Events – Top Stories

Socially-Conscious Films All Set to Make an Impact

By Lee Min Kok

ALMOST 40 films that invoke issues of the human condition will be on show during the International Social Action Film Festival until 1 October.

The festival, held in Singapore for the first time, kicked off on 9 September at Sinema Old School with the critically-acclaimed film War Dance, a documentary about three children in war-torn Uganda who struggle against adversity to achieve their dreams.

Besides films, the festival will also host workshops and discussion forums with filmmakers, academics and policy makers to engage audiences on a variety of issues across the world. These issues will centre around four main themes – human rights, inequality, sustainability as well as children and youth.

Festival Co-director, Ms. Olivia Loh-Ing, said: “It’s really easy to use film as a medium to highlight messages. We want audiences to watch a film and set them thinking of the issues it addresses, and then hopefully inspire them to take the next step to do something.”

Though the films are not the usual fare that Singaporeans are used to, avid film buffs can still look forward to entertaining pieces like Heavenly Kings, a mockumentary directed by Hong Kong director Daniel Wu.

Another one to watch out for is controversial animal activist film The Cove, where hidden cameras investigate the horrific treatment of animals in Japan.

On the public response to the festival so far, Ms. Loh-Ing revealed that the reception for certain films had been mixed, with some films more popular than others.

“We have a pretty good programme lined up over the next few weeks, so I’m optimistic that it will gain even more prominence,” she said.

The one-and-a-year-half old Sinema Old School is nestled at the top of Mount Sophia, the perfect venue for film-goers to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

One such film-goer was Singapore Management University undergraduate Shirleen Low, who managed to take time off from her busy schedule to experience the festival. After watching a series of documentaries chronicling the plight of migrant sex workers in Batam, England and Germany, she was visibly moved by the poignant messages that the films attempted to convey.

“These films are a refreshing change from the usual blockbuster fare that youths like us frequently flock to cineplexes to watch. They really set me thinking about how life in Singapore has been so smooth-sailing, compared to the difficulties these people face on a daily basis,” said the 20-year-old.

This festival was the brainchild of San Diego, California-based film company Legacy XXI, and has made its run across 8 countries and 15 cities such as Sydney and Berlin.

It will conclude its run in Singapore on Children’s Day on 1 October, where fittingly, the closing film will be Guy Moshe’s harsh yet poetic film, Holly, dedicated to raising awareness of the epidemic of child trafficking.

 

 

5oo Storm Heartland in MRT Pub Crawl

By Brandon Tan Yuan Yu

IT was an unusual evening for some western heartlanders as they saw 500 international students descending on ‘kopitiams’ on Wednesday in a drinking extravaganza known as the ‘MRT Pub Crawl’.

Held for the 4^th time since 2008, the ‘MRT Pub Crawl’ is now amongst the most popular events for international students from local universities. Participation rates have doubled since its inception, now including more local students as well.

“My sincerity to play host probably explains why students, especially foreigners, are coming back for more,” said organiser Desmond Choo.

The fourth-year undergraduate from the National Technological University explained that a ‘pub crawl’ is a bar-hopping activity where people visit different bars to drink in a night. Choo added that ‘The MRT Pub Crawl’ is uniquely Singapore as it allows students from all walks of life to mingle and network while “hopping” from MRT station to station to get a drink in the heartlands.

Unlike previous seasons when participants recognised themselves with bright orange event tee-shirts, participants of this season wore white-based event tee-shirts that allow their friends to inscribe personal messages.

Sweden exchange student, Marcus, 22, who was amongst the revelry, cited the event as “a refreshing idea” and “a good opportunity to meet real people”.

Indonesian student, Dhika, 23, along with students of other nationalities, were shock to see a huge turnout as the ‘MRT Pub Crawl’ is by far the largest pub crawl they have attended.

Unlike a typical pub crawl, the ‘MRT Pub Crawl’ which kicked off at Boon Lay MRT station during a mad rush at 7:30 p.m., has raised public concern over rowdy behaviours of the “pub crawlers”.

However, Germany exchange student, Stefen Kersting, 22, felt that the public’s concern was unfounded as pub crawlers get to take breaks from drinking in between the stations.

“But I’m waiting to see if people stick to the rules after a while,” he added.

Indeed, some pub crawlers crossed the line toward the final destination at City Hall station when a group of them performed public display of affection despite disapproving stares from passengers on board.

Finally, they made their way to where they would later end the night on a high at Supperclub, a pub in Odeon Tower while leaving a trail of disgruntled passengers.

Meanwhile, Choo is working on other activities to provide more channels for international students to interact, which includes ’Halloween Rave Underground’ in October 2009.

Events – Prime

Local bands ink sweet deal with Ben & Jerry’s

By Daniel Teo

ICE CREAM and music go well together – at least that is what novelty ice cream manufacturer Ben & Jerry’s thinks.

The Singaporean branch of the American ice cream company decided to add an extra touch to its annual ice cream festival this year by giving local indie rock bands a platform to perform at Chunk Fest.

To choose the bands, auditions were held at The Cathay on Aug. 22. Music producers and singing duo Jack & Rai unexpectedly handpicked seven bands instead of the announced number of five.

Ice cream fans were treated to performances by seven Singaporean indie bands, such as “Sixology” and “Indus Gendi”, at the festival which was held at Marina Barrage on Sep. 12. The bands performed for eight hours consecutively from 2p.m. to 10p.m. to a crowd of 15,000, almost double the previous year’s attendance.

Despite the ice cream, the sweltering weather might have dampened the mood during the day. Andrew Sophian Putra, 23, one of the lead singers from “Sixology”, was able to compare audiences as his band was the first and last to play at the festival.

 “The afternoon audience was not as lively as those in the evening,” Putra said. “There were less people compared to at night and it was super hot. But at night the crowd was really lively and responsive.”

Ben & Jerry’s also threw in an album recording to sweeten the deal. “Chunk Tunes”, a compilation of all the bands’ music, will be sold at Ben & Jerry’s outlets island-wide. Proceeds will go to the musicians.

Chunk Fest lets Singaporeans enjoy a slice of hippie culture with outdoor concerts and games, as well as 12 ice cream flavours specially imported from USA. This is the second year that the festival has been held.

Ben & Jerry’s spokesperson Geok Shan Sing said: “We take this opportunity to support causes that Ben & Jerry’s stand for.”

In addition to the recording deal, the bands each received $500 dollars worth of Ben & Jerry’s vouchers and merchandise.

To Putra, dollars and cents do not matter when it comes to music.

“As bands we are more concerned about how we can promote our music to people,” he said. “We are looking for exposure.”

So, was Chunk Fest successful in promoting local music? Ice cream lovers at the event say it was a blast.

“They’re surprisingly good,” NUS undergraduate Ruth Lee, 21, remarked “I never thought local bands were very good, but the ones today sound incredible!”

Ben & Jerry’s employee Ho Guo Wei, 20, who was doling out ice creams to the hungry masses, said: “The bop-friendly melodies by the bands proved to be better than I expected.”

 

 

Lady Spiders and theatrical cobwebs 

By Nadiah Md Shahjohan

 CONTEMPORARY theatre-goers were treated to a traditional feast last Wednesday when they attended Lady Spiders, a production by Bhaskar’s Arts Academy held at National University of Singapore (NUS). 

 Breaking cultural barriers, the presentation of the play parallels the local habit of mixing and borrowing languages and cultures to produce something uniquely Singapore. This rojak concept was demonstrated by the 57-year-old academy. Rojak is an Indian palate of mixed ingredients such as cucumber, bean sprouts and sometimes fruits.

 At least 100 people, of multi-racial and multi-national origins, turned up for the one-night performance at the University Cultural Centre (UCC).This production was produced by Asian theatre specialist at NUS, Dr Grant Shen with founder and chairman of Bhaskar’s Art Academy, Mr. K.P. Bhaskar.

 Lady Spiders brought together classic Chinese literature and Indian dance theatre, intricately woven into a kathakali item –a classic theatre dance performance with live music and singing accompanying the actors. It is an adaptation of the mythological classic Journey to the West.

 The music was written by Dr Shen in classical Chinese and sung by two vocalists from India. Chinese operas also performed the accompanying music known as librettos, and are routinely composed in colloquial or modern Chinese. The casts were made up of an all male and heavily made-up performers – even for female roles.

 Dr Shen mentioned artistic freedom as key to the play’s success. In an attempt to elevate cross-cultural theatre to another level, classical Chinese was able to contribute two important qualities: The economy of the verse as well as the medium in which it is performed. Dr. Shen added, “Fewer words mean more freedom in acting.”

 Miss Irene Cheung Hoi Yan, 26, said the performance is “the first of its kind”. The assistant manager of an arts management group said, “I have never seen the myth (Journey to the West) interpreted in this way before, so it was an eye-opener.”

 NUS student Miss Lily Seok, 21, said it was “extremely compelling in all aspects”. Having studied classical Chinese texts, she found distinctions between the interpretation of the Monkey King and Hanuman in Lady Spiders. She added, “There was some overlap in characteristics (of the monkey characters) Dr. Shen explained that ultimately the play takes on the Indian (Hindu) interpretation and is confined by the dance.”

 Arguably this unprecedented marriage of Chinese and Indian traditional elements was a brave attempt by 84-year old artistic director Mr. Bhaskar. He said, “We are a performing arts group. Ultimately, we want to propagate the arts. It does not matter what language or what platform we do so.”

 In 2005, Bhaskar’s Arts Academy experimented with Malay in their Sang Nila Utama performance during a month-long performance tour in Mexico.

 

 

Giving back to the community

By Yong Shu Hsien

PRISON inmates and ex-offenders gave back to society through art in an art exhibition which began last Friday, featuring the combined artistic talents of inmates, ex-offenders, and members of the community for the first time.

66 art pieces completed by inmates and ex-offenders are on display in “Vision of Hope”, this year’s Yellow Ribbon Community Art Exhibition organized by the Yellow Ribbon Project.

The exhibition will be held from 9-20 September at the Singapore Art Museum, its third consecutive year. This year’s exhibition also features art works from international inmates and ex-offenders from Hong Kong and Macau for the first time.

Through “Vision of Hope”, inmates and ex-offenders seek a second chance to start afresh and grow in society, having being beneficiaries of community support for the past five years.

“It is heartening to know that our artworks are being accepted by the public and that we can contribute to the community despite our circumstances,” said an ex-offender who contributed to the art pieces. He has since been successful in reintegrating into society.

“This exhibition is a perfect medium for the inmates and ex-offenders to communicate with the public,” said organising chairman Mr Tan Eng Keong.

“Art allows them to express their innermost feelings and thoughts to society and loved ones. It can even redirect their negative thoughts into positive ones”, he added.

Sharing inmates’ and ex-offenders’ hopes and dreams are members of the community, with art pieces from the community being on display alongside their works.

One such piece, “Voices of Hope”, was made up of wind chimes made by inmates, ex-offenders, volunteers, and students of Yusof Ishak Secondary school. Visitors will be given the opportunity to create wind chimes in a hands-on session as well.

Mr Tan said that the sounds produced by the wind chimes suggest people coming together to tell the public to give inmates and ex-offenders a second chance.

26-year-old equity dealer Ng Lin Yin believed that this exhibition would give inmates and ex-offenders “a chance to express their thoughts and feelings to the society through art”. “Through their art, I can feel their optimism towards life as they were serving their sentences,” she added.

Mr Tan said that public response to date has been promising. “About 100 to 140 people turn up for the exhibition on weekdays and almost double on weekends,” he added.

All 66 art pieces, including those in the Yellow Ribbon Project’s website will be up for closed and public auction after the exhibition. Proceeds will mainly go to the Yellow Ribbon Fund.

Events – Business

The journey ahead

By Tran Nguyen Quoc Khanh

 HAW PAR VILLA saw a record high in number of visitors when more than 100 guests attended the Singapore International Foundation’s (SIF) Appointment Ceremony at Hua Sung Museum on Thursday.

 They gathered to congratulate and bid farewell to several Young Business Ambassadors (YBA), recipients of the SIF’s special business exchange programme before these professionals embark on their overseas trip.

 Ten Singaporeans and eight Chinese nationals will begin their 10-week stay in Shanghai and Singapore respectively, beginning this Sunday.

 The YBA programme, targeted at professionals between the ages of 21 and 35, was first launched in 2000, marking the start of a Singapore-Australia partnership that placed professionals in Singapore and Melbourne. The SIF expanded the partnership in 2004, adding Shanghai as a new destination.

 It was all smiles for everyone, especially the ambassadors who had a chance to mingle with the previous year’s batch during an informal buffet dinner. All of them appeared ready and eager for the new experience.

 Claudia Chin, a planner with the Urban Redevelopment Authority, was excited about the upcoming trip. “I talked to some of the former ambassadors and the responses were quite positive. They all said it was a good learning experience and they had made more contacts and friends along the way. Some actually started their own business over the contacts they made through the programme.”  

 Of course, it was not always rosy. “Some [of the YBAs] shared with me how hard it was for them to adapt to a totally new environment with all the hassles that came along. It is good to know, but I certainly believe I can deal with that.”

 “I am really looking forward to the trip”, she added.

 She is one of the Singaporean YBAs who will stay in Shanghai for a 10-week work stint.

 Now in its fifth year, the YBA Singapore-China programme, has received positive feedback from its participants. SIF is considering expanding its programme to India. 

 “We already engaged in discussions with Indian officials to set up the programme, but nothing is final yet. However, we aim to really get moving with the India initiative next year,” said Geraldine Ee, SIF’s International Networking Manager.

 If the plan pans out, more younger Singaporeans will have the opportunity to go overseas and immerse themselves in a different cultural and professional environment.

Events – Technology

Poor staff service plagues Comex

By Tan Christine

POOR staff service and knowledge were some of the causes for customer dissatisfaction during Comex 2009 which ended last Sunday, known as Singapore’s largest electronics exhibition.

 Promoters’ lack of knowledge about their products angered several consumers, who claimed that they had ended up buying products with specifications differing from what they had been told prior to purchase.

 “I was told that the phone can support a card of up to 8GB, only to find out when I reached home that the maximum supported size was 2GB,” said architect Tan Peng Huak, 40, who returned on the last day trying to get a refund. Tan was turned away after being informed that items sold during the show were non-exchangeable and non-refundable.

 “I came all the way down hoping for good value, only to find that the prices at Harvey Norman are much better and the service staff more knowledgeable,” said retiree Low Thia Meng, 67.

 Low is not the only disappointed consumer, as people have pointed out that cheaper prices and better services could be found elsewhere.

 “People say that Comex is a good place to source for bargains, but I don’t think that’s the case,” said account executive Ian Chan, 27.

 Dissatisfied customers felt that the competitive environment of electronics fairs has led to a compromise in service, with some promoters having no knowledge of the product they were selling.

 Some companies like Canon and Sony, regularly hire showgirl promoters – most of whom are students working on a one-time off assignment. Other companies are less stringent about their recruitment criteria and hire people based on availability.

 Almost half of the promoters interviewed mentioned that they applied for the job after seeing advertisements posted on online forums. Their training usually lasts for a few hours – mainly to familiarise promoters with the products.

 Some promoters claimed that they were only informed about their employers on the day of the show and hence had no prior training.

 A representative from Dell, who declined to be named, mentioned that “our promoters are experienced and have all been working for the company for a period of time”. He also stated that even though prices were not as enticing as previous shows, Dell had included many freebies such as computer software.

 Comex is one of the four technology exhibitions held annually in Singapore, with this year’s exhibition spanning five show floors. The four-day exhibition was held at the Suntec Convention Centre.

Events – Education

NEA’s Energy Challenge Fair 2009 Well-received By Crowd

By Lin Peiyu

MORE than 15,000 people visited the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) Energy Challenge Fair 2009 last weekend taking home with them affordable energy-efficient appliances and more importantly, energy saving tips to make Singapore a more energy efficient nation.

This three-day event at the Marina Square Central Atrium saw a total of 24 booths – mainly electrical appliance retailers and suppliers such as Gain City, Bosch and Sanyo – showcasing their latest energy-efficient appliances and technology that promise substantial cost savings in the long-run.

“Initially, I didn’t want to buy the energy efficient models as they cost more. But now I know a four-tick refrigerator actually saves about $130 per year compared to a one-tick model. It’s good investment,” said Eugene Lim, 40, businessman. 

Another attraction of the fair was the energy-efficient concept home, an interactive concept home with energy saving tips mounted on common household appliances such as air-conditioners, washing machines and lighting. 

The energy-efficient concept home taught the public simple energy saving habits such as setting air-conditioner temperature at 25 degrees, and highlighted the possible cost savings they can enjoy when these habits are put to practice.

Agnes Tan, 35, homemaker, said the interactive concept home was “a good way” to teach her children about energy conservation.

Interestingly, a booth set up by the National Library Board (NLB) was found amidst the sea of electrical appliance retailers and suppliers. NLB tried to educate the public on energy conservation through books.

“Students actually come to this fair to research on their projects and we are here to provide them with additional reference materials. This is a great opportunity to reach out to the public,” said Peck Hia, 29, NLB librarian.   

NEA event supervisor Darren Ang, 29, said the fair was a success and the crowd exceeded the original target of 12,000.

“We are looking forward to a bigger scale fair next year. The response from the public is very encouraging,” he added.

Teo Meng Chye, 43, facilities manager, said the event was a good outreach programme as “Singaporeans have a low concept of energy conservation” and welcomed more of such events.    

The NEA embarked on a nation-wide five-year campaign, called the 10% Energy Challenge, last year to encourage adoption of energy-efficient lifestyle among Singapore residents.

This year sees the 10% Energy Challenge focusing on a variety of events aimed at making energy-efficient home appliances readily available to consumers to complement its past efforts of educating the public on energy saving habits.

 

 

 

200 school kids spend the night with ‘beasts’ in wildlife camp

 By Shaiful Rizal bin Abdul Malek

 OVER 200 eight and nine-year olds left their parents behind to walk on the wild side and enjoy the night under the stars, in the company of beasts from 8 to 11 September 2009.

 Children from the Australian International School (AIS) camped overnight at the Singapore Zoo, in close vicinity to beasts such as tigers and lions as part of their outdoor learning curriculum. Their campsite was located next to the dens of these huge cats. Unlike the usual zoo trips, the camp featured day and night programmes designed to immerse the kids in a total wildlife experience, even in Singapore’s concrete jungles.

 “Kids these days are losing touch with nature. We want them to experience the ‘wild’ and this camp is an effective way to inject life in our lessons,” said Ms. Sandy Tollemache, a teacher-in-charge from the AIS.

 The camp was organised by the zoo’s Education Department to provide an interesting way of learning about wildlife: the lure of nature as teacher and the park as a living classroom.

 The programme featured an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the breeding complex of butterflies, scorpions, and snakes. It even showcased the tools that the zookeepers use to handle snakes and how anti-venom is extracted.

 Not many of the kids were brave enough to get close to the snakes, but for eight-year-old Xavier Sproule, his eyes gleamed with excitement when he saw a Royal Python.

 “The snakes are not slimy at all. They feel cold and dry,” said Sproule, who got his birthday wish of touching reptiles and creepy crawlies a week early this year.

 The highlight for many of the third-graders had to be leaving their comfy beds behind to sleep in a field close to the lions, tigers and hippos. The kids slept in a 6-men tent, which they assembled after a lesson taught by the zoo’s camp facilitators.

 “It was awesome. While we were trying to sleep, we heard the lions roaring!” said nine-year-old Cynthia Alice Re.

 According to camp facilitator, Mr. Haniman Boniran, the campsite is “perfectly safe for resting as the animals are kept in their dens at night.”

 Along with three other facilitators, he stayed overnight with the kids, attending to their fascination with nature and animals.

 “These kids are always curious to find out more about animal behaviours, diets and habitats. This camp also creates awareness for the decreasing numbers in the animal kingdom,” he said.

 “One girl even cried when I told her about the plight of the Asian Elephants.”

Events – Food & Leisure

20,000 Feast at Food Fair

By Andrew Ee

ABOUT 20,000 food lovers indulged in culinary delights at the Food Paradise @ Expo 2009 which opened last Thursday at the Singapore Expo, touted as one of the year’s biggest food events.

The food event was a melting pot of cultures, showcasing foods such as Korean street snacks like barbequed squid and Vietnamese treats like Banh Dua Ca Ra Men – coconut flan with caramel.

Household food names like Mr. Bean and Bee Cheng Hiang were seen selling food to a public mainly comprised of families and the elderly.

In spite of the crowd, some felt that the food was not as cheap as they expected but the variety available urged them to come.

“Not very cheap, just a couple of cents off only,” said Chow Sok Han, 57, homemaker.

However, food was not the only highlight at the fair. Stalls were seen peddling a variety of goods ranging from pots to insurance policies – not quite the things one would expect to see at a food fair. Representatives from local hair treatment consultant Beijing 101 and water filter distributor Water Clinic also spared no expense in distributing flyers and pitching sales to any one who passed by their stalls.

“Every exhibition sees a lot of people attending. It’s a good place to promote our corporate image,” said Water Clinic’s business manager, Alice Tang, 37.

Given the economic downturn, some stall owners agreed that any exhibition was an opportunity to attract more business although they felt that business at the food fair was not so ideal.

“We have to jump at every chance to get customers. Maybe due to the seventh month and Comex, business seems to be not as good this time round,” said gelato maker Frutta La Viva’s sales representative, Anthony Seow, 60.

“This food fair seems scaled down compared to previous food fairs. There’s more of other stuff than food,” said Kevin Khoo, 27, IT administrator.

Nevertheless, some members of the public were seen shoving their way through hordes of people to grab the latest bargains, such as sports apparel – while savoring finger foods.

“One thing good about these fairs is the variety of snacks. Good for eating on the go,” said Rebecca Soh, 52, non-exhibiting business owner.

With more than one-third of stalls selling non-food items, the Food Paradise @ Expo 2009 seemed more like a bazaar than a food fair. But Soh had this to add: “Food fairs like this are the best!”

More than 150 top local and overseas food manufacturers, F & B restaurants, and importers took part in the annual event which lasted for four days.

 

 

Ben & Jerry’s Chunk Fest Brings the Groove to Local Music
By Rosmayati Tay Shieh Ting

THRONGS of Ben & Jerry’s fans turned up at the Marina Barrage to support the American ice-cream brand and the seven local bands chosen to perform at Chunk Fest held last Saturday.

 Braving the sweltering heat in the day, more than 15 000 ice cream lovers – almost twice the number last year – were at the whole-day festival to savour exclusive ice cream flavours as they enjoyed live performances of covers and original songs from the hippie era.

 ”We hope to introduce a local flavour to this year’s Chunk Fest by bringing in local music talents to draw the hip crowd,” Moe Moe Ei Htwe, Public Relations Account Manager of Bates141 in-charge of Chunk Fest said.

The seven bands were handpicked by Ben & Jerry’s and local music producers Jack and Rai after two rounds of auditions based on their original compositions about “Love, Peace & Ice Cream”.

 The bands include “This Cycle” (Wei Wen), “The Bakerloo Line” and “Sixology”. Together with Jack and Rai and “Elusive featuring Melissa”, these local bands will cut an album called “Chunk Tunes” to be sold at S$13.00 from Oct. 19 at all Ben & Jerry’s outlets across Singapore.

 All proceeds from the record sales will go to the musicians.

“Performing at the Chunk Fest has been an amazing experience. It is a happy event with lots of children and exposes our band to a different kind of audience,” lead singer of “Sixology” Sarah Yap said.

 Into its second year in Singapore, Chunk Fest also brought back the “Vermonster Challenge”, an ice-cream eating contest where participants attempt to wolf down 20 scoops of ice-cream in the shortest possible time.

 Team Yellow Submarine timed at 59 seconds to emerge as the champion, winning access to free unlimited Vermonsters all year around at Ben & Jerry’s VivoCity outlet.

 The festival, which started at 2 p.m. and ended at 10 p.m., specially brought in twelve exclusive ice-cream flavours from USA for fans to savour, with whimsically named flavours such as Triple Caramel Chunk and Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road, produced to support Sir Elton John’s AIDS Foundation.

 Visitors were also able to take part in games such as Giant Twister and Spot the Difference.

 Accountant Jimmy Lim, who brought his family along for a day out in the park, was pleased with his experience at Chunk Fest.

 “It was very thoughtful of the organisers to provide umbrellas and picnic mats for us. Of course, the kids got to enjoy lots of ice-cream too!” he said.

 

 

Moosic, kites and ice cream… at the barrage!

By Tan Xiu Fang

COLOURFUL kites competing to be the highest-flying and blasting rock music brought life to the quiet Marina Bay, as the Singapore franchise of American ice cream maker, Ben & Jerry’s, held its second ice cream carnival, Chunk Fest, at the Marina Barrage last Saturday afternoon.

This year’s Chunk Fest was bigger than last year’s with the addition of the “Highest Kite-flying” competition.

Ng Bing Rong, 27, engineer, and his fiancée Sheryl Teo, 24, auditor, won the competition without any preparation beforehand. “We came here just for Chunk Fest…we didn’t know there is a kite-flying competition,” said Teo.

“To be frank, this is only our third time flying a kite,” Ng said. “Our strategy is to use a lot of strings!” The couple recently got engaged.

Another highlight of the festival was Chunk Tunes – a platform for local rock bands to showcase their music talents.

Seven local bands, chosen by Ben & Jerry’s and local music producers Jack & Rai, performed their original creations and music from the hippie era based on this year’s theme “Peace, Love & Ice Cream” at the Chunk Fest.

“This year’s theme on ‘Peace, Love & Ice Cream’ translates into our support for fair trade, and also for giving back to society,” said Ben & Jerry’s Public Relations Account Executive, Geok Shan Sing.

The bands recorded their music live at the event which will be compiled into “Chunk Tunes” CDs.  Each CD will be sold at $13 and is available for purchase at all Ben & Jerry’s outlets from Oct. 19. Proceeds from the CDs will go back to the musicians.

At the carnival, ice cream lovers savoured the “Goodbye Yellow Brickle Road”, an ice cream flavour created to support Sir Elton John’s AIDS Foundation. It was one of the three most popular ice cream flavours among the 12 available. The other two popular flavours were “Triple Caramel Chunk” and “Peanut Butter Cookie Dough”. Each scoop of ice cream was sold at $4.50.

Despite the less convenient location, this year’s festival received a greater attendance of 15,000 people, as compared to last year’s 8,500 people at Fort Canning Green.

Avina Sheh, 15, student, felt that although Marina Barrage “is very hot”, the place “is peaceful and very unique”.

Marina Barrage was chosen because of the “open-air” and vast grassy fields at the top level which matched the hippie theme, said Ben & Jerry’s Singapore Brand Champion, Benjamin Tng.

“You see, the floor is (made of) concrete, you think everything is (made of) concrete but you can’t imagine that the top (level) has an open field, grass, breezes and sunlight… it’s brilliant!” Tng said.

Events – Arts & Entertainment

Watching the stars under the stars
By Muhamad Farhan Bin Abdul Hamid

THOSE who long for yesteryear’s outdoor cinemas got their chance to relive their memories yesterday. Movie-goers were in for a treat when they filled Fort Canning Green to catch Class 95’s Movies-in-the-Park.

It was the seventh time that Mediacorp Radio’s Class 95 was organising the event since 2000. After a two-year break since the last Movies-in-the-Park was held at the Padang in 2006, this year’s affair promised to draw in the crowd. The organisers were optimistic in the attendance, in spite of the yearly tech fair Comex happening at Suntec City nearby.

 “The event was targeted at the Class 95 audience which are those aged 25 to 45 years-old,” said Ms. Erina Cook, Senior Program Director for Class 95. But by 6.30pm more than 8000 people of all ages had packed the green grass of Fort Canning.

Class 95 deejays, Mark van Cuylenberg (The Flying Dutchman), Glenn Ong and Jean Danker warmed the crowd up with games with listeners winning Jetstar Asia and Robinsons vouchers worth up to $500. While the adults participated in the games, the younger audience took the opportunity to take photos with Transformers 2 characters Optimus Prime, Starscream and Bumblebee.

By nightfall, the deejays gave way to the big screen as the film screening started. The movies in this year’s line-up were two of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters, Ironman and Transformers 2, starring big names like Robert Downey Jr. Gwyneth Paltrow, Megan Fox and Shia LaBeouf. The movies each grossed over $100 million in their opening weekends at the box office.

The movie experience was not compromised with a large canvas screen and several large speakers situated around the park.

The crowd kept their eyes fixed to the screen throughout the two movies. There was a half-hour interval during which many snapped up the snacks, drinks and souvenirs available at the kiosks set up by the side. Sales were brisk and much of the merchandise was sold out before the event ended.

Despite the crowd, many enjoyed themselves. Mr. Andrew Kirk, 35, brought his children Trent and Tasha aged 7 and 9 respectively to the event. He said, “It’s a welcome change for something for me and my family to do here. The kids enjoyed themselves and I hope there will be more outdoor movie screenings.”

“Class 95’s Movies-in-the-Park aims to bring out listeners a unique outdoor movie experience and it has proven such a success that we hope to make it an annual event,” said Ms. Cook, “We hope to organise one next year and will consider a larger venue like the Padang.”

Movie-lovers can visit www.moviemob.sg which organises fortnightly outdoor screenings.

 

 

Local Arts Scene Boosted by ‘Firsts’

By Lin Jiamin

LOCAL ballet prodigy Kwok Min Yi became the first Singaporean to reach the finals of the renowned Genee International Ballet Competition, in a week of many ‘firsts’ for the local arts scene.

The 17-year-old achieved this feat on her maiden attempt last week and was also the first Singaporean in the competition’s 78-year history.

Min Yi, who left for the English National Ballet School in London on a National Arts Council (NAC) Scholarship earlier this week, said that she was happy to represent Singapore for such a prestigious event and that she has “learnt a lot” from it.

Organised by the established Royal Academy of Dance, the Genee, is widely regarded as the Olympic Games of the ballet world.

Singapore had its first taste of hosting the international competition this year.  This marks the growing stature of the local arts scene.

The successful hosting of the event also provided an opportunity to showcase the local performing arts and profile Singapore as a Global City for the Arts.

Mr. Benson Puah, 52, chief executive of the NAC, which co-presented the event, observed that the audience comprised of mainly young people.

This bodes well for the local arts scene, he said.

He hopes that events like this would motivate young dancers to “pursue the art in a professional capacity”.

He said: “In dance, like in music, there is a large critical mass of students pursuing the art form. It would be great if it translates to arts companies and artistes. The energy is infectious and the future is bright.”

The exclusive nature of the competition saw only 58 candidates selected worldwide.

This year, it was the ballerinas from down under who stole the limelight.

At the finals last Saturday evening, Australia’s Claudia Dean, swept both gold medals in the Girls’ category and the Audience Choice Award. Her compatriot and fellow 17 year-old, Paul Russell, took the gold medal in the Boys’ category.

The Academy’s flagship event was held at the University Cultural Centre and drew a 1,600-strong audience.

“The crowd was amazing, not only in terms of numbers but also their coordinated responses in clapping for every single candidate onstage,” said Bernadette Kor, 21, a University Cultural Centre usher.

“Even the box seats of the hall which are normally empty, were occupied,” she added.

Guest-of-honour for the evening, Rear-Admiral (NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Acting Minster for the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts said the success of Genee reflected a growing trend of cultured Singaporean audience “who appreciates top-quality dance performances.”

Events – Community

First Ever Poster Exhibition

By Toh Puay Joo Peggy

A PUBLIC education exhibition named “Coping with Vulnerability: The First 50 Years Posters from Our Past was launched to commemorate Singapore’s 50th anniversary of self-governance. It featured posters that highlighted the transformation of Singapore from the past to present.

Jointly organized by the National Resilience Division of the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts and the National Archives of Singapore, this exhibition uses visual images and interactive technological elements to reach out to young Singaporeans for a history lesson on Singapore first 50 years of independence.

The title, “Coping with Vulnerability”, was adapted from a book written by the late Professor M. Leifer on Singapore Foreign Policy. He had previously explored the challenges Singapore faced in its nation-building journey.

Negative as the title may sound, it provokes thoughts on how Singapore had learnt lessons from its trials and tribulations while growing towards independence and keeping up with the contemporary world.

The exhibition was divided into 4 sections: Introduction, Public Health, Water and Internal/External Security, with the historical learning journey focusing on the key challenges to Singapore’s survival as seen through the prism of national security.

The posters featured were produced by Government agencies and illustrated the evolution of government messages. It also showed the problems in the past decades, such as “Girl or Boy, Two is Enough”, during the baby boom period and “Save Water”, before the idea of recycling water launched in Newater plants.

These colourful posters were the main channels of communication found along the streets of Singapore in the late 1950s.

More recent posters that most Singaporeans may have seen were also up for show, such as ”Quit Smoking”, picturing the harmful effects of smoking, and “Stop the Horror with Soap and Water”, depicting a palm full of devilish-looking germs.

Ernst Koh Meng Ern, a 7-year-old boy, was captivated by the use of touch-screen interface that presented many other posters.  He said, in a cheerful manner, “The touch-screen is fascinating and can attract many more children.”

A spokesperson from MICA stated that the exhibition will be stretched to more venues around Singapore next year, which will attract not just Singaporeans but also foreigners.

The exhibition is held from Sept. 6 to Oct. 15, at Central Public Library Basement 1, National Library Building, 100 Victoria St. No admission fees are required.

 

 

50 years of Singapore through posters

By Faith Quek

GET ready for 50 years of Singapore’s history through the lens of 300 posters in the first-ever public government poster exhibition.

The show, “Coping with Vulnerability: The First 50 Years. Posters From Our Past”, is organised by the National Resilience Division of the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA), the National Archives of Singapore and its agencies.

From the “Two is Enough” campaign to the “Use Water Wisely” campaign and more recently, “Singapore’s OK” campaign, every poster retells five decades of the Singapore Story and attests to posters being an effective medium for public education.

The exhibition also serves as a visual journey for visitors to relive memorable campaigns.

Retiree Alan Tan, 65, recalls the “Stop at Two” campaign. “I still remember that campaign vividly. Looking (back) at the campaign, it seems an irony in today’s context, with the government encouraging couples to have more children. But this also reflects the increasing vulnerabilities Singapore faces as she progressed through the years.”

These vulnerabilities Mr Tan referred to are reflected in the theme of the exhibition, which “revolves around the trials, and tribulations of a small city state in its national building journey,” said MICA last week.

There are four sections to the exhibition. The Introduction section touches on posters as a visual medium and as administrative tools for disseminating important messages to the public.

A MICA spokesperson called the remaining three sections – Public Health, Water Security and Internal and External Threats – “key challenges” but a testament to “the survival of the nation state during the first 50 years of self-governance” which transformed the nation to be what it is today.

A recurring theme of “vulnerabilities” is portrayed through the posters. From communalism and communism to transnational terrorism today, the government has come up with a range of posters, urging Singaporeans to be “Be Ready. Be Prepared” and “Be Vigilant”.

Posters, like “华语 Cool” and “Road Courtesy. Pass It On”, serve as reminders to visitors on the importance of Singapore remaining a cohesive nation to continually maintain national security while maintaining society’s standards when moving forward as a country.

Visual and interactive aids like archival photographs and news articles are available as well to complement visitors’ experience at the exhibition.

The spokesperson adds that a next show is underway and themes of exploration will revolve around “environmental and financial concerns” – issues pertinent to modern day Singapore.

The exhibition was launched by Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts, RADM (NS) Lui Tuck Yew last week and will be held at the National Library until October 15.

The show is open to the public and admission is free.

 

 

Multi-racial gathering for a good cause

By Siti Nor Farah Bte Edros

VOLUNTEERS and beneficiaries from various races, religions and nationalities gathered for an iftar, a mass breaking of fast session, after an afternoon of activities at this year’s Ramadhan-On-Wheels (ROW).

Organised by the Malay Youth Literary Association (4PM), a youth development organisation, ROW is a food disbursement project held annually in the Muslim month of Ramadhan to reach out to the elderly and low-income families.

This year saw more than 1,000 volunteers from different organizations and schools joining effort to assist 255 beneficiaries of various racial and religious backgrounds.

4PM aims to strengthen community and religious harmony with ROW. It is also an avenue for non-Muslim volunteers to learn more about the month of Ramadhan and the act of fasting.

ROW Chairman Mr Mohamed Ismail Abdul Hakim said that the event provided the participants with a “total experience” and was different from other multi-racial iftar gatherings held during Ramadan.

“Volunteers and beneficiaries of different backgrounds get to interact and bond with one another throughout the event, not just during the breaking of fast,” added Abdul Hakim. “This is how you learn from one another, this how you inculcate religious harmony.”

Sangeetha Kirsnan, 22, a student volunteer who is a Hindu, said that she was amazed at the whole process of fasting and the strength and beliefs that Muslims have.

During the iftar, volunteers and beneficiaries had the chance to relive the spirit of kampong days by sharing food in big round trays, otherwise known as “makan berdulang” or congregational eating.

Kirsnan, who has been a regular volunteer for the past two years added: “It was an eye-opener to be part of the event. I really enjoyed the breaking fast session, especially sharing food with others in one big plate. It does not matter that we are all from different faiths, at the end of the day, we welcome and accept one another.”

There was also something new this year. Instead of receiving food rations, the beneficiaries had the opportunity to shop for their own items.

They had attended a financial planning workshop prior to the event, which equipped them with the knowledge to manage their finances. This knowledge was put to use during the day of the event when they purchased groceries from the supermarket using a $150 voucher. The beneficiaries had the help of volunteers, who acted as facilitators to guide them to buy useful goods.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, Mr Teo Chee Hean, graced the opening ceremony.

Addressing a packed auditorium of volunteers, Mr Teo said that the event instill a sense of understanding among the different faiths and complements the government’s efforts to empower its citizens during the difficult economic times.

 

 

Yellow Ribbon reaches out to the community

 By Rachel Xie

THE Yellow Ribbon Project puts the ‘community’ in their Community Art Exhibition to promote reintegration of ex-offenders into society. For the first time members of the public are allowed to create pieces for the exhibition titled “Vision of Hope at the Singapore Art Museum”.

Visitors can leave their mark by writing well wishes for the inmates on paper leaves and folding paper flowers for a ‘garden’ display. Members of the public are also welcome to join the wind chime-making workshop. Their wind chimes will be hung with those made by the inmates to symbolise the welcoming of ex-offenders into the community.

Eunice Ng, an undergraduate at the National University of Singapore, 21, said: “Last year’s exhibition pales so much in comparison with this year’s. The community art adds a personal touch that makes me feel more sympathetic towards the inmates.”

Most of the art was created by local inmates and ex-offenders, but unlike previous years, this year’s collection also features contributions from correctional facilities in Hong Kong and Macau.

Even professional artists would be impressed by the standard of artwork adorning the gallery walls. There are more than 50 beautiful pieces, including intricate woodwork, paintings and sculptures.

The artists themselves are not allowed to attend the exhibition, but the artist statement beside each piece conveys their thoughts and feelings about the time when they rejoin society.

Accountant Ivan Goh, 31, said: “It is wonderful that the inmates, no matter where they are, can use art to express themselves. They are truly talented and I found this exhibition to be very inspirational.”

One artwork to look out for is “Imprints of Love”, a mural comprising numerous prints by inmates, ex-offenders and their families. This art piece was created during the inaugural Family Art Workshop at the Yellow Ribbon Art Competition held on July 1^st this year.

Ms Nicole Tan, a 28-year-old prison officer present at the workshop, was deeply moved by the event.

“The image of the inmates and their family members huddling together to create that artwork – it really was very touching indeed,” Tan said.

Many of the art pieces are up for adoption and all proceeds will be donated to selected beneficiaries.

The Yellow Ribbon Community Art Exhibition is on until Sept. 20.

 

Porridge more than race

By Genevieve Yeo

ALTHOUGH simple, porridge can make a difference. 500 packets of porridge were given out by volunteers last Saturday evening at Pasar Geylang Serai to celebrate the month of Ramadan.

Free porridge is distributed every Saturday during the Muslim fasting month. This initiative is organised by the Youth Executive Committee (YEC), the Community Centre Management Committee (CCMC) and Eunosville RC volunteers from the Kampong Ubi-Kembangan constituency.

The giveaway is not only a gesture to help the needy, but also a chance for volunteers of different races to help and understand each other’s culture.

Guo Teng Wen, 21, an engineering undergraduate from the National University of Singapore and a volunteer with the YEC, said that the volunteers “can work pretty well together, within the group and with other groups.” The different constituency’s subgroups take turns to distribute the porridge.

Guo also mentioned that the porridge distribution is “open to all races, not just the Malay Muslims, although we see more Malays shopping around that area”. He feels that this event is for a good cause as it is all about sharing, regardless of race.

Another veteran volunteer from the CCMC, who declined to be named, said “the porridge usually gets snapped up in half-an-hour. Anyone can come and queue for the free porridge but most usually are eldery from different races”.

Stall owners from Pasar Geylang Serai, together with grassroots members, pooled funds together to sponsor the porridge distribution. The distribution was primarily targeted at people from the low income group.

Technician Abdul Halim was in the area shopping for Hari Raya Puasa, and was also getting a packet of porridge for his mother, who is in her 50s. He said: “There are porridge distribution events in mosques to and I think this is a good opportunity to share with people belonging to other races too.”

There will be a last round of distribution tomorrow before Hari Raya Puasa. It will be followed by a mini concert later in the evening at 9.30 p.m. by artistes from MediaCorp’s Suria channel.

Events – NUS

STUDENT’S GUIDE TO BECOMING RICH
By Chew Yee Kiat

ABOUT 120 NUS students attended an investment talk organized by the NUS Students’ Investment Society last Wednesday. Held at NUS Business School, the students set out to discover a route to financial independence.

Mr He Shuhan, a fellow student and self-made millionaire shared his insights and personal experiences about stock market trading and how he generated SGD$1.7 million from a humble $5,000. Currently he is the CEO of trading firm The Farseers’ Academy.

Titled “Money Choices – Your First Step to Investment and Trading”, Mr He’s talk aimed to equip students with proper knowledge about stock market trading.

“Technical analysis is about forecasting the future trends of prices based on past market data and is the bread and butter of trading,” said Mr He.

Mr He held the attention of the student participants with the topics he covered. The topics include technical analysis, basic psychology of trading and comparisons between different financial products.

“This is a very exciting topic because learning about financial independence is very important for me, especially at a time like this, when I am feeling insecure about my future,” said Mr Aaron Koh, a fourth-year Economics major.

During the talk, Mr He also explained how he made millions from trading futures, which according to him, was the only trading instrument that yields the highest and steadiest returns.

Futures are contracts that allow their owners to either buy or sell a commodity at a certain date in the future, at a market determined prices.

From experience, Mr He derived his own method of technical analysis that allowed him to predict the trend of futures’ prices movements. His method, combined with a good psychology, made him a consistent winner.

At the end of the four-hour talk, Mr He summed up what it takes exactly to become a successful trader: “Trading requires professionalism, and most of all, you need to have determination and the willpower to succeed.”

 

 

Laotians Go Green

By Lim Ziwei Paul

A GROWING number of foreign visitors have been taking a toll on the Laotian landscape since the Socialist Republic first opened up to tourism two decades ago. However, 21 undergraduates from the NUS Rotaract Club are set to change that.

The students will be heading for Vang Vien, Laos this December as part of Project “Hak”, an overseas youth expedition project to help villagers be more aware of what is happening to their surroundings.

“Hak” means love in the Laotian language. But it is not just love for the environment that the team wants to show to the Laotians, it is about the importance of education. Team members will help refurbish a school and conduct lessons for the local school children.

Speaking at an inaugural meeting last week, team leader Alice Guo said, “What’s different about our project is sustainability. We are going to teach the villagers how to preserve the environment, instead of just building houses for them.”

At the meeting, team leaders discussed how to expose Laotians to basic environmental concepts, conduct basic English lessons, as well as immersing project members in the Laotian culture.

This first meeting was also an opportunity for members to break the ice and know each other. They built towers out of recycled materials and had an informal question-and-answers session to build rapport.

The undergraduates came from all corners of NUS, bringing with them a range of skills that will be useful for the project. Amongst them were a professional photographer, two first-aiders and numerous social workers.

Team leader Jessica Ker was enthusiastic about the response so far.

“Our progress was slow at first, but it has been picking up lately as the group members each found his or her own niche, greatly aiding the project in different aspects. I’m confident the trip will be a success,” she said.

However, the trip is still some time away and the focus of the meeting was on raising funds and budgeting.

The fundraising program is scheduled to take place for the next two months, with the team planning to work with companies for sponsorship opportunities and fundraising events.

Fundraising team leader Yap Jiehui mapped out various strategies for raising funds and designated responsibilities to each member. Each member was allocated a list of companies to liaise with for sponsorship opportunities, as well as project deadlines.

 “It’s taxing but worth it. Everyone is very collaborative and it’s a joy to work with the team,” she said.

 

 

Fighting Climate Change in NUS

 By Goi Jia Yi Pearlyn

 THE 2009 Green Carnival challenges all NUS members to be actively involved in diminishing climate change.

Highlights of the event included exhibitions showcasing a countdown towards “Deadline 2015”. It was a prediction made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that global greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced by 2015, to prevent drastic climate change.

The message was driven home by provocative displays of earth’s tombstones and recycling bins with faces, meant to jolt people out of their comfort zones and help them realise their importance in determining earth’s fate.

The event was organised by NUS Students’ Union Students Against Violation of the Earth (SAVE) and was held on the 7 and 8 September 2009 at the NUS Central Forum.

On NUS’ involvement in fighting climate change, NUS President Prof Tan Chorh Chuan said that NUS is already stretching itself in order to fulfil its commitment of reducing 23 percent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

NUS’ energy usage has been increasing considerably in light of research activities, upgrading of existing buildings and construction of new ones.

A simulated set-up of a “Bochup House” also proved popular among students. The set-up included a kitchen and bedroom of a typical Singaporean home where irresponsible consumption of electricity and food were seen. 

“Bochup” means indifference, and organisers seek to help correct such attitudes. Hence the set up offered solutions for saving energy and resources and taught ways in which these excesses can be reduced.

“I think the Bochup House really helped me to visualise the loopholes in my house where energy can be better conserved.” said Ng Shuyu, a 3^rd year student who visited the event. “I didn’t know that by using my notebook instead of desktop computer, I save 60% more electricity”

NUSSU SAVE was also promoting 6 initiatives which will allow students to play a part in saving the environment. They seek to get more than 5000 “YES” votes for the top 3 initiatives before proposing them to the administration for implementation. The results of the ballot will be published at the end of September.

Goh Hong Yi, Green Carnival’s Project Director said: “The response is good as we have exceeded our targeted number of votes.”

A total of 1500 visitors attended the two-day event.

The opening ceremony was graced by Guest-of-Honour Dr Amy Khor, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources and Mayor of South West District and Mr Andrew Tan, Chief Executive Officer of the National Environment Agency.

Green Carnival is strongly supported by NUS administration, Students’ Union and governmental bodies such as National Environment Agency (NEA) and South West CDC.

 

 

One Night in Vegas on Campus

By Siah Shing Yeen

A NIGHT of flashy costumes and entertaining performances entranced NUS Temasek Hall’s residents at their annual dinner and dance last Saturday, as they crowned the new hall king and queen.

Residents and guests came dressed in their creative best to suit the event’s theme of Viva Las Vegas, which was held at the Kent Ridge Guild House. The appearances of wand-wielding magicians and attractive bunny girls filled the place with a magical touch. The function room was also tastefully decorated to resemble a real casino, adding on to the extravagant atmosphere.

The night started with a welcome speech by hall master Associate Professor Francis Tay. This followed with the opening of the buffet table, where guests helped themselves to a variety of sumptuous food before settling down for the performances ahead. Song performances by the hall’s band and local magician Jason Law keep guests entertained throughout the night.

Anticipation filled the room as hosts called out the winning numbers for the lucky draw – the event’s highlight. The top prize of a Nintendo Wii went to Block A freshman, Sng Qianwen.

Following the lucky draw was a beauty pageant. Eight pageant contestants made their appearances with a catwalk while the crowd cheered them on. They also performed a hip-hop dance item, wowing the crowd with slick dance moves.

The eagerly anticipated Q & A segment of the pageant did not disappoint, showing brains and beauty can co-exist. The best answer of the night undoubtedly went to contestant M3 Kenneth Ang.

When asked what Valentine’s gift he would be, he promptly replied, “An umbrella, so that rain or shine, I can be there for her”, causing much laughter and shouts of approval from the audiences.

The newly crowned royalty eventually went to contestants M1 Lee You Wei and F4 Clara Lu, whose breezy confidence and relaxed dispositions bowled the crowd and judges over. The night finally ended after the new hall king and queen took their final catwalks, after which guests mingled and took pictures with each other.

“It was interesting to see how everyone can be so creative in playing dressed up. I felt like I really was in Vegas!” said Block A freshman Wee Huiyi, who dressed up as a gypsy.

“I came to support M3 Kenneth Ang, but I got to admit that the new hall king outshone the others in terms of confidence. Overall, the contestants did great!” said Year 3 FASS student Clara Chow.

Organising committee chairman Jacob Jonathan was relieved and satisfied with the outcome.

“My committee had a challenging time in organising the event, and we were pleased to hear that the guests enjoyed the night,” he said.

Events – Sport

Have you TRI(ed) it?

By Sebastian Ong

THINK of triathlons and many will conjure up images of muscled individuals taking on three grueling consecutive events – swimming, cycling and running.

These events are a sure test for an athlete’s physical and mental strengths.

On the contrary, the inaugural Tri-factor Series 2009 is introduced for the first time in Singapore and aimed at first timers to the sport of triathlon.

The Series divided the triathlon into its three components and spread them out throughout the year. For each component amateurs will need to take part during training events leading up to the final event – the triathlon race.

The Tri-factor Series 2009’s final triathlon event was held at East Coast Park last Sunday.

Joel Yuen, 10, a primary school student taking part in a triathlon for the first time said he had always wanted to take part in a triathlon but was afraid he could not complete the race. He has only been taking part in biathlons.

He said, “This series helped me build up my confidence to complete the race.”

Joel has been training three times a week for the triathlon and the fit youth finished strong in his category. He came in top 10.

Registration fees were also adjusted to make it more affordable for amateurs. As compared to the more established triathlons like Osim triathlon and Aviva Ironman, the fees of the Tri-factor Series were almost half the price.

Undergraduate Kelvin Kow, 25, said the registration fee was a big motivation for him to take part in this series.

He said, “The total amount I spent for the four events in this series cost me less than S$200,” he added, “I hope the organizers can maintain this pricing for future Tri-factor series events.”

This year’s Tri-factor series triathlon also incorporated the Cross Company Challenge (CCC) which allows participants to join this event as a group representing their own organisations.

The winner of the CCC went to Hewlett-Packard (HP). HP Tri team was out in full force on Sunday’s event with over 100 participants in the corporate challenge.

Chan Sian Leng, 45, marketing manager at HP, said that this series helped encourage him and his colleagues to exercise more regularly to prepare for the final challenge, the triathlon race.

He said, “Ever since we signed up for the series, we have been training regularly as a team every week.”  He added, “It is also a good bonding session for colleagues.”

The event attracted a total of 1,680 participants of different skill levels. Triathletes from 31 different countries flew in to Singapore especially for this event. The triathlon had three categories to match the skill levels – freshman, sprint and Olympic distances.

 

 

Bittersweet Farewell Match for Singapore’s Finest Striker — Noh Alam Shah

By Chin Chia Hwee

THE stadium was far from full on Friday night despite an entertaining farewell match for Singapore’s most prolific striker who led his side to a 3-1 victory against the Sengkang-Punggol team.

Noh Alam Shah kept his side, Tampines Rovers, in the title chase by bagging a hat-trick in his last S-league match, in front of empty seats and a small quiet crowd.  The national captain had earlier stirred controversy over the local league, citing the league’s stagnancy and low attendance at matches as a driving force for him to find new motivations abroad.

“It’s terrible to see empty stadium — I’ve lost all motivation,” Alam Shah said. “It’s time for the S-League to wake up and win the fans back.”

Only a thousand-odd spectators witnessed the spectacular farewell performance by one of Singapore’s finest goal poachers in the Jalan Besar Stadium. Nobody denied his quality though – at least not those who turned up.

Tay Wee Keat, a 20 year-old student said, “He played really well today and S-league is losing one of its best players.”

However, it was Sengkang that provided the early excitement. A defence mix up gave the Dolphins striker, Abdoulaye Diallo, a clear chance at goal only to be denied by the Stag’s custodian, Hassan Sunny. Tampines Rovers slowly got a grip of the match. It was no surprise that it was Alam Shah who provided the breakthrough. Beating an off-line trap, Alam Shah converted an easy opportunity in the 13^th minute.

The first half ended with not many clear-cut opportunities for both sides. Some spectators were spotted leaving the stadium after the half-time whistle was blown.

Albert Tan, a 42-year-old mechanic cited a lack of atmosphere in the stadium.

“It is like watching a film in the theater! There is no connection between the match and us, unlike last time,” he said. He went on to reminisce about the times “die-hard” fans packed the National Stadium during the Golden Era when Singapore was still playing in the Malaysia Cup.

The second half proved more entertaining as The Dolphins snatched a quick equaliser through a beautifully converted goal by Sengkang forward, Anthony Bahadur.

However, it was Alam Shah who shone through the rest of the match. Capitalizing on a fast break on the 55^th minute, Alam Shah received the ball and lifted it beyond The Dolphin’s goalie to give Tampines the lead. In the final moments, Alam Shah completed his Man of the Match performance with a spectacular effort from distance, securing the victory and keeping Tampines in the title chase.

The match ended with the few remaining spectators scrambling to the exit. With some other players contemplating a move to foreign clubs as well, the S-league is facing a huge challenge.

 

Fans celebrate the Lions’ roar at Jalan Besar Stadium

By Chu Wen Shen

SOCCER fans celebrated the victory of Singapore’s soccer stars, from the past and present who did the double over their Selangor counterparts in the Sultan of Selangor’s Cup 2009, last Sunday evening at the Jalan Besar Stadium.

The Singapore Lions played two matches. The veteran side, featuring legends such as Fandi Ahmad, Dollah Kassim and Malek Awab, kicked off the curtain-raiser match against their Selangor veteran opponents. The official match featuring the Singapore national team started after the conclusion of the curtain-raiser match.

 The veterans were greeted with a standing ovation by the fans when they marched out of the tunnel.

Mohammed Hafiz, 25, lab technician, was among the fans who cheered in unison when Singapore’s favorite soccer legend, Fandi Ahmad, applauded the fans in appreciation as he walked onto the pitch.

“I grew up watching these guys play. Watching the Malaysia Cup with my dad on TV was my fondest childhood memory,” said the die-hard Lions fan.

“Today is very special for me because it’s almost like a return to the good old days of the Malaysia Cup.”

The Singapore team has clinched the Malaysia Cup title for 24 times, and was coined the second most successful team after Selangor. Singapore officially withdrew from the competition after a dispute with the Malaysian Football Association over gate receipts revenue.

Dollah Kassim, well-known for his amazing dribbling skills, was affectionately known as “Gelek King” to the fans. He was clearly the fan favourite of the match.

Fans greeted him with “oohs” and “aahs” whenever he got a touch of the ball, expecting a glimpse of his amazing dribbling skills that brought him much fame.

The match concluded with a thrilling penalty shoot-out which the veteran Lions won 4-1.

However, the celebration was cut short when Dollah Kassim collapsed at the team bench after being substituted at the 10^th minute. It was believed that the veteran striker suffered a heart attack.

“My heart skipped a beat when I saw ‘Dol’ staggered off the field and sat slumped at the team bench. I certainly pray that he’ll be alright,” said avid soccer fan, Wong Siang Wei, 28, unemployed, who was part of the capacity crowd.

The tense atmosphere dispelled immediately when the main match between the Singapore Lions and Selangor Selection kicked off to a roaring start.

The Singapore Lions started with an aggressive formation of 4-2-3-1, with 39-year-old veteran Aleksander Duric playing as lone striker up front.

The talented trio of Indra Sahdan Daud, Shahril Ishak and Park Tae Won, playing behind Duric, provided him with support.

Just under half an hour into the match, Jalan Besar Stadium went into a frenzy of celebration when Indra Sahdan Daud grabbed the first goal with a    volley from outside the penalty box.

The excitement continued when Aleksander Duric doubled the lead on the 35^th minute. The Lions wrapped up the victory with a well-placed free kick by John Wilkinson just before half-time. 

“I really enjoyed tonight. But, all good things come to an end, doesn’t it?” joked Derek Zheng, 23, student.

Tonight is truly a tribute to the Lions, and their fans.