Produced by Diploma in Mass Communication students School of Management and Communication
Going beyond his disability to help others
Aug - Oct 2016 www.republicanpost.sg POST NEWS
Ho m e i s ... What Goes On Behind IGNITE! 2016
RP student John Danesh Krishnan was given a five per cent chance of survival when he was diagnosed with eye cancer at the age of two. He survived, but lost his sight. Now, the 17-year-old tells The Republican Post how he has his mind set on helping others. By Jayme Chong
P O S T N EPGW4 S& 5
Everything Clicked In Film School
P O S T N E WPG S7
Behind-The-Scenes of NDP CLEAR GOAL IN MIND: Despite his disability, John Danesh Krishnan (left) has overcome many obstacles due to his positive outlook on life. With Republic Polytechnic’s Diploma in Social Enterprise Management and his mentor Peter Lee (right), who helps him get around school and attends to his needs when called upon, John is even more focused and determined to achieve his goal of being a lawyer in the future. PHOTO: MOUNISNI RAJ
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hen it comes to helping others, Republic Polytechnic (RP) student John Danesh Krishnan believes there is only one obstacle in the way – a person’s mindset. “It does not matter if you are physically disabled,” said the 17-yearold who is visually impaired. “If you have the drive to help others and make lives better for them, then the disability you have would just be an irritating insect - one which you can flick off and go on your way.” In April, John embarked on a new journey when he entered RP’s Diploma in Social Enterprise and Management (DSEM). He became the diploma’s first special needs student. “The businesswith-a-heart concept appealed to me,” said John, who suffers from 100 per cent visual impairment. When he was two, John was diagnosed with stage four eye cancer and doctors gave him a five per cent chance of survival. John survived the cancer but lost his sight. Despite this, John is no different from his peers. He wants to forge close relationships with those around him, enter a university of his choice. He dreams of being a lawyer in the future to help others. “A helping hand always goes a long way. The help which you provided might be very small to you but
it might mean the world to the person you have helped,” said John, who is an only child. “Helping others makes me happy because well, you only get one life to live. Why not spend it by doing good for others?” To ensure a smooth and fruitful journey in RP, iC2 Prephouse, a charity that supports the cause of young visually-impaired who are still in or are entering the mainstream education system in Singapore, was engaged to help John settle in to the student life in RP. The charity also provided workshops for DSEM students and lecturers so that they can help John in his learning. Lecturers also had to review John’s course modules to sieve out those which are not suitable. For example, John is exempted from modules such as Effective Communication and New Media Communications because most of the content in these modules involves visuals. Alternative elective modules are then offered to replace these modules. Lesson materials, such as worksheets and lecturers’ presentations, have also been customised. This allows the software in John’s laptop to decipher the documents according to his learning needs. Despite these special provisions, John behaves like any other student.
He contributes to team and class discussions, and presents during the third learning phase. Mr Peter Lee, a lecturer from DSEM and John’s mentor, said: “He presents well and when we ask questions in class, he would volunteer to answer them.” John’s classmate, Nur Syirin Nabilah Yunos, 17, feels the same way about John. She said: “He can elaborate on concepts very well and his presentations are great.” John says he never lets his disability become a hindrance to what he wants to accomplish. He said: “You would always want to give up if you think that your problems or disabilities are too much to bear. However, if you go beyond your disabilities and managed to accomplish your goals, isn’t the victory that much sweeter?”
“When it comes to helping others, there’s only one disability. It’s not being blind, deaf or wheelchair bound. It is your own mind-set.” - John Danesh Krishnan
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HOME IS ... ABOUT FRIENDS
Editor's Note The theme of this issue of The Republican Post is HOME. Home is often defined as a permanent place of residence and Singapore easily fits that definition for the majority of us, but this issue is dedicated to exploring and introducing the various things that truly makes Singapore feel like home. In this issue, we celebrate the aspirations, opportunities and achievements of our peers. From local filmmaker Boo Junfeng whose latest film, Apprentice, premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film festival to RP students clinching medals at WorldSkills Singapore! We also think it is appropriate to throwback to the past and discover some of Singaporean’s favourite memories and places. Our lifestyle team puts a Singaporean spin on Halloween with their take on locally inspired costumes on a budget, giving you options from scary to humorous! I hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we had putting it together, hopefully everyone caught sight of the fireworks on National day! Cheers! Zsa Zsa
The Rep Post Team News Desk Editor Deputy Editor News Editor Assistant News Editor
Review Desk
Zsa Zsa Lee Karl Lim Nurul Juhria Bte Kamal Jayme Chong
Design Team
Reviews Editor Febby Lee Assistant Reviews Editor Raulinder Singh
Sports Desk
Assistant Sports Editor Chiew Teng
Design Editor Dilys Lee Designers Aurelia Fan Nur AMni Ginny Chua Carissa Chua Salwa Suandi CHelsea Chia
Photo Desk
Assistant Photo Editors Mounisni Raj David Yip
Community Desk Assistant COmmunity Editors Charmine Soh Mavis Wong
Lifestyle Desk
Lifestyle Editor A'bidah Zaid Shirbeeni Assistant Lifestyle Editor Kevin Brendan
Online Desk Online News Editor Shannon Ng Online Assistant News Editors Wong Li Chin John Pravin OnLine Reviews Editor Sarah Pino MultiMedia Editor Melody Leong Deputy Muti-media Editor Damien Kua
Star gazing RP has nearly a hundred Interest Groups (IGs) and they run the gamut from sports to dance and entrepreneurship. AMNI AMRAN catches up with the little known Astronomy IG
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f your idea of a perfect night out involves heading to a remote location with clear skies, then the Astronomy IG might be the perfect Interest Group (IG) for you. Re-established just last year, this IG is one of a kind where like-minded youths just come together to study and share their love for the celestial objects up in the night sky. Every Friday night, the group holds trainings at the Andromeda Observatory at Woodlands Galaxy Community Centre where members can learn more about this natural science. “Members do not need to have prior knowledge because there are lectures dedicated for astronomy called astrophysics . There are many lectures with different topics about the sun, moons of various planets, star clusters and many more,” said Nur Salwatin, 19, from the School of Hospitality, current president of Astronomy IG. When Astronomy IG first started out, they only had a few members who had no concrete plans on how the IG was going to work out. Shakir Othman, 2 THE REPUBLICAN POST
previously from the School of Engineering and expresident of Astronomy IG said: “We had to develop our own systems and programmes from scratch. It is through that adversity that we all became closer and stronger as a collective and as individuals.” The members also worked together with other Astronomy clubs from other Polytechnics and Junior Colleges to organise events and learn from them. They even came back during the weekends to observe the constellations together, forming a close bond with each other through their love for this hobby. Radiah Maria, 19, from the School of Management and Communication, a member who has been with the IG for a year now, shares that she has made many memories with her IG mates at the overnight camp in Pulau Ubin. “The whole camp was planned and attended by students only, so we had to depend on each other throughout the entire time. There were midnight hikes till morning and a campfire with toasted marshmallows. All these were done in the forest
under the stars which made these activities the most memorable,” she said.
GLIMPSE INTO THE STARS: The Andromeda Observatory at Woodlands Galaxy Community Centre is home to the weekly meetings of Republic Polytechnic’s Astronomy IG. PHOTO: NADIA RASHID
HOME IS... CELEBRATING TALENTS
RP wins four medals at WorldSkills Singapore The polytechnic also bagged three Medallions of Excellence at the nationwide contest. The Republican Post’s CELESTA LOH speaks to gold medal winner Muhammad Danial Suboh about his success in the kitchen.
PRIDE AND GLORY: RP students make their mark in the WorldSkills competition by clinching four medals in four different skill areas. They will be representing Singapore at the Worldskills international stage in Abu Dahbi next year. Muhammad Daniel Suboh third from left together with other winners and RP management. PHOTO: CELESTA LOH
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t was similar to a scene from the cooking reality show Masterchef - Muhammad Danial Suboh was given a mystery box of ingredients and tasked to prepare a three course meal at the WorldSkills Singapore competition. The next day, the second-year
Culinary Operations student had to cook a four-course-meal based on the recipes he had planned prior to the competition. One of the dishes Danial cooked was a dish of roasted lamb rack, braised beef short ribs with braised green lentils accompanied with sauteed yellow
zucchini, carrot and US asparagus flan laced with red wine thyme sauce. The 19-year-old also prepared a warm chocolate cake with ivory orange mousses accompanied with almond crumble and morello cherry compote. Danial’s cooking wowed the judges as he took home the gold medal in the cooking category at WorldSkills Singapore. Some 150 youths competed in 17 skill areas, including web design, visual merchandising and aircraft maintenance, at the three-day nationwide competition. The top medallists will represent Singapore at the world finals - dubbed the Youth Olympics of Skills - in Abu Dhabi next year. Fifteen RP students took part in the biennial competition held at Institute of Technical Education (ITE) College Central and the team bagged four medals and three Medallions of Excellence. Danial won gold, while Media Production and Design student Low Gang Wee, Restaurant and Culinary Operations student Cyndi Tay Kai Xin and AerospaceAvionics student Ganesh Kumar S/O Mahalingam won bronze medals in Graphic Design Technology, Restaurant Service and Information Network Cabling respectively. For Danial, the months of prepa-
rations in the kitchen paid off. “It is either after school, during the holidays or weekends that we prepare and practice for this competition,” he said. “We go to the kitchen to practice with different kinds of meat as we do not know what will be given and to write down recipes for submission.” For others, preparations for the competition started a year ago. The RP students consulted lecturers and did their independent studies by coming back during term breaks and practicing past year papers. Dr. Marcelo H. Ang JR. chief expert and judge for Mobile Robotics, said the level of competition has been raised this year. “They all did a great job this year and I would have to say that it was a tough fight,” he said. “Many work were impressive and creative. During judging, some even when passed our expectations and I believe this is a skill area that Singapore is improving on over the years.” Fact: WorldSkills Singapore, is a nation-wide skills competition for Singaporean youths who excel in technical skills. Winners will then go on to represent Singapore on the world stage – at the International WorldSkills Competitions.
Danial: “I cook for my family” Muhammad Danial Suboh, who won a gold medal in cooking at the WorldSkills Singapore competition, answers our questions.
Q: Where does your inspiration from cooking comes from? Danial: “My inspiration comes from a French chef, who is my idol. He is a two Michelin star chef and… his name is Michel Roux Junior. I enjoyed watching him cook because he does it with finesse. Apart from that, there are my coaches. They have their own style of cooking and it inspires me too.”
Q: What is the weirdest dish you have ever come up with? Danial: “There were no weird dishes but there were bad dishes. There are times during training where I cooked dishes that are bad and did not satisfy my needs.”
Q: Any funny incident that you have experienced while cooking in the kitchen?
PHOTO: MOUNISNI RAJ
Danial: ”No funny incident when cooking in the kitchen. However, there was a shocking incident that happened outside the training restaurant before training started. We saw a snake outside the main entrance of the training restaurant. Everyone was shocked. We made the right move by alerting the security and everything went smoothly and nobody was hurt.”
Q: Have you ever cooked for your mum or girlfriend? Danial: ”I have cooked for my family and friends before. I cook for my family during weekends. Not every weekend but only sometimes when I feel like cooking. As for my friends, I cooked for them recently when they came to my house for Hari Raya visiting.”
THE REPUBLICAN POST 3
HOME IS ... MAKING MUSIC
The unsung heroes of
Into its ninth year, IGNITE! Music Festival gives students a chance to experience how running an event is like. Attention is usually paid to the talents onstage, but the students behind the scenes also have significant roles to play.
CAPTURING THE MOMENTS:
Nurul Amirah and Muhammad Asyraaf from the video operations team provide live coverage footage of the action on stage. This is then broadcast on the stage’s screen for the audience to get a better view. PHOTO: DAVID YIP
LINING UP:
Technical Head Ong Li Wern takes note of the positioning of each band’s equipment, their stage layout and where they will be standing during their performance. She also takes note of the number of lines, also known as channels, and type of microphones each band will be using. PHOTO: MOUNISNI RAJ
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BACK FOR MORE:
Even though Muhammad Naufal (first on the left) and Ameerah Sumait (second from the right) are alumni, they came back to help out with IGNITE! Music festival as part of the studio team with the help of Qistina Q’Ain (second from the left). Judith Ann Kumar (first from the right), also an alumni, returned as a Project Supervisor for media publications. PHOTO: DAVID YIP
HOME IS ... MAKING MUSIC
HIT THAT NOTE:
Nur Syaherah Bte Yusman, a member of the stage crew for the festival, adjusts the monitor level on Take Two artist Paddy Jonathan Ong’s monitor based on his preference. Monitors are speakers used by artists to hear themselves when they perform. PHOTO: MOUNISNI RAJ
ON COMMAND:
Keith Tan, the stage manager for this year’s IGNITE! Music Festival, sends information and instructions to the crew in-charge of programming lights and sound mixes about the change in lights for each performance. PHOTO: MOUNISNI RAJ
WRAP IT UP:
IGNITE! volunteers recovering and keeping the red tape seen all over Republic Polytechnic which was used to promote the music festival in school. PHOTO: DAVID YIP
PERFORMANCE CHECK:
The media crew takes charge of all footage at this year’s festival. Muhammad Rifaee Bin Sidek, 19, joined IGNITE!’s media crew this year after filming under RP’s Film Factory Interest Group (IG) for two years. With the knowledge he gained from being the Vice President of his IG in 2015, Rifaee teaches his fellow crew members the proper format and checks their equipment settings before filming. PHOTO: MOUNISNI RAJ
SHUT IT DOWN:
Muhammad Farhan, takes down the tent at the IGNITE! Village which played host to several stalls such as Livehigh, and Dawn & Dusk. PHOTO: DAVID YIP
THE REPUBLICAN POST 5
HOME IS ... LIFE-LONG LEARNING
Quest for knowledge spurs this 60-yearold back to school By Saferah Alkaff
AWE-INSPIRING: Lecturer Julian Wong (right) is proud of his mentee Patrick Goh (left) as he understands how difficult it must have been for Patrick to adapt to all the new changes in school at the age of 60. PHOTO: NUR KHALISA BTE MOHAMED SANI
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or close to four decades, Patrick Goh Seng Huat travelled the world as a flight steward with Singapore Airlines. Now, the 60-year-old has embarked on a different adventure. He is back in school and pursuing a Diploma in Information Technology as a full-time student at Republic Polytechnic. Patrick said he decided to further his learning as he searched for a new meaning in his life after 37 years working at Singapore’s national carrier. “I found that there was something more I could do, achieve or contribute,” he said.
Patrick’s keen interest in computers, iCloud and cyber security first led him to apply for a place in the Diploma in Infocomm Security Management course in RP. Unfortunately, he did not meet the qualifying criteria and was offered a place in the Diploma in Information Technology course instead. However, Patrick found a silver lining amidst the disappointment. He said: “I did not appeal for Security Management as I felt what was given to me in the end might be the best for me. What I understand is that Information Technology can work as a foundation of sorts.” Although the ex-cabin crew member is no stranger to dealing with stressful situations, Patrick found that adapting to the surroundings at RP was an issue in the beginning. The last time he was a full-time student was in 1976 – the year Apple Computer was founded, the first commercially developed supercomputer was released and the supersonic jet Concorde made its first flight. “To assimilate with the students, I had my apprehensions at first,” said Patrick. “But I can learn from them. They give me energy! In turn, I can impart my experiences.” The skills he acquired through training workshops from his previous
career meant that modules such as Organisational Behaviour are not only a breeze, but enjoyable as well. Mathematics, however, proved to be a challenge as he was not taken the subject for some time. “So, there’s a struggle, but I enjoy that. I found them challenging, yet I found there was so much I enjoyed,” he said. Patrick’s attitude has been lauded by those around him. School of Infocomm lecturer Julian Wong, Patrick’s mentor, called the 60-year-old “daring”. “I think there’s a desire to learn, a desire to acquire new knowledge and it’s very admirable,” said Mr Wong. The lecturer added: “I don’t think there are many people out there who are as daring as Patrick… When you are young, you can do it, but when you come to that stage, you want that stability. For him, that’s amazing. He’s so lively, he’s so enthusiastic, he challenges himself.” Patrick, who is married and has an 18-year-old son, vows to take his new education journey at RP a step at a time. “I thirst for knowledge,” he said. “There are perhaps more skills or talent embedded in me that I have yet to uncover.”
Operation Theatre stages first show for special needs kids By Zachery Ryan Bala
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haracters from a classic children’s book were brought to life by Republic Polytechnic’s drama interest group, Operation Theatre recently staged two performances for a group of autistic children. Based on Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the play tell the story of a young caterpillar’s transformation into a beautiful butterfly. The performances, which were held at The Republic Cultural Centre on June 9 and 10, were a joint collaboration between Operation Theatre and the Diploma of Arts & Theatre Management (DATM). Students from the interest group formed majority of the cast, while students from DATM took charge of the designing of the props with the help of students from Tanglin Secondary School. The event also marked the first time Operation Theatre had put up a show for students with special needs. “Autistic children aren’t allowed to be in a theatre so having this production for them made them very thankful as it might be a once in a lifetime experience for them,” said Ho Li 6 THE REPUBLICAN POST
Yi, 19, a second-year Arts & Theatre Management student. Theatre may prove challenging for those with autism as their behaviour, ranging from involuntary noises to overexcitement, can be disruptive to others in the audience, The Guardian newspaper had recently reported. However, for The Very Hungry Caterpillar, the production team had planned different scenarios so that they could understand how different stimuli would trigger various sensory concerns. But their fears were cast aside as the audience interacted with the performers and the props used in the play. “A big part of the show required audience members to pick up ‘food’ within the space to ‘feed’ the caterpillar and these children so gladly and enthusiastically did so,” said School of Technology for the Arts (STA) facilitator Samantha Bounaparte, who was the show’s producer. For Mae Pineda, the show marked the first time she took on the role of a stage manager. “Although planning the event was difficult, seeing how happy the children were be-
HUNGRY FOR MORE: Operation Theatre ran a show for 11 special needs students, with opportunties for them to interact with the play. PHOTO: FILM FACTORY cause of something we worked hard on really warmed my heart,” said Mae, 19, a second-year School of Engineering student. “I would love to do something like that again in the future.”
HOME IS ... TAKING A DIFFERENT PATH
Embarking on a road less travelled
Mr Looi Qin En may be a straight - A student and scholarship recipient but he has pursued a less trodden path when he put his university studies on hold to start a business. He tells The Republican Post’s SHAMITHA SELVASEGARAN why.
GLINT IN HIS EYE: Looi Qin En is one of the youngest entrepreneurs in Southeast Asia nurtured by Joyful Frog Digital Incubator (JFDI), a venture partner that shares risk and rewards with entrepreneurs. PHOTO: JOHN PRAVIN ntrepreneur Looi cruitment and matching porQin En chose a path tal, Glints, with two friends. many would think “It was a tough decision twice about. Earlier this year, to make but I’d rather choose he put his studies at the pres- the path that I’d be less regrettigious Stanford University in ful about,” said the 22-yearthe United States on hold so old. that he could start a talent reWhat started out as a
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business idea with just 38 users on a Google spreadsheet has since evolved into a fullfledged portal with more than 7,000 active students and over 2,500 firms listed. Last year, Glints received $475,000 of seed money from venture capitalists to grow the start-up. Glints, which has two branch offices in Indonesia, aims to help young people seek out skills required in different careers and to match them with jobs, internships and courses. Mr Looi said Glints was started after he and two friends - Mr Oswald Yeo and Mr Seah Ying Cong - noticed unemployed educated youths do not have a proper platform to help them source for an ideal career and job. “Most of the time, we know what we don’t want but we don’t know what we want,” said Mr Looi. “So as a
result, we tend to go to the traditional paths of success.” Mr Looi took a less trodden path, despite his academic achievements. He scored nine A1s for his O levels and earned eight distinctions at the A Levels. In 2012, Mr Looi was awarded a scholarship from the Economic Development Board. While pursuing a Computer Science degree at Stanford, he started an online business selling t-shirts. The business failed, but Mr Looi caught the entrepreneur bug. When he decided to take a leave of absence from Stanford to start Glints, Mr Looi said his parents were naturally apprehensive. “Our parents would naturally want what’s safest for us,” said Mr Looi, who has an older brother studying at the Singapore Management University. As Glint’s chief operations officer, Mr Looi works
12 hours a day, five days a week. His responsibilities include sales, operations, product, accounts and even human resources. “I do everything in between,” he said. But his colleagues praised Mr Looi’s leadership “When it comes to work, he’s focused and firm,” said Ms Clare Chai, 29, Glint’s Client Success Manager. “He’s a very good team lead who’s always there for you for both work and non-related issues. Needless to say, it’s always fun to be working with him.” Mr Looi has his sights set on leading a big organisation in the future. For now, he advised budding entrepreneurs to start small and progressively develop the business. “Entrepreneurs are not risk takers, they are risk mitigators,” he said.
Everything clicked in film school
Local filmmaker Boo Junfeng talks to SALWA NADIRAH and ALEXA CHONG on his new film and what drove his incredible success.
PRIDE OF THE LAND: Singaporean director Boo Junfeng, 32, has won many awards for his films which have been screened in film festivals around the world. Apprentice, a film which took five years of hard work, premiered at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. PHOTO: SALWA NADHIRAH
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t is rare for teenagers to know exactly what they want to do with life but acclaimed director Boo Junfeng, 32, knew when he was 15. He wanted to tell stories through film and by 16, after his O-levels, was enrolled in the Film, Sound and Video school in Ngee Ann Polytechnic. Boo begged his parents to agree to his plan and they did – on the grounds that he would get a degree after. “I fell in love with the idea of makebelieve and story-telling. That was really why I wanted to do it. When I went to Ngee Ann, I actually looked forward to going school and I topped the class for the first time in my life. Everything just kind of clicked when I decided I wanted to do this,” said the soft-spoken filmmaker.
The National Youth Council (NYC) organised a screening of Boo’s latest film, Apprentice, at GV Plaza Singapura on, Jul 29, in celebration of Youth Month. During the month, NYC encouraged youth to realise their hopes and dreams, celebrated their resilience in Singapore, and participated in various activities to make a positive difference to Singapore in their own ways. They arranged for The Republican Post to have a sitdown interview with Boo. The film premiered at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section to critical acclaim from critics and filmgoers alike. The film explores the heavy topic of Singapore’s mandatory death penalty from the perspective of a young prison officer, Aiman, taking over the
role of the chief executioner. The prison scenes are shrouded in deep, inky shadows, drawing viewers into psychological space of the gallows. The stripped-down visuals forces viewers to turn their attention to the protagonist’s impossible moral dilemmas, as he gets closer to an execution with each step. As an artist, Boo says he holds strong views about the mandatory death penalty but he was careful not to tell his audience what to think. “People can come and leave with their original beliefs,” Boo said. “I didn’t make the film to provide answers, the film raises a lot of questions and I want people to take back with them some of these questions,” he said adding that he considers this an important value in storytelling. The mandatory death penalty is a topic that is contentious and perhaps this is why the film got an M18 rating. Even though it restricted his audience, Boo said it was a big milestone for him to have such a topic dealt with. “I think films and art have that function in society — to present an avenue for people to reflect and look at things that they have overlooked before or think about things that were deemed too much of a taboo before.” “It doesn’t really matter whether you originally had
a certain point of view for or against something, what’s important is that we all share a common humanity and it’s that humanity that a lot of these stories speak to. After seeing a story, you can start to look at it a bit differently because you’re experiencing it not just as a topic, you’re experiencing it as a human story,” he added. When asked about advice he would offer to aspiring filmmakers, he urges them to be patient. “Personally, I feel that filmmaking requires a lot of life experience. That’s part of the reason I took five years to make Apprentice. I really wanted to experience life and understand things a little bit more, before I felt I was ready. It takes a lot of time, a lot of tenacity to be in filmmaking,
so be patient.”
CHIT CHAT: The audience was in for a treat as Boo flew all the way back from Poland to be with them during a dialogue session after the screening of his movie. Questions and commendations soon flooded the theatre. PHOTO: SALWA NADHIRAH THE REPUBLICAN POST 7
HOME IS ... CELEBRATING SINGAPORE
A glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes at NDP 2016
As a nation, we celebrated Singapore’s 51st birthday together. This year, National Day Parade returned back to the stadium for the first time in 10 years. Our photographers take you behind the scenes of the performers getting ready for the National Education preview.
HOME SWEET HOME:
A sea of red and white seats, this year National Day Parade (NDP) will be held at the air-conditioned Singapore Sports Hub. PHOTO: AMELIA WONG
LIGHTING THINGS UP:
A booth is set up at the holding room to ensure that the costumes are ready for performance. PHOTO: AMELIA WONG
KEEPING WATCH:
This is Mr Chan Chee Yoong’s third year serving as a community volunteer emergency response team. Previously he was deployed at Marina Platform. Said Mr Chan, 42 “I want to serve the community and I’m proud that Singapore is celebrating the nation’s birthday together.” PHOTO: AMELIA WONG
COFFEE BREAK:
IN ACTION:
Work starts for RP motivators the moment they are at the spectators stand. PHOTO: KIMBERLEY JEREMIAH
Military experts, warrant officers and officers guide uniformed groups with foot drills for the parade. SWO Jennifer Tan, 50 (Right) was the first female Parade RSM (Regimental Sergeant Major) back in 2011. This year, she is a drill sergeant helping uniformed groups with their foot drills and precision. “I went through the path and I know it is not easy so I want to make it as smooth as possible for the RSM.” PHOTO: KIMBERLEY JEREMIAH
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SERVING THE NATION:
Full-time National Servicemen are deployed every year to NDP to provide support to the participants and ensure that they are well taken care of. PHOTO: AMELIA WONG
HOME IS ... CELEBRATING SINGAPORE
DANCING FOR THE NATION:
ON FLEEK:
Youths from SOKA association are performing in act six. One of the performers, Phua Jie Min, 21, said that participating in NDP aligns with the values of SOKA which is to add value to communities. PHOTO: KIMBERLEY JEREMIAH
EVERYONE’S INVOLVED:
Handicap Welfare Association (HWA) participants show their abilities in the song signing segment performance. PHOTO: AMELIA WONG
LEADERS OF TOMORROW:
Mentors from Touch Community assist the motivators and take care of their welfare to ensure that their performance goes smoothly. PHOTO: AMELIA WONG
Cosmoprof, a makeup academy partnering with NDP since 1997, sends students, ex-students and staff to apply makeup for all NDP participants. PHOTO: KIMBERLEY JEREMIAH
PLAYING OUR CARDS RIGHT:
While waiting for their performance to commence, schoolboys pass time by playing card games at the OCBC Arena holding room. PHOTO: KIMBERLY JEREMIAH
SAFTETY FIRST:
Security guards at the entrance of the OCBC Arena provide security to the large scale event. PHOTO: AMELIA WONG
NDP 16’ held at Sports Hub for the first time years
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By Kimberley Jeremiah
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lose to 70 Republic Polytechnic students volunteered as motivators at this year’s National Day Parade, which was held at the new National Stadium at the Singapore Sports Hub for the first time. The students were stationed at specific places in the stadium and they were tasked to enhance the spectators’ experience by helping them take photos and guiding them in various song and dance items. According to Mr Gay Peng Rend, the Cluster Head for RP at this year’s NDP, the 67 motivators were also given tools such as balloons and frames so that they could create balloon sculptures and photo opportunities. “All we really want to see in our motivators is that they have two things - they are willing and they are available,” he added. Chya Jin Feng, a third-year Pharmaceutical Science student, said she made new friends as a motivator at NDP. “Because of NDP, I have made a lot of friends not just from RP,” added the 20-year-old. “We still keep in touch even outside of NDP rehearsals and the bond forged from this experience is special.”
RP students have been active volunteers at the NDP in recent years. Beyond just preparing for the actual event, the school worked closely with each motivator on areas such as resilience, integrity, compassion and excellence. “Nine years in this journey, I have seen motivators finish their studies and have moved on to the next phase in life,” said Mr Gay. “I have seen how they have grown and changed for the better.” This year’s NDP witnessed several historic firsts. A fireworks display was held indoors at the parade and popular NDP songs like Home and Count on Me, Singapore were hand signed. But some had also expressed disappointment at the absence of perennial crowd favourites, such as the aerial flypast and the Singapore Armed Forces Red Lions. But Ms Hashina Abdullah, a 33-year-old housewife said she was still “excited to be watching the NDP live”. “This is my first time here, usually I stay at home and watch on TV. Being here makes the experience more real.” THE REPUBLICAN POST 9
HOME IS ... OUR LINK TO THE PAST
Where
MEMORIESare made
We ask Singaporeans for their fondest memories of the neighbourhoods they used to frequent. By Anusha Chong
BEAUTY WORLD
“I ‘ve been coming here weekly after hiking for about 20 years. I stopped for a few years as I was studying overseas but I am now back. When I was in secondary school, I would come here often to rent my favourite comics connection, eat food then go home. There was this famous store back then, at the basement. It had all kinds of books and comics. Now, I usually come for the food - mutton soup, soy sauce chicken, satay bee hoon, mee hoon kuey, all of them taste great.”
Charlie Chan, 37, Electrical Engineer
PHOTO: CHELSEA CHIA
144 UPPER BUKIT TIMAH ROAD BEAUTY WORLD BOOK CENTRE #03-08 “I cannot leave this place. Many of my friends have closed their bookstores. You can hardly find this kind of bookstore now. Back then, there was no shopping centre here. In 1968 when we started, just across the Beauty World MRT station now. It was all zinc houses. After, that we moved here in 1983. Books are my passion but I wanted to give up. My customers told me not to. At least the rent is cheap. The space used to be bigger. It is smaller but there are lots of memories here. All my life, I am here. The small children back then are now grandparents. They bring their grandchildren here to read and buy books. It is nice to see.” PHOTO: CHELSEA CHIA
Chan Kuan Poh, 67, Bookseller
10 THE REPUBLICAN POST
HOME IS ... OUR LINK TO THE PAST
OLD AIRPORT ROAD “I remember coming here a lot when I was younger. It was a lot different back then. I usually come here with my family to eat breakfast. Even though it was early in the morning, most shops were already open. The best part of my trips here, or shall I say the reason why I loved coming here back then was for the chocolates. Van Houten Chocolates. It was hard to find back then. The chocolates were packed in cans back then and not the usual plastic packaging you find in NTUC now. Now that I’m a mother, I used to bring my children here often so that they can create good memories too. Times change, the place changes as well. Some shops that used to be here are now gone and replaced by new shops but it will still be a special place for me.”
May Lim, 47, Customer Service Agent
PHOTO: AIMAN ZAKI
ROCHOR CENTRE/ SUNGEI ROAD “Sungei Road in the past was quite smelly and dirty. And the shops are not like HDB shops these days. It was made out of wood and zinc – what they called kampong shops. There were so many things to see, I used to come with my brother – there was an ice factory, lots of second hand items, electrical items, antiques. They had everything. Cobblers too, they formed one line along the road. Looking at how wires were hand wired and tin boxes were handmade were some of my favourite memories. The funny thing about Sungei Road is that people used to bargain even though it is already very cheap. The thieves market is already gone. Now the HDB flats will go too. All these can only be memories now.”
Chandra Sagar, 60, Technician
PHOTO: ANUSHA CHONG
GOLDEN LANDMARK “I come here to shop for clothes most of the time. I started coming here more often when I found out about the shops here. Arabic garments and apparels were not that famous in Singapore until recently. Before then, I usually come here to shop because I was interested in Arabic apparels. With more visits, I find new discoveries. There’s this shop that sells really cool books. It has a unique exterior, design and content. It might not look like so, but some shops here really do cater well to youths.”
Muhammad Hafiyyan Bin Abd Rasid, 18, Student ITE College West PHOTO: SALWA NADHIRAH THE REPUBLICAN POST 11
HOME IS ... FAR AWAY
Adjusting to life in We ask foreigners amidst us about their thoughts on adjusting to life away from their family and friends. RACHEL NEOH reports.
A Shopper’s Paradise Wen Juan, 18 and studying in School of Engineering (SEG), came to Singapore when she was just nine. Over the years, she has grown very comfortable with the culture in Singapore. Her favourite place to be with friends is Orchard where she can shop to her heart’s content. “Town and Bugis are good places to shop at.”
PHOTO: SALWA NADHIRAH
No Language Barrier Grace Chang (left) made Singapore her new home last year. Coming to Singapore to study, the 20-year-old Media Production and Design student left her family back in Johor and now stays with her roommate and fellow Republic Polytechnic schoolmate, Si Min, who also comes from Johor. Being in a new place, it was not easy for Grace to fit in and make new friends. Growing up in Malaysia, Grace now appreciates being able to speak three languages – English, Mandarin and Malay. Her fluency in the three languages helped her to adapt to meeting new people. “Speaking three different languages makes it easier to make friends, and you can also make more friends,” she said with a shy smile.
PHOTO: SALWA NADHIRAH
Feeling Safe in Singapore Safety is something that many Singaporeans take for granted but not Chua Zhi Hao, a 20-year-old SEG student. Coming from Johor Bahru where crime rate is higher, he appreciates being able to enjoy life without worrying about losing his belongings. Zhi Hao says he witnesses robberies in his hometown at least once a month. “Even in the bus, you need to take care of your things. I’ve seen someone sleeping and someone else just slowly taking out his belongings,” Zhi Hao said.
PHOTO: SALWA NADHIRAH
When Singaporeans Lent a Hand Chen Shi Min, a 22-year-old SEG student came to Singapore 10 years ago. Coming from China and not knowing any English, she was placed in a class with peers four years younger than herself. Making friends did not start out easy. Being ostracised for where she was from as well as being unable to speak the main language, life was not a bed of roses. She said: “The first few months were very hard and I had trouble coping. But thankfully, there were some Singaporean classmates who helped me and were patient with me and they made things better.’’ PHOTO: SALWA NADHIRAH
12 THE REPUBLICAN POST
HOME IS ... HAVING FUN
Uniquely Singaporean under $20 Looking for a unique costume but don’t want to bust your budget? With Halloween round the corner, The Republican Post’s CHRISTINE YEO KHALID suggests three uniquely Singaporean costumes for those seeking to have fun while on a tight budget.
Get the look: Step 1: Apply black eyeshadow on both eyelids as well as around the Pontianak eyes. Blend out the edges so that there are no harsh lines. The Pontianak is a female vampiric ghost that is said to be the spirit of a woman who died while giving birth. She will announce her presence through her sweet floral scent and the cries of her unborn child – if the cry is loud, she is far; if the cry is soft, she is near. The Pontianak often resides in banana trees and is said to be attracted to hanging laundry.
What you will need: • Long white dress, $15, AliExpress. com • Fake blood or red liquid lipstick, $2, Daiso • Black and (optional) red eyeshadow, $2, Daiso
Step 2: Apply one or two drops of water around the eyes and allow the droplets to fall, to create a creepy, and melancholy look. Step 3: To emphasise the distressed ghostly look, blend red eyeshadow just around the bottom lid. Step 4: Contour your face by shaping out your cheekbones and nose with the black eyeshadow. This will create a more deathly look. Step 5: Smudge black eyeshadow on and around the edges of your lips. Step 6: Apply streaks of lipstick on the corners of your mouth as well as any other area on the face you want to add fake blood. Step 7: Pat some black eyeshadow over the lipstick to make it appear as dried blood. Step 8: Put on your white dress or cloth, and your costume is complete.
What you will need: • Any old t-shirt
Leticia Bongnino You may recognise Leticia from the Emmy-
• Khaki Bermudas, $9, AliExpress.com • Army field bag • Yellow hairclip, $1, any bookshop or accessory shop • Slippers, $6.95, Rubi
nominated Singapore comedy television series, The Noose. The show parodies socio-cultural and political issues in Singapore. Leticia Bongnino, a foreign domestic worker played by Michelle Chong, is a popular character on the show, with almost 19,000 followers on Twitter. She often greets the public with her famous opening “Good morning Sir, good morning ma’am, I am Leticia and I am a maid.”
Fine Ticket Singapore has been labelled a ‘fine
Get the Look: Step 1: Hold up the mahjong paper to the front of your body and dot the
city’ by some. Why not turn the label on its head by turning it into something comedic this Halloween? Here is an easy do-it-yourself costume where you can get everything from any craft store for cheap.
middle of each collarbone.
What you will need: • Large cardboard
Step 5: Tie a string through either hole, gauge your desired length of the fine ticket, and tie it through the other hole.
• • • • • •
Mahjong paper Black marker Glue String Hole puncher Penknife
Step 2: Create hole punches at the two dots. Step 3: Glue the mahjong paper to the cardboard. Wait for it to dry. Step 4: Use the penknife to cut out tiny pieces of cardboard within the holes of the mahjong paper.
Step 6: Write the fine. Start with a pencil first, to gauge the space you need before over lining the words with a marker. You can find examples of fines on Google images. Voila! Your fine ticket is now complete and ready for Halloween.
THE REPUBLICAN POST 13
HOME IS ... ALL ABOUT FOOD
Hungry Jack? Here are three pancakes cafes to consider By See Zhuhui, Hannah
D.I.Y. House of Pancakes LOCATION: 21 Lorong Kilat #01-03 OPENING HOURS: 12pm – 10pm (Tues-Fri), 10am – 10pm (Sat), 10am – 7pm (Sun)
FIRST IN THE GAME: D.I.Y House of Pancakes is the first café to adopt the D.I.Y pancake concept here in Singapore, making it a go-to stop for pancake fans. PHOTO: SEE ZHUHUI, HANNAH
Formerly known as Nook Café & Bar, the popular D.I.Y. House of Pancakes is undergoing another round of rebranding with a yet-to-be-announced new name. The café ditched its original cheery façade for a trendier black and white one. Thankfully, its D.I.Y. pancake attraction is here to stay. For every $10 bottle of batter you order, you get to choose your own complimentary toppings, ranging from Nutella to peach slices. Any additional topping will cost you an extra $2.80. I ordered the Red Velvet and Pandan batter, hoping to create pancakes worthy of Instagram. But don’t expect Instagram masterpieces on your first attempt – the heat of the electric griddle was a little hard to control and for the two hours I was there, I mostly ended up with browned squiggles. Not pretty. Concerning its taste and texture, I would describe the batter as a Betty Crocker pancake mix with food colouring and flavouring. If you closed your eyes to taste the pancakes, Red Velvet could pass off as dark chocolate.
THE VERDICT: Go for the experience, but not for the taste of their pancakes.
Kyushu Pancake LOCATION: 275 Thomson Road #01-08, Novena Regency OPENING HOURS: 11am – 9pm Opened in early May 2016, this Japanese pancake café is a short 10-minute walk away from Novena MRT station and is drawing in crowds with its unique flour base. Thanks to a pancake mix comprising seven organic Japanese grains including Oita Prefecture wheat, fertiliser free, Aigoma farmed sprouted brown rice, millet from Nagasaki and pressed barley from Saga Prefecture, this pancake is quite unlike any pancake I have tasted. I ordered the Matcha & Azuki pancake for $16.90. It came with a scoop of Matcha ice cream, two portions of Azuki red beans and a dollop of whipped cream atop three pancakes. The pancakes were thick and fluffy with a bread-like consistency, soaking up the ice-cream very nicely. Neither of the Matcha ice cream nor the Azuki red beans were too overpowering – the ice cream had a slight bitter aftertaste to it while the Azuki wasn’t as sweet as its counterparts sold at Japanese dessert cafés.
THE VERDICT: The pancake of choice for health junkies!
MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE: Seemingly a typical and mundane pancake, Kyushu Pancake offers patrons great taste made from healthy ingredients. PHOTO: SEE ZHUHUI, HANNAH
Dutch Baby Café LOCATION: 290 Orchard Road #01-13, Paragon OPENING HOURS: 10am – 9pm
THE PHOTOGENIC PANCAKE: Although the taste of the pancake is too sweet, the presentation alone at the Dutch Baby Café is enough to lure you back for more. PHOTO: SEE ZHUHUI, HANNAH 14 THE REPUBLICAN POST
The popular Dutch Baby Café at Paragon serves its pancakes on ‘hot cast iron pans straight out from the oven’ and are touted to be ‘pillow-y soft with crispy sides’. I ordered the Maple Grapefruit Pancake for $13.80, which in my opinion was a really reasonable price considering how filling it was. Topped with lettuce, sliced oranges and grapefruits, lemon chicken and lots of almonds, this was the first pancake to successfully confuse my taste buds. Supposedly a savoury pancake on the menu, I was disappointed when almost every component was sweet, including the pancake itself which was definitely not ‘pillow-y soft’. In fact, the pancake was so dense I thought I was eating the sweet, pan fried version of a mee hoon kuay. However, the one thing I liked about this was that the ingredients used were really fresh – the almonds were crunchy, the chicken wasn’t too dry while the oranges and grapefruits were juicy and complemented each other well.
THE VERDICT: Worth visiting, if you have a sweet tooth.
HOME IS ... GREEN SPACES
Tread carefully at Kranji Marshes By Afi Zuraidah
WORTH THE TRIP: At the end of the Neo Tiew Woods trail stands the Raptor tower that rewards park visitors with a panoramic view of the Kranji Marshes and Reservoir. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD NURSHAZREEN
K
ranji Marshes opened its doors this year on February 1. This park is perfect for bird lovers or people who simply love walking through nature. But what many people may not know is that many areas of the park are still ecologically sensitive. What that means is that vegetation is still growing and the wildlife is not completely settled in. The park is separated into the Neo Tiew Woods and the core conservation area. Neo Tiew Woods is open to the public while the core conservation area is locked. And visitors can only enter the core conservation area by booking guided tours. “We just completed development and vegetation has not grown back yet and the wildlife are still coming back,” said Mr Wong Tuan Wah, Director of Conservation for NParks to the media recently. And because the park is not completely accessible via public transport, there aren’t as many amenities as other built up parks. So a trip there has to be planned and you need to take into account travel time. But it is worth a trip because walking through this area feels quite unlike anything else in Singapore. Vishva Saravanan, 16, has been to many different parks with his family. When asked what he thought about Kranji Marshes, he said: “It’s a good place to just relax and get away from everything.” To protect the wildlife, visitors are not allowed to bring pets into the park. Cycling is also prohibited because the park is ecologically sensitive. While Vishva loves the nature walk at Kranji Marshes, he still prefers other parks such as East Coast Park where he can engage in more activities like cycling.
BIRD SPOTTING While walking through Neo Tiew Woods, you will be able to hear different bird sounds. If you are lucky, you will even be able to spot some really rare birds. Signboards are placed throughout the park to indicate what species of birds you can spot. One example of a bird you can spot is the Baya Weaver. It is impossible to miss the male Baya Weavers who are always singing. All you have to do is keep your head up and spot the black and yellow bird. And if you really want to, you can stay the night by getting a camping permit to spot the various species. According to NParks, there are more than 170 species of birds, 54 species of butterflies and 33 species of dragonflies in the area so you can definitely expect those if you ever decide to go to Kranji Marshes. The main highlight of the Marshes however has to be the Raptor Tower, leading straight from Neo Tiew Woods. Nearing the tower, you can either step on rocks to get across a river or just use a wheelchair-friendly path. The highest point of Kranji Marshes is 59 steps high. The climb is rewarding because you get to see the whole park from a bird’s eye view. Time your trip such that when you get to the top of tower at about 6.45pm, you can watch the stunning sunset.
Tips for great wildlife pictures I
saac Benjamin Ong, an avid photographer, has visited Kranji Marshes and blogged about it to share his experience. Isaac names three must-go places for photographers going to Kranji Marshes:
1. Near the entrance kiosk, where there is a large tree that seems to be a magnet for parrots and other birds 2. Along Neo Tiew Woods, which leads to a long straight path that’s Instagram-worthy because of its symmetry elements 3. The campsite hideouts are perfect spots if you are hunting for birds. But just be patient Kranji Marshes is only open from 7am to 7pm for safety reasons. There are no street lamps to light up the park so it will be best to leave the park before 7pm. There is also no public transport near the park but you can board the Kranji Express shuttle bus to and from Kranji MRT at only $3. Do take note of the bus timings because if you miss the last bus, you will have to walk out to the nearest bus stop – and it’s not a short walk.
Try the Northern Loop F
or nature enthusiasts who want a fun way to keep fit, consider cycling (or walking) the entire Northern Loop. You begin your journey at the Lower Seletar Reservoir Park and end at the Woodlands Waterfront – or start at Woodlands and end at Lower Seletar. Altogether it is an 11km journey that is seamless – thanks to the park connector network. Along the way, you can soak in the scenic rivers, reservoirs, meet members of the wild (watch out for pesky monkeys!) and of course, stop to take beautiful Instagram-worthy pictures. If you are cycling, the journey could take one hour, while walking takes about two to three hours. Depending on how long you stop and stare at the beauty you will most certainly encounter. Go to www.nparks.gov.sg for more details. THE REPUBLICAN POST 15
HOME IS ... EMBRACING TRIUMPH
to watch in the first half of the 16/17 BPL season MATCHES
The Barclays Premier League returns and The Republican Post’s Assistant Sports Editor CHIEW TENG picks key fixtures to watch in the new season.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring a goal against Manchester City in the 2015/2016 season. PHOTO: WWW.PREMIERLEAGUE.COM
What: Manchester United vs Manchester City When: September 10 Why:
This will be the third instalment of the famed rivalry between two of football’s biggest managers, Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho, after their titanic battles in Europe and in the Spanish domestic league. The Manchester Derby marks a new chapter in its illustrious history as Pep comes face to face again with Jose for the first time since August 2013. Be sure to expect fireworks with no love lost between the two men and their teams.
What: Chelsea vs Leicester City When: October 15 Why:
The last time Claudio Ranieri brought Leicester to Stamford Bridge, the team was given a guard of honour after they were crowned England’s champions. This time, another Italian awaits, as new Chelsea boss Antonio Conte will look to show the world that the team’s 10th place finish last season was nothing more than a minor blip. All eyes will also be on new Chelsea midfielder N’golo Kante, who pushed for a move to Stamford Bridge after starring for Leicester last season.
What: Arsenal vs Tottenham When: November 5 Why:
Last season, Tottenham missed a chance to finish above their North London rivals for the first time in 21 years when they were pipped to the post by Arsenal. Tottenham and its fans will hope to put one over Arsenal, especially after they were trolled by the Gunners’ fans when they thought that there wouldn’t be St Totteringham’s Day – the day Arsenal fans celebrate the fact that their team will finish above Tottenham in the league.
What: Manchester City vs Chelsea When: December 3 Why:
After a relatively easy start to the season, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City start the important month of December hosting Antonio Conte’s Chelsea. This fixture will definitely be seen as a must win for Guardiola’s City team as they will take on defending champions Leicester City and Arsenal in two of their next three games. Guardiola will be desperate to start this run of big games with a huge victory if he and his City team manage to out tactic and outplay Conte’s Blues.
Striving for greatness from humble beginnings By Nur Arifah Rahmat
SWING IT LIKE MAISARAH: The 19-year-old RP student gained prominence earlier this year when she was among the youngest golfers to tee off for a place at the 2016 HSBC Women’s Champions tournament. PHOTO: COURTESY OF HSBCWC
S
he may not yet be a household name, compared to her mentor Mardan Mamat. But Maisarah Saadon has her sights set on picking up the mantle of Singapore’s top professional golfer and inspire others in the Malay community. After dropping out of school, Mardan became 16 THE REPUBLICAN POST
a caddie where he learnt the game, turned professional and became the first Singaporean to win a European Tour event. Maisarah, a second-year Sports and Leisure Management student at Republic Polytechnic, said: “I look up to him because he came from a poor background but still managed to climb his way up and became the number 1 golfer in Singapore.” Others may also soon be taking note of the 19-year-old. She gained prominence earlier this year when she was among the youngest golfers to tee off for a place at the 2016 HSBC Women’s Champions tournament. Even though she did not make the cut, Maisarah described the chance to compete for a place in the US$1.5 million event in March as “a dream”. Maisarah started playing the sport at the age of seven when her father Saadon Senari brought her to the golf range. She has been hooked on the sport since. Mr Saadon, who has been playing the game for more than 20 years, is often besides Maisarah on the course to give her tips and advice. “As a father, I am
very proud of her achievements,” said Mr Saadon. “And I will continue to support her as much as I can.” To help her juggle her studies and training, Maisarah entered the Singapore Sports School in 2011. As she would often spend the day training on the golf course, Maisarah would spend her evenings hitting the books. The experience has made her more independent and responsible, she said. Maisarah, who has been adopted by Mardan at Raffles Country Club, is aiming to enter the national squad so that she could represent Singapore in major tournaments, like the Southeast Asian Games. In September, she will compete in the Sime Darby qualifiers in Malaysia so that she could make the cut for the Sime Darby Professional tournament. “As a student-athlete, I have to sacrifice my social life and everything else just for the sport I love,” said Maisarah. “So, if there’s anything that I would want to say to other student-athletes out there is to always try their best and keep believing.”