Are you a Grammar Nerd?

I suck at grammar and it’s the cause of my bad grades for English during my schooldays. Mind you, I kick ass at writing essays that touch people from a young age, but grammar is just not my thing.

Which is why a free tool like Grammarly is so awesome for someone like me. Grammarly is a grammar and plagiarism checker that scans your text for plagiarised content and grammatical errors. Grammarly claims to catch up to 10 times more mistakes than word processing software, and it makes creating citations a snap.

Check out my previous review on Grammarly. 

Recently, the good folks at Grammarly came up with an infographic to identify Grammar Nerds. Do you fit the typical profile? I know I definitely don’t!

Try Gammarly for free via the official website. 

Earlier this month on 8 July, it was a double celebration for Scoot as the budget airline inaugurates two new cities with flights to Osaka and Kaohsiung.

I was on board the inaugural flight which happened to be their SG50-themed aircraft – Scoot’s newest Boeing 787 Dreamliner, named “Maju-lah”:

The SG50 plane

On 8 July, Scoot flight TZ298 took off from Singapore to Osaka via Bangkok, while TZ288 started operating to Osaka via Kaohsiung from Singapore the next day. This brought the total number of Scoot destinations to 15 in 7 countries.

I love the Dreamliner, the air circulation is better, with more oxygen and the psychedelic rainbow lights add in some spunk

“Scoot is thrilled to offer travelers the historical and culinary delights of Osaka, and the natural scenic beauty of Kaohsiung. We’re excited to bring our Osaka and Kaohsiung guests the Scoot experience – brand-new aircraft, a huge selection of frills, unbeatable value airfares and of course our fun and unique attitude – our Scootitude – on board!” said Scoot CEO, Campbell Wilson.

We experienced some of that Scootitude on board the flight. All of us were offered with free inflight WiFi and were invited to participate in a slew of games together with the other passengers to win all sorts of prizes from Scoot, including airfares:

Ready for some inflight games?

Q&A games

Free WiFi!

My Scoot Nasi Lemak breakfast

When we arrived at Kaoshiung International Airport, the Scoot team and Kaoshiung government officials were there to greet everyone, together with Kaoshiung’s very own mascot, Tall Bear (高熊). A short performance was staged and there were the customary exchange of gratitudes between Scoot and the Kaoshiung government officials:

Dance performance

Something more traditional

Yes, Tall Bear joined in the dance too

Gifts exchange

After that, it was three days of fun in Kenting and Kaoshiung for me and the rest of the Alvinology and Asia 361 team. The other writers will be sharing on activities to do in Kenting and Kaoshiung soon. Stay tuned to both this site as well as Asia361.com for updates.

Hot on the heels of sending Boeing 787 Dreamliners to Osaka and Kaohsiung, Scoot will begin Dreamliner service to Taipei and Tokyo in September.

Scoot’s wide-bodied 787s offer a spacious and improved cabin environment with better humidity, air circulation and cabin pressure. Pass the time with great food or stay connected with inflight Internet, and keep your devices charged with in-seat power.

A total of 11 Dreamliners will be delivered to Scoot by the end of March 2016. The new fleet growth with the 787 will allow Scoot, Asia/Pacific’s Best LCC in 2015, to increase frequencies to popular destinations and add exciting new cities to the network.

To take part in Scoot’s future fare promotions and get advance notice of special fares, “Like” Scoot on Facebook.com/FlyScoot or sign up to the mailing list at FlyScoot.com.

If you are a frequent user of the Entertainer mobile app like I am, you will be delighted to know that you can now SHARE offers with you friends!

This can be done through a “ping” on the Entertainer app. Each paid account will be able to ping up to 10 offers a year to friends.

Sharing is caring. This is the best way to let your friends know more about this awesome 1-for-1 deals app by having them experience and use it themselves!

What is Offer Ping on the app?

Offer Ping is a feature that lets you send offers to your friends and family from the app without them having to log in to your account. Each year, you can share up to 10 offers of your choice with friends and family.

How do I send or ping an offer from my App?

You can do so in 8 simple steps:

What happens if the person I ping an offer to does not have an Entertainer account?

When you ping an offer to a friend, they will receive an email telling them that you have pinged them an offer. They can then download our free App and register for a free account to accept the offers. When signing up for an account, they have to use the same email address they received their offers on.

What happens if the recipient does not accept a pinged offer?

If a recipient declines offers or does not accept them within 10 days the offer will become active again in the sender’s account.

Can I take back a pinged offer that has been accepted by the recipient?

An accepted offer can be pinged back to the sender by the recipient; however this will take one ping from the 10 they can do for the year

How many offers can I ping?

You can ping 10 offers per year (January – December) to your friends and family at any time.

That’s it!

Happy pinging and sharing of the deals with your friends and loved ones!

Take a walk down any Singapore street, and you are bound to see the SG50 logo everywhere. At first, it was festive. However, as the days drew near to August 9th, I began to feel SG50 fatigue.

It seemed liked people are just slapping the logo onto everything, regardless of relevance or meaning.

The SG50 logo was created by the SG50 committee for everyone to use, just as this year’s theme suggests “celebrating as one people”.

The logo has usage guidelines, such as it should not be used to make threats or attacks against others, support any political or religious agenda, or as part of inappropriate content.

While none of the examples below are against guidelines, here are 5 uses that made me cringe inside each time I see them.

1. Combining SG50 with GSS

(Photos: Sheryl Quek and Nat Lim)

Ok, it is Singaporean to shop, but let’s keep the Great Singapore Sale/Hari Raya and SG50 sale separate. Unless you have some special reason, maybe it is your shop’s 50th anniversary, otherwise just don’t. You are still going to have that sale SG50 or not right?

2. SG50 promo of yourself

(Photo: Facebook Screenshot)

I get that you are an enterprising individual, but really, let’s keep the celebrations more about Singapore and nation building, and less about you.

(Photo: Sheryl Quek)

This includes naming events after SG50 when it isn’t about celebrating it.

3. SG50 tissue paper

(Photo: Sheryl Quek)

Maybe there is some link for this. Tissue and chopeing goes hand in hand. Maybe if you want to throw an SG50 party, you can have matching tissue boxes. Maybe I am finding too many excuses.

4. Giant SG50 food

(Photo: Nat Lim)

Food is another of Singapore’s true loves. I’m not talking about SG50 food deals, but rather actual food. Um, it is one thing to make SG50-themed candy, another to make giant food (especially if it is inedible).

5. SG50 logo in your ads

(Photos: Sheryl Quek, Screenshot of Facebook ad)

Yes, I get that you love Singapore. So do I. But whatever your product is, it has nothing to do with SG50. Hearing aids, raw chicken, furniture… Unless you have an SG50-edition product, please no.

Some households are just not comfortable with hiring live-in maids in their homes. Rachel and I are among such people.

Our 3-room flat is too small to accommodate one more person. Moreover, I find it too much of a hassle to integrate a stranger into our family and I am not a big fan of ordering someone around at home to clean up after us.

We used to have a regular house cleaner who came over our house twice a week to help out with the cleaning and ironing. She spends around 4 hours each session. We found the kindly auntie through a neighbour and it was a delight to have her.

Unfortunately, the auntie retired and stopped working after a few months and we had difficulties finding similar trustworthy house help then.

Why do one go looking for a house help in Singapore?

We trawl the neighbourhood bulletin boards and asked the network of aunties we know to recommend.

What if I tell you that there is an app that can find the perfect house help for you, hassle-free and like the uber taxi app for finding house cleaners?

This app is Helpling:

I just tried out their service a week ago, booking a house cleaner for a total of 4 hours (3 hours to do general cleaning and 1 hour for ironing).

The cost came up to S$80. That’s S$20 per hour. Reasonable, considering for a small household like mine, I will probably only need this service either once or twice a month.

In my opinion, it is certainly a more favourable solution to me than having a live-in helper.

My booking was done via the website on a desktop. Helpling is available on mobile too on both iOS and Android. The app is simple to use and will provide recommendation on the hours of cleaning needed based on your floor area as well as the kind of services required.

Upon confirmation and payment, an email notification will be sent to you when a cleaner has been assigned.

We made a booking for 3 to 7pm on a Sunday.

The helper was punctual and a very pleasant middle age office lady. We were expecting an elderly auntie and were pleasantly surprised.

Cleaning our bedroom

Rachel chatted with the helper briefly and found out she is an office worker on weekdays and she is doing this to supplement her income. She enjoys her part-time cleaning work and is paid S$16 an hour by Helpling.

Dusting

Mopping

The lady went about her task promptly and discussed with Rachel on the cleaning which needed to be done.

Everything was done professionally and we were very satisfied with the service. I would highly recommend households looking for part time cleaning help to try out Helpling for your hiring.

Cleaning the toilet

In case you are wondering why an office lady is doing cleaning work, a freelance house-cleaner in Singapore can make around S$1,500 per month with around 23 hours of work per week, according to AsiaOne. The house-cleaning market in Singapore is expanding, in contrast to the general decline in our country’s service industry.

How did Helpling came about?

Debuting in Berlin in 2014 and available in Australia, Canada and several European countries, German startup Helpling’s entry to Asia started in March this year with the acquisition of Singapore cleaning service Spickify.

Co-founder Hoe Yeen Teck is Helpling’s local CEO. He used to be a cleaner himself, so knows first-hand how important it is to get cleaners away from the black market.

“Beyond it all, our mission remains the same – to provide our cleaning partners with a great way to make good income.” Shared Hoe.

I am satisfied with the service and am a convert now.

If you are interested to try out Helpling, good news – I have a discount code that can give you an hour of FREE cleaning for your first booking! To redeem it, book your helper through this link: https://www.helpling.com.sg/raf/alvinologist1c

I will also get a hour off my next cleaning when you book through my code.

After you have registered for an account, you can also generate your own discount code to share with your friends to get a 1-hour voucher off your next cleaning. Good thing must share – moreover, everyone gets rewarded for sharing!

Are cider drinks for sissies?

In this part of the world in Asia, the perception seems to be so. In the UK, cider is a popular and widely available beverage, enjoyed equally by both sexes.

Are gentlemen sissies?

I am not sure about you, but when I watched the 2015 British spy action comedy film, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Colin Firth was the perfect gentleman and was definitely no sissy!

How many of you want to become a Kingsman after watching the movie, hands up!

Don’t try too hard though, it may backfire.

Recently, a group of self-proclaimed trendsetters in Singapore tried to start a social media movement locally to promote the idea of a modern gentleman through a movement that they named “The Gentleman’s Pride”. 

The group posted photos of themselves in sharp suits, posing around Singapore. They drew more flaks than support though, with many criticising them for the impractical attire in sweltering hot Singapore and being poserish as well as trying too hard.

Bad move. The Gentleman’s Pride never really took off.

However, I don’t think we are incapable of being gentlemen. It’s just that maybe most of us lads do not want to try so hard.

Enter Magners Irish Cider, the choice beverage for the “4.5% Gentleman”.

Why 4.5% Gentleman?

Well, we can easily be that little bit more gentlemanly in the park;

While trying out the new drink dispenser machine in the office;

Holding the lift for someone;

Helping an injured friend who is immobile;

Or just making that little bit more effort to always seat the ladies first during dinner.

Did you have fun laughing at the lads?

It’s true isn’t it? No matter how laddish a guy is, there has to be that little bit of gentlemanly goodness in us, albeit that it might be absolutely minimal.

Next time you hit the bar or attend any social gathering, why not bring out that 4.5% Gentleman inside you and order a cider?

While we celebrate being boorish and uncult, releasing our full, goofy masculine side when drinking beer with the gang, there is a laddish alternative that’s just a little more civilised – Magners Irish Cider.

It’s not that hard or inattainable to be a little more gentlemanly to enjoy a nice cool cider which is less harsh or bitter.

Frankly, I do not find it that girly to be drinking cider. I think it’s cool to differentiate myself from the beer buddies by being that little bit different. Ask the ladies. I am sure they will agree.

Real men drink cider too!

This post is brought to you by Magners Irish Cider.

A new baby feeding brand, Hegen, has just entered into the Singapore market. A launch event was held on Tuesday at The Fabulous Baker Boy bakery cafe in River Valley.

Hegen’s newest revolutionary Press-to-Close, Twist-to-Open (PCTO) innovative bottle is the world’s first baby bottle without a screw neck, allowing parents to easily press on and twist off bottle lids with zero spillage.

Breast milk is nature’s best gift to a newborn. However, the physical and mental fatigue, and the pressure to continually balance breastfeeding while re-joining the workforce can make the nursing experience a demanding and tiring one, with many mothers turning to the bottle for support. Rachel had the same experience when breastfeeding Asher before he turned one.

Born out of the desire to enhance the breastfeeding journey for both mother and child, Hegen aims to simplify and complement the nursing experience.

The bottle’s interchangeable feeding and storage lids make conversion from a feeding to storage bottle seamless. Together with its PCTO unique one-hand closure, Hegen’s practical design allows users to minimise spillage and wastage.

Featuring a square-shaped design and wide mouth, Hegen’s stackable bottles nestle together when empty and stack neatly when filled, freeing up storage space at home or in a mother’s bag.

Its snap-on interconnecting storage lids allow multiple containers to be bound together for storage.

The bottle’s off-centre teat promotes feeding in an upright position, which reduces the risk of milk back flow and likelihood of mid-ear complications. Hegen’s elliptical shaped and super soft silicone teat is designed to closely mimic a mother’s breast, enhancing latch-on naturally and minimising nipple confusion. This makes it easier to combine breast and bottle-feeding.

Founder and brainchild of Hegen, Mrs Yvon Bock is a real-life mother of four children. Drawing on her own breastfeeding experience and interaction with like-minded mums, the idea to create the perfect Hegen bottle was born.

“Going through the breastfeeding journey four times, I definitely understand the challenges faced by mothers when nursing. I feel passionate about designing bottles to assist not only mothers, but other helping hands in the entire feeding and bonding experience, with a simple and practical product,” said Mrs Yvon Bock, Managing Director of Hegen.

“After many years of intensive research and development, working hand-in-hand with the best product developers and innovators, I am very proud to unveil Hegen and our revolutionary product. Hegen is created with the belief that the goodness of breast milk should be maximised, while promoting a stress-free nursing experience for the entire family.”

Hegen products are manufactured with the highest quality standards, backed by their parent factory with decades of manufacturing expertise and accredited with ISO9001, 14001, 18001, and 13485 certifications. The products are also free of Phthalate, PVC, BPA and EA.

Pricing of Hegen PCTO™ Feeding Bottles and Teats are as follows:

*The prices listed above are in Singapore dollars.

Hegen is exclusively available at Motherswork from 1 August 2015, and will soon be available on Amazon.com. For more information, please visit their official website or Hegen’s Facebook page.

This post is written in conjunction with SG50, to celebrate the everyday stars around us in Singapore whom we sometimes fail to acknowledge or give due recognition.

My colleague at migme, Cherlyn Loo (rightmost in picture), is the secretary to our CEO and also handles many of the other administrative duties in our Singapore office.

I joined the company in September last year. Generally when we look for Cherlyn in the office, it is to get her help on filling forms, documents or booking appointments with our CEO.

Being an absent-minded person, I often submit forms late and have to get Cherlyn’s help. I find her always smiley and helpful.

Recently, I casually asked Cherlyn what she would be doing during the long weekend for Hari Raya when we happened to leave the office at the same time.

I was surprised to learn that she is actively involved in volunteer work and is teaming up with a group of friends to try and raise S$30,000 for the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (CPAS).

They will be having a fund raising event on 6 August. Do go down and support them if you are free. For more details, click here.

When:
Date: 6th Aug 2015, Thursday
Time: 10am – 3pm

Where:
Address: 65 Pasir Ris Drive 1, 519529
Total number of people in the centre: 132 adults with cerebral palsy

They are also collecting donations for CPAS. The wishlist is available here.

Cherlyn is a member of a group of individuals who came together with a common vision to create unconditional love and care for persons with cerebral palsy and their caregivers, called LP133.

Other than fundraising, they will also be painting murals at the CPAS centre as well as working together with business owners to teach the adults with cerebral palsy to make handicraft for sale. The latter initiative seeks to encourage independence, self-reliance and boost their confidence while providing them with an avenue to generate some small income.

Funds raised by the group would be channeled to daily operation of the CPAS centre, purchasing of necessities for the clients at the centre and other projects in line with their vision.

I always find ordinary Singaporeans who volunteer their time for charity or community work worthy of our admirations.

Cherlyn does not actively go around flaunting to everyone around her that she is doing all these charity work during her free time. I happen to know about it through a casual chat.

When I told her I am writing this article about her, she told me to focus on her group and the CPAS instead.

A teacher once shared with me that ‘unspoken love is the greatest love of all’. The same goes for kindness. The people who quietly do good things around us are often the most inspirational.

Cherlyn is not the only one. I had a schoolmate in JC who was actively volunteering all her weekends to tutor and coach underprivileged kids for free. I often wonder why she cannot go out dating on weekends and seem to be always occupied. It was only upon further probing that I found out. To think I was spending my weekends hanging out at shopping malls and clubs.

This year as Singapore celebrates our fiftieth year since independence, let’s celebrate the accomplishment of ordinary Singaporeans like Cherlyn by giving them a heartfelt thank you for making our society better for everyone.

We can each contribute in our own little ways.

If you have the time, do support Cherlyn’s event by turning up or putting in your donations.

Better still, if this post inspires you, go out and do something nice today or just thank another ordinary star whom you know!

Happy SG50 everyone!

Train travel can be awesome – let celebrity TV chef Jonathan Phang show you why!

Jonathan Phang was here in Singapore recently as part of a two-week South East Asia culinary tour – ‘Jonathan Phang Gourmet Getaway’ to promote his new season of Gourmet Trains. The show is currently showing on Asian Food Channel (AFC) every Sunday at 3pm and 10pm, on StarHub TV Channel 435 for Singapore audience.

Tonight is the final airing of the last episode at 10pm. Be sure to catch it! 

As part of the tour, one lucky StarHub TV subscriber and a friend won a three-day, two-night, adventure on the Eastern and Oriental Express. Hosted by Phang himself, the duo was treated to a luxury train ride that included a market tour at Kuala Kangsar, Malaysia and a five course dinner specially prepared by Jonathan and Eastern and Oriental Express executive chef, Yannis Martineau.

The first day was spent traveling on the train.

Up bright and early on the second day, Jonathan Phang visited the local market in Kuala Kangsar with Chef Yannis and the contest winners to source for local ingredients for the Jonathan Phang Gourmet Getaway exclusive dinner to be held the following night.

At the market, Jonathan and Chef Yannis purchased long beans to be used in the vegetable curry, coriander to be used in the Breaded Cod served with Mango Salsa, Red Pepper Mayonnaise and Mixed Leaves and small limes to be used in the Coconut and Pineapple Crumble Cake and Vanilla Ice Cream for dessert.

Along the way, the group also sampled durians and  visited Ubudiah Mosque, Perak’s royal mosque.

On the third day, the group visited the River Kwai Bridge in Thailand. The famous bridge and beginning of the ‘Death Railway’ is a poignant reminder of the thousands of prisoners of war and forced labourers who lost their lives in the Second World War during the construction of the railway.

On the last night, everyone was looking forward to the highlight of the trip – the Jonathan Phang Gourmet Getaway exclusive dinner.

These were the delectable dishes which the lucky guests got to sample (pictures via Jin Loves to Eat):

1st Course served: Breaded Cod served with Mango Salsa and Red Pepper Mayonnaise and Mixed Leaves

2nd Course Served: Spiced Pumpkin and Seafood Soup

Main Course: Guests were able to choose between a Jerk Chicken or Beef Pepperpot. Each was served with Rice & Pigeon Peas and Vegetable Curry. This is the Jerk Chicken.

Main Course Served: Beef Pepperpot

Dessert: Coconut and Pineapple Crumble Cake and Vanilla Ice Cream

Craving for more of Jonathan Phang?

We had the opportunity to interview Phang while he was in Singapore, discovering how he only tried oysters at the age of 47 and whether he prefers Jamie Oliver or Gordon Ramsay. Here are his answers:

1. Which is your most enjoyable train meal after filming two seasons?

Fortunately, I have never had a bad experience with food on a train! The chefs work in very small and hot kitchens but yet they are still able to cook up masterpiece meals for hundreds of people every day.

My most enjoyable meal when filming ‘Jonathan Phang’s Gourmet Trains’ would have to be the Fish Curry with Rice prepared by Chef Yannis from the Eastern & Oriental Express. I had eaten so much food during that trip for filming and was craving for a simple home cooked meal– the curry really hit the spot!

As for a gourmet meal, it would be have to be the Cauliflower Veloute with Steamed Sole and Beluga Caviar prepared by Chef Christian Bodigal on the Belmond Venice Simplon Orient Express. I am not a big fan of cauliflower but I polished off the whole plate.

2. What is your favourite moment in this season which viewers should watch out for? Can you share an unforgettable moment?

My most memorable experience from season one was when we filmed on the Eastern & Oriental Train travelling from Singapore to Thailand. We visited the River Kwai and Kanchanaburi cemetery where many of the prisoners of war are buried. The whole experience was extremely moving.

In the second season, my most memorable experience was when we visited Machu Picchu, it was absolutely beautiful and its vast landscape just took my breath away. I’d love to go back there one day.

3. Can you name three favourite local food in Singapore which you enjoy and why?

My father is Chinese and I grew up eating and loving Chinese food. I absolutely love Wanton, Char Siew Mien, Sago and Prata Bombs! I always have to make time to get my fill of local food every time I visit Singapore.

4. How would you recommend a train vacation vs a cruise holiday or flying via airplanes?

Travelling by train allows you to experience the country at its core, showing you sights and sounds that other transport systems like coaches or planes cannot.

Everyone should take the opportunity to slow down and just enjoy where they are and what’s around them, away from technology, work and the bustle of a big city. Luxury trains can offer a beautiful and whimsical experience that many can only appreciate after trying it for themselves.

5. You are a famous public figure who has a very public profile. Can you share three currently unknown little secrets about Jonathan Phang which will be exclusive for this interview?

I am an open book so it would be hard to share three secrets about myself!

I love to sing show tunes around a piano, I didn’t eat my first oyster till I was 47 years old, and I hate tripe (lining of the stomach of cattle)!

6. Have you cooked at sea or in the plane before too? If so, what is the difference from cooking on a train? If not, would you try?

I’ve never cooked at sea or in a plane before but I would think that the restrictions that the kitchen teams face are similar to those on a train. The train’s kitchen staff are highly skilled in working with the movement of the train (making sure you don’t chop your finger every time it jolts is very important!)

While I am always up for a challenge, I was quite nervous to have to do it this time on the Asian Food Channel tour!

7. Finally, Gordon Ramsay or Jamie Oliver? Why?

Nigella Lawson!

Between the two, it would have to be Jamie Oliver; He is just such a likeable person, an everyman for all seasons if you will. I love that he has been able to turn his success into to giving so much to society like improving the quality of hospital, school and prison food.

###

Good news for Alvinology readers – we have an exclusive giveaway!

Answer two simple questions correctly and be in the running to win an exclusive Asian Food Channel goodie bag worth S$100 in value! Remember to share the post on Facebook to be eligible to win.

The goodie bag is inclusive of Jonathan Phang’s recipe book, The Pepperpot Club, which has been personally autographed by the celeb chef himself. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to indulge in a celebration of Chinese-Caribbean cuisine, packed with stunning dishes and delicious recipes to try out!

Other items in the goodie bag includes:

– 1 x AFC Cotton Bag
– 1 x AFC Notebook
– 1 x AFC Lanyard
– 1 x AFC Tea Infuser Bottle
– 1 x AFC Mug

The questions (Psst..answers can all be found in the post!):

(a) Share with us one (1) country and gourmet train Jonathan Phang boarded in the second season of Jonathan Phang’s Gourmet Trains.

(b) What channel in Singapore is Jonathan Phang Gourmet Trains 2 airing on?

To get to Boracay’s flawless, pearl-white beaches, you will be looking at a full day’s journey involving a plane ride, at least one road transfer and a boat ride. You could take a connecting flight from Cebu City or Manila to Caticlan, or you could take a direct flight from Singapore to Kalibo (3h 40min) like we did on our most recent family vacation. With the flight taking up almost half of the travel time and you wanting to arrive in Boracay in the best possible shape, why not choose to fly SilkAir?

Rachel and Asher on the SilkAir plane

Thanks to SilkAir’s kind sponsorship, we discovered five reasons why you should fly with them should you desire a holiday in one of Asia’s most beautiful destinations.

1. SilkAir’s best-kept “secret”: SilkAir Studio!

Did you know that there’s in-flight entertainment on SilkAir flights, and you can hook up your personal handheld devices to the Wi-Fi connection to tune into it? Users can stream blockbuster hits, short features, as well as chart-topping music wirelessly to their electronic devices. OK, it’s not really a secret – the flight attendants make announcements about it when it’s turned on and switched off – but we observed that few passengers bothered to check out SilkAir Studio.

Watch all these for free on your own internet devices

It’s compatible with iPhones, iPads and all Android devices. All you need to do is search for SilkAir Studio in your Wi-Fi connection, click on it and the rest follows. There’s an instruction pamphlet in your seat pocket. If you need earphones, all you need to do is to let a friendly stewardess know.

Super easy set-up

The selection is not as extensive as that on an SQ flight, but it’s sufficient for short-haul regional flights, which SilkAir mostly takes anyway.

2. In-flight activities to keep your kid occupied

Following from my previous point about SilkAir Studio, you’d be pleased to know that there are children’s cartoons to keep your child entertained! Asher was pleased to see that there was Transformers Rescue Bots and Hi-5, among other child-friendly short feature films.

The kids program on SilkAir Studio

Transformers Rescue Bot cartoon playing on my iPad

That’s not all – I’m sure you wouldn’t want your kid to be glued to the iPad the whole time. The stewardesses hand out a SpongeBob board game and a SilkAir airplane plush toy to each of the kids. The board game is easy to play and a breeze to stow away into your bag.

SilkAir plane plush toy

Asher enjoying his meal while watching a cartoon

You can tell that SilkAir has thought everything out for the parents with the little things they do as standard protocol. Before take-off, the stewardess hands out a blanket and a pillow to every child on the plane. You can imagine how these simple items make a young kid’s flight so much more comfortable! I tuck the pillow behind Asher’s back while he’s seated so his spine is supported, and the blanket keeps him warm. When he’s ready for his nap, the pillow helps prop up his head so he doesn’t get a neckache when he awakes.

Blanket and pillow for Asher

For babies-in-arms or those below the age of two, the stewardesses will offer to set up bassinets. Yes, parents travelling with little ones get the front seats, where bassinets can easily be set up.

A SilkAir stewardess setting up a bassinet for a baby seated in front of us

3. Hot meals and drinks with proper dinnerware

At meals, all kids are served first. I cannot tell how grateful I am for this gesture. As an adult I don’t mind waiting but kids gotta be the first to eat – that’s how I get to enjoy my meal in peace later, you see?

There are two choices and I am glad that there’s always a non-spicy option (the stewardesses actually tell you which is spicy) for Asher. Proper forks and spoons made of metal are served with your meal so there won’t be any breaking of flimsy plastic as you try to spear your baby carrots or cauliflower florets.

The lemon fish and spaghetti meal for Asher

Rice with spicy pork (for me)

Nasi Lemak

Dessert

Asher tucking in

Passengers have the choice of a post-meal hot drink as well.

4. Beat the queues at SilkAir’s check-in counters at Kalibo Airport

In the spirit of full disclosure, I’m going to tell you that TigerAir and AirAsia fly to Kalibo as well, but here’s the thing: it’s a lot less hassle at SilkAir’s check-in counters at Kalibo!

Took a picture with the friendly SilkAir staff at Kalibo Airport

The friendly ground staff will be there to check you in and make sure that every piece of luggage you own gets onto the plane safely. If it’s sunny or rainy, SilkAir’s ground staff will be ready with umbrellas to make sure that you are well-sheltered from the elements.

The snaking queues for the other airlines’ check-in counters

Beat the queue when you fly with SilkAir

5. Full service flight at bargain prices

Don’t mistake SilkAir for a budget carrier – it’s not! But it’s the most value-for-money you’ll get for a short-haul, full service flight. They currently have a promotion where you can get tickets to Kalibo from S$309, inclusive of airport surcharges. SilkAir flights from Singapore to Kalibo operates thrice weekly on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. For more details, do check out http://www.silkair.com

We look forward to our next trip with SilkAir at the end of year to Chengdu, China to see the pandas!

Now, we are giving away five sets of exclusive SilkAir goodie bags! Each bag will consist of a limited edition SilkAir travel pack set, airplane plush toy and an in-flight Spongebob board game set.

Win this for your kid! :)

Content inside the box

To win, all you have to do is…
1) ‘Like’ the SilkAir Facebook page
2) Share our Facebook post and tag 3 other friends

Contest ends 30 August.

We’ll also be writing another post soon about our travels in Boracay with young Asher tagging along. Stay tuned if you are looking to explore Boracay as a destination for your next family vacation!

Fresh-faced Nicole Seah was my favourite new political star in the Singapore 2011 General Elections. Not because she was pretty, but because she spoke sense.

There are Singaporeans from the pioneer generation and those born before the 80s who personally witnessed and went through the narrative of our late founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew’s Singapore Story – from third world to first. Their lives improved significantly and they give the PAP their stamp of approval.

Then, there are those like me and younger ones like Nicole and Kevryn Lim who grew up with a different People’s Action Party (PAP) – led by our second prime minister, Goh Chok Tong, followed by our current prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong.

As the population becomes more educated and affluent, the next levels for Maslow’s hierarchy of needs set in. Now, we want freedom of speech, human rights, among other less tangible wants compared to a shelter over our head and three meals a day. In this respect, the PAP of the past falls short and the new PAP team of today still falls short.

For those of us born after the 80s, what we saw was a decline in the standard of living, particularly during the previous five years leading in to 2011 when Singapore spread it’s legs wide open like a loose prostitute, welcoming truckloads and planeloads of foreigner from all over the world to achieve PAP’s goal of a 10 million population. This was done without care for housing, transport and other infrastructural improvement to accommodate the large influx, creating lots of tension and anxiety with the resident population. This is the Singapore youths like Nicole Seah and Kevryn Lim grew up in.

This was probably what led the fire in the belly to grow.

Yet I do not think they are the same.

I was looking forward to Nicole contesting in the upcoming election again, but it seems she has ruled out the possibility. At just 28 this year, she is a political veteran who has taken on a GRC led by an ex-prime minster and actually came close to winning.

Kevryn Lim, 26, on the other hand, is a newbie like Nicole was in 2011.

However, one thing many failed to note was that Nicole’s support drew very much from the hatred against her perceived rival in the PAP, Tin Pei Ling. Whatever Pei Ling’s failings  then was Nicole’s gain and Pei Ling was an epic fail for a new candidate.

During the 2011 election, the National Solidarity Party (NSP), was often jokingly referred to as “Nicole Seah’s Party”, reflecting the level of national support she enjoyed.

Since then, after PAP won the Marine Parade GRC, Tin Pei Ling had matured a lot and to be fair to her, she is probably one of the most prolific and hardworking MPs in the rank and file of the PAP. So much so that it  seems the PAP is confident enough to put her in a SMC to compete on her own.

For Kevryn to reach that level of support for Nicole in 2011, she needs a nemesis like Tin Pei Ling, of which there isn’t one at the moment.

There seems to be a lot of comparisons between Kevryn and Nicole for the sheer fact that they are pretty and that Kevryn does part-time modeling. Please look beyond this. We are electing a member of parliament, not Miss Singapore Universe.

While looks are an advantage, there must be substance and political will and convictions to back it up. If it’s just about looks, go vote for PAP’s Baey Yam Keng or Teo Ser Luck.

In an interview with CNA, Kevryn cited the book Can Singapore Survive by Professor Kishore Mahbubani, Dean of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, as well as the American political drama House Of Cards, which stars Kevin Spacey, as sources of political inspiration and influence.

Err…. I hope she realise the latter is fiction.

Nicole on the other hand, was very candid about her political outlook and upbringing from the beginning, sharing about the volunteer work she does and how her encounters with the less privileged  motivated to stand for election.

Kevryn also spent many of her formative years abroad in Hong Kong and Australia, unlike Nicole who studied locally and worked locally before she contested in 2011. Kevryn moved to Hong Kong after her O-levels to study fashion design, and juggled part-time work as a model, actress and radio deejay while she was a student. She only returned to Singapore to start her own events management and digital marketing company, after earning a Master’s degree in Professional Communication at Curtin University of Technology in Australia. As such, she might not have personally witnessed or experienced some of the changes in Singapore in the past years.

Nonetheless, I still think it’s admirable for Kevryn to stand for NSP. I will prefer candidates like her and Nicole or even Tin Peiling over some of the old ones like Goh Meng Seng who keeps playing switcheroo, moving from one party to another like flipping roti prata.  I often find the older politicians, whether from the PAP or the opposition parties to be very jaded and non-visionary. They just like to keep to the status quo.

For Singapore to progress, we need fresh ideas, new visions and an injection of young bloods. This is what will keep Singapore going for the next 50 years or 100 years. What do you think?

Watch and judge for yourself.

For Kevryn Lim, it’s about transport issues which affect her and her event company which she wants to champion:

For Tin Pei Ling, it’s about bringing her parents to Universal Studio:

For Nicole Seah, she shared on her volunteer work experiences and how that brought about her political awakening:

We need more Nicole Seah.

As Singapore celebrates the nation’s 50th birthday, it is also time for Singaporeans to indulge in our national past-time over the long weekend – finding and enjoying good food!

I saw a friend’s post on facebook asking where to find a good SG50 buffet:

I couldn’t resist the troll comment. Jokes aside, I was invited to the media preview for Capella Singapore‘s one-day-only National Day Brunch on Sunday, 9 August at their in-house restaurant, The Knolls.

It was mouthwatering good stuff which I find worth recommending. The chefs took  liberty to give a fresh spin to some signature Singaporean hawker fares. Many have done this before, but what I like is that they kept the flavours close to the original.

Instead of trying to get a reservation at the restaurants and hotels in the marina bay area, why not head down to Sentosa for your SG50 celebration meal?

Here are some of the special SG50 dishes we sampled:

Kueh Pie Tee stuffed with Chilli Crab – brilliant idea and tastes really good!

Maki Roll of Chicken Rice – a favourite during the tasting

Otah Bun and Roti John

Oysters with local condiments and sauce – ginger, scallions, soy

Popiah with crispy chicken

Foie Gras Terrine with Fruit Rojak

Chilled Mee Siam

Mao Shang Wang durian cake!

(clockwise from left) coconut shake; banana sago gula melaka concoction topped with coconut cream, cookie bits and coconut flakes; and pandan creme brulee – all are excellent stuff

Tea Tarik to round up the meal

Other than the specially prepared dishes for SG50, you also get to enjoy the regular items from their brunch buffet. The spread may not be as wide as some other hotels’ offerings, but all the items are carefully curated, prepared with only the very best of ingredient:

Appertisers

Sashimi and sushi

Made on the spot

Special for the day – salmon pancake

Little foie gras appertisers

Top-notch butter

Beef ravioli

Lamb shank

Suckling pig and grilled veggies

Grilled meat station

The oyster bar is very popular, featuring freshly shucked oysters from around the world like Ireland, Canada, France, and the United States:

I particularly like their dessert selections. Many are so pretty that I feel bad when biting into them!

Pretty pretty desserts

Nice shapes

Even the chocolate eclairs are so elegant

There is also a roving live band who will go around to serenade guests, even singing songs at your requests:

Details of the National Day Sunday Brunch (one-day-only)

Date: Sunday, 9 August 2015
Time: 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Venue: The Knolls Restaurant

Price range:
$288++ per adult, includes free flowing vintage Taittinger Champagne, seasonal boutique wines, specialty cocktails, and international beers

$228++ per adult, includes free flowing Taittinger Champagne, wines, specialty cocktails, and international beers

$188++ per adult, includes free flowing soft beverages and fresh juices

$118++ per child ages 7 to 12 years, includes free flowing soft drinks and fresh juices

$78++ per child ages 4 to 6 years, includes free flowing soft drinks and fresh juices

THE KNOLLS
Capella Singapore
1 The Knolls
Sentosa
Singapore 098297

Macpherson SMC looks set to become an interesting fighting ground for the upcoming Singapore General Election.

Not only is it one of the only constituencies which will see a multi-corner fight (People’s Action Party (PAP), National Solidarity Party (NSP) and Workers’ Party (WP) have all expressed interest to contest), it could potentially be a showdown of three beauties – Tin Pei Ling, 31, from PAP, Kevryn Lim, 26, from NSP, and now, He Ting Ru, 32, from WP.

Much has been written about Tin in GE 2011.

Most of the comments were negative and she was even given the dismissive nickname, “Kate Spade”, referring to a viral image of her showing off a Kate Spade handbag. Since then, she had worked very hard on the ground in Macpherson where she is the current MP and also earned her stripes in parliament by frequently fielding questions. The residents in Macpherson appear to connect well with her, especially the elderly. It will be foolish to write her off as a political lightweight for the coming election as she is very different from the newbie she was in 2011.

Tin Pei Ling, picture via The New Paper

Tin has just given birth to a SG50 baby boy btw – congratulations to her and her lucky husband! 

Kevryn Lim runs her own events company and is a one of the fresh new faces which the NSP is introducing for the coming election. Will the NSP be fielding Lim in Macpherson against Tin?

NSP has expressed their intent to contest in Macpherson. It’s a pity their biggest star in 2011, Nicole Seah, 28, had stated she would not be running in this election. As such, maybe Lim would be the next best choice for NSP to field against Seah’s perceived arch-nemesis in 2011, Tin Pei Ling.

Lim graduated from the Curtin University in Hong Kong with a Masters in Professional Communication. Prior to her graduate studies, she studied Fashion Design & Product Development at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. She said in a recent media interview that she would like to champion transport and education issues if elected.

Kevryn Lim, picture via The New Paper

Lim has worked as a part-time model in her younger days and some of her racier photos have since surfaced, drawing criticism from the conservative public and lewd remarks from perverts. So far, she seems to be coping okay and taking things in strides. 

He Ting Ru is a Cambridge-educated corporate lawyer who had lived and worked in several countries. She has recently been seen walking the ground in Macpherson with the WP team.

She joined the WP because she “strongly believe that all of us have to play our part in building the type of country we want.”

“Singapore needs to be a more balanced democracy. There should be no place for divisive politics. We are all Singaporeans who call this our home, no matter our differing views or beliefs. I hope we in the WP will be able to work together with Singaporeans to make this a reality.” Shared He in a interview with the WP Youth Wing.

Not much else is known about her as the WP is usually very tight-lipped about their strategies and also keep a close guard on the public image of their potential election candidates.

Will she be fielded in Macpherson against PAP’s Tin and NSP’s Lim?

Already, comparisons are coming fast and furious in the prolific EDMW forum, with many pointing out that He looks rather like local TV celebrity, Rui En from some angles:

He Ting Ru, Picture via omy.sg

He Ting Ru, Picture via StraitsTimes.com

Are you envious of the residents of Macpherson?

They may have not just two, but THREE BEAUTIES competing for their votes!

What do we have? We get the likes of Roy Ngerng, Goh Meng Seng and Lui Teck Yew.

If given a choice, who would you choose between the three to represent your voice in parliament?

Happy #SG50 everyone!

The 2015 National Day Parade (#NDP2015) had just drawn to an end, celebrating Singapore’s golden jubilee in our 50th year of independence.

If you watched the NDP on television today, you must have seen this guy:

Yes, this super enthusiastic guy and his awesome expressions! This is what we do when the camera zooms in on us for the big screen right?

“Mummy look! I am on TV!”

He did it!

#ThatSG50Guy is famous now!

If you find his face very familiar, this is because today is not the first time he had done something like that. Otherwise, why would he be know as #ThatSG50Guy right?

He was there at Sun Yanzi’s last concert:

He was there when British royals visited Singapore:

He was there when the Chinese bus drivers at SMRT decided to go on strike:

He was there during the Little India Riot:

He was there when they captured Mas Selamat Kastari:

He was there at the Workers’ Party rally in Aljunied during the watershed 2011 general election:

He was there when Dr. Tony Tan was elected as the current president of Singapore:

He was even there when Lee Hsien Loong had to lead a cable car rescue:

He was there too when Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong were leading Singapore:

I am sure #ThatSG50Guy will still be with us when we celebrate #SG100.

Mr. Holmes is a 2015 crime drama mystery film directed by Bill Condon, based on the 2005 novel A Slight Trick of the Mind written by Mitch Cullin and featuring the character Sherlock Holmes.

The film stars Sir Ian McKellen as Sherlock Holmes, Laura Linney as housekeeper Mrs. Munro and Milo Parker as her son Roger. Set primarily during his retirement, the film follows a 93-year-old Holmes who struggles to recall the details of his final case while his mind begins to deteriorate.

Yes, you read correctly, Sherlock Holmes is 93-years-old in this film and is played by Magneto, Sir Ian McKellen. These were the draws for me to catch it in cinema in the first place.

If you are used to the modern, witty new BBC series, Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, it’s likely you will like Mr. Holmes too. It’s an older, slower version:

The movie’s pacing is a little slow at the beginning, but it gets more exciting as it goes along. Sir McKellen is a superb actor as usual and delivers his chops as a frail old Sherlock Holmes, fighting to keep his wits, while learning more about humility and humanity in his older years.

The movie humanises the genius that is often made up the character, Sherlock Holmes. Beyond his super smart brain, he is fundamentally still a human being seeking love and acceptance from those around him.

It took him 93 years, but he did learn something which you will discover at the end of the movie and find it rather endearing.

Mr. Holmes is a recommended watch from me and I can see awards nominations coming up for Sir McKellen for his role in this movie. Go catch it if you are a fan of Sherlock Holmes and the mystery and crime genres!

Mr. Holmes is now showing in Singapore cinemas.

Every year during the June school holiday, Nickelodeon will run their Nickelodeon Slime Cup event, billed as Singapore’s slimiest integrated sports festival.

Asher got to participate in his first Nickelodeon Slime Cup event this year and he got to meet many of his favourite characters from the Nickelodeon channel like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob and Patrick from SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer with her cousin Diego:

People love these characters

Raphael and Michelangelo

Asher got to meet the characters

The event was presented by SingTel mio TV and held at Downtown East from 6 to 7 June over a weekend. The event aims to encourage children and their parents to bond and get active through play. Nickelodeon’s trademark green slime was a main ingredient in the games and activities, hence the name.

Jennifer Ng, Head of Singtel TV Marketing & Home Services and Syahrizan Mansor, Vice President, Nickelodeon, in the middle

Other than the character appearances at the event, they also stayed around to lead some dances for the kids on stage:

Patrick Star leading a dance

Packed audience

Emcee leading the dance

Asher dancing along

Characters dancing together on stage

Other kids dancing

There are also many other games and activities for kids to participate in to win prizes such as Nickelodeon goodie bags:

Ninja Master ball game

Slime golf

Get slimed!

Free temporary tattoos

Football game

Colouring with Pilot pens

 Asher was delighted to learn there was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Dojo Experience taking place at the same time at Downtown East’s Event Square from 29 May to 28 June. He got to try out some ninja moves and games:

Asher was all hyped when he saw this

Avoid obstacles like a ninja

Pinball game

Throw ninja turtles

Glide like a ninja – unfortunately, Asher was not tall enough to try this

Toys section

If you missed out on the Nickelodeon Slime Cup this year, be sure to look out for it next year during the school holidays! Also, check out Nickelodeon Asia’s official events page for more interesting events like the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Dojo Experience.

Note:

• Admission to the Nickelodeon Slime Cup was free.
• Entry passes for the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Dojo Experience were given to patrons with a spend of S$20 at Downtown East.

With blogger Roy Ngerng applying to join the Reform Party and lawyer M. Ravi considering to join them as well, who will Reform Party field in Ang Mo Kio GRC?

Bear in mind this is a six-members GRC helmed by none other than the current prime minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong.

Would this be the Reform Party’s Dream Team for Ang Mo Kio GRC?

• Hulk: Kenneth Jeyaratnam, 56, Secretary-General of the Reform Party
• Ironman: M. Ravi, 45, lawyer
• Hawkeye: Roy Ngerng, 34, activist and blogger
• Black Widow: Han Hui Hui, 24, activist and blogger
• Captain America: Alex Tan, 27, blogger and systems engineer
• Thor: Amos Yee, 17, blogger

This post is obviously tongue-in-cheek and should not be taken seriously. Politic is serious business in Singapore. Vote wisely.

I know I know, I am just stating the obvious. The Singapore General Election is right round the corner and the whole of Singapore seems to know about it.

Why?

Here are ten tell-tale signs.

1. 

Reservist policemen start receiving letters like this:

Source: facebook

2.

A lot of politicians start showing up at your neighbourhood hawker centres or coffeshops

Everyone wants to shake your hands, carry your baby or be your best friend. Confused? Just smile and tell all of them you will vote for all of them. This will make them really happy. At the end of the day, you and only you know who you really vote for.

3.

Your friends on facebook suddenly become enemies over different political views

Everyone starts sharing news about his or her own favourite political party. Some people can get really fervent and close-minded. So much so they end up arguing badly with others who support other political parties. Friends turn to foes. Politics can be really divisive. Your friends start blocking each other on facebook. You just watch and enjoy your popcorns.

4.

Your choice of colour for your #OOTD matters

If you show up at work in all-white from top to bottom, people will ask you if you are invited to stand for election or whether you are supporting the ruling party. If you show up in blue, red or yellow, people will ask you to consider your decision carefully if you intend to run for election or to support opposition political parties.

5.

The Transport Minister announced a cut in public transport fares

Seriously. This has never happened before. Usually, it is always fare hike announcements.

Singapore’s Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew announced on 3 August that transport fares will be reduced by up to 1.9 per cent from December. He said fares were being lowered following reduced fuel costs. Right.

6.

Army generals and senior civil servants are dropping like flies

No they are obviously not going into retirement. For the uninitiated, you may even think there is some crisis in the Singapore civil service, our armed forces or the police force to cause the sudden mass exodus of many senior and important appointment holders.

The most prominent one has to be the current Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant-General Ng Chee Meng who just retired from the Singapore Armed Forces after 29 years of service.

Fret not. You will soon see these guys in your neighbour wanting to shake your hands and take photos with you.

7.

Getai organisers and singers get warned not to play politics 

The Singapore police said on 14 August that getai performances are strictly not allowed before, during or after election rallies. 

Need further clues on the dates for the coming election?

8.

You see weird sponsored posts like this on your facebook feed:

Are promoted posts on Facebook considered as political advertisement? Fyi, she is not the only one. I also see sponsored posts from independent candidate, Tan Lam Siong and a few others.

9.

Bloggers who usually write about food and travel starts blogging about politics too

Guilty as charged, but I believe I am not the only one.

As a Singaporean, I think it is our duty as Singapore citizen to be socially and politically informed. Agree?

10. 

Amos Yee starts making rude videos again

Like this one (view discretion is advised on the vulgar language used in the video):

With the opposition parties stepping up, the coming Singapore General Election (GE2015), is likely to be the first fully contested general election in Singapore since independence. All eligible voters will get to vote as all constituencies will be contested. Gone are the days of walkovers and “instant MPs” whom we did not vote for.

This is a step forward for democracy, although it would be even better if we do away with the Group Representation Constituencies (GRC) system which allows untested or unpopular candidates to enter parliament, riding on the coat tails of stronger ones.

There will a total of 13 Single-Member Constituencies (SMCs) and 16 GRCs in GE2015, up from the current 12 SMCs and 15 GRCs.

That’s a total of 29 contests to watch. Which will be the most keenly contested or interesting ones to watch? Get ready your popcorn. Here is list of the top 10 battles:

1.

East Coast GRC

Without a doubt, this will be the hottest contest to watch for GE2015. The strongest opposition party, with 7 MPs and 1 Non-Constituency MP (NCMP) in parliament, is set for a rematch in East Coast GRC where they narrowly lost to the People’s Action Party (PAP). It was the narrowest win for a GRC for the ruling party, with just 54.8% of valid votes. For the WP, Gerald Giam from the losing team in East Coast GRC managed to snatch a seat in parliament as a NCMP for being one of the best-performing losers.

Giam is likely to be leading the WP team for this second showdown. His potential WP team mates include National University of Singapore associate professor and sociologist Daniel Goh, 42; law firm partner Dennis Tan, 44; research and consultancy firm chief executive Leon Perera, 44; and librarian Mohamed Fairoz Shariff, 36.

On the PAP’s end, the anchor minister in East Coast GRC, Minister for Manpower, Lim Swee Say, 61, wants to stay put. It is likely his team will stay very much the same. His running mates are likely to be Lee Yi Shyan, 53, Senior Minister of State in the ministries of Trade and Industry and National Development; Dr Maliki Osman, 50, Mayor of the South East District of Singapore, and a Senior Parliamentary Secretary at the ministries of Defence and National Development; and  Jessica Tan, 49, Managing Director, Microsoft Singapore.

2.

Aljunied GRC

This is the only GRC currently helmed by an opposition party. The WP’s top guns are all in this GRC, including WP’s secretary-general, Low Thia Khiang, 58; WP’s chairman, Slyvia Lim, 50; lawyer Chen Show Mao, 54; lawyer Pritam Singh, 39 and Muhamad Faisal Manap, 40.

The PAP seems unlikely and unwilling to send any bigwigs to contest in Aljunied GRC. It seems more apparent that they will be fielding a ‘suicide squad’ of political unknowns, comprising Victor Lye, PAP’s branch chairman at Bedok Reservoir-Punggol; Chua Eng Leong, 42, PAP’s branch chairman for Eunos; Chan Hui Yeh; K Muralidharan Pillai, 44, head of commercial litigation at Rajah and Tann; and Shamsul Kamar, 43, former head of department for student management at Spectra Secondary School.

WP’s Achilles heel are the controversies over town council funds and the way the WP is running the town council. By fielding a team of grassroot leaders, the PAP may be capitalising on this issue to bring down the WP. Do not dismiss the ‘suicide squad’ just yet as they may be the underdogs necessary to win over the hearts of Aljunied voters.

3.

Potong Pasir SMC

This was the longest held opposition ward in Singapore for 27 years, helmed by popular opposition figure, Chiam See Tong, 80, Secretary-General of the Singapore People’s Party (SPP), until the PAP won back the SMC in 2011.

In GE2011, the wife of Chiam See Tong, Lina Chiam, lost the SMC to twice-unsuccessful challenger Sitoh Yih Pin of the PAP by a mere 114 votes in a close 7973-7859 vote count. Since then, Sitoh has been hard at work, slowly winning the ground with his sincerity.

The two are set for a rematch. A third independent candidate, lawyer Tan Lam Siong has expressed interest to contest in the SMC. This means Potong Pasir SMC may be the only constituency to see a multi-corner fight in the coming election.

Lam will likely draw opposition votes away from Lina Chiam and likely give Sitoh another narrow win. If so, he will become public enemy number one for opposition supporters.

4. 

Tanjong Pagar GRC

The voters in Tanjong Pagar GRC has never voted before since the GRC was first set up as it was helmed by Singapore’s founding prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew, who passed away earlier this year.

It would be extremely foolhardy to go against Lee, who has a god-like status in the hearts and minds of most Singaporeans, regardless if they are supportive of him or not.

Nonetheless, the GRC is now helmed by newbie minister, Chan Chun Sing, 45, Minister in Prime Minister’s Office and the Secretary-General of the National Trade Union Congress.

A new political party, Singaporeans First (SingFirst), helmed by Tan Jee Say, 61, will be contesting the GRC. Tan is an investment adviser and former civil servant. He was a principal private secretary to former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong.

The electoral at Tanjong Pagar GRC is largely untested as they have not voted for ages. As such, it will be interesting to observe how they vote.

5. 

Holland-Bukit Timah GRC

The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) is likely to field their best team in this GRC. Dr Paul Ananth Tambyah, 50, Professor of the National University Hospital at the Department of Medicine is a strong candidate to watch from the SDP. Another interesting figure to watch will be Dr Chee Soon Juan, the controversial secretary-general of the party who was recently discharged from bankruptcy and will be able to contest the coming election.

Holland-Bukit Timah GRC is led by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. His team mates for this election are likely to include the incumbent MPs, Christopher De Souza, Sim Ann and Liang Eng Hwa.

The SDP garnered a respectable 39.9% of valid votes, their best result for GE2011. Would they be able to up their vote shares this election? Or will the PAP be able to garner a wider vote share and win with an even bigger margin, given all the policy changes since 2011?

 6.

Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), led by Benjamin Pwee, 47, will be fielding a joint team together with Chiam See Tong’s SPP. Pwee contested in the GRC in 2011 together with Chiam under the SPP before he splintered off to join the DPP. They have since reunited.

The PAP is fielding a strong team at the GRC, helmed by Defence Minister, Dr Ng Eng Hen, 56; and Senior Minister of State for Transport and Finance, Josephine Teo, 47.

They will be joined by three new faces – Chee Hong Tat, 41, former Second Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry; Chong Kee Hiong, 49, CEO, OUE Hospitality Trust; and Saktiandi Supaat, 41, Head of Foreign Exchange Research, Maybank.

The PAP won with 56.93% of valid votes in GE2011. Would they be able to improve their winning margin? Or will the joint team from DPP and SPP be able to make further inroads to capture the GRC?

7.

Macpherson SMC

This is a new SMC carved out from Marine Parade GRC. The PAP is likely to field the incumbent MP, Tin Pei Ling, 31, to defend the ward.

Tin was extremely unpopular in 2011 and almost cost PAP to lose Marine Parade GRC which was helmed by former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. She has since worked hard on the ground and in parliament. Her public image has improved and she seems to enjoy strong support in her constituency.

It will be interesting to watch who the WP will field to contest against her. Will it be Cambridge-educated lawyer He Ting Ru, 31?

Would we see a sequel to the Nicole Seah-Tin Pei Ling rivalry in 2011?

8. 

Marine Parade GRC

Versus a weak opposition party, the National Solidarity Party (NSP), who had just one strong candidate in their team, fresh face, Nicole Seah, then 23, the much stronger PAP team was only able to win with a small margin of 56.65% of valid votes in 2011.

For the coming election, the PAP team will see competition from a stronger opposition party, the WP.

With Goh Chok Tong stepping down from the cabinet, the anchor minister for Marine Parade GRC is now Minister for Social and Family Development, Tan Chuan-Jin, 46.

Would Tan be able to win back vote shares? Or would WP claw away more votes?

9.

Tampines GRC

The National Solidarity Party (NSP) is likely to be fielding their top team and all their resources in Tampines GRC.

On the PAP’s end, it will be helmed by anchor minister, Education Minister, Heng Swee Kiat, 54, taking over from Mah Bow Tan who will be retiring from politics.

While NSP is not as strong as the WP in brand recognition, they did reasonably well in 2011, especially in Marine Parade GRC and Tampines GRC. Instead of spreading themselves too thinly like in 2011, the NSP is now concentrating their firepower in selected constituencies, with Tampines GRC being one of the key battle grounds.

10.

Ang Mo Kio GRC

This GRC is helmed by none other than the current Prime Minister of Singapore, Lee Hsien Loong. It is interesting how this GRC has consistently been contested since GE2006 when the WP fielded a young, untested ‘suicide squad’ led by Yaw Shin Leong, then the leader of the WP’s Youth Wing.

The PAP won with 66.14% of valid votes, lower than than the national average.

In GE2011, the PAP won with a wider margin of 69.33% of valid votes, against a motley crue of candidates, assembled last minute by the Reform Party.

The Reform Party will be back again. This time, a potential candidate may be Roy Ngerng, 34, an activist and blogger. Ngerng started his sociopolitical blog, The Heart Truths, in 2012. He was found guilty in October 2014 of defaming Lee Hsien Loong in a blog post.

While it is highly unlikely for the Reform Party to capture Ang Mo Kio GRC, it will still be extremely fun to watch Ngerng go about harassing Lee Hsien Loong at political rallies, upgrading from the online arena.

Get your popcorn ready!