and it saves time,” he says. “It will be a bit more convenient because my parents wouldn’t need to unload the groceries or heavy objects but just park the car first and go down by the lift all at once,” said Nurul Izzah, a 17-year-old student who lives at Block 356, beside the MSCP that is undergoing lift installation. The MSCP lifts under Block 354A and 358A will come to completion by September. Singapore residents can expect lifts installed in their HDB MSCPs by 2017.

Young Jurong resident looking estatic with his first catch of the day.

PHOTO: CYNTHIA HO

By Cynthia Ho

elected as one of the three Destination Parks, renovations are ongoing in Jurong Lake Park and most residents are supportive of the change. Out of the 100 residents surveyed by The

Falcon Times, 90 per cent of the respondents are looking forward to the park revamp mainly because of the increased recreational opportunities for themselves and their family members. Its efforts are focused on Jurong Lake Gardens West, which will be renamed from Jurong Lake Park.

“My family and I enjoy going to the park on weekends but the limited shelters restricts the activities we can do, so we prefer to go other parks even though we live near Jurong Lake Park,” says Madam Winnie Cheong, 52, a resident of Ho Ching Road. “The place needs to be improved. They revamped the toilets but there’s no shower head,” says Mr Robin Ng, President of Jurong Lake Running Club, who then raised the concern that runners are unable to wash up after exercising at Jurong Lake Park. Other places like MacRitchie Reservoir provides such facilities for park users. While more residents are concerned about the uses of the park, some other residents are looking at the investment value of their houses located nearby after the completion of Jurong Lake Gardens. “Maybe it will increase my property value,” says Madam Cheong. Property consultants have mentioned that the house prices of residential areas near Jurong Lake Gardens are expected to rise. “The main reason is that this is the second CBD in Singapore announced by the government,” says Mr Johnny Goh, Senior Vice President of DWG Real Estate. Even with the benefits that Jurong Lake Gardens will bring, not all residents are keen for the transformations that will take place. Some residents are concerned that the park

would not be as peaceful after the developments. “This is quite a nice place for running, walking, exercise, fishing – all kinds of activities,” says Victor Lim, an active member of the Jurong Lake Running Club. “If you develop this place, this place will become more commercialised.” Others were concerned that the nearby Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) stations may be congested, as there is expected to be an influx of visitors to the area. “I wouldn’t want to see Lakeside or Chinese Garden MRT station become what it’s like at Jurong East MRT station where it is always so crowded, especially during peak hours,” says Goh Yunsi, a student from Hwa Chong Institution who takes public transport to school. Despite these concerns, the primary stage of renovation has already taken place. Jurong Lake Gardens will include Jurong Lake Gardens West and Jurong Lake Gardens Central, which comprise Chinese and Japanese Gardens, as well as Jurong Lake Gardens East where the new Science Centre will be located. The other two Destination Parks identified are East Coast Park and Admiralty Park. These three parks were chosen as they each bear distinctive traits and are located at the North, East and West of Singapore.

Flora Dengue Cases on the Rise

With the neighbourhood on red alert for dengue, people have started questioning the new construction sites in the area. By Hazique Hibri

esidents of the Flora estate have households in the estate. voiced their concerns on whether “The construction sites are being monthe construction sites in the area itored by the NEA so the residents need not have become breeding grounds for Aedes worry,” said Mr Quek Xin Xian, Executive mosquitoes. (3P) for the NEA. The Flora estate, located at the junction Furthermore, condominiums have not takof Flora Road and Flora Drive, has seen 15 en this issue lightly. cases of dengue fever since the start of July. “We have the fogging and oil treatment With new condominiums being erected in the of the drains in our condo every two weeks,” neighbourhood, residents have raised ques- says Madam Susilah Sunjita, 37, security tions on whether these guard of the Ferraria construction sites Park Condominium have taken approprialong Flora Drive. As a mother, I am ate procedures to preDespite this, she more worried for the vent the breeding of still feels exposed safety of my children these mosquitoes. to these mosquitoes “I hope the authorbecause her securibecause they are still ities do more strinty guard post is outstudying and cannot gent checks on these doors. “Every time I afford to fall sick construction sites in work I have no choice case they are breeding but to be outside so Lilian Tan these mosquitoes,” I still feel quite exResident says Mr Isaiah Tan, posed to these mos51, who has been living in the Flora estate for quitoes,” she adds. about 10 years. In spite of this, she trusts that the meas“I think the new construction sites could ures taken by the management will prevent the be unknowingly breeding these mosquitoes,” breeding of Aedes mosquitoes in the condosays Natasha Rey, 18. “It does not really con- minium. cern me very much because I spend my days Madam Lilian Tan, 46, is especially conin school and am barely at home,” she added. cerned about the welfare of her children. “As The National Environment Agency (NEA) a mother, I am more worried for the safety of is currently watching the situation. They have my children because they are still studying been conducting door-to-door checks on the and cannot afford to fall sick,” she says,

ILLUSTRATION BY: AHAPPYMUM.COM

emphasising that her youngest child is only 11 years old. Mr Quek urges residents to do their part by being on the alert for potential breeding spots in their own homes. He adds that the 5-step Mozzie Wipeout is a simple yet effective way to ensure that your home does not breed these mosquitoes. With 15 cases of dengue fever in July

alone, residents of the Flora estate are encouraged to stay vigilant to help stop the breeding of these mosquitoes. Everyone plays a part in keeping the neighbourhood dengue-free.

8 ARTS

THE FALCON TIMES | APRIL 2015 - AUGUST 2015

Igniting the SHINE in Youths

Is the arts scene in Singapore really dead after all? By Isabelle Liew & Sathia Selvam

ince 2005, the National Youth Council (NYC) has been lighting up the Youth Month of July with the SHINE

Festival. SHINE Youth Festival is the annual highpoint celebration of youths nationwide where youths showcase their talents. The festival promotes talent development and highlights inspiring youth leaders and role-models. The theme of this year’s Festival is “Build Your World”. Youths are encouraged to explore their interests and passions, form partnerships to pursue their aspirations, as well as expand on their talents to leave a positive impact on the community. This is done through various performances and programmes, held over three days from Jul 10 to 12, featuring international celebrities such as Ryan Higa, David Choi, Arden Cho and Lydia Paek, along with local artist Shigga Shay, YouTube artistes Night Owl Cinematics and many more. Programmes such as breakdancing with Radikal Forze and meet-and-greet sessions with David Choi and Lydia Paek garnered much attention from the youths. “Be inspired by what you see in SHINE, be inspired by the artists that you are seeing and continue with your passion, continue to aspire to your dreams, to achieve all that you are and all that you want to do,” said Guest of Honour Lawrence Wong, Minister for Culture, Community and Youth, in his opening speech for the show on Jul 11. Youths were indeed inspired by the festival, and had positive comments about it. “SHINE Festival was awesome! We really had a blast watching the local artists performing side by side YouTube stars,” says Rajdave Singh, 18, an aspiring singer from Jurong Junior College, after watching the performances on Jul 11.

For US-based local artist, DAN aka DAN, his debut performance at SHINE Festival was well-received by many Singaporeans in attendance. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD FARHAN “I was definitely inspired. I have more ‘feels’ to follow my dreams now since it worked out for so many artists,” he adds.

Always follow your dreams, believe in yourself Shigga Shay Local Rapper

Renick Lee, 23, an aspiring musician, was pleased with the festival as it introduced him to many new artists. “I came here for Ryan Higa but this is my

first time hearing of DAN aka DAN, and he’s surprisingly good. He’s the one I’m most impressed with,” he says. On the local arts scene, he adds, “I do think that the government is doing something for the arts scene here. I get opportunities to pursue music, but I will still continue with my day job.” Nur Ain Amelina, a 20-year-old student from Republic Polytechnic, was also inspired by the festival, although she does not intend to pursue a career in the arts. She says, “This festival taught me that anything is possible if you put the effort into it, and I feel more motivated to do better in school.” According to a survey done by The Falcon Times, 84 out of the 100 respondents think

think that the arts scene in Singapore is not receiving enough recognition. On the other hand, founder of Band of Doodles, Mas Shafreen, who did a live drawing scene along Orchard Road for the festival, feels thankful that the government is sustaining the local arts scene. “When was the last time we were allowed to draw on the roadside and even have the roads closed just for us? They have loosened up a lot over the years,” he adds. Local rapper Shigga Shay also thinks that the arts scene has “changed a lot, there are a lot more opportunities now”. “We will be with you every step of the way as you go for your dreams. Do us proud and carry the Singapore flag everywhere you go,” said Guest of Honour Lawrence Wong.

24 Teams. 24 Dancers. 1 Dream. Teamwork and ingenuity is key to surviving the strenuous competition.

TEAM FALCON Editor Isabelle Liew Sub-Editor Iffah Nadhirah Designer Hazique Hibri Designer Sathia Selvam Reporter Cynthia Ho Reporter Muhammad Farhan

By Hazique Hibri

nnual dance competition, Super 24, was held on the streets of Orchard Road for the first time as part of the National Youth Council’s SHINE Festival. Bounded by an eight-by-eight square metre stage, 24 teams consisting of 24 dancers each competed for 12 spots in the Open Category Finals. With only 60 seconds, the teams must strive to impress the judges with their teamwork, choreography, musicality and skills. Placed right in the heart of Orchard Road, between Paragon and Takashimaya shopping malls, the competition attracted a large crowd of onlookers who gave their support for the teams competing. Team Havoc, who emerged as the champions for the Preliminary Round, generated a lot of buzz in the crowd as they stepped up on stage for their routine. “It was not easy for us to put 24 dancers from extremely different backgrounds together to compete, which explains our team name Havoc,” said Mohamed Arif in an email interview, one of the dancers for Havoc.

24 teams 24 dancers 60 seconds to impress 4 judges ILLUSTRATION BY: HAZIQUE HIBRI

Not only was he a dancer for Havoc, but he was also a choreographer for Zuko, which was placed fourth for the Preliminary Round. “I felt like a proud dad. Only we know the pain the team had to go through to reach where they are now,” he said. It was his first time choreographing a routine for the competition. He added, “Seeing them able to share their own stories with the crowd was a big thing for me. I will never trade that feeling for anything.” Lee Chun Wein, leader of Team Zuko, said, “Now that we’re past the Preliminary Round, we want to push harder for the finals and who knows, maybe we can even beat Havoc.” Sadly, the journey of 12 other teams came

to an end, as only 12 could make it through to the finals. “We would take all 24 teams to the finals if we could, but sadly we cannot,” said renowned dance choreographer Fredy Kosman, who was a judge for the competition this year. However, he adds, “I cannot wait to see what the final 12 teams have in store for us for the finals.” Kosman will also be judging for the Open Category Finals. Despite his team not qualifying for the finals, choreographer Mr Chan Jia Jun of NRA Meraki still spoke about his team with much pride. “They have won the hearts of many, and we have received a lot of good messages from people who were moved by our piece,” he says. Powered by the National Youth Council as part of SHINE Festival in 2015, Super 24 is an annual dance competition that features 24 dancers competing in a square for the chance to be crowned champions. The final stage of the competition was held on Jul 19.