The Nanyang Chronicle Vol 22 Issue 04

THE NANYANG

CHRONICLE

VOL. NO.

22

04 12.10.15

ISSN NO. 0218-7310

STUDENTS TAKE CHARGE More food and merchandise options at The Hive

NEWS | 03

NARELLE KHENG TAKES HEART

TRAVERSING HO CHI MINH CITY LIFESTYLE | 04 - 05

DAPPER | 13 - 14

News

Travelling to NTU made easy

Students now benefit from NTU’s evolving transport landscape with new shuttle buses and a carpooling initiative Loh Pui Ying Prisca Ang

T

he University is exploring new transportation options to accommodate students island-wide, through new shuttle bus services and a student-led carpooling initiative.

Most students the Nanyang Chronicle spoke to welcomed the new shuttle buses, which depart from Ang Mo Kio, Marine Parade, Punggol and Pasir Ris. “I was thrilled when I heard about the new buses. It has always been a hassle travelling from the East to the West,” said Wilfred Wong, a first-year student from the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

“I usually go back to my hall on Sunday nights to avoid the rush-hour train crowd on Monday mornings,” added the 21-year-old, who lives in Pasir Ris. The four new shuttle services were launched on 28 Sep, and timings range from 7am to 7.20am.

However, some were hesitant about relying on the shuttle buses

ALL ABOARD: Students board the shuttle bus at Ang Mo Kio MRT, one of the four new shuttle bus services launched by the University.

PHOTO: CLIFFORD LEE

as their main form of transport.

“I was unable to board the Tampines shuttle buses on multiple occasions, so I’ll probably stick to public transportation instead,” said Thirunavukarasu GT, 22, a thirdyear student from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Others like Carissa Tan, 19, a first-year student from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, would rather take the train than wake up early in the morning to catch the shuttle.

Apart from the new shuttle services, students can ride on a

student-led carpooling initiative: Let’s Tom Pang, which aims to reduce pollution by cutting down the number of cars on the roads.

“Tompang” is a colloquial term derived from the Malay language for hitching a ride. The project is helmed by a group of six students from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI), as part of their social media and digital campaign management module.

A carpooling community is timely as most cars travel below full capacity, said group member Jeremy Hau, 22, a third-year stu-

dent from WKWSCI. In Singapore, cars transport an average of 1.7 people, a far cry from the maximum number of four a typical sedan can ferry, according to a study by the Land Transport Authority.

To find out if people are open to offering rides to strangers, the group had one of their friends stand outside the WKWSCI building, holding a board that stated her need for a ride to the National Institute of Education. Four people stopped for her in a span of 20 minutes.

“We found that people have the

intention to offer rides, so we hope to create a carpooling platform as people lack one,” added Hau. Under the project, participants can sign up on the Let’s Tom Pang Facebook page to either post offers or request for rides. Over 80 participants have signed up since 5 Oct, when the project was launched.

The page has received more than 250 likes.

Carpooling solutions such as Let’s Tom Pang are a part of Singapore’s evolving transport landscape.

With the emergence of the sharing economy, people prefer to rent services when needed, said Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo in her speech at this year’s Committee of Supply debate.

Many think it is smarter to be free of a car loan, and rely on a mix of transport options including buses, trains and car-sharing services, Mrs Teo added.

While NTU’s new services are still being tried and tested, the transport scene here is on the road to change.

Hau, who spent a semester in the United States on exchange, believes passengers are more willing to hitch a ride if the stranger is from the same university.

“I am no longer afraid of getting into a complete stranger’s car because I believe there is good in humanity. If carpooling is wellreceived here, we’ll definitely be headed towards a less car-reliant society,” he added.

Lifestyle hub opens with Korean eatery Prisca Ang & Shaun Tan News Editor

THE first in a string of new shops at NTU’s upcoming North Spine lifestyle hub opened its doors to customers this month.

Located near the OCBC Frank branch, Paik’s Bibimbap offers an alternative to the fast food options in the area, said franchise co-owner Mr Michael Chan.

The Korean casual dining restaurant, which started operations on 5 Oct, serves healthier versions of bibimbap.

“Our meals consist of a larger portion of raw vegetables — they’re a mix between salads and normal bibimbap dishes,” said Mr Chan.

The North Spine outlet is the franchise’s fifth in Singapore. Prices on the menu range from $3 for a side dish of steamed eggs to $8.90

for a bowl of seafood bibimbap.

Paik’s Bibimbap is only one in the range of new food & beverage (F&B) options that students and staff will be able to enjoy by the end of this year.

When ready, the North Spine lifestyle hub will feature a supermarket, a salon and popular eateries. It will be sheltered by a semi-transparent bubble roof, and occupy the area outside the Lee Wee Nam library.

Although the University’s management is unable to disclose the names of potential tenants due to ongoing negotiations, it confirmed that the hub will have more than 24 retail and F&B outlets.

Some of these — such as convenience stores — will be available 24/7. Others will operate during normal working hours, incl weekends.

Students said they appreciate healthier choices like Paik’s Bibimbap, given the prevalence of fast food in the North Spine.

“Apart from the food courts at the North Spine, most of its F&B options are still fast food such as KFC and McDonald’s,” said Sheen Chick, 19, a first-year student from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The two-storey lifestyle hub will accommodate F&B, retail outlets, and performance spaces on its lower level, while its upper level will consist of study spots and open-air platforms where students can interact.

In addition, students can put their business ideas into action by renting pushcarts and selling products at a designated space on the first floor.

“The new hub is set to become a magnet for our students, faculty, staff and others who live on campus,” said Associate Provost (student life) Dr Kwok Kian Woon.

Students said they were unconcerned that there will be greater crowds in the North Spine when the new stores open.

MORE OPTIONS: Korean casual dining restaurant Paik’s Bibimbap adds to the variety of PHOTO: CORIN TOO F&B options in the North Spine.

“The current eateries are too crowded during lunchtime anyway, so anything to divert the crowd would be good. More variety is always welcome,” said Ong Kheng Hian, 22, a first-year student from the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information.

The food and retail scene at NTU

has changed significantly over the years, said Mr Chan from Paik’s Bibimbap.

The 41-year-old, an alumnus from the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, said: “With the hub, the landscape here is bound to become more diverse as new options are made available.”

THE NANYANG

VOL. NO.

NEWS

22

CHRONICLE 04

03

NTU Co-op adds buzz to The Hive

The café and merchandise store run by the Co-op give students more reason to visit The Hive

notebooks, tee-shirts and mugs. It released a limited edition Engineering T-shirt at the Co-op Shop.

Wallet-friendly cafe

Loh Pui Ying

A

shop selling NTU merchandise and a cafe serving affordable western food have opened at The Hive.

The Co-op Shop and CO-OP@ NTU Café are part of a cooperative concept where the University community owns and manages social enterprises.

The idea of forming a co-op started in 2013, when a group of student leaders saw an opportunity for student-initiated businesses.

The start-ups allow students to develop entrepreneurial skills and hone their leadership abilities, said Kavan Koh, 24, Co-op president.

“Students are the ones setting the direction for the merchandise shop and the café, for example, what products to sell and which sellers to approach,” said Koh. The Co-op Committee of Management (COM) comprises students and staff as well as advisors from NTU faculties. He added that they received assistance from NTU museum director Ms Faith Teh, and Mr Ong Kee Sing, the director of NTUitive — the University’s innovation and enterprise company.

Besides permanent staff, the coop also hires student part-timers under NTU’s Work Study Scheme.

Students can also pay a one-off

WAIT YOUR TURN: The café, with cheaper western food on its menu, draws a lunch crowd, with customers waiting up to 30 minutes to get their orders.

PHOTO: ALVIN HO

fee of $10 to sign up as a member and enjoy 5 to 10 per cent discounts at CO-OP@NTU Café and the merchandise store.

The Co-op Shop sells NTU shirts and bags, as well as products from various social enterprises and student entrepreneurs. Its bestselling items include NTU tee-shirts and merchandise from The Animal Project, a social enterprise that celebrates and supports the abilities of

people with special needs.

Items sold are in line with the Co-op’s values of benefiting the society as a social enterprise, added Koh, a final-year student from the School of Computer Engineering (SCE).

Other products sold in the store include art prints from Pathlight Mall, which carries works by people with special needs, and small teddy bears from TeddyThotz,

which champions the creative talents of people like the elderly, the poor, and the disadvantaged.

Botanicaire and The Noteway are two of the student entrepreneur brands also featured in the store.

Created by In Vitro Pte Ltd, an enterprise set up by two NTU alumni in 2010, Botanicaire features a line of specialised plants which purify the air, while The Noteway focuses on printing and designing

CO-OP@NTU Café, which opened on 14 Sep, has been a hit with its pocket-friendly mains ranging from $3 to $10. Some students compared its food favourably to that of Pitchstop, a popular cafe in NTU. Popular dishes include tom yum pasta ($5.50) and pan-fried dory ($6).

“I like the carbonara at the Coop Café because it’s cheaper and nicer than the one at Pitchstop, where prices are around $10,” said Russell Loh, a third-year student from the School of Computer Engineering.

“I think the café is a good addition to The Hive. If not for the food I wouldn’t even visit the place because my lessons are mostly at North Spine,” the 24-year-old added.

The café will also soon be halalcertified.

However, the waiting time for food during peak hours can be as long as 30 minutes.

Customers are given a queue number after they have paid for their food. They then present their receipt for food collection when their number shows at the counter.

Waiting times can be lengthy as the kitchen is shorthanded, said Toni Miharja, 20, Co-op marketing director.

The first-year student from SCE said it would take time for the café to make adjustments as it only opened recently.

Stallholders feel the pinch Holly Matthews Shermane Wong Chan Shu Hui RISING ingredient costs, labour wages and rental prices have forced some NTU food operators to raise prices while others chose to absorb the costs to keep food affordable for students.

Food stalls on campus that have upped their prices include the Indian food stall at Koufu, Canteen B, and frozen yogurt chain Llao Llao.

Ms Palaniyayee, 60, who runs the Indian food stall in Koufu, said that she increased her prices to cover rising rental and labour costs.

However, she has only increased her prices by 10 cents. For example, a plain prata now costs 60 cents.

Llao Llao, which opened last semester, initially sold its popular Sanum, a yogurt parfait, at just $5.90, but the dessert now costs $6.50.

Ms Jojo Choo from Llao Llao Asia said: “Rising costs have always been a factor we try to control.

“We always try our best to offer the best possible prices to our valued customers.”

A faculty member who noticed

the increase in prices told the Nanyang Chronicle that he understood the rising prices but thinks the increases should be gradual.

Associate Professor Lee Yong Tsui from the School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering said: “It is almost always a law of nature that prices go up. The actual issue isn’t the upward trend, but the size of the increases.

"Students are always the hardest hit, and we need to think of them,” he added.

Other stallholders the Chronicle spoke to said they have kept prices of food low to keep meals affordable for the campus’ population.

One such stallholder is Mr Aaron Ng, 32, who sells waffles at Canteen 13. He said the cost of his waffles ingredients has increased by about 20 per cent. Nonetheless, he has opted not to increase prices — with waffle prices ranging between $1.10 to $2.

“I will earn less but the customers are still here. The customers are more important,” said Mr Ng. Mr Joe Tan, 43, managing director of Food Canopy, which operates Canteens 1 and 2, said they have maintained a low rental cost so stallholders would not need to increase prices.

KEEPING UP: Prices at the Indian food stall in Canteen B have increased by $0.10, but the outlet is still doing brisk business.

PHOTO: NICHOLAS YEO

“We will do our best to keep a lid on prices as long as possible,” he said.

He added that students could help reduce labour costs by returning their plates and keeping the canteens clean.

NTU Chief Housing and Auxiliary Services Officer, Mr Jimmy Lee, said the University strives to offer a variety of affordable options, with

the various canteens providing dishes priced between $2.50 to $3.

Fast-food outlets have a cheaper institutional price.

A double cheeseburger at McDonald’s in the North Spine costs $2.50, 40 cents less than at its Jurong Point outlet, while a KFC 2-piece chicken meal is a full dollar cheaper on campus than off, at $6.50.

Mr Lee added that stall owners and operators have to undergo a rigorous approval process if they wanted to increase their food prices.

Mdm Chong Swee Chin, 63, who works in the drink stall at Canteen 13, said they have not increased prices even though their profits fell.

“We have a sense of responsibility for the students,” she said.

Lifestyle travelogue

And in true murder mystery fashion, we found ourselves dumbfounded by some of the leads.

But in a way, hunting for clues made us wary of the details and intricacies of Cholon, something we fully appreciated.

After spending much time immersed in a world uncovering its culture and mystery, we managed to solve the murder and went away with more than just a rewarding tour of the place.

VENTURING TO

VIETNAM

Culinary escapades Groceries don’t get any fresher than at Ben Tanh Market.

We were ready to explore the city’s largest wet market, which locals swarm to at the crack of dawn to snag up the freshest goods. From lotus stems to bloody pig brains, Ben Tanh is not your usual wet market.

“Don’t hesitate when you start walking. And don’t make eye contact with the drivers — they can sense your fear.”

An Nhien, 32 Airbnb Superhost, Ho Chi Minh City

After we were done getting the items, we headed to the academy of Saigon Cooking Class, where we were guided by a chef in recreating some popular local dishes, one of which is the Fresh Rice Noodle with

Barbecued Pork.

The chef provided brief explanations on the history of the dishes, such as how people often have the misconception that pho (Vietnamese rice noodle soup) was synonymous with Vietnamese food culture, when actually the locals prefer having the dry alternative instead.

The dishes that we were tasked to whip up were relatively easy and did not require complex ingredients or cooking techniques.

As the chef meticulously brought us through the various steps, we soon found ourselves completing three authentic Vietnamese dishes from scratch. Wolfing down our products (which we admit were pretty delicious), we were thoroughly satiated with the whole experience.

While it definitely gave us a sense of accomplishment like no other, we decided to take a much needed break by visiting a restaurant named Hoa Tuc, which serves an array of authentic Vietnamese delicacies.

The chefs at this place combine flavours from different regions of Vietnam, resulting in an eclectic and innovative menu.

Among the plethora of dishes we ordered was a salad medley of pink pomelo, squid, crab with Vietnamese herbs and fish saucecitrus dressing.

While it might sound like a jumble of strong flavours, the dish came together really well. The saltiness of the fish sauce balanced out the sweet tanginess of the pomelo, and both complemented the fresh seafood.

However, our favourite was definitely the soft shell crab with passionfruit sauce,

Lifestyle Editors Chelsea Tang and Fabian Loo journey through the bustle of Ho Chi Minh City, as they attempt to steer away from tourist traps while experiencing the rich culture and history of Vietnam in the most unconventional of ways.

T

he cab ride to our apartment from the airport was eye-opening to say the least. As we traversed through the streets, our senses were inundated by a flurry of unfamiliar sights and sounds.

Motorcycles flanked us as we passed by the roads filled with street vendors, backdropped by brand new malls and hotels.

Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City.

With a myriad of delectable dishes and breathtaking landmarks, this city is one of Asia’s definitive tourist destinations.

Here, the main mode of transportation for locals is motorbikes. They pack the streets, making it almost impossible for us

to cross the roads. We finally reached our apartment, which belonged to Airbnb host Ms An Nhien, 32. She earned the title of a ‘Superhost’ after receiving multiple rave reviews from tourists.

The first thing we asked for was some pointers on tackling the traffic.

“Don’t hesitate when you start walking,” she said. “And don’t make eye contact with the drivers — they can sense your fear.”

When in Saigon Our very first adventure began with us exploring the city in true Vietnamese fashion — on motorbikes. We met up with our friendly tour guides from Triip’s Saigon

BIKER GANG: Locals start learning how to ride motorcycles as young as the age of 17.

Lovers, who exemplified exactly how the locals weave through the busy traffic as we rode pillion.

Triip is an international platform that connects tourists with locals who wish to host private tours and spread their own culture. From there, we found Saigon Lovers, a team of passionate young people from Ho Chi Minh City who are keen on presenting the authentic side of Vietnam.

We had many of our conversations as they battled the heavy traffic, a testament to their driving prowess.

They were keen to take us to places that we would not find on tourist maps.

True to their word, from visiting a temple surrounded by water, to snacking on Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwich) in the city’s town garden, we discovered places we would have never got to on our own. It definitely broadened our horizons on how the people of the city live their lives.

Transported into narrative Imagine exploring the Chinatown district of Ho Chi Minh City through the lens of a private detective. We had the chance to do so with Urban Tales, a city tour disguised as a full-scale investigation complete with actors.

After being given a script of a murder case, we were left to our own devices – to traverse the streets of Cholon to solve the crime with a map and a compass.

Hidden clues lead participants on a journey designed to show off the charms of Cholon. Often embedded within interesting

landmarks, the clues create an experience where people can get lost in the settings, and the narrative of the mystery.

Throughout the tour, we found ourselves in stunning locations away from the hustle and bustle of main streets. From traditional Chinese medical stores to centuries-old temples like the Ha Chong Assembly Hall, we felt as if we were true investigators caught in the thick of a Vietnamese murder.

FINE AND FRESH: Hoa Tuc’s menu successfully incorporates fresh fruits such as pomelo and passionfruit.

WET AND WEATHERED: Live seafood are available for sale at Ho Chi Minh’s City biggest wet market.

which came highly recommended by the staff. The crispy green rice batter gave the dish a light crunch, while the tart fragrance of the passionfruit allowed for this deepfried dish to be less cloying.

Hoa Tuc ultimately won our hearts over.

Aptly named after an opium flower, it was only a matter of time before we got hooked on the contemporary Vietnamese dishes that the restaurant serves.

More than meets the eye Taking the city by motorbikes once more (though this time with more padding), we zipped off on a tour conducted by Vespa adventures to the lesser-visited places of Ho Chi Minh City.

We rode on Vespas as the drivers skilfully swerved through the cityscape which quickly regressed into the shanty town of District 2.

What greeted us was a sombre facade, where the poverty-stricken were left in an area with only the most basic of shelters and necessities.

Most of the houses which used to surround this piece of land have been torn down by

the government to make way for a new city park. This left the last few people — who were waiting for relocation — in a sea of rubble.

It bewildered us that what separated the area from everything else we saw was merely the Saigon River. When we looked across from District 2, we saw a concrete jungle filled with skyscrapers and the busy traffic, a stark contrast from where we stood.

“Exploring a country isn’t just about visiting the glamourous sides of it,” said Ms Dhieu, our tour guide for the trip. “In understanding that there is more beyond what people usually see makes you an insider — congratulations, you’re now an insider of Ho Chi Minh City.”

While it may be fun to explore Ho Chi Minh City, meeting people who were displaced from the city made us feel a little more tied to the city’s history and culture. In a way, it helped us appreciate our home and country even more.

“Exploring a country isn’t just about visiting the glamourous sides of it.”

Dhieu, 28 Tour Guide Vespa Adventures, Vietnam

End of the road As we bid farewell to Ms Nhien and her cosy apartment, we think we might have found the perfect way to describe Ho Chi Minh City.

It is a city that is in constant commute.

From the roads that were packed to the corners, to the narrow, snaking ones that ran through the old and new of the city, people were always heading somewhere.

Whether it is the evolution of Vietnam to its current modern and growing state or the everyday lives of locals, the rusticity that pervades the nation remains despite the changes, and is unique to a city that has overcome so much.

New York might be the city that never sleeps, but Ho Chi Minh has a rhythm that is unmatched.

SAIGON SUBWAY: A typical Banh Mi consists of pickled vegetables and roasted pork.

OFFSHORE ISLAND: The location of the Floating Temple is so obscure that even locals do not know much about it.

PHOTOS: JOEL LIM, AUSTEN CHOO

Accomodation was sponsored by Airbnb.

06

LIFESTYLE

THE NANYANG

VOL. NO.

22

CHRONICLE 04

foodsnoop

BRANDED DINING Popular retail brands are beginning to expand into the food and beverage industry in Singapore.

Join Lifestyle Writers Claudia Chong and Ariel Pang as they visit two such cafés to see if they live up to their reputations.

Café&Meal MUJI

K

nown for its clean and minimally designed products, household retail store MUJI now features a food and beverage outlet — Café&Meal MUJI. The same no-frills concept is also exemplified in their interior.

With a menu of more than 20 dishes, also known as delis, to choose from, we knew we had to go for the option with the most variety — the 4-Deli set ($16.90).

The set allowed us to sample two hot and two cold delis, that can be paired with either rice or bread.

The cold delis we chose were both salads, the first of which was the Hijiki Salad, which had great balance in terms of texture and flavour.

We loved the tanginess of the wafu dressing, which complemented the briny taste of the seaweed.

The chewy chunks of squid also provided a welcoming contrast to the crisp vegetables and soft peanuts.

The Prawn and Edamame Salad with Spiced Mayo Sauce

The Monocle Café FOUNDED in 2007 as a global affairs and lifestyle magazine, Monocle has since evolved into a global media brand with its own 24-hour radio station.

You would expect The Monocle Café to look as luxurious as its brand, so its unassuming store exterior came as a surprise to us.

Nestled among quaint residential houses in Holland Village, The Monocle Café is the first Southeast Asian Monocle retail store that opened last December. The café is not so much a café as it is a retail

was our favourite deli. It was an amalgamation of succulent prawns and sliced cherry tomatoes, topped with spicy mayonnaise.

The edamame (young soybeans), was a tad too tough for our liking, but still complemented the rest of the ingredients.

For the first hot deli, we chose the Fried Chicken Sweet Chili Mayonnaise. The meat was tender on the inside and crispy on the

outside. We really enjoyed the slight spiciness from the mayonnaise, as it served as a good complement to the overall sweetness of the dish. It was no wonder that the dish was one of their bestsellers.

However, the Black Vinegar Sweet Sour Pork — the second deli we chose — was a miss for us.

The sour flavour from the vinegar overwhelmed the sweet sauce, and seemed like a confusing mesh of ideas.

At the end of our meal, we couldn't help but feel that the dining experience at Café&Meal MUJI was somewhat similar to eating at economical rice stores, apart from the higher prices.

But with fresh ingredients, Café&Meal MUJI is a great place to indulge and get a well-balanced, quality meal.

CAFÉ&MEAL MUJI 290 Orchard Road, Orchard Paragon #04–36 to 40 S238859 FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The fare at Café&Meal MUJI reminded us of mixed vegetable rice.

shop with a coffee bar.

Upon entering the store, we were greeted by gentle jazz tunes from a vintage radio.

The serenity of the shop provided a respite from the bustle of the outside world.

We first made our order of a cup of Japanese Green Tea ($4) and a Flat White ($6) from the coffee bar.

Seating areas were all outdoors, with wooden furnishings that lent a natural and laid-back atmosphere to the café.

The coffee bar might lack in variety, but it definitely make up for it in quality.

The Flat White was brewed

BLACK AND WHITE: The strong Monocle branding is evident in the things they serve.

from Allpress beans, a premium coffee blend from New Zealand, and offered a robust and clean fragrance as compared to the standard café fare.

We also loved the aftertaste that was neither too bitter nor too heavy on the palate.

Our cup of Japanese Green Tea was refreshing and served as a pleasant accompaniment to the

PHOTOS: CLAUDIA CHONG

rich thickness of the milk chocolate that our drinks were served with.

For $19.90, customers could also get the most recent issue of the Monocle along with a drink of their choice. The magazine retails for the same price at newsstands.

With its simple menu of quality beverages, a peaceful ambience and quaint layout, The Monocle Café is indeed a charming place for

PLAIN AS DAY: Monocle's clean exterior might make it difficult to spot.

Opening Hours: 10am - 9.30pm daily

an afternoon of light reading and unwinding.

THE MONOCLE CAFÉ 74 Jalan Kelabu Asap S278267 Opening Hours: 11am - 8pm daily

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Reviews movie review

EVEREST

Adventure, Drama (PG) Jason Clarke, Jake Gyllenhaal, Josh Brolin, Keira Knightley 121 min



I

t is human nature for people to dream big, and sometimes that dream involves standing on one of the highest natural points of the world.

Everest examines how some individuals are willing to push themselves to their absolute limits to achieve a lifelong goal, and while the film might be slightly hindered by its factual origins, it is a story worth telling nonetheless.

The events in Everest are based on the 1996 Mount Everest Disaster, one of the deadliest days in the mountain’s storied history.

The film chronicles the challenges faced by two expedition groups as they attempt to reach the summit of the world’s tallest mountain, and their fight for survival as they make their subsequent descent through a life-threatening blizzard.

The first thing that audiences will notice about Everest is its massive sense of scale.

The film does an effective job in making

MAN VS WILD: Rob Hall (Jason Clarke) leads a team to take on Mount Everest.

Mount Everest feel larger than life, and the frequent use of wide aerial shots are a reminder of how tall and daunting the mountain truly is.

With its treacherous features and unpredictable conditions, the mountain is as much of a character in the film as the people climbing it.

Despite featuring a star-studded cast that includes the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Clarke and Josh Brolin, none of the characters

PHOTO: UNIVERSAL PICTURES

in Everest are particularly prominent, with everyone receiving roughly the same amount of focus and screen time.

While this might lead to weak character development in other movies, the lack of a central protagonist actually works in favour of a film based on historical events.

It accentuates the fact that the characters were all real people — no one more important than the other — and the mountain’s indifference to protagonists is a poignant

reminder of the hubris of man in a world we do not fully understand.

Everest’s commitment to telling an accurate recount of events, however, leads to certain shortcomings from a storytelling perspective.

Much like in real life, the narrative goes on regardless of the circumstances, leading to a lack of character resolution that is usually seen in movies.

On more than one occasion, character deaths are glossed over by other teammates in light of their own struggle to survive, which is a tragic depiction of actual life-anddeath situations on Mount Everest.

Fortunately, the film strikes a balance in providing just enough backstory for audiences to still be invested in each character’s fate.

From an expectant father to a mailman desperately attempting to validate his life, the characters in Everest are honest enough to elicit a sympathetic response.

When examined as a whole, Everest appears to be more concerned with documenting the human spirit — or the fallacy of it — rather than presenting a compelling narrative.

The film’s refusal to adhere to traditional storytelling conventions, however, makes for a rather unique cinematic experience, and is worth a watch for those looking for something a little different.

-Jared Alex Tan

game review

GOTTA MATCH ’EM ALL POKEMON SHUFFLE MOBILE The Pokémon Company Free on the App Store / Google Play



W

hen it comes to anime series, most have their fair share of fans, but few are as universally loved as the wildly popular Pokémon franchise.

Be it watching the cartoon on Saturday mornings or playing the iconic red / blue / yellow versions on a GameBoy, Pikachu and gang are sure to hold a special place in the hearts of anyone born in the 1990s.

Originally released on the Nintendo 3DS, Pokémon Shuffle Mobile is a Candy Crush Saga-esque puzzle game that replaces inanimate candies with everybody’s favourite pocket monsters.

In each stage, players choose a team of four to be randomly placed on a game board to “battle” a wild Pokémon.

Attacks are released every time players form a match-three or more, and they have to defeat the opponent by reducing its health to zero within a predetermined number of turns, depending on the stage.

In true Pokémon fashion, players have a chance to capture defeated opponents,

which makes them available for use in subsequent battles.

As the mobile version of a fully developed game, Pokémon Shuffle Mobile benefits from surprisingly deep game mechanics that are easy to understand, yet difficult to master.

Using a rock-paper-scissors system, players must strategically tailor their lineup for each battle to deal the most damage, and also take the multitude of special abilities into consideration as well.

For example, fire type Pokémon can deal twice their normal attack damage to grass type Pokémon, and the “burn” ability can cause additional damage to the opponent even after the player’s turn ends.

Furthermore, opponents can sometimes possess abilities of their own to hinder a player’s progress, which adds another dimension to the gameplay.

As a freemium game, Pokémon Shuffle Mobile is free to download, but features a microtransaction aspect as well.

Players can use real money to purchase power ups and hearts, the latter being required to attempt a stage.

Fortunately, a new heart is generated for free every 20 minutes, and this reasonable waiting time will allow players to enjoy the full Pokémon Shuffle Mobile experience without spending a single cent.

The hallmark of a good game also lies in its replay value, and Pokémon Shuffle Mobile

definitely delivers in that respect.

The “gotta catch ’em all” mentality will have players repeatedly revisiting earlier levels to catch some of the more elusive Pokémon, and due to the regeneration time of hearts, it can take more than a day to catch a single one.

With over 300 Pokémon featured in the game, it will take a significant amount of time before there’s even an end in sight.

For those worried that Pokémon Shuffle Mobile will lead to players ignoring their friends while they try to catch a wild Togepi, they will be pleased to know that the game features a social media aspect as well.

Players can connect the game to their Facebook accounts, allowing them to track their friends’ progress, and — once a day — exchange hearts with each other.

Whether you’re waiting for friends or taking a long MRT ride, Pokémon Shuffle Mobile is an ideal companion to kill some spare time.

It has enough features to keep gameplay fresh and interesting, and the heart system will (ironically) prevent players from getting too addicted.

If you’re only going to have one game on your phone, then Pokémon Shuffle Mobile definitely has the potential to be a perfect match.

-Jared Alex Tan

PHOTO: THE POKÉMON COMPANY

IT’S A MATCH: Much like other match-three puzzle games such as Candy Crush Saga, the main objective of Pokémon Shuffle Mobile is to line three (or more) of the same Pokémon to deal damage to the opponent.

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REVIEWS

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spotlight

CHANGING PERSPECTIVES Film fanatics rejoice — the annual Perspectives Film Festival is back with seven films that changed the face of cinema. Reviews Editor Jared Alex Tan sits down with several members of this year's team to find out more about the festival's theme of Transition.

FINDING ONESELF: Landscape in the Mist — a story about two siblings leaving home in search of a father they've never met— is just one of seven films that will be screened at this year's Perspectives Film Festival. PHOTO: GREEK FILM CENTRE

L

ectures and textbooks are great tools for improving your knowledge, but some things are best learnt through pure experience. When it comes to understanding the complexities of a film festival, there is no better way to learn than by organising one yourself.

The Perspectives Film Festival is organised annually by undergraduates from NTU as part of the Film Festival Practicum module offered by the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI).

Currently in its eighth year, the Perspectives 2015 team comprises of 20 students from the faculties of WKWSCI; Art, Design and Media; Humanities and Social Sciences; and Nanyang Business School.

Like many other film festivals, the theme of Perspectives changes every year, and while previous iterations have explored a wide range of topics that include sexuality (2012) and displacement (2014), each one is grounded by the underlying concept of “breakthroughs in cinema”.

As the name suggests, every featured film is required to possess a breakthrough of some sort, be it in terms of cinematography or social importance.

The Canadian drama Mommy, for example, was shot in a square framed 1:1 aspect ratio, while Turtles Can Fly was the first film to be made in Iraq after the fall of Saddam Hussein.

For festival directors Tan Yang Er and Anna Lai — both students from WKWSCI — one of their goals was to make Perspectives accessible to a wide range of audiences, from arthouse enthusiasts to more casual moviegoers.

The pair also hopes that all viewers will appreciate the films not just as entertainment, but as an art form.

“Prior to joining Perspectives, I wasn’t a movie fanatic, and preferred to watch dramas on TV,” Lai said. “Through this festival I learnt a lot — like how everything a director does is for a specific purpose — and I guess that is what we want to showcase to the audience.”

Striving for diversity

The theme for this year’s Perspectives Film Festival is “Transition”, which Tan describes as “an external change that causes an internal difference”.

The concept is an amalgamation of several ideas, derived from three of the programming team’s original pitches of “travel”, “murder and madness”, and “dreams”.

Bringing the theme to life, however, was not without its fair share of obstacles.

According to head programmer Chong Jun Feng, the main challenge was to ensure that the selection of films wholly encapsulated the abstract concept of transition.

“There are so many types of transition — from coming of age, to joining the army, and so on,” said the final-year WKWSCI student. "What we tried to do from the very start was to ensure that there was one film from every category."

Chong and his fellow programmers continued pushing for that notion of variety, striving to feature one film from every continent, and one from each decade starting from 1950.

AN INTERVIEW WITH: THE FESTIVAL DIRECTORS PHOTO: FESTIVAL'S OWN

“Through this festival I learnt a lot — like how everything a director does is for a specific purpose — and I guess that is what we want to showcase to the audience."

Anna Lai, 20 Festival director, Perspectives Film Festival 2015

The list of potential films was eventually reduced to twenty, and it took one month of careful deliberation before the team managed to decide on the seven films that would make the Perspectives 2015 lineup.

Looking forward

Months of tireless planning culminate in this weekend when Perspectives takes place at the National Museum of Singapore.

Based on the sheer amount of work that the team has put in, it is clear that Perspectives is less of a module and more of a love letter to cinema.

"I took Perspectives because I wanted experience with events management, and I would say that passion for film just came along naturally,” said Lai. As their time as festival directors draws to a close, Tan and Lai are optimistic that Perspectives will continue to grow in the coming years, largely due to a dedicated fan base.

“There is a great following of people who support the Perspective Film Festival every year, and what really excites them each time is the release of each year’s theme,” Tan said.

"Every part of the festival — from the events to the films — is all curated strongly for this theme, so every year is a new thematic experience."

PERSPECTIVES FILM FESTIVAL 2015: BREAKTHROUGHS IN CINEMA

WHEN: Thursday, 15 October - Sunday, 18 October WHERE: National Museum of Singapore 93 Stamford Road, Singapore 178897 For information on the films and showtimes, visit their official website at www.perspectivesfilmfestival.com.

Student tickets are priced at $11, and can be purchased at www.sistic.com.sg/events/film2015.

Festival directors Anna Lai (left) and Tan Yang Er (right).

Q: Out of the seven films that are screening at this year's Perspectives Film Festival, which one is your favourite?

Y: Mommy — I was very affected by the film, and I think that's how good films are; they make you feel and they make you think. The film is shot in a 1:1 ratio. But it does not discount you of anything. If anything, it adds to the experience instead.

A: I'd say Mommy too — aesthetically, It's very different from any other film that I've seen.

Q: If someone could only afford to watch one film, what would be your recommendation?

Y: Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert — the film is really about finding yourself and daring to face it, and I think it's something we can all relate to. It's always good to see other people's stories and be inspired by their bravery.

A: Landscapes in the Mist — when I saw it on the screen, I felt like I was inside an artist's picture, moving with the movie.

There's this scene where it started snowing and everybody on the street paused and stopped, so it really felt like a painting.

Q: Describe the Perspectives team in one word.

Y & A: Dedicated — when we first started, not everyone knew each other, and we weren't sure of what was going to happen. But we really see all our members putting their heart and soul into this. They do their work, meet their deadlines, and deliver more than what is expected of them.

10-11 SPOTLIGHT

THE NANYANG

Photo Editor Matthew Chew takes a peek into the newly opened Singapore Phenome Centre, the second of its kind in the world.

O

fine-tune the medication that each person receives.

Healthcare is on the cusp of a new age of personalised treatment.

“We can take blood samples before and after a patient takes a drug, see if it suits the body composition of the patient, and change it accordingly,” said Dr Ng. Even though the process might sound like a complicated one, it is still time-efficient and the centre is able to run a multitude of tests in a day.

“The main bulk of the process is automated, which means that we can let it run samples by its own with just a click of a button,” said Dr Ng. The algorithms in the computer enable scientists to come back later in the day to analyse the data.

The Phenome Centre is part of the new NTU Integrated Medical, Biological & Environmental Life Sciences (NIMBELS) Cluster.

T h is cluster, i nclud i ng LKCMedicine, Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences E ng i ne e r i ng , a nd S c hool of Biological Sciences, allows them to conduct integrated research.

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ADVANCING MEDICAL RESEARCH ne in three elderly around the world live with either A l z he i me r ’s d i s ea s e or another form of dementia.

However, this situation can be avoided in the future with advanced research in the field of Phenomics, according to Dr Sean Ng, Director of Research Programme at Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine (LKCMedicine).

A phenome represents the sum total of human phenotypic traits, which include a person’s skin and eye colour.

By identifying the protein and preventing the fold in it that causes the disease, more elderly might be able to lead a more comfortable retirement.

Opened late last month, the Phenome Centre places NTU at the forefront of groundbreaking medical and biological research.

This has allowed researchers to get a more in-depth understanding of ageing, diabetes and the urban water cycle.

T he machines at the centre can be used to determine the breakdown of a patient’s urine, blood and bodily fluids so as to

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: GROUNDBREAKING RESEARCH: Dr Pornpimpol Tipthara, 35, a research fellow at Singapore Phenome Centre, concentrates on analysing the differences between samples from diabetic patients and healthy individuals.

TISSUE SAMPLE: Machines are able to map the phenomes in a 3D-like fashion, where they cannot only identify the composition of the tissue cells, but also the map the phenomes to the specific point in the cell.

They are also used for environmental research in an ongoing project with national water agency PUB. The machines are used to trace how effective a particular bacteria is in treating polluted or waste water.

BSCIENTIFIC COOPERATION: The NIMBELS cluster will enable researchers to gather insights from different fields and acquire more in-depth understanding on matters like ageing, diabetes and the urban water cycle. “The things we do at the Phenome centre are part of a research process that can translate from research to real-life application, and it is important for us to do that,” said Dr Ng. FROZEN SHUT: The centre has a few projects underway, such as identifying the factors that contribute to complications in diabetes.

This is in partnership with Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and Tan Tock Seng Hospital. Due to its sensitive nature, the fridge that stores all the samples requires a key card that tracks every single access.

TWO-OF-ITS-KIND: Researcher Seow Kok Huei introduces staff to two main machines in the centre; untargeted and targeted.

Untargeted machines allow researchers to discover differences worth investigating, while targeted ones help them look for previously identified red flags. This is the second phenome centre in the world — the first of its kind is located at Imperial College in London.

WHAT DOES OPPORTUNITY LOOK LIKE?

NTU-IGS_IPP_Outreach_AD_POSTER_KokHon_FA_EditAug14.indd 1

A student. An employee. A solutions seeker. Kok Hon is one and all. With the Industrial Postgraduate Programme (IPP), he is empowered to pursue fulltime PhD studies while conducting research at DNV GL, Singapore.

Find out how you can make the most of the opportunities.

ABOUT IPP & OPPORTUNITIES

Singaporeans & Singapore permanent residents are eligible to apply

21/8/14 3:58 PM

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DAPPER 13

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DAPPER

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Keep Calm and Digitalize Students and Lecturers In-Sync

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ScanSnap iX100 - Power on the Move Freedom to scan in any environment distinguishes Fujitsu ScanSnap iX100. Weighing only 400g with built in battery and WiFi connectivity, it is the fastest mobile scanner in its league. Scan photos, documents, or business cards directly to any device platform or cloud services via WiFi; without worrying about the network environment. Equipped with rechargeable lithium battery, you can experience the ultimate power on the move.

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OPINIONS

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Tackle bullying with a velvet glove Joel Lim

Dapper Editor

A

national conversation about bullying was sparked in late September, when a video of a Shuqun Secondary School student bullying his classmates went viral.

In the backlash that followed, parents and teachers alike called for harsher punishments to deter bullying in schools.

However, schools already have punishments in place for bullies, and while these may have shortterm deterrent effects, they may not translate into long-term behavioural change.

They tell the bully that he has done something wrong, but not why his actions are unacceptable and why he should stop.

In addition, adolescent bullies are at an age when they are not afraid to defy authority, especially if they do not feel as if they have done anything wrong.

As in the aforementioned incident, the bullying had been going on for months, and continued even after the teacher confronted the bully.

The bully later threatened one of the victims for telling on him.

Students can react strongly when they are “told on” by their peers, something I experienced as a student myself. A classmate and I

FIGHTING FIRE WITH FIRE: Not all bullies are receptive to the "iron fist" approach.

GRAPHIC: KIMBERLY ANG

had a disagreement, and to resolve the argument, she approached our form teacher instead of first trying to iron out matters with me.

When my teacher confronted me, my immediate reaction was anger at my classmate.

I felt that going to the teacher was elevating the problem unnecessarily, and I was in no mood to listen to what my teacher had to say.

I did not act on my emotions, but my classmate’s action intensified the animosity I felt towards her, even though it was only a minor disagreement.

Imagine how much worse the reaction can be with a bully.

Since the route of punishment

is not always effective, we should explore other ways to deal with bullying.

Sometimes, bullies themselves are unaware that their actions constitute bullying.

We should allow bullies to comprehend the severity and consequences of their actions, not only on themselves but on others.

After all, teenagers are still learning what constitutes socially acceptable behaviour.

Instead of acting as disciplinarians, teachers and classmates can encourage bullies to reflect on their actions by talking to them about it in a non-aggressive manner.

This can work especially well in cases where the behaviour has

not yet escalated to a level that warrants severe punishment.

I was once in a situation where the bully was one of my friends.

He was mocking a classmate’s appearance and hurling items at him.

When the class monitor tried to intervene, telling him to leave the other student alone, my friend merely laughed him off. It was only when I pointed out that our classmate was in tears, that my friend stopped.

Because I avoided taking the class monitor’s offensive stance, the bully was more willing to listen to me.

We had a talk about the incident afterwards and he apologised to the classmate when he realised that his behaviour had crossed the line.

They may not have become best friends after that, but the bullying stopped without a need for punishment.

Often, the bullies’ aggressive actions reflect self-esteem issues and behavioural problems. In such cases, we must be aware of these underlying reasons and avoid a heavy-handed approach in order to help them change for the better.

We should also encourage victims to take a stand against their bullies. While many applauded the boys in the Shuqun Secondary incident for not retaliating, I felt that doing so sent out the wrong signals.

Bullying reflects an imbalance of power between the bully and the bullied. Since the students did not express their feelings, their silence validated the bully’s illusion of power.

A study by the Singapore Children’s Society found that asking the bully to stop was perceived to be the most effective action for victims.

In other words, being straightforward can have immediate positive results.

Subjected to racist taunts in secondary school because of my darker skin colour, I did what I had been taught was the best initial reaction to bullying — I ignored the perpetrator to avoid conflict. However, he took my silence as permission to continue taunting me.

When the bullying intensified and I felt that I had enough, I approached him to express how uncomfortable his words made me.

He shrugged me off at first, but he stopped harassing me after that.

This is just one alternative strategy I have found to be effective, and it can have better results than informing teachers or parents.

It would be naïve to think that we can abolish all punitive measures — but it should never be our first or only option. By incorporating character development, we offer bullies a chance to change their behaviour for the long term.

Louder than words: The Recess Week Evolution

GRAPHIC: MINH NGUYEN

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Weight off my shoulders Weightlifting brings to mind sweaty workouts involving bulky men with complicated training rituals.

Sports Writer Lynn Chia hits the gym to find out if the sport is more than just brawn.

W

eightlifting is often misunderstood as a sport carrying an element of risk to those attempting it without proper supervision.

This has deterred many, especially women who are unfamiliar with weightlifting and had no opportunity to learn its proper techniques.

Furthermore, the perceived lack of female participation also turns away those who consider giving the sport a shot.

Having been a hardcore gym rat during my junior college days, I logged up to eight hours daily doing treadmill intervals, high intensity training sessions and pumping iron.

Expert supervision

While I may have enjoyed lifting weights, I had no professional coaching.

As such, it was often difficult to get feedback on my lifting techniques as well as learn the proper form and posture.

Having a professional correct my technique would also help me lift heavier weights and avoid injury.

After coming across a weightlifting workshop online, I jumped at the opportunity to learn more about the sport.

Located at Jalan Benaan Kapal, the gym was opened in May by the Singapore Weightlifting Federation and sits alongside a row of brightlycoloured tenement blocks.

This stretch of buildings houses

other sporting facilities like floorball courts and indoor football pitches, both of which are popular training areas for school athletes due to affordable booking fees.

As I stepped into the weight training facility, I was greeted with the familiar cacophony of weights slamming against the ground.

The weights were colour-coded and stacked neatly near the bench press, while the dumbbells of various sizes were scattered around.

Different techniques

My workshop was conducted by 22-year-old national weightlifter Ng Choon Yeow as well as supervised by weightlifting coach Wu Chon Fu, who taught our class of eight the two techniques executed in competitions: the “clean" as well as the “jerk".

Ng, who is also a first-year student from the Sports Science and Management programme, deconstructed the “clean" technique into four separate stages.

It places strong emphasis on the lower body as the motion was mainly about hip drive and activating explosive strength.

Since it was an introductory class to weightlifting, we used the PVC pipe in place of the standard 20kg Olympic barbell to practise the transition between each movement.

We were asked to pick up a PVC pipe each and settled in our positions.

Our first task: “clean" the weight by shifting our mass from the balls

of our feet to the middle of our feet when we caught the PVC pipe.

Ng went around to assess and correct our form during each phase of movement.

It sounded deceptively simple.

However, it was a complex sequence of movements which required total body coordination and patience to execute the technique repeatedly.

Unlike the deadlift, which can be performed slowly and therefore corrected easily, the refining of the “clean" technique is more challenging as it consists of fast, explosive transitions.

We started from a squat position, holding the weight mid-shin before our knees slightly bent, shifting the pipe up to the hip and then bringing it up to our clavicles.

The transition to the “jerk" technique consisted of shifting the PVC pipe onto the back of our necks and doing a slip dip, followed by splitting our legs and extending our arms in order to raise the bar above the head.

“Weightlifting is a challenging sport because it demands the fulfilment of many differemt elements — speed, explosiveness, flexibility, coordination and strength," Wu said.

Having been weightlifting for six years, it is still no easy feat for Ng as well.

“A lot of effort needs to be put into this; a consistent, continuous effort. You just have to be patient," said Ng.

CONCENTRATION: Chia moves into a quarter squat position before lifting.

Wu added: “For athletes to master the technique, they have to be very aware about their body coordination and movement.

“Most people require at least 10 years of training in order to be able to reach a competitive level of weightlifting.''

One for everybody

GETTING THE POSTURE RIGHT: Ng teaches Chia the proper techniques of lifting.

PHOTOS: LEE YI JIA

While weightlifting is a challenging sport that requires focus and resilience to power through the movements, it is not exclusive to gender or any physique.

Instead, it's about maximising your strengths to carry the weight.

While detractors may say women can't lift heavy weights, I would beg to differ.

After all, Singapore weightlifter Helena Wong rewrote history as the first female athlete to hold twice her body weight and the repute of our nation on her shoulders at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

While I am not looking to be the next Helena Wong, my experience with weightlifting was an empowering and educational one — albeit without lifting any actual weights.

Fun facts about weightlifting • The earliest known records of weightlifiting competitions originated from Egypt, China and ancient Greece.

• Weightlifting brought home the first Olympic medal in Singapore with Tan Howe Liang winning a silver in the 1960 Rome Olympics.

• The world record for the "clean" & "jerk" was set by Russia's Kashirina Tatiana in 2014, when she lifted 193 kilogrammes.

• The 2000 Olympic Games was the first year women officially competed in the weightlifting event. Tara Nott of the United States won the gold medal.

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NTU quartet finishes 3rd in Hong Kong While the Singapore edition mostly comprised of weight exercises such as weighted pushups and deadlifts, the Hong Kong edition included more bodyweight exercises.

This included burpees, speed poles, squats on bosu ball, and plank knee tuck.

Despite the initial curveball, the team managed to adapt to the physical demands of the challenges.

However, they faced strong competition from the other teams and eventually finished behind the two teams from Hong Kong.

Cassandra Yeo

F

our students from NTU’s School of Sport Science and Management (SSM) placed third at PUMA's 24-hour Trainathon Finale in Hong Kong on 19 Sep. Benedict Pang, Damien Sim, Douglas Soh and Grace Yong competed against 30 teams from the region — 26 from Hong Kong, two from China and one each from Indonesia and Malaysia.

The Trainathon, the first of its kind organised by PUMA, involved challenges based on speed, endurance, agility and balance.

Yong said: “What surprised us the most was the 800-meter relay to kick off the grand finale.

“We were totally not prepared for that.”

Late replacement

In addition, Yong was not part of the original team that won in the Singapore leg of the tournament. which was contested by 10 teams on 5 Sep. She had to replace Lynette Koh, 21, also an SSM student, who could

Surprise result

SWEET SUCCESS (from left): Koh, Pang, Soh and Sim celebrate their victory in the Singapore leg.

not join the team for the finale in Hong Kong.

Koh was unavailable as she had to attend trials for the National Sports Climbing squad.

Yong, 20, said she was nervous before the trip as she did not know what to expect.

However, she added that the constant reassurance of her team-

PHOTO: PUMA

mates calmed her frayed nerves.

The Trainathon finale in Hong Kong would also pose an entirely different set of physical challenges for the team.

Still, the team members were surprised with their overall performance, considering that they did not make any special preparations prior to the event.

“It was a last-minute decision to join the competition.

It really came as a surprise that we achieved top three positions for both competitions," 23-year-old Soh added.

The team walked away from both competitions with a total of $1,000 cash, $2,450 worth of PUMA merchandise and four PUMA sport watches.

bpl talk

A tale of two teams

Matthew Mohan Sports Editor

THE new Barclays Premier League (BPL) season has seen its fair share of thrills and spills, but a juxtaposition of Chelsea and Manchester United’s fortunes has taken center stage, in an eventful first eight weeks for the Blues and Red Devils.

Singing the blues

Chelsea’s implosion has been nothing short of remarkable, even in a season where Radamel Falcao has managed to score.

Problems at the back abound, with Branislav Ivanovic the biggest culprit. Ivanovic has been found wanting on multiple occasions, most notably when Jefferson Montero brutally rearranged the Serb’s intestines in Swansea’s 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.

You’d think Luis Suarez’s departure would have put an end to the full-back’s nightmares.

Rather than drop Ivanovic, Jose Mourinho has rewarded him with the club captaincy, relegating skipper John Terry to the bench.

Curiously, Terry taking his seat on the sidelines follows team doctor Eva Carneiro’s banishment from the dugout.

Apart from kicking, swearing and tossing his FA Community Shield medal into the stands, the

Special One has also endured being separated from his beloved bus.

Everton boss Roberto Martinez bore the brunt of Mourinho’s anger for speaking to the media first ahead of his counterpart, who faced a long journey back to London after their game at Goodison Park.

Whether the bus was parked in the right place is another matter.

One thing that has remained constant, however, is Diego Costa’s propensity for kindness.

The striker, never sent off in the Premier League, extended an arm of friendship to shield Laurent Koscielny from the scorching afternoon sun during Chelsea’s match-up with Arsenal.

Shockingly, Costa was rewarded with the cold shoulder and a subsequent three-match ban for unsporting conduct after an altercation with Gabriel Paulista.

You cannot help but feel sorry for the man.

Martial law

Manchester United’s rapid emergence has been as startling as Chelsea's demise.

Louis van Gaal’s men sit in third position, with Red Devils fans sneering at their Chelsea counterparts, saying that money can’t buy success.

But what money can buy is Anthony Martial, a teenager hailed

as the Messiah, Thierry Henry and Sir Bobby Charlton rolled into one.

With two goals in his first two league games, Martial rightfully takes his place among illustrious company, for Louis Saha and Federico Macheda are the only two to have equalled this statistic for the Red Devils in the Premier League era.

Rumour has it that Martial can neither understand nor speak a word of English.

This explains his form, given that van Gaal’s rousing pep talks have little effect.

While Martial may be the toast of Manchester, Wayne Rooney is having a forgettable season.

The Englishman has found the net just once this season, with his woeful campaign thus far summed up during Manchester United’s 1-0 triumph at Aston Villa.

Deep in stoppage time, the forward chased down a loose ball before displaying remarkable vision to pick out supporters in the stand by booting the ball clear.

But who’s to say that the Manchester United and England skipper is done?

Rooney may prove doubters wrong by going on a Martial/ Macheda-esque scoring spree after the international break.

After all, this may just be a bald patch.

HERO AND VILLAIN: While Branislav Ivanovic has been one of the biggest revelations for the Blues, 19-year-old Anthony Martial is fast becoming the Red Devils' latest revelation.

PHOTOS: FRANK AUGSTEIN/ASSOCIATED PRESS, CARL RECINE/REUTERS

Sports

Mourinho feeling the blues — Page 19

SUniG round-ups and downs Nur Amyraa, Sports Editor Ignatius Koh Khairul Anwar

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or the first time since 2011, the NTU women’s netball team netted the championship in this year’s Singapore University Games (SUniG), wrestling the title away from four-time winner National University of Singapore (NUS).

The unexpected win is among several surprises at the ongoing Games, with NTU women’s swimming and men’s volleyball teams also successfully stealing titles from NUS. “This win is big for us since we have never won the title before, and it also serves as validation of our coach’s and team’s efforts throughout the entire season,” said netball team captain Ann Koh, 21.

SUniG kicked off on 27 Aug but some events were postponed due to the haze, which has plagued the country for the past month.

On the Oct 1 finals, the NTU women’s netball team trailed NUS in the first quarter but played catch-up in the second quarter to hold NUS, 30-30.

It was point for point in the final two quarters, but NTU eventually

RACE OF THEIR LIVES: The NTU men’s swimming team lost to NUS in both the 50m and 100m breaststroke events.

managed to break away and won the game, with a final score of 6252.

“Although we beat NUS in the round-robin stage, we tried not to be complacent and remained focused,” Koh, a third-year student from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, said.

Stealing titles

NTU women’s swimming team also pulled a strong performance this year, coasting past five-time champion NUS. The team finished first in six events and had podium finishes in every category except the 200m Individual Medley, which

Singapore Management University (SMU) won.

Their male counterparts also managed to improve on their performance from last year.

Having won just one gold medal in 2014, NTU men’s swimming team was able to triple its gold medal tally this year, winning the 50m Freestyle and Butterfly events as well as the 200m Individual Medley.

However, NTU’s male swimmers were overpowered by NUS’s team, who went on to be the first to beat long-standing champion SMU after seven years.

The NTU men and women’s volleyball teams also managed a double win for the first time, defeating defending champions NUS and Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) respectively.

The men’s team beat NUS in three straight sets while the women’s team clinched their victory in the deciding fifth set.

“We lost to SIM in the roundrobin stage, but it only encouraged us to train harder and work on our mistakes as a team,” said Chew Jia Hui, 20, captain of NTU women’s volleyball team and second-year student from the School of Art, Design and Media.

“Our determination and hunger to win eventually paid off.”

First-time winners

LOBBING THE BALL: Tchoukball team captain Keith Choi keeps the ball alive for the team in the finals.

This year’s Games also included tchoukball for the first time.

While the NTU women’s tchoukball team managed to top their table with a clean sweep of all 12 possible points, the men’s side faced stiffer competition from the other four teams on court.

“Even though we finished second, I am proud with the team for

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putting up a good fight, considering that half of our players are either freshmen or have only taken up the sport for less than a year,” said Chia Kun Yang, 22, captain of the men’s team and second-year student from the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences.

Missing the target

While some teams celebrated their triumphs, NTU also had a few misses, particularly against archrival NUS. Both NTU women’s table tennis and road race teams were dethroned

by NUS. The men’s floorball team was the favourite for gold after they beat NUS 12-4 in the round-robin stage, but NUS’ different game plan and line-up in the finals earned them the title.

Having only won the SUniG overall championship once in 2010, since the competition began a decade ago, NTU has otherwise been playing second fiddle to NUS.

Final few games

A few games have yet to be played due to the current haze situation.

The women’s touch football team will not be able to play till the end of Dec, while the men’s rugby team has encountered similar postponements.

Team captain Daniel Lum, 25, said the haze has hindered their preparation for the Games.

“It has been quite a roller-coaster ride because games were often cancelled right after we warmed up,” said the final-year student from the School of Mechanical Engineering.

“Despite this, we try to make the best of every training we get and remain positive.”