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Yahoo
13-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Govt will continue to support families, including growing group of seniors: PM Wong at PCF Family Day
SINGAPORE – Housewife Jenny Tan and her retiree husband Richard Ng, both in their 70s, feel younger than their age when they try new activities like e-sports and drone soccer at the active ageing centre at the ground floor of their Housing Board block. The PAP Community Foundation (PCF) Sparkle Care in Yew Tee has become their almost-daily haunt since the centre opened in 2022. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on July 13 that PCF has been stepping up in senior care, in line with government efforts to provide more support to this segment of the population and to partner organisations to do so. The Government will continue to support families in Singapore at every stage of life, he said at a PCF Family Day event held at Singapore Expo. Recent initiatives include financial support and parental leave for young parents with newborns, and more help for large families with three or more children. 'But these days, when we talk about family support, it is no longer just about supporting young parents with children. Because these days, our society is getting older,' said PM Wong. With an ageing population, providing family support has to also include seniors and their caregivers, he added. The authorities have started work on this through nationwide initiatives Healthier SG and Age Well SG, meant to keep seniors active, engaged and healthy for as long as possible, he noted. They are also stepping up care services, such as at long-term residential facilities and at community nodes. 'A lot of this work has just started. There is still much, much more to do, and we will share more of our plans when we are ready,' said PM Wong. He added that the Government will need partners – such as social organisations and agencies like PCF – to also play their part. PCF is a charitable organisation founded by the People's Action Party, which PM Wong leads as its secretary-general. PM Wong noted that PCF is already expanding its capacity to serve more seniors. A previous report said PCF will have 25 eldercare centres – senior care centres and active ageing centres – by 2027. Madam Tan, 74, and Mr Ng, 73, are among more than 10,000 seniors currently served by 13 existing centres. The couple have seen improvements in their general health, such as their posture, and have also made many new friends since becoming active participants at the Sparkle Care in Yew Tee. They came to know of the centre when a staff member approached them at their door. Madam Tan, who used to just take occasional walks in the park with friends for exercise, was intrigued by the karaoke, K-pop dance and Rummy-O sessions. When her husband retired from his job as a taxi driver, he was convinced by her to join in. The pair have since tried out unique activities like drone soccer and are part of an informal group of senior gamers called Yew Tee Gamers. In drone soccer, players pilot drones enclosed in protective cages and score by flying the 'striker' drone through a circular goal. They are currently training for a Counter-Strike 2 competition in October with a seniors-only category. 'We will be learning how to play Street Fighter next, and (my husband) is very excited,' said Madam Tan, in Mandarin. Street Fighter is a popular arcade game that is now available across consoles. In his speech, PM Wong said PCF can play a unique role of fostering intergenerational bonds, as it also runs many kindergartens and childcare centres. With more eldercare centres, PCF will have more opportunities as an operator to bridge generations, he added. The theme of July 13's PCF Family Day event was Bridging Generations, Inspiring our Future. PCF also raises funds to support different causes in the community, he added. The foundation is donating $60,000 to six charitable organisations covering seniors, children, low-income families, single mothers and those in need of mental health support. The organisations are Blossom Seeds, Bright Hill Evergreen Home, The Salvation Army Gracehaven, Food from the Heart, HCSA-SPIN and Club Heal. Each received $10,000. 'Families have been at the heart of our nation-building journey since the very beginning,' said PM Wong. Going forward, Singapore will be embarking on its next phase of nation-building post-SG60, he added. 'In this new phase, we will face new and more complex challenges. But I am confident that we can weather these challenges, and we can emerge stronger together.' Source: The Straits Times © SPH Media Limited. Permission required for reproduction Discover how to enjoy other premium articles here
CNA
07-07-2025
- CNA
Over 160 offence notices issued since anti-nuisance signs put up on public transport
SINGAPORE: More than 160 notifications of offence have been issued since new signage was introduced on public transport to curb nuisance behaviour, according to the Land Transport Authority (LTA). The signs, progressively rolled out from December 2024, remind commuters to keep noise levels down, avoid sitting on the floor and occupy only one seat. Signage related to noise appears on both MRT trains and buses, while the others are limited to the MRT network. Between December 2024 and May 2025, the number of offences recorded was four times higher than in the preceding six months from June to November 2024. Commuters caught flouting these rules may receive a notification of offence, carrying fines of up to S$500 (US$390) per violation. More serious infractions – such as soiling any part of the railway premises – may result in penalties of up to S$5,000, with transport operators empowered to remove commuters or notify the police. QUIETER JOURNEYS FOR SOME, NO CHANGE FOR OTHERS Despite increased enforcement, commuter feedback on the effectiveness of the signage remains mixed. Of the six commuters CNA interviewed, only one recalled noticing the new signs. However, several said their journeys had become noticeably quieter. Retiree Kamaria K, 64, described a stark difference in noise levels compared to when she was working full-time as a shipping executive about two years ago. It used to be noisy during her trips from Yew Tee to her workplace in Paya Lebar, she said. "But now, it's very quiet," said Madam Kamaria, who takes the train about two to three times a week to attend religious classes. Administrative executive Jenny Yeo, 66, also said she has not encountered loud phone conversations during her daily commute on the MRT or the bus. However, she acknowledged this could be because her journey is short. Other commuters were less positive. A marketing specialist who wanted to be known only as Casey S said she comes across disruptive behaviour "almost 90 per cent of the time" during her 30-minute MRT commute between her home and workplace. "Either they're on their speakers or even watching dramas on the train without using their headphones," she said. Madam Noraizah Ashiraff, 44, who commutes by both train and bus, said noise levels tend to be higher during off-peak periods, mostly because of elderly commuters using their devices loudly. The new signs are not "tremendously" effective, said the 44-year-old administrative executive. "To change Singaporeans' mindset in one shot, I don't think it's so useful. It will take a while to educate." None of the commuters recalled seeing passengers occupy more than one seat. However, several said students often sit on the floor of trains – but many were sympathetic to this, saying that the students may have been tired from long commutes. SIGNS UP ON ALMOST ALL TRAINS, BUSES The signs are now installed on all SMRT trains, except the newer R151 models on the North-South and East-West Lines, which will be progressively fitted. SBS Transit has also put up the signs on all trains on the North-East and Downtown Lines. Bus operator Tower Transit has installed 19 "conditions of carriage" signs on information panels across all six of its bus interchanges. These conditions outline expected standards of commuter behaviour on buses, including "orderly and decent" conduct and maintaining public health and cleanliness. Bus drivers are empowered to ask non-compliant passengers to disembark or, in serious cases, alert the police. In response to CNA's queries, Tower Transit's communications and customer experience director Glenn Lim said the company conducts about 1,800 ticket checks per month as part of its routine operations. "To date, we have not had to issue any warnings, fines, or notifications of offence," he said.
CNA
29-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Husband of deceased bakery owner to close her hawker stall but continue her cafe at Bugis
Michelle Goh, aged 35, founder of 2112 Bakery at OG Bugis and a food court stall in Yew Tee, passed away on June 17, 2025. Besides bakes like Nutella cookies and pistachio roll cakes, she was also known for participating in Mediacorp baking show Creme De La Creme. There was an outpouring of condolences from her customers and netizens after broke the news. We caught up with her husband, Ken Yap, 36, over the phone after her funeral last weekend. 'THE KIDS HAVEN'T BEEN EXPRESSING [THEIR EMOTIONS] MUCH' Yap told 'My family and I are coping with her passing. It has already happened and we can only focus on the kids at the moment.' The couple have a son, 12 and daughter, 10. He declined to share the details of his wife's death on record. He added with a sigh: 'The kids haven't been expressing [their emotions] much.' Yap said he will shut down Goh's food court stall at Yew Tee Square's Kopitiam at the end of June but will continue running her fancier 2112 bakery-cafe at OG Bugis. A 'JOYFUL, HELPFUL PERSON' WHO HAD FLUCTUATING MOODS DUE TO DEPRESSION 'She was a joyful person, very helpful, and always trying to put [others before herself],' Yap said. Yet, behind the friendly, bubbly demeanor that her customers saw (and shared about on social media), in private, her spirits often fluctuated due to depression. 'Sometimes her mood can be good, then all of a sudden without any reason, it can be extremely low,' he said. Goh had battled depression since 2018 and had been open about her mental health challenges on social media. Coping with the pressures of running a business exacerbated the situation. In an interview with last August, Goh had said: 'I got very depressed [due to the poor business at her now-defunct bakery in Toa Payoh], so my husband asked me whether I wanted to just shut it down, but I didn't want to waste my efforts. I know I can do it, I just need time.' She added back then that struggling to keep her business afloat affected her mental health. 'I am taking medication that controls my anxiety and depression. So when things get bad, I'll just 'hide' and bake. There are times that I'll shut down [the shop] to think of what's the next step I should take to preserve this business'. The millennial's love for baking was first sparked 'when she was admitted to IMH (Institute of Mental Health) a few years ago', Yap said. 'We bought Nutella cookies for her. On the way back home from the hospital, she was really enjoying them. [Eating them] made her feel better. So instead of having to keep on buying them, she decided to bake her own Nutella cookies.' He added that his late wife's baking journey started as a home-based business with her mother in 2019, eventually growing into a bakery-cafe – first in the now defunct branch at Toa Payoh, then a fancier joint at OG Bugis, plus a rojak-cum-popiah stall in a Yew Tee food court that also sells some of her bakes. '[Running] a business where you have something to worry about plays a part with whatever you're battling with at that moment,' Yap reflected. 'MENTAL WELLNESS IN SINGAPORE IS UNDERRATED' Yap told that he met Goh 14 years ago while working together in admin at a small firm. They got married in 2013. 'Since day one, she has been trying to work her way out [of her depression]. From our experience, the [Singapore] system doesn't have proper support to cater to this group of people,' he said. 'Mental wellness in Singapore is very underrated. There's very little assistance provided and it's very costly to seek treatment. For example, a 45-minute session for a private psychology therapy session costs about S$200. [If you want something cheaper], government hospitals require advance bookings many months ahead,' he said. SHE HAD A FEVER THAT LASTED FOR WEEKS AFTER HER HOLIDAY In the weeks leading up to her passing, Goh had shared photos of her recent holiday in Japan on social media. Yap told us that she developed a fever after the trip, which persisted for weeks. Despite being hospitalised and making numerous visits to clinics over two weeks, doctors were unable to determine the cause of her fever. During this time, Michelle took a break from work. 'It was not a life-threatening fever. Constantly throughout the day, it would subside for a while and come back again,' Yap said. 'She was, of course, feeling especially down during this period.' WHAT'S NEXT FOR 2112 BAKERY? Yap said that Goh's mum, who co-founded the 2112 brand with her, co-owns the business. He said she has been helping with baking on and off, while also working at her own hawker stall in Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre selling other snacks. Yap is not a shareholder and had no role in the business before his wife's death, other than occasionally helping her to clear tables at the cafe. He works full-time in the car trading industry and said his hours are flexible. He said that he plans to keep the bakery-cafe at OG Bugis running. 'Money has been invested into it and at the end of the day, it's something Michelle left behind. I'll try to see what I can do. Closing [the entire business] is the last thing I want.' That being said, Yap has decided to shut down the 2112 food court stall at Yew Tee. He said it has been operating for over a year but has yet to turn a profit. 'It's so I can focus more on the bakery at OG Bugis and cut our losses at the rojak stall,' he added. He is unsure of the exact amount of the losses. HE PLANS TO MANAGE THE BUSINESS FROM NOW ON Before her passing, Yap said his wife managed every aspect of the business – from baking to operations. She also hired bakers, who will continue preparing her recipes, including the bakery's signature items like the Nutella cookies, roll cakes and puffs. '[Michelle and her mum] started this business together, so her mum will ensure the recipes are followed properly moving forward,' he said. Yap plans to take over the management of the bakery-cafe: 'Baking is not my forte, but I will very likely be taking over the business operations, marketing and sales – with some help along the way. 'I've spoken to some of our close friends who have worked in the baking scene for over 30 years, to see if anyone is interested to assist us or take over the bakery. 'Anything is possible, nothing is final for now.' 'MICHELLE'S MUM IS COPING WELL' While the mother and daughter initially started out together, both women later branched out into their own physical stores in 2020, catering to different demographics. Michelle opened 2112 Bakery under an HDB block in Toa Payoh (now-defunct) selling bakes like roll cakes and cookies, while her mum runs a hawker stall called 2112 Snack Delights at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre, serving local favourites like you tiao, prawn fritters and curry puffs. 2112 is a nod to Goh's mother's birth date. '[Her mum] is coping well. I'll try not to disturb her as much as possible as the working hours at a hawker centre are longer than at the bakery,' said Yap. INVESTED $120K INTO NEW BUGIS LOCATION Goh told in August 2024 that her first bakery in Toa Payoh suffered a S$19K loss due to low footfall and high rent. In December that year, she decided to relocate from Toa Payoh to a spot with more dine-in space at OG in Bugis, investing S$120K to open her bakery-cafe there. Before the move, Yap said he had advised her to shut the business down instead of continuing to operate it. 'My view was if you're making a loss, might as well just keep it to that [amount] and close it.' He was also concerned about her mental well-being: 'I had my objections, I thought it would be better if she could rest well without doing anything – at least for the time being.' '[But ultimately], it was her decision [to continue with the biz]. I had to give her my full support, regardless of whether I agreed [with her decision] or not,' he said. Yap said that the OG Bugis bakery-cafe business is faring better than it did at the original Toa Payoh outlet – 'by a few thousand dollars in revenue' monthly. While the six-month-old bakery-cafe has yet to break even, it has been profitable. CREME DE LA CREME HOST DENNIS CHEW ATTENDED HER WAKE Michelle participated in season two of Mediacorp baking show Creme De La Creme in August 2023, to gain more exposure for her bakery. She placed sixth out of eight contestants. Yap said that the show's host, deejay and actor Dennis Chew, and guest judge pastry chef Then Chui Foong, along with several contestants, attended Goh's wake, though he didn't get a chance to speak with them. Some 2112 Bakery customers, including those from the previous Toa Payoh outlet, also attended the funeral, said Yap. 'I hope people will remember Michelle through her bakes, knowing that she was the one behind [treats like these] Nutella tarts,' he added. When asked for his fondest memory of her, Yap said: 'Every memory [of her] is dear to me and the kids.' 2112 Bakery (cafe in OG Bugis) is at #02-02 OG Albert, 60 Albert St. 2112 Bakery (with rojak & popiah) is at #02-222/224 Yew Tee Square Kopitiam, 624 Choa Chu Kang St 62. Its last day of operations is on June 30, 2025 (Monday). This story was originally published in 8Days. For more 8Days stories, visit
CNA
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Bakery owner who competed on Mediacorp baking show Creme De La Creme dies aged 35
Michelle Goh, a 35-year-old mother of two and owner of 2112 Bakery plus a rojak food court stall, died last week. The cause of her death was not made known at press time. Local publication reached out to her husband, Ken, who said he will get back at a later date on the future of their bakery. He announced her passing in a Facebook post that read: 'It is with deep sorrow and heavy hearts that I share the passing of my beloved wife, Michelle Goh, who left us on 17th June 2025.' Dear family and friends, It is with deep sorrow and heavy hearts that I share the passing of my beloved wife, Michelle... Posted by 2112snackdelight on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 In an interview with last August, Goh said she was running a bakery beneath an HDB block in Toa Payoh, along with a rojak and popiah stall at Yew Tee Square's Kopitiam, where her bakes were also sold. The Toa Payoh bakery was later relocated to OG Bugis in December 2024, as a fancier cafe with dine-in. View this post on Instagram A post shared by trina ₊˚⊹♡ (@happibunniieats) Another stall, named 2112 Snack Delight at Bukit Canberra Hawker Centre, appears to be run by Goh's mum. It sells prawn fritters, you tiao and curry puffs. It is currently unclear if the eateries will continue to operate. FOUND COMFORT IN BAKING 2112 Bakery began as a home-based business in 2019, shortly after Goh left her job as a nail technician. She told last year that she had been diagnosed with depression around that time and found comfort in baking and munching on Nutella cookies. That's when her baking business was born. She later joined Season 2 of Mediacorp baking show, Creme De La Creme, to gain exposure for her sluggish business in Toa Payoh. She placed sixth out of eight contestants on the show. While her onscreen appearance generated some publicity for her, she revealed that her shop's sales didn't increase much. Last year, she told that her Toa Payoh bakery lost S$19,000 and she was looking to relocate it to a better spot. She added: 'I got very depressed [due to the poor business in Toa Payoh], so my husband asked me whether I wanted to just shut it down, but I didn't want to waste my efforts. I know I can do it, I just need time'. TALKED ABOUT BUSINESS STRUGGLES ON SOCIAL MEDIA LAST DECEMBER In a video post on Dec 31, 2024, Goh told her followers on TikTok: 'Having a business is a commitment, a passion. [It's all about] making my parents proud, making my kids proud, or just myself [proud].' She went on: 'The thing is, I feel good whenever I leave the shop at night – I keep smiling to myself, like, this is how far [I've come]. But there's too much stress going on.' Her last few posts showed her holidaying in Japan sometime around May. 2112 Bakery's signature bakes are its Swiss roll (S$4.50), cheesecake (S$6.50), assorted crispy puffs (S$2.20) and the snack that started it all – Nutella cookies (S$26). 2112 Bakery (cafe in OG Bugis) is at #02-02 OG Albert, 60 Albert St, Singapore 189969 2112 Bakery (with rojak & popiah) is at #02-222/224 Yew Tee Square Kopitiam, 624 Choa Chu Kang St, Singapore 680624.
Independent Singapore
19-06-2025
- Business
- Independent Singapore
Record-breaking $12.32 million Toto jackpot won by single ticket in Yew Tee
WM Commons Featured News Singapore News SINGAPORE: A single, incredibly fortunate bettor has walked away with more than $12.32 million in Thursday night's (19 June) Toto draw, setting a new record for the highest first-prize payout in the history of Singapore Pools' Toto lottery. The winning numbers drawn on 19 June were 1, 10, 37, 40, 45, 47, with the bonus number 19. According to Singapore Pools, the jackpot prize — a staggering $12,323,051 — was the result of four consecutive draws where no winner had emerged for the top prize. Under Toto's updated rules, if the Group 1 (jackpot) prize is not won for three straight draws, it snowballs and must be paid out in the fourth draw, regardless of whether anyone matches all six winning numbers. This payout mechanism drove the prize pool to historic heights. The winning ticket was placed at Value Supermarket in Yew Tee Point, using the QuickPick System 7 Entry method, where the system generates a set of numbers for the player and increases the odds by selecting seven numbers instead of the usual six. See also Stories you might've missed, Sept 9 In addition to the record-breaking jackpot winner, 13 other tickets matched five numbers and the bonus number, each earning a second-prize payout of $108,637. With queues at Toto outlets expected to lengthen once again following this headline-making win, Singapore Pools continues to urge players to play responsibly.
