New 130/80 high blood pressure guideline by American Heart Association means more people in Singapore - 1 in 3 - have hypertension

New US standard redefines high blood pressure
Stricter limit of 130/80 means action should be taken sooner, including adoption of lifestyle changes: Report
The Straits Times, 15 Nov 2017

LOS ANGELES • High blood pressure was redefined on Monday by the American Heart Association (AHA), which said the disease should be treated sooner, when it reaches 130/80mm Hg, and not the previous limit of 140/90.

Doctors now recognise that complications "can occur at those lower numbers", said the first update to comprehensive US guidelines on blood pressure detection and treatment since 2003.

A diagnosis of the new high blood pressure does not necessarily mean a person needs to take medication, but that "it's a yellow light that you need to be lowering your blood pressure, mainly with non-drug approaches", said Dr Paul Whelton, lead author of the guidelines published in the AHA journal, Hypertension, and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Healthy lifestyle changes include losing weight, exercising more, eating healthier, not smoking, avoiding alcohol and salt, and reducing stress.

The new standard means nearly half (46 per cent) of the US population will be defined as having high blood pressure. Previously, one in three (32 per cent) had the condition, which is the second leading cause of preventable heart disease and stroke, after cigarette smoking.

The normal limit for blood pressure is considered 120 for systolic, or how much pressure the blood places on the artery walls when the heart beats, and 80 for diastolic, which is measured between beats.

Once a person reaches 130/80, "you've already doubled your risk of cardiovascular complications compared to those with a normal level of blood pressure", said Dr Whelton.

"We want to be straight with people - if you already have a doubling of risk, you need to know about it."

The new guidelines are expected to lead to a surge of people in their 40s with high blood pressure - once considered a disorder mainly among people aged 50 and older.

"The prevalence of high blood pressure is expected to triple among men under age 45, and double among women under 45," according to the report.

Damage to blood vessels is already beginning once blood pressure reaches 130/80, said the guidelines, which were based in part on a major US government-funded study of over 9,000 people nationwide.

PM Lee Hsien Loong outlines Singapore's key goals as chairman of ASEAN in 2018

Grouping a vehicle for 10 nations to manage issues and improve lives in South-east Asia, he says
By Charissa Yong Political Correspondent In Manila, The Straits Times, 15 Nov 2017

ASEAN is a lifeboat for all 10 countries in South-east Asia to come together, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said yesterday, on the cusp of Singapore's helming the group.

ASEAN, which turned 50 this year, is a vehicle "to have our voice heard on the world stage and to be able to manage our own issues among ourselves, and to cooperate to improve the lives of the people in South-east Asia", he told Singapore reporters.

He also outlined Singapore's key priorities as chair, captured in its tagline "Resilient and Innovative", in a speech at last night's closing ceremony for the 31st ASEAN Summit, the last major event on ASEAN's calendar this year. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, the host, gave him a symbolic gavel to mark the hand-over of the rotating chairmanship.

PM Lee said Singapore, as ASEAN chairman next year, will seek to ensure the group promotes and upholds a rules-based regional order.

This is to better deal with emerging security challenges in the neighbourhood, such as cyber security, transnational crime and terrorism.

Singapore will also steer fellow members to press on with regional economic integration and enhance connectivity, so as to keep the region competitive and prosperous.

And it will find innovative ways to manage and make use of digital technologies, and equip ASEAN citizens with skills and capabilities.

The goal, he added, is for ASEAN to remain a central and dynamic driving force in the region that can deal with challenges and opportunities.



Singapore will also continue to build relations with ASEAN's external partners, PM Lee added. If it can make ASEAN more effective and strengthen cooperation with its neighbours, this will benefit the man on the street, he said.

"It means for Singapore a stabler world to live in, a safer South-east Asia in which we can operate, a more prosperous region in which we can grow our economy, expand our markets and seize opportunities which will be there," he said.

PM Lee also congratulated the Philippines for its successful chairmanship. A major highlight was a framework for the Code of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

More children hurt in road accidents in first half of 2017

By Tan Tam Mei, The Straits Times, 14 Nov 2017

A total of 132 children aged 12 and below were injured in road traffic accidents in the first half of this year, up from 128 in the same period last year.

"We can avoid and prevent needless tragedies, and more can be done to educate and instil road safety habits in young children," said Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Education Faishal Ibrahim.

He was speaking at the closing of the 37th annual Shell Traffic Games - which tests pupils' road safety knowledge - at the Road Safety Community Park in East Coast yesterday.

In his speech, Associate Professor Faishal noted that children are vulnerable as they may not understand the dangers present on the road, and their size makes them less visible to motorists.

He cited a video that went viral in October, showing a six-year-old boy dashing across Leedon Road and being hit by a car. He was flung off his kick scooter.

"Fortunately, the boy suffered only minor injuries. This is why I cannot stress enough how important it is for us to teach children about the dangers on our roads," said Prof Faishal.

Three educational animation videos for children were also launched at the event.

The videos are a collaboration between the Singapore Road Safety Council, students from Nanyang Polytechnic's School of Interactive and Digital Media, the Traffic Police and oil company Shell.

The videos will be distributed to all primary schools and can be found on the Singapore Police Force's Facebook page and YouTube channel.

They aim to educate pupils on key road safety practices - the kerb drill; looking out for blind spots; and the dangers of crossing the road while distracted.

Why public sees foreign workers as more helpful than Singaporeans

By Toh Wen Li, The Straits Times, 13 Nov 2017

In September, a group of foreign workers were hailed for helping to move a car that had been stuck on a flight of stairs at Waterway Point in Punggol - while Singaporeans looked on and snapped pictures with their phones.

After the video circulated online, there was an outpouring of goodwill from Singaporeans, many of whom compared the foreign workers favourably against locals.

The workers, The Straits Times understands, had in fact been asked to move the car. But public response was telling, with many Singaporeans saying that foreign workers here are helpful and friendly - perhaps even more so than locals.

People ST spoke to suggested reasons that foreign workers are seen in such a positive light, although they were cautious not to generalise.

Associate Professor Tan Ern Ser, from the National University of Singapore's department of sociology, said: "It could be that we tend to be generous in our views of people who are no threat to us. Here, we are speaking of foreign workers who perform the menial tasks that we avoid doing ourselves."

An unequal relationship of power could affect the way foreign workers interact with locals.

"Because the foreign workers see themselves as of lower status to middle-class Singaporeans, they may tend to display what could be deemed to be deferential, even subservient, behaviour, but manifested as friendly or helpful behaviour.

"Consequently, we may actually develop some positive stereotypes about them... along with some negative stereotypes. The latter could be activated should they, for instance, compete with us for public space or amenities," Prof Tan added.

Singapore National Football League game descends into mass brawl, police called in

By Lim Say Heng and David Lee, The Straits Times, 13 Nov 2017

A National Football League (NFL) Division 1 game between the Singapore Armed Forces Sports Association (SAFSA) and Yishun Sentek Mariners ended in a mass brawl last night at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

The incident occurred in stoppage time of the second half, when Sentek Mariners' defender Zulfadhli Suzliman was sent off with SAFSA leading 3-2.

Prior to the game, Sentek Mariners were top of the 12-team NFL while SAFSA were second.

Sentek Mariners coach Yakob Hashim told The Straits Times (ST): "Zulfadhli told me Nazirul (Islam) verbally abused his mother and he retaliated with a kick, which led to his red card although Nazirul was not booked.

"I was paying attention to the both of them when another scuffle involving the reserves broke out at another corner of the pitch."

SAFSA could not be reached for comment yesterday.

ST understands that play was stopped for about 15 minutes before the match resumed. SAFSA won 3-2. ST also understands that the police have been called in, and was still at the stadium at 11pm last night.

Yakob said: "It is regrettable that such an incident has happened. Investigations are ongoing and we will cooperate fully with the relevant authorities."

The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) said in a statement: "The FAS does not condone any ungentlemanly behaviour that taints the name of our sport, and brings it into disrepute.

"As the matter is under investigation, we are unable to make any further comments."

TPP deal moves ahead without US, trade pact renamed CPTPP - Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership

Business groups cheer new Trans-Pacific trade pact involving remaining 11 countries
By Lee U-Wen In Danang, Vietnam, The Sunday Times, 12 Nov 2017

Eleven countries in an ambitious free trade deal, including Singapore, have agreed to go ahead without the United States after a week of drama when agreement seemed elusive.

They will stick to the core elements of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreed upon two years ago, but which the United States pulled out of in January.

The deal substantially lowers tariffs on a wide range of goods and, even without the US, remains attractive, although some had sought to weaken its onerous standards.

For Singapore companies, it offers access to a market of 500 million people with a combined output of US$10 trillion (S$13.6 trillion).

The new pact - the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for the TPP (CPTPP) - suspends 20 provisions of the original TPP, mostly on intellectual property.

* CPTPP: Singapore inks new Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact with 10 other countries on 8 March 2018

It was reached on the sidelines of the annual leaders' meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), a grouping of 21 economies set up to liberalise trade across the region. All the TPP countries are members of APEC.



Japan's Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said the CPTPP will enter into force after at least six members ratify it. Its members are Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

Speaking to Singapore reporters after the APEC Summit ended, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said it took "a lot of skill and determination and willingness" among the 11 parties to agree not to renegotiate the pact, even though the circumstances have changed.

"It is not easy to take the TPP that was designed for 12 countries, remove one and then have the remaining 11 reach an agreement almost the same as the original, because economic calculations change, strategic calculations change, and political calculations change."



The deal appeared to hit a major roadblock on Friday when a planned meeting of TPP leaders was shelved as Canadian PM Justin Trudeau did not attend. His Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne later put this down to "a misunderstanding about the schedule".

Business groups cheered the deal, including the Singapore Business Federation, whose chief executive officer Ho Meng Kit said he "looked forward to the speedy conclusion and subsequent implementation of the restructured agreement".

The Asian Trade Centre executive director, Dr Deborah Elms, told AFP that even without the US, the CPTPP was "the most important trade agreement signed in the last 20 years". "Companies had largely given up on the TPP after the withdrawal of the United States," she said. "Now, firms will need to scramble to figure out how the agreement matters to their business."

OCBC: The 85-year journey of a Singapore bank

A new book, Wind Behind The Sails: The People And Ethos Of OCBC, published by Straits Times Press, traces the bank's growth and how it helped transform Singapore's cityscape. Below is an edited excerpt.
The Sunday Times, 12 Nov 2017

Built in early 1932, the China Building along Chulia Street was one of the most recognisable landmarks in the business district. A head taller than the surrounding shophouses, it stood out for its distinctive Peking style. Designed by international architecture firm Keys & Dowdeswell, it had elaborate decorations adorning its exterior walls. But it was its pagoda-style roof that marked its presence in the area, giving it an aura of aristocracy.

It was therefore unsurprising that the fashionable building was often a gathering place for the who's who of the Chinese business community in the early 1950s to 1960s. Former OCBC chairman Lee Kong Chian often hosted contemporaries to lunch at the Garden Club, located at the top floor of the China Building, discussing everything from business to politics.

The China Building was officially opened in January 1932 to house the Chinese Commercial Bank and the Oversea-Chinese Bank. It became the headquarters of OCBC when the two banks merged with Ho Hong Bank later that year. For an entire generation - nearly 40 years - the building housed the top tier of Chinese bankers in Singapore till the late 1960s. But by the beginning of the decade, it was increasingly clear that OCBC, with its thousands of employees, had outgrown the small but elegant headquarters that had served it for so long. In 1969, the bank started to plan for a new headquarters that would serve as the nerve centre for the growing banking group.



The planning and building of the new headquarters was the most important project for the bank up till that point in its history. It would be the tallest building in the region, equipped with the most up-to-date features and facilities of any building in Singapore. Representing a bank on the ascendancy, the new skyscraper was to be the crowning glory of the towering financial institution. OCBC Centre was not just going to be the new home of the group but a symbol of its strength and the pillar of its future.

Risk of enlisting radicalised National Servicemen exists: MINDEF; 3 Singaporeans dealt with under ISA for terror-related activities between Sep and Nov 2017

Radicalised teenager's individual beliefs do not represent Singapore's national servicemen who dutifully serve to protect their loved ones, regardless of race or religion, says the Ministry of Defence.
By Jalelah Abu Baker, Channel NewsAsia, 9 Nov 2017

The risk of enlisting a radicalised serviceman exists, as full-time National Servicemen (NSFs) are drawn from the entire male population at large, said the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) on Thursday (Nov 9).

The ministry was responding to Channel NewsAsia's queries following news that a 19-year-old NSF was arrested after becoming radicalised.

Adzrul Azizi Banjuri, a former logistics assistant in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), was exposed to radical material online and supported Islamic State. He was issued with a Restriction Order under the Internal Security Act (ISA) in September this year, and will be required to undergo counselling.

MINDEF said Adzrul's interest in extremist ideology began when he was in a local secondary school three years ago.

“Adzrul’s individual radical beliefs do not represent our national servicemen who dutifully serve to protect their loved ones, regardless of race or religion,” said a spokesperson for MINDEF, describing the ministry and the Singapore Armed Forces as a “microcosm” of Singapore society at large.

Adzrul was one of three Singaporeans recently dealt with under the ISA for terror-related activities.

“While serving his NS, Adzrul started having doubts about the legitimacy of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria ideology and its violent tactics,” said the MINDEF spokesperson.

"Hopefully the counselling and correct religious instruction that he receives will assist in de-radicalising his extremist views."

In a separate statement on Thursday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said there are no indications that Adzrul radicalised any of his fellow national servicemen.

Under the Restriction Order, Adzrul must abide by several conditions such as not travelling out of Singapore. He is also not allowed to change his place of residence or employment without prior approval from the director of the Internal Security Department.

RELATIVES AND FRIENDS DID NOT INFORM AUTHORITIES: MHA

MHA said that Adzrul’s radicalisation was left unchecked because no one came forward to report him.

“Although some of his relatives and associates had seen indications of his radicalism, they did not inform the authorities,” said MHA in response to media queries.

CNA-IPS Survey on Ethnic Identity in Singapore 2017: CMIO racial categorisation system still important

More than 2,000 people, mostly Singaporeans and across ethnicities and ages, participated in the survey jointly conducted by Channel NewsAsia and the Institute of Policy Studies.
By Jalelah Abu Baker, Channel NewsAsia, 8 Nov 2017

The CMIO (Chinese, Malay, Indian, Others) racial categorisation system that Singapore uses, as well as race-based policies, still have a place in Singapore, going by a survey on what defines ethnic identity here.

The CMIO framework seems to be important, said senior research fellow Mathew Mathews from the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) in response to questions from the media during a briefing on Wednesday (Nov 8) on the findings of the survey done jointly with Channel NewsAsia.

“The fact that even among our millennials, they care about some of the core markers of their identity ... they still think it's important. That tells us that ethnicity and how we identify ourselves as ethnic individuals continue to be important for many Singaporeans,” said Dr Mathews, who was the survey's principal investigator.

He added that one of the benefits of the CMIO framework is it ensures that minorities will continue to be able to practise their culture in Singapore, and feel just as Singaporean as someone in the majority ethnicity.

According to the study's findings, the current CMIO classification system, due to its use in public policy, may have resulted in Singaporeans’ perceptions of ethnic identity converging on certain key indicators such as language.



When asked about whether there is a need for race-based policies such as the Group Representation Constituency (GRC) and reserved presidential election, Dr Mathews said that Singapore needs policies to ensure that “every one of our races in Singapore will be able to feel that they do not have to give up their particular culture, their language, what they feel is valuable to them”.

The GRC system was put in place to ensure minority representation in Parliament, while a reserved presidential election is open only to candidates from a particular minority group to contest. The reserved election held in September this year caused unhappiness among a group of Singaporeans, who staged a so-called “silent protest” at Hong Lim Park.

More than 2,000 people, mostly Singaporeans, participated in the survey, which was conducted by questionnaires being given to them and collected later. The survey aimed to study what Singaporeans felt were core identity markers of the main ethnic groups in the country.

MOH wants to make national patient database mandatory; Legislation set to be introduced in 2018

All health providers, even GPs, will have to upload health details if plans are approved
By Linette Lai, The Straits Times, 9 Nov 2017

The Ministry of Health (MOH) wants to make it compulsory for all healthcare providers to upload data to the National Electronic Health Record (NEHR) system - from large hospitals all the way down to the neighbourhood GP clinic.

This means that every aspect of a person's medical history, including visits to doctors in the private sector, chronic medication, allergies and vaccination details, will be captured in these records.

These plans come on the back of a slow take-up rate from the private healthcare sector in the six years since the NEHR was launched in 2011.

Sharing medical data in a national electronic repository will make for more seamless treatment and save money for patients, said the Government.

Singapore is one of the first countries to have established such a comprehensive system. The records, however, will not include details such as doctors' personal case notes, as they are meant chiefly to provide a summary.

Currently, most NEHR data comes from public sector institutions such as public hospitals and polyclinics.

Only 3 per cent of the more than 4,000 private healthcare providers - including specialist clinics, nursing homes and hospices - contribute to the scheme.

This is despite the fact that a quarter of them have access to it and can view patient records.



"Patients can realise the full potential of the NEHR only if the data is comprehensive," said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong, who made the announcement yesterday at the start of the three-day FutureHealth Conference. The conference was jointly organised by Nanyang Technological University and the Centre for Healthcare Innovation.

"And for NEHR data to be comprehensive, every provider and healthcare professional needs to contribute relevant data to it," he added.

The proposed changes will likely be tabled in Parliament next year. If approved, healthcare groups will be given a grace period of two to three years to make the necessary preparations.

Collective sale fever: Spotlight on decaying home leases

While a lucky few pocket windfalls, others worry their ageing apartments might become depreciating assets
By Grace Leong, The Straits Times, 8 Nov 2017

Collective sales have a way of making property owners, other than those getting a windfall, envious. This is especially so in a boom like the current one for houses sold en bloc.

These days, besides envy, owners of ageing apartments - whether private or public - may also feel a tinge of anxiety if the 99-year lease of the land their property sits on, or the 99-year tenure of the flat, is decaying fast, with no prospect of a buyout by either a private developer or the Government. The anxiety is due to a distinct possibility that instead of their property appreciating in value, it may start to depreciate as the lease runs out, and restrictions on Central Provident Fund usage, bank loans and Housing Board loans start to apply.

This problem of decaying leases is not confined to Singapore. Other countries are also grappling with it, with China in the midst of working out a provision to deal with 70-year residential leases that are fast running out.

What may be unique to Singapore is the large share of home owners affected, said Singapore Management University (SMU) law don Eugene Tan. "Singapore is unique because of the increasing preponderance of land with 99-year leases; the vast majority of Singaporeans live in HDB flats, and home owning is far more popular than renting here," he said.

What does that mean for home owners then, and for would-be buyers and sellers of older flats?

LUCKY FEW

Since last year, there have been 20 collective sale deals transacted. These have generated a whopping $7.28 billion in proceeds for owners of the 3,268 apartments, according to Colliers International.

Private developers' hunger for residential land sites was evident in their willingness to shell out record amounts in upgrading premiums to top up the lease and differential premiums to intensify land use.

Legal age for smoking to be raised from 18 to 21

Minimum age for smokers to be raised to 19 on 1 Jan 2019, 20 on 1 Jan 2020 and finally to 21 on 1 Jan 2021; e-cigarettes to face ban
By Aw Cheng Wei, The Straits Times, 8 Nov 2017

The minimum age for smoking will be raised to 19 on Jan 1, 2019, as Singapore intensifies its efforts to get people to stub out.

It will then be raised progressively every January until 2021, when smokers have to be 21 before they can light up. Currently, the minimum age is 18.

The amendments to the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) Act, approved by Parliament yesterday, also ban people from buying, using and owning imitation tobacco products such as e-cigarettes, e-cigars and e-pipes.

The Straits Times understands that the ban will kick in early next year. This move extends the current ban on the sale, import and distribution of battery-powered devices that heat nicotine-infused liquids to produce a vapour for inhalation.

Parliamentary Secretary for Health Amrin Amin said the measures are to "de-normalise" the use of tobacco products over time and deny youth access to cigarettes.

Surveys show that young people get their cigarettes from friends and schoolmates, he said when tabling the Tobacco (Control of Advertisements and Sale) (Amendment) Bill for debate. Social and peer pressure also strongly influence them to start smoking, he added when explaining the move to raise the minimum smoking age to 21.

Although the Health Promotion Board's data showed that the proportion of smokers here had fallen from over 18 per cent in the 1990s to around 12 per cent to 14 per cent in the past 10 years, Mr Amrin believed it could be reduced further.

He noted that 23 per cent of the men here still smoke, much higher than in countries such as Australia (14.5 per cent) and the United States (15.6 per cent).

Also, about 95 per cent of smokers here took their first puff before they turned 21, Mr Amrin said. And 45 per cent cultivated the habit between 18 and 21 years old.

Research in the US found that the brains of adolescents were particularly vulnerable to nicotine addiction, Mr Amrin said, adding that "smokers who start earlier also find it harder to quit later in life".