Clause for a Cause to Evict Errant Retailers

PARTB HOME MONEY THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 B1 SPORT

B2 Small-car COE price at 5-month low B6 Just one doc for his many chronic ailments

Clause for LICENCE TO EVICT Whether they (the landlords) want to kick tenants out is up to them, but they might have a bit a cause to more obligation to take action against their tenants with the new clauses. – An MCST spokesman evict errant

they might have a bit more obligation to take action against their tenants with the new clauses.” retailers Several shops in Sim Lim Square have hit the headlines recently for the wrong reasons. In November, a Vietnamese Sim Lim Square landlords can set tourist was seen on his knees beg- ging for a refund after being alleg- conditions in new tenancy contracts edly overcharged for an iPhone. Since then, complaints against Sim Lim traders have fallen. By JESSICA LIM Singapore (Case) and Singapore An average of 10 were received CONSUMER CORRESPONDENT Tourism Board – have received each month from January to Octo- and CHERYL FAITH WEE five or more consumer complaints ber last year but just 10 in total against a tenant, its sub-tenant or (Above) Business remains slow on the first and second floors of Sim Lim Square. (Below) Police on Nov 16 removing were received for November and SIM Lim Square is a mall best employee within a month. documents and products from Mobile Air shop, whose shady sales tactics drew complaints. PHOTOS: LAU FOOK KONG, ST FILE December – the height of the known for its electronics stores – They can also be given their shopping season. Last month, on- and, occasionally, traders who marching orders if they have a ly two complaints were made. indulge in unsavoury sales tactics. bankruptcy order made against to include such rules in my agree- It seems such negative publici- Now its landlords are being giv- them, are struck off the Register ments to protect myself, but whe- ty is taking effect. Two errant en the chance to evict tenants of Businesses, or are determined ther my tenant would agree is an- traders at another problematic who misbehave, by tweaking new by a court to have flouted the Con- other matter. They might not sign mall, People’s Park Complex, shut tenancy agreements to include a sumer Protection (Fair Trading) if such clauses are put in.” down in December after being con- special clause. Act. He also wondered if landlords tacted by Case. It could mean, for example, The clauses also make it com- would include the clause because The strata-titled mall is work- that a trader who receives a set pulsory for tenants to compensate kicking out a tenant would mean ing with the consumer watchdog number of customer complaints a landlords for some costs when inconvenience and rental losses. to set up a complaints booth. month can be kicked out. they take back a unit, such as loss The MCST’s move comes after Complaints against retailers at On Dec 30, the mall’s manage- of rent. Case wrote to the mall in Decem- Lucky Plaza are also down. The ment corporation strata title So far at least 13 landlords – all ber asking it to make sure land- mall received nine last year, down (MCST) council issued sample sitting on the mall’s MCST coun- lords enforce stricter rental pacts. from 30 in 2013 and 63 in 2012. clauses to the 300-plus landlords cil – have agreed to include the Sim Lim Square’s management However, business is quiet at in a four-page circular. new clauses in their tenancy con- replied that it is unable to compel Sim Lim and some shoppers are They were drawn up in two tracts when their leases expire. landlords to kick out tenants who avoiding it. Senior technical spe- weeks by the MCST’s lawyer and, The hope is that more will run dishonest businesses, or to cialist Darryl Chua, 26, said: “The among other things, spell out cir- follow suit – though not all are force them to sell their units. reputation of the mall is not fan- cumstances in which a landlord convinced their tenants will agree An MCST spokesman said this tastic. I have even less of an incen- could kick out a tenant. to them. is still the case but added: “Whe- tive to go there now.” One is when the authorities – Mr Philip Lee, 52, who rents ther they (the landlords) want to [email protected] like the Consumers Association of out two units, said: “I would like kick tenants out is up to them, but [email protected] B2 HOME THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 Small car COE price at five-month low Do Not Call PRICES of car and commercial ve- of $70,890. In absolute terms, which can be used for any vehicle hicle certificates of entitlement this category posted the biggest type but end up mainly for bigger (COEs) ended lower in the latest drop, of nearly $6,000. cars, dropped 6.3 per cent to tender yesterday on the back of a There are 11,298 COEs availa- $71,921 – also a three-month low. larger supply of certificates. ble to car buyers from this month Commercial vehicle COE price The COE premium for cars up to April – 23 per cent more than dipped 5.3 per cent to $52,101 as Registry to 1,600cc and 130bhp slid 4.6 in the previous three months, and demand tapered ahead of an ex- per cent to a five-month low of more than double the supply for pected economic slowdown. $62,002. The COE price for cars the corresponding period last But the motorbike COE pre- above 1,600cc or 130bhp fell by year. mium bucked the trend by climb- 7.8 per cent to a three-month low The premium for Open COEs, ing 12.6 per cent to hit a new fees ‘too high’ record of $5,504 as marginal car buyers edged out by the car loans curb moved over to two-wheel- ers. There is no restriction on mo- vice. This is despite the DNC being launched only WEAKNESS IN CATEGORY B torbike loans. Charging less for checking 13 months ago, and containing fewer numbers than Motor industry sources expect the likes of its established British or United States It’s good that there wasn’t a collapse. But COE premiums to continue to phone numbers will help counterparts. trend downwards for the rest of The PDPC can investigate and punish companies clearly, we see there is weakness in Category B the year, with sharper falls in compliance, say marketers that break the rules, such as a tuition agency that (cars above 1,600cc or 130bhp). store for next year. was fined last year for sending unwanted SMS mes- Mr Nicholas Wong, general sages. By IRENE THAM – Mr Nicholas Wong, general manager of manager of authorised Honda However, the Direct Marketing Association of TECHNOLOGY CORRESPONDENT authorised Honda agent Kah Motor agent Kah Motor, said yesterday’s Singapore (DMAS) believes that marketers would results were “within expecta- be encouraged to be more compliant if the checking tions”. “It’s good that there MARKETING firms and organisations are calling fees were lowered. wasn’t a collapse,” he said. “But for the cost of checking phone numbers against the “There should be as few barriers as possible to clearly, we see there is weakness Do Not Call (DNC) Registry to be lowered. compliance,” said its chairman, Ms Lisa Watson. in Category B (cars above 1,600cc The Personal Data Protection Commission (PD- The DMAS – which includes banks, telcos and re- Four down, one up or 130bhp).” He described the PC) – the privacy watchdog administering the regis- tailers among its members – has called for the fees Cars up to Cars above Commercial Motor- Open drop in COE prices as an “early try – charges firms between one cent and 2.5 cents to be capped at 10 per cent of the marketing cost. 1,600cc and 1,600cc or vehicles cycles ang pow” that will drive more peo- per number to check whether they are calling or tex- Going by the cost of sending an SMS, which is 130bhp 130bhp ple to showrooms. ting someone who has opted out of receiving mar- five cents, this would work out to a maximum of Yesterday’s tender $62,002 $70,890 $52,101 $5,504 $71,921 Looking ahead, he expects the keting messages. 0.5 cent per number checked. Jan 21 tender $65,001 $76,889 $55,012 $4,889 $76,790 market to “soften further on eco- Although the PDPC offers discounts to compa- Mr Domenico Pezzaniti, chief executive officer Source: LAND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY nomic fears” this year. nies that prepay, the fees are still believed to be one of local mobile marketing services firm Beepcast, ST GRAPHICS CHRISTOPHER TAN of the highest among countries offering such a ser- agreed. “Lowering the fees may discourage people from testing the limits of the law or not complying,” he said. “Firms turn to SMS as it has traditionally been the cheapest form of marketing. Adding one cent to 2.5 cents per number to comply with the DNC rules is a big jump in cost.” When the proposed rates were revealed in a June 2013 public consultation held by the authorities, the DMAS had branded the rates “prohibitive”. Telcos Singtel, StarHub and M1 and industry association Asia Internet Coalition – comprising members such as Facebook, Google and eBay – also called for them to be set at a lower rate. The three telcos declined to comment when con- tacted this week. The Asia Internet Coalition did not respond by press-time. Locally, frequent marketers pay at least $92,000 a year to check against all 770,000 numbers listed on Singapore’s DNC registry. Monthly checks are required for frequent marketers. Mature jurisdictions in Britain, Hong Kong and the United States charge substantially lower fees. The three have capped their annual fees for looking up an unlimited number of phone numbers at £2,640 ($5,350), HKD4,800 ($830) and US$15,963 ($21,400) respectively. They also have lower price tiers for organisations that check fewer numbers. The PDPC has dismissed such comparisons. It said that while overseas models may be more cost-effective for heavy telemarketers, they are dearer for companies that do less marketing. It added that only 1 per cent of the 5,000 organisations that have set up accounts with it spend $2,500 or more monthly. Companies and organisations can also check up to 500 numbers free annual- ly, and the PDPC said only 20 per cent of them go beyond this and pay for checks. A PDPC spokesman said fees are set at “cost re- covery levels” and will be assessed if necessary. He added: “We have designed the registry to ensure that the cost of compliance remains managea- ble for organisations.” [email protected]

Unusual workouts for kids to keep fit

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 5 2015 FORGET swimming WIN! Liver supplements worth $560 2 and ballet classes – MCI (P) 073/02/2014 these days, children are doing weight-lifting and exotic martial arts. Your Life. Live it well. Parents are increas- ingly sending their children to learn unconventional disciplines such as parkour and Brazil- ian jiu-jitsu. It is a good

Kids are taking up parkour, sign, given that a recent martial arts and other unconventional workouts study last year showed PAGES 8-11 that young people in Singapore are inactive. Today’s Mind Your Body checks out the moves that these active kids can do, and how the classes have improved their health and fitness. We also peer into the role of distractions in our daily lives, based on people’s constant need for stimuli. Learn how to put together a healthy yet rich tan- doori dish, by replacing the cheese with tempeh.

READ ALL ABOUT IT URBAN TOMORROW

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT IDEAS For both new and long-term couples THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 B3 B4 HOME THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 New Dementia Frontier in family risk for medicine single, By MIRANDA YEO

TWO years ago, 64-year-old Sung Chu had to visit different specialists for each of his chronic conditions – elderly heart failure, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney failure. He paid 17 visits to specialist outpa- tient clinics that year. “It was expen- sive and the different instructions to men follow from each doctor were very con- fusing,” he said. Last year, the businessman found a cheaper solution – continuous primary care from Frontier Family Medicine Study finds socially active Clinic (FMC). “My family doctor communicates people have lower risk and works with my specialists from Dr Koh Thuan Wee attending to Mr Sung Chu at his clinic. The family physician works with specialists from NUH to help patients with the National University Hospital to chronic diseases get specialist advice without having to visit the hospital. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO of cognitive impairment give me a final prescription,” Mr Sung said. “This saves me the cost and trouble of visiting different specialists partnership between National Univer- Patients can even consult their fami- new FMC in Choa Chu Kang by the By KASH CHEONG each time I feel unwell.” sity Health System (NUHS) and Fron- ly doctor free of charge through phone second quarter of next year. Frontier FMC is the first of seven tier Healthcare Group. calls and e-mail. Doctors at Frontier Family physician Koh Thuan Wee MEN, are you greying and alone? Go out and make launched in 2013. The clinic, in giving an update to FMC have a duplicate of the NUH pa- said: “Having a full view of the some friends to give your brain a boost. FMCs are collaborations between the media for the first time since it tient record system. This enables the patient’s health allows doctors to pro- Single, elderly men need to socialise, to ward off the public and private sectors that ca- opened, said it helped more than 200 family physicians to transmit special- vide continuous care instead of react- conditions which affect the brain such as dementia, ter to patients with chronic conditions chronic disease patients from NUH ist care information to patients. ing only after the patient runs into according to a recent study by the National Univer- who would previously have had to see last year to cut their number of special- The FMC model has been so suc- trouble.” sity of Singapore. hospital specialists. Frontier FMC is a ist visits by 40 per cent. cessful that NUHS plans to open a [email protected] Men who have never married were the most vul- nerable – they were six times more at risk of dementia, compared to their counterparts who were married. Widowers did not fare much better – they had about five times the risk. The study looked at about 2,500 Singaporean Chinese aged 55 and above in the Geylang area. Many were from a lower-income group, living in one- to three-room flats. They were given a cognitive test which included simple mathematics, nam- ing the Prime Minister and objects. The differences were much more stark in men – the researchers did not see any significant differences between married and single women. Associate Professor Ng Tze Pin of the Depart- ment of Psychological Medicine at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine said: “This may be because women socialise more. They have better help-seeking behaviour when it comes to health or loneliness. Men may like to keep to themselves.” Explaining the cushioning effects of marriage, he added: “Marriage may introduce more social en- gagement and reduce the psychological stress of loneliness.” Among about 570 single and widowed persons surveyed, those who socialised more were also associated with a lower risk of cognitive impairment. Those who were more active socially halved their risk, compared to the more isolated participants. In 2012, about 28,000 people in Singapore aged 60 and older had dementia. The number is expected to soar to 80,000 by 2030. Studies have shown that exercise, a healthy diet and staying happy could keep the devastating condition – which affects the memory, intellect and personality – at bay. “Go out and socialise, volunteer or participate in community,” was Prof Ng’s advice. “Seek help when you need it.” The researchers intend to expand the study to other areas of Singapore and include more language and income groups. The effort is part of the Singa- pore Longitudinal Ageing Study, which hopes to track the welfare of the ageing population. [email protected] THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 B5 B6 HOME THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 Applications for nursing courses on the rise again Ex-HUDC By LINETTE LAI

INTEREST in a career in nursing appears to be back on the rise. residents’ There are 1,094 applications for di- ploma nursing courses this year, Sen- ior Minister of State for Health Amy Khor revealed yesterday. This represents a 12 per cent in- long wait crease from last year, when 973 people applied. Dr Khor said the numbers are “encouraging”, especially since last year saw a drop in nursing applications from 2013, when 1,014 people applied for S&CC for the courses in polytechnics. “We hope to continue to strengthen our efforts in raising the profile of the profession as well as strengthening the nursing profession itself,” Dr refunds Khor added. “We look forward to more people joining the nursing profession (and) considering it a viable long-term career.” They had prepaid charges She was speaking during a visit to a Residents’ Committee Centre in Ma- before privatisation of rine Parade, where caregivers of dementia sufferers were sharing their ex- Hougang Avenue 2 estate periences. Senior Minister of State for Health Amy Khor meeting caregivers of dementia patients at an event in Marine Parade, where the caregivers Organised by voluntary welfare or- By JANICE HENG ganisation Montfort Care, the event shared tips on how to manage the hectic Chinese New Year period, such as getting dementia sufferers involved in preparations for the was based on the concept of “demen- festivities. ST PHOTO: ALPHONSUS CHERN tia cafes” overseas. SEEKING a refund of his service and conservancy These typically provide dementia charge (S&CC), one resident of a former HUDC es- patients and their caregivers a place to nese New Year period. to choose the decorations. people understand dementia, so find- tate went to the Small Claims Tribunal. Another get together in a relaxed atmosphere. Suggestions included making sure Retiree Henry Lim, 54, whose ing a group of people that you can went to the police. At yesterday’s event, they shared that dementia sufferers are included in 84-year-old mother has dementia, share with is really hard to come by.” They are among some residents who made ad- tips on how to manage the hectic Chi- the festivities, such as allowing them said: “My experience is that not many [email protected] vance payments before the Hougang Avenue 2 estate went private in May last year and have been waiting to get back their money. The Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Council (AHPETC) told The Straits Times yesterday it would be refunding residents still out of pock- et by next month. The Straits Times understands the amount is a net $13,000. But for residents such as Mr David Tan, 59, it has been a long wait. “They should have paid earlier,” said the sales director, who tried to file a police report last month to get a $138.70 refund. In the privatisation, the estate was handed from the town council to the management corporation strata title (MCST), which meant all advance S&CC payments should be re- funded. When Mr Tan asked the town council for a refund, he was DIRECT REFUND directed to the MCST. But the MCST said To simplify the matter AHPETC had not giv- for affected residents, en it the required the town council has funds, so it could not decided to refund all refund residents. advance payments Another of those af- directly to them. fected, a 60-year-old – A spokesman for retiree who wanted to Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol be known as Mr T.H. East Town Council Tan, had paid in advance for the two units he owns for the full month of May. As the handover happened on May 22, this meant he had overpaid by $67.70. After months of correspondence with the town council, Mr Tan lodged a claim with the Small Claims Tribunal in December. The town council settled out of court before the hearing on Dec 29. Lawyers said that with the privatisation com- plete, residents should rightly look to their MCST instead of the town council. But in the first place, the town council should have transferred the S&CC advances owed to the MCST, said Wong Alliance’s Ms Wendy Wong. JTJB LLP’s Ms Mabel Tan noted this was the procedure in similar privatisation cases in the past. In response to queries, AHPETC, which is run by the opposition Workers’ Party, said refunds could be dealt with in two ways: The town council could refund the residents directly, or the MCST could do so through a credit note after getting the relevant funds from the town council. “To simplify the matter for affected residents, the town council has decided to refund all advance payments directly to them,” said an AHPETC spokesman yesterday. Such residents can expect to receive their refunds by March, she added. The town council has already processed several refund requests from residents and paid them. [email protected]

Outdoors Hunt for secret gardens Singapore the Garden City has hidden green nooks you never knew about.

All in our new e-book SINGAPORE NIGHT//DAY THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 HOME B7 Veteran, lawyer announce GE bids

Goh Meng Seng and CEREAL THRILLER FOR NEEDY PUPILS M. Ravi are not with any Yesterday was crunch time for 100 months. The initiative by food giant needy pupils at Daybreak Student Nestle and The Food Bank Singa- political party currently Care Centre in Naval Base Primary pore comes after a survey found one School, who are among 1,000 in three children skips breakfast at By THAM YUEN-C children getting free cereal for six least once a week. ST PHOTO: SEAH KWANG PENG and NUR ASYIQIN MOHAMAD SALLEH

OPPOSITION veteran Goh Meng Seng and lawyer-activist M. Ravi have become the first two persons who do not belong to a political party to declare they will run in the next general election. Both men announced their decisions separately on Monday. Mr Goh, 45, said in a Facebook post that he would “be back in politics to contest in the coming general election”, while Mr Ravi, 45, announced at a conference that he would stand in Ang Mo Kio GRC and that several law interns would be in his team. Speaking to The Straits Times yesterday, Mr Goh said he wanted to take on the “half-done” job of democratic reforms in Singapore, which he felt had been neglected by the opposition. “When the WP (Workers’ Party) won Aljunied GRC in 2011, it was one of the major milestones for the opposition, so I thought things would change and my mission was over. That was one of the main reasons I took a sabbatical,” said the businessman. “But in these three, four years, it has been quite disappointing. Nobody talks about democratic reform. Needless to say, the WP, with MPs inside Par- liament, has more responsibility to do it.” He said he left party politics to focus on his business after the 2011 Gen- eral Election. Mr Goh had contested in two elections, each time with a different political party. In May 2006, he stood and lost in Alju- nied GRC on the Workers’ Party ticket. He quit the WP six months later to take responsibility for Inter- net postings which he said had tarnished the Mr Goh Meng Seng quit the party’s reputation. NSP after the 2011 polls. He joined the Na- tional Solidarity Party (NSP) in 2007 and was fielded in Tampines GRC in the 2011 polls. He quit the party after the polls and left for Hong Kong, but re- turns to Singapore reg- ularly. On whether he would join a political party, form his own party or run as an inde- pendent, Mr Goh said he would keep his options open. Meanwhile, Mr Ravi Mr M. Ravi says he will lead a team of independents. re-confirmed his inten- tion to lead a team of independents to challenge the People’s Action Party team in Ang Mo Kio GRC led by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. He said he picked the six-MP constituency because “25 per cent of Ang Mo Kio residents are my relatives... I have both Chinese and Indian roots”. The GRC had about 179,000 voters in the last election. Yesterday, he told The Straits Times that blogger Han Hui Hui, 23, and two of his legal interns Charles Yeo, 24, and Liew Zheng Yang, 23, have confirmed they would be part of his team. He had considered blogger Roy Ngerng initially but later felt the 33-year-old was unsuitable as he was “too impulsive”. Mr Ravi is representing Ngerng and Han in a criminal case for their roles in a Hong Lim Park pro- test on Sept 27 last year. Separately, he is representing Ngerng in a defamation suit brought by PM Lee. When asked why he chose not to join an existing party, Mr Ravi said he did not trust any of them. But, he added, he will stay away from any constituency that is being contested by the Reform Par- ty or Singapore Democratic Party. On what he hopes to achieve in politics, he said his plans include giving free health care to all, lifting all online media regulations, and abolishing the death penalty – a cause he has championed for more than 10 years. As for funds for a campaign, he said: “I have $1 million for my campaign... I saved a lot over the years. I work very hard.” [email protected] [email protected]

Stall owner at foodcourt who owed supplier money: Debt collectors demanded extra $12,000 for ‘salary’ B8 HOME THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 Cigarette smuggling hits record numbers

3m packs seized, more vehicles used In one instance, 21-year-old Malaysian Koi Kah Wei tried to smuggle 1,048 packets with un- for smuggling at land checkpoints paid taxes amounting to $9,000. Investigations revealed that By HOE PEI SHAN and 18 months’ jail each. The oth- Koi stood to gain RM500 (S$186) er four consisted of three Singapo- if he had succeeded in his mission. THREE million packets of contra- reans and one Malaysian who is a After his arrest, he was sentenced band cigarettes were seized by the Singapore permanent resident. last June to three months in jail authorities last year, a 3.4 per The contraband cigarettes were and had his car forfeited. cent increase from the year be- smuggled in by these groups by Senior assistant director-gener- fore, and the highest figure record- land, air and sea, with most al of intelligence and investiga- ed since 2009. brands originating from China. tions Lee Boon Chong said the per- In its annual enforcement sta- Some smugglers tried to hide sistent demand for contraband cig- tistics released yesterday, Singa- them between “cover items”, arettes in Singapore has contin- pore Customs noted growth in such as wall clocks and T-shirts. ued to draw smugglers. both the quantity smuggled in and The largest single haul was in Janu- Many are sold in areas such as the number of vehicles used in at- ary, when almost 150,000 packets Geylang, Tampines and Bedok, tempts to bring in the cigarettes were found in specially construct- where packets go for as little as $5 GET-RICH HOPES through land checkpoints. ed spaces beneath board parti- – less than half the cost of a regu- Three syndicates were busted tions in a 40ft shipping container. lar pack of duty-paid cigarettes. Cash deposit machines across the significant for farmers looking for a by the authorities last year, two of Several cases involved vehicles Those who breach the Customs island saw long queues yesterday as bountiful harvest. them run by Chinese nationals, using the land checkpoints at Act and Goods and Services Tax people rushed to deposit their Based on traditional Chinese and the third by Singaporeans. Woodlands and Tuas. Customs Act can be fined up to 40 times More than 57,000 packets were seized 243 vehicles, the largest the amount of duty evaded and/or money on what many believe was an customs, individuals, who must seized from these operators alone. number in five years. be jailed for up to six years. auspicious day in the Chinese dress in red, should deposit money Eleven people were arrested, in- A total of 1.1 million packets of Meanwhile, there were 1,305 calendar. at a specific time determined by cluding the leader of the Singapo- cigarettes, valued at over $11 mil- liquor offenders caught last year, Yesterday marked the beginning of their zodiac sign to increase their rean syndicate, understood to be a lion, recovered from these vehi- up slightly from 1,268 the year be- woman in her 50s. Seven of those cles were concealed in modified fore. No fuel gauge offences were spring and is known as Li Chun. In chances of growing their wealth. caught are from China, and have compartments such as under the recorded, down from four in 2013. the past, this day was particularly ST PHOTO: JAMIE KOH been sentenced to between nine floorboards and in fuel tanks. [email protected]

Rising trend of online retailers evading GST

SOME online retailers are attempting to evade or under-declare their goods’ values to pay less goods and services tax (GST), said Singapore Customs officials yesterday. Last year, nine such offenders were prosecuted and slapped with fines of $4,500 to $133,000. They had submitted fake invoices or under-declared the value of the goods in their import permit declarations. Most were individual sellers who own blogshops, with seven of them touting luxury branded bags and accessories. Some suspects were flagged for hand-carrying a large number of items, and a home raid later revealed many more pieces bought over time. Lee Bee Yee, 43, was one such case. She brought in 195 handbags and wallets bought on four overseas trips. She under-declared the values of another 201 handbags and wallets imported via parcel post over 11 occasions. When she was arrested, she had evaded more than $12,000 in GST. She had to pay $23,000 in fines last November. In another case, two managers of an online store selling robotic vacuum cleaners were nabbed for evading more than $163,000 in GST payments. They were each fined $115,000 last October. Singapore Customs had not prosecuted online retailers before, but has seen a growing presence of such offenders, senior assistant director-general of intelligence and investigations Lee Boon Chong said. HOE PEI SHAN

4 months’ jail for property agent who slashed man

By ELENA CHONG COURT CORRESPONDENT

A REAL estate agent who slashed a man on the face and chest with a knife outside a hotel in 2011 was sentenced to four months’ jail yesterday. Lim Choon Keong, 41, who pleaded guilty, was allowed to defer serving his sentence until Feb 25 to attend to work-related matters. He had used an 8cm-long knife to attack Mr Yong Wei Keong, 31, at the entrance of Holiday Inn Atrium in Outram Road at about 1am on Oct 22, 2011. Mr Yong, Mr Chow Keat Fong, 44, Mr Chow Kok Tong, 33, and Ms Ma Fongyan, 34, had just ended a drinking session at Holiday Inn Atrium. Lim had been waiting near the entrance to pick up Ms Ma, who is now his wife. On seeing her at the entrance, he approached her. She stumbled and fell to the ground. Mr Yong, a contractor, assumed that Lim had as- saulted her and approached him, said Deputy Public Prosecutor Stacey Anne Fernandez. Lim then took out the knife and slashed Mr Yong on his face and chest, inflicting two cuts measuring 7cm and 2cm on the temple and right forehead. When the other two men intervened, the older Mr Chow was slashed in the face as well. This charge was taken into consideration during Lim’s sentencing. After a struggle, the younger Mr Chow, a contractor, managed to wrestle the knife away from Lim, who later drove off in his car with Ms Ma. Mr Yong’s injuries were treated in hospital and he was discharged two days later. Lim’s lawyer Foo Cheow Ming said in mitigation that his client had gone to pick up his girlfriend and was not expecting such an incident, which Mr Foo described as a “life-changing event”. He told the court his client had prepared two cashier’s orders of $2,000 each for Mr Yong and Mr Chow Keat Fong as a token of regret and remorse. Lim could have been jailed for up to two years and/or fined up to $5,000 for voluntarily causing hurt. [email protected] THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 B9 B10 HOME THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015

CITY HARVEST TRIAL Ex-employee wins claim ‘Sham bonds continue for pay and commission earlier misuse of funds’ By SELINA LUM A BEAUTY salon will have to pay a former employee about $2,900 in salary and commission, after second payment. Xtron, which ing by ignoring the “obvious the High Court yesterday upheld Prosecution: Ex-fund manager used was Ms Ho’s manager, would use meaning” of what he had written. an earlier Manpower Ministry the first payment for her career. “The proposal that you make in (MOM) decision. rent payment for singer’s career In the same e-mail, Chew this e-mail is all about ensuring Madam Liu Liuying, a perma- wrote of the need for this and oth- that the form disguises the real nent resident from China who is By IAN POH the wife of founding pastor Kong er transactions to “look (like) real substance of the plan.” married to a Singaporean, had Hee, and covering up the misuse. and legitimate and arm’s-length The real substance of Chew’s Chew Eng Han denies disguising gone to the ministry to resolve money for Ms Ho Yeow Sun’s singing EVEN before alleged sham bonds The alleged wrongdoing involv- commercial transactions”. proposal, the prosecutor contin- career as advance rental. her dispute after she resigned were part of the picture, City Har- ing the sham bonds was a continu- “It’s the appearance, not the ued, was to channel building fund from D’Amour Beauty. vest Church’s former fund manag- ation of the earlier practice, the substance, that you are con- money to Ms Ho’s music career, The main bone of contention er had helped to fuel Ms Ho Yeow prosecution argued. cerned about, isn’t it?” Deputy disguised as advance rental. But the lines, very narrow line, of was whether Madam Liu, 29, was Sun’s music career by making It cited, as an example, a 2006 Public Prosecutor Christopher Chew disagreed. what the prosecution believes are entitled to take 19 days’ medical money that was earmarked for e-mail to Kong and deputy senior Ong said. Since he began testifying last proper and not proper invest- leave for an in-vitro fertilisation the church’s building fund look pastor Tan Ye Peng regarding the Chew retorted: “Your honour, Monday, Chew has insisted that ments. I think perhaps the prose- (IVF) procedure while serving out like it was going elsewhere. payment of “advance rental” to I’m a man of substance. I don’t what he did for the church as its cution needs to – no, I will just – her notice. D’Amour argued she Chew Eng Han, who rejected production firm Xtron to hire believe in appearance. But I do be- fund manager was above board I will refrain from saying that, was not entitled to it and coun- this suggestion by the prosecu- premises at Singapore Expo. lieve as well that if you project and according to “common” mar- your honour.” ter-claimed for three months’ sal- tion yesterday, is one of six peo- Chew had effectively proposed the wrong appearance, it just in- ket practices. Chew is the fourth defendant ary in lieu of notice. ple accused of misusing $50 mil- that this payment should be vites false accusations.” At one point yesterday, he in the long-running case to testi- Yesterday, Justice Woo Bih Li lion of church funds to boost the made twice, and that the rent DPP Ong then accused Chew sounded a note of frustration: fy. The trial continues. held that Madam Liu was entitled music career of Ms Ho, who is would only be settled with the of being “disingenuous” and ly- “I’m being held to move along [email protected] to claim leave for the IVF procedure. He was also not convinced by D’Amour’s contention that she was obliged to disclose she TUSSLE OVER WIDOW’S ASSETS would be seeking such treatment before she renewed her employment contract. Madam Liu had joined the com- Ex-tour guide refuses to meet lawyers over new will pany in November 2013 with a basic salary of $1,300 a month. She wanted to resign in March last By CAROLYN KHEW as serving the papers on Yang,” Madam Mok, a 61-year-old year but was persuaded to stay, Mr Lee said. tour agency operator, has filed and signed a second employment FORMER China tour guide Yang The new will leaves most of her aunt’s new will so that the contract last April which upped Yin, who is behind bars, has re- Madam Chung’s assets to chari- court can execute it on Madam her pay to $1,800. fused to meet the lawyers repre- ty, and nothing to Yang. Chung’s behalf. Two months later, on June 5, senting the niece of widow This differs from a 2010 will in She is acting as her aunt’s dep- she resigned. She underwent an Chung Khin Chun. which the 88-year-old left all her uty because Madam Chung, who IVF procedure on June 14 and Madam Hedy Mok’s lawyers assets – believed to be worth $40 has no children, was diagnosed took medical leave until July 2. Peter Doraisamy and Andrew Lee million – to Yang. Madam Mok with dementia last year. After D’Amour asked her to had received permission from the has accused him of taking advan- Yang, who has been in remand pay compensation in lieu of no- Prisons Department to visit Yang tage of her aunt. since Oct 31 last year, faces more tice, she went to MOM, seeking and inform him about an applica- The lawyers were informed on than 300 charges, including two unpaid salary and commission. tion to get Madam Chung’s new Sunday that Yang refused to of criminal breach of trust for al- Last November, an assistant will recognised by the courts. meet them, said Mr Lee yesterday legedly misappropriating $1.1 mil- commissioner for labour dis- Mr Lee said proceedings on before a closed-door hearing over lion from Madam Chung. missed D’Amour’s claim for three the application cannot go ahead the new will. On Tuesday, his lawyer Wee months’ notice pay, and held that without serving the court docu- Lawyer Joseph Liow has told Pan Lee, who is representing him there was no break in Madam ments on Yang in person. The Straits Times he will be in the criminal case, said the pros- Liu’s service between the two If Yang, 40, refuses to receive representing Yang in the new will ecution has not indicated which contracts. She had thus served the papers, they can apply to the application. He met Yang yester- Yang Yin, who has been in remand since last Oct 31, faces more than 300 charges they will be proceeding for more than six months, and court to serve the papers on the day after the pre-trial confer- charges, including two of criminal breach of trust for allegedly misappropriating with. was entitled to medical leave. prison. “This will be considered ence. $1.1 million from Madam Chung. ST FILE PHOTO [email protected] [email protected] THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 B11

B12 GuocoLand to shake up Tanjong Pagar B13 Dropbox buys Pixelapse

ing to pay a premium for them, said Mr Ong. The DBSS was suspended in DBSS flats 2011 following public outcry over high indicative price tags for units at Centrale 8 in Tampines. The project, which was completed last year, is believed to be fully sold. still finding The scheme is still under re- view. A Housing Board spokesman said that DBSS is “currently not a priority”. She added that HDB’s priority over the past few years has been favour to “stabilise the housing market and help first-timer families buy their first flats through the ramped-up building programme”. As first-timer application rates with buyers have come down, the HDB has moved on to other areas, including help for members of families to live close to one another and monetisation options for seniors. Flats under suspended scheme still Design, Build and Sell Scheme developments that are nearing completion, such as Pasir Ris One (above) which is targeted Many buyers like DBSS flats as for completion by the end of next month, seem to be well received. The profits sellers have made on the only project that they come as finished products, popular; resale units hold their value has entered the resale market, The Premiere @ Tampines (below), are also encouraging. PHOTOS: SINGHAIYI GROUP, ST FILE with fully fitted kitchens, ward- robes and air-con units. “Consumers need not spend By RENNIE WHANG started on Jan 28 to allow owners much more on renovation as these to collect their keys, is 97 per cent items are already in the purchase sold. Its remaining 28 flats are all CHANGING TRENDS price of the flat,” said ERA Realty IT LOOKS like buyers are still three-roomers for non-Chinese key executive officer Eugene Lim. keen on snapping up flats under buyers only. Today, demand for these pricier PropNex chief executive Mo- the Housing Board’s now suspend- Lake Vista in Jurong West and homes has likely been hamed Ismail said that the DBSS ed Design, Build and Sell Scheme Parkland Residences in Upper dampened by the bumper scheme seems to have lost its rele- (DBSS), with newer projects show- Serangoon are believed to be fully fresh supply of BTO flats... vance. ing robust sales figures. sold and key collection is under HDB flats, such as It has served its function of ca- Owners hoping for capital way, said agents. Pinnacle@Duxton, are also well tering to the “sandwiched class” gains down the road will be There are also signs that DBSS designed... We don’t need – buyers whose incomes exceeded cheered as well by the profits sell- flats are holding their value. profit-driven $8,000 but who did not qualify ers have made on the one project The Premiere @ Tampines is private developers to build for Build-To-Order (BTO) flats – that has entered the resale mar- the only DBSS project available on overpriced public housing. and allowing developers to build ket. the resale market, as its owners be- homes when the economy was not Developments that are nearing gan meeting their five-year mini- – PropNex CEO Mohamed Ismail, doing well. on how the DBSS may no longer be completion also seem to be well re- mum occupation period from last relevant “But today, demand for these ceived. March. pricier homes has likely been Pasir Ris One, which is target- Since then, four four-room dampened by the bumper fresh ed for completion by the end of flats and 72 five-roomers have supply of BTO flats,” he noted. next month, is about 88 per cent been sold. The four-room flats “HDB flats, such as sold, with only 53 units left. sold for $570,000 to $590,000 on their original $308,000 to search director Ong Kah Seng. The 30 per cent mortgage Pinnacle@Duxton, are also well The unsold balance could be the secondary market, up from $450,000. He noted that The Premiere servicing ratio (MSR) cap for re- designed and conceptualised... due to race quotas and its dis- the original prices of $278,000 to While this translated into prof- was launched when home prices sale flats, introduced in late 2013, We don’t need profit-driven pri- tance to the Central Business Dis- $410,000. its of over $200,000 for some were lower so the potential gains will also limit demand but there vate developers to build over- trict, consultants suggested. The five-roomers fetched owners, such gains will be harder were larger, but other DBSS flats should be continued profits for priced public housing.” Trivelis in Clementi, which $550,000 to $726,000, up from to make in future, said R’ST Re- were launched at higher prices. DBSS flats with buyers still will- [email protected] B12 MONEY THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015

be in an environment where there’s a whole range of food from local hawker fare to high-end cui- Skyscraper ‘to make sine,” said Mr Cheng. The plan, he said, is to turn the area into a destination much like Orchard Road. Besides being directly connected to the Tanjong Tanjong Pagar shine’ Pagar MRT station, the development will also feature a 150,000 sq ft park at its heart with a shel- tered event space that can accom- centre of Tanjong Pagar.” modate up to 2,000 people. GuocoLand hopes to transform area Construction of Guoco Tower, While the market faces a short- the 890,000 sq ft office compo- age of new office space this year, with its mixed development project nent of the development, has about 3.2 million sq ft will come reached the 37th floor of the on stream next year with the com- 38-storey block while the 20-sto- pletion of other projects such as By CHERYL ONG Hsing Yao told The Straits Times rey Clermont Singapore hotel has DUO and Marina One, both by de- on the sidelines of the marketing been built up to only the second veloper M+S. launch. floor. GuocoLand was unable to pro- DEVELOPER GuocoLand hopes to “I’ll give an example of New Construction of the 181-unit Cl- vide details of leasing interest but shake up the Central Business Dis- York. It’s always been downtown ermont Residence will begin soon Mr Cheng was optimistic that the trict in Tanjong Pagar when its Manhattan where all the financial although 15 luxury homes have development will benefit from Tanjong Pagar Centre skyscraper institutions are. But over time, been sold at an average price of pent-up demand building up this is completed. midtown Manhattan, where $3,100 per sq ft. year as the project will be the first An artist’s impression of the 64-storey Tanjong Pagar Centre, which will have The 64-storey integrated devel- Times Square is, has also emerged Guoco Tower’s office floors, to hit the market in mid-2016. luxury homes, offices, a mall packed with eateries and a park. PHOTO: GUOCOLAND opment spanning more than 1.7 as another financial district... We which span 27,000 to 30,000 sq Mr Christopher Fossick, region- million sq ft could give the area see a similarity between Tanjong ft, are expected to draw firms pri- al managing director of property some of the sparkle associated Pagar and midtown Manhattan. marily from the technology, finan- “food-heavy” concept to comple- way counters for office workers consultancy JLL, said that prime with Marina Bay, Singapore’s new- “When we decided to call it cial and business service indus- ment the hodgepodge of bars, ca- and residents living in the area. rents are between $10.60 to est business district. Tanjong Pagar Centre, it also rep- tries, said the company. fes and restaurants that have “We do see and note the trend $12.90 per sq ft a month now but “We are very confident we will resents our aspirations and philos- The development will also in- sprung up in the vicinity, said Mr that people pay attention to could change by the time of the catalyse a transformation,” Guo- ophy for the development... We clude a 100,000 sq ft mall with Cheng. This will feature upscale where they work. Beyond a pres- development’s completion. coLand managing director Cheng want it to be the heartbeat and six floors, featuring a international restaurants to takea- tigious address, they also want to [email protected] $2b bancassurance deal Malaysia’s property market expected to cool further with DBS up for grabs By RENNIE WHANG ed. Cooling measures introduced pied homes priced in the mid- in October 2013 – such as increas- dle-income range is expected to ing Real Property Gains Tax rates remain resilient, said Ms Poh. By RACHAEL BOON ment of this kind available for in- TOUGH cooling measures and and lifting the minimum pur- “While we do not expect the 6 surers keen to tap into Asia’s weak buyer sentiment will hit de- chase price for foreigners – will per cent goods and services tax VARIOUS insurers are in the run- fast-growing insurance market”, mand for residential property in continue to hit demand, it said. to deter buyers from making a ning to become DBS Bank’s part- as other banks with major retail Malaysia this year, according to Moody’s expects developers fo- purchase decision, affordability ner in a distribution deal worth banking networks in Asia have al- ratings agency Moody’s. cused on residential projects in may be a concern,” she added. around US$1.5 billion (S$2 bil- ready sealed their partnerships. It also said the anticipation of popular areas like Johor, Kuala Moody’s said Malaysia’s five lion). In December 2013, Citibank higher interest rates and the up- Lumpur, Selangor and Penang largest listed developers by reve- AIA Group, Prudential, Manu- and AIA announced an exclusive coming 6 per cent goods and ser- will struggle to reach sales tar- nue should be able to offset de- life Financial and DBS’ current bancassurance tie-up covering 11 vices tax in April will also damp- gets as homes in these places typi- clining sales volumes by target- partner Aviva are among those markets in the Asia-Pacific re- en sales. cally cost about RM1 million ing projects at this middle-in- shortlisted, reports said yester- gion, including Singapore, Viet- “But the magnitude of impact (S$372,000) and are aimed at come segment or reaping contri- day. nam and Malaysia. (of a sales slowdown) will depend high-income households or for- butions from overseas projects. The bancassurance deal will in- Prudential and Standard Char- on the property developers’ tar- eign investors. Malaysia’s home prices have volve DBS distributing the tered started a 15-year agreement get segment of their project Property price growth in these been rising faster than average in- partner’s products for 15 years, last July which covers 11 markets, launches and pricing,” said Ms Ja- areas has been slowing since the An artist’s impression of The Coastal comes. starting from next year, the re- including Hong Kong and Singa- cintha Poh, assistant vice-presi- end of 2013, a reflection of the im- project in Penang, where property From 2001 to 2013, average price growth has been slowing since ports noted. pore. The two of them have been dent and analyst at Moody’s. pact of cooling measures. prices increased at a compound- end-2013. PHOTO: MAH SING GROUP Aviva’s bancassurance partner- working together since 1998. Overall residential transac- Johor home prices were esti- ed annual growth rate of 7.3 per ship with DBS was previously ex- In third-quarter results an- tions in Malaysia have fallen mated to have an annual growth cent compared with a 6.3 per tended from 2010 to this year. nounced in December last year, from 272,669 in 2012 to 246,225 of 5.44 per cent in the third quar- and 10.93 per cent in the first, for cent increase in gross national in- Bancassurance, which refers to Prudential’s bancassurance sales in 2013 and 122,830 in the first ter of last year, down from 8.28 example. come per labour. banks selling insurance products, grew 12 per cent year on year. half of last year, the report not- per cent in the second quarter But demand for owner-occu- [email protected] can be a lucrative distribution Some banks have their own in- channel for insurers as they get to surance arms, aiming to maximise reach a bank’s large customer their networks and tap the grow- base. ing market in Asia. The idea is to team up with on- Malaysian lender Maybank’s in- Credit Bureau halts online service after vandalism ly one insurer for all the Asian surance arm, Etiqa, announced markets that DBS operates in. last August that it would sell its But the bank seems open to life insurance products at the CREDIT Bureau Singapore (CBS) While the service is down, peo- í The 62 SingPost branches 8.30am to 12.30pm. working with other insurers for bank’s branches in Singapore. temporarily halted its online cred- ple can purchase a copy of their islandwide Closed on Sundays and public smaller markets in Asia. The move came after Maybank it report purchase service last credit report at the following loca- holidays. It has shortlisted Canada’s Sun ended its 10-year partnership night after its website was de- tions: í CrimsonLogic Service Bureau Life Financial, Hong Kong- with Prudential. faced on Monday. Address: 133 New Bridge Road, í CASE Office based FWD and major United Under that partnership, May- CBS said in a statement: “This í Credit Bureau Singapore Office #19-01/02 Chinatown Point, Address: 170 Ghim Moh States insurer Metlife, which have bank Singapore’s bancassurance is a precautionary measure to al- Address: 2 Shenton Way, Singapore 059413 Road, #05-01, Ulu Pandan submitted bids to work with DBS revenue grew at an average annu- low us to implement stronger se- #20-02, SGX Centre 1, Singa- Telephone: 6538-9507 Community Building, Singapore in these markets. al rate of more than 50 per cent curity controls.” pore 068804 Address: 1, Supreme Court Lane, 279621 The insurers said that they do over the past three years, said the It added that there had been Hotline: 6565-6363 Level 1, Supreme Court Building, Telephone: 6100-0315 not comment on market specula- bank last August. “no data loss or compromise”. Operating hours: Mondays to Fri- Singapore 178879 Operating hours: Mondays to Sat- tion and DBS declined to com- It is not known when DBS’ fi- The service allows members of days, 9am to 6pm. Telephone: 6337-9164 urdays, 9am to 4pm. ment. Reports said the potential nal decision will be made. the public to buy their credit re- Closed on Saturdays, Sundays Operating hours: Mondays to Fri- Closed on Sundays and public DBS deal is the “last major agree- [email protected] ports online. and public holidays. days, 8.30am to 5pm; Saturdays, holidays. Temasek leads $83m investment round in Manthan Systems

By WONG WEI HAN

TEMASEK Holdings is leading an investment round in India-based data analytics firm Manthan Sys- tems. The funding – which amounts to around US$62 million (S$83.2 million), according to a Manthan spokesman – will see Temasek Holdings and its Sili- con Valley partner Norwest Venture Partners buy out the Manthan stakes owned by venture fund IDG Ventures. Temasek Holdings managing director for India Promeet Ghosh said: “India is an important market for us as it resonates strongly with our investment themes. India has many emerging champions in areas where it has comparative advantages in, such as pharma and technology. “Our investment in Manthan aligns well with these investment themes.” The Singapore investment company – which had a portfolio valued at $223 billion as of March last year – is the lead investor in the exercise and shoul- dered more than half of the amount. The deal is the latest step that Temasek Holdings has taken to tap the opportunities in India’s growing technology and digital services scene. “Technology is disrupting business models in several traditional industries and you are likely to see more investments here, as we saw in e-commerce last year. We are positive on the opportunities we see across the market as new categories in consumption-driven sectors open up,” Mr Ravi Lambah, Temasek Holdings’ India co-head, told the Business Standard in an interview last month. Manthan Systems delivers analytics products and services to about 170 customers in 21 countries. The latest round of funding will be used to support its research, talent recruitment and global expan- sion. Part of the funding will help Manthan transition its analytics capabilities to true artificial intelligence, said Mr Atul Jalan, who founded Manthan in 2004 and is now its chief executive. [email protected] THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 TECHNOLOGY MONEY B13 Local start-up ‘up in the STARTSINGAPORE Uber of cleaning Tech In Asia in services arrives Y Combinator clouds’ with Dropbox IF YOU are having trouble SINGAPORE-BASED tech finding a cleaner for your blog Tech In Asia is taking home, try looking online. part in the accelerator Helpling is a portal that programme run by aims to provide cleaners for Y Combinator in the United US cloud storage busy people looking for States. trusted helpers to do their Y Combinator, a leading firm buys fledgling housework. US tech accelerator, runs Bookings are made three-month bootcamps to developer of online (helpling.com.sg). help start-ups fine-tune Just key in your address their business strategies. design software and when you need the Tech In Asia founder cleaning service, which Willis Wee hopes the costs $20 an hour. Bookings bootcamp will help him By GRACE CHNG are for a minimum of two refine the strategy for SENIOR CORRESPONDENT hours and must be made 36 Techlist, an Asian database hours in advance. of start-ups. While there are existing Mr Wee wants to THE American cloud storage firm websites for cleaning “polish” up Techlist, where Dropbox has acquired a start-up services, none provides users pay US$399 (S$536) a co-founded by Singaporean Lo Min online bookings and month, and turn it into a Ming for an undisclosed price. payment. successful global service. The deal will give Pixelapse im- Helpling’s business Techlist tracks Asian mediate access to Dropbox’s 300 development manager, Ms start-ups, providing million or so customers – a huge Lynette Chong, said: “We’ll information like names of step up for the fledging start-up. vet all our cleaners to make founders, funding and other Mr Lo, 30, co-founded the firm sure they do not have a details. It also creates in 2012 in San Francisco when he criminal record or shady special reports on Asian found that designers had no good background.” start-up trends. way of automatically tracking the While customers pay via It was created by Tech progress of a project as it was being credit card online, the In Asia and has about 1,000 developed. funds will be withdrawn companies in its database, He added that as a designer and Pixelapse co-founder Lo Min Ming wanted an easy-to-use software (below) that allows designers to adapt quickly and easily, as only when the work has with new ones being added a software developer himself, he well as letting them automatically track a project’s progress. PHOTOS: LO MIN MING, WWW.PIXELAPSE.COM been completed. weekly. had an insight into the develop- Helpling’s Singapore ment and design challenges faced country manager David by professionals in these areas. nology student at Nanyang Poly- Zwagemaker said: “We see Japan VC funds Technology can solve the chal- technic. a rising trend of people local job portal lenges, said Mr Lo in an e-mail in- In 2004, he won the spending more time at work terview with The Straits Times, polytechnic’s gold award for being and social activities and less JAPANESE venture capital but he wanted to provide an the top student and the outstand- time on cleaning and firm Coent Ventures has easy-to-use software that design- ing project work award. He also re- maintaining their homes.” funded local portal Job ers could adapt quickly and easily. ceived the Lee Kuan Yew Award, Singaporeans want Forward. The six-figure Software developers have a sys- which goes to top students in tech- hassle-free service and the funding was not disclosed. tem that allows them to collaborate nology courses. website is an easy-to-use Job Forward is an online on writing programming code. This A year later, he scooped up the one-stop home cleaning social recruitment platform. system automatically files and IT Youth Award from the Singa- solution, he added. It has a new tool called backs up the different versions that pore Computer Society. Mr Lo Helpling is a German Start-up Essence that are written. then went to Stanford University start-up launched last allows start-ups and Designers, he said, do not have a in 2008, where he completed his April. It is now expanding smaller businesses to create similar system that automatically bachelor’s and master’s degrees in to Asia, with Singapore as a customisable company tracks and files the changes. visions and latest iterations online, than 300 million customers, some- computer science by 2011. its first market. recruitment website to “One of our customers had offic- allowing the offices to work better thing Mr Lo finds “tremendously On his website (minming.net), It is available in more attract new hires. es in different cities and countries. together.” exciting”. And it was the prospect he describes himself as a photogra- than 150 cities in Europe GRACE CHNG Our Pixelapse collaboration soft- Pixelapse’s tens of thousands of of being able to develop products phy enthusiast, food and fine drink and is the most widely ware helps their designers synchro- customers include design agencies for so many users that prompted lover and an art admirer. available platform in the Sends news on start-up nise and file their design work,” and studios and large firms with him to sell to Dropbox, which is al- The start-up’s other co-founder continent for home development to said Mr Lo. in-house creative teams. so based in San Francisco, al- is Mr Shravan Reddy, 24, also a cleaning. [email protected] “The software also gives them The acquisition will give Pixe- though he had other suitors. Stanford University alumnus. the ability to instantly see all the re- lapse access to Dropbox’s more Mr Lo was a top infocomm tech- [email protected] B14 MONEY COMPANIES THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 Sats’ earnings jump 25.2% in Q3

losing the Jetstar Asia account to was down, continued efforts to pore and elsewhere in Asia, rising new businesses and customer seg- Takings rise despite drop in turnover rival Aircraft Service Internation- manage costs and improve produc- manpower costs have also been a ments, he said, without elaborat- al Group. tivity yielded positive results. key driver for the push towards ing. and overall industry slowdown This resulted in fewer flights The lower cost of raw materials greater automation.” Earnings for the nine months and passengers handled, but be- also helped bring operating ex- This is an area that Sats will to Dec 31 grew by a more modest By KARAMJIT KAUR revenue for the three months to cause the cuts came mainly from penditure down 5.6 per cent to continue to focus on, he said. 4.6 per cent to $144.1 million, but AVIATION CORRESPONDENT Dec 31 fell 3.2 per cent to $450.7 low-cost carriers that do not pro- $399.6 million. “We have confidence in our revenue declined 1.8 per cent to million. vide meals as part of their fares, Sats’ share of after-tax profits strategy... We will continue to in- $1.33 billion. IMPROVED productivity, lower The improved profit numbers there was no decline in the total from overseas associates and joint vest in our state-of-the-art facili- Quarterly earnings per share costs and stronger contributions came despite a drop in turnover number of meals provided. ventures grew 6.2 per cent year ties, comprehensive suite of ser- was 4.8 cents, up from 3.8 cents a from associate companies helped and a slowdown in business at Another bright spark was a on year to $13.8 million. vices and new technologies to year earlier, while net asset value boost third-quarter earnings at Changi, said Sats, the airport’s pick-up in the cargo business, While profits have improved, drive economies of scale and en- per share was $1.25 as at Dec 31, Sats. biggest ground-handling firm. said Sats president and chief exec- the operating landscape remains hance connectivity for our custom- down from $1.27 as at March 31 Earnings rose 25.2 per cent This was due to an overall in- utive Alex Hungate yesterday. challenging in the near term, said ers” he said. last year. year on year to $53.7 million while dustry slowdown as well as Sats He added that while turnover Mr Hungate, adding: “In Singa- There are also plans to grow [email protected] SingPost gets boost from logistics, e-commerce S’pore hedge fund plans activist agenda By MICHELLE LEE MR ROLAND Thng is seeking to cial dividends or share buy- CONTRIBUTIONS from its logis- shake up Singapore’s staid cor- backs, which would likely boost tics and e-commerce businesses porate landscape, setting up a the companies’ shares. It may al- helped Singapore Post achieve hedge fund focused exclusively so push firms to convert their steady growth in the third quar- on influencing the way locally debt to cheaper convertible ter. listed companies are run. bonds. Net profit for the three months The 33-year-old has estab- The fund has already bought to Dec 31 was $42.2 million, a 7.3 lished EVA Capital with US$5 a stake of about 2 per cent in en- per cent increase from $39.4 mil- million (S$6.7 million), and ini- gineering firm Hock Lian Seng lion in the same period last year. tially plans to take stakes in Holdings, he said. Revenue rose 7.6 per cent to small and medium-sized con- The company has a market $239.6 million, up from $222.6 struction and engineering com- capitalisation of $181 million, a million previously. panies to pressure them to per- dividend yield of 5.1 per cent The group attributed revenue form better. and trades at 9.6 times its earn- growth to improved contributions “It’s a new approach and the ings, according to data compiled from its logistics and e-commerce market will need some time to by Bloomberg. businesses. get used to it,” said Mr Thng, Dektos expects the company Logistics revenue surged 20.7 chief executive officer of Singa- to continue paying out attrac- per cent to $122.1 million, from pore-based fund management tive dividends and will take an $101.2 million last year. firm Dektos Investment, which activist approach if that does Retail and e-commerce turn- runs EVA Capital. “Activist in- not happen, Mr Thng said. over rose 1.3 per cent to $22.9 mil- vesting is a bit offensive in the High-profile activist inves- lion compared with $22.6 million Singapore and Asian context.” tors have had a mixed record in a year earlier. Many Singapore companies their efforts to put pressure on The increase in logistics reve- have a controlling shareholder, Singapore companies. nue came hand in hand with the which makes it easier to resist Last year, investor Paul Sing- growth in e-commerce, with demands from activist inves- er bought a stake in Wing Hang Quantium Solutions and Singa- tors, said Mr Hugh Young, the Bank in what was said to be an pore Parcels developing logistics Asia managing director at Aber- attempt to push OCBC Bank to SingPost attributed third-quarter revenue growth to improved contributions from its logistics and e-commerce businesses. services for online businesses. deen Asset Management in Sin- raise its takeover bid for the This helped offset decreased turnover from traditional mail. ST FILE PHOTO This helped offset decreased gapore. Hong Kong lender. OCBC did turnover from traditional mail. “It also isn’t the cultural not respond and Mr Singer even- Traditional mail recorded turn- strengthening the postal business and Famous Pacific Shipping NZ, norm,” Mr Young said. “It’s all tually sold his stake in Wing over of $130.1 million in the third even as the company set about to allowing it to enter the Australian more consensual in Asia, less Hang without getting a higher quarter, falling 2.3 per cent from Q3 at a glance diversify its revenue streams and and New Zealand markets. confrontational. bid. $133.2 million the year before. Do- í Revenue: to go regional. While we have Earnings per share was 1.8 “Things have been done a lot Muddy Waters put pressure mestic mail revenue fell by 1.7 per $239.6 million (+7.6%) managed to grow non-mail reve- cents in the third quarter, down more quietly, behind closed on Singapore-listed commodity cent, while international mail de- í Net profit: nue and achieved a more balanced from 1.9 cents previously, while doors.” trader Olam International by clined 2.7 per cent due to in- $42.2 million (+7.3%) revenue portfolio, it is critical net asset value per share rose to Mr Thng said he plans to tar- publicly questioning its finances creased competition from other that we continue with the transfor- 48.5 cents as of Dec 31 from 36.5 get Singapore’s smaller construc- in a report in 2012, which caused commercial operators and higher mation.” cents at March 31 last year. tion and engineering companies, Olam’s stock to plummet. dues paid to the International The group aims to expand in The interim dividend per share which often have a lot of cash or Then, Singapore investment Postal Union. statement yesterday: “SingPost em- the region, with the “strategic ob- held steady at 1.25 cents for the receivables due to the recent firm Temasek Holdings bought a SingPost emphasised its strate- barked on its transformation jour- jective of building a regional third quarter. building boom. controlling stake in Olam last gic shift away from traditional ney in 2003 when the company e-commerce delivery network”. SingPost shares closed one Dektos may buy stakes in year, triggering a rally in its mail to logistics and e-commerce. (made its initial public offering). Since December, it has ac- cent down at $2.03 yesterday. some of them and push the man- shares. Chairman Lim Ho Kee said in a “Concerted efforts went into quired CouriersPlease Holdings [email protected] agement to use the cash for spe- BLOOMBERG S’pore-Philippine ties ‘key NH Ceramics’ acquisition of BlackGold nearly done to regional integration’ By WONG WEI HAN into Indonesia’s coal mining in- at 29.5 cents each to the five ven- Mr Intekhab Khan, dustry. dors and UOB Kay Hian, which is BlackGold’s non-executive chair- BUILDING materials supplier NH It had entered an agreement advising on the deal. This prices man, told The Straits Times that By WONG WEI HAN Ceramics is closer to completing with five vendors – Twin Gold the deal at around $187.5 million. the placement exercise is under the reverse takeover of Black- Ventures, Rockfield Lake, Cerenti The move was approved by way to pave the way for the Catal- THE strong relationship between Gold, with the new entity set to Investments, Novel Creation NH Ceramics shareholders in an ist listing by early next month. Singapore and the Philippines list on the Catalist Board by next Holdings and Kaalasona – to ac- extraordinary general meeting “The addition of BlackGold to will be a key driver in helping the month. quire BlackGold via a reverse take- last week. The firm will be re- Catalist will offer local investors region achieve closer economic The deal has been in the mak- over. named BlackGold Natural Re- the opportunity to benefit from integration, said Trade and Indus- ing since March 2013, when Singa- NH Ceramics plans to issue sources and has control of about Indonesia’s robust energy sec- try Minister Lim Hng Kiang yes- pore-listed NH Ceramics an- nearly 635.6 million shares – on a 48,910ha of coal concessions in tor,” he said. terday. nounced its interest in venturing post-share consolidation basis – Sumatra’s Riau province. [email protected] He told the Philippines-Singa- pore Business Council Forum that bilateral trade rose 2 per cent last year to $15 billion, driven by an increasing interest in Acra files another 1,000 charges against database firm the Philippines’ economic resur- gence. Its rising domestic de- Vessels and containers at Manila’s By CHIA YAN MIN vember 2013. Acra received more than 2,000 it had no links to Data Register. mand has led to renewed interest main port. Singapore’s Trade and These charges come on top of queries regarding letters sent by Under Section 144 of the Com- from Singapore and companies Industry Minister Lim Hng Kiang said THE Accounting and Corporate an earlier 104 counts brought Data Register between November panies Act, a company must state based here, Mr Lim said. bilateral trade hit $15 billion in 2014. Regulatory Authority (Acra) has against the company in January 2013 and January last year. Many its name and registration number The Philippine economy ex- brought a further 1,000 charges last year. Each charge carries a companies thought Data Register in business correspondences. panded by 6 per cent to 7 per Singapore and the Philippines under the Companies Act against maximum fine of $1,000. was a government agency and These requirements are in cent in the past two years. Singa- are working closely on advancing a firm named Data Register. Data Register, previously they were obliged to cooperate. place to ensure that the public pore companies operating there regional economic integration The database company is being known as Company Register, sent Some also received invoices know who they are doing busi- include consumer brands such as through initiatives such as the charged with failing to display its letters asking companies to verify seeking a $490 payment for sub- ness with and to prevent cases of BreadTalk and Charles & Keith as Asean Economic Community, Mr company name and registration details with it or risk being delet- scription services. Acra issued mistaken identity, Acra said in a well as energy companies Swiber Lim said. number in correspondence with ed from the “Singaporean Compa- two public alerts in November statement yesterday. and Keppel Offshore and Marine. [email protected] other firms in October and No- ny Register” database. 2013 and January last year to say [email protected] THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 MARKETS MONEY B15

BULLS AND BEARS COMPANYBRIEFS Market makes small gain PEC Philippines Distributed Power Holdings for 159.12 million SPECIALIST engineering pesos (S$4.86 million), with group PEC said it has won a the payment spread over a $132 million project in the 34-month period, the Middle East awarded by a company said yesterday. after oil price rally multinational company. TEE group chief executive The fast-track project is to and managing director C.K. be completed by April next Phua said it is looking year, the mainboard-listed forward to “undertaking other Traders largely seemed to be traded, while Noble increased 2.5 company said yesterday. energy projects in the Traders also seem confident that betting that Greece will manage cents to $1.10 with 26.8 million Under the contract, PEC Philippines and, at the same to do that, though with some cau- shares traded. will provide engineering, time, steadily grow (its) Greece can negotiate new debt deal tion. Hong Kong gained 0.5 per The oil rally also helped rig- procurement and infrastructure business”. cent, Tokyo jumped 2 per cent builder Keppel Corp continue its construction works to develop By MELISSA TAN though they retreated a little yes- and Seoul went up 0.6 per cent winning streak. The stock rose large crude and fuel oil tanks terday to around US$57. yesterday. nine cents to $8.94. Sembcorp for a refinery in the United Hwa Hong LOCAL shares eked out a small Although crude oil prices are Shanghai fell 1 per cent before Marine added three cents to $3.13 Arab Emirates. Corporation gain yesterday after a rally in down by about half from June the Chinese central bank an- but smaller offshore stocks such crude oil prices overnight on last year, the overnight rally nounced monetary easing last as Ezion and Swiber slipped. Ezi- TEE International PROPERTY firm Hwa Hong Tuesday and fresh hopes that could signal that prices have bot- night. on fell three cents to $1.29 and Corporation recorded a net Greece’s new leaders can reach a tomed out. The People’s Bank of China Swiber was down 0.2 cent to 19.4 TEE International, a profit of $12.42 million for the deal on its debt with its European Markets were also buoyed by cut a reserve requirement ratio cents. mainboard-listed engineering year to Dec 31, despite a 28.6 lenders. prospects that Greece can negoti- for banks in a bid to boost liquidi- DMG Research said in a report and property company, said it per cent drop in total revenue Those two factors also helped ate a deal with its creditors in Eu- ty and stimulate economic yesterday that the energy indus- is making a maiden foray into to $20.41 million. to lift other markets in the rope. It is proposing to swap its growth. This was something that try is set to recover soon. the Philippines by investing in Net profit stood at $8.63 region. debt for bonds that will be repaid traders had been expecting for a “Oil and gas industry players a company which is building a million the previous year, The benchmark Straits Times only if the Greek economy grows. while. are mostly of the view that we 25-megawatt power facility with revenue at $28.6 million. Index rose 9.55 points or 0.28 per If the country does not ham- In Singapore, commodity are seeing the bottom of a normal that will supply electricity to It has declared a final cent to 3,417.57. This was after mer out a deal with lenders by stocks Golden Agri-Resources oil and gas business cycle. a cement plant and to Iligan dividend of one cent and a prices of benchmark Brent crude the end of June, it will be unable and Noble Group were among the “Amid the chaos, some compa- city on Mindanao island. special dividend of 0.15 cent. oil surged 7 per cent to a to pay back €7 billion (S$10.7 bil- most actively traded. nies will emerge stronger,” it TEE is taking a 21.05 per It paid a dividend of one cent one-month high of nearly US$58 lion) worth of bonds maturing in Golden Agri rose half a cent to said. cent stake in PowerSource in the previous financial year. a barrel on Tuesday night, al- July and August. 42.5 cents on 42.6 million shares [email protected]

MARKET SUMMARY Top Movers (Warrants) Straits Times Index STI trading volume FTSE ST all-share index Stock trading volume Top Rises (%) Top Falls (%) 3,500 900 1.19 billion shares Feb 4, 2015 251.2 million shares Feb 4, 2015 850 worth $1.23 billion Feb 04 CENTS % + Feb 04 CENTS % - 3,250 ComfortDeMBeCW150402 ..... 7.2 44.0 2.2 SingPost MBeCW150603 ...... 6.9 -31.7 -3.2 3,417.57 800 822.38 KepCorp MBeCW150401 ...... 2 33.3 0.5 NKY 17000MBePW150313 ..... 5.6 -18.8 -1.3 NOL MB eCW150401 ...... 3.1 24.0 0.6 Asiatic W150925 ...... 1 -16.7 -0.2 +9.55 +2.07 KepCorp MBeCW150901 .... 14.2 22.4 2.6 Ezra MBeCW160104 ...... 2.3 -14.8 -0.4 3,000 STI up & down 750 Up & down CN9000MBePW150330 ...... 5 19.0 0.8 NOL MB eCW160201 ...... 8.1 -13.8 -1.3 NKY 17500MBeCW150313 ..10.1 18.8 1.6 DBS MB eCW150715 ...... 8.3 -13.5 -1.3 Gainers: 18 700 Gainers: 197 SembMar MBeCW150701 ..... 3.3 13.8 0.4 KepCorp MBePW150603 ...... 8.5 -11.5 -1.1 2,750 52-WEEK HIGH: 3,423.35 (Feb 2 ’15) 52-WEEK HIGH: 824.13 (Jan 28 ’15) UOB MB eCW150415 ...... 6.4 10.3 0.6 OCBC Bk MBePW150504 ..... 5.9 -10.6 -0.7 LOW: 2,960.09 (Feb 5 ’14) 650 KepCorp MBeCW150602 .... 11.1 9.9 1.0 STI 3200MBePW150430 ...... 2.8 -9.7 -0.3 Losers: 9 LOW: 722.35 (Feb 5 ’14) Losers: 188 KepCorp MBeCW150701 .... 19.9 9.9 1.8 CN11000MBeCW150528 ..... 14.8 -7.5 -1.2 2,500 600 NOL MB eCW151201 ...... 9.3 9.4 0.8 DBS MB eCW160104 ...... 26.5 -7.0 -2.0 Feb ’14 April June Aug Oct Dec Feb ’15 Unchanged: 3 Feb ’14 April June Aug Oct Dec Feb ’15 Unchanged: 402 SGX MB eCW150803 ...... 15.2 9.4 1.3 CN12500MBeCW150528 ..... 10.2 -5.6 -0.6 OCBC Bk MBeCW150413 ..... 7.1 9.2 0.6 DBS MB eCW150701 ...... 11.8 -4.8 -0.6 KepCorp MBeCW160601 ...... 7.4 8.8 0.6 SingTelMBePW151102 ...... 6.2 -4.6 -0.3 CapitalaMBeCW160104 ...... 12.6 7.7 0.9 NKY 18500MBeCW150612 ...12.7 -4.5 -0.6 FTSE ST Indexes SembMar MBeCW151102 ..... 8.9 7.2 0.6 CompactMetal W161110 ...... 2.6 -3.7 -0.1 Overseas markets CapitalaMBeCW150803 ...... 8.2 6.5 0.5 SingPost MBeCW150907 ...... 2.8 -3.4 -0.1 Points Change Points Change Points Change OCBC Bk MBeCW150803 ...13.1 6.5 0.8 Sinarmas eW151118 ...... 47.5 -3.1 -1.5 Index Yesterday’s close Change Index Yesterday’s close Change CN9200MBeCW150528 ...... 7.8 5.4 0.4 CN15000MBeCW150730 ...... 7.9 -2.5 -0.2 Mid Cap 785.53 2.24 Basic materials 140.57 0.96 Real estate 800.24 1.42 UOB MB eCW150302 ...... 5.9 5.4 0.3 DBS MB ePW150402 ...... 9.5 -2.1 -0.2 Small Cap 503.56 -0.92 Consumer goods 495.68 5.37 Real estate Hang Seng 24,679.76 124.98 Jakarta Comp 5,315.284 23.566 812.06 3.31 Fledgling 836.54 -0.41 Consumer serv 860.60 -6.44 hldg & dev Nikkei 225 17,678.74 342.89 SET Thailand 1,599.81 -2.73 Bonds Catalist 738.15 -4.73 Financials 896.05 3.95 Reits 803.05 -0.42 Seoul Kospi 1,962.79 10.83 Sydney ASX 200 5,777.342 69.976 China 237.03 0.77 Health care 1,250.66 -6.11 Technology 415.61 0.52 Vol Shanghai Comp 3,174.126 -30.781 Tuesday’s close Company Last Sale +or- ('000) China Top 196.18 -0.50 Industrials 838.53 -1.37 Telco 1,074.62 5.06 CapMallA3.8%b220112 ...... 102.8 unch 15 Shenzhen Comp 1,529.041 -4.176 Dow 17,666.4 305.36 CityDev NCCPS ...... 106 -2 3 Maritime 253.80 4.16 Oil and gas 579.44 3.49 Utilities 485.97 -8.42 Bursa KLCI 1,803.02 21.76 Nasdaq 4,727.738 51.049 DBS Bk 4.7% NCPS ...... 10615 -7 0 Source: INTERACTIVE DATA FibreChem NCPS ...... 11 susp - Genting SP5.125%Perp ...... 105 -0.5 212 Hyflux 6% CPS ...... 10695 -20 0 SINGAPORE STOCKS LTA n4.17%160510 k ...... 104 - - For a full list of SGX stocks, warrants and bonds, visit btstocks.asiaone.com OCBC Bk 4.2%NCPS ...... 103.5 +0.5 5 TRANSACTION DATE: FEB 4, 2015 OCC 3.93% NCPS ...... 10030 +10 0 OCC 5.1% NCPS ...... 10640 -15 1 SIA 2.15%b150930 ...... 100.7 - - UE Pref ...... 190 - - Top Movers (Stocks) Top Actives ETF Top Rises (¢) Top Falls (¢) By Volume CENTS Vol Feb 04 CENTS + % Feb 04 CENTS - % Advance SCT ...... 0.1 120,800,000 52-Wk Last Vol DBXT E50 US$ ...... 4955 302.7 4.8 GLD US$ ...... 12157 -219.3 -1.3 IHC ...... 27.5 47,597,500 High Low Company Sale +/- (’000) DBXT S&P500 US$ ...... 3445 127.8 2.8 DBXT Vietnam US$ ...... 2525 -67.3 -1.9 Golden Agri-Res ...... 42.5 42,619,100 DBXT MSINDO us$ ...... 1454 41.7 2.2 JMH USD ...... 6373 -60.5 -0.7 SIIC Environment ...... 13.6 34,469,300 DBXT MSMSIA US$ ...... 1359 40.4 2.3 DBXT S&P Short US$ ...... 2243 -25.6 -0.8 Ezion ...... 129 33,584,800 118 110.2 ABF SG Bond ETF ...... 117 - 18 Lyxor Mal US$ ...... 940 40.4 3.3 Hyflux 6% CPS ...... 10695 -20.0 -0.2 Noble ...... 110 26,815,600 139.4 120 CIMB APAC Div S$D ...... 137.7 - - Jardine C&C ...... 4221 32.0 0.8 IS Asia BND US ...... 1064 -17.5 -1.2 Pacific Andes ...... 5.7 23,305,200 110.5 94 CIMB APAC Div US$ ...... US101 - - Lyxor ChinaH US$ ...... 1616 28.3 1.3 SIA Engineering ...... 417 -15.0 -3.5 SingTel ...... 409 21,791,800 1401 1222 CIMBASEAN40 S$D ...... 1375 - - DBXT MSCHINA US$ ...... 1405 26.9 1.4 SIA ...... 1211 -14.0 -1.1 HPH Trust USD ...... 72 20,728,600 1300 927 CIMBASEAN40 US$ ...... US1036 -1 0 UOB ...... 2340 24.0 1.0 Lyxor LATAM US$ ...... 549 -12.1 -1.6 APAC Strategic ...... 4.9 17,852,900 4403 3530 DBXT ASX200 US$ ...... US3699 - - HongkongLand USD ...... 785 20.2 1.9 IS LC BND US$ ...... 951 -10.8 -0.8 Adventus ...... 2.9 17,449,300 20717 18705 DBXT AUDBonds AU$ ...... A20717 - - Lyxor AsiaRE US$ ...... 990 20.2 1.5 ComfortDelGro ...... 292 -10.0 -3.3 Vallianz ...... 7 16,642,300 Isetan ...... 486 20.0 4.3 Ascendas Reit ...... 251 -7.0 -2.7 21733 21274 DBXT AUDCS AU$ ...... A21733 - - GMG Global ...... 6.4 16,288,500 25304 23980 DBXT AUDCS SG$ ...... 24070 - - Great Eastern ...... 2420 18.0 0.7 DBS Bk 4.7% NCPS ...... 10615 -7.0 -0.1 Swiber ...... 19.4 15,343,300 Lyxor Nasdaq US$ ...... 1680 17.5 0.8 IS MS India S$D ...... 1067 -7.0 -0.7 CapitaMall Trust ...... 214 15,144,900 20322 18581 DBXT AUDCS US$ ...... US19269 - - DBXT MSRussia US$ ...... 180 16.1 7.1 DairyFarm USD ...... 884 -6.7 -0.6 China Fibretech ...... 3.7 14,676,000 1044 613 DBXT CSI300 US$ ...... US963 +3 1 Petra Foods ...... 405 15.0 3.8 CapitaR China Tr ...... 166 -4.5 -2.6 Keppel Corp ...... 894 12,978,800 3480 2577 DBXT China50 US$ ...... US3411 - - Lyxor Cmdty ...... 214 14.8 5.4 China Everbright ...... 107 -4.5 -4.0 Tigerair ...... 33 12,785,100 1926 1448 DBXT DBCBLEB US$ ...... US1448 - - SGX ...... 796 14.0 1.8 Old Chang Kee ...... 80.5 -4.5 -5.3 3096 2582 DBXT DBCDJUBS US$ ...... US2723 - - DBXT MSEmer US$ ...... 397 13.5 2.6 IS ASIA HYG US$ ...... 1053 -4.0 -0.3 Ezra ...... 54 12,200,300 OSIM Intl ...... 202 12.5 6.6 UOI ...... 473 -4.0 -0.8 Mirach Energy ...... 8.5 12,145,700 3545 2555 DBXT DBLCI-OY US$ ...... US2599 - - 5630 4562 DBXT E50 US$ ...... US4955 +225 0 19495 17315 DBXT EONIA US$ ...... US18641 - - 140.1 119.3 DBXT MS SING US$ ...... US129.4 - - 420 350 DBXT MSASPAC US$ ...... US387 - - 193.2 164.6 DBXT MSAXJHDY US$ ...... US180 - - Straits Times Index Stocks 3808 2802 DBXT MSAsExJp US$ ...... US3619 - - 116 80.3 DBXT MSBANGL US$ ...... US100.5 - 0 52-WEEK CURRENCY LAST 'VOL DAY GROSS NET M CAP 614 357 DBXT MSBrazil US$ ...... US374 - - HIGH LOW COMPANY TRADED SALE +OR- '000 HIGH LOW YIELD % P/E $MIL 1438 1119 DBXT MSCHINA US$ ...... US1405 +20 7 442 364 DBXT MSEAsia US$ ...... US426 - - 263 206 Ascendas Reit ...... 251 -7 10275 260 250 5.7 - 6346.2 442 363 DBXT MSEmer US$ ...... US397 +10 5 364 268 CapitaLand ...... 352 -2 10284 357 352 2.3 17.6 15040 6492 5366 DBXT MSEurope US$ ...... US5684 - - 226 180 CapitaMall Trust ...... 214 +2 15144 215 211 5.1 - 7423.7 1148 797 DBXT MSINDIA US$ ...... US1126 +9 0 1118 869 CityDev ...... 1022 +6 596 1025 1017 0.8 13.9 9293.1 310 189 ComfortDelGro ...... 292 -10 9764 310 290 2.4 23.5 6250.6 1600 1200 DBXT MSINDO us$ ...... US1454 +31 0 2067 1565 DBS Grp ...... 1960 +6 5179 1972 1952 3 13.1 48592.4 4814 4260 DBXT MSJAP US$ ...... US4630 - - 143.5 99 Genting Sing ...... 107 +0.5 11862 108 106 0.9 22.2 13117.7 6735 5484 DBXT MSKorea US$ ...... US5673 - - 297 239 Global Logistic ...... 251 -1 7213 252 250 1.6 13.8 12147.8 1598 1310 DBXT MSMSIA US$ ...... US1359 +30 0 61.5 41 Golden Agri-Res ...... 42.5 +0.5 42619 43 42 2.6 13.9 5456 218.4 140.2 DBXT MSPAKIS US$ ...... US218.4 - - 76 61.5 HPH Trust USD ...... US72 unch 20728 73 71.5 7.3 - 6272 223 163.5 DBXT MSPHILS US$ ...... US218.6 - - 830 597 HongkongLand USD ...... US785 +15 2245 785 768 2.3 15.5 18469.5 6788 5199 JMH USD ...... US6373 -45 164 6452 6330 2.2 15 44022.7 571 499 DBXT MSPacXJp US$ ...... US503 - - 3810 3105 JSH USD ...... US3478 unch 140 3495 3450 0.7 12.5 38973.8 302 140 DBXT MSRussia US$ ...... US180 +12 28 4901 3347 Jardine C&C ...... 4221 +32 297 4254 4170 3.2 13 14863.1 2225 1739 DBXT MSTHAI US$ ...... US2144 - - 1120 791 Keppel Corp ...... 894 cd +9 12978 908 894 5.4 8.6 16266.9 2322 1873 DBXT MSTaiwan US$ ...... US2210 - - 148 93 Noble ...... 110 +2.5 26815 110 108.5 1 25.6 7440.5 5242 4527 DBXT MSUSA US$ ...... US5120 - - 1063 883.2 OCBC Bank ...... 1058 +6 5359 1063 1050 3.2 14 42245.2 500 406 DBXT MSWorld US$ ...... US455 +7 2 269 143 Olam Intl ...... 198 -0.5 733 199.5 198 3.8 8 4936 805 666 SGX ...... 796 +14 2692 798 788 3.5 25.3 8530.3 14752 9759 DBXT Nifty US$ ...... US14560 - - 1291 941 SIA ...... 1211 -14 1740 1228 1200 3.8 39.6 14530.4 2752 2197 DBXT S&P Short US$ ...... US2243 -19 0 515 391 SIA Engineering ...... 417 -15 1782 427 416 6 17.5 4674.9 3490 2894 DBXT S&P500 US$ ...... US3445 +95 0 435 395 SPH ...... 409 -1 3004 413 409 5.1 16.4 6546.7 10742 10736 DBXT SORA SG$ ...... EU10710 - - 400 314 ST Engineering ...... 345 +5 4063 346 342 4.3 18.4 10769.2 3542 3042 DBXT STGLDv US$ ...... US3206 - - 559 405 Sembcorp Ind ...... 437 +3 4070 444 436 3.9 9.6 7819.2 17073 17065 DBXT USDCS US$ ...... US17072 - - 418 285 Sembcorp Marine ...... 313 +3 11262 318 313 4.2 11.8 6539.3 28100 26601 DBXT USDIGInfl US$ ...... US27930 - - 412 342 SingTel ...... 409 +2 21791 412 406 4.1 17.8 65167.8 432 400 Star Hub ...... 427 unch 2330 430 426 4.7 19.9 8304.2 3100 2403 DBXT Vietnam US$ ...... US2525 -50 1 77 50.5 ThaiBev ...... 74 +1 11457 74.5 73.5 2.3 25.6 18581.4 1053 891 DBXT iBoxxIDR US$ ...... US1053 - - 2472 1947 UOB ...... 2340 +24 1902 2343 2325 3.2 12.7 37780.3 16064 14515 DBXT iBoxxKR US$ ...... US14815 - - 356 292 Wilmar Intl ...... 323 +2 2702 326 323 2.5 12.4 20683 13392 12503 DBXT iBoxxSing SG$ ...... 13300 - - 28472 25503 DBXT iBoxxSvEu US$ ...... US25503 - - 21507 20309 DBXT iBoxxUSTr US$ ...... US21507 - - FTSE ST Mid-Cap Index Stocks 13341 10892 GLD US$ ...... US12157 -163 11 1412 1280 IS ASIA BND S$D ...... 1410 - - 1450 1330 IS ASIA HYG S$D ...... 1370 - - 52-WEEK CURRENCY LAST 'VOL DAY GROSS NET M CAP 1119 1013 IS ASIA HYG US$ ...... US1053 -3 7 HIGH LOW COMPANY TRADED SALE +OR- '000 HIGH LOW YIELD % P/E $MIL 1081 1004 IS Asia BND US ...... US1064 -13 4 10037 8789 IS DJ USTech US$ ...... US10037 - - 188 164 ARA Asset Mgmt ...... 168.5 -1 137 170 168.5 3 19.2 1424.1 1282 1237 IS LC 1-3Y S$D ...... 1282 +3 0 132 115 Ascott Reit ...... 127 +0.5 1219 127 126 6.5 - 1945.4 1014 942 IS LC 1-3Y US$ ...... US942 - - 92 73 Asian Pay TV Tr ...... 88.5 unch 1190 89 88.5 4.7 - 1271.6 1287 1164 IS LC BND S$D ...... 1285 -2 0 104 47.5 Biosensors ...... 66.5 -1.5 7000 68.5 66.5 - 22.2 1169.9 985 918 IS LC BND US$ ...... US951 -8 36 129 89 Bumitama Agri ...... 102 +0.5 487 103 100.5 1.2 20.2 1792.7 183.5 152.5 CDL HTrust ...... 174 xd -1.5 832 176 173.5 6.3 - 1709.1 1089 740 IS MS India S$D ...... 1067 -7 0 193.5 137.5 CapitaCom Trust ...... 181 +1 9372 181.5 180 4.7 - 5333.5 1000 555 IS MS India US$ ...... US793 -2 511 173.5 128.5 CapitaR China Tr ...... 166 xd -4.5 459 167.5 164 5.9 - 1299.3 1415 1220 IS MSCI SIN US$ ...... US1283 - - 76.5 50.5 Cosco ...... 52.5 +0.5 1644 53.5 52.5 1.9 38.3 1175.6 20723 18300 IS S&P500 US$ ...... US20450 - 0 195.8 102 Ezion ...... 129 -3 33584 135.5 129 0.1 7.5 2037.2 514 427 Lyxor Asia EX US$ ...... US490 - - 90.5 76 Far East HTrust ...... 86 unch 492 86.5 84.5 6.6 - 1529.1 Sibor Interbank Currency Rates 543 454 Lyxor Asia US$ ...... US511 +7 39 260 175 First Resources ...... 184 +1.5 3264 186.5 182.5 2.4 9.7 2914.7 6360 5562 Lyxor AsiaCS US$ ...... US5970 - - 26.5 20.5 Fragrance ...... 22.5 unch 718 23 22.5 2.2 7.3 1512 3993 3381 Lyxor AsiaIT US$ ...... US3669 - - 209 166 Frasers Cpt Tr ...... 199.5 -1.5 2690 203 199 5.6 - 2112.8 Feb 04 42.5 34 Genting HK US$ ...... US37 -0.5 1287 37.5 37 - - 2437.2 (S$) Against S$ Against US$ 1008 839 Lyxor AsiaRE US$ ...... US990 +15 0 119.5 81.5 GuocoLeisure ...... 92.5 -1.5 817 94.5 92.5 2.2 24.7 1265.5 261 216 Lyxor CRBNonEny US$ ...... US216 -1 49 245 191 Ho Bee Land ...... 205 +2 299 205 204 3.9 2.3 1514.9 Currencies Bid Offer Bid Offer 1700 1221 Lyxor ChinaH US$ ...... US1616 +21 11 110.5 66 Indofood Agri ...... 71 +0.5 402 72 70.5 - 17.8 1027.9 S$/US$ to one unit of foreign currency: 294 200 Lyxor Cmdty ...... US214 +11 10 455 310 Keppel Land ...... 454 cd +1 5406 454 453 3.1 9.3 7011.9 1 mth ...... 0.60235 Australian dollar ...... 1.0512 1.0515 0.7815 0.7816 1136 955 Lyxor EM Mkt US$ ...... US1018 - - 130.5 110.5 Keppel Reit ...... 123 unch 4290 124 123 5.9 - 3907.6 533 396 Lyxor EastEur US$ ...... US405 - - 42 30.5 Lippo Malls Tr ...... 36 unch 899 36 35.5 9 - 931 2 mths ...... – Canadian dollar ...... 1.0831 1.0834 0.8053 0.8052 393 327 M1 ...... 391 cd +4 2067 393 389 4.8 20.7 3645.9 Euro ...... 1.5428 1.5433 1.1470 1.1472 1678 1338 Lyxor Europe US$ ...... US1412 - - 156 116 Mapletree Com Tr ...... 153 +1 1698 153.5 152 4.8 - 3218.8 NZ dollar ...... 0.9979 0.9986 0.7419 0.7423 320 259 Lyxor HSI US$ ...... US304 - - 103.5 78 Mapletree GCC Tr ...... 102 unch 2825 102.5 101.5 6.1 - 2767.6 3 mths ...... 0.67863 Sterling pound ...... 2.0400 2.0408 1.5166 1.5170 9636 7358 Lyxor Indonesia US$ ...... US8945 - - 158 130.5 Mapletree Ind Tr ...... 155 +1 3012 155 153.5 6.4 - 2685.6 US dollar ...... 1.3451 1.3453 - - 125.5 110 Lyxor Japan US$ ...... US115.9 - - 125.5 98.5 Mapletree Log Tr ...... 120.5 -1.5 3434 123 120.5 6.1 - 2974.9 6 mths ...... 0.73932 595 484 Lyxor Korea US$ ...... US506 - - 105.5 73.5 NOL ...... 101.5 +2.5 7502 102 97.5 - - 2634.5 S$/US$ to 100 units of foreign currency: 773 519 Lyxor LATAM US$ ...... US549 -9 1 294 164.5 OSIM Intl ...... 202 cd +12.5 4920 203 197 3 15.1 1675.2 9 mths ...... – Chinese renminbi ...... 21.5281 21.5348 16.0049 16.0074 250 198.5 OUE ...... 219 -1 715 222 219 10.5 - 2149.7 1809 1251 Lyxor MS India US$ ...... US1775 - - 94.5 82.5 OUE HTrust ...... 94 xd +2 3388 94 91.5 7.2 - 1244.7 Danish krone ...... 20.7241 20.7336 15.4071 15.4119 1101 892 Lyxor Mal US$ ...... US940 +30 10 83 49.5 Oxley ...... 51 unch 302 52 51 6.8 5.2 1503.6 12 mths ...... 0.86601 Hong Kong dollar ...... 17.35 17.35 12.8951 12.8967 1800 1379 Lyxor Nasdaq US$ ...... US1680 +13 0 119.5 47 POSH ...... 55.5 -0.5 2828 57 55 - 10.9 1010.1 Indian Rupee ...... 2.18 2.18 1.6205 1.6210 409 188 Lyxor Russia US$ ...... US234 +9 1 254 220 ParkwayLife Reit ...... 243 xd +2 263 244 240 4.7 - 1468.6 Indonesia rupiah ...... 0.0107 0.0107 0.0079 0.0079 123.6 101.2 Lyxor Taiwan ...... US118.7 +2.7 5 409 297 Raffles Medical ...... 399 +1 283 400 398 1.3 25.9 2252.4 SWAP - Offer rates (S$) Japanese yen ...... 1.1445 1.1448 0.8508 0.8510 14379 11171 Lyxor ThaiSET US$ ...... US13449 - - 323 283 SATS ...... 297 +1 900 300 296 4.4 18.4 3336.6 Korean won ...... 0.1238 0.1241 0.0921 0.0922 1900 1570 Lyxor US DJIA US$ ...... US1767 - - 20.5 12.3 SIIC Environment ...... 13.6 -0.3 34469 14 13.4 - 23.9 1304.2 181.5 101 SMRT ...... 177 -2.5 4603 179.5 176 1.2 43.2 2694.2 1 mth ...... 0.58821 Malaysian ringgit ...... 37.80 37.84 28.1057 28.1294 179 160.8 Lyxor World US$ ...... US169.4 - - 110 96.5 SPHREIT ...... 105.5 unch 431 105.5 105 5.7 - 2660.4 New Taiwan dollar ...... 4.2832 4.2859 3.1843 3.1858 422 301 Nikko AM STI ETF ...... 348 +2 51 138.5 83.5 Silverlake Axis ...... 130 unch 1071 130 128.5 3.5 30.2 2921.8 Norwegian krone ...... 17.8775 17.8920 13.2908 13.2996 18046 15450 SPDR DJIA US$ ...... US17382 - - 216 130 SingPost ...... 203 -1 7536 205 201 3.1 30.1 4361.9 3 mths ...... 0.71641 Philippine peso ...... 3.0501 3.0520 2.2676 2.2686 20854 17817 SPDR S&P500 US$ ...... US20192 - - 85 75.5 StarhillGbl Reit ...... 81.5 xd +0.5 3408 82 81 6.2 - 1753.9 Saudi riyal ...... 35.8407 35.8555 26.6454 26.6525 349 299 STI ETF ...... 342 +1 214 201 158 Suntec Reit ...... 191.5 +3 9259 192 188.5 4.9 - 4799.9 6 mths ...... 0.74933 Swedish krona ...... 16.3337 16.3421 12.1431 12.1476 238 140 UETF SSE50China ...... 219 +3 61 198.5 104 Super Group ...... 118.5 +6 4489 121 112.5 7.6 13.2 1327.5 750 562 UOL ...... 730 +11 1216 734 726 2.7 7.2 5745 Swiss franc ...... 145.6840 145.8162 108.3072 108.3893 330 174 United Engineers ...... 314 +3 3501 316 311 2.2 12.8 2000.4 Source: Thomson Reuters Thai Baht ...... 4.1248 4.1280 3.0665 3.0684 117 48.5 Vard ...... 51.5 unch 4207 53 51.5 - 8.2 607.7 Source: OCBC All information is published “as is” without warranty of any kind and for information purpos- 825 715 Venture Corp ...... 816 -4 668 825 816 6.1 17.1 2243.6 es only. The Straits Times and the third party information providers make no representa- 208 157 Wing Tai ...... 183.5 -0.5 1803 185.5 183 3.3 5.7 1457 tions, disclaim all express, implied and statutory warranties of any kind to any user and/or 129.5 99.5 YZJ Shipbldg SGD ...... 127.5 +2.5 11803 127.5 125 3.9 7.5 4785.7 123 95.5 Yanlord Land ...... 100 -0.5 1862 101 98.5 1.3 6.3 1934.2 UNIT TRUSTS TABLE APPEARS ON MONDAYS third party, and accept no liability. Advice from a securities professional is strongly advised.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 SPORT B17 AUGUSTIN PACKS HEAT FOR PISTONS New driving force for Detroit sends Miami to three losses in four games

AUBURN HILLS (Michigan) – D.J. He sparked the Pistons’ 25-1 Augustin has seen his playing run at the end of the first quarter time suddenly expand over the with seven points and four as- past two weeks. He is settling into sists. Detroit (19-30) never looked his new role as the Detroit back, leading from eight to 21 Pistons’ primary floor leader, as points the rest of the way. the Miami Heat discovered on “It’s easier, certainly, to play Tuesday. as a starter and to know you’re go- He racked up 25 points and a ing to get the minutes to really get season-high 13 assists, and the Pis- in a rhythm,” Pistons coach Stan tons overcame 34 points from van Gundy said. Chris Bosh – tying a season-high “That’s certainly helping. He’s mark – to pound the Heat 108-91 playing with great confidence and in a National Basketball Associa- he’s really on the attack.” tion game. Shooting guard Kentavious The loss of starting point guard Caldwell-Pope had 18 points and Brandon Jennings to a season-end- centre Andre Drummond contrib- ing Achilles tendon tear thrust Au- uted 14 points and 14 rebounds gustin into the starting line-up. for the Pistons. Detroit lost their first three Small forward Kyle Singler add- games without Jennings but won ed 13 points while power forward the past two, with Augustin aver- Greg Monroe chipped in 12 points aging 26.5 points and 12.5 assists and nine rebounds. Detroit Pistons guard D.J. Augustin (No. 14) takes a shot over Miami Heat centre Hassan Whiteside (No. 21) during the third quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills on in the victories. Centre Hassan Whiteside sup- Tuesday. Augustin’s confidence and attacking qualities as he embraces his expanded role were crucial in Detroit’s decisive 108-91 victory. PHOTO: REUTERS “We’re all good players but if plied 11 points, 10 rebounds and you get a chance to play a lot of five blocks for the Heat, who were minutes, obviously, you’re going beaten for the third time in four strain. Small forward Luol Deng the third quarter alone after going When Augustin made a lay-up “He’s been playing well the to do better,” he said. games. added 10 points and five re- 9-9 from the field. The Heat went in the game’s closing seconds, the last two weeks. “Just by feeling comfortable Heat shooting guard Dwyane bounds. to The Palace 17-0 when Bosh Pistons’ lead was back to 18. “We have to expect him to and getting in the rhythm of the Wade missed his third consecu- Bosh, Miami’s All-Star power scored 30 points but it was not “Augustin was in the paint all have a huge impact.” game, you play better.” tive game with a right hamstring forward, scored 21 of his points in enough on Tuesday. night,” Bosh said. REUTERS Jackson’s dream triangle is proving a nightmare so far

NEW YORK – There were 60 mil- could be better. head-coaching stints by former lion good reasons for Phil Jackson By last spring, James L. Dolan, Jackson lieutenants like Bill Cart- to accept the formidable challenge executive chairman of Madison BASKET CASE wright, Kurt Rambis and Jim Clea- of rebuilding the New York Square Garden, had offered Jack- mons. Rambis and Cleamons are Knicks along with one intangible son a reported US$60 million Like nothing I’ve seen before. So currently assisting the Knicks’ benefit that could not be banked. (S$80 million) over five years, au- far, my experiment has fallen rookie head coach, Derek Fisher. Some might think the one he tonomy in running the Knicks as flat on its face. If imitation is the greatest form chose, however, borders on obses- team president and – for the sake – Phil Jackson on the New York of flattery, the NBA has anointed sion: To resurrect his beloved tri- of his legacy beyond wins and loss- Knicks’ woeful campaign in the Popovich, not Jackson, as its pa- angle and prove to the world that es – the opportunity to plant the current NBA season ternal guide. it is an offence for the ages. triangle in the heart of another Popovich has won five titles But it did not take long after premier NBA market. during the Tim Duncan era and Jackson sat down for a recent in- “It was part of my thinking,” several of his proteges have terview to admit that his debut as he said of – once and for all – pop- ple who have commented that fanned out across the league in a National Basketball Association ularising the system he learnt this way of playing is arcane, that coaching and front-office posi- executive has been sobering, from its innovator, Tex Winter, the game has moved on.” tions. stressful and, during early-morn- when both were assistant coaches He also believes that the game, The most noteworthy apple to ing reflections, doubt-inducing. in Chicago. stylistically, moves in mysterious fall from the Jackson coaching “Like nothing I’ve seen be- “There are some principles of ways. tree has been Steve Kerr, who is fore,” he said of the Knicks’ first the offence that I did feel were be- “I think it’s still debatable enjoying a rousing debut season 41 games, of which they lost 36, a ing overrun, or disregarded.” about how basketball is going to with Golden State. But Kerr, who half-season of hell. Way back in 1999, Bill Fitch, be played, what’s going to win also played for Popovich, rejected They have since fallen to 10-39 who was Jackson’s college coach out,” he said, leaving no doubt of Jackson’s offer to coach the after Tuesday’s 108-97 defeat by at North Dakota, told him: his disdain for the point Knicks and did not install the tri- the Celtics. “So far, my experi- “There’s not going to be any more guard-dominated concept of angle with the Warriors. ment has fallen flat on its face.” mid-range shots. It’s going to be “screen-and-roll, break down, Implicitly, Kerr was saying that In retirement from coaching, a three-point shot or right around pass, and two or three players the triangle is no one-size-fits-all Jackson lived the celebrity life in the basket – that’s the way the standing in spots, not participat- formula, or that it did not make sunny Los Angeles, basking in a game is evolving.” ing in the offence”. sense to force change upon young record 11 NBA championships, Having won six titles with the Jackson said positional princi- shooting stars Stephen Curry and The latest setback for Carmelo Anthony and Co came in Tuesday’s 97-108 home flirting with those who wished for triangle in Chicago, Jackson did defeat by the Boston Celtics. The New York Knicks have now lost 39 of their 49 ples of the triangle were evident Klay Thompson. him to return to the Lakers while not want to believe that. NBA games this season. PHOTO: EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY in most coaches’ schemes – in- Jackson said influence, not ac- knowing his age and physical limi- He could not understand why cluding that of Gregg Popovich in knowledgment, was what he was tations would not allow it. teams would not emulate the San Antonio, “in a very fluid seeking. Life was good, he said. His com- Bulls after what they had done. of Fitch’s canny prediction. work in a league in which no one form” – but that total immersion “It’s not who I am, it’s what I panion, Jeanie Buss of the Lakers’ “He pretty much predicted the But as to scepticism about whe- else plays it, Jackson said: “I’m had not been embraced beyond can impart,” he said. ownership family, told him it state of the game,” Jackson said ther he can make the triangle not daunted by the number of peo- short-lived and unsuccessful NEW YORK TIMES

Trail-blazer McIlroy settles case TV TIMES SCORES Sifford with former managers Today Basketball Basketball NBA Philadelphia 105 Denver 98, Detroit NBA: Atlanta v Washington 108 Miami 91, NY Knicks 97 Boston 108, (StarHub Ch202, 8.30am). Portland 103 Utah 102, Sacramento 96 dies at 92 DUBLIN – The world’s No. 1 golf- ated in 2013, was to last until Golden State 121. Football er Rory McIlroy has been spared a 2017, with the company receiving Dutch Eredivisie: Ajax v Alkmaar Football protracted legal battle ahead of an agreed commission on the (Singtel TV Ch114 & StarHub Ch208, Dutch Eredivisie Go Ahead Eagles LOS ANGELES – Charlie Sifford, the Masters in April after settling golfer’s financial dealings. tomorrow, 3.40am). Deventer 0 Excelsior 0, NAC Breda 0 PSV Eindhoven 2. the first African-American to play a case with his former manage- McIlroy took action over the Golf English FA Cup 4th rd replay (Roman on the PGA Tour, died on Tues- ment company. fees to Horizon from his earnings Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic: Day 1 numerals denote division of non-Premier day night at age 92, the PGA of The terms of the settlement on and off the course. Horizon (Singtel TV Ch115 & StarHub Ch209, League clubs): Manchester United 3 America said. were not disclosed but a source had argued that it had a contract tomorrow, 12.30am). Cambridge United (IV) 0, Fulham (II) 1 Sunderland 3, Sheffield United (III) 1 Often called the Jackie Robin- close to the case indicated the with him, entitling it to a share of Sailing Preston North End (III) 3. son of golf, he broke the sport’s agreement was worth more than his endorsement earnings until Extreme Sailing Series German Bundesliga Bayern Munich 1 race barrier when he was allowed US$20 million (S$26.8 million) to 2017. (The Promontory @ Marina Bay, 11am). Schalke 1, Borussia Moenchengladbach 1 Freiburg 0, Eintracht Frankfurt 1 VfL to play on the Tour in 1961. Horizon Sports Management. McIlroy terminated his con- Tomorrow Wolfsburg 1, Hannover 1 Mainz 1. Sifford recorded two PGA wins McIlroy, who was not in the tract with Horizon in September Basketball Italian Cup Q-finals: AS Roma 0 at the Greater Hartford Open in Dublin High Court yesterday, 2013, forming his own company NBA: Cleveland v LA Clippers Fiorentina 2. US President Barack Obama presenting (StarHub Ch202, 9am). Spanish La Liga Malaga 1 Valencia 0. 1967 and the Los Angeles Open in the Presidential Medal of Freedom to sued Horizon to end what he to manage his affairs. 1969. called an “unconscionable” con- He had also argued that the Football Tennis former golfer Charlie Sifford during a German Bundesliga: Schalke v Borussia The Charlotte native won the ceremony at the White House on Nov tract that cost him US$6.8 million terms of his deal were vastly infe- ATP Montpellier Open 1st rd: Benoit 1975 Senior PGA Championship in fees. rior to those signed by other golf- Moenchengladbach (StarHub Ch202, Paire (Fra) bt Nikoloz Basilashvili (Geo) 24. PHOTO: REUTERS Saturday, 3.25am). 5-7 6-2 6-4, Paul-Henri Mathieu (Fra) bt but enjoyed many other victories The firm counter-sued the ers at Horizon, including country- Spanish Primera Liga: Deportivo La Taro Daniel (Jpn) 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-1, Lucas in the prime of his golfing career Northern Irishman over the terms man and fellow Major winner Coruna v Eibar (Singtel TV Ch114 & Pouille (Fra) bt Alexander Kudryavtsev prior to being allowed on Tour. Last November, Sifford was of an agreement he struck with it Graeme McDowell. StarHub Ch208, Saturday, 3.40am). (Rus) 6-4 7-6 (7-4), Dudi Sela (Isr) bt Juergen Zopp (Est) 6-3 6-4, Edouard The sport’s current superstar awarded the Presidential Medal of in 2011. He claimed Horizon charged al- Golf Roger-Vasselin (Fra) bt Andreas Beck Tiger Woods has often credited Freedom. The 25-year-old had claimed most four times what top-10 golf- Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic: Day 2 (Ger) 3-6 6-3 6-4, Jarkko Nieminen (Fin) Sifford for paving the way for his Eighteen-time Major champion that he lacked legal advice, busi- ers pay to agents. (Singtel TV Ch115 & StarHub Ch209, bt Jan-Lennard Struff (Ger) 7-6 (7-5) 6-3, Saturday, 12.30am). Kenny de Schepper (Fra) bt Marsel Ilhan own golfing path and affectionate- Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, ness experience and was too McIlroy was managed by Hori- (Tur) 6-4 3-6 6-3. ly called him his “grandpa”. holder of seven Majors, are the on- young when he signed the deal zon when he signed a lucrative Rugby union ATP Zagreb Indoor Open 1st rd: Sifford’s trail-blazing career ly other golfers who have received with Dublin-based Horizon on sponsorship deal with equipment Six Nations: Wales v England Andreas Seppi (Ita) bt Robin Haase (Ned) (StarHub Ch203, Saturday, 4am). 6-2 3-6 6-4, Marcos Baghdatis (Cyp) bt continued after his playing days. the highest honour an American ci- Dec 21, 2011, according to court manufacturer Nike in early 2013 – Toni Androic (Cro) 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 6-3, He became the first Afri- vilian can get. documents filed last year. by itself said to be worth US$100 Sailing Mikhail Youzhny (Rus) bt Blaz Kavcic can-American to be inducted into Sifford, who was a former cad- He agreed to the contract un- million over five years – in addi- Extreme Sailing Series (Slo) 6-3 1-6 6-4, Damir Dzumhur (Bih) (The Promontory @ Marina Bay, 11am). bt Michael Berrer (Ger) 6-2 0-6 7-5, the World Golf Hall of Fame in dy, had suffered a stroke three der “circumstances of great infor- tion to other high-worth deals. Viktor Troicki (Srb) bt Illya Marchenko 2004. weeks ago. mality” on the day of Horizon’s The two sides said the dispute Sepak takraw (Ukr) 4-6 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (7-3), Go Soeda Woods said then: “We owe However, the details of his Christmas party, according to a fil- had “been settled to the satisfac- Istaf SuperSeries: Malaysia, Day 1 (Jpn) bt Matthias Bachinger (Ger) 7-6 (StarHub Ch112/Ch205 (7-4) 7-5. everything to him and others like death were unclear at press time. ing. tion of both parties”. and 76.25MHz, 2pm). him.” REUTERS His deal with Horizon, renegoti- AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, BLOOMBERG B18 SPORT THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015

to US$300 (S$400). Pitkin County prosecutor And- rea Bryan said Hansen was not GIRLFRIEND TAKES charged for filing a false report because authorities encourage wit- nesses to be truthful. Armstrong is due in court on March 17, court records showed. RAP FOR ARMSTRONG He was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and given a life ban from cycling by the Unit- dent. ed States Anti-Doping Agency in But she later tells police he was the She later admitted to officers 2012 for doping. that he had been driving at the The cancer survivor eventually driver when he crashed into two cars time. But not before an officer made a public confession in a tele- grew suspicious about her story vision interview with American LOS ANGELES – Just a week after take the blame for the Dec 28 acci- and checked with the valet at the talk-show host Oprah Winfrey in Lance Armstrong, with girlfriend Anna Hansen in a 2009 photo, may face a disgraced cycling champion Lance dent in Aspen, Colorado. hotel where the event was held, 2013. jail sentence of up to 90 days and fines of up to US$300. PHOTO: REUTERS Armstrong reiterated that he was According to reports, Anna who confirmed that Armstrong As recently as last week, he made a scapegoat for a generation Hansen, 33, had told the police was driving when they left the had remained defiant, suggesting of dopers, it has emerged that he that she was behind the wheel of parking lot. tive publicity. ported. in an interview with the BBC that had no qualms making his girl- Armstrong’s car when they were According to the Aspen Daily She was cited in two traffic He has been cited for leaving he would still use performance- friend the fall guy. going home from a fund-raising News, which first reported the in- tickets but they were subsequent- the scene of an accident and driv- enhancing drugs “if you take me This, after the 43-year-old Tex- event because “Lance had a little cident, the couple had made a ly transferred to Armstrong on ing too fast for the snowy condi- back to 1995 when (doping) was an crashed his car into two parked bit to drink”. “joint decision” to say that Jan 12 after the circumstances had tions, which are punishable by up completely and totally pervasive”. vehicles and then let his girlfriend No one was injured in the acci- Hansen was driving to avoid nega- been clarified, the Daily News re- to 90 days in jail and fines of up AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS Raikkonen sets pace in F1 testing

JEREZ (Spain) – Kimi Raikkonen and lapped fastest in the first two underlined Ferrari’s sense of opti- days of testing, although times mism by finishing fastest in the fi- are less important at this stage nal morning of pre-season testing than mileage covered. in Jerez yesterday. Raikkonen, who did 92 laps – The Finn had praised the equal to 407km – on Tuesday, SF15-T after tests on Tuesday, ended the day second-fastest be- suggesting that Ferrari have made hind Brazilian rookie Felipe Nasr improvements in all areas. in a Ferrari-powered Sauber. “The whole package is quite a He went one better yesterday bit better from where we finished morning while McLaren and Red last year,” said the 2007 world Bull’s hopes for a problem-free champion who failed to reach the day were dashed. podium in last season’s F14-T. Jenson Button twice failed to “We have a lot of things to do get beyond the pit lane as a night- and things to improve but it’s defi- mare week for the new nitely a positive start and we have McLaren-Honda partnership con- something to work with.” tinued. Ferrari failed to win a grand The Briton managed just seven prix last year for the first time laps yesterday morning to take since 1993 and Raikkonen en- the team’s total for the week to dured his worst season in the just 51, the same number that sport, finishing 12th overall. world champion Lewis Hamilton Red Bull, with Daniel as good a knowledge of The team had three team princi- completed before lunch despite a RED BULL’S ‘UNDERCOVER’ ROLL-OUT pals last season in a major spin earlier in the day. Ricciardo at the wheel, our shapes as they shake-up, with Maurizio Arriva- Red Bull have not fared much have “camouflaged” during testing in Jerez. disguise and conceal might do otherwise. bene arriving in November and better in the southern Spanish their RB11 car, seeking Chief technical officer some of the shapes How much difference it setting a minimum target of two city and Daniil Kvyat managed to confuse Formula One Adrian Newey said of we’ve developed over makes, we’ll see. wins this year. just eight laps before he was Germany’s four-time world brought to a halt on track by a rivals about the new the black-and-white the winter, then that “But it’s something champion Sebastian Vettel has re- power unit problem. aerodynamic features livery: “If we can prevents them getting different.” PHOTO: REUTERS placed Spaniard Fernando Alonso REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

SINGAPORE SWEEP Vonn pipped late on Draw No: 02/2015 and 4-D Draw No. 3751/2015 by Fenninger and Maze Date of Draw: Feb 04, 2015

1st Prize ($2.3 million) : 440 1313 BEAVER CREEK (Colorado) – As of Austria, the best skier in the 2nd Prize ($500,000) : 213 8790 Lindsey Vonn crossed the finish event for the previous year, 3rd Prize ($250,000) : 319 6495 line and took the lead in the super snatched away the gold medal. giant slalom at the Alpine World Fenninger, the defending Olym- 10 JACKPOT PRIZES ($10,000 EACH) Ski Championships on Tuesday, pic super-G champion, ploughed 1104993 1435215 1689286 2175674 2403413 her boyfriend Tiger Woods shout- through heavy winds that delayed 2718088 2754807 3159475 3744135 4148460 ed and pumped his right fist re- and shortened the race to edge peatedly as he watched nearby. out Vonn by 0.15 of a second. 10 LUCKY PRIZES ($5,000 EACH) It is the former world No. 1’s Tina Maze of Slovenia, the signature celebratory gesture, and downhill and giant slalom champi- 1065308 1447871 2581731 2621196 2963825 even if it has been seldom seen on on in Sochi last year, also caught 3323292 3432915 3683226 3863101 4406343 the golf course recently, it seemed Vonn and finished 0.03 behind to be appropriate for the moment. Fenninger, whose winning time 30 GIFT PRIZES ($3,000 EACH) Vonn, injured for most of the was 1min 10.29sec. 1029475 1069714 1254330 1417732 1447944 last two years, appeared on the While Vonn at first looked dis- verge of winning her first major heartened in the finish area, she Anna Fenninger said the 30-year-old who has won 1809217 1883717 1980628 1991512 1998399 championship in five years. And quickly rallied when she recalled winning the five of 11 races this season. 2035025 2082749 2126516 2290159 2324935 she would do it just a few kilome- that at the world championships super-G title. For the 25-year-old Fenninger, 2467064 2703635 2857904 2890142 3008756 tres from her home town, Vail. two years ago, she tore two knee it was another step in establishing 3307949 3375984 3455673 4049419 4060220 But just as no clubhouse lead is ligaments and fractured a bone in On the podium herself as the world’s most domi- 4087090 4202111 4243015 4271399 4490353 safe in golf, Woods learnt that no a tumbling crash. Roughly a year are (from left) nant female ski racer. Maze, Fenninger front runner is assured of victory ago, the most successful women’s “I have dreamed about this,” 30 CONSOLATION PRIZES ($2,000 EACH) and Vonn. in ski racing. ski racer of all time crashed and PHOTOS: she said. “Now it has come true, 1068274 1188281 1488025 1507323 1671040 While Vonn entered the race as shredded the same knee again. EUROPEAN it is amazing. It is so big.” 1772678 1922782 1949076 1961656 2114298 the favourite based on this “So, after two years of injury, PRESSPHOTO NEW YORK TIMES, 2146414 2284317 2397798 2655052 2697044 winter’s results, Anna Fenninger third place sounds pretty good,” AGENCY AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE 2846672 2883148 2947369 3161639 3228022 3429911 3505466 3676492 3696681 3776404 3935746 3953273 3986090 4073115 4076596 Food 50 PARTICIPATION PRIZES ($1,000 EACH) Have a story? Yakult in $350k deal to 1011875 1054834 1064190 1160655 1166118 Let us know 1249054 1353131 1746196 1806972 1807234 1813238 1890688 2021438 2052667 2211800 Fun with food boost swimming culture 2225666 2233783 2256783 2379186 2404380 Always hungry? Eat at TEXT SMS 2444287 2478193 2690801 2727023 2746221 Singapore’s most interesting 2746958 2750719 2790264 2843363 2865600 restaurants any time of the day. MORE overseas trips await the to champions of tomorrow.” 2981505 3021214 3129427 3137408 3243622 8282-3343 country’s aquatic athletes after Yakult Singapore managing di- 3269763 3353736 3514516 3572015 3579657 the Singapore Swimming Associa- rector Shunichi Uekusa said: 3636738 3987625 4053006 4060472 4095153 tion (SSA) announced a new “Yakult has always recognised the 4184133 4226826 4296723 4336551 4412428 three-year sponsorship agree- importance of sports excellence as E-MAIL ment with Yakult Singapore yes- part of our corporate social re- 315,000 2D DELIGHT PRIZES ($6 EACH) terday. sponsibility. Ticket numbers ending with [email protected] The deal, believed to be worth “We hope that this partnership 26 28 36 $350,000 in cash, lasts from this will be fruitful and work well in 47 52 60 year to 2017. its goal to develop swimming in 61 66 90 Said Jose Raymond, SSA Singapore.” vice-president (finance): “The ad- The cash injection will also ● The last four digits(underlined) of the First, Second, Third CALL ditional cash, on top of our annual help cover costs of events featur- 10 Jackpot and 10 Lucky Prizes of the Singapore Sweep funding from Sport Singapore, ing Yakult, and sees the product Draw No.02/2015 form the winning numbers 1800-8282828 will allow us to send the national named as SSA’s official Healthy of the 4-D Draw No.3751/2015. teams overseas for more competi- Family Drink. ● Prize can be claimed from Thursday, Feb 5, 2015. Prizes not claimed by Monday, Aug 3, 2015 tions and training camps.” The brand retains its present- shall be forfeited. All in our new e-book On the deal, he said: “Yakult’s ing rights to the Fina World Cup ● Prizes of any amount can be claimed at Singapore Pools commitment of a new three-year Singapore. (Private) Limited at 210 Middle Road, #01-01 Singapore CLICK partnership is a demonstration of Raymond added that the part- Pools Building, Singapore 188994. SINGAPORE its belief in the long-term strate- nership is the first of three spon- Prizes up to $5,000 per winning ticket can also be claimed “My Tip-O ” on gy and philosophy of the SSA... sorship deals which will be an- at all Singapore Pools branches and authorised retailers. NIGHT//DAY www.straitstimes.com (and its) commitment to collabo- nounced over the next couple of rate in grooming young athletes in- weeks. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 SPORT B19

SPORTS- HAFIZ SETTLES IN AT LEFT-BACK WORLD While LionsXII Warriors cross initial hurdle man specialises, I CAN DO A GOOD JOB S-LEAGUE champions he knows he still Warriors FC edged out I still have a Myanmar side Yadanarbon has lots to learn 6-5 on penalties in their lot to learn, Asian Champions League By CHUA SIANG YEE in terms of preliminary round 1 clash in Mandalay yesterday. positioning, Both sides were tied VERSATILITY is no doubt one of and judging 0-0 at full time and 1-1 Hafiz Abu Sujad’s strengths but it after extra time. has also given him a problem: when to The Warriors travel to Finding a niche for himself. China to play Guangzhou The utility player was de- attack the R&F next Tuesday in a ployed in holding midfield, left ball... But preliminary round 2 game. midfield and at left-back for the LionsXII last season and even what I can played up front for his school and offer is Liverpool head at centre-back as a National Foot- Down Under ball Academy trainee. overlapping As a result of his adaptability, runs and LONDON – Liverpool will lines have become blurred and it return to Australia later is hard to say what his strongest non-stop this year as part of their position is. running. pre-season preparations But as he turns 25 this year, for the 2015-16 campaign, Hafiz believes it is time to special- – Hafiz Abu Sujad, the English football club ise for the sake of his future. on his ability to announced on Tuesday. He told The Straits Times: “If make the grade as Liverpool, who last I have to choose, I’d say my fa- a left-back visited Australia two years vourite position is central mid- ago, will play Brisbane field. But I’m not getting any Roar at Queensland’s younger, and it’s time for me to Suncorp Stadium on July settle in a permanent position. 17 before tackling Adelaide “Right now, the left-back spot United at the Adelaide is up for grabs after Shakir (Ham- Oval three days later. zah) left (for Courts Young Lions) AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE and my focus is to become a Singapore and first-choice left-back for the LionsXII footballer team.” Hafiz Abu Sujad Caddies file And that seems to be where Li- training at the Jalan class-action suit onsXII coach Fandi Ahmad sees Besar Stadium Hafiz’s future. yesterday. Still only WASHINGTON – The tactician said: “It’s good 24, he has played in Professional caddies have that he’s chosen to specialise. midfield, left-back filed a class-action lawsuit He’s strong, stocky, very fast go- and even up front, as against the PGA Tour, ing forward, and sends good well as centre-back contending they were during his career. forced to wear bibs crosses. Tactically, his deci- ST PHOTO: LIM SIN THAI sion-making needs (improving), featuring corporate logos but playing more matches will and other advertisements help him.” to attack the ball, so I need playing of his challenges needs im- Hafiz insists it was never his in- er will not hesitate to plug holes that generate millions of Hafiz played as a left-back in ers like Izwan (Mahbud , goalkeep- proving. tention to foul Amri but it was a in the team if the need arises, es- dollars for the Tour all three of the team’s matches at er) to guide me. I’m also a little The topic of his ball-winning painful lesson learnt, saying: “It pecially with the LionsXII in a without giving them any last week’s President of Maldives short for a defender. skills was particularly poignant as was demoralising, and I kept won- central defensive crisis following compensation. Invitational Soccer Cup. “But what I can offer is over- the Liverpool fan recalled with re- dering why it had to be me. It re- Safuwan Baharudin’s loan move The lawsuit, filed on While the game time has lapping runs and non-stop run- gret the penalty he conceded in played in my mind non-stop. to Melbourne City and Afiq Yu- Tuesday in a US federal helped, he knows there is work to ning. Hopefully game by game, I Singapore’s crucial Asean Foot- “But it was a good lesson. nos out indefinitely with gout. court in California, says be done before he can emulate his can gain confidence and adapt.” ball Federation Suzuki Cup group Strikers look for contact in the He said: “It’s all about helping the PGA Tour threatened late father, former Singapore As he braces himself to face match against Malaysia last year. box to win penalties, and it’s the team, and if coach Fandi to prevent the caddies left-back Abu Sujad. what the Malaysian Super League Then, he nudged Tigers for- something I have to watch out thinks I can do a job in central de- from working at The 1.68m-tall player said: “I can throw at him, starting with a ward Amri Yahyah in stoppage for, especially as a left-back.” fence or in midfield, I’d play tournaments organised still have a lot to learn, in terms home match against PDRM on time, as the visitors won 3-1 to While nailing down a position there.” and promoted by the of positioning, and judging when Saturday, Hafiz also feels the tim- eliminate the Lions. is his immediate target, the play- [email protected] organisation if they refused to wear the bibs. REUTERS Sherwood tipped Barca chief drops hints Wanda chief of Real taking revenge eyes mega buy GENEVA – The Dalian to be QPR boss Wanda conglomerate of BARCELONA – Barcelona presi- Camp Nou to be used for the Lib- Chinese billionaire Wang dent Josep Maria Bartomeu insin- erty Concert, we play with the Jianlin has bid around LONDON – Queens Park Rangers According to the Daily Mail, uated that bitter rivals Real Ma- colours of the Senyera (the Cata- US$1 billion (S$1.34 have moved a step closer to ap- QPR have already opened talks drid played a part in the Neymar lan flag)... maybe that isn’t billion) for influential pointing Tim Sherwood as Harry with Sherwood. The 45-year-old transfer court case in which he liked,” he said. sports marketing giant Redknapp’s successor as manager is without a job after he parted has been called to give evidence. “We are paying a political Infront Sports & Media, after Les Ferdinand was yester- company with Tottenham in May “We have done nothing wrong price.” according to a report day named director of football at last year following five months in and we will keep saying the truth. Bartomeu will be questioned yesterday. Loftus Road. charge. The signing of Neymar took place on Feb 13 over whether Barca and AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Tony Fernandes, the relega- Fernandes is determined to using the most prestigious law- their directors defrauded the Harry Redknapp said surgery for a tion-threatened club’s owner, change the recruitment policy at knee problem is the reason he left yers,” he told Spanish television. Spanish tax office of €2.8 million Williamses to has redefined Ferdinand’s role. Loftus Road after bankrolling ma- Queens Park Rangers, who are in a “Other clubs wanted to sign (S$4.3 million) during the 2014 The former QPR and England jor spending under Redknapp and relegation fight. PHOTO: REUTERS Neymar paying more money but tax year. return to event striker was placed in caretaker his predecessor, Mark Hughes. they didn’t manage it and they Barcelona initially claimed charge of the first team, along- A clearout of Redknapp’s back- didn’t like that. that the cost of the Neymar trans- NEW YORK – Serena side Chris Ramsey and Kevin room staff is also under way with in the medium and long term, we “I’m not saying Madrid are be- fer from Santos ahead of last sea- Williams will end her Bond, when Redknapp resigned Glenn Hoddle and Joe Jordan want to make sure everything is hind this but Neymar’s father son was €57.1 million but the 14-year boycott of the on Tuesday but will now be re- both leaving hours after the man- in place, from the academy up- told me that there were two of- case was taken to court by a fan Indian Wells tournament, sponsible for the whole football ager cited a knee problem – wards, to create a culture and phi- fers: Barca and Madrid. Madrid seeking transparency over the the world No. 1 tennis star department. which requires surgery and left losophy within the club that QPR wanted to buy him and were deal. revealed yesterday in a Ramsey and Bond will be in him feeling unable to “give 100 fans can be proud of.” ready to pay more for him. Former president Sandro column for Time. charge until further notice, the per cent” – for his departure. Ferdinand and Fernandes need “A year ago, Neymar was play- Rosell resigned in January 2014 af- She and her sister club said, with Kevin Hitchcock, “This is a new strategy for us. the squad to give an immediate re- ing well and then all this fuss sud- ter a judge decided to investigate Venus have not played the the goalkeeping coach, providing Our recruitment policy at QPR is action when Southampton visit denly came up. Now, again, he is and call him to testify. event in the California assistance. changing,” Fernandes said. Loftus Road on Saturday. playing well and there is another Bartomeu gave a breakdown of desert since they were Ferdinand and Ramsey worked “We want to develop a philoso- The club are entrenched in the judicial process.” the cost of the Neymar transfer booed and allegedly under Sherwood, the odds-on fa- phy of buying young, hungry play- relegation dogfight in 19th place Bartomeu suggested that there which revealed that it amounted subjected to racist abuse vourite to succeed Redknapp, at ers who can go on to forge decent in the Premier League. They have was a political campaign against to €86.2 million – with the inclu- in 2001. The next edition White Hart Lane when he was careers with us. won five games this season and the club over their prominent sion of payments to the player will take place from March promoted to Tottenham Hotspur “Premier League survival is lost all 11 of their away matches. role in Catalan nationalism. and his family. 9-22. head coach last season. our priority in the short term but, THE TIMES, LONDON “A year ago, we allowed the REUTERS Ref banned 6 months, Tunisia fined

BATA (Equatorial Guinea) – The – the first to discuss the referee’s after the referee, trying to punch referee at the centre of the contro- performance and the second to and kick him. versial penalty decision that sanction the two teams. CAF fined Tunisia and threat- helped hosts Equatorial Guinea “The referees committee noted ened them with expulsion from reach the African Nations Cup with regret the poor performance the next Nations Cup unless they semi-finals has been banned for of the referee during the match, in- apologise by today. six months, the Confederation of cluding an unacceptable failure to The statement said CAF had African Football (CAF) said in a maintain calm and ensure proper “imposed on the Tunisian Federa- statement on Tuesday. control of the players during the tion a fine of US$50,000 for the Rajindraparsad Seechurn of match,” said the CAF statement. insolent, aggressive and unaccept- Mauritius has also been removed A niggly match was turned on able behaviour of the players and from the list of top African offi- its head by Seechurn’s stop- officials of the Tunisian team”. cials, effectively ending his inter- page-time decision to hand Equa- It also “instructed the Tunisian national career, the CAF added. torial Guinea a soft penalty, federation to send to CAF a letter The Tunisian team, some of which allowed them to equalise of apology for the insinuations of whom attempted to attack the ref- and take the game to extra time. bias and lack of ethics against team – insulting the referee and Tunisia’s Hamza eree following Saturday’s 1-2 quar- The match then degenerated in- CAF and its officials, or to present trying to physically assault him – Mathlouthi ter-final loss after extra time in to farcical scenes of fighting on irrefutable evidence to substanti- and the “regrettable behaviour” arguing with Bata, were handed a US$50,000 the pitch and between the two ate the accusations”. of the president of the Tunisian referee Rajindraparsad (S$67,000) fine but there were no benches after Equatorial Guinea’s CAF said it had examined sever- Football Federation, Wadie Jary, Seechurn after individual sanctions announced. Javier Balboa scored his second al incidents including a pitch inva- who entered the field to remon- he awarded a The Equatorial Guinea organis- goal with a stunning free kick to sion by fans, the aggressive atti- strate with the match officials. soft penalty in ers were also sanctioned for poor win the game for the small host tude of some supporters in the Equatorial Guinea were fined stoppage time security at the match. nation. stands, the invasion of the pitch US$5,000 after several supporters to Equatorial The decision followed two sepa- Pictures at the end of the game after the final whistle by players ran onto the field in celebration. Guinea. rate meetings in Bata on Tuesday showed Tunisian players chasing and substitutes of the Tunisia REUTERS PHOTO: REUTERS THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015 B20

B18 Armstrong let girlfriend take blame B19 Hafiz makes a play for left-back slot FA CUP IS VAN GAAL’S KEY TARGET After big shocks, Dutchman upbeat United can win it in his first year

LONDON – Louis van Gaal has made winning the FA Cup Man- chester United’s priority this season, after his side reached the fifth round with a 3-0 victory over Cambridge United at Old Trafford on Tuesday. On a day when some pundits thought the Dutchman’s tactics against the fourth-tier outfit were odd, he labelled the Red Devils as odds-on favourites to win their first FA Cup in 11 years. “We have a real chance now,” van Gaal said, before alluding to the exits made by Manchester City, Chelsea and Tottenham Hot- spur at this stage. “Why? We are the highest qualified team in the FA Cup so people are maybe betting on us. I am not allowed to (bet), I am not a casino man – but I give you a tip... “For me, personally, I have always won a title in my first year everywhere I have worked so the chance of winning the title is bigger in the FA Cup than the Pre- mier League.” Van Gaal showed just how seri- ously he is taking the competition by fielding a side who cost £231 million (S$467.8 million) to assem- ble, with Wayne Rooney, Robin (Above) Juan Mata scoring United’s van Persie, Angel di Maria and opener in their FA Cup replay at Old Juan Mata all starting. STANDING GOOD CHANCE Trafford, after they were forced to It was Cambridge – 79 league re-sit their Cambridge exam. Two places below the 11-time winners Why? We are the highest qualified team in the further goals took them comfortably – who almost went ahead in the through to a fifth-round tie away to first minute when striker Tom Elli- FA Cup so people are maybe betting on us. Preston. PHOTO: ACTION IMAGES ott hit the post. But goals from I am not allowed to (bet), I am not a casino man Mata, Marcos Rojo and James Wil- (Left) James Wilson celebrating after scoring United’s third goal against son saw United prevail, setting up – but I give you a tip... Cambridge. Manager Louis van Gaal is a last-16 trip to third-tier Preston – Louis van Gaal, who fancies United doing well in the competition making the Cup his team’s top focus North End – 3-1 winners at Shef- as Chelsea, Man City, Southampton field United on Tuesday. and Spurs are all out. PHOTO: REUTERS Although Marouane Fellaini failed to get his name on the scoresheet, the Belgian international impressed as a striker along- side van Persie, playing a part in Hollow truth haunts United’s Fergie legacy the two goals. Still, his role in a 4-1-4-1 formation, coupled with Rooney operating on the right, By JAMES DUCKER players, two new managers and comes and goes in the summer, est from Real Madrid. On the oth- from the failure of so many of raised eyebrows. THE TIMES, LONDON several reality checks later, the list of departures will have er hand, Robin van Persie, with 12 Ferguson’s purchases between the BBC pundit Steve Claridge com- Ferguson’s words ring rather hol- swollen substantially again. Nani, months left on his deal in the sum- summer of 2007 and January mented: “What an odd, odd sys- COMMENTARY low. Javier Hernandez, Tom Cleverley, mer, spoke only last week about 2013, his final window, when he tem from van Gaal. What an odd United may well come good Nick Powell, Angelo Henriquez, the doubts over his position. lavished about £170 million on Na- way to put out a team with the IT WAS a fortnight after Manches- again but, if they do, it will be as a Ben Amos and Jesse Lingard, all Common sense, of course, will ni, Anderson, Owen Hargreaves, players you’ve got. Fellaini on the ter United had secured an unprece- consequence of the club embark- out on loan at present, will be sold dictate that some departures have Tomasz Kuszczak, Ritchie De La- left wing and Rooney on the dented 20th title, and only a few ing on a huge overhaul of a squad et, Zoran Tosic, Manucho, Dimi- right? Really? Does that fit?” days before the news emerged that, short of offering the rich po- tar Berbatov, Gabriel Obertan, The back-line also featured that Alex Ferguson would retire at tential Ferguson envisaged, is in Mame Biram Diouf, Hernandez, four centre-backs – Jonny Evans, the end of the season, when the the middle of being rapidly recon- United may well come good again but, if they Smalling, Bebe, Powell, Buttner, Chris Smalling, Rojo and Paddy Scot had this to say about the fi- structed at great expense. Kagawa and Zaha. McNair, seemingly another plan nal championship-winning squad A fourth transfer window has do, it will be as a consequence of the club The failures far outweigh the to combat Cambridge’s aerial he had assembled. passed since Ferguson’s retire- embarking on a huge overhaul of a squad successes and Ferguson’s transfer threat, reported the Manchester “This team of champions is not ment and, with it, several more choices look even more damning Evening News. going away – we are here for the pieces of his legacy jettisoned. An- that ... is in the middle of being rapidly when contrasted with Manchester Even a change of system, how- long ride,” he declared. “We will derson, Wilfried Zaha and Darren reconstructed at great expense. City’s spending over the same pe- ever, failed to present Adnan Janu- get better and if we apply our- Fletcher became the latest casual- riod, when United’s rivals succeed- zaj with a chance to impress. selves in our normal fashion, I see ties, and took the number of per- ed in luring Yaya Toure, Sergio The winger, who was left out our 20th league title as nothing manent first-team departures Aguero, David Silva, Samir Nasri, of the 18-man squad, admitted his but the start of another decade of over that relatively short period or released at season’s end. to be staggered, regardless of Lou- Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zaba- career has stalled owing to van success.” to an eye-watering 19. Similarly, a glut of other play- is van Gaal’s wishes. For example, leta, Edin Dzeko and James Mil- Gaal’s preference for a 3-5-2 for- That was May 2013. A few Shinji Kagawa, Danny Wel- ers – Anders Lindegaard, Rafael the United manager has differing ner, among other successes, for mation using wing-backs. weeks earlier, Ferguson had been beck, Bebe, Fabio Da Silva, Alexan- Da Silva, Chris Smalling, Phil concerns over Rafael, Smalling, £178 million. “The system can make it more similarly effusive about United’s der Buttner, Patrice Evra, Neman- Jones, Jonny Evans and Ashley Jones and Evans, but he could Ferguson may have been able difficult for me to play there but I future and the talent at his dispos- ja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Young – will enter the final 12 probably countenance losing only to paper over the cracks to keep have to keep working,” he told al. “I don’t think that we need to Giggs, Paul Scholes, Michael months of their existing deals. two of those, at most, in the sum- delivering silverware, but six the Guardian. rebuild at all, possibly two play- Keane, Federico Macheda, Tom Beyond that, the future of a mer. Yet whatever materialises, years of largely questionable judg- “I’m not really a wing-back. ers,” he said. Lawrence, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Scott player whom United want to the extent of the turnover at Old ment in the transfer market have It’s harder for me because there is Twenty-one months, eight Wootton and Marnick Vermijl had keep, David de Gea, is under scru- Trafford has already been extraor- forced the club he left behind to more defending involved and I’m prominent new arrivals, a already gone at one point or anoth- tiny, with the Spain goalkeeper – dinary, especially in the context continue their extensive re-evalua- not really a defender.” £215-million (S$439-million) er. who has just 18 months left on his of Ferguson’s bullish forecasts. tion of the inheritance. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE spending spree, a mass exodus of By the time a fifth window contract – attracting strong inter- The problems stem in part [email protected]

FA Cup BLACK CATS CLAW WAY INTO 5TH ROUND Second-tier side Fulham READ ALL flirted with an FA Cup ABOUT IT fifth-round draw upset after taking a TOMORROW 28th-minute lead thanks URBAN Crystal Palace v Liverpool or to Hugo Rodallega Bolton Wanderers (centre) but were Arsenal v Middlesbrough eventually beaten 3-1 by Premier League visitors Aston Villa v Leicester City Sunderland at Craven THE Cottage on Tuesday. West Bromwich Albion v West Ham United The Black Cats BAG equalised when Fulham Bradford City v Sunderland goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli fumbled PAGE Blackburn Rovers v Stoke City What digital Patrick van Aanholt’s marketing Derby County v Reading cross over his own line. specialist A Ricky Alvarez strike Preston North End v and Jordi Gomez penalty Pat Law carries Manchester United in her bag then put Sunderland Ties to be played over the through to a fifth-round weekend of Feb 14-15. clash with Bradford. PHOTO: REUTERS

Published and printed by Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Co. Regn. No. 198402868E. A member of Audit Bureau of Circulations Singapore. Customer Service (Circulation): 6388-3838, [email protected], Fax 6746-1925.