A wedding planner from a respected and renowned wedding services company has been sacked after he was accused of cheating his clients.

The New Paper spoke to three women who alleged that they were scammed by Mr Sunato Zaidi, who worked for Lagun Sari Wedding and Catering Services, a popular Joo Chiat-based business that offers all-in-one venue, catering and decoration services.

Ms Nur Fazilah, 28, whose wedding is set for Dec 31, said she had paid more than $11,000 over the past 20 months, but only $2,000 was reflected in her account with the company.

Ms Fazilah claimed that Mr Sunato had pocketed more than $9,000 of her savings.

The nurse told TNP: "He was nice and approachable. We trusted and believed him."

Testimonials on the Lagun Sari website portray Mr Sunato as a responsible and efficient wedding planner.

Ms Fazilah and her fiance, Mr Muhammad Danial, 28, initially had no problems with Mr Sunato being assigned as their wedding planner.

However, they realised something was amiss when Lagun Sari kept asking them for payment, even though they had already made payments to Mr Sunato.

In Saturday's Berita Harian (BH), Lagun Sari published a notice that said Mr Sunato had been terminated and was not allowed to make any financial transactions on behalf of it.

When Ms Fazilah saw the notice on Saturday morning, she immediately called Lagun Sari for an explanation, but was told that it could not do anything as the receipts she had been given were fake.

Ms Fazilah made a police report against Mr Sunato that day and filed a report against him and Lagun Sari to the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case).

She said Lagun Sari agreed on Thursday to fully compensate the $11,000 that was paid to Mr Sunato by Ms Fazilah and her fiance, so the couple will go ahead with Lagun Sari's services.

If the company had not agreed to fully compensate the amount she lost, she said she would have been forced to look for another venue and caterer.

The same goes for customer relations officer Nadzirah Mahmood, 27, who said she was cheated out of $5,000 over three transactions with Mr Sunato for her wedding next year.

While the company initially said they were not going to reimburse her, Ms Nadzirah said Lagun Sari yesterday agreed to compensate her the $5,000.

Ms Nadzirah and her fiance have decided to stick with Lagun Sari for their March 12 wedding next year.

After meeting with their newly-assigned wedding planner yesterday, she said: "They are doing their best to make up for what is lost and agreed to honour the promises Mr Sunato had made to us."

NOTICE

Interior designer Siti Fadilah, 26, also realised something was wrong when she saw the notice in BH on Saturday .

Ms Fadilah also believes she was issued fake receipts by Mr Sunato, and lost around $5,000.

She told TNP: "I had no idea the receipts were fake. The receipts all had Mr Sunato's signature and the company stamp."

Ms Fadilah said: "Initially, Lagun Sari said it wouldn't refund us, but after I met them on Wednesday, it said it would absorb the losses if we continued our wedding with it."

She said: "Everyone knows Lagun Sari and Mr Sunato, they're quite reputable. I just never expected something like this would have happened."

Lagun Sari declined to comment.

Case: Consider buying wedding insurance

Three people have tried to complain to the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) about Lagun Sari Wedding and Catering Services from Tuesday to yesterday.

Case offered advice on the options the consumers could take and it said in its e-mail reply to The New Paper that they did not file their complaint with the consumer body.

Case executive director Seah Seng Choon: "Consumers should consider purchasing wedding insurance and ensure that the policy covers all important aspects of their wedding, such as damage to the wedding attire, delay in the banquet and even cancellation or postponement of the wedding event.

"A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event and it is always better to be safe than sorry."

CRIMINAL

Lawyer Gino Hardial Singh classifies such cases as criminal breach of trust.

He said: "To recover the monies, the victim will need to initiate civil proceedings. This, however, isn't a guarantee that monies can be recovered and may result in a paper judgment being obtained."

Mr Singh, who is the head of Criminal Practice at Eugene Thuraisingam LLP, also mentioned that the company itself should be added as a co-defendant, as the contract would have been signed with the company and not the individual.

This article was first published on Aug 27, 2016.
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Read also: Bridal salon closure: Wedding dreams turn nightmare

Till debt do they part: Couples borrowing heavily for lavish weddings

Some users are going mad over Samsung's new phone - and not in a good way.

Some people who bought the latest Samsung Galaxy Note7 after its launch here last week have had their new phones randomly freezing and rebooting at the opening screen.

On Aug 19, Ms Cindy Teng, 33, a product manager, spent three hours queueing for the Note7.

In the days that followed, Ms Teng's excitement grew to frustration and irritation. The phone that she bought for $1,168 would freeze as she was using it. Then it would shut down and reboot.

This would happen about once every five minutes.

Thinking that one of her apps was the problem, she performed a factory reset on the phone the day after she bought it.

But more problems cropped up. The phone would sometimes freeze as it boots up, before shutting down and rebooting.

"I was quite irritated to have this problem as the phone was just out of the box," she told The New Paper.

She is not the only customer who has experienced these problems.

More than 10 others have taken to Samsung Mobile Singapore's Facebook page to share similar grievances.

Some have also complained about Samsung's customer service staff not getting back to them as promised.

A Note7 user, who wanted to be known only as Ms Woo, experienced similar issues and contacted Samsung's customer service hotline.

She was told that Samsung could take in the phone for evaluation, but she would not know whether she would receive a replacement until after the evaluation was complete.

Ms Teng also contacted Samsung through its customer service hotline earlier this week and was told she could not perform a one-for-one exchange as there was "no stock left".

FAILED ATTEMPT

She posted her complaint on the page after her failed attempt to get a resolution from Samsung.

Earlier yesterday, Ms Teng finally received a call from Samsung's customer service personnel.

After some negotiation, it was agreed that she would have her phone replaced free of charge today.

Both Ms Woo and Ms Teng performed a software update immediately after receiving the phones.

When asked whether it knew of the cause of the issue, a Samsung spokesman said: "We are investigating the reported cases of Galaxy Note7 customers with encounters of auto-reboot on their devices. "If customers require support on the performance of their devices and other customer service, they can contact us at 1800-SAMSUNG (726 7864)."

The Samsung spokeman did not respond to a query on whether the issue only affected Singaporeans.

The Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) has handled one case regarding the Note7 since its launch on Aug 20, said executive director Seah Seng Choon.

In that case, the consumer had received a defective Note7 that kept rebooting. Samsung agreed to a one-for-one exchange of the defective mobile phone.

However, the consumer found that there was a dent on the new mobile phone and requested a second exchange.

Mr Seah said: "Consumers who purchased defective mobile phones should ask the business to repair or replace the phones first.

"Otherwise, they can ask to keep the phones for a reduction in price or return the phones for a refund.

"Consumers who are unable to resolve their disputes with the business on their own may approach Case for further assistance."

Consumer electronics analyst Karissa Chua of Euromonitor International thinks the issues surrounding the Note7 will not have a significant impact on Samsung's overall performance.

She said: "It had its fair share of problems in the past such as with its S Pen in the Galaxy Note5, but the company worked to resolve those issues."

This article was first published on Aug 27, 2016.
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Nathan Hartono is the first Singaporean to make it past the "battle" round of the popular reality TV singing competition Sing! China, which is a rebranded version of The Voice Of China.

The 25-year-old local singer and songwriter first made his mark on the show by sailing past the blind auditions on July 15, after which he chose Mandopop star Jay Chou as his coach.

He appeared on yesterday's episode of the show, which airs over Zhejiang TV and featured Chou's team of 10 battling it out in pairs.

Chou ended up choosing Hartono - who performed Cantopop singer Eason Chan's ballad We Are All Lonely - over China opponent Huang Junjie, thus cracking the top five of Chou's team.

UNABLE TO SING

In the next round, Hartono will be pitted against contestants from other teams helmed by Sing! China's three other coaches, Harlem Yu, Na Ying and Wang Feng.

Speaking to The New Paper on Thursday over the phone from Jiaxing, China, where Sing! China is being filmed, Hartono, who is Indonesian-Chinese, said: "I was a little terrified because I had lost my voice and was completely unable to sing the week prior (to the actual performance)...

Nathan Hartono with his coach, Mandopop star Jay Chou. Photo: Weibo/ Nathan Hartono

"Thankfully, on the day itself, everything kind of fell into place.

"I had my voice, I didn't forget the lyrics, which is a huge deal for me as it's in Mandarin, and I did what I set out to do on stage.

"(Huang) had a very different (musical) style, so it was hard to make a direct comparison (between us)...

"It's a very cool experience to know that the whole of Singapore is behind me and I'm very happy to have come this far," said Hartono.

For the "battle" round, Chou did not give him many pointers during the rehearsals - which took place the night before the live recording - and only advised him on hitting the right notes.

Hartono was initially worried about having Chou as his mentor, as Chou is the busiest of all the four judges.

And during the beginning stages of the competition, he did not get to see Chou very often.

Local singer Nathan Hartono wows Sing! China judges

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

The Straits Times, The New Paper, YouTube screengrabs, HBO Asia, Music & Movement

"The first interaction I had with him was on FaceTime and Skype because he was on tour," he said.

"I was a bit apprehensive at first because I wondered if (our sessions) would be like this the whole time. But once things really got rolling, I got to see him more often."

Hartono described Chou as "obsessive", as the latter had done thorough research on social media about each student on his team before meeting them face-to-face.

"He was trying to get a better handle of how he could help each of us and to find out our strengths and weaknesses," he said.

"It was great to see him care so much. He's the kind of coach who doesn't try to impose a style, song choice or idea on the student.

"He's very collaborative. He would always ask for my opinion first and he would make song suggestions. But if I disagreed, he would be cool and try to cater to me based on my choice."

They didn't make the cut

STRONG SUPPORT: Singers Olinda Cho (left) and Ng Chee Yang. Photo: Zaobao

Back in June, five finalists - Olinda Cho, Ng Chee Yang, Elizabeth Low, Zhang Zhi Ling, and Curley Gao - from the China Super Vocal Singapore audition were sent to Shanghai to represent Singapore at a closed-door audition for Sing! China.

Ng got to sing at the blind auditions but did not have any judges' chairs slide down for him.

He told TNP: "Of course there's a tiny bit of disappointment, but I think most importantly it's a good experience. After all, a reality TV show isn't life or death.

"It's what I do with my music after the fact that matters."

Ng, 26, said even though there will be revival rounds later on in the show, he did not stay on in China as he wanted to return to Singapore and focus on his a cappella group The Apex Project.

SELF-DOUBT

Cho, who was crowned the champion of China Super Vocal Singapore in May, did not even get the opportunity to sing in front of the judges at all.

She only made it as far as the "prepping stage", which consisted of back-and-forth discussions with the directors and producers of the show about her song selections.

Cho, 36, said: "At one point, I was feeling the pressure and I had self-doubt... and thought that maybe (music and singing) isn't my calling."

Both of them are rooting for fellow Singaporean Nathan Hartono and are hoping that he can take down the rest of the competition. Cho said: "He has a good chance of winning because of his charming personality."

This article was first published on Aug 27, 2016.
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Sorry to destroy the fantasies of K-drama fan girls - the truth is, real life hardly imitates reel life.

Take it from South Korean actor Kang Ha Neul.

The 26-year-old is in town to promote Scarlet Heart, the highly-anticipated Korean adaptation of the massively popular 2011 Chinese fantasy period drama with the same name.

Kang, who was cheerful and affable during his press conference yesterday, said he is nothing like his character in Scarlet Heart.

In the 20-parter, he plays the stoic and ambitious Eighth Prince Wang Wook.

The prince falls in love with female protagonist Lee Ji Eun (South Korean singer and actress IU), who went back in time from the 21st century to the ancient Goryeo dynasty.

"I'm very ordinary, totally different from Wang Wook," Kang told local reporters via a translator.

"I'm not as smart, I'm not good in martial arts at all... To most people, I'm just a boy next door, a big brother to the young ones and a younger brother to my seniors."

Kang will hold a meet-and-greet session with fans at 5.45pm today in Punggol at Village Square, Level 1, Waterway Point. It is free and open to the public.

Scarlet Heart, which also stars Lee Joon Gi and Baekhyun of boy band EXO, will premiere on Monday the same time as in South Korea.

FANTASY: South Korean actors Kang Ha Neul (far right) and Lee Joon Gi in fantasy period drama Scarlet Heart. Photo: Youtube Screengrab

It will air every Monday and Tuesday at 9pm exclusively on ONE (Singtel TV Ch 513 and 604, StarHub TV Ch 124, 820 and 823).

Kang said: "I'm drawn to roles that bring out traits I don't have.

"The most appealing part about playing the Eighth Prince was portraying the change in his personality after he found romance.

"The Eighth Prince was initially really repressed. He suppressed a lot of his emotions because he felt he had to (behave like a) prince.

"But after meeting IU's Ji Eun and falling for her, he felt liberated. He felt the freedom to do the things he wanted."

PRESSURE

Kang said he is aware of how well-received the original production of Scarlet Heart was.

"To be part of such a mega hit, I definitely felt pressure. Eventually, I told myself to just give it a go and enjoy myself. Only then can I do my best," he said.

He is confident the Korean version will outdo its predecessor in at least one aspect - the technical element.

He said: "We have taken the visuals a notch up. Visually, it is very attractive, from the camera angles to the use of colours."

This article was first published on Aug 27, 2016.
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After the passing of former president S R Nathan, there has been much talk about the 1974 Laju hijack and the bravery of the 13 men who traded places with the hostages. Who are these men?

In 2011, before he retired from the highest office, the late president S R Nathan hosted a small tea reception attended by seven of 12 Singaporean men.

It was a private function and some of the men were recognisable faces to Istana staff.

"It was our first and only reunion, and we recounted some of the things that happened in 1974. We were at ease with the results (of the crisis)," says Mr Tee Tua Ba, 74, the former commissioner of police.

Mr S. Rajagopal, 76, a retired counter terrorism officer with the Internal Security Department, was also there, as were several commando officers. He took pictures of the gathering.

He tells The New Paper on Sunday: "I met the President at an earlier event and told him we should have a gathering for the men.

"We had not seen each other as a group since."

That was the day 13 men traded places with hostages of the Laju ferry to guarantee safe passage out of Singapore for four hijackers.

The details were never shared publicly and none of the men believed in self-glorification.

As a result, for more than 30 years, few outside the group knew of the men's readiness to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Then before retiring, Mr Nathan revealed to The New Paper what took place on the Feb 8, 1974, Japan Airlines flight to Kuwait with the four Laju hijackers.

And he gave even more details in his book, An Unexpected Journey: Path To The Presidency.

Among the 13 were commandos, including LTC (Retired) Clarence Tan Kim Peng, Singapore's first US-trained special forces soldier.

And ISD officers including director Yoong Siew Wah who, like the others, was ready to lay down his life.

INTERPRETERS

But there were also two non-security men who had acted as interpreters during the crisis.

One was a former official of the Syariah Court while the other had worked at the then-Singapore Broadcasting Corporation.

Both had died before the Istana reunion.

There has only been one publicly seen picture of the 13 men, taken at a press conference after the men had safely returned to Singapore on Feb 9.

They never again assembled as a group for more than 35 years.

The 13 men

DEFENCE MINISTRY

Mr S R Nathan
Director, Security and Intelligence Division, whom Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Defence Minister Goh Keng Swee told to lead the 13-men exchange.

Captain Clarence Tan Kim Peng
Commanding officer of the Singapore Armed Forces Regular Battalion, the precursor of the 1st Commando Battalion. He was one of the first local officers to attend the ranger and airborne courses conducted by the US Army. He was involved with the elite soldiers until 1988, then he became a defence attache in Australia before retiring in 1992.

Captain Gwee Peng Hong
Commando officer who was the commanding officer of the first batch of NS commandos.

Mr Teo Ah Bah
Commando officer.

Mr Tan Lye Kwee
Commando officer.

HOME AFFAIRS MINISTRY

Mr Yoong Siew Wah
Director of Singapore's Internal Security Department (ISD), 1971 to 1974. He was previously the Director Of The Corrupt Practices Investigation bureau and an officer in the Singapore special branch in the 1950s.

Mr Tee Tua Ba
Officer-in-charge of Marine Police, 1974 to 1976. He became Commissioner of Police before retiring in 1997. He is now serving as non-resident ambassador to Switzerland.

Mr Seah Wai Toh
Superintendent of police. He later became deputy director of ISD after 1974 and was involved in negotiating the surrender of four Vietnamese hijackers of an Air Vietnam flight in 1977.

Mr S. Rajagopal
Assistant Superintendent, counter terrorism unit, ISD. His career was packed with dangerous assignments. He was involved in the Air Vietnam operations. Masquerading as a doctor, he boarded and got the injured out of the plane. Now 76, he serves as the honorary treasurer of the Singapore Police Retirees' Association.

Mr Andrew Tan
Assistant Superintendent, counter terrorism unit, ISD.

Mr Saraj Din
Assistant Superintendent, ISD.

TRANSLATORS

Haji Abu Bakar
Religious teacher who was approached by the Ministry of Defence because of his fluency in Arabic. A civilian, he volunteered to join the men on the flight to Kuwait. He went on to become ustaz abu bakar and remained involved in the rehabilitation of terrorists. He died on jan 25, 2005.

Haji Abdul Rahman
Broadcaster with the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation and fluent in Arabic.

Last days of the Laju hijack

The Laju hijack unfolded over nine days. Melvin Singh and Hariz Baharudin zoom in on the last two days as the hijackers negotiated for safe passage out of S'pore

FEB 7, 1974

Police perform a series of practice runs on the route they are to take from the Marine Police jetty at Kallang to Paya Lebar Airport, where the Japan Airlines plane will be waiting.

Everyone is ready.

As the hijackers direct the Laju ferry to the jetty - a 30-minute journey - they keep their guns pointed at the heads of the three hostages.

Then they board a police van and are taken to the Paya Lebar Airport VIP lounge.

Mr Nathan relates in his book: "At the airport, Haji Abu Bakar, an Arabic-speaking official of Singapore's Syariah Court, who had been helping in the exchanges with the Arab hijackers, was asked to come with us, making the team 13 in number.

"Because of the last-minute nature of the arrangements, he did not have a passport and boarded the plane without having spoken to his family.

"This was courageous - not having a passport could have created difficulties both on landing in Kuwait and on his departure."

It is now time to surrender the weapons.

Mr Tee is with his translator in the VIP lounge and the four hijackers. He again reminds them to give up their weapons.

Mr Nathan relates what happens next: "Tee Tua Ba, seeing suspicion, fear and anger in their eyes, reminded them of the guarantee.

"He suggested if need be, they can keep one of the bullets in the leader's Browning automatic, which would be held against his temple.

"While Tee was guiding the hand holding the gun to his own head, the hijacker said that would not be necessary. Then they all surrendered their arms."

Mr Tee says he knew the airport was surrounded by armed police officers and soldiers.

"If they heard a shot fired, they would know I was dead or seriously injured and would have moved in," he tells The New Paper on Sunday.

"I told them to surrender their arms and explosives. They had trusted me so far, and we had operated in good faith.

"The plane wouldn't take off unless they did so and that was when I took his hand and guided the gun to my head.

"The Arab leader stopped me and said, 'Brother, I trust you.'"

FEB 8, 1.25AM

Just before he boards the plane, Mr Tee gets a call.

"I received a sudden call from Mr Tay Seow Wah, Permanent Secretary of Home Affairs.

"I thought something had gone wrong. To my surprise, it was not."

Mr Tay has a message from Mr Lee Kuan Yew.

"It was, 'Job well done'," adds Mr Tee.

No blood has been spilled so far.

AIRPORT RUNWAY: Japanese government and Japan Airlines officials trooping down the gangway of the plane after its arrival from Tokyo on Feb 7, 1974.

The four men, the 13 Singapore officials and other Japanese officials and crew of the Japan Airlines plane, which had flown in from Bangkok, are ready for take-off.

To Mr Tee, the four men are no longer hijackers. "I already totally disarmed and strip-searched all the hijackers and recovered all the weapons, which included revolvers and knives, before boarding the plane.

"The hijackers were at our mercy and in honour of our agreement, we were there to ensure their safe passage," says Mr Tee.

But the four men eye the Japanese crew and officials with some suspicion. So they are separated from one another.

The hijackers sit at the front of the plane, the Singaporeans in the middle and the Japanese at the back.

Two Singaporeans, using the surrendered guns, keep guard.

During the flight, Mr Tee continues to talk to the four men.

He says it is extraordinary that while they are adversaries, the two Japanese men and the officials are polite with one another.

Mr Nathan tells him to continue engaging the Arabs.

"They asked me why I called them terrorists.

"The Arabs said there are bigger terrorists out there and they don't know when they return home if they will disappear," says Mr Tee.

Mr Nathan joins in the conversation and tells the Japanese to take the message home to their compatriots - the Singapore Government has guaranteed their safety, and now it is their turn to return the favour for the Singapore officials.

As the flight approaches Kuwait, the control tower refuses permission for the plane to land.

Then they say it can land but nobody is to leave the plane.

Instead, the men involved in the Japanese embassy siege are to board the plane, and the flight is to leave Kuwait - destination unknown.

In his book, Mr Nathan says: "Interpreting the true facts somewhat loosely, I said I was a special envoy of the prime minister of Singapore and had a special message for the prime minister of Kuwait.

"He asked me what the message was and asked me to read it out to him over the air. I refused.

"I told him my instructions were specific and that the message had to be delivered in person directly to his prime minister."

The plane lands and is immediately surrounded by police and military vehicles.

Mr Tee describes the scene: "My god, the number of tanks and armoured personnel that surrounded us was astonishing.

"For about two hours, there was just silence."

Then the Kuwaiti defence minister walks to the door of the plane.

Mr Yoong Siew Wah bravely goes forward with Mr Nathan and Haji Abu Bakar.

Mr Nathan tells them they are guarantees to ensure the safety of the four men. It is now the job of the Kuwaiti government to protect the officials.

He tells them if anything happens to them, their prime minister has to answer for it.

The Kuwaiti officials are in deep discussion with the Japanese officials but Mr Nathan budges in repeatedly.

"Mr Nathan kept reminding them of their obligations and finally the Kuwaiti official told him, 'If you talk some more, I will arrest you,'" Mr Tee says.

The Singapore officials are told to get lost, and they do.

They decide to lie low and disperse so there is no way the Kuwaiti authorities can round all of them up and put them back on the same plane.

"We had to get lost for awhile. I gave each of our people US$100 from the funds that I had brought. We went shopping," says Mr Nathan in his book.

When asked what he bought with the money, Mr Tee laughs.

"By that time I was so tired, having had little sleep for more than a week. But this was the burden we had to endure."

FEB 8: THE RETURN

The men return home and assemble for a press conference at Paya Lebar Airport.

Their families are to wait a little longer for the reunion.

REUNITED: Mr S R Nathan was greeted by his wife and children on arrival at the Singapore airport.

Did they think they were going to make it back alive?

Mr Tee ponders, then says: "My sons were one and two then. I thought they might not see their father again, and my wife would not see her husband.

"But we had to lead by example, and there was a job to be done. We did our job."

He says it was less dangerous on the plane than before boarding it.

But this is also the same man who directed a gun to his own temple.

The need for operation secrecy meant there was to be no great fanfare, no welcoming party.

The brave 13 were just doing their job.

Excerpts taken from Mr S R Nathan's book - An Unexpected Journey: Path To The Presidency published by Editions Didier Miller

This article was first published on Aug 28, 2016.
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The first case of locally transmitted Zika virus was reported yesterday at Block 102, Aljunied Crescent. HARIZ BAHARUDIN (harizbah@sph.com.sg) visited the block to find out how residents feel

When she found out she was pregnant five months ago, Aljunied Crescent resident Mastika Yacoob, 42, told herself she would take no chances with the dangers of dengue.

For the first three months, the designer made sure she had a mosquito patch on her at all times.

Her concerns abated in her fourth month, and she stopped wearing them.

But now, five months into her pregnancy, she is worried again.

Yesterday, news emerged of Singapore's first case of locally transmitted Zika virus. And it was traced to her place at Block 102, Aljunied Crescent.

Speaking to The New Paper on Sunday at her home last night, Ms Mastika was visibly stunned by the news.

With one hand on her stomach, she said: "Here? In our block? That is scary. It's something I've always been fearful of."

Zika poses a serious threat to pregnant women as it can lead to their children having birth defects.

She and her husband, 36-year-old software engineer Kohodai Dada, are not taking any chances and said they would purchase more mosquito patches right away at the nearby 24-hour supermarket.

Mr Dada said: "We always hear it on the television, but now this is a different thing altogether.

"To know that someone was infected in the very block we live in, it makes the problem that much closer to home."

According to a joint statement by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and National Environment Agency (NEA), the patient, a 47-year-old Malaysian woman, tested positive for the virus yesterday at the Communicable Diseases Centre (CDC) at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

The unnamed woman had not travelled to Zika-affected areas recently and developed symptoms on Thursday.

The patient was referred to the CDC by a general practitioner (GP) on Friday. She is now hospitalised and is recovering.

The two agencies said with the "volume of travel by Singaporeans as well as tourists, it is inevitable that there will be imported cases of Zika into Singapore".

There is also the "risk of subsequent local transmission", due to the presence of the Aedes mosquito here.

FURTHER CASES

The statement said: "While MOH and NEA have stepped up precautionary measures, we expect that there may be further cases, as most infected persons may display mild or no symptoms."

The patient's close contacts, including household members, are being screened.

MOH is also testing others in the area who have fever and a rash. There are three other suspected cases in the area pending confirmation tests.

As an added precaution, all suspect cases of Zika virus infection will be isolated while awaiting confirmation of the blood test results.

All GPs around the 12-storey Block 102 and the patient's workplace have been alerted to be "extra vigilant".

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said: "MOH and NEA are working together to carry out vector control and testing of residents in that area with fever and rashes so as to reduce the risk of further spread.

"I encourage those who are unwell and with these symptoms to visit their doctors for medical attention.

"We have also alerted our clinics in the area to look out for suspect cases and refer them to the CDC for testing."

When TNPS visited the block last night, many residents had no idea their estate was home to Singapore's first locally transmitted case of Zika.

Housewife Premavathi R, who is three months pregnant, was not even aware of the dangers Zika posed.

But her husband, 33-year-old IT engineer Vasanthan N, knew about it and said he was "concerned".

After he explained the virus to her and informed her one of their neighbours was infected, she gasped.

Ms Premavathi, 28, said: "We've always kept the house clean, but I will consider buying insect repellent for my family and for my unborn child."

But to Ms Mastika, there is no time to lose.

Besides the patches, her family will also be getting insect repellent which they will start using as soon as they return from the supermarket.

"I've lived here since I was five. This area isn't the cleanest and people litter a lot," she said.

Clutching her husband's arm, she added: "There are so many breeding grounds for mosquitoes and what if they spread Zika?

"I am paranoid now."

What is the Zika virus?

Click on thumbnail to view photos. Source: 

Reuters

What is Zika?

Zika is a disease caused by a virus transmitted by the Aedes mosquito. It was first detected in Zika Forest in Uganda in 1947 in a rhesus monkey, and in the Aedes africanus mosquito in 1948.

Its incubation period is likely to be a few days and the symptoms are similar to those of other mosquito-borne diseases such as dengue and chikungunya: fever - rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise and headache.

Zika has been linked to instances of Guillain-Barre syndrome - a rare disorder that causes muscle weakness and temporary paralysis.

It has also been linked to microcephaly, a rare condition in which babies are born with abnormally small heads.

There are currently no vaccines or drugs for Zika, as the disease was rare and mild until last year.

Those infected are usually advised by doctors to get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids, while pain and fever are treated with available medicines.

Sources: World Health Organisation, Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

OLYMPICS TEAM

Yesterday, the Singapore National Olympic Council sent out a statement saying that the 25-member team of athletes and officials who represented Singapore at the recent Rio Olympics were not affected by the Zika virus.

"The athletes and officials of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games Team Singapore contingent have returned to Singapore safe and symptom-free from Zika," said Mr Low Teo Ping, chef de mission for Team Singapore.

"We are keeping a close tab on the athletes and officials, monitoring them for symptoms such as fever, skin rash, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, and joint pain for three weeks upon their return.

"We have also advised them to continue to apply insect repellent and wear long-sleeved clothing where possible and to avoid travel to multiple places in a day.

"Any occurrence and non-occurrence of symptoms are updated to the team doctor daily."

This article was first published on Aug 28, 2016.
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South Korean actor Kang Ha Neul obliges fans at Punggol mall

For many K-drama fans, getting to see their favourite idols in the flesh would already be a huge treat.

Yesterday evening, five lucky local fans of South Korean actor Kang Ha Neul not only saw him up close, they got to get close to him.

One fan got not just one but two hugs from her idol and another fan had the privilege of having him tie her hair.

The 26-year-old star left another fan "speechless" when he went down on one knee to serenade her with a ballad.

FAN SERVICE: South Korean actor Kang Ha Neul serenading Ms Kassandra Gammon.

More than 3,000 fans thronged Waterway Point mall's Village Square in Punggol to catch a glimpse of the heart-throb, who was in town to promote his new period drama, Scarlet Heart.

The five fans were picked by event host Danny Yeo prior to Kang's arrival. They caught Yeo's attention by waving their phones enthusiastically in the air.

Ms Emma Muhammad, 22, a receptionist, burst into tears of joy when Kang stood behind her and put his arms around her to hug her.

"My heart was pumping really fast," she told The New Paper on Sunday.

"In my mind, I was going, 'Is this real?' I can't believe I am on stage with him."

After hugging her, Kang then turned Ms Emma to face him and gave her another hug as the audience screamed with delight.

He even took off his jacket before hugging her.

LOVELY VOICE

Part-time Korean language student Kassandra Gammon, 22, told TNPS she was "speechless" when Kang knelt down to sing her a song.

"His singing voice is so lovely," she gushed.

Secondary 3 student Candrea Chan, 15, praised Kang for being caring.

"While he was tying my hair, he kept asking me if it was painful," said Candrea.

"I replied him in Korean, 'Not at all.'"

Scarlet Heart, which also stars Lee Joon Gi, actress-singer IU and Baekhyun of boy band EXO, premieres tomorrow, the same time as in South Korea.

The 20-parter, set in the ancient Goryeo dynasty, features Kang as Eighth Prince Wang Wook who falls in love with IU's character. Scarlet Heart will air every Monday and Tuesday at 9pm exclusively on ONE (Singtel TV Ch 513 and 604, StarHub TV Ch 124, 820 and 823).

Out of all the fans who were selected to go on stage, Mr Raiham Nurul received the loudest cheers and laughs - mainly because he was the only thorn among the roses.

As at most Korean idol meet-and-greet sessions, the audience was predominantly female.

Mr Raiham, 18, a junior college student, said he "wasn't embarrassed" when he was given the chance to "gaze intently into Kang's eyes".

He told TNPS unabashedly: "I am a fan of Kang Ha Neul."

He then added: "Although I broke out in laughter, it actually wasn't awkward. I felt like I was looking at an angel."

keeyunt@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Aug 28, 2016.
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K-pop stars all dressed up during Seoul Fashion Week

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Seoul Fashion Week 2016

Take a 15-year-old teenager's video games away, put him in an overnight camp, and you may be surprised to find out how little he knows of the world.

"I've seen students not know how to peel an orange or use a lighter," says Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) instructor, Mr Ng Kai Yong.

His role requires him to guide secondary school students who struggle when they have to spend time away from their parents and maids.

He says, laughing: "While kayaking, many of them were shocked that sea water is salty. They probably knew it, but the idea occurred to them only when they were at sea."

Simple truths like these are why Mr Ng believes that outdoor learning experiences are important for every child, especially for those who have never had a camp experience before.

Mr Ng, 29, who started working at OBS 6½ years ago, says: "I don't blame them because a lot of these kids are doing it for the first time. I don't expect them to know how to tie knots straightaway, for example, so we have to teach them."

Camps are typically between three and five days long and involve a variety of confidence, resilience and team-building activities, such as rope courses, trekking, abseiling and kayaking.

Around 14,000 students go through OBS every year, a number which is expected to rise.

Come 2020, all Secondary 3 students will have to undergo the expedition-based camp, the Education Ministry announced earlier this year.

By then, OBS' new campus at Coney Island will be up and running, along with its two existing campuses at Pulau Ubin, increasing its capacity.

But for Mr Ng, that means a much busier time ahead as his job also requires him to train new OBS instructors.

WORRYING

With a sigh, he says: "It is quite worrying. Besides recruiting more instructors, we also need to maintain the quality of their training.

"There is a lot of commitment and responsibility involved for instructors."

Some trainees, for example, start out not being able to swim or have a fear of heights, Mr Ng reveals.

His job is to make sure that by the end of the six to nine months of training, the instructors are ready to take on the responsibility of managing children outdoors.

Each instructor has to supervise a group of 16 students over five days of camp activities - no easy task considering the amount of planning and preparation required.

During an ongoing camp, instructors work around the clock, with a few breaks in between, says Mr Ng.

"The students sleep at 10.30pm, but the instructors sometimes stay up till 1am to discuss the next day's activities," he says, adding that they do get time to themselves to call their loved ones and rest.

At these camps, students are encouraged to "surrender" their mobile phones to demonstrate their commitment to the programme's objectives.

This gives students a choice to give up their digital comforts, though some try to hide their mobile phones from the instructors.

"It is funny to see students rush to the PokeStop in our Pulau Ubin campus when they get their phones back at the end of the camp," he says.

Instructors currently manage an average of three to four camps every month, says Mr Ng.

To help them cope, instructors enjoy some incentives - such as sugared drinks and snacks - away from the prying eyes of the camp participants, confesses Mr Ng.

"Alcohol is strictly forbidden. We are working after all," he says.

While the going often gets tough, Mr Ng says the instructors feel rewarded when they see students challenge themselves or overcome their fears.

Every once in a while, he looks at his thick folder of letters from students, each thanking him for his dedication and guidance.

Says Mr Ng: "It makes all the hard work worth it, knowing that you've made a difference to their lives."

SECRETS OF THE TRADE

1. Be sincere and patient when working with students who might not be too enthusiastic about the camp. Give them time, and they will eventually enjoy being at the camp.

2. Develop your own style of working with students, but also be accepting and open to how your colleagues do it.

3. OBS camps involve plenty of physical activities, so keepingfit is a requirement.

ngjunsen@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Aug 28, 2016.
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A piece of cloth and a pair of sharp scissors are all Mr Ken Chow needs to carve out the parts of a ship captain's jacket.

He runs maritime uniform and tailor shop Ken Fashions for Men, which opened at the basement of Peninsula Shopping Centre in 1971.

The 77-year-old tells The New Paper on Sunday: "In the past 45 years, I've seen over a thousand ship captains.

"It is always a pleasant surprise when they come back and visit me because sometimes I don't know how far they are going and when they'll return to Singapore."

Apart from tailoring suits and uniforms for ship captains, Mr Chow also sells peak caps, epaulettes and badges that are imported from Turkey and the US.

A tailor-made ship captain's jacket costs at least $500 and a peak cap costs $250.

Other items such as baseball caps and a pair of epaulettes cost $50.

Back in the 1970s, crowds filled Peninsula Shopping Centre, Mr Chow says. But now, only a handful of people walk past his shop every day.

He says: "The tailoring trade is dying. Nowadays, people just come in to check the sizes and then proceed to order everything online.

"At least for me, the ship captains still come back and buy their uniforms because these are so rare."

He adds that while many old customers have retired, young captains who have just graduated from polytechnics are now buying from him too.

Interestingly, Mr Chow didn't start out as a tailor.

After secondary school, he became a salesman who sold household items.

After two years, he decided to pick up tailoring as he had a passion for fashion. He says his business kicked off immediately.

"I had many friends who were in the maritime business, so they started to introduce more and more friends to my shop," he says.

"I never intended to sell uniforms for ship captains... it just happened."

TRUST HIS WORK

One regular customer, Captain San Win, 50, has known Mr Chow since 1994.

He says: "Back when I first knew him, I was only a junior officer who was sent to Ken to buy uniforms.

"Now that I am working in Wallenius Marine Singapore, we decided to engage Ken as our regular tailor because he is experienced, and we trust his work."

Even after 45 years, Mr Chow shows no sign of slowing down.

He says that even though his two children are not keen on taking over the business, he hopes that someone can take over one day.

"Once I retire, this shop will close. I am willing to teach someone as long as he has the passion to learn."

This article was first published on Aug 28, 2016.
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He started playing Pokemon competitively last April and was taking part in a national competition within two months.

By August, Singaporean Corey Elliot Yuen was good enough to compete with the world's best.

The 10-year-old placed fifth in the junior division of this year's Pokemon Video Game World Championships in San Franciso, surpassing his dream of placing in the top 16.

"There were children from all over the world, and those who made it to day two (of the competition) were the best of the best, so even top 32 would have been amazing," says Corey.

"I was aiming for top 16 and to achieve fifth place made me so happy."

The world championships is a by-invitation-only event and players earn their invitations by doing well throughout the Championship Series Season.

Corey, the eldest of five siblings, was not the only one in his family competing at the event.

His sister Morgan Lola and brother Connor Louie also managed to clinch spots in day two of the world championships.

Connor, eight, says: "We did not do very well and were knocked out early, but it is okay because we played in side events after that and won many prizes."

Along with Morgan, six, Connor was taught the game by their elder brother.

"We have beaten our brother at some events, but it does not matter who wins or loses, we just want to have fun," says Connor.

FAMILY AFFAIR

Their love for Pokemon started because of their mother.

Madam Adelene Kong, 40, was a Pokemon fan when she was younger.

She pulled out her old Game Boy machine for her children to play Pokemon on when they were old enough.

She says: "But when we tried to play it, it did not work. So I bought them books and DVDs.

"They enjoyed watching the shows and would discuss all the types of Pokemon."

The family found out about the competitive gaming scene last year.

Madam Kong says: "They have attended close to 30 events in the past year. They really enjoy it so I will continue (to take them to events)."

Her husband, Mr Victor Yuen, is not a fan, but he is supportive of their hobby. He attends every event to take photos of them.

The three children say their grades have not suffered because of playing Pokemon.

"Ever since I started competitive Pokemon, my maths and science grades have improved," says Corey.

"When I build my Pokemon team, I must know how many attack or health or defence points I want to put in each of my six Pokemon.

"You start with a certain number that you need to divide up to put into each Pokemon."

Doing that meant he had to figure out percentages and decimals before he was taught them in school.

Despite being a big fan of Pokemon, Corey rarely plays the mobile version Pokemon Go.

"I don't have a mobile phone or an iPad. But it is fun to sometimes play on my mum's phone when she is not looking," he says.

Corey is still a bigger fan of the video game.

"The Pokemon Video Game Championships is an intellectual sport that is much like chess," he says.

"It is a turn-based strategy game that uses your knowledge of over 700 Pokemon and their abilities to battle another person.

"It is very difficult to predict and the ability to read the opponent is the key to winning."

But at the end of the day, the family is in it not for winning, but for the experience.

Corey says: "Attending World Championships in San Francisco was amazing and mind-blowing. Win or lose, the experience of being there is the best."

About the event

The Pokemon Video Game World Championships, which started in 2009, is a by-invitation-only event.

Players worldwide receive invitations based on their Championship Points at the end of the gaming season, which lasts about 11 months.

The top players from each region will immediately qualify for the second day of the championships, receiving an invitation along with a travel award.

The award consists of round-trip airfares to the event and hotel accommodation.

Others, who meet the qualifying mark, have to go through a round on the first day before moving on to the second day if they do well enough.

There are the Masters, Senior and Junior divisions.

mgovin@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on Aug 28, 2016.
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Gotta catch 'em all: Pokemon Go now in Singapore

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Bobby Tonelli has crashed cars in his reckless youth, but was lucky enough to escape unscathed.

"In my late teens and 20s, I was in two major accidents (in the US)," the Singapore-based US actor and host told TNP at last week's press conference of reality TV show Celebrity Car Wars, which Tonelli hosts.

"Once, I was hit broadside by a truck going about 80kmh and didn't have a seatbelt on.

"Another time, I rear-ended an SUV and my airbags came on. The front of my car was just smashed."

Both times, Tonelli, 40, said he was "very, very lucky" not to be hurt and he now drives more carefully to avoid more accidents.

"Nowadays, I just want to get home for dinner."

In Celebrity Car Wars, celebrities vie with each other in driving challenges, such as drifting and racing through an obstacle course set in a mall.

"It got pretty competitive," said Tonelli. "Since I was the host, they kept trying to find out details about the challenges from me beforehand and peppered me with questions. I felt like a school teacher."

ROMANTIC ROAD TRIPS

Tonelli enjoyed test driving cars on the show, including a snazzy Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 sports car and a run-down Jeepney, a colourful Jeep commonly used for public transportation in the Philippines, where Celebrity Car Wars was filmed.

He also expressed admiration for the female contestants, cautioning that they were not to be underestimated.

"Andrea (Fonseka) had never driven a stick shift before the show, but she really grew within the series. And Joey (Mead King) was really tough too. It doesn't matter if you're male or female. Anyone can be good at driving."

PHOTO: INSTAGRAM@BTONELLI

Tonelli said his Indonesian girlfriend of three years, Ms Tata Cahyani (above), 40, is also a pretty good driver. A single mother of two, she works in the jewellery industry.

The couple have been on several romantic road trips together, such as trips across the Causeway to Johor, and a driving holiday in Tuscany, Italy, last year.

"I was so excited to rent a car and drive through the Tuscan countryside at night.

"I told her to talk to me and keep me awake while I was driving... She ended up falling asleep in the car five minutes later," he said with a laugh.

Bobby Tonelli reveals new love

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Fly Entertainment, Lianhe Zaobao, Diva Universal, MediaCorp

Does Tonelli, who used to date local actress Joanne Peh - now married to China-born actor Qi Yuwu and with a year-old daughter - see himself settling down and having children any time soon?

He said: "I thought I was going to be engaged or married by 40, but that was a goal I didn't quite hit. I'm turning 41 soon. Time just flies by so quickly.

"But we are working on it. Things are going good, and we are talking about marriage and kids."

Tonelli mused that starting a family shows a sense of progression in life.

"I'm lucky enough to have a job where I do cool things like drive nice cars, and it would be nice to have kids to share these experiences with," he said.

This article was first published on Aug 29.
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For four years, the Chongfu School pupil would drink bottled coffee or tea after school almost every day.

His weight ballooned, tipping the scale at over 70kg.

Mr Kagen Lim, now 18, also neglected his studies and failed a couple of subjects in secondary school.

Desperate to become a policeman, he shed 20kg, hit the books and became one of three men awarded the Singapore Police Force (SPF) Scholarship on Aug 11.

As a child, Mr Lim loved to snack and could not go more than a day without fried food such as popcorn chicken and onion rings.

He said: "One of my friends commented that he never saw me without that little bag of food in my hands. I enjoyed fast food and sweet drinks a lot. I didn't see the need to cut down on them or to exercise."

When he went to Catholic High School, he joined the Scouts but continued his unhealthy lifestyle.

When The New Paper visited his family's five-room flat at Punggol on Aug 13, Mr Lim's parents said their youngest of four children used to skip tuition to attend Scouts activities.

Housewife Mabel Lan, 56, told TNP in Mandarin: "During secondary school, Kagen placed his CCA (co-curricular activity) as top priority. He would volunteer for all the activities and neglected his studies."

In Secondary 3, Mr Lim took on a leadership role in the Scouts.

"It was the very first instance when I felt that I should be a good role model for those under my charge," he said.

He began to feel inadequate because the juniors could outdo him at physical activities such as climbing the low rope at the fitness corner. He was among the last to complete a 2.4km run.

"I felt like I wasn't leading by example and I was being hypocritical by expecting excellence out of my juniors when I could not do it," he said.

That year, Mr Lim failed Higher Chinese and Physics, making him realise he needed to change.

"I already knew I wanted to join the police force, so I needed to be more disciplined."

Mr Lim said he realised his calling was to become a policeman in Primary 3 when he saw a group of secondary school students beat up another student.

REASSURING

His mother called the police and took him home. He saw the police cars arrive from his window.

"That was a reassuring moment for me, to see the police respond," he said.

In Secondary 4, Mr Lim topped his cohort for his English preliminary examinations. He also started running and exercising regularly.

By the time he entered National Junior College, he had shed 10kg.

Now, he runs 4km to 5km a day. He has also stopped eating fried and fast food - save for social occasions.

Mr Lim was awarded the SPF Book Prize, which is given to JC 1 students who excel in academics and CCA. This motivated him to apply for the scholarship this year.

He is studying psychology at the National University of Singapore under the University Scholars Programme and will graduate in 2020.

He is planning to get a master's, possibly in criminology.

Following his graduation, Mr Lim will serve a four-year bond with the SPF.

Madam Lan said she was initially worried about the dangers of the job.

"But seeing him so passionate about this, we respect his decision. His choice is the most important," she added.

Mr Lim said: "In the past few years, I've achieved more than I thought I could, like getting gold for my Individual Physical Proficiency Test and doing my first few pull-ups."

The two other scholarship recipients are Mr Justin Tan and Mr Lua Jiong Wei, both 19.

SPF's manpower director, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police Tan Hung Hooi, said: "Kagen's determination in pursuing his goal is truly inspirational.

"It is heartening to have such a committed young man join our ranks to ensure Singapore's safety and security in time to come."

I felt like I wasn't leading by example and I was being hypocritical by expecting excellence out of my juniors when I could not do it.

Allan Wu has no problems receiving driving advice from women.

The 44-year-old Singapore-based US actor-host, one of six contestants on Celebrity Car Wars, felt that it was "kind of cool" to have female coaches Gaby Dela Merced and Michele Bumgarner on the show.

He told TNP in a phone interview from Shanghai: "(Celebrity Car Wars) is about racing... so there's a lot of testosterone in the show. It's nice to see some girls (who) are actually qualified and are professional racecar drivers."

He added that Dela Merced and Bumgarner were also "eye candy" for male viewers and that he found such knowledge of cars to be an attractive quality in women.

But this did not stop Wu from getting as competitive with fellow contestants Andrea Fonseka and Joey Mead King as he was with guys like Thai DJ-host PK and Filipino host-model Marc Nelson.

He said: "I want to beat everyone. That's all there is to it. It doesn't matter whether they're a man or woman."

Wu feels that his ex-wife, local actress-host Wong Li-Lin, is just as good a driver as he is, but said: "I'm better at parking, maybe."

Likewise, Wu does not feel that women are generally poorer drivers than men.

What bothers him most on the road is people who drive slowly in the fast lane.

"That's the worst... if I were younger, I'd be honking at them and kissing their butt, just having my car right up to the back of theirs," he joked.

"You should have the common sense to realise (that you're driving slowly) and move over."

Added Wu, who does not have a car in Singapore but owns a Ducati Monster: "I prefer riding motorcycles than driving (cars)... you have the wind blowing in your face, you have the elements, the smog, the air, you feel alive."

This article was first published on Aug 29.
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One does not expect public displays of affection at a pageant for hunks.

So it was a surprising but touching scene when 36-year-old Stanley Nam, who won the title of Senior Manhunt Singapore 2016 on Saturday, bounded off the stage and teared up as he hugged his mother.

His mother, Madam Ng Ah Lin, 66, is wheelchair-bound as she suffers from rheumatoid arthritis.

"My mum is very, very happy for me," Mr Nam, a marketing director, told The New Paper at the finals held at One Farrer Hotel & Spa.

"She is the beacon of light in my life.

"My father left us when I was four and my mum worked really hard as a canteen supervisor to raise me and my brother."

Mr Nam, who is 1.72m tall and weighs 72kg, said he is proud of his mother, crediting her with teaching him the right values, such as integrity, kindness and responsibility.

"I'm not worried about being called a mama's boy for showing my affection for my mum.

"When she suffered a stroke last year, it was a wake-up call for me to treasure her and express my love for her whenever I can," he said.

The Manhunt pageant is Mr Nam's platform to raise awareness for the charities he volunteers at, such as animal shelter Voices For Animals, soup kitchen Willing Hearts and children's charity Club Rainbow.

Mr Nam, who is single, was a clear front runner for the title of Senior Manhunt, as he also scooped up five subsidiary awards, including Mr Internet Popularity (Senior) and Mr Wellness Suite.

His fans in the audience cheered loudly, carriedsigns with his name on them and blew whistles whenever he appeared on stage.

UNIQUE

Mr Lucas Lim, 25, who took home the crown in the Manhunt Junior category, wowed the crowd with his dance moves.

The personal trainer and dance instructor, who is 1.89m tall - making him this year's tallest contestant - and weighs 92kg, met his girlfriend, 25-year-old marketing officer Zhang Shi Qi, through a dance battle.

"At first, I started dancing just to pick up girls and impress others in clubs," Mr Lim said.

"But when I ventured deeper into dance, it helped me explore my creative side and build my confidence."

Mr Lim took up dancing over five years ago, and has performed at events including last year's Star Awards and the Singapore Night Festival.

Other highlights of the night included appearances by Manhunt 2011 finalist and local actor Shane Pow as well as celebrity judges Hossan Leong and Michelle Chong.

The local actress-host took the opportunity to promote her upcoming film Lulu The Movie, which she directs and stars in. It is slated for release on Nov 24.

For the Q&A segment, Chong cheekily asked the finalists to choose among her personas from popular Channel 5 TV skit comedy series The Noose - Chinese KTV hostess Lulu, Filipino maid Leticia and sarong party girl Barbarella.

Laughter ensued when finalist Glenn Sim said he would pick Lulu as his future wife and take her to a hawker centre on their first date, as he is "a simple guy who does not need to eat in fancy places".

Judge Muhammad Fuad, who won the junior category last year, said the winners were chosen for their confidence and character, and not just physique.

"Lucas has own unique style and personality. And Stanley has a good heart - you can tell he really loves his mum," he said.

He cried tears of joy when placed second

Mr Zacky Mohammed Hosnen, the first runner-up of this year's Senior Manhunt, was shocked by the results on Saturday.

"I'm almost speechless," the 39-year-old bachelor told The New Paper.

"I'm not a model, I'm an athlete. When the other guys in the competition told me I could win something, I did not believe them. I was crying when they announced my name."

A desktop artist at Singapore Press Holdings, Mr Zacky impressed the judges with his answer to the question, "Why do you want to win Senior Manhunt?"

"Honestly, winning is not important - it is the journey that matters to me," he replied.

"I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth, and I worked hard to get where I am."

At his frank response, the audience and his fellow contestants burst into applause.

Mr Zacky told TNP: "Before I entered national service, my father suffered a stroke and I had to work to help my mum make ends meet. There were times I had no food, and it was stressful.

"Later, I also watched my father pass away in front of my eyes."

Mr Zacky was overcome with emotion as he described himself as a "bad son" who became suicidal. He also turned to alcohol and overeating.

The chiselled hunk, who is 1.76m tall, weighs 83kg - but he used to tip the scales at 110kg.

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The New Paper

Local singer Tanya Chua has admitted to Taiwanese media that she's in a relationship at her Lemuria concert tour celebration party in Taipei last Saturday.

The 41-year-old is currently dating Mr Johann Martin, a 34-year-old French pastry chef who has taught courses at Bellouet Conseil School.

Chua herself went to Paris in February and did a three-month baking course at the same place.

She gushed about her new boyfriend: "Is he very handsome? I also think he is very handsome."

However, Chua declined to reveal how long they've been dating, saying: "I'm not the kind to use a traditional way to tell people.

"What was taken has already been taken (referring to photos of the couple together), everyone doesn't have to listen to what I have to say, you just need to use your eyes to see."

Tanya Chua dating French pastry chef

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The New Paper, Razor TV, The Straits Times, Tanya Chua, Rock Records Singapore, Tangy Music

This article was first published on Aug 29, 2016.
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She was chatty and bright and had a positive outlook on life.

But all that changed overnight when Sarah, then 25, fell victim to an incident that stripped away her self-worth.

At about 3.20am on July 26 last year, a teen dragged her to a quiet spot in her neighbourhood and tried to rape her.

The then 17-year-old had felt the urge to rape someone after watching pornographic films online in his Choa Chu Kang home, some of which depicted rape scenes the court heard yesterday.

When Marcus Yow Kai Wen failed to rape Sarah, he performed other degrading sexual acts on her.

He was then still on probation for assaulting four women by approaching them from behind and throwing a plastic bag or sweater over their heads.

For attempted rape, Yow was yesterday sentenced to eight years' jail and 12 strokes of the cane. Three other charges of sexual offences were taken into consideration.

The case may have concluded, but Sarah's recovery has barely begun, said her boyfriend, Leonard, who is in his late 20s.

The couple's names have been changed to protect the victim's identity.

After the incident, Sarah became withdrawn, irritable and was prone to emotional outbursts - symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

"I am still very affected by it and it makes me unhappy," she told The New Paper in an e-mail interview yesterday.

After the hearing, Leonard told TNP: "Everything just changed overnight."

When Sarah found out about Yow's sentencing yesterday, she broke down, said Leonard.

"She's recovering, but it's been slow. It takes a lot of effort," he added.

"Her general health is affected because once something like this affects you psychologically, your health deteriorates. She does not eat well and that leads to ailments."

See also: Student tailed and harassed women at night

POOR HEALTH

Sarah, who still has nightmares, insomnia and flashbacks, told TNP: "It has been extremely difficult. I'm in poor health regularly."

Just two days ago, she was warded in hospital for stress-related issues, believed to be linked to the sentencing yesterday.

Leonard said: "Her work is affected badly. I'd say this incident turned her personal life upside down. It's very, very bad."

Left with psychological scars, Sarah is afraid of standing alone at lift landings and of male strangers who approach her.

Because she's terrified of walking the same path home, she has moved out of her family home - one of the "significant changes" she had to make to her lifestyle, she said.

At her new home, she is still plagued by insomnia.

"When I manage to fall asleep, I have nightmares and would jolt up from my sleep. I have constant nightmares of the incident," she said in her victim impact statement to the court.

The incident also took a toll on her relationships - a scenario that could happen when loved ones do not understand the symptoms of PTSD, said Dr Lim Boon Leng, a psychiatrist.

As Sarah's boyfriend and only confidante, Leonard was naturally affected by what he saw.

"It is extremely stressful to be in my position, that's all I want to say," he said.

Their relationship of two years has also changed.

"There are highs and lows, but the lows seem to be very different from that of a typical relationship. You don't have to deal with something that's this unpleasant in a typical relationship.

"It's rather taxing on the relationship. A lot of quarrels, maybe? There have been a lot of misunderstandings.

"The things we have to deal with are just psychologically different."

Leonard was distressed listening to the prosecution run through the facts of the case. It was the first time he heard of the other degrading sexual acts Yow had inflicted on Sarah.

"It's tough for me, even though it didn't happen to me. It's very vivid," he said, adding that there are times when helplessness overwhelms him and that there are not many people he can turn to or who understand what he and Sarah are going through.

"I just hope for the best. My main goal is to just help her regain her footing and by doing so, it helps me regain my footing as well.

"Besides that, there's really not much I can do except to support her however I can, which is really crucial.

"The silver lining is that if I see her recover, that would show that my efforts have paid off."

By speaking to TNP, the couple hope to remind others not to take their personal safety for granted.

"I want to warn women never to let their guard down and never to take their personal safety for granted, even in a safe country like Singapore," said Sarah.

Age saves him from maximum sentence

Seven months into his probation for attacking women by covering their heads with a plastic bag or sweater, an 18-year-old tried to rape a woman in his neighbourhood.

Marcus Yow Kai Wen said he had felt the urge to rape someone after watching pornographic films online, some of which depicted rape scenes.

Yesterday, the lanky teenager, dressed in a denim hoodie in court, was given the mandatory minimum of eight years in jail and 12 strokes of the cane for attempted rape.

His actions earned a strong rebuke from Justice Choo Han Teck.

"There is obviously something very wrong with you because you have been committing this kind of offence since you were 16," said the judge.

"And if you do not do something about it and seek help during or after your imprisonment, I can only say that the next time you appear in this court, you'll be in lock-up for almost the rest of your adult life."

The court heard that Yow had approached a 25-year-old woman at about 3.20am on July 26 last year.

The then ITE College West student wore a cap and sunglasses to hide his identity and armed himself with a knife-shaped letter opener.

Pointing the 15cm-long letter opener at her neck, Yow dragged her to the void deck of a nearby block where he tried to rape her.

When he failed because she was wearing a tampon, he performed degrading sexual acts on her. Afraid that he would harm her with the letter opener, she did not resist until she saw some passers-by and shouted for help.

Afraid that he would harm her with the letter opener, she did not resist until she saw some passers-by and shouted for help.

Yow fled, leaving behind the letter opener and a slipper. Two passers-by helped the victim back to her block.

She then called her boyfriend, who reported the attack to the police. She handed to the police the letter opener and the slipper.

Yow's family, who were in court yesterday, apologised to the victim and her family through defence counsel Amarick Gill.

"His family would like to place on court record... their profuse apologies to the victim and to the victim's family, and if the apology is not accepted, the parents understand, Sir. They have a daughter, too," he said.

Yow's mother broke down after sentencing, and had to be supported by family members.

For attempted rape, Yow could have been jailed up to 10 years and given up to 12 strokes of the cane.

In his sentencing submissions yesterday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Sellakumaran asked for Yow to be sentenced to a jail term of a "higher end".

HIGH RISK

Reports from the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) assessed Yow to have a high risk of sexual re-offending.

The MSF report noted that Yow's prolonged sexual arousal from rape pornography had motivated him to "perpetrate his own sexual rape in order to gain similar sexual gratification".

The IMH report found no evidence of a mental disorder in Yow, the prosecution pointed out.

Given Yow's "absolute defiance of the law", he "should not be treated with kid gloves", it added.

But Mr Gill argued for the minimum mandatory sentence, citing Yow's remorse and repercussions faced by his family.

Yow had stopped his studies at ITE after a notice calling him a "molester" and "rapist" was circulated.

Justice Choo said that ordinarily, he would have imposed the maximum sentence of 10 years and 12 strokes of the cane.

"However, the only thing that's in your favour in mitigation is your youth," he told Yow.

'I am unable to control my emotions'

"I also get upset easily and have sudden bursts of anger towards people. I am unable to control my emotions. I would feel suffocated frequently, and I am unable to control that."

"I have phobia walking the same path near my home. I dare not go back to my HDB flat. This led to me...to live with my brother."

"After the incident, I felt that I had lost my self-worth and I do not see the value of my life any more."

"This case has caused a lot of tension in the family. My family members are no longer on talking terms with me because

they are not supportive towards me."

- Excerpts from victim impact statement

'She lost 4kg'

"She became withdrawn and was frequently tearful and irritable, slept poorly with awakenings due to palpitations and nightmares about knives, and lost about 4kg due to nausea and poor appetite."

"On Dec 7, 2015... she still experienced marked emotional symptoms and often woke up screaming and hyperventilating from nightmares related to her attack...

These responses support the diagnosis of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)."

- Excerpts from report by Dr Chua Tze-Ern of KK Women's and Children's Hospital

Be patient, supportive, empathetic with victims

It is important for loved ones to respond to sexual assault survivors in supportive and empathetic ways instead of blame, disbelief or judgment.

This is because victims would approach them first before going to the authorities, said Ms Jolene Tan, the programmes and senior communications manager of the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware).

"Creating a space where the victim feels confident to come forward to talk, providing a listening ear or offering company to make a report are all helpful in moving the victim along on the path to recovery," she said.

"To maintain a trusting relationship where victims feel safe, it is important for loved ones not to pressure victims into making a decision they are not ready for."

Sometimes, family ties may become strained because of a lack of understanding of the trauma suffered by sexual assault victims.

Victims such as Sarah sometimes suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and may exhibit symptoms like irritability and withdrawal.

Psychiatrist Lim Boon Leng said: "In PTSD, the symptoms can be quite difficult to identify. Sometimes, family members get a little bit puzzled by the way the patient is behaving."

He added that the family has to be patient with the victim and not take everything she says to heart or judge her by her behaviour.

Dr Lim also suggested that family members seek professional advice to see how they can help the victim.

HELPLINES:

Aware's Sexual Assault Care Centre

• 6779 0282 (Monday to Friday, 10am to midnight)
• 9781 4101 (WhatsApp chat, Monday to Friday, 10am to 7pm)

Samaritans of Singapore

• 1800-221-4444 (24 hours)

IMH's Mental Health Helpline

• 6389-2222 (24 hours)

Care Corner Counselling Centre (Mandarin)

• 1800-353-5800

This article was first published on August 30, 2016.
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Last January, he was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer and his doctors told him then that he had only two months to live. But young artist Muhammad Khairul Ikhwan defied the odds.

He staged an art exhibition in April this year, celebrated Hari Raya in July and even made it to his 23rd birthday two weeks ago.

One of his close friends, freelance educator Mohammad Afham Abbas, 26, said Khairul also got his "last wish" - a family trip to Bali earlier this month.

Although he fought the disease hard, the cancer finally got too strong for him to resist. On Sunday evening, with his family around him, Khairul died.

Mr Afham told The New Paper that Khairul had obtained approval from the doctors to travel to Bali. Together with his siblings, mother and uncle, Khairul flew there earlier this month.

But after a few days on the island, Khairul started complaining of headaches. He then suffered a seizure and was warded in the Intensive Care Unit in a hospital there.

Two days later, Khairul and his family flew back to Singapore. He was then warded at the Singapore General Hospital, where he spent his last few weeks battling the disease.

Mr Afham, who visited his friend every day since he came back, said Khairul was mostly unconscious and could barely speak. He died at around 6.30pm on Sunday.

Choking back tears, Mr Afham said: "He is just so pure and never judges, he just gives so much love around him. He will be missed."

INSPIRATIONAL

For almost four years, Khairul published videos that featured him in all sorts of outfits - a bid to express himself and inspire others. Not wanting to confine himself to just one medium, he also painted and danced.

But in November 2014, during National Service, Khairul began experiencing a ringing in his ears and got bad headaches. Three months and several medical appointments revealed the worst - he had stage 4 colon cancer.

It had also spread to his brain, robbing the young artist of his hearing and plunging him into a world without sound for a while. But Khairul carried on producing his videos and making his art.

Word of his creativity started getting around and Khairul became a well-known name.

Read more: He taught me to value life and be strong

He performed at the annual Pink Dot rally in June last year and launched an 87-piece art exhibition in April at his alma mater, the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. Khairul's creativity struck a chord with many people here. TNP first reported on Khairul three months ago.

A TNP video about him, which has more than 290,000 views, touched many readers, some of whom showed their support by leaving encouraging comments for him.

The loss of Khairul is not just felt by his family and friends, but also with people who have collaborated with him creatively.

Kiss92 DJ Joshua Simon, who first met Khairul at a Lady Gaga concert in 2012, worked with him last month on a music video for his single Murda. Khairul did Simon's make-up, based on one of Khairul's own looks that Simon liked.

Simon, 26, said: "When Khairul was dressed up, he would exude such confidence. But when he took off the wig, he was the gentlest and sweetest person."

YouTube personalities Munah Bagharib and Hirzi Zulkiflie also expressed their grief.

Munah, a close friend of Khairul's, called him a hero in her Instagram post. "You alone have taught us so much about love and strength," she said. Hirzi called him a warrior.

"They say legends have left us in 2016. I see it now. He is already missed," he said.

90-year-old cancer stricken grandma goes on a roadtrip

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She was new on the job at the pre-school and had tuberculosis (TB).

But she did not tell the school immediately. By the time the school found out, the trainee teacher had come into contact with about 30 students and five staff members, putting them at risk of contracting TB.

After being informed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) of her condition, the school decided to release her from her contract.

This is the second reported case of a pre-school teacher being diagnosed with TB this month.

Last week, The New Paper had reported that a teacher at Little Greenhouse pre-school in Bukit Batok had been diagnosed with TB.

At least 80 pre-schoolers had to be screened for the disease last Wednesday, and 24 more children were screened last Friday.

In the latest incident, a teacher at Bridges Montessori pre-school in Punggol was affected.

Tuberculosis cases in Singapore

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The Straits Times, The New Paper

The principal of the pre-school, Ms Jen Chng, told TNP that the teacher had gone through training at the Montessori pre-school for two weeks before she started her teaching duties.

Ms Chng said the school hired the 29-year-old teacher from the Philippines sometime in July, and she was only there for a month.

"The school has taken action to terminate her. We believe that she withheld information from the school," said Ms Chng.

Ms Chng said the teacher had worked in Singapore before and had also worked elsewhere, like Dubai.

She added the school hired her after she cleared her medical check-up, which declared her medically fit.

However, they overlooked a clause in the report which stated the teacher might not be free from active TB.

It is not known why the teacher was certified medically fit despite the clause.

A senior teacher at the school, known as Ms Ria, who spoke to TNP with Ms Chng, admitted they had overlooked it.

"The report said that she was fit, so naturally we took it as that," she said.

"She also didn't show any symptoms of being ill."

The students at Bridges Montessori pre-school range from 1½ years old to about seven years old.

The teacher was also attending follow-up check-ups at the time because of complications with her X-ray.

Ms Chng said it was only when they received a call from the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Aug 12 informing them of the teacher's condition that they confronted her.

She said the teacher told them that she was given a medical certificate at one of the check-ups here by a doctor, who told her she had TB.

But she had not informed the school, Ms Chng said.

INFORMED

The school informed parents about the incident on Aug 13, and let the teacher go shortly after.

Ms Chng added: "We got MOH to come down and get tests done here.

"The screening was done on Tuesday (Aug 23), and results will be out soon."

Ms Irene Toh, the director of the pre-school, told TNP yesterday the results of the screening, released last Friday, were confidential, but that some children had tested positive for TB.

"Their parents shared with us that they came back positive, but these were latent," she said.

Ms Toh also clarified that the teacher was released from her contract by "mutual understanding".

"We can't terminate someone because they are sick," she said.

"She said she wanted to go home to be with her family for support."

Ms Toh said the teacher did not want to return to the school because "she would feel awkward, and she can't face the children and the parents".

She met the teacher on Aug 16 after being informed by MOH of her diagnosis.

"I was very concerned. She is a foreigner and alone here. I passed her some money to help with her finances because her flight ticket and medication are not cheap."

Ms Toh also said they are following directives from the authorities. Ms Chng told TNP last week that the school had taken the necessary actions, including sanitising the school.

But a parent of a child in the school, who contacted TNP about the incident, said she was not convinced, and was upset with how it was handled.

Declining to be named, she said: "I think there is a problem with protocol. It has now put so many kids and their families at risk. "The school should have closed, at least until the screening is completed."

The Early Childhood Development Agency said there have been three reported cases of TB at childcare centres this year. (See report above.)

Caused by the bacteria mycobacterium tuberculosis, TB mostly affects the lungs. Symptoms include persistent coughing, fever and loss of weight and appetite.

Other Cases

There have been a number of other cases of tuberculosis (TB) that have been reported this year.

ANG MO KIO

It was revealed in June that six residents of Block 203, Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3, had contracted multidrug-resistant TB. The first of the six cases was diagnosed in Feb 2012, and the sixth in May this year.

It was reported that 223 residents and former residents of the block were later screened at a station set up by the Ministry of Health below the block. Two suspected cases of active TB were found, and another 45 were suspected cases of a latent form of the disease.

TANAH MERAH STATION

At least five cases of TB among SMRT staff working around Tanah Merah station were confirmed, with three of them being active TB cases.

It was reported this month that about 30 employees were screened, and 13 of them were suspected of having the disease.

PEACEHAVEN BEDOK DAY CENTRE

A female resident at the centre was diagnosed with active TB in June.

A total of 36 residents and centre staff were screened, but no other cases of active TB were found. Several were found to have latent TB.

LITTLE GREENHOUSE PRE-SCHOOL

A teacher at the pre-school in Bukit Batok was diagnosed with active TB this month.

More than 100 pre-schoolers had to be screened.

This article was first published on August 30, 2016.
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Khai just left us.

The text on Sunday night tore me to bits. It broke the news I had been dreading about an interviewee-turned-friend, Muhammad Khairul Ikhwan.

Khai was many things. Performer, artist, devoted son and friend. He was also a fighter.

I first met him last December. He was one of the subjects of TNP's Finding Hope series on palliative care.

My heart sank when I researched him and saw the prognosis - two months. But this man was not who I expected. So flamboyant, so daring.

Read more: Cancer patient stages art exhibition, goes on family holiday before dying at 23

Online, there was a trove of pictures and videos of him with full face make-up and such bright and in-your-face costumes inspired by Lady Gaga. He was definitely a performer.

My conservative mind immediately thought "attention seeker". However, meeting him threw out any preconceived notions.

This was a gentle soul. In and out of hospital, initially wrongly diagnosed and his own body slowly shutting him off from the world, as his vision deteriorated and he went deaf.

Khai was incredibly modest, pausing to read the questions written on a whiteboard before carefully and sincerely answering each one.

Listening to his story, my heart ached.

All he wanted was to be himself and spread joy and happiness. His sincerity and gentleness could be felt in his words.

Having outlived his initial prognosis, Khai was positive that he could be cured and made full use of his time.

He allowed me to follow his progress over four months, even letting us film chemotherapy sessions and a gathering with friends.

Strong and determined to live every moment to the fullest, Khai made sure he was busy whether it was with interviews, organising an art exhibition, performing and even helping friends and fans with their school projects and directing photo and video shoots. He even went out of his way to donate to those less fortunate.

I was curious at how he could juggle all of it with the side effects of the chemotherapy and pain.

"People say I don't look sick. How should I look then? My sickness is on the inside. I can't show it to people like a wound or a scar. And the more I stay in bed, the more sick I will feel when I can do so much more."

Our relationship grew to friendship, and soon I was occasionally dropping by his place. Even then I admitted to him that I occasionally struggled with some of his flamboyance.

He just chuckled and patted me gently. "It's okay if you don't understand. There are many different kinds of people in this world.

"We are all just human beings trying to find our place and as long as you accept me as a fellow human being, I'm more than happy."

I'm thankful that I got to know Khai. I am even more grateful that he accepted me with open arms, extended the hand of friendship and allowed me into his life.

His story taught me to value life and be strong. To cherish every moment. To never be afraid to be yourself and enjoy life to the fullest before it's too late.

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Many mothers would hesitate to bring their newborns to work with them.

But actress-host Kate Pang did just that on Wednesday, showing up to the launch of local pawnbroker Maxi-Cash's new LeGold jewellery collection with two-month-old daughter Avery in tow.

"I'm used to bringing her out almost every day, and she is very easy to look after," Pang, 33, told The New Paper in Mandarin, while the baby girl snoozed in her pram nearby.

She and local actor-husband Andie Chen, 31, also have a two-year-old son, Aden.

"Since it's my second time being a mum, I am more confident... I think Avery senses that and feels more secure."

Aden is delighted with his new sibling and loves playing with her.

Pang said: "He is very curious about her and will prod her nose, or put his hand in her mouth. I think he thinks of Avery as a toy, but he'll say 'I love mei mei' (little sister in Mandarin).

"Having a girl is a bit different, because girls are like little princesses and you naturally feel more protective over them."

The Taiwan-born Mediacorp TV personality, who gave birth on June 16, looked radiant and svelte in a shocking pink gown at her first press event since popping.

But she was "not at all nervous" about her appearance.

"I guess I have a thick skin," she joked. "I asked my stylist to help me a pick a dress that would flatter my figure and hide my tummy."

Pang described being a jewellery ambassador as "a dream come true".

She said she has had a soft spot for gold since the age of nine, when she received her first gold pendant from her grandmother.

It was engraved with her Chinese zodiac sign, the pig, on one side, and the Chinense character 'fu', meaning prosperity, on the other.

"I really want to buy gold jewellery for Aden and Avery, but Andie has been stopping me, because the kids are too young to appreciate it and we need to save money. Maybe when they are a little older."

Photo: TNP

CARING GODMOTHER

Baby Avery may not be rolling in gold, but she has been showered with gifts from her godmother Rui En.

Chen, who got close to Rui En after starring together in this year's Channel 8 drama If Only I Could as a married couple, was the one who suggested she become Avery's godmother.

In fact, the couple got the name Avery from the 35-year-old local actress, who had originally planned to use it for her own daughter in future.

"Many people have the impression that Rui En is cold, but she is actually a very warm-hearted and caring godmother," said Pang.

"She visits often and buys cute and quirky presents for the kids, like a blanket with a sheep's head.

"I think she would make a great mother. She has such an intense love for children, and likes to carry and cuddle them."

Pang joked that Rui En has yet to change Avery's diapers, but she is welcome to if she volunteers.

At the moment, Pang is focused on her family and their parenting site Kandie Network, which featured a video of Avery's birth, but may return to acting early next year.

"I actually like being a stay-home mum, but Andie doesn't encourage it," she said.

"He thinks it's good for me to get out of the house, or the topics I talk about get very boring. I find myself getting too caught up in the nitty-gritty details of life if I stop work for too long."

With both a boy and girl, Pang feels her family of four is complete and she is unlikely to have another child.

"I like the idea of a father, mother, son and daughter. It feels like the perfect family size."

Kate Pang and Andie Chen post birthing video of second child

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This article was first published on Aug 26, 2016.
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