Phrases used by parrots: "The safety and well-being of ... our highest priority"

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Mr Mark Shaw, director of Shaw Organisation which operates the Shaw Theatres chain, Singapore's second-largest, said in an e-mailed reply that "health and safety continue to be our priority".

Cinemas can reopen from July 13, with safety precautions​

People queueing at Golden Village cinema in VivoCity mall on March 25, 2020. PHOTO: ST FILE

John Lui
Film Correspondent

Jul 04, 2020

Cinemas can reopen from July 13, according to a statement yesterday from the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA).

They have been closed since March 27 as part of the fight against Covid-19.

The reopening, which is the result of consultations between the authorities and cinema operators, will take place with added safety precautions.

These include a 1m social distancing seat configuration.

Up to five patrons, comprising friends and family, can sit together without the 1m distancing requirement, but different groups of patrons have to observe it.

Also, there will be a limit of 50 patrons per cinema hall. Masks will be mandatory at all times, including inside the hall, except when consuming food and drink, according to the statement.

Among the films to usher in the reopening is the highly anticipated follow-up to zombie thriller Train To Busan (2016), one of the highest-grossing South Korean films in Singapore.


Train To Busan: Peninsula will open on July 15 here, on the same day it is released in South Korea.

In an e-mail, Ms Clara Cheo, chief executive officer of Singapore's largest cinema operator, Golden Village Multiplex, said: "While we're excited to be able to reopen our doors to moviegoers, the safety and well-being of our customers and colleagues are our highest priority.

"We have introduced an extensive range of precautionary measures across our cinemas to ensure patrons can once again enjoy the very best movie experience, in the safest way possible."

Mr Prashant Somosundram, general manager of indie cinema The Projector, said in an e-mail that "safety will be paramount" after reopening and every precaution will be taken.

"We will be reopening on July 15, with new releases like the Werner Herzog drama Family Romance, LLC, and zombie movie Train To Busan: Peninsula and older favourites as well."

Mr Mark Shaw, director of Shaw Organisation which operates the Shaw Theatres chain, Singapore's second-largest, said in an e-mailed reply that "health and safety continue to be our priority".

Seven Shaw Theatres locations will reopen, while two, at Balestier and Lot One, remain closed for renovations.

Explaining what social distancing will look like, Mr Shaw said: "You will see our familiar chequerboard seating arrangement, with a minimum of a two-seat gap between every two or three seats to ensure the 1m safe distancing."

Titles which can be viewed at Shaw outlets after reopening include the biopic Escape From Pretoria (2020), the biographical thriller Mr. Jones (2019) as well as Train To Busan: Peninsula.

 

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Joyce said: "Ultimately public health and safety remain the highest priority for us and due to the evolving nature of the Covid-19 situation around the world, we felt it would be prudent for us to stay patient and work towards holding the next edition in 2022."

Golf: SMBC Singapore Open postponed to 2022​

Last year's edition of the tournament saw the participation of 156 golfers from around the world.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Kimberly Kwek
Jan 21, 2021

SINGAPORE - The SMBC Singapore Open has become the first major sports event in Singapore to be hit by the Covid-19 pandemic this year as organisers announced on Thursday (Jan 21) that the next edition of the tournament will take place in 2022.

Patrick Feizal Joyce, senior vice-president golf-Asia of organisers Sportfive, said that the organisers had worked with various authorities and stakeholders to come up with a way to hold the competition safely.

While SMBC, the Singapore Tourism Board and Sentosa Golf Club "were extremely supportive of the various operational options that were formulated", a decision was made to postpone the tournament, which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf TourOrganisation, in light of the pandemic.

Joyce said: "Ultimately public health and safety remain the highest priority for us and due to the evolving nature of the Covid-19 situation around the world, we felt it would be prudent for us to stay patient and work towards holding the next edition in 2022."

Last year's edition of the US$1 million (S$ 1.33 million) tournament, which took place from Jan 16-19 at Serapong Course at Sentosa Golf Club, was the last high-profile competition here before the coronavirus pandemic resulted in the cancellation of many major sports events around the globe.

Then, the tournament saw the participation of 156 golfers from North and South America, Africa, Europe and Asia, including tournament winner American Matt Kuchar, a 2016 Olympics bronze medallist, as well as Olympic champion and former US Open winner Justin Rose of England.

A challenge to stage​

Staging the Singapore Open could have been challenging in terms of logistics given the number of people that would have been involved. Even without fans in attendance, running the event would involve close to 900 people, ranging from players, caddies, officials, volunteers and SGC crew.

Singapore Golf Association president Ross Tan was supportive of Sportfive's call, saying: "While it is truly a shame that the tournament won't be held this year, we have been involved in the discussions throughout the planning process and are fully supportive of the difficult decision that has been made by Sportfive. We shall all look forward to the return of the SMBC Singapore Open in 2022."

A gradual opening up​

While the pandemic continues to rage around the world, professional sport has been up and running for some time, albeit with strict protocols such as regular testing of athletes and bio-secure bubbles in play.

Golf's top tier, the United States-based PGA Tour, resumed last June and in 2021, some events are even welcoming a small number of fans to courses.

In Singapore, the easing of measures in the fourth quarter of 2020 enabled live sport to return to the Republic to some degree.

Thursday's announcement comes a day after SportSG and the professional men's tennis tour announced that an ATP 250 tournament would take place from Feb 22-28. The third-tier indoor hard-court event will see a 28-strong singles field and 16-pair doubles field.

In a statement on Wednesday night, the national sports agency said that the tennis event, which comes immediately after the Australian Open in Melbourne, "will be an important facet of enabling international sporting events to return to Singapore in stages through 2021".

Football's Singapore Premier League had restarted on Oct 17 and mixed martial arts organisation One Championship has staged several live fights since Oct 9, with all of One's events involving overseas-based fighters. The latest edition - called Unbreakable - will take place on Friday.


While both the MMA and SPL had begun behind closed doors, restrictions were eventually eased such that they were able to welcome a couple of hundred spectators by the end of 2020, though attendees were subject to stringent Covid-19 protocols such as rapid antigen testing, safe distancing and temperature checks.

One's events are part of a pilot project the Government hopes will help identify a model that can be widely implemented so more large-scale events can resume safely in Singapore.

The Republic is currently hosting the M2 World Championship, a major e-sports tournament for the game title Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, which started on Monday and ends on Sunday. The competition features two local and 10 foreign five-man teams.

The MMA and e-sports events featured international athletes who were subject to quarantine and testing upon arrival besides other protocols such as restricted movements between their hotels and the competition venue. Each of them saw a few of the overseas arrivals testing positive for Covid-19 but they were isolated and treated and no clusters have emerged so far.

The HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens looks set to return this year, although it has been postponed from its traditional April slot to Oct 29-30 while the Singapore Grand Prix is penned in for Oct 3.

Not business as usual for amateur sport​

The SMBC Singapore Open is not the only event on the local sports event that has been impacted by the pandemic in 2021.

With amateur sport still limited to groups of just eight, the first round of the Netball Super League (NSL), originally slated to start on Jan 23, was cancelled by Netball Singapore. Instead of the usual two rounds, the tournament will have just one, which starts from Feb 20 before the semi-finals and final.

The Ministry of Education also announced that this year's National School Games will not feature certain team sports such as football, hockey, netball and rugby as well as judo, which involves close contact.

 

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“The safety of our shoppers is of utmost importance,” said Marina Square. “We have since removed the bollard from all escalators on Nov 28, pending an investigation of the incident.”

Marina Square removes bollard from escalator after video showing floor plate being lifted​

Marina Square said the bollards installed were in compliance with the necessary guidelines. PHOTOS: SCREENGRAB FROM JAY SNG/FACEBOOK

Rhea Yasmine
Dec 05, 2024

SINGAPORE - Marina Square has removed a bollard from an escalator on its premises following a viral video that showed a floor plate of the escalator’s landing being lifted, revealing the escalator’s moving steps beneath.

In the video posted on Facebook by user Jay Sng on Nov 27, he is seen pushing the bollard, which in turn lifts the floor plate that the bollard is attached to.

“Someone could fall in,” Mr Sng is heard saying.

In response to a comment on the post, Mr Sng said: “I told the security that they should switch off the escalator, barricade the place, and check if this is the same with all the other escalators in the entire mall.”

A commenter then replied that a bollard at an escalator near the shopping centre’s taxi stand was no longer there when she visited on Nov 29. It was still there when she went on Nov 28, she said.

In response to a query by The Straits Times, a Building and Construction Authority (BCA) spokesperson said Marina Square has been advised to remove the magnetic bollards from all escalators at the mall.

The spokesperson said the magnetic bollards are not suitable for escalators with floor plates that are not secured with mechanical fasteners.


The mechanical fasteners – such as screws, rivets and bolts – help to counter the turning force of the bollard if the bollard is unintentionally pushed or pulled.

“BCA has reminded building owners to fasten the floor plates for escalators if they are using such (magnetic) bollards,” added the spokesperson.

Marina Square told ST it was notified of the incident on Nov 28.

It said the bollards installed were in compliance with the necessary guidelines.


Marina Square is working closely with BCA on the investigations and follow-up actions, it added.

“The safety of our shoppers is of utmost importance,” said Marina Square. “We have since removed the bollard from all escalators on Nov 28, pending an investigation of the incident.”

 

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Ion Orchard spokesperson: “The safety and well-being of our patrons remain our highest priority, and we are committed to ensuring a safe environment for all.”

‘Glad we can move on’: Girl who lost finger in Ion Orchard toilet hand dryer gets $170k in damages​

In 2021, Kara Chia's index finger was severed (right) after she placed her hand in a hand dryer of a toilet at Ion Orchard. PHOTOS: COURTESY OF NICK CHIA, NICK MATTHEW CHIA/FACEBOOK

Shermaine Ang
Jan 17, 2025

SINGAPORE – It was a Monday evening in December 2021 when the Chia family was out for dinner at Ion Orchard.

Mr Nick Chia heard screaming from the mall’s toilet that his three daughters and helper were in and knew something was wrong.

He did not imagine that his five-year-old daughter Kara would place her hand in the toilet’s hand dryer, and have her finger mangled within seconds.

The fan blades of the dryer, which was missing a vent cover, severed the girl’s finger and shattered the bones.

She lost more than half of her left index finger and was left with a stump after amputation.

In November 2024, the family found some closure after their case was concluded in court.

They received compensation of $170,000 in damages and $39,507 in legal costs from Ion Orchard and its insurers.


Through lawyers Raj Singh Shergill and Desiree Koh of Lee Shergill, the girl’s father had sought compensation for pain and suffering, medical and caregiving expenses, and cost of future treatment, including prosthetic fittings which need replacing every few years.

Lawyer Christopher Fernandez of TKQP represented the defendants.

Kara Chia with her mother in Tokyo in December 2024. PHOTO: COURTESY OF NICK CHIA
The out-of-court settlement for the negligence lawsuit was reached through a full-day mediation between the parties in September 2024. The court’s approval was required for the settlement because the plaintiff is a minor.

Mr Shergill waived an additional amount, known as an “uplift”, on the legal fees typically charged by law firms so the family could retain their damages in full.

Speaking to The Straits Times, Mr Chia said: “What I feel about the whole thing, in a nutshell, is really relief. I’m glad that we can move on.

“It’s more a case of getting a little bit of justice for Kara, and whatever the amount was, it’s secondary.

“It’s not a situation I would wish for any parents to be in, nor anyone.”

Mr Chia expressed gratitude to Mr Shergill: “Having him advise us and be by our side throughout the whole thing was really, really helpful, because he knew, from his experience, what were the realistic outcomes for this situation.

“I also have to commend the insurer and Ion for ultimately doing what’s right and not repeating everything and dragging this to court, because it will just lengthen the entire process.”

Responding to queries, an Ion Orchard spokesperson told ST: “We are unable to comment further on this matter. We have extended all necessary assistance to the child and her family.

“The safety and well-being of our patrons remain our highest priority, and we are committed to ensuring a safe environment for all.”

Kara, now eight, has spent much of the past three years in her doctor’s, psychologist’s and occupational therapist’s offices. She now uses a prosthetic finger.

More than half of Kara’s index finger was severed (left) by the fan blades of a hand dryer (right). PHOTOS: NICK MATTHEW CHIA/FACEBOOK
According to the affidavit, in the months after the incident, Kara was often jolted awake by recurrent nightmares and could not go to sleep on her own.

A psychologist diagnosed her with post-traumatic stress disorder.

She frequently retold the sequence of events that led to the accident, at bedtime and whenever she saw an ambulance on the road.

She also re-enacted the incident in a game with her best friend, with the objective of not letting her fingers get stuck, according to court documents.

While Kara has healed physically, she still feels some lingering pain on the stump, said Mr Chia, 38, who works in sales in the automotive industry. His wife is a homemaker.

Kara also has some trouble buttoning her blouse, tying her hair, using cutlery and typing.

A confident social butterfly before the accident, she is now more reserved and sticks to a few trusted friends in school.

Mr Chia recounted how one classmate would not hold Kara’s hand when lining up for school activities as she was afraid of hurting Kara.

“There’s a lot of residual mental torture, because you never know what might trigger her thoughts back to this,” he said.

Kara (in pink) and her family in Tokyo in December 2024. PHOTO: COURTESY OF NICK CHIA
In another instance, Kara held and admired her three-year-old sister’s hand, saying: “Mei mei’s (little sister) hand is so pretty, right?”

Kara is the fourth of six children – four girls and two boys – ranging from 10 months to 12 years old.

The Primary 3 girl also lovingly reminds her younger siblings to be careful of hidden dangers in hand dryers and other machines, although sometimes she would fall silent after that, said Mr Chia.

“She’s just trying to manage her emotions. She’s a very sensible girl, and she would try not to do things that would have people go out of their way for her, even bottling it up.”

He and his wife encourage her to talk to them about the incident, and tell her it is okay to cry.

For the most part, life has returned to normal for the family.

The school she attends, CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School, has helped Kara to fit in and keep her safe, said Mr Chia.

She is learning to play the recorder in school, and is keen to join the guzheng, choir or Chinese dance co-curricular activity. Anticipating some difficulty with the instruments, the school is helping her find modified ways of playing.

Other children are curious about what happened, and wince in pain when she recounts the incident, but otherwise pay her hand little attention, said Mr Chia.

At home, her parents treat her no differently from their other children, giving her the same dressing down when she refuses to do her homework, for instance.

“We are very conscious that special treatment will be very detrimental to the relationship between her and her siblings, and eventually the siblings and us,” said Mr Chia.

What he wants is for his daughter to do what makes her happy.

“Every parent hopes for their kid to be a high-flier. But, ultimately, especially after something like that, I just want Kara to be happy and strong wherever she is.”

Asked what she has learnt from the entire ordeal, Kara quietly said: “Bravery.”

To other children who have experienced such trauma, she has this to say: “Don’t give up; it will get better.”