Latest news with #SpecialAchievementAward
AsiaOne
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Andie Chen admits 'traces of loss and loneliness' after 10th acting Star Awards defeat , Entertainment News
In a race, only one person can clinch first place. For local actor Andie Chen, the Star Awards race has become a standard affair, but one he has yet to bring home a trophy from. At the 30th edition of Star Awards held last night (July 6), the 39-year-old was one of five nominees for Best Actor, for his role in the Mediacorp drama Born to Shine. However, he lost to Christopher Lee, who won for his performance in the crime series Kill Sera Sera. The 53-year-old also brought home two other awards - Best Programme Host and the Special Achievement Award. Earlier today, Andie took to Instagram to reflect: "The ceremony ended and the music started. I sat in the audience, watching the liveliness on stage - no matter how strong the heart is, traces of loss and loneliness will still flow out in that moment. "But I didn't lose heart. Because all these years, I've had my family, team, friends and all of you who have supported me. Every time you speak up for me, it motivates me to keep working hard. Thank you everyone. "Setting aside my own little theatre, I really am happy to see my friends win awards. Who's not working hard for their dreams? "Finally, to my super handsome and capable idol Christopher Lee, I'm fully convinced losing to you. Thank you for letting me see my goal. I believe that one day, I will stand beside you and we'll create amazing stories together." [[nid:716772]] Andie had been nominated for Best Actor in 2012, 2017 and 2024. He was also nominated six times for Best Supporting Actor since 2011, and was also in the running for Top 10 Most Popular Male Artistes in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024 and this year. Despite all the nominations, he has yet to win a Star Award. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chen Bangjun 陳邦鋆 (@andiechen) In live footage captured during the awards ceremony, moments after veteran Hong Kong star Chow Yun Fat announced Christopher's win, the camera panned to Andie in the audience. He was comforted by local actress Ya Hui, who clutched his shoulder and spoke to him, to which he responded with a nod and smile while clapping for the winner. The two belong to the 2007 batch of Star Search, where Andie was crowned champion and Ya Hui a runner-up. Others also consoled Andie, with veteran actor Chen Hanwei dedicating an Instagram post to him today. In a picture where the two walked together backstage in their red-carpet outfits, the 55-year-old wrote: "It's not that you're bad, you're very good. Just down on a little bit of luck, Andie. "Don't be discouraged, keep up your attitude and positive energy, because your attitude is your best feng shui. Keep working hard, and one day there'll definitely be a piece of the sky for you. Believe in yourself. "Of course, I still have to congratulate Christopher Lee, it was well-deserved." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chenhanwei (@chenhanwei1969) Hanwei himself won Best Supporting Actor for his role in Unforgivable last night, which marks his third win in the category. On Andie's Instagram post, other local celebrities showed him their support in the comments section, including Aileen Tan, Apple Hong, Jeffrey Xu, Priscelia Chan and Xixi Lim. All were present at the awards ceremony last night. In a video posted by 8days, Christopher and Andie were seen interacting post-show. Andie was posing for the camera when he was spotted by the award- winner, who came over for a hug. Andie joked: "You not paiseh to come here?" before laughing and returning the embrace. Thereafter, Christopher said: "You'll surely get it next time, okay?" [[nid:719895]]
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Star Awards glory for Christopher Lee with four gongs; MPs should not ask questions to ‘clock numbers' says Seah Kian Peng: Singapore live news
Christopher Lee won four awards at the grand 30th anniversary of the Star Awards on Sunday (6 July). The Malaysian-born local star picked up Best Actor for 'Kill Sera Sera' while the second season of his variety cooking show ('Dishing with Chris Lee') earned him wins for Best Programme Host and Best Entertainment Programme. Lee was also presented a Special Achievement Award during Singapore's biggest night in local Mandarin entertainment. Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng wants MPs to focus on improving the lives of Singaporeans as it would be make for a more productive Parliament than MPs simply asking questions for the sake of it. The previous Parliamentary term set new records on the number of sittings, ministerial statements delivered and other kinds of speeches. Read more in our live blog below, including the latest local and international news and updates. Christopher Lee's star shone the brightest on a night of glitz and glamour at the 30th anniversary of the Star Awards (6 July). Lee was named Best Actor at Singapore's biggest award show for local Mandarin entertainment, in recognition for his stellar work in 'Kill Sera Sera'. Additionally, the second season of Lee's variety cooking show 'Dishing with Chris Lee' earned the actor awards for Best Programme Host and Best Entertainment Programme. Lee, who is married to actress Fann Wong, was also honoured with a Special Achievement Award. "You received this award a long time ago. You are my inspiration and motivation," Lee said in tribute to Fann during his acceptance speech. And he reserved special mention for their 10-year-old son, Zed: "I want to raise you to be a good person. Thank you for being my son." Other major winners on the night included Jessica Hsuan, who won Best Actress for her work alongside Lee in 'Kill Sera Sera', while Chen Hanwei picked up the Best Supporting Actor ('Unforgivable') and Cynthia Koh was Best Supporting Actress ('Hope Afloat'). You can see the full list of winners for the Star Awards 2025, here. Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng has advised MPs to focus on asking questions that improve the lives of Singaporeans – and not to get caught up in a numbers game. Seah, in an interview with the Straits Times, had noted the trend of more parliamentary questions being filed in the previous term which set new records on the number of sittings, ministerial statements delivered and other kinds of speeches. "I hope we don't get to a point where MPs are filing questions for the sake of clocking numbers – I think that is not necessary and not very productive," Seah was quoted as saying. "Each hour spent in Parliament, if everyone turns up, is 100 man-hours... which is why we do want to make sure time is spent productively for everyone," he added. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong intends to propose Seah's election as Speaker when Parliament reopens on 5 September. Christopher Lee's star shone the brightest on a night of glitz and glamour at the 30th anniversary of the Star Awards (6 July). Lee was named Best Actor at Singapore's biggest award show for local Mandarin entertainment, in recognition for his stellar work in 'Kill Sera Sera'. Additionally, the second season of Lee's variety cooking show 'Dishing with Chris Lee' earned the actor awards for Best Programme Host and Best Entertainment Programme. Lee, who is married to actress Fann Wong, was also honoured with a Special Achievement Award. "You received this award a long time ago. You are my inspiration and motivation," Lee said in tribute to Fann during his acceptance speech. And he reserved special mention for their 10-year-old son, Zed: "I want to raise you to be a good person. Thank you for being my son." Other major winners on the night included Jessica Hsuan, who won Best Actress for her work alongside Lee in 'Kill Sera Sera', while Chen Hanwei picked up the Best Supporting Actor ('Unforgivable') and Cynthia Koh was Best Supporting Actress ('Hope Afloat'). You can see the full list of winners for the Star Awards 2025, here. Speaker of Parliament Seah Kian Peng has advised MPs to focus on asking questions that improve the lives of Singaporeans – and not to get caught up in a numbers game. Seah, in an interview with the Straits Times, had noted the trend of more parliamentary questions being filed in the previous term which set new records on the number of sittings, ministerial statements delivered and other kinds of speeches. "I hope we don't get to a point where MPs are filing questions for the sake of clocking numbers – I think that is not necessary and not very productive," Seah was quoted as saying. "Each hour spent in Parliament, if everyone turns up, is 100 man-hours... which is why we do want to make sure time is spent productively for everyone," he added. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong intends to propose Seah's election as Speaker when Parliament reopens on 5 September.
Straits Times
06-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Sequencing and standards: Indranee on role of Leader of the House
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Outlining her priorities for her second term as Leader of the House, Ms Indranee Rajah said it continues to be about upholding the quality of debate in the House. SINGAPORE – The role of the Leader of the House in maintaining order and upholding parliamentary privilege might have come to the fore in the previous term of Parliament, but to Ms Indranee Rajah a good part of the job can be distilled into one word: sequencing. This is as proper sequencing – whether of parliamentary questions (PQs), Bills, or motions – is crucial to the work of Parliament, which in a nutshell is about public accountability, she said in an interview with The Straits Times on July 4. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced on June 20 that he had designated Ms Indranee as Leader of the House . This means Ms Indranee will be in her second term as Leader when the 15th Parliament convenes for its first sitting on Sept 5 . Ms Indranee noted that events may occur which spark public concern and require an urgent explanation from the authorities the next time Parliament is in session. Parliament typically sits once a month, for two or three days. Given that the first 90 minutes of each sitting are reserved for answering PQs and there may be close to 100 such questions filed by MPs, more pressing questions have to be prioritised, so that ministers can answer them and MPs can seek further clarifications, said Ms Indranee, who is Minister in the Prime Minister's Office. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore First BTO project in Sembawang North to be offered in July HDB launch World Tariffs will kick in on Aug 1 barring trade deals: US Treasury Secretary Singapore Woman on SMRT's 190 bus injured after bottle thrown at vehicle leaves hole in window Business Great Eastern says Takeover Code not breached when it shared IFA valuation with OCBC Asia 'Don't be seen in India again': Indian nationals pushed into Bangladesh at gunpoint Asia Thousands evacuated as Typhoon Danas lashes Taiwan Asia Two women fatally stabbed at bar in Japan by man Life Star Awards 2025: Christopher Lee wins big, including Special Achievement Award and Best Actor The same is true for Parliament's legislative function of deciding policies and making law, where the Leader's role is to determine which Bills should be debated and passed ahead of others, she added. 'Prioritising is a key thing (as Leader) because it enables the public to understand issues that may be on the public's mind,' she said. 'If it's a Bill, prioritising makes sure that a policy gets done by a certain deadline so that the policy can take effect.' On how her role differs from that of the PAP party whip, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment and Education Janil Puthucheary, Ms Indranee noted that the whip deals with party matters such as discipline and which MPs are intending to speak on each day. Meanwhile, the Leader coordinates between government ministries and the House on the scheduling of parliamentary business. While she proposes the first cut of Parliament's agenda, Ms Indranee noted that the Speaker makes the final call, and has discretion to change the sequencing. The aim is to make sure Parliament's work is well-fitted and can be completed in the allotted number of days, said Ms Indranee, who is also Second Minister for Finance and for National Development. 'You don't want to end super early one day, and then make everybody stay back past midnight the next day,' she said, while noting that her role is to extend the sitting time as needed. 'It doesn't always work out that way, but we try our best.' During the 14th Parliament, Ms Indranee's role as Leader attracted public attention, as it fell to her to file a formal complaint against former Workers' Party MP Raeesah Khan for lying to the House . On multiple occasions, she also rebuked Progress Singapore Party's Mr Leong Mun Wai, including for failing to substantiate certain allegations and for his comments outside the Chamber on parliamentary proceedings. Ms Indranee noted that while the Speaker makes the final decision on whether or not an MP's behaviour has contravened the rules, somebody has to raise the issue in order for him to do so. Where there is a need, it is important for the Leader to intervene, she added. 'When there is no need, and everything is going along swimmingly as it should, then there's no reason for me to insert myself into the process,' she added. Sometimes, mistakes are made unintentionally but must still be dealt with in the public eye, so that the rules are observed and Parliament continues to run smoothly, she said. Being an MP is a privilege, and the law confers certain immunities on MPs so they can speak freely in Parliament without being prosecuted or sued for their statements. But such privilege has to be exercised responsibly, Ms Indranee stressed. 'It is very important not to mislead, not to lie in Parliament, that what you say can be substantiated,' she said. 'And if that is not followed, then it is necessary to call that into question and have that dealt with.' Outlining her priorities for her second term as Leader, Ms Indranee said it continues to be about upholding the quality of debate in the House, such that Parliament's work is efficient, substantive and impactful, and conducted with decorum and propriety. This requires MPs to identify issues clearly and crystallise what is at stake and the implications of the outcome of a Bill or a motion, she added. 'Good, substantive debate does not always make good theatre, and I think we have to be mindful of that,' she said. 'We have to keep our eyes firmly on the substance, and make sure that we are addressing the things that are of importance to Singaporeans, and how we can take Singapore forward.'
Straits Times
06-07-2025
- General
- Straits Times
Changkat Primary School turns 2,000 old uniforms into new creations for 60th anniversary
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Primary 4 pupil Kaelyn Ore (centre, in yellow top) joining parents and volunteers in upcycling old uniforms on July 2. SINGAPORE – A couple of months ago, 10-year-old Kaelyn Ore was given a pair of uniform shorts by her teachers to bring home and cut up. A short instructional video guided the Changkat Primary School pupil on how to properly take apart the garment, which had been donated by a schoolmate. Kaelyn brought the cut-up pieces back to the school in Simei, when they eventually joined around 2,000 other used uniforms starting a new life as pouches for cutlery and tissue paper, stuffed owls and other items. Since January, parents, pupils and volunteers have worked to upcycle old uniforms into about 1,400 gifts in celebration of the school's 60th birthday and in line with its emphasis on sustainability education. Most of these items were given to visitors at an event held at the school on July 5 marking its anniversary, while some 'premium' ones such as paint brush holders will be auctioned, with the proceeds going back to the schools' parents' support group for educational programmes. Every pupil – about 1,000 of them – was given a donated uniform to cut up as a project to do with their parents. These were then upcycled into the items by volunteers from the parents' support group as well as parents of former pupils and the public, with help from other institutions like Temasek Polytechnic. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore First BTO project in Sembawang North to be offered in July HDB launch World Tariffs will kick in on Aug 1 barring trade deals: US Treasury Secretary Singapore Woman on SMRT's 190 bus injured after bottle thrown at vehicle leaves hole in window Business Great Eastern says Takeover Code not breached when it shared IFA valuation with OCBC Asia 'Don't be seen in India again': Indian nationals pushed into Bangladesh at gunpoint Asia Thousands evacuated as Typhoon Danas lashes Taiwan Asia Two women fatally stabbed at bar in Japan by man Life Star Awards 2025: Christopher Lee wins big, including Special Achievement Award and Best Actor Mrs Cheng Huey Teng, Changkat Primary's principal, said the school is serious about sustainability education, and 'relentless about propagating a culture of eco-stewardship in the school community and beyond'. She said: 'When we were planning to give everyone who comes to our 60th anniversary celebration a memorable token, instead of contracting a vendor to produce it, we conceptualised the plan to mobilise all students, parents and staff to upcycle our 'pre-loved' school uniforms into useful memorabilia.' This taught the pupils some art and craft skills as well as knowledge about upcycling textiles, she said. Upcycling uniforms is not a new concept at the primary school. Stuffed owls made from old uniforms during a workshop as part of the 60th anniversary of Changkat Primary School on July 2. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM Three years ago, Ms Leonie Nagarajan and Ms Zinobia Tinwala's children graduated from the school, leaving them with a problem: what to do with their uniforms. Ms Nagarajan, a permanent resident originally from Germany who works in research funding, and Ms Tinwala, an artist, worked with students from Singapore Management University on a study on what parents do with used uniforms. It found that about 86 per cent of school uniforms end up in waste or donated to charity. In 2023, they set up a social enterprise, The Circular Classroom, to address this issue, among others, and that year worked with Changkat Primary's parents' support group to make Teachers' Day gifts from used uniforms. Ms Nagarajan said: 'Kids wear their uniform the whole day. They need to understand it's a valuable resource. They need to understand the uniform lives hundreds of years longer than them, because most of it is polyester. 'But we can find a solution, and we can try to support a circular economy, at least by extending the lifespan of these uniforms.' 'Premium' items like paint brush holders will be auctioned, with the proceeds going back to the schools' parents' support group for educational programmes. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM While their children are now in secondary school and university, the pair were still involved in Changkat Primary's 60th anniversary project. The school and its parents' support group have been extremely supportive, but challenges remain, such as the cost of upcycling and perceptions that such uniforms are unhygienic, Ms Nagarajan added. Ms Nagarajan , who is married to a Singaporean, estimates that 400,000 to 500,000 uniforms are thrown away yearly by students across Singapore schools. She said: 'There are thousands of uniforms available to be reused. The key challenge is what you do with them. 'We as a social enterprise want to set a nationwide system where we first think – how can we reuse uniforms or repurpose them meaningfully?' Cutlery pouches made from old uniforms during a workshop as part of the 60th anniversary of Changkat Primary School on July 2. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM For Kaelyn, who is in Primary 4, transforming her old uniforms will not stop after this event. During a social studies lesson, a teacher showed her how to make a uniform into a bag, which has inspired her to try other things with them. She said: 'I feel glad because the uniforms got a second life... they were just sitting in my cupboard doing nothing.'
Straits Times
06-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Losing her dad a month into poly, she powered through work shifts and studies to support her family
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Ms Amillie Chan is now a full-time bartender at Native, the bar where she did her polytechnic internship. – After just a year in polytechnic, Ms Amillie Chan was on the verge of dropping out. A month into her time at Nanyang Polytechnic (NYP), she received a call one night in May 2022 informing her that her father, a Grab delivery rider, had been involved in a car accident. By the time she rushed down to the hospital, he had already died. Ms Chan barely had time to grieve before being thrust into a new reality. On top of funeral and legal costs, she also had to shoulder household bills, and provide an allowance to her mother, who has an intellectual disability and lives in Thailand due to immigration issues. She lives with her older brother, who is on the autism spectrum, and an uncle who is deaf and mute. While both could support their own daily expenses, they were unable to contribute to shared household expenses . With her newfound responsibilities, the food and beverage business student struggled to balance studies and work. 'I was so lost and overwhelmed, but I also felt like I had to be stable. I felt like I was the only one (in my family) who could carry the household burden,' she said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore First BTO project in Sembawang North to be offered in July HDB launch World Tariffs will kick in on Aug 1 barring trade deals: US Treasury Secretary Singapore Woman on SMRT's 190 bus injured after bottle thrown at vehicle leaves hole in window Business Great Eastern says Takeover Code not breached when it shared IFA valuation with OCBC Asia 'Don't be seen in India again': Indian nationals pushed into Bangladesh at gunpoint Asia Thousands evacuated as Typhoon Danas lashes Taiwan Asia Two women fatally stabbed at bar in Japan by man Life Star Awards 2025: Christopher Lee wins big, including Special Achievement Award and Best Actor While she had worked at multiple food and beverage outlets since she was 14 to cover her own living expenses, she had planned to stop, to focus on polytechnic life. Instead, she worked five or six times a week at Mexican fast food chain Guzman y Gomez, where she tried to clock over 140 hours a month to earn a $400 monthly incentive, taking home approximately $1,600 a month. 'To me, money was being lost when I went to school, because I could be using that time to clock in more shifts,' recalled Miss Chan, now 21. On most days, the only time she had to complete her homework was on lunch breaks or commutes. 'I wasn't giving my best effort in school, my grades were slipping, and I couldn't open up to my classmates. I wanted to quit and perhaps come back to it when my financial situation was more stable.' Thankfully, her lecturer Paul Singh Gill changed her mind. She said: 'He really helped me in my time of need. Not only did he talk me out of dropping out, but he also helped me apply for school financial grants, and recommended me channels, like help for (my father's) funeral and lawyer fees, to ease my burdens during that time.' Mr Singh, her lecturer in professional business communication in Year 1 , described their first interaction was 'unforgettable'. Amillie Chan (right) with her polytechnic lecturer and mentor at Nanyang Polytechnic, Mr Paul Singh Gill, on July 3. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI 'She approached me after missing the first day of Year 1 orientation, and when asked, did not want to share why she was unable to join in. 'I thought she might have had some personal issues, and that she might also have reservations about sharing details of her personal struggles with new people in a new environment, so I didn't probe further. But I checked in with her, and the class, regularly.' He taught several of her classes and became a mentor figure to her over what would be three demanding years. With her days starting as early as 7am for classes and ending well past midnight after she returned home from work, getting six hours of sleep counted as a good day. On occasion, Ms Chan would work through the night to finish assignments or projects. 'Every day after class, I would have to rush off to work. I wouldn't be able to join my coursemates to eat after class or meet on the weekends,' Miss Chan said. 'I was always very tired during the day, and I would have to drink an energy drink before every shift. It definitely wasn't a healthy lifestyle.' She added: 'Sometimes, I would have to skip classes just to be able to rest from work. I think my attendance rate in some classes was literally just enough to pass.' Having to juggle work also strained her relationships at school. 'Because I couldn't fully commit to group projects, some of my coursemates had the perception that I was lazy or that I cared only about money.' Only in her final year did Miss Chan eventually share her situation with her coursemates. 'There was never a good time or place that would allow me to share something so deeply personal with any of my peers.' What drove her to push through the exhaustion and struggles was a personal conviction – 'I couldn't give up. I just wanted (the) household to be healthy and happy' – and Mr Singh's encouragement. 'Throughout my three years, he really showed me the support and care that I needed,' said Miss Chan, who graduated in May. 'Regularly checking in on me after classes to see how I was doing or trying his best to help me with things like financial aid – that really meant a lot to me.' Mr Singh said that he was immensely proud of Miss Chan for finishing her polytechnic journey. 'In all my years of teaching, she is the first student I've seen who, despite facing many personal challenges, navigated her academic journey with such quiet resilience and grace,' he said. 'I never once had to speak to her about attendance or academic issues. The conversations we had were more of a check-in to ensure she was coping with everything at home and in school, to affirm her as well, and to guide her where she needed the extra suppo rt. ' Down the line, Ms Amillie Chan, 21, hopes to pursue a degree in hospitality and eventually start her own bistro. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Miss Chan is now a full-time bartender at Native, which is ranked 31 on Asia's 50 Best Bars and where she did her polytechnic internship. 'I'm glad I didn't drop out. I wouldn't be working (at Native) if not for my time in poly,' she mused. Down the line, she hopes to pursue a degree in hospitality and eventually start her own bistro. She said she has no regrets staying on in polytechnic, and her experience has shaped her into a stronger person. 'I've become more resilient and perseverant. I feel like I've rebuilt myself and found out who I wanted to be.' She added: 'I am able to grieve for my father now, but back when it had just happened, everything was coming in all at once and I could not afford the time or mental space to grieve as needed.'
