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CNA
2 minutes ago
- CNA
New Mandai crematorium and ash-scattering garden to open on Aug 15
SINGAPORE: A new crematorium and ash-scattering garden will open in Mandai on Aug 15, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Monday (Jul 28). Located next to the existing Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium complex, the new Mandai North Crematorium will use automated guided vehicles to transport coffins and lockers for ash collection. It has six service and viewing halls and can house 18 cremators, but will begin operations with three halls equipped with nine cremators. It will start with four cremation services daily and ramp up progressively in the coming months. NEA said it will fit out the remaining halls and add the additional cremators to meet an anticipated increase in demand for cremations in future. For comparison, the existing crematorium, which opened in 2004, has four halls and 12 cremators. The crematorium and garden span about 2.4ha, slightly more than half the size of the Padang. Annual resident deaths are expected to increase from about 25,000 in 2024 to around 40,000 by 2040, NEA said. Meanwhile, the demand for inland ash scattering has increased from around 900 applications in 2021 to over 2,300 in 2024. 'The new crematorium will provide additional cremation capacity, and the (Garden of Serenity) will provide an additional option for the inland scattering of ashes,' said NEA. 'They will enable us to continue serving the nation's needs in the years ahead.' Bookings for cremation slots will open on Aug 9, and the crematorium and garden will be open daily. The garden will be open from 9am to 5.30pm except when it is closed for maintenance. Singapore also has two private crematoriums, but NEA handles more than 90 per cent of cremations. ASH-SCATTERING GARDEN The Garden of Serenity is the second inland ash-scattering garden in Singapore, after the Garden of Peace opened in 2021 in Choa Chu Kang. Ashes can also be scattered at sea or stored in columbariums or at home. The Garden of Serenity, which is within the new Mandai North facility, has four ash-scattering lanes in the shape of a leaf. Granite boulders that were excavated during its construction, which started in 2017, are used for seating along the lanes. The garden also features a pond and lush foliage, meant to create a peaceful and dignified environment. Each lane in the garden is named after a flower and is around 10m long. Ashes can be scattered on pebbles, which sit atop granite chippings and soil. Water sprinklers or canisters can be used to help the ashes filter through the layers. Religious ceremonies or rites, including the burning of joss sticks, leaving of food offerings and playing of music will not be allowed. However, fresh flowers can be placed on racks around the garden. At 750 sqm, the Garden of Serenity is much smaller than the Garden of Peace, which is 9,500 sqm in size. NEA said that accumulated "ash soil" will periodically be transferred from the Garden of Serenity in Mandai to a designated location in the Garden of Peace in Choa Chu Kang to ensure that people can continue to use the smaller garden. The fee for ash-scattering at the gardens is S$320. AUTOMATION, QR CODES Mandai North Crematorium will make use of technology to ensure service reliability, including through the use of automated guided vehicles to transport coffins. At the existing crematorium, staff members push a trolley carrying the coffin. Funeral service providers will receive a cremation permit with a QR code, which must be scanned outside the service hall to ensure that the casket is at the right hall at the right time. The automated guided vehicle and screen outside the service hall will also reflect the deceased's name, the date and the time, before the casket is unloaded from the hearse. A QR code on the automated vehicle will be used for verification before the coffin is placed into a cremator. Attendees will then need to be seated before the automated guided vehicle transports the casket to the front of the service hall. The service halls feature slopes instead of steps, to improve accessibility for wheelchair users. At the new facility, the viewing hall – where mourners watch the casket being transported toward the cremators – is located directly in front of the service hall. This is unlike the existing Mandai Crematorium, where the service halls are a distance away from the viewing halls. NEA said the building layout was designed to minimise walking distances, especially for elderly visitors. "A one-way visitor circulation flow caters to back-to-back cremation services, minimising the need for arriving and departing groups to cross paths. This arrangement provides a degree of privacy for each group of visitors and facilitates a sense of closure for the bereaved," the agency said. The new waiting halls at Mandai North Crematorium are also enclosed with glass panels to provide more privacy to families. When the cremated remains are ready, an ash collection permit with a QR code will be sent via email. The registration process will involve verifying the applicant's identity, before a queue number is provided and an ash-sorting room is assigned. When the queue number is called, family members can scan a QR code to unlock a locker containing the ash box. There are three walls of lockers, and the lockers open one at a time for each wall. Families can perform final rites in the ash-sorting room. Each room is equipped with a table, a bench and a wash basin.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Science Journals: Lessons from weird fish sold in Singapore's wet markets
Find out what's new on ST website and app. An assortment of seafood is laid on the ground at Jurong Fishery Port. They are placed on ice to retain their freshness. SINGAPORE – Just like how the depths of the deep sea are home to strange, little-known creatures, Singapore's wet markets also dazzle visitors with a rich diversity of seafood. Even after spending a year surveying the seafood sections of markets here, Mr Elliott James Ong and Mr Kenny Lek say there are fish they have seen only once. United by a love for seafood, the pair founded Pasarfish in 2024 . It is an initiative that researches and teaches the sustainable consumption and heritage of seafood sold in supermarkets and wet markets. Despite the long tradition of Singapore's wet markets, little is known about the rich variety of catches that these ageing facilities showcase, with the last catalogue compiled in the 1990s by the Primary Production Department. The median age of market stallholders is 63, according to the National Environment Agency, which manages most of the markets here. Mr Ong, 29, and Mr Lek, 33, started compiling their own catalogue from June 2024 to fill this gap in knowledge. 'Knowing the identities of these fish and their abundance allows us to track their origins, fishing methods and sustainability,' said Mr Ong. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Sewage shaft failure linked to sinkhole; PUB calling safety time-out on similar works islandwide Singapore Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole did not happen overnight: Experts Singapore Workers used nylon rope to rescue driver of car that fell into Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole Asia Singapore-only car washes will get business licences revoked, says Johor govt World Food airdropped into Gaza as Israel opens aid routes Sport Arsenal beat Newcastle in five-goal thriller to bring Singapore Festival of Football to a close Singapore Benchmark barrier: Six of her homeschooled kids had to retake the PSLE Asia S'porean trainee doctor in Melbourne arrested for allegedly filming colleagues in toilets since 2021 Pasarfish marries the co-founders' seemingly incompatible passions of food and conservation by advocating for consumption of seafood that does not drive marine life to the brink of extinction. As at July, Pasarfish has collected data on more than 200 species sold in markets here, with the hope of pushing for more traceability and sustainability assessments of Singapore's seafood supply chains. Of all the creatures catalogued from their visits, a strange golden fish from a small bucket at Tekka Market in Little India stands out. The stallholder selling the semi-translucent species told Mr Lek that it was an Asian arowana. But the only resemblance between the mystery specimen and the arowana was a large, upturned mouth. When pressed further, the woman said she had bought the fish from Jurong Fishery Port, which handles the vast majority of Singapore's imported seafood. Mr Lek said: 'They didn't really have an idea of where this species actually came from and whether it was caught on a regular basis. Of all the creatures catalogued from Pasarfish's visits, a strange golden fish from a small bucket at Tekka Market in Little India stands out. PHOTO: PASARFISH 'They just bought it from this fish trader from Jurong Fishery Port from a random bucket.' The fish's identity was unravelled on the same day with the help of Major-General William Farquhar, the first British resident and commandant of colonial Singapore. A Google search of the fish's features netted a 19th-century picture from the Farquhar Collection, a series of watercolour paintings by Chinese artists of flora and fauna that the leader commissioned. Said Mr Ong: 'It was a perfect match.' The painting was labelled in a neat, slanted script, with one of its local names, ikan biang biang, otherwise known as the shorthead hairfin anchovy. The pair theorised that the fish was likely commonly found at markets back then. The mystery of the anchovy stemmed from the fact that it had been forgotten and people now no longer know how to cook it, they concluded. The coastal fish is common in Indonesia and Malaysia, where it is usually fried or salted. In Sarawak, the anchovy features in a raw fish delicacy called umai, where thin slices are cured with the sour juice of a native palm fruit and tossed with tropical herbs. It is unclear why stallholders buy fish they do not know since the species tend to be unpopular with consumers, said Mr Ong, who has encountered such situations several times. He added: 'Honestly, they go at very low prices, so there's no commercial value.' Still, these weird finds can contribute to science. Some of the anchovies were delivered to the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, where they will remain as physical records of fish sold in Singapore markets. Dr Tan Heok Hui, the museum's senior collection manager of fishes, said the species was collected because it was uncommon in Singapore. 'Once it is deposited in the museum, it provides a time stamp, a possible genetic resource and historical record,' he added. 'The fact that it is uncommon in the trade in Singapore could lead to its inclusion into social history and trends of consumption.' Such resources can aid comparative studies as well as the tracking, tracing and managing of fish reserves. Wet markets can also be treasure troves for discovering new fish. Dr Tan said: 'Not all fish are possible to catch with your own hands or set of tools. I would rely on fisherfolk for their skill set with larger nets to fish from deeper waters.' Through forays into local markets in Indonesia, his team has uncovered new species such as the Crossocheilus obscurus carp and Hemibagrus velox catfish. Yellowtail fish, which are traditionally overharvested, being sorted into baskets at Jurong Fishery Port on June 20. ST PHOTO: ANG QING On a grim note, considering a fish weird can be a symptom of overconsumption. Worldwide, overharvesting has driven marine species' populations down, erasing them from collective memory as they become harder to find. This was witnessed during Pasarfish's market tours to raise awareness about seafood heritage and sustainable consumption, said Mr Lek, when only older folk recognise the species sold. I joined Pasarfish on one such tour at 2am on June 20 to learn more about Jurong Fishery Port, Singapore's sole port for fish. The cacophony of different tongues reflects the international diversity of the port's wholesale market, where about 100 merchants display piles of fresh seafood kept fresh with ice. There was hardly a moment of stillness throughout the two-hour tour. Sweaty men in yellow rubber boots processed prawns, sorted fish and shouted at idle buyers to get out of the way as they dragged baskets of slimy produce. Mr Ong and Mr Lek's knowledge was apparent, as out of more than 80 species of seafood at the port that they shared details about, only one species baffled them. After a brief search online, they identified it on their Instagram page as the Hawaiian ladyfish. Three ocellated parrotfish at Jurong Fishery Port. One of these was given away for free during the June 20 Pasarfish tour, a common practice for unpopular fish. ST PHOTO: ANG QING Another unusual fish we saw is the ocellated parrotfish that a fishmonger gave to Mr Ong for free, a practice often used to dispose of unpopular catch and build rapport. Eating certain fish perceived to be strange, however, can be a good choice, as doing so can be more sustainable for popular species. During the tour, our group of six encountered varying sizes of yellowtail fish, traditionally used to make fish balls. Mr Ong explained: 'This was historically one of the most common fish in Singapore. But they're not as common any more because the fish stocks are depleted.' He pointed out that the smaller yellowtail we spotted were signs of overfishing and unsustainable practices, with the fish not having had time to grow before they were caught. Instead, Mr Ong recommended using a wider range of fish for fish balls to avoid pressuring a single species. Other substitutes that can and have been used include wolf herring, milk fish and pike conger. To help consumers make better choices, Pasarfish plans to launch a guide of 60 common fish from its year-long survey by listing their local names, price ranges and sustainability recommendations.
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Straits Times
UN to use ‘humanitarian pauses' to try to reach Gaza's starving
Find out what's new on ST website and app. A throng of desperate men and boys overwhelm a truck carrying food aid at a distribution point in northern Gaza on July 27. GENEVA – The United Nations said it would try to reach as many starving people as possible in Gaza after Israel announced it would establish secure land routes for humanitarian convoys. The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) said it has enough food in, or on its way to, the region to feed the 2.1 million people in the Gaza Strip for almost three months. UN emergency relief coordinator Tom Fletcher said on X he welcomed the announcement of 'humanitarian pauses' . 'In contact with our teams on the ground who will do all we can to reach as many starving people as we can in this window,' he said. WFP said the pauses and corridors should allow emergency food to be safely delivered. 'Food aid is the only real way for most people inside Gaza to eat,' it said in a statement. It said a third of the population have not been eating for days, and 470,000 people in Gaza 'are enduring famine-like conditions ' that are leading to deaths. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole did not happen overnight: Experts Singapore Workers used nylon rope to rescue driver of car that fell into Tanjong Katong Road sinkhole Singapore Car that fell into Tanjong Katong Road South sinkhole removed; road remains closed for repairs Asia Singapore-only car washes will get business licences revoked, says Johor govt World Food airdropped into Gaza as Israel opens aid routes Sport Arsenal beat Newcastle in five-goal thriller to bring Singapore Festival of Football to a close Singapore Benchmark barrier: Six of her homeschooled kids had to retake the PSLE Asia S'porean trainee doctor in Melbourne arrested for allegedly filming colleagues in toilets since 2021 WFP said more than 62,000 tonnes of food assistance is needed monthly to cover the entire Gaza population of two million. The agency noted that, on top of the 'pause' announcement, Israel has pledged to allow more trucks to enter Gaza with quicker clearances along with 'assurances of no armed forces or shootings near convoys'. 'Together, we hope these measures will allow for a surge in urgently needed food assistance to reach hungry people without further delays,' it said. 'Dystopian landscape' UN rights chief Volker Turk said Israel, as the occupying power in Gaza, is obliged to ensure sufficient food is provided to the population. 'Children are starving and dying in front of our eyes. Gaza is a dystopian landscape of deadly attacks and total destruction,' he said in a statement. He criticised a US- and Israel-backed outfit, called the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), that in late May began distributing foodstuffs when UN-organised efforts were blocked. Mr Turk said the GHF's 'chaotic, militarised distribution sites' are 'failing utterly to deliver humanitarian aid at the scope and scale needed'. His office says Israeli forces have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians trying to get food aid in Gaza since the GHF started operations, nearly three-quarters of them in the vicinity of GHF sites. A third of Gaza's population have not been eating for days, enduring famine-like conditions, aid workers say. PHOTO: AFP 'Starvation crisis' 'The starvation of people in Gaza must end now,' UN refugees chief Filippo Grandi said on X. 'Standing with UN and NGO colleagues ready to deliver desperately needed, lifesaving aid to hundreds of thousands at risk of death.' Mr Fletcher's UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) warned on July 25 that conditions on the ground in Gaza were 'already catastrophic' and deteriorating. 'The starvation crisis is deepening,' it said. Jordan's air force drops humanitarian aid over northern Gaza on July 27. PHOTO: EPA Ocha said UN teams are in place to ramp up deliveries into the Palestinian territory as soon as they are permitted to do so. 'If Israel opens the crossings, lets fuel and equipment in, and allows humanitarian staff to operate safely, the UN will accelerate the delivery of food aid, health services, clean water and waste management, nutrition supplies, and shelter materials,' it said. AFP
