CNA938 Rewind - Penknife incident: do we need regular bag checks in schools?
CNA938 Rewind - Why do Singaporeans love plushies… and reselling them?
The charms and plushie craze has led to a spike in scalping. Milo's new Breakfast and Breaktime sets had fans flock to supermarkets, with some taking to Carousell to cash in on the hype. And the viral $19.90 Scotch Brite EZ-Link charm is now going for double. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin ask Associate Professor Ang Swee Hoon from NUS Business School why Singaporeans enjoy reselling.
15 mins
CNA938 Rewind - Penknife incident: do we need regular bag checks in schools?
A Bartley Secondary School student was arrested on Monday after cutting a teacher with a penknife. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin speak to Associate Professor Jason Tan from the National Institute of Education – Policy, Curriculum, and Leadership to discuss how else we can further improve safety for teachers and students.
17 mins
CNA938 Rewind - Inside the World's Highest Microbrewery at LeVel33
In 'Destination Anywhere' Melanie Oliveiro finds out where, in Singapore, listeners can go to visit the world's highest microbrewery in a building, as recognised by the Guinness World Records. It's at LeVeL33, the rooftop bar-restaurant located on the 33rd floor of Marina Bay Financial Centre Tower 1. Dr. Martin Bém, LeVeL33's founder and managing director will talk about how the microbrewery came about and how public tours around it are held. LeVeL33's brewmaster Gabriel Garcia will share some facts about making the freshly brewed craft beers like blond lager and India Pale Ale.
19 mins
CNA938 Rewind - Attention all poets & writers – answer to the GPA 2025 Open Call
In 'Culture Club' Melanie Oliveiro finds out more about the GPA or The Golden Point Award, Singapore's premier creative writing competition in the nation's four official languages: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. Established by the National Arts Council in 1993, GPA is now a significant platform for discovering new writers whose works exhibit literary merit and encourage literary expression in Singapore. GPA 2025 is now receiving submissions via its Open Call exercise which ends on 12 May. Arts House Limited's Geraldine Cheang and creative writer Mohanapriya Chandrasekaran will talk about how they are/were involved in GPA.
30 mins
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CNA938 Rewind - Why businesses target the elderly?
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Thosai-eating Machine: 36 thosais and more in 68 minutes
On a humid Friday afternoon, under the warm lights of the iconic MTR restaurant in Little India, Singapore's most famous food gladiator, Zermatt Neo, did something utterly jaw-dropping. He polished off a staggering 36 thosais in 68 minutes, along with an avalanche of other South Indian dishes. And I was there to witness it, surrounded by the clatter of cameras, the gasps of onlookers and the hum of disbelief. Zermatt, the 37-year-old Singaporean competitive eater and social media sensation, is no stranger to viral food challenges. But even by his sky-high standards, this was something special. Wearing his trademark quiet focus and a hungry grin, Zermatt attacked the feast with surgical precision: 10 podi masala thosais 10 masala thosais 5 set thosais 1 godhi thosai 2 plates of podi idli 3 plates of chilli bhaji 2 bowls of bisibele bath 1 curd rice And a selection of chutneys, sagoos, raitas, lassis and lemonades. That's more than 7kg of food, drenched in 1.6kg of ghee, consumed in just over an hour. "I chose MTR because so many of my Indian followers kept recommending it," Zermatt told me post-feast, still glowing - not from sweat, but what can only be described as thosai bliss. "They said this was the place to try real South Indian food. I went for it on my own free will, and they were right." Indeed, MTR, which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary globally and 12th in Singapore, is no average restaurant. Known for its no-shortcut approach - no preservatives, no chemicals just good-old freshly ground masalas and batters - it draws loyalists from across cultures. "About 30 per cent of our podi thosais are eaten by Chinese customers," said MTR manager Srinivasa Satish Rao. "But this is the first time I've seen anyone eat 36 thosais in one go. Zermatt was smiling throughout. Incredible." It wasn't just thosais. Zermatt had never tried some of these varieties before. "I've had thosai before," he said, "but not like this. The spices, the ghee, the textures - buttery, crispy, hot. It's an experience. You can tell there's love in every fold of the thosai." And yet, watching him eat was hypnotic. Calm, composed, surgical. I couldn't help but ask: How does one even do this? Zermatt laughed and told me: "It's years of training. I started off with a 2kg capacity. I've worked up to 9kg now. Before and after each challenge, I fast for 24 hours to reset my body." What about health? "I go for full health checks every six months. My biomarkers are top 2 to 5 per cent. My doctor says I'm healthier than 90 per cent of Singaporeans." If it all sounds impossible, you should know this: Zermatt is not your average mukbanger (someone who consumes copious amounts of food on camera). With a ripped physique, a Tesla parked outside, and more than 2.2 million YouTube subscribers and a total of 4.5 million TikTok, Instagram and Facebook followers, he's a brand. He juggles nutrition knowledge, gym routines and travel schedules to pursue what he calls "performative gastronomy". At MTR, the audience of about 15 - including three camera operators, restaurant staff and curious patrons like me, drawn to the spectacle by the manager's invitation - watched with rapt attention as he gulped down thosai after thosai, mixing technique with pure willpower. What happens when you hit your limit? "You feel the flavours start to repeat, so I use tricks - mango lassi to cleanse the palate, honey lemon to lighten things. That helps reset the taste buds," he said. MTR's famed masala podi thosai was his favourite. "Perfect balance. The crispy exterior, the fluffy interior, the spicy potatoes - chef's kiss," he said. Zermatt's eating prowess is no fluke. He holds world records for devouring 92 chicken wings in eight minutes, 7kg of beef noodles in 15 minutes and 9.5kg of laksa. His recent stint with butter chicken - 4kg chicken, 3kg rice, 1kg naan - went viral. Indian food, he says, is the heaviest among cuisines. "The ghee, the spices - it hits different. But it's also the most delicious." So, is this the most thosais anyone has ever eaten in a single sitting? "I don't know," he said with a chuckle. "But if it is, I'd be happy to break my own record next time." Spectator and MTR regular Raj Nainani, who claims to have eaten there daily for years, was in awe: "Zermatt did something extraordinary. I Googled it - I think it is a world record." Behind the gluttony lies a mind of discipline. Zermatt adheres to intermittent fasting, stacks his post-challenge meals with fibre and probiotics and works out six times a week, focusing on cardio and compound lifts. "I don't binge every day. It's planned. It's science," he said. There's also deep respect for culture. "My Indian viewers love when I eat with my hands," he said. "It makes them feel connected. That connection means everything to me." Zermatt might be a global Internet phenomenon, but on May 23 at MTR Singapore, he was simply a man who loved eating thosais. The watchers clapped. The chefs peeked from the kitchen, stunned. He stood, wiped his hands, and flashed a grin. "I'm full," he said. Full of food, yes. But also full of joy. And for those of us lucky enough to watch, full of wonder.
Straits Times
29-05-2025
- Straits Times
MHA to conduct social experiments in June to test public's response to terror threats
MHA said the authorities will be around to ensure public safety. ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH MHA to conduct social experiments in June to test public's response to terror threats SINGAPORE – Several social experiments will be conducted in the heartland from early to mid-June to test how the public responds to terror incidents. These planned scenarios will involve actors and realistic props, said the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on May 29. Declining to publicise details about the experiments, it said precautions will be taken to ensure that they cause minimal disruption to the public. MHA said the authorities will be around to ensure public safety. Reactions from members of the public will be recorded, and the footage will be used to create an educational web series to raise awareness about key SGSecure advisories, such as 'Run, Hide, Tell' and 'Press, Tie, Tell'. The first episode will premiere on July 30. SGSecure is a national movement launched in 2016 to prepare Singaporeans to deal with terrorist attacks and equip them with skills to handle a crisis. Run, Hide, Tell involves moving away from danger, staying out of sight, and informing the authorities. When dealing with casualties during emergency situations, members of the public can stop a victim from bleeding by applying pressure to the wound (press), securing it with a strip of cloth (tie), and calling 995 for help (tell). In its statement, MHA advised members of the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities. During an SGSecure roadshow at Suntec City in July 2024, Minister for Home Affairs K. Shanmugam had said: 'We have kept Singapore safe and secure so far. So as a result, people don't think that there will be a terror attack. 'It's not in people's minds. But that doesn't mean an attack won't happen here.' In 2024, the Internal Security Department (ISD) said in its annual report that terrorism threats here have increased since the Gaza war began. Said ISD: 'While there is no indication of an imminent attack, the terrorism threat to Singapore remains high. Global developments and conflicts have generated emotive responses worldwide, including acts of violence, and terrorist elements have leveraged such conflicts to call for attacks. These developments have impacted Singapore's internal security.' A 2023 report by the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) found that lone wolves were the main terror threat to Singapore. In October 2024, a 17-year-old boy was arrested before he could carry out an attack on non-Muslims in Tampines during the September school holidays. Lone wolves have also been responsible for violent incidents abroad, using everyday objects as weapons. On May 23, a German woman was arrested after stabbing 18 people at a train station in Hamburg. In October 2023, a 14-year-old boy with a handgun opened fire at Siam Paragon in Bangkok, killing a Chinese tourist and a Myanmar national. Five others were injured. And in the latest incident involving a public security threat on May 26, a 53-year-old British man drove his vehicle into a crowd of Liverpool fans during a parade celebrating the football club's Premier League title, injuring around 50 people. Claudia Tan is a journalist at The Straits Times covering the crime and court beat. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
