Roti john is an omelette sandwich founded by a Malay who lived in Singapore during the British colonial times before being widely popular throughout the Malay Peninsula in present-day Malaysia.
Roti is the Hindi, Urdu and Malay word for bread, and more generally for any bread-based or bread-like food, including sandwiches and pancakes. The origin of john in the name is allegedly due to the Western origin of the baguette and British colonial rule in British Malaya and Singapore island.
The ingredients include minced meat (chicken or mutton), onion, egg, tomato-chilli sauce and a baguette-type loaf.
~Wikipedia~
Passengers ready for world's longest flight on Singapore Airlines
The plane's interior features higher ceilings, larger windows and an extra-wide cabin. (Photo: AFP/Remy Gabalda)
Passengers were getting ready to board the world's longest flight on Thursday (Oct 11) - a marathon 19 hours in the air between Singapore and New York.
Two pilots, a special "wellness" menu and more than seven weeks' worth of film and television entertainment were expected to accompany travellers on the 16,700km journey to the Big Apple.
Singapore Airlines Flight SQ22 will use the long-range Airbus A350-900ULR, configured to carry 161 passengers - 67 in business class and 94 in premium economy.
For the flight crew - which also includes two first officers and a 13-strong cabin contingent - the work load will be broken up, the airline said, with each pilot having a minimum eight hours' rest during the flight.
But for passengers, the challenge will be what to do with all that down time up in the air.
For those not packing a weighty novel (or two), there will be 1,200 hours of audio-visual entertainment to choose from.
Dining options will include dishes the airline says have been selected to promote well-being in the skies, with organic dishes on the menu.
The cabin has higher-than-normal ceilings, larger windows and lighting designed to reduce jet lag - all part of an effort to lessen the stresses that can accompany almost a day on a plane.
"Research has shown that hydration and food intake are important factors (to consider), such as avoiding foods that cause gas or bloating as well as excessive alcohol," Rhenu Bhuller, a healthcare expert at consultancy Frost & Sullivan, told AFP.
"The biggest concern is Deep Vein Thrombosis from a combination of sitting for too long and also from dehydration," said Gail Cross, an associate consultant at the National University Hospital in Singapore.
"RACE BETWEEN AIRLINES"
The twin-engine plane that will make the journey uses a modified system that burns 25 per cent less fuel compared to other aircraft of a similar size, Airbus said.
The flight from the city-state to Newark Airport can take up to 18 hours and 45 minutes under normal weather conditions, but the pilots will have something in reserve in an aircraft capable of flying more than 20 hours non-stop.
Singapore Airlines originally flew the route for nine years using the gas-guzzling, four-engine A340-500 before abandoning it in 2013 because high oil prices made the service unprofitable.
But the carrier is hoping that the introduction of more fuel-efficient planes will set cash registers ringing even as crude prices soar above S$80.
Thursday's flight will top the current longest direct link between cities - Qatar Airways Flight 921 from Auckland to Doha, which takes 17 hours 40 minutes.
"It's turning out to be a race between a few airlines eyeing the longest routes inter-continentally," said Shukor Yusof of aviation consultancy Endau Analytics.
"They are hoping to capitalise and exploit a very niche market," he told AFP.
Facing increasingly strong competition in recent years, Singapore Airlines has consolidated its low-fare subsidiaries and is strengthening its premium segment.
"Ultra-long haul services comprise an important component of that strategy," an airline spokesman told AFP.
The company is the first airline in the world to operate the A350-900ULR plane. It received the first aircraft in September. Six more are due for delivery by the end of the year.
"We are optimistic about the demand for non-stop services to the US," the spokesman said.
Analyst Shukor, however, said it remained to be seen whether the airline and other operators of marathon flights can withstand the pressure from rising oil prices.
Source: AFP/zl
Jewel Changi Airport tenants to include A&W, Pokemon, Shaw Theatres
The return of fast food chain A&W, an 11-screen cineplex, a Pokemon merchandise store and other new-to-Singapore brands will be what travellers and local consumers can expect when Changi Airport’s mega retail and lifestyle development, Jewel, opens in the first half of next year.
A S$1.7 billion project, the 10-storey complex – consisting of five storeys above ground and five basement floors – will be home to more than 280 shops and food and beverage (F&B) outlets.
Jewel Changi Airport Development said on Thursday (Oct 11) that nearly 90 per cent of the sprawling 53,800 sq m leasable space has been taken up thus far.
Among those unveiled at a media briefing include A&W, which is returning to Singapore after more than 10 years. Its menu will be “the first of its kind in Asia” combining best-selling items from its restaurants around the world, including coney dogs, curly fries and a cream cheese burger from Japan.
Fans of Pokemon can also look forward to the game franchise's only permanent retail store outside of Japan. Apart from merchandise sold in Japan, the Pokemon Center Singapore will also be stocked with exclusive toys, stationery, trading cards and video games created just for Jewel.
F&B brands that are setting up shop in Singapore, and the region, for the first time also include Swiss artisanal chocolatier Laderach, Norwegian casual seafood restaurant Pink Fish and American fast food chain Shake Shack.
In addition, cinema-goers will be delighted as Shaw Theatres is set to open a cineplex with 11 screens, including a digital Imax theatre, Jewel Changi Airport Development’s head of leasing, Tan Mui Neo, confirmed at the media briefing.
Jewel will also be home to a long list of homegrown brands, including design retailer Naiise, gallery store Supermama and Tiger Beer which will be launching a first-in-the-world Tiger Street Lab at level 5 offering exclusive seasonal brews.
Local chef Violet Oon will open her largest restaurant to date – more than 350 sq m – offering local delicacies, such as dry laksa.
Meanwhile, Nike is planning its largest store in Southeast Asia spanning 1,000 sq m. The sporting giant will take up one of the 11 duplex, large-format stores in Jewel, together with Naiise and Shake Shack.
To be sure, Jewel, which began construction more than three years ago, is positioning itself as more than just a mall with shopping and dining options.
Apart from a distinctive dome-shaped facade made of glass and steel, other highlights include a sprawling 14,000 sq m rooftop park featuring play attractions, gardens and walking trails.
The mixed development, located in front of and directly connected to Changi Airport’s Terminal 1, will also be home to Forest Valley, Singapore’s largest indoor garden, and a 40m-tall indoor waterfall that will transform into a light and sound show at night.
Dining at Canopy Park. (Photo: Jewel Changi Airport Devt)
This aims to create a unique retail experience where shoppers can enjoy a seamless experience of nature and retail all under one roof, according to Jewel Changi Airport Development.
With travellers being more discerning about their destinations and their choice of airports for stopovers, there is a need to position Jewel as a “one-of-a-kind, multi-dimensional destination”, said its chief executive Hung Jean.
“We hope to showcase Singapore to the world, positioning it as the platform where local brands will be exposed to an international audience, while simultaneously bringing new and familiar global brands to Singapore.”
Ms Hung said Jewel, which will also be linked to Terminal 2 and 3 via air-conditioned pedestrian bridges, aims to welcome 40 to 50 million visitors a year. Of which, 60 per cent will likely be locals, and the rest made up of tourists.
Source: CNA/mn
New nature park to open next to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve
A new nature park that is 3km to the east of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is slated to open in mid-2022.
The National Parks Board (NParks) made this announcement on Sunday (Oct 7) as Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve celebrated its 25th anniversary.
The Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat will be conserved as a 72.8 hectare nature park that will act as an outdoor education, learning and research centre, with visitor amenities such as bicycle racks, a nature trail and bird hides.
The 72.8-hectare Nature Park will be complementary to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. (Photo: Tan Si Hui)
Ecologically linked to the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, the new nature park will be situated along two future major recreational routes - the Round-Island Route and the Rail Corridor.
Visitors can visit the nature park while exploring both recreational routes.
The new nature park will be situated about 3km to the east of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. (Graphic: National Parks Board)
Second Minister for National Development Desmond Lee emphasised the need to “bring people in” to biodiversity areas.
“The management of the Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat reflects the continued approach of conservation, not one where we put in laws and fences and warning signs, and keep everyone out,” he said.
“This is really in line with our role as a City in a Garden - a small city with precious biodiversity surrounded by people and our developments, which requires our conservation efforts to be different from bigger countries.”
Bird watchers at Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve. (Photo: Tan Si Hui)
Dr Adrian Loo, group director of the conservation department of NParks, said the mangrove and mudflat at Mandai will be complementary to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.
“The birds will roost at Sungei Buloh and when the tides go down, the birds will come over to Mandai mudflat and they will feed there. When the tides start to come up, the birds will then fly back to Sungei Buloh,” he said.
To minimise impact on the mudflat, NParks said it will provide a minimum level of visitor amenities and Dr Loo said an impact assessment will be made.
“Migratory seasons only happen at the end of the year, around September until the end of the year. So most of the development of the nature park will be done outside the season.”
Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong had opened Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve in 1993. (Photo: Tan Si Hui)
Member of Nature Society (Singapore) N Sivasothi welcomed the announcement of the new park and said researchers from the Asia-Pacific region excited upon hearing the news.
“We’ll roll up our sleeves and synch in to any kind of management group that will be set up to best understand how to work in Mandai. Many researchers, nature groups and volunteers will be involved to help in the surveys as well as the cleanups.”
Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, who opened Sungei Buloh as a nature park in 1993, was also there at the event, celebrating Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve's 25th anniversary.
Source: CNA
More showers expected in second week of October
Singaporeans can expect thundery showers mostly in the afternoon on six to eight days, especially on the second week of October.
Singaporeans can look forward to a respite from the current warm and dry weather with more showers expected in the second week of October.
The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said on Monday (Oct 1) that Singapore can expect thundery showers mostly in the afternoon on six to eight days.
On most days, the daily temperature is forecast to range between 25 deg C and 33 deg C, MSS said.
On a few days when there is little or no rainfall, the maximum temperature is expected to be around 34 deg C.
Overall, the rainfall for the first fortnight of October is expected to be near-normal.
MSS said the the dry and warm weather conditions have been around since mid-September. They were the result of south-west monsoon conditions with low level winds blowing from the southeast or south.
These are expected to gradually weaken in the first fortnight of October.
In September, Singapore experienced thundery showers mostly in the late morning and afternoon.
In the first half of the month, the thundery showers that fell over the island were due in part to wind convergence over Singapore and the surrounding vicinity. They were also the result of the passage of Sumatra squalls that crossed over Singapore from the Strait of Malacca to the South China Sea.
The heaviest rainfall occurred on Sept 7 at Upper Thomson where the daily total rainfall recorded was 121.6mm.
There was less rainfall in the second half of September than in the first half. The thundery showers that fell over the island in the afternoon on some days in the last two weeks of September were localised and of short-duration.
The overall rainfall in September was near-normal.
The last two weeks of September were warmer and drier than the first half of the month. The daily maximum temperature in the first fortnight of the month ranged between 30.1 deg C and 33.6 deg C.
In the second fortnight of the month, the daily maximum temperature recorded was between 31.8 deg C and 35.2 deg C. The daily minimum temperature during the month ranged between 21.4 deg C and 27.3 deg C.
Above-average rainfall was recorded over two-thirds of the island in September. The lowest rainfall of 88.2mm, which was 54 per cent below the average, was recorded at Choa Chu Kang West. Rainfall was highest at the Thomson area where 289.8 mm of rainfall, which was 59 per cent above the average, was recorded.
~News courtesy of The Straits Times~
ICA to launch electronic arrival card for foreign visitors to Singapore after three-month trial
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) will be launching an electronic arrival card that will eventually replace the paper-based disembarkation/embarkation card that foreign visitors are currently required to submit on arrival, said the authority in a statement on Wednesday (Oct 3).
To ensure smooth implementation of the new electronic arrival card, a trial will be conducted by the ICA for foreign visitors for three months from Thursday.
The trial will be conducted at most of the air, land and sea checkpoints such as the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, Changi Airport and the four cruise/ferry terminals.
During the trial period, foreign visitors who arrive at these checkpoints but have not yet completed the paper-based disembarkation/embarkation card may be approached by ICA officers to participate in the trial and provide feedback.
The trial will not affect Singaporeans, permanent residents and long-term pass holders (such as students and workers) returning to Singapore, as they do not need to submit any disembarkation/embarkation card.
More details of the implementation of the system will be announced at a later date, after the trial is completed.
When the electronic arrival card is fully implemented, travellers can submit their personal information and trip details through the ICA website or via a mobile application before arriving in Singapore.
The travellers will then need to produce only their passports for immigration clearance upon arrival.
Currently, the card contains information such as details of the traveller's flight to Singapore, his intended length of stay and where he will be staying. These details will still be required under the new electronic card.
The electronic arrival card will be available in various languages, and those travelling in families or small groups can choose to make a one-time group submission. Some information such as last port of embarkation as well as address in Singapore will be automatically replicated for all in the group.
The mobile app will also save information from previous trips for use during the next trip to Singapore.
"The electronic arrival card will enhance operational efficiency and is a significant step towards ICA's vision of paperless immigration clearance, and save up to 48 million paper-based disembarkation/embarkation cards a year," said the authority.
ICA said that it studied and took into consideration the practice and experience of countries that have implemented a similar model of the electronic arrival card, as part of the authority's conceptualisation and design process.
Mr Duong Dat, 23, a software engineer from Vietnam who visits Singapore once or twice a year to meet friends, said an electronic arrival card would be great, as it will reduce the waiting time at arrival.
He added that it will also remove the last-minute scramble for him to fill up the information. “Sometimes my itinerary information is not available if I have no Internet connection (on the plane) and I have to write it down at the airport.”
Bruneian Hana Latiff, 24, who visited Singapore twice this year for youth programmes, is happy that the paper use will be reduced.
She also noted that the data-saving feature will be handy as she would not have to fill the form every time.
But Ms Hana, an administrative staff, added: “I might be concerned (about going online), as I am not sure how secure my data will be.”
The move is part of a series of recent high-tech measures by ICA.
Earlier this year, X-ray imaging scanners were introduced at the Tuas Checkpoint to better detect components on buses and vans that have been modified or contain explosives.
A new Web portal called MyICA was also launched by the authority in June to make renewing and applying for a new Singapore passport easier.
In August this year, eye-scan trials were rolled out for Singaporeans and permanent residents at Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, and Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. The trial involves officers scanning travellers’ iris images in addition to fingerprint verification.
~News courtesy of The Straits Times~
Malaysia may implement VEP by year end - RTD
The Road Transport Department (RTD) expects the Vehicle Entry Permit (VEP) on all foreign vehicles entering the country through the Johor Causeway and the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link, to be implemented at the end of this year.
Its director-general Datuk Seri Saharuddin Khalid said the permit system was now in the final stage of tests, before being finalised by the Ministry of Transport.
“I am waiting for the final report which I expect to receive this October before getting a decision from the ministry.
“This implementation does not put pressure on the neighbouring countries as it only involves our business and our borders,” he told reporters after visiting a RTD personnel who had suffered a permanent disability in Kampung Sawah Dalam here today.
The VEP was previously postponed by the government to standardise its implementation in Malaysia-Singapore and Malaysia-Thailand.
- Bernama
