Hari Raya light-up salutes kampung spirit

Hari Raya light-up salutes kampung spirit

THIS year's Hari Raya light-up promises to be bigger and more spectacular - and carry a deeper meaning.

For a month from June 4, a 2.8km stretch of Geylang Serai from Still Road to Lorong 101 Changi Road will be filled with lights and festivities that will appeal to Muslims and non-Muslim ahead of Hari Raya Puasa on July 6.

This year's light-up will be 500m longer than last year's. Associate Professor Fatimah Lateef, a member of this year's Hari Raya light-up committee, said it will be themed "Deepening our kampung spirit" and will aim to "reinforce, strengthen and resurrect that feeling".

A common motif present throughout the light-up will be that of the weave, a pattern with strong significance to the Malay community and which also symbolises the concept of unity and close-knit ties.

Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin, another member of the light-up committee and MP for Marine Parade GRC, said: "It's not just about shopping and eating (but) how you bring people together."

A new addition to the festivities this year will be a series of interactive exhibits, including a giant set of drums and a huge gong. There will also be a pavilion which takes inspiration from traditional long kampung houses which served as meeting points for families and friends.

Organisers hope the pavilion, which will be decorated with lampu colok or celebratory lights, will serve as a place where visitors can sit and interact with each other.

The occasion is also an opportunity for visitors to understand the "true meaning of Islam".

Dr Fatimah said: "Recently, there's been a lot of talk about Islam, misperceptions... During some of the (breaking of fast) sessions, we will have a religious leader come down to explain the real meaning of Islam."

Dr Fatimah, a Marine Parade GRC MP, said this includes elements such as friendship, honesty, open relationships and a close-knit family.

Visitors will also be able to enjoy a wide variety of activities, including a performance by popular singer Sufie Rashid, silat (Malay martial arts) and kompang (drums) performances, sarong tying, calligraphy and a ride on a Hippo Bus.

Rahman Shah Ismail, a 23-year-old student who visits the light-up every year with his family, is pleased with this year's plans. "It's good to let others know what Islam really is about, given the situation around the world."

~News courtesy of My Paper~

Pulau Ubin to get a coastal boardwalk

Pulau Ubin to get a coastal boardwalk



REGENERATION EFFORTS: The 500m boardwalk at Noordin Beach, which will reopen when restoration works are done. (PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD)

MORE will be done to protect Pulau Ubin's flora and fauna, including plans to restore its northern shoreline, build a coastal boardwalk and support the recovery of endangered plants and animals.

Announcing these initiatives yesterday at Pulau Ubin, Senior Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development Desmond Lee said more must be done to protect the rich biodiversity teeming on the island.

Noting that it has more than 720 native plant species and over 500 animal species, including some not found on mainland Singapore, he added: "This is remarkable but we must do more.

"We have plans to restore Ubin's eroding shoreline, which will serve as a base for more of Pulau Ubin's flora and fauna to be restored in the near future."

Shoreline restoration was one of the earliest priorities for The Ubin Project, announced in 2014 to generate ideas from the public on how to retain the island's rustic charm.

Erosion has badly affected about 40m of northern Ubin, threatening critically endangered species like the Eye of the Crocodile tree and leading to the closure of Noordin Beach - a popular camping site - in 2013 for public safety.

A year-long study, which was concluded this month by the National Parks Board (NParks), found that changes in wave conditions partly as a result of ship wakes, or waves generated by the movements of vessels, as well as changes in land use were among the key causes of erosion.

NParks has identified possible measures to restore the shoreline, such as using man-made rock structures and sand to widen the existing beaches, growing more mangroves and adding wooden poles along the shoreline to mitigate the impact of waves.

NParks will call a tender and works are expected to start next year and end by 2020.

An impact assessment will be done, said NParks' director for Pulau Ubin, Robert Teo.

"Until we call a tender, we won't be sure how much (the work) is going to cost. It depends on the magnitude of the designs and the amount of work that's going to be done," he added.

A coastal boardwalk of about 500m, part of which will extend into the sea, will be built at Noordin Beach, which will reopen when restoration works are completed. From the boardwalk, visitors can view coastal mangroves and hills.

Yesterday, NParks also unveiled a design for new otter holts - which are dens for the critically endangered Oriental Small-clawed Otter. By the end of this year, two holts will be installed on the island which will allow researchers to monitor and study their behaviour.

Other species' recovery efforts include installing 30 bat boxes across the island for bats to roost, and reintroducing endangered native orchids to parts of the island.

At the event to mark the International Day for Biological Diversity, which was yesterday, Mr Lee joined more than a hundred participants to plant 100 saplings at the mangrove arboretum in the Ubin Living Lab.

Among them were executive manager Sean Lam, 47, and his wife and son.

He said: "This is one of the last places in built-up Singapore where you can enjoy such nature. Without the mangroves, the soil will be eroded and the next generation, they won't have anything to see."

~News courtesy of My Paper~

Sentosa brings back kid-friendly beach festival for second run

Sentosa brings back kid-friendly beach festival for second run

The Sentosa FunFest 2016 will run from May 28 to Jun 5 at Palawan Green in Sentosa.

A kid-friendly beach festival is returning for a second run during the June school holiday period, Sentosa Development Corp said in a press release on Thursday (May 12).

The Sentosa FunFest 2016 will take place from May 28 to Jun 5 at Palawan Green in Sentosa, SDC said. It will be open from 10am to 7pm daily, with last admissions at 4.30pm. Admissions are priced at S$28 for adults and S$18 for children aged three to 12 years old.

The festival will feature a bubbly foam pool, a sand pit and a water slide, among other attractions. There will also be live DJ performances and snack and beverage kiosks.

From Jun 11 to Jul 17, the area will also be transformed into the fictional world of Equestria for a free My Little Pony-themed event.



A digital interactive space featuring My Little Pony at Sentosa. (Photo: Sentosa Development Corp)

Featuring "larger-than-life displays, 3D artistic illusions and digital interactive features", guests will be able to interact with digital projections of characters from the popular cartoon from 10.30am to 7pm daily during the event period.

“School holidays make for great family time and bonding at Sentosa, and we want to create a fun-filled atmosphere for these memories," said Sentosa Leisure Management's head of events and programming Steven Chung.

~News courtesy of Channel News Asia~

Expect heavy traffic at checkpoints over May 1 weekend

Expect heavy traffic at checkpoints over May 1 weekend



TRAFFIC is expected to be heavy at both the Woodlands and Tuas land checkpoints over the Labour Day (May 1) weekend, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said.

Travellers can expect heavy traffic heading to Malaysia on Friday while arrival volume is likely to be particularly heavy on Monday, ICA added in a statement yesterday.

"Security at our checkpoints remains the ICA's top priority," the authority noted.

The BioScreen system has been implemented at the passenger halls of the land checkpoints to capture the thumbprints of visitors.

Traffic build-up is "inevitable" with security checks in place, ICA said.

"To avoid a surge of travellers and vehicles seeking clearance at the land checkpoints, travellers are advised to adjust their travel plans if possible," it added.

It also reminded travellers to ensure that their passports are valid before their journey. The passports must have a validity of six months or more.

Singaporeans have also presented passports that were previously reported as lost.

These can no longer be used even if they are later found as they have been cancelled by the ICA.

The ICA is also encouraging Singaporean travellers to carpool. Motorists leaving Singapore will be able to check the traffic situation using the Land Transport Authority's Expressway Monitoring & Advisory System (Emas) installed along the AYE and BKE.

Singaporeans, Singapore permanent residents and long-term pass holders are encouraged to use the automated clearance gantries for immigration clearance.

Travellers should also make sure that they are not carrying illegal or prohibited goods. The list of controlled and prohibited items can be found on ICA's website (www.ica.gov.sg).

"We seek travellers' understanding and cooperation when using the land checkpoints during the peak periods," ICA added.

~News courtesy of My Paper~

S'pore tourism gets a $700m booster shot

S'pore tourism gets a $700m booster shot

CHINESE tourists in Singapore tend to make a detour to temples before visiting the integrated resorts.

While one can only hazard a guess at the reason, more of such insights, pieced together by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), could help tourism players better understand the behaviour of travellers.

Yesterday, Minister for Trade and Industry S. Iswaran said the Government was giving the tourism industry a $700 million boost for the next five years until 2020.

Among its other uses, the fund will tap on big data to gain insights about visitors' behaviour - like the Chinese tourists' propensity to visit temples before casinos.

The money will also be used to attract and train industry professionals and grow the cruise industry, Mr Iswaran added.

Speaking at a tourism industry conference, he said the last two years have been challenging. Last year, visitor arrivals grew a modest 0.9 per cent to 15.2 million, while tourism receipts fell below expectations, dipping by 6.8 per cent to an estimated $22 billion.

While keeping an eye on long-term growth opportunities, the industry needs to be able to deal with short-term volatility, he said.

The STB will ramp up marketing efforts in secondary cities in China, Indonesia and India, and explore newer markets like Myanmar, said its chief executive Lionel Yeo.

It is also enhancing a fund aimed at attracting business travellers. The latter, on average, spend double that of a leisure traveller.

Also in the works is a central hub where businesses can give information about their offerings so travel agencies and aggregators can plan tour packages more efficiently.

STB's chief technology officer Quek Choon Yang said the aim is to transform Singapore into a single, unified "mega-attraction", enabled by a one-stop mobile application where visitors can get the information and services they need.

Ngee Ann Polytechnic's senior tourism lecturer Michael Chiam, who attended the conference, said the challenge is getting industry players to share their data.

He added: "The mindset behind it is that we're all interconnected... and if we can pool data together, it'll be better off for all of us."

~News courtesy of My Paper~

ICA to scan thumbprints of visitors to Singapore

ICA to scan thumbprints of visitors to Singapore



Both thumbprints of travellers arriving and departing Singapore from tomorrow will be screened at the sea and land immigration checkpoints. BioScreen clearance at air checkpoints will be introduced later.

TRAVELLERS arriving and departing Singapore by sea or land will have their thumbprints scanned at immigration checkpoints from tomorrow, as part of ongoing efforts to boost the country's security levels.

The new BioScreen system will be rolled out progressively at passenger halls of all sea and land checkpoints, said the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) yesterday.

This comes after a successful year-long trial at Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal that has seen more than 120,000 travellers go through the new system since last April, it added.

In the months ahead, BioScreen will also be rolled out at the air checkpoints here, ICA said.

Those aged six and above who use manned counters at immigration checkpoints will have both their thumbprints scanned upon arrival and departure.

This will affect foreign visitors and Singaporeans who opt to go through these counters, but not Singapore citizens and permanent residents who use the automated clearance lanes.

At the Woodlands and Tuas land checkpoints, the initial phase will see the system implemented at the manned counters within passenger halls. BioScreen clearance for motorists will be introduced later.

ICA noted that travellers may experience "slightly longer immigration clearance times" at the checkpoints as a result.

It added that it will "monitor the system closely and will fine-tune and adjust the implementation plans where necessary".

Tampines GRC MP Desmond Choo, who is on the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Home Affairs and Law, believes the immigration system will be able to "cope well" despite the longer clearance times.

"The evolving and escalated global security threat means that a global passenger transit hub such as Singapore must step up its surveillance and protective work," he noted.

"Eventually, everyone will benefit from safer border security."

The United States started scanning fingerprints of all visitors in 2004, in the aftermath of the Sept 11 terror attacks in 2001. Japan, South Korea and Taiwan also introduced fingerprint scans from 2007.

Associate Professor Kumar Ramakrishna, head of policy studies at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, said the move "makes sense", given that "Singapore remains an iconic target" for terror groups.

"Biometric technology is a crucial enabling technology that is available now and hence should be exploited, especially since the threat from transnational terrorist groups like ISIS has heightened at this point in time," he added.

~News corutesy of Mypaper~

National Museum to create dedicated digital space for visitors

National Museum of Singapore to create dedicated digital space for visitors

A dedicated digital media space will be established at the National Museum of Singapore in partnership with the National Arts Council, said Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) Baey Yam Keng on Thursday (April 14).

The aim to provide an immersive environment for visitors to engage with traditional arts, he said.

Added Mr Baey: “We will continue to find new ways to engage Singaporeans, especially our digital-savvy youths, whether in sport, arts or heritage. The digital space is one that cuts across boundaries.

“During the SEA Games and ASEAN Para Games last year, we saw how a simple hashtag like #OneTeamSG could connect Singaporeans separated physically, but united in their support for and pride of our athletes.

"And we will continue to tap on digital spaces and social media platforms to encourage “live” participation and interaction, whether you are at a sports centre, gallery or museum.”

DIGITAL-FIRST FOR THE ARTS?

To complement the push for digital engagement, the National Heritage Board (NHB) will also launch a new portal at Roots.sg in mid-April, said Mr Baey.

“Besides providing access to our entire national collection online, Roots.sg presents heritage resources in a much more dynamic manner,” he said.

“If you are a teacher preparing to bring your students on a heritage trail in Kampong Glam, check out Roots.sg. You can view the sites and monuments on the trail, click on links to find out more about the history and download worksheets for your students. Your students, too, can watch videos of traditional trades in Kampong Glam and do further research after the excursion.

"So whether you are a serious researcher, or just a curious young student, Roots.sg will provide a new dimension for you to explore and learn more about our history and heritage.”

MCCY said NHB’s digital engagement strategy will turn its focus towards audience education and engagement, particularly with youths, to foster a digital community of heritage supporters and advocates. At local museums, physical on-site experiences will be complemented with digital content before and after visits.

~News courtesy of Channel News Asia~