The PAP using the tried and trusted pork barrel politics again

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Singaporeans can enjoy more free performances, workshops from April under expanded arts scheme​

A performance by Brahmastra Ensemble during the launch of an expanded line-up of programmes under ArtsEverywhere@CDC on March 30.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM

Wong Yang
Mar 31, 2025

SINGAPORE - Singaporeans will soon get to enjoy more free public performances like hip-hop dancing and traditional Chinese puppetry shows, and activities like Malay dance workshops – closer to where they live, work and play.

There will be more than 200 shows and activities by over 80 artistes and arts groups in 2025, when the ArtsEverywhere@CDC initiative ramps up its offerings, said Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong on March 30.

The number of artistes involved will also nearly triple, with the programme beefed up in 2025, compared with 2024, he added.

ArtsEverywhere@CDC is a two-year initiative launched in July 2024 by the National Arts Council (NAC), People’s Association (PA) and the five community development councils (CDCs), and is part of efforts to mark Singapore’s 60th year of independence.

The initiative seeks to make the arts more accessible to Singaporeans through arts performances and workshops across the island.

Mr Gan, who is also Minister for Trade and Industry, said more than 40,000 residents have so far enjoyed arts performances across the five CDCs at venues like Heartbeat@Bedok, the HDB Hub in Toa Payoh and Kampung Admiralty since the launch of ArtsEverywhere@CDC.

He said: “Many Singaporeans with previously little or no exposure to the arts have been able to enjoy the performances. Along the way, they have gained an appreciation for local arts and culture.”


He added that artistes have also been able to reach new audiences through the initiative and gain new fans of all ages, some of whom have become “serial attendees” who follow their favourite artistes across Singapore.

The expanded ArtsEverywhere@CDC line-up means audiences can enjoy a wider range of art forms in more locations, said Mr Gan.

New offerings include performances by The Purple Symphony, an orchestra that features musicians with and without special needs, and shows by the Teng Company, a local non-profit Chinese fusion music ensemble.

NAC, PA and the CDCs, in a joint statement, said there will be two large-scale arts performances a month in each district from April 2025 to March 2026 – double the number of such monthly performances since ArtsEverywhere@CDC was launched.

Each monthly large-scale performance will also be accompanied by hands-on activities for all ages, such as workshops for Singaporeans to experience traditional Malay dance forms conducted by Sri Warisan Som Said Performing Arts.

Community spaces such as parks, town squares, community clubs and community centres will be used as venues, on top of the neighbourhood malls mostly used now.

There will also be more smaller-scale shows by street performers in places like hawker centres and outside MRT stations, the statement added.

DPM Gan Kim Yong, flanked by South West District Mayor Low Yen Ling (in orange) and North East CDC vice-chairman Yeo Wan Ling, watching a flamenco performance at Safra Choa Chu Kang on March 30. Seated behind them are (from left) PAP new faces Chua Wei-Shan and Choo Pei Ling.ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
On March 30, Mr Gan was joined at Safra Choa Chu Kang by South West District Mayor Low Yen Ling, who also chairs the mayors’ committee, and North East CDC vice-chairman Yeo Wan Ling.

Two potential PAP candidates for the upcoming general election – entrepreneur Chua Wei-Shan and Dr Choo Pei Ling, an assistant professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology’s health and social sciences cluster – were also at the event, which was held in Chua Chu Kang GRC, where Mr Gan is an MP.

Ms Chua, who was appointed acting branch chairman in former transport minister S. Iswaran’s West Coast ward after he resigned in 2024, has recently been seen at events in Chua Chu Kang GRC, while Dr Choo is second adviser to grassroots organisations in Kembangan-Chai Chee.

When approached by the media, both Ms Chua and Dr Choo said they were there as grassroots members.

To make it easier for Singaporeans to find ArtsEverywhere@CDC programmes near them, the CDCs have launched a new ArtsEverywhere@CDC GoWhere platform in a tie-up with the Government Technology Agency.

At the Safra event, Mohammad Said Rahim, 51, a full-time secondary school teacher who busks in his free time, performed covers of contemporary pop songs and classic tunes from the 1980s on his guitar.

He said performing under the ArtsEverywhere@CDC banner has helped him to share his art with more people, and he hopes to inspire others to perform too.

Mr Said, who has been busking for 11 years, said the initiative also helps to promote local arts talent by “giving them a first step” and helping them to build their confidence through public street performances.

 

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Constitution provides for NMPs to step down to stand in elections: Shanmugam​

(From left) MP Louis Ng, Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi, Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, MPs Derrick Goh and Carrie Tan, and Mr Jackson Lam speaking to the media outside Ahmad Ibrahim Mosque on March 31.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Tay Hong Yi
Mar 31, 2025

SINGAPORE – Under Singapore’s Constitution, a Nominated MP can step down to join a political party and run for election, Minister for Law K. Shanmugam said on March 31.

“But we must make sure, of course, that while they are NMPs, they are independent, and Parliament has got to choose men and women of character and who carry themselves properly,” he stressed.

He added: “The fact that they can contribute subsequently, or prior, is something that was always understood and provided (for).”

Mr Shanmugam was speaking outside Ahmad Ibrahim Mosque in Sembawang Road after a series of community visits to mosques and prayer sites in Yishun on Hari Raya Aidilfitri.

He is also Minister for Home Affairs and the anchor minister for Nee Soon GRC.

His comments come after NMPs Raj Joshua Thomas and Syed Harun Alhabsyi resigned about a year before their terms ended. They have emerged as PAP new faces recently.

The resignations sparked comments that a scheme meant to ensure independent voices free from party politics in Parliament would be undermined.

Said Mr Shanmugam: “If you look at the debates and the speeches around that time, including the background papers that were put forward, Mr Lee Kuan Yew talked about, potentially, NMPs becoming ministers.

“And certainly the constitutional documents clearly envisaged that NMPs could join political parties and take part in elections, and I think the final word really is the Constitution itself – the way it’s been drafted, that was the intention.”

He noted that he is one of only two people still in Parliament, alongside Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who were present during the debate on the NMP scheme, which entered legislation in 1990.

“Well, I thought that it was a good idea to bring in more voices into Parliament, and I strongly supported it.”

He added: “I can understand that (the parliamentary debate) was more than 30 years ago, and not a lot of people would know the background or the provisions of the Constitution, but the final word, I think, is that the Constitution expressly provides for this framework.”

Asked if fellow Nee Soon GRC MP Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim would be fielded elsewhere, Mr Shanmugam said it was difficult for him to give a complete and final answer to that, as such decisions are made by the PAP’s central executive committee.

Nonetheless, Mr Shanmugam said Associate Professor Faishal is “unlikely to be here”.

Prof Faishal, who is Minister of State for Home Affairs and National Development, had joined Minister for Manpower Tan See Leng on a walkabout at Eunos Crescent Market and Food Centre on March 30.

This sparked speculation that he could be fielded in the new Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC.

Mr Shanmugam noted: “As people can see, he is spending a lot of time in Marine Parade, and I think that is one indication of what might happen.”

Speaking to reporters after the community visits, Dr Syed Harun, who has been seen walking the ground, said he has been able to learn from Mr Shanmugam, Prof Faishal, as well as other MPs, in recent weeks about community issues.

“Really, it’s (me) putting myself forward to be able to serve in whatever capacity that is possible in the future, and I look forward to continuing my service for the country,” he said.

Dr Syed Harun, who is a psychiatrist by training, outlined his previous volunteer work with the Malay/Muslim community, including contributing to Lembaga Biasiswa Kenangan Maulud, a charity dealing with educational bursaries and scholarships for students in need.

“Other than that, I’ve also contributed to the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore as a board member for seven years prior.”

Dr Syed Harun and fellow Nee Soon GRC new face Jackson Lam joined Mr Shanmugam and Nee Soon GRC MPs Carrie Tan, Derrick Goh and Louis Ng on the community visits on March 31.

Mr Jackson Lam and Dr Syed Harun Alhabsyi participated in the community visits on March 31.ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
Another PAP new face, Ms Lee Hui Ying, was also seen on the visits. She is a grassroots leader in the area.

Without confirming if Dr Syed Harun and Mr Lam would replace anyone on the Nee Soon GRC slate, Mr Shanmugam said: “I think (Mr Lam), Dr Harun – they will be able to serve the community very well.

“Whoever we put forward in Yishun, we will have to have the confidence that they can serve the residents of Yishun very well, and we will try and make sure of that.”

 

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NUS Singapore History Prize doubles to $100,000, now open to arts and multimedia​

Khir Johari won the 2024 NUS Singapore History Prize for his book, The Food Of Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels Through The Archipelago.PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO FILE

Ong Sor Fern
Apr 01, 2025,

SINGAPORE – The NUS Singapore History Prize, the richest of its kind in the country, has doubled from $50,000 to $100,000. The prize will also now be open to the arts and multimedia.

The Department of History at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (Fass), National University of Singapore (NUS), announced the changes in a statement on April 1.

The prize is financed by an anonymous donor, who has doubled the endowment for the award, which is given out every three years. Awardees have included inaugural winner Professor John Miksic’s Singapore And The Silk Road Of The Sea, 1300-1800 (2013) and, most recently, Khir Johari’s The Food Of Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels Through The Archipelago (2021).

The new arts and multimedia category will encompass other disciplines ranging from theatre to film. The award will now alternate between books and the other art forms for every edition.

The prize recognises both fiction and non-fiction works that deal deeply with Singapore’s history.

Associate Professor Joey Long, head of the history department, said in a statement: “We firmly support our donor’s belief that Singaporeans can learn a lot more about Singapore’s rich history from different mediums.

“These include documentaries, films, visual arts, performing arts, installation art, podcasts and videos (excluding audiobooks, books in printed form and e-books). As such, we are glad that the prize has now been expanded to recognise works beyond books, which also reflects NUS’ commitment to foster a comprehensive appreciation of Singapore’s past through accessible and modern platforms.”

The 2027 NUS Singapore History Prize for Arts And Multimedia is open for submissions for works in the English language or works translated into English. There is no limit to the date of production, but the work must address Singaporean history. The deadline is May 31, 2027.

The panel of judges will be chaired by Mr Kishore Mahbubani, former diplomat and Distinguished Fellow at the NUS Asia Research Institute. He helped found the prize in 2014.

He said in a statement: “There is no doubt that for the next phase of Singapore’s national development, the Singaporean sense of national identity must be deepened and strengthened. The best way to do this is to develop a deep and common understanding of Singapore’s history.

“Hence, in addition to its academic and scholarly contributions, the NUS Singapore History Prize is also supporting a strong national imperative.”

 

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3,000 balance flats to be rolled out in July; 2nd such HDB sales exercise in 2025​

The Housing Board advised home seekers to apply for an HDB Flat Eligibility letter by May 15 so that they can take part in the upcoming sales exercise.ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI
Isabelle Liew
Apr 01, 2025

SINGAPORE – About 3,000 balance flats will be put up for sale in July by the Housing Board, the second such sales exercise in 2025.

About 5,400 Build-To-Order (BTO) flats will also be launched in Bukit Merah, Bukit Panjang, Clementi, Sembawang, Tampines, Toa Payoh and Woodlands.

The second Sale of Balance Flats (SBF) exercise will take the combined supply for such flats in 2025 to about 8,500 units, the largest since 2017, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee said in a Facebook post on April 1.

In February, 5,590 SBF units in varying stages of completion were rolled out. They were oversubscribed, with more than 22,000 applicants for the flats.

SBF exercises were held twice yearly up till 2024, when it was reduced to once a year.

HDB advised home seekers to apply for an HDB Flat Eligibility letter by May 15 so that they can take part in the upcoming sales exercise.

Mr Lee said on Facebook that the authorities are seeing early signs of moderation in price growth across both public and private housing markets.


Prices of HDB resale flats rose 1.5 per cent in the first three months of 2025, according to flash estimates. This was down from the 2.6 per cent price growth in the last quarter of 2024.

To further stabilise the property market, Mr Lee said, more than 50,000 BTO flats will be launched from 2025 to 2027, including about 12,000 flats with shorter waiting times of less than three years. In 2025, HDB will roll out about 19,600 flats.

Mr Lee said that supply tightness in the HDB resale market could be attributed to fewer flats reaching their minimum occupation period (MOP), in part due to construction delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

About 13,500 flats will reach their MOP in 2026, up from 8,000 in 2025, he said. In 2028, this will rise to 19,500 flats.

“This means that more resale flats are entering the market soon and the supply tightness will ease,” he added.

 

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Elderly residents queue up early, bag over $12 of groceries with $1 ticket at Ci Yuan CC​

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1 April 2025
Chin Soo Fang
The Straits Times
March 29, 2025

The start time for a $1 Marketplace in Hougang was 10am on March 29, but by 8am a queue of about 300 people had already formed at the venue, Ci Yuan Community Club.

These early birds were among 1,000 residents who had pre-purchased a $1 ticket to be part of the event, entitling them to bag groceries worth about $12 to $13, including cabbage, lettuce, oranges and lemons.

The produce was provided by the Hougang Village Merchants’ Association in support of the marketplace, which was hosted by the Ang Mo Kio-Hougang Citizens Consultative Committee and Ci Yuan CC’s management committee.

Mr Darryl David, an MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC, who turned up at about 9.30am and saw the long but orderly queue of mostly senior citizens, decided to start the event earlier.

“Don’t worry, don’t rush, take your time. And after you have taken everything, there are many other activities for you to check out here,” he told the participants who came with bags and supermarket trolleys.

Homemaker Koh Chai Hong, 70, who was among the earliest to queue, said: “I didn’t suffer any loss, it’s worth it. This is fun and I came early to mingle with the people in the queue since I’m bored at home.”

Ms Laxie Mary Sequeira, 76, a retired insurance professional, said she was glad that for $1, she could get something “fresh and substantial” as “every bit helps” to cope with the cost of living.

Retired insurance professional Laxie Mary Sequeira said she was glad she could get something “fresh and substantial” as “every bit helps” to cope with the cost of living. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG

She took part to connect with fellow residents too. “Maybe I can get to know 50 people at this event today,” she quipped.

The $1 Marketplace is the first of three similar events, organised as part of SG60 activities to mark Singapore’s diamond jubilee in the Ang Mo Kio-Hougang area, to foster stronger connections, care and active contribution within the community.

Mr David said: “It’s not like you come and then we give you a pack and then you go off. We want to build that sense of community where people come down and participate and have something to look forward to.”

He added: “It’s an opportunity to unite the Ang Mo Kio-Hougang community, bringing together heartland merchants and residents to celebrate our collective strength and solidarity.”

On March 29, the marketplace also had an SG60 message board where one could leave messages of gratitude and support for heartland merchants.

The organisers also launched a stamp card initiative to encourage participation at monthly SG60 events, including Racial Harmony Day and National Day carnivals. Ang Mo Kio-Hougang residents who attend at least two events will receive a $60 FairPrice voucher per household.

There is a stamp card initiative to encourage participation at monthly SG60 events, including Racial Harmony Day and National Day carnivals. ST PHOTO: TARYN NG

Mr Francis Swee, president of Hougang Village Merchants’ Association, said the marketplace is one way to give back to regular customers of its more than 100 members.

“The items we picked align with the ‘Heng Ong Huat’ prosperity slogan that we have in this area,” he said. “(These) included ‘prosperous’ items like oranges, pineapple and cabbage.”

The association, which will organise a trade fair in Hougang Village with about 30 stalls for 19 days starting on April 26, is also planning to give about 1,000 vouchers to residents to spend at participating outlets in May.

The next two $1 Marketplace sessions will take place on April 27 and June 22 at the same venue, with $1 vouchers on sale at Ci Yuan CC.

On the upcoming $1 marketplaces, Mr David said the organisers are still engaging the partners on what to provide for the residents.

“In a way, it’s something the residents can look forward to with a sense of anticipation,” he added. “One certainty is that for $1, whatever you get will be much more than $1. The items must also have a practical use for the residents.”

 

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New Pasir Ris Bus Interchange, long-delayed Woodleigh Bus Interchange to open in late April​

The underground Woodleigh interchange, located in the Woodleigh Village integrated development, will be operated by SBS Transit. PHOTOS: LTA

Esther Loi
Apr 03, 2025

SINGAPORE – The long-delayed Woodleigh bus interchange in the Bidadari housing estate will open to the public on April 20, while a new bus interchange in the integrated transport hub at Pasir Ris will welcome passengers on April 27, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

The underground Woodleigh interchange, located in the Woodleigh Village integrated development that comprises 330 HDB flats and a hawker centre, will be operated by SBS Transit.

There will be amendments to bus service 146 and the addition of a new service 148, which will both call at the new interchange, said LTA on April 3.

Service 146 will be modified to operate from the new bus interchange and ply in both directions along Bidadari Park Drive, serving four additional bus stops.

The new Service 148 will be a loop service between the Woodleigh bus interchange and Potong Pasir, connecting residents to amenities in the Bidadari and Potong Pasir estates. These include Woodleigh Mall, Woodleigh hawker centre, Bidadari Community Club, the upcoming Bidadari Polyclinic as well as schools such as Maris Stella High School and St Andrew’s Secondary School.

Originally slated to be completed by 2021 in step with the completion of the Build-To-Order (BTO) project in Bidadari housing estate, the Woodleigh bus interchange was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and significant engineering challenges.

Linked to Woodleigh MRT station, the BTO project was launched for sale in November 2016, and its final blocks were completed in November 2022.

PHOTO: LTA
Over in Pasir Ris, bus operator Go-Ahead Singapore will manage the new interchange. All 17 public bus services operating from the existing Pasir Ris bus interchange will relocate to the new interchange.

There will be no change to their routes or stops, noted LTA.

A dedicated pick-up and drop-off point for a shuttle bus serving Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) servicemen travelling to and from the SAF Ferry Terminal in Changi will also be relocated next to the new interchange. This shuttle service is for servicemen heading to the Basic Military Training Centre on Pulau Tekong.

All 17 public bus services operating from the existing Pasir Ris bus interchange will relocate to the new interchange. PHOTO: LTA
The new Pasir Ris bus interchange is located within an integrated development connected to Pasir Ris Mall, which opened in July 2024, said LTA.

It will provide access to three MRT lines - the current East-West Line, the future Cross Island Line (CRL), and the Punggol Extension of the CRL.

LTA said it is seeking commuters’ understanding that the bus operators may need some time to familiarise themselves with the operations of the new bus interchanges.

PHOTO: LTA

 

[True Believer]

If both these women are political parties, the one on the right has a far
better chance of reviving the economy (represented by that man).