Singapore residents to get improved version of reusable masks from 26 May to 14 June 2020, as part of the third mask collection exercise

New free masks more comfortable, have better filtration
Residents can collect them from CCs, RCs or vending machines from Tuesday, 26 May
By Calvin Yang, The Straits Times, 22 May 2020

Singapore residents can collect new reusable masks from Tuesday, in a third mask distribution exercise that will span three weeks.

The latest distribution of these masks - which are more comfortable to wear and have better filtration qualities - will take place until June 14. The previous two rounds in February and April lasted about a week each.

About six million reusable masks have been prepared for this exercise, similar to the previous one. Collection counters will be set up at 109 community clubs (CCs) and 661 residents' committee centres (RCs) across Singapore.

This time, residents can also pick them up from 24-hour vending machines. About 400 machines will be placed at all CCs for those unable to pick up their free masks from the collection counters.

Residents with a valid identification card can collect one reusable mask each. This includes foreign domestic workers, foreign workers not living in dormitories and international students living in hostels. The Manpower Ministry will distribute masks to foreign workers living in dormitories.



Residents who want to pick up their masks from CCs or RCs can do so only from 10am to 6pm daily during the first week of the collection period, from Tuesday to June 1.

Those who want to collect their masks from vending machines can do so at any time during the three-week period.

This will give everyone access to the masks without having to rush for them, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing told reporters yesterday during a visit to Pek Kio Community Centre.

The vending machines, provided by Temasek Foundation, will be operational from 10am on Tuesday. Each machine has an attached guide comprising three steps on how to collect the masks.

The reusable masks, available in adult and children sizes, use new materials to improve their comfort and resistance to droplets.

They are made of at least three layers of material and have a filtration efficiency of at least 95 per cent, even after 30 washes.

Mr Chan, who is also deputy chairman of the People's Association, said the Government had distributed the first generation of reusable masks last month because they were the "fastest available" at that time.

It was already looking for newer materials to make better masks back then, he added. "So, there was a gap between the first batch of reusable masks, which was a basic cloth material, and the second batch of reusable masks, which is an improved cloth material."

To avoid crowding at the collection points, residents are encouraged to collect the masks on behalf of those who live with them. They have to bring along their household members' identification cards, birth certificates or any government-issued identification with a barcode.



Safe distancing measures and temperature taking will be in place at the collection points. The high-touch areas of the vending machines are treated with a self-disinfecting coating that can last for three months. The machines will be cleaned and restocked regularly.

Priority for children-size masks will be given to those aged 12 years old and below.



Mr Chan said stockpiling masks for future disruptions has to be an ongoing effort.

"Nobody knows how long and how widespread this pandemic will be, and one should never be complacent about any supply lines, including masks," he added.

$9 billion in support payouts for families, businesses in April 2020 to help them cope with COVID-19: DPM Heng Swee Keat

90 per cent of Singaporeans to get one-off $600 Solidarity Payment on 14 April
By Tee Zhuo, The Straits Times, 13 Apr 2020

About $9 billion in support measures will be rolled out to families and businesses this month, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said yesterday.

This includes a one-off payout of $600 which nine in 10 Singaporean adults will receive tomorrow through their bank accounts.

The rest can provide the Government with their bank account details by April 23 and get the money by April 28, or receive this "Solidarity Payment" by cheque from April 30.

In a radio interview with CNA938, Mr Heng said he fully understood the difficulties facing businesses beset by the coronavirus pandemic, but urged them to use the Government's support packages to retain their workers.

He recapped the measures under the Unity, Resilience and Solidarity budgets - three support packages which combined amount to a $59.9 billion war chest against COVID-19.



Businesses hit by the pandemic's economic fallout, and more recently by strict circuit breaker measures, have called on the Government to provide more help sooner, as have trade associations and MPs representing them.

Mr Heng noted that all companies will get 75 per cent of the first $4,600 of each local worker's monthly wages subsidised by the Government for this month, under the Jobs Support Scheme.

"This is a very significant support and I hope that businesses do their part in keeping their workers, retaining them, so that we can emerge stronger after this."

The Government is also looking at various indicators to see how much more might be needed from past reserves, he added.

But he urged Singaporeans to focus on how to make the best use of the amounts already allocated to ride out this difficult period.

In fact, some of the measures already announced will go on for several more months, he noted, with some until the end of the year.

"After this month, we will then consider what else needs to be done, and we will look at what the measures are," said Mr Heng.



For now, containing the spread of the virus is the top priority, he said. Singapore confirmed 233 coronavirus cases yesterday, 12 April, bringing the total to 2,532.

"Enhanced distancing measures may be inconvenient, but it is far more important to protect one another and bear with the inconvenience," said Mr Heng.

He noted that more people were obeying circuit breaker rules in public places after Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli announced that first-time offenders would be fined.

In a Facebook post, Mr Masagos thanked Singaporeans who stayed at home, noting that about 200 fines were issued yesterday, far fewer than the 3,000 written warnings given out the day before.

But he said the situation cannot be maintained by "having a large force on the ground all the time".

Mr Heng also addressed rising cases of COVID-19 at foreign worker dormitories.

There were 207 cases who were work permit holders and dormitory residents yesterday, and four new clusters at dormitories, bringing the total number of such clusters to 15.

A joint task force headed by Brigadier-General Seet Uei Lim, Chief Guards Officer, is now in place, he said, to tackle issues like hygiene, cleanliness and reducing the concentration of workers.

In the longer run, Manpower Minister Josephine Teo has said Singapore will have to look at what else needs to be done to take care of foreign workers, Mr Heng noted, urging employers to work with the Government in doing so.



One thing that COVID-19 will change fundamentally is attitudes towards managing risk, he said.

"This episode reminds us that risk is always present, and we need to manage this risk well," he added.

"We need a good risk management system, and we need to take it seriously. We need to prepare for it so that we can be very resilient, even when crisis strikes."

Coronavirus: Workplace distancing more effective than school closures, says study

Sick adults more likely to go to work than kids are to go to school, spreading virus, it finds
By Salma Khalik, Senior Health Correspondent, The Sunday Times, 29 Mar 2020

Workplace distancing is far more effective in reducing the spread of COVID-19 than school closures, said a team of experts.

They noted in a study that sick adults are more likely to go to work than sick children are to go to school. The adults would spread the virus to co-workers, who would bring it back to their own homes.

The team - mostly from the National University of Singapore Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health - said workplace distancing, quarantine and school closures combined give the best outcome, an approach that should be immediately deployed "if local secondary transmission is confirmed within Singapore. However, quarantine and workplace distancing should be prioritised over school closure".

Singapore is not at the stage where all these measures need to be in place yet, said Associate Professor Alex Cook, one of the authors of the study, which was funded by the Ministry of Health and the Singapore Population Health Improvement Centre.

The team assessed various scenarios and the effectiveness of different strategies to keep patient numbers within manageable proportions - flattening the infection curve, as it is called. Their calculations start from the moment 100 unidentified patients in Singapore may be spreading the disease in the community.

The study uses the median from 1,000 simulations carried out for each of five scenarios: doing nothing; quarantine; workplace distancing; school closures; and a combination of the last three.

If all three measures are in place, infection numbers would range from 1,800 to more than 250,000 by day 80, depending on the rate of transmission.

The lower number is based on a rate of one person infecting 1.5 others; the upper figure is from one person infecting 2.5 others. These are the ranges experts have given for the transmissibility of the virus.

At the lower rate, workplace distancing would reduce the number of people infected by day 80 to 4,000. There would be 10,000 infected people if only schools were closed.

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong told Parliament last Wednesday: "If we do nothing, the number of cases will shoot up, like what happened in several cities and countries recently."

The study, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal last Monday, noted that if no measures had been taken, the number of infections here would have been between 279,000 and 1.2 million by day 80.

If Singapore had not started contact tracing and quarantining close contacts, there would have been 100 unidentified people with COVID-19 by early last month, with day 80 falling in mid-April.



Prof Cook said the scenarios apply when contact tracing is no longer possible because of the volume of cases, which is not the situation yet.

"At present, transmission is still being contained here: The large increase in cases has been driven by citizens and residents returning from outbreak areas. But there's no evidence that contact tracing is 'breaking down' because of this.

"At least for now, there would be little benefit to closing schools. I'm sure that this option will be considered if children start to play a more important role in the outbreak."

But he said people who can work from home should do so. "Older people, including working-age adults, are at greater risk of complications, which is why work distancing is being promoted."

The study said: "The continually high percentage contribution of work-related infections, despite work distancing being effective, suggests that the workplace is a key infection site in Singapore."

This was supported by Mr Gan: "In Singapore, we saw a few local clusters emerge where individuals who were feeling unwell or had medical certificates... did not minimise social contact, and continued to attend work or social activities."

Singapore invoked the Infectious Diseases Act last Wednesday, giving the Government the power to punish those who flout COVID-19-related medical leave.

The study added that another area of concern is the Singaporean habit of eating out.

About 75 per cent of people go to a hawker centre at least once a week, according to the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources. If possible, people should be incentivised to stay at home and practise workplace distancing, the study noted.

Singapore has closed all pubs, discos and other leisure locations where crowds gather. Eating joints have been told to keep groups of patrons separated by 1 metre.

The study indicated that most infections, whether interventions are in place or not, would be in the east and north-east of the country. Most of the spread would occur in homes or the community.

The study acknowledged that interventions needed to prevent community transmission might not be widely supported by the population.

But it added: "Current government-led outbreak control measures will only be successful with public cooperation through exercising good hygiene, infection prevention in shared spaces, and adequate education to understand when symptoms might be indicative of a potential SARS-CoV-2 infection."

Store lets needy families choose the groceries they require

Store in Mountbatten HDB estate opens, where needy can get free groceries
Carrying only donated items, it is set to benefit 500 households in Mountbatten, MacPherson
By Timothy Goh, The Sunday Times, 9 Feb 2020

A store in Mountbatten estate which opened yesterday lets the needy choose the groceries they require, helping them regain agency and dignity.

Located at Block 13 Old Airport Road and set up by charity Food from the Heart, the store carries only donated goods on its shelves and is expected to benefit 500 needy households from the Mountbatten and MacPherson neighbourhoods.

Typically, beneficiaries collect pre-packed hampers of donated food from social service centres, and cannot choose the items they receive.

But at the new store, the first of its kind here, beneficiaries can choose up to 12 items a month, "purchasing" them by scanning their beneficiary cards at the counter, which is manned by volunteers.

This also lets the charity collect data on the dietary preferences of its beneficiaries, under a year-long study aimed at developing a smarter food donation system.

Members of the public seeking to donate can drop their food items in a food drop box at the store, rather than having to go to the charity's warehouse.

A sign outside the store tells passers-by what kind of food items are needed, allowing them to donate in a more targeted way.

Mr Lim Biow Chuan, the MP for Mountbatten, who was at the store's opening ceremony, noted that beneficiaries often have varying dietary preferences and restrictions.

As it is not possible to customise food packs for each of them, the old system of pre-packed hampers sometimes results in some receiving items they cannot consume. In some cases, Mr Lim said, noodles and cooking oil have been donated to seniors who were unable to cook, resulting in wastage.

"The community shop resolves some of these problems (as) beneficiaries can collect what they need, when they need them," he said.



Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee, who was guest of honour at the launch, said having a choice in itself granted dignity to the needy. "Being able to select what they want is an intangible and valuable gift. Beyond the food item, you give residents a choice. I think that's very powerful," he said.

A beneficiary at the store yesterday was Mr Gunasegaran S., 50, who was with his eight-year-old daughter Durashini.

The cleaner, who makes about $720 a month and has two other children, said he usually returns certain donated food items such as instant noodles which he feels are unhealthy for his children.

"This (store) is very helpful for people in need... It's better that I get to choose, sometimes you can't (consume) everything," he said.

Tall Order: The Goh Chok Tong Story

ESM Goh Chok Tong on why he decided to have his memoir written
Note from founding prime minister and urging of five friends led him to agree to authorised biography
By Yasmine Yahya, Senior Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 9 Nov 2018

Even before he became prime minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong had decided not to write his memoir.

But a note from founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew and the urging of five friends eventually persuaded him to agree to an authorised biography.

The result is Tall Order: The Goh Chok Tong Story, which was launched yesterday.

"I did not keep a diary of conversations and interactions with people," Emeritus Senior Minister Goh said in his speech at the book's launch.

"A memoir would be seeing events through my own eyes. Bias is inevitable.

"Moreover, unlike Mr Lee's fight for independence and struggle to build Singapore, meticulous notes were taken of my official meetings. Historians will not be bereft of materials," he added.

But when Mr Lee gave him a copy of his memoir, From Third World To First: The Singapore Story, he added a note: "To PM Goh Chok Tong, You have to write the sequel to the Singapore Story."

Mr Lee had also added the inscription: "With my hope that the lessons need not be paid again by the present generation of Singaporeans."

It was signed on Sept 15, 1998, a day before Mr Lee's 75th birthday.

"When I reached 75, I became more acutely aware of my mortality and the weight of his message," Mr Goh, now 77, said. "Several friends had also asked me to write my memoir. Still, I said no. Then, five of my senior grassroots leaders suggested an authorised biography."



These long-time grassroots leaders and personal friends - Patrick Ng, Ng Hock Lye, Chua Ee Chek, Kok Pak Chow and Tan Jack Thian - would commission someone to write, Mr Goh said.

"The author would do the heavy lifting - the research, interviews and the writing. The idea of someone looking in from the outside, and unlocking my inner memory, appealed to me."

That writer, chosen by Mr Goh, was Mr Peh Shing Huei, a former news editor at The Straits Times and the co-founder of content agency The Nutgraf.

"Today's occasion belongs to Peh Shing Huei, the writer. I am merely the subject," Mr Goh said.

"Several names were suggested as my possible biographers. I chose Peh Shing Huei. I like his easy-to-read, unpretentious, questions-and-answers style."

Mr Peh and his Nutgraf team did the research, while Mr Goh answered his questions candidly. "We checked and verified my recall of events as necessary," he added.

Mr Goh also asked The Straits Times editor-at-large Han Fook Kwang to be a member of Mr Peh's team. "I valued his shrewdness and insights (into) Singapore politics. He proved invaluable," he added.

"Peh has done a good job in writing up my life till November 1990, when I became prime minister. I am happy with the product. Readers' feedback is positive. There will be a volume 2."

In his speech, Mr Peh said he started work on the book a year ago "with more than a bit of trepidation". "For too long, since ESM Goh stepped down as PM in 2004, many Singaporeans had been wondering when he would write his memoir. We all waited. One year became five and eventually, today, 14 years.

"So I knew there were high expectations for this book. We all wanted to know what were his thoughts about global leaders, international affairs and, of course, local politics," he said.

Mr Peh recounted his mounting anxiety before his first interview with Mr Goh, as he had prepared a list of "silly personal questions", such as why Mr Goh did not play basketball despite his impressive height, what he ate at home when he was young and whether his wife was his first girlfriend - all of which are answered in the book.

Mr Peh said Mr Goh answered the questions patiently and even praised Mr Peh for them because the questions forced him to look back and recall things like what he ate as a child. "The answer, by the way, is tau geh, tau kwa, tau pok, kangkung. Not the most exciting dishes," Mr Peh quipped.

He added: "So, thank you, ESM for your patience and for sharing your life with me and my team at The Nutgraf. We are most honoured to be able to tell your story and play our role in telling the Singapore Story."

Both Mr Peh and Mr Goh also gave special thanks to Mr Bernard Toh, Mr Goh's special assistant, and Mr Heng Aik Yeow, his press secretary.

Mr Goh said the duo not only sat in on all the interviews and gave useful comments, but also chased up additional materials and pored over photographs to select the most appropriate ones for the book.

"Sometimes, what I found interesting, they did not. This reinforces my point that an authorised biography is better than an autobiography," he said.

There will be another book launch for charity on Nov 21, to raise funds for two groups of disadvantaged children: people with disabilities and disadvantaged students with poor grades.

Project Silver Screen: New programme offers senior citizens aged 60 and above basic functional screening for hearing, eyesight and oral health at subsidised rates

More seniors to benefit from functional screening
By Rahimah Rashith, The Straits Times, 20 Sep 2018

More seniors are set to benefit from health screenings, with the launch of a new partnership between the Ministry of Health (MOH), Temasek Foundation Cares and the business community.

Project Silver Screen was launched at Kampung Admiralty yesterday, and around 200 people from the neighbourhood took the chance to have their vision, hearing and oral health checked.

The programme, which is underpinned by a contribution of $35 million from Temasek and 11 corporate donors, will scale up the number of these checks across Singapore.

It will also help subsidise the cost of the screening and the functional aids some seniors might need.

The programme is free for Pioneer Generation citizens.

For Singaporeans who are 60 and above, it costs $2 for Community Health Assist Scheme card holders and $5 for others.

Project Silver Screen vouchers of between $15 and $200 will also be given to those who need aids such as spectacles, hearing aids and dentures.

This is over and above existing government subsidies and regardless of household income.

Seniors getting the health checks - also known as a functional screening - might then be referred to the relevant community or medical centres for further tests, such as for cataracts or glaucoma, if need be.

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said at the launch that the programme will help seniors stay healthy longer.

"Beyond chronic conditions, we are also concerned about how to help them maintain the functional abilities so that they can remain active, remain engaged and have healthy living and be as independent as possible," he said.

"Through the functional screenings, we hope to be able to detect their conditions early and to prevent early deterioration.

"This way, we will be able to help our seniors stay healthy and stay well longer."

What it means to give

The act of genuine giving is a perfectly rational one and benefits the giver in ways that are often not obvious at first sight
By David Chan, Published The Straits Times, 3 Feb 2018

Earlier last week, I delivered the keynote address at a forum titled Giving Matters, organised by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre.

The cross-sector event brought together more than 300 individuals from government, corporates, social enterprises and non-profit organisations to share their experiences and ideas about giving, which includes volunteering and donating.

After my speech, some participants shared with me why and how they give as well as their personal experiences in interacting with givers and recipients. Many had mixed feelings and unresolved questions. Is giving rational or emotional? Should we remind people to count their blessings to encourage them to give? How do we motivate volunteers?

I hope this essay on the psychology of giving will help shed light on the issues raised. As we reflect on what giving means to us personally, the hope is that we are inspired to do more and encourage others as well.

GENUINE GIVING AND RATIONALITY

We sometimes hear people say they want to volunteer or donate but do not have enough time or money. Yet, across different socio-economic backgrounds, there are people who give a lot of their time, effort or money, and they do so quietly without any tangible rewards or recognition. Clearly, humans are not purely economic beings who spend their lives calculating gains and losses to arrive at decisions.

If you believe humans are homo economicus, then you will find this even more puzzling - studies show that we feel good when we give, and better when we give away something precious to us than something we have plenty of or do not need. Behavioural sciences tell us that this is not irrational, the motivation and decision to give genuinely reflect a core aspect of human rationality.

Casino levies paid by Singaporeans and PRs at their lowest level since opening of two casinos in 2010: Tote Board Annual Report 2016/17

Singaporeans, permanent residents paid $134 million in fees in last financial year, down 21% from 2012/2013
By Theresa Tan, The Straits Times, 24 Nov 2017

Casino levies paid by Singaporeans and permanent residents (PRs) here are at their lowest level since the casinos at Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands were opened in 2010.

The Singapore Totalisator Board (Tote Board) collected $134 million in casino entry levies in its last financial year, which ended in March this year - down 21 per cent from the $170 million collected in the 2012/2013 financial year (FY).

The sums collected for the past five financial years were listed in the Tote Board's latest annual report, which was released yesterday.

Singaporeans and PRs have to pay a $100 daily levy or $2,000 annual levy to enter a casino here.

Economist Song Seng Wun said: "The shine of the casinos and its novelty have worn off."

Also out of favour with punters: Horse racing, where turnover fell from $1.6 billion in FY2012/2013 to $1.2 billion in FY2016/2017.

But the lure of 4D, Toto and soccer betting is growing steadily, with $7.2 billion spent on lotteries and sports betting in the last financial year, 15 per cent more than the $6.2 billion in FY2012/2013.

Counsellors who work with gambling addicts said fewer Singaporeans and PRs are going to the casinos here as they are put off by the need to pay an entry levy, and opting for alternatives instead: Illegal online casinos where gamblers can bet on credit, unlike in the casinos here, where they have to fork out cash upfront to bet.

Besides, those who have lost all their money are likely to have barred themselves or have been banned from the casinos here by their families, said Pastor Billy Lee, executive director of Blessed Grace Social Services, which runs a support group for gambling addicts.

The website of the National Council on Problem Gambling shows that as of Sept 30 this year, more than 25,000 Singaporeans or PRs have banned themselves from the casinos, or their families have applied for an exclusion order to ban them from entering.

And almost 47,000 are automatically excluded as they are undischarged bankrupts or are receiving government financial aid, among other reasons.

It was previously reported that Singaporeans and PRs made an average of 17,000 visits a day in 2012, down from 20,000 visits in 2010 when the casinos first opened.

This is one of the few pieces of publicly available information on the number of local visitors, and is based on data contained in the 2013 Casino Regulatory Authority of Singapore annual report.

The sums wagered on lotteries and sports, such as soccer and motor racing, continue to climb. This has been rising each year in the Tote Board's past five financial years.

Counsellors said that the sums wagered at the legal outlets are but a fraction of the sums spent on illegal gambling. Many of the gambling addicts they see place illegal bets online.

President Tony Tan reflects on his presidency; Singapore's seventh president leaves office on 31 Aug 2017

It's been hard work but... very rewarding: Dr Tony Tan on his six years at the Istana
As end of his presidency nears, Dr Tan stresses the need to further strengthen social bonds
By Zakir Hussain, Political Editor and Joanna Seow, The Sunday Times, 27 Aug 2017

President Tony Tan Keng Yam leaves office this Thursday as the head of state who preceded the biggest change to the elected presidency in its 26 years.

The move to entrench multiracialism in the highest office in the land, by ensuring members of the country's main races occupy it periodically, is a change he fully supports.

He believes it will stand the nation in good stead and further fortify the social fabric at a time when the terror threat to Singapore is at its highest.

Citing the spate of recent terror attacks and disrupted terror plots around the world, he says: "Singapore is a target for terrorists."

In a measured voice, he adds: "One of these days, an incident will happen. And when that happens, it's very important to ensure we do not allow it to destroy our cohesion, or to have tensions between the various communities.

"In that respect, reserving this next election for the Malays is appropriate - unfortunately, because of these circumstances around the world which Singapore is caught up in," he says.



For Dr Tan, 77, the need for Singapore to continue reinforcing multiracialism is never-ending.

It is a key reason he cited for supporting the reserved election when the Constitutional Commission proposed the mechanism last year.

"Since the elected presidency was instituted, the presidents, including myself, have all been non-Malays," he adds in an interview at the Istana's Yusof Room, where a bust of the first president, Mr Yusof Ishak, who died in office in 1970, is displayed.

"It's good to make sure from time to time, people of different ethnic groups have the opportunity to become president so that it reflects our multiracial society," he says.

Why is state funding needed for our arts scene to thrive?

By Olivia Ho, The Straits Times, 24 Jul 2017

It is a universally acknowledged truth that a country in possession of a First World reputation must also have a thriving arts scene.

But when it comes to paying for the arts, people are less quick to reach for the bill. And lately, the dreary economic climate means an increasing reluctance to open wallets.

The arts - which comprise theatre, dance, traditional arts, visual arts, music and literature - in Singapore are mainly funded by the state, unlike in other countries such as the United States, where they are largely supported through private donors and foundations.

In 2015, according to the Singapore Cultural Statistics report, 80 per cent of arts and heritage funding in Singapore, or $595.7 million, was provided by the Government through state agencies such as the National Arts Council (NAC).

This includes $79.4 million under the Cultural Matching Fund, which was set up by the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth to match private cash donations to arts and heritage charities and Institutions of Public Character dollar for dollar.

The Government's support for the arts takes various forms, from grants and partnerships to industry facilitation and arts housing.

In the 2015/2016 financial year, for instance, $70.9 million was disbursed through the Grants Framework and $7.4 million through the Arts Housing Scheme, which was implemented in 1985 to provide affordable spaces to arts groups and artists.

An NAC spokesman said investing in the creation and appreciation of the arts "does not only add to the national canon of artwork we can be proud of, it also allows the arts on an individual level to entertain and inspire, and provide an avenue for self-expression, learning and reflection". "On a community and international level, the arts can connect our communities and position Singapore globally," the spokesman added.

The remaining support for arts and culture comes from corporate sponsors and individuals.

British couple leave $6 million legacy to charities in Singapore

Assisi Hospice, National Kidney Foundation and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to share gift from Britons who settled here and became citizens
By Toh Wen Li, The Straits Times, 30 Jun 2017

Two Britons met in South Africa during World War II, got married, then eventually decided to make Singapore their home.

Now, the late Mr Gerry Essery and Mrs Jo Essery are giving back to their adopted home, with a $6 million legacy donation.

The sum will be divided equally between the Assisi Hospice, National Kidney Foundation (NKF) and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).



Details of the donation were announced at the NKF Building in Kim Keat Road yesterday.

Mrs Essery was born in Singapore and lived here before leaving for South Africa at the start of World War II.

Mr Essery, on the other hand, was born in Britain and came to Singapore in 1931, as his father was working as an engineer here. His father sent him to Australia when the Japanese invaded Singapore in 1942.

A few months later, he travelled to South Africa, where he was reunited with his family - and met his future wife. They got married in South Africa in 1945.

The couple then moved to Australia in the 1950s, where Mr Essery worked for multinational confectionery company Cadbury. He then got a job in a glass production firm in Singapore, and the couple decided to make Singapore their home.

Chiam See Tong sets up sports foundation for children

Needy kids get help to play sport
Foundation by ex-opposition leader Chiam, a former sportsman, starts off with $70,000
By Pearl Lee, The Straits Times, 10 Mar 2017

Veteran opposition politician Chiam See Tong yesterday launched a sports foundation in his name, to encourage young children from disadvantaged backgrounds to participate in sport.

Named the Chiam See Tong Sports Foundation, it is starting with an initial kitty of about $70,000, made up of contributions from the Chiam family, as well as donations from the board.

His wife Lina told the media at the launch, held at the Old Parliament House, that the idea to set up a sports foundation came about six months ago, in part inspired by Singapore swim star Joseph Schooling's historic Olympic gold.

"Mr Chiam has always been keen in sports," said Lina Chiam, adding that in his younger days, Chiam, who turns 82 on Sunday, was a keen sportsman who swam and played badminton.

"Now that he is not active in Parliament...we were thinking we can do something for the people, for the under-resourced children."



Chiam See Tong, who spent 27 years as an MP in Potong Pasir before he was defeated in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC in the 2011 general election, also thanked the audience for supporting the foundation, which is now working on getting registered as a charity.

He also presented boots to 15 footballers from Pekik - a team formed by boys who live in an estate of rental units in Jalan Kukoh.

The launch was attended by Singapore National Olympic Council secretary-general Chris Chan, one of his predecessors S.S. Dhillon, Paralympians Yip Pin Xiu and Theresa Goh, as well as former national sprinter U.K. Shyam.

Said Chan: "I was touched to know that Mr Chiam has a heart for the sporting community.

"Despite his health, he made the effort to come here to present the boots to the boys."

Needy transgenders have a roof over their heads again

Thanks to donations, The T Project is able to lease new premises for shelter
By Kok Xing Hui, The Straits Times, 19 Sep 2016

For three months, Singapore's only shelter for needy transgenders was out of a home.

The T Project had to move out of its premises when another non-governmental organisation, which had let it use its attic space, relocated.

But thanks to public donations amounting to $137,000, The T Project has started a new chapter in a new place. Two Sundays ago, its co-founder June Chua hauled furniture out of storage and into a shophouse in the eastern part of Singapore. This means its residents - who include transgenders who have been kicked out of their family homes - will have a safe haven again.

Five residents will move in at the end of the month. Two are older Singaporeans: long-term resident 79-year-old Rose and a 60-year-old who recently returned home after 12 years abroad and no longer has family support here. Ms Chua is also expecting a transgender man and two sex workers to seek shelter.

"We were very lucky that the place we found was within our budget," said Ms Chua, who signed a two-year lease for the premises.

The T Project, which was set up in 2014, is Singapore's only shelter for transgender Singaporeans. Sociologist Nicholas Harrigan at Singapore Management University said its existence is "really, really important".

Many transgender people face serious disputes with their families over their gender identity change, said the assistant professor.

"This compromises their education and support structure, something many of us take for granted. Not having these things can lead to economic disadvantages, both immediately and throughout their lives. One of the consequences of this is homelessness."