ICA to introduce multi-biometrics screening at checkpoints from April 2019
Travellers with faded fingerprints will soon not have to worry about getting stuck during immigration clearance.
From April 2019, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will progressively deploy a new screening system which uses three biometric identifiers - fingerprints, facial and iris - to complement fingerprint matching for immigration clearance. ICA said this is more accurate and is useful for travellers with deteriorated fingerprints due to ageing, scarring or genetics.
The new system will be available at all checkpoints.
"With the BioScreen-Multi Modal Biometric Screening System, travellers can be authenticated using any of the three biometric identifiers," the agency said in a statement on Monday (Nov 12).
"This will enable more efficient immigration clearance for travellers who may face difficulties using their fingerprints."
After handing over their passports, travellers put two thumbs on a fingerprint scanner and concurrently look at a camera which scans their faces and eyes. A green tick on a screen indicates the process is completed.
When asked if the process will take the same amount of time as current procedures, ICA said: “As part of the trial, we will try to fine-tune the final outcome to achieve a more effective clearance process.”
The system is being trialled at manual and automated counters at Woodlands, Tuas and Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal checkpoints.
"A robust biometrics database of travellers, comprising facial images, fingerprint and iris, will be useful for post-incident investigation and data analytics purposes in the event of a security incident," ICA added.
FACIAL RECOGNITION
Meanwhile, the ICA has also been beefing up security at Singapore's borders with the use of facial recognition cameras, which have been deployed at Woodlands Checkpoint since 2012.
The cameras, found at strategic locations like entrances, queue lines and immigration counters, are used to identify wanted persons, including during post-incident investigations.
Since 2012, the system has identified persons wanted for offences like possessing multiple identities and previously overstaying in Singapore, although ICA declined to reveal exact figures due to operational security.
"More than 280,000 travellers pass through Woodlands Checkpoint every day," Deputy Assistant Commissioner (DAC) Lian Lee Siong from ICA told reporters on Monday.
"With this facial recognition technology, we will be able to process large volumes of passengers more efficiently and securely."
The cameras have also been used during stepped-up checks in the lead-up to the ongoing ASEAN Summit, and other major events like the Trump-Kim summit. ICA is also in the midst of deploying the cameras at other checkpoints like Changi Airport.
HOW IT WORKS
ICA works with other security agencies like the police to upload pictures of wanted persons into its database, which currently contains a few hundred thousand images.
The system can simultaneously compare faces of multiple travellers to those in the database and automatically flag wanted persons to officers in the command centre. These officers make a final identification before alerting their colleagues on the ground.
Officials said this process takes three to five seconds, which means suspects trying to flee the country will be nabbed even before reaching the immigration counter.
"If someone commits a crime inland and attempts to depart Singapore through our checkpoints, all we need is just a photograph of him and our system will be able to sieve him out from the crowd," DAC Lian said.
The system is smart enough to identify suspects using old photos, or if their features were altered or obstructed. For example, officials showed a real-life example of a wanted person being identified despite dying her hair a different colour.
It can also detect objects based on physical features like colour, size and dimension, meaning officers can identify suspects based on the colour of his T-shirt, or other security risks like unattended baggage.
"This provides you ways of identifying and verifying a person-of-interest even without an image," said Dr Naresh Kumar, a director at the Office of the Chief Science and Technology Officer, which helped produce the system.
"With the attributes and descriptors, we are able to nail down the person. This keeps our checkpoints safe and secure."
If officers need to look back in time, the system can trawl up to a year of old footage and automatically show instances of the suspect passing through.
As far as privacy is concerned, ICA said in a statement that only authorised officers are allowed to enter the command centre and operate the cameras.
"In addition, the user access rights are restricted such that users only have access to perform their assigned duties," it added. "Any officer found to have abused the system will be investigated and dealt with in accordance with the law."
MOBILE AND BODY-WORN CAMERAS
Besides the fixed cameras, ICA has also deployed mobile and body-worn cameras equipped with facial recognition technology.
The mobile cameras, which have been used for several Home Team operations since July 2017, are usually for large-scale events like festive celebrations, when prior intelligence has indicated the possible appearance of a wanted person.
These cameras can be set up within 10 minutes and is useful when it is not practical for officers to patrol the ground for long hours. They can send alerts to officers' mobile phones through a secure wireless network.
Another option is the body-worn cameras, which officers can use in low-light conditions or when faced with infrastructural challenges, like on board a cruise or inside a vehicle.
These cameras are also connected to officers' mobile phones and can automatically match faces to a remote database.
"The body-worn cameras allow roving officers on patrol within the checkpoints to accurately and swiftly detect persons-of-interest before they reach the immigration counters," ICA said.
Source: CNA/hz(ra)
Tuesday 13 November 2018
Monday 12 November 2018
Laksa
Laksa is a spicy noodle soup popular in Peranakan cuisine. Laksa consists of rice noodles or rice vermicelli with chicken, prawn or fish, served in spicy soup based on either rich and spicy curry coconut milk or on sour asam (tamarind or gelugur). Laksa is found in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Southern Thailand.
The type of laksa is based upon the soup base employed in its recipe; either rich and savoury coconut milk, fresh and sour asam (tamarind, gelugur or kokum), or the combination of the two.
There are three basic types of laksa: curry laksa, asam laksa, and other variant that can be identified as either curry or asam laksa.
Curry laksa is a coconut milk curry soup with noodles, while asam laksa is a sour, most often tamarind-based, soup with noodles. Thick rice noodles also known as laksa noodles are most commonly used, although thin rice vermicelli (bee hoon or mee hoon) are also common, and some recipes might create their own rice noodle from scratch. Some variants might use other types of noodles; Johor laksa for example uses spaghetti, while a fusion recipe might use Japanese udon noodle.
Laksa lemak, also known as nyonya laksa (Malay: Laksa nyonya), is a type of laksa with a rich coconut gravy. Lemak is a culinary description in the Malay language which specifically refers to the presence of coconut milk which adds a distinctive richness to a dish. As the name implies, it is made with a rich, slightly sweet and strongly spiced coconut gravy. Laksa lemak is usually made with a fish-based gravy (with vegetarian food stalls omitting fish) and quite similar to Thai laksa (Malay: Laksa Thai), perhaps to the point that one could say they are one and the same.
Asam laksa is a sour, fish and tamarind-based soup. Penang Asam Laksa listed at number 26th on World's 50 most delicious foods compiled by CNN Go in 2011. Asam is the Malay word for any ingredients that makes a dish tastes sour (e.g. tamarind, gelugur or kokum). Laksa typically uses asam keping, known as kokum in the English speaking world, which is a type of dried slices of sour mangosteens.
The modern Malay spelling is asam, though the spelling assam is still frequently used.
The main ingredients for asam laksa include shredded fish, normally kembung (small mackerel of the Rastrelliger genus), and finely sliced vegetables including cucumber, onions, red chillies, pineapple, lettuce, common mint, daun kesum (Vietnamese mint or laksa mint), and pink bunga kantan (torch ginger). Asam laksa is normally served with either thick rice noodles or thin rice noodles (vermicelli). And topped off with petis udang or "hae ko" (蝦膏), a thick sweet prawn/shrimp paste.
Source: Wikipedia and Facebook
The type of laksa is based upon the soup base employed in its recipe; either rich and savoury coconut milk, fresh and sour asam (tamarind, gelugur or kokum), or the combination of the two.
There are three basic types of laksa: curry laksa, asam laksa, and other variant that can be identified as either curry or asam laksa.
Curry laksa is a coconut milk curry soup with noodles, while asam laksa is a sour, most often tamarind-based, soup with noodles. Thick rice noodles also known as laksa noodles are most commonly used, although thin rice vermicelli (bee hoon or mee hoon) are also common, and some recipes might create their own rice noodle from scratch. Some variants might use other types of noodles; Johor laksa for example uses spaghetti, while a fusion recipe might use Japanese udon noodle.
Laksa lemak, also known as nyonya laksa (Malay: Laksa nyonya), is a type of laksa with a rich coconut gravy. Lemak is a culinary description in the Malay language which specifically refers to the presence of coconut milk which adds a distinctive richness to a dish. As the name implies, it is made with a rich, slightly sweet and strongly spiced coconut gravy. Laksa lemak is usually made with a fish-based gravy (with vegetarian food stalls omitting fish) and quite similar to Thai laksa (Malay: Laksa Thai), perhaps to the point that one could say they are one and the same.
Asam laksa is a sour, fish and tamarind-based soup. Penang Asam Laksa listed at number 26th on World's 50 most delicious foods compiled by CNN Go in 2011. Asam is the Malay word for any ingredients that makes a dish tastes sour (e.g. tamarind, gelugur or kokum). Laksa typically uses asam keping, known as kokum in the English speaking world, which is a type of dried slices of sour mangosteens.
The modern Malay spelling is asam, though the spelling assam is still frequently used.
The main ingredients for asam laksa include shredded fish, normally kembung (small mackerel of the Rastrelliger genus), and finely sliced vegetables including cucumber, onions, red chillies, pineapple, lettuce, common mint, daun kesum (Vietnamese mint or laksa mint), and pink bunga kantan (torch ginger). Asam laksa is normally served with either thick rice noodles or thin rice noodles (vermicelli). And topped off with petis udang or "hae ko" (蝦膏), a thick sweet prawn/shrimp paste.
Source: Wikipedia and Facebook
Tuesday 6 November 2018
Saturday 3 November 2018
S'pore Airlines to begin non-stop flights to Seattle next September
Singapore Airlines to begin non-stop flights to Seattle next September
Singapore Airlines (SIA) will begin non-stop flights to Seattle on Sep 3 next year, its fourth non-stop destination in the United States.
The move comes amid efforts by SIA to expand its operations and network reach in the US, where it already flies non-stop to San Francisco and New York, the airline said in a press release on Thursday (Nov 1). SIA will begin non-stop flights to Los Angeles on Friday.
“Our new non-stop flights to Seattle are another demonstration of our commitment to expand our operations in the important US market and grow our network reach," said SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong.
"The new services will also further strengthen the Singapore hub by providing customers faster and more convenient connectivity from key markets such as Southeast Asia, South Asia and Australasia to North America,” Mr Goh said.
The non-stop Singapore-Seattle flights will operate three times a week after it is launched in September next year, before increasing to four times per week the following month.
The Airbus A350-900 aircraft will be used on the route, fitted with 42 business class, 24 premium economy class and 187 economy class seats.
SIA will operate 53 flights per week to the US by December 2018, including 27 non-stop Singapore-US services. With the introduction of the new Seattle flights next year, the total frequency will increase to 57 flights per week.
The Singapore-Seattle tickets will be made available for sale progressively from Nov 7 through the various distribution channels, it added.
SIA resumed the world's longest commercial flight after five years last month, with a near-19 hour non-stop from Singapore to New York.
Singapore Airlines had abandoned the marathon Newark and Los Angeles routes in 2013 when high fuel prices made the use of four-engine Airbus A340-500 jets uneconomic.
Source: CNA/ic(aj)
Singapore Airlines (SIA) will begin non-stop flights to Seattle on Sep 3 next year, its fourth non-stop destination in the United States.
The move comes amid efforts by SIA to expand its operations and network reach in the US, where it already flies non-stop to San Francisco and New York, the airline said in a press release on Thursday (Nov 1). SIA will begin non-stop flights to Los Angeles on Friday.
“Our new non-stop flights to Seattle are another demonstration of our commitment to expand our operations in the important US market and grow our network reach," said SIA CEO Goh Choon Phong.
"The new services will also further strengthen the Singapore hub by providing customers faster and more convenient connectivity from key markets such as Southeast Asia, South Asia and Australasia to North America,” Mr Goh said.
The non-stop Singapore-Seattle flights will operate three times a week after it is launched in September next year, before increasing to four times per week the following month.
The Airbus A350-900 aircraft will be used on the route, fitted with 42 business class, 24 premium economy class and 187 economy class seats.
SIA will operate 53 flights per week to the US by December 2018, including 27 non-stop Singapore-US services. With the introduction of the new Seattle flights next year, the total frequency will increase to 57 flights per week.
The Singapore-Seattle tickets will be made available for sale progressively from Nov 7 through the various distribution channels, it added.
SIA resumed the world's longest commercial flight after five years last month, with a near-19 hour non-stop from Singapore to New York.
Singapore Airlines had abandoned the marathon Newark and Los Angeles routes in 2013 when high fuel prices made the use of four-engine Airbus A340-500 jets uneconomic.
Source: CNA/ic(aj)
Thursday 1 November 2018
Apam Balik
Apam balik (English: 'turnover pancake') or terang bulan (English: 'bright moon') or martabak manis (English: 'sweet martabak') common in Southeast Asia. It is usually sold at specialist roadside stalls throughout Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
The pancake's batter is made from a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, baking soda, coconut milk and water. The batter is cooked upon a thick round iron frying pan in plenty of palm margarine to avoid it sticking to the pan.
Then other ingredients are sprinkled as filling; the most common or traditional is crushed peanut granules with sugar and sweetcorn kernels (available from cans), but modern innovations such as chocolate sprinkles and cheddar cheese are also available. Then, the pancake is folded (hence the name: "turnover pancake") and cut into several pieces.
The texture of the apam balik can vary depending on the amount of batter and type of pan used, from one that is akin to a crispier form of crumpets to small thin light pancake shells that break when bitten (the latter is usually called apam balik nipis, 'thin apam balik').
The dish has been declared a heritage food by the Malaysian Department of National Heritage.
~wikipedia~
The pancake's batter is made from a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, baking soda, coconut milk and water. The batter is cooked upon a thick round iron frying pan in plenty of palm margarine to avoid it sticking to the pan.
Then other ingredients are sprinkled as filling; the most common or traditional is crushed peanut granules with sugar and sweetcorn kernels (available from cans), but modern innovations such as chocolate sprinkles and cheddar cheese are also available. Then, the pancake is folded (hence the name: "turnover pancake") and cut into several pieces.
The texture of the apam balik can vary depending on the amount of batter and type of pan used, from one that is akin to a crispier form of crumpets to small thin light pancake shells that break when bitten (the latter is usually called apam balik nipis, 'thin apam balik').
The dish has been declared a heritage food by the Malaysian Department of National Heritage.
~wikipedia~
No more plastic straws at Resorts World Sentosa
No more plastic straws at Resorts World Sentosa
Since Oct 1, dining establishments and five themed attractions across Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) have stopped providing customers with plastic straws in a bid to reduce single-use plastics.
The latest move will save more than three million, or 1.2 tonnes of, plastic straws a year, RWS said in a press release on Monday (Oct 27).
The places that have stopped providing plastic straws include Universal Studios Singapore and the SEA Aquarium, as well as the resort's celebrity chef restaurants and the Malaysian Food Street food hall, RWS said.
Paper straws, said to be biodegradable and more environmentally friendly, will be available upon request, RWS added. Those with special needs and may require straws to consume drinks will be provided with the straws.
SEA Aquarium's marine conservation group, Guardians of the SEAA, will lead educational outreach efforts to create awareness among RWS employees on the issue of plastic pollution, the press release said.
The group is also working with James Cook University and non-profit organisation Zero Waste SG to engage members of the public on the cause.
"RWS supports the national effort towards becoming a Zero Waste Nation, and is looking into ways to reduce other forms of single-use plastics such as bottled water," RWS said.
RWS joins other businesses in Singapore in their bid to reduce single-use plastics. KFC Singapore has stopped providing plastic caps and straws for drinks at its 84 outlets since its announcement in June this year.
Burger King has stopped providing dine-in customers at its 42 outlets with plastic straws and lids for their cold drinks since Oct 15.
Source: CNA
Since Oct 1, dining establishments and five themed attractions across Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) have stopped providing customers with plastic straws in a bid to reduce single-use plastics.
The latest move will save more than three million, or 1.2 tonnes of, plastic straws a year, RWS said in a press release on Monday (Oct 27).
The places that have stopped providing plastic straws include Universal Studios Singapore and the SEA Aquarium, as well as the resort's celebrity chef restaurants and the Malaysian Food Street food hall, RWS said.
Paper straws, said to be biodegradable and more environmentally friendly, will be available upon request, RWS added. Those with special needs and may require straws to consume drinks will be provided with the straws.
SEA Aquarium's marine conservation group, Guardians of the SEAA, will lead educational outreach efforts to create awareness among RWS employees on the issue of plastic pollution, the press release said.
The group is also working with James Cook University and non-profit organisation Zero Waste SG to engage members of the public on the cause.
"RWS supports the national effort towards becoming a Zero Waste Nation, and is looking into ways to reduce other forms of single-use plastics such as bottled water," RWS said.
RWS joins other businesses in Singapore in their bid to reduce single-use plastics. KFC Singapore has stopped providing plastic caps and straws for drinks at its 84 outlets since its announcement in June this year.
Burger King has stopped providing dine-in customers at its 42 outlets with plastic straws and lids for their cold drinks since Oct 15.
Source: CNA
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