Latest news with #BukitBatok
Independent Singapore
27-05-2025
- General
- Independent Singapore
HDB residents at Bukit Batok lose sleep over noisy late-night litterbugs
SINGAPORE: A group of people is reportedly bothering residents with their loud noises at night at a Housing & Development Board (HDB) block at Bukit Batok. A Tuesday morning (May 27) report in Shin Min Daily News said that not only does the group that gathers at the void deck of the block at night bother others with their noise, they also leave alcohol bottles and other types of rubbish, such a food packaging, in their wake. This is not a new problem for the residents of Block 460B Bukit Batok West Avenue 9, who first encountered the issue last year. Unfortunately, the laughing and talking that the group does at night is so loud that it becomes challenging for people nearby to sleep, one 60-year-old resident told the Chinese daily. 'They talked and laughed loudly, and when they left, the ground was full of cigarette butts, wine bottles, food packaging and other garbage,' the report quotes him as saying, expressing concerns over cleanliness and hygiene in the area. Evidence of the nightly gatherings was also seen by a journalist from Shin Min Daily News, including alcohol and soft drink bottles, cups, and plastic bags. Worse yet, there were also cigarette butts scattered in the vicinity of the void deck. Although both the National Environment Agency (NEA) and the Chua Chu Kang Town Council have put up signs in the area reminding people not to litter, the problem appears to persist. Both signs carry warnings of enforcement action for those who refuse to comply, with the notice from the Town Council saying that first-time violators are required to pay as much as $1,000 in fines, and those who persist in offending could be issued a Corrective Work Order (CWO). Moreover, the Town Council told Mustshare News that it has referred the issue to the police and is closely monitoring the situation. Netizens commenting on the issue underlined the need for close surveillance in order to solve the problem once and for all. ' Install a CCTV camera in that area. Call the police, and from there they can identify the group for any illegal gathering,' a Facebook user suggested. Another underlined that since personnel from the Town Council and the NEA don't work at night, the best way forward is for police to be involved more. One commenter, however, said that they have a similar problem. 'Same problem at Tampines… teenagers play guitar, and sing, and eat till late… get drunk and noisy till morning. Asked MP to remove tables and chairs – not possible because old people need them. But when I monitored, not many old people sat there.' /TISG Read also: Man says his inconsiderate neighbour has been very noisy for the past 4 months, constantly hammering and drilling in the morning and evening
CNA
26-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
'Never too old to do the things that you love': Despite vision loss, this 93-year-old bowler keeps going
Sport Mr William Thong is possibly one of the oldest bowlers in the world. CNA finds out what's kept him in the sport for the last seventy years. SINGAPORE: On a Tuesday morning at a Bukit Batok bowling alley, the sound of clattering pins echoes off the walls. At one end, a couple of youngsters celebrates strikes exuberantly. At the opposite, a group of older men are racking up the points in more stoic fashion. And then there is Mr William Thong. A familiar fixture - he bowls here multiple times a week - Mr Thong has his own locker, his own bowling shoes and a flask of teh-o to keep him going. Mr Thong stands out from the other amateur bowlers. His gait is slower and his technique guided more by feel than vision, but he is no less adept at picking up the odd strike or two. Eyes locked on the target, Mr Thong sends an eight-pound ball swirling down the lane. This time, there are still a few stubborn pins left standing, but he keeps at it for the next hour or so. After all, what keeps the 93-year-old going is not the score flashing on the electronic screen, but his love for the sport. BOWLING WITH HALF AN EYE In his younger days, Mr Thong was an all-rounder in sports, who ran cross-country and played basketball and football. His foray into bowling only began in his early 20s, after joining an American firm. "I wanted to please the president (of the company) that I could I also bowl. I joined him and he was happy," he recalled. He eventually grew into the sport and competed at local amateur tournaments. "I enjoy getting strikes, getting spares. Especially the speed (of the ball)," said Mr Thong. 93-year-old William Thong bowling at Starbowl in HomeTeamNS Bukit Batok on Apr 15, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lan Yu) According to Mr Alfred George Pillay, a fellow bowler who has known Mr Thong for close to a decade, the latter was also a bowling captain in his fourties. "He used to have national bowlers under his team," recalled Mr Pillay, who has partnered Mr Thong in several competitions. But a glaucoma diagnosis about three decades ago threatened to put a stop to things. Mr Thong would eventually go completely blind in one eye. He was told by a doctor there was a "50-50" chance of going blind in his other eye, if he did not take appropriate care. "I always prayed that I could see and that it would not deteriorate (further)," he said. Mr Thong has continued to bowl, relying on his one good eye which he guessed to now have about 55 per cent vision left. Asked how he does it, he said: "You just estimate ... (the pins are) 'dead', waiting for you to bowl the ball." But it has not been without difficulty. There were three or four times when Mr Thong tripped on the lane. "I had to break the fall (with my hand)," he said. These days, he stands further away from the foul line so he does not slip on the oiled flooring. "Closing one eye and bowling is near-impossible. I don't know how he does it," said Mr Pillay, 61. "(Initially) I didn't know he (was using just) one eye because he used to wear sunglasses ... The day he took out his glasses, I got a shock." Mr Thong has other passions. He uses the computer regularly, and is a fixture in his church choir. "Every Sunday I sing in church, I like singing," he said. "They like my voice." The nonagenarian still looks as sprightly as he is active. He attributed this to a diet which he keeps to fastidiously. "Fish, eggs and chicken," he revealed. "I take fruits every day too: Papaya, bananas and oranges." But nothing comes close to bowling for Mr Thong. He visits the alley up to five days a week, going for about three to five games each time. He typically travels by bus from his home in Choa Chua Kang, a journey of about 30 minutes. "(I'm) not tired and my body is not aching. It's okay," he said. In the past, his wife would often accompany him, but now that she has dementia, she stays at home with their domestic helper. "(She came) all the time ... She would ask: 'Why you miss the ball?' ... She was like an advisor!" said Mr Pillay. "She was always here supporting him. They would sometimes argue and she would tell him: 'Your ball is too slow, your ball is too fast', that kind of thing. The two of them looked very cute together." 93-year-old bowler William Thong cheering after knocking down 9 pins at Starbowl in HomeTeamNS Bukit Batok on Apr 15, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lan Yu) Mr Thong and Mr Pillay now have each other for company in the bowling alley. "He told me most of his friends have all passed on. He's got not many friends that he can relate to. We share things, we talk about things, we are friends," said Mr Pillay. "He's an inspiration to me ... I hope that I can bowl until at least 70. You're never too old to do the things that you love." Mr Thong does see himself as an ambassador for the sport. "(Bowling) is to reach out to people. This is how you start a conversation with people who do not know anything about bowling," he said. "Some of them ask me: 'What do you eat?'" Bowling is also how Mr Thong keeps occupied and clocks his exercise minutes, and he hopes to keep at it for as long as he physically can. The longest he has stayed away from the alley was a six-month hiatus due to knee and shoulder pain. He is not done competing either. Mr Thong recently joined a weekly "Fun Bowl" competition with other bowlers, taking place every Wednesday. He, of course, is the oldest there. "When I stop bowling, I'll be very sad ... If God allows me, I will bowl until 100." active ageing bowling
CNA
26-05-2025
- General
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - Ecological impact: Young forest in Bukit Batok to be cleared for housing
CNA938 Rewind A young forest is slated for partial clearance to make way for a new neighbourhood in Bukit Batok. But is there a way to continue the work without having a big impact on the wildlife that live there? Daniel Martin and Justine Moss speak more with Dr Shawn Lum, Senior Lecturer, NTU Asian School of the Environment.
CNA
26-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - Vietnam did it. Could Singapore one day ban Telegram?
CNA938 Rewind - Vietnam did it. Could Singapore one day ban Telegram? Vietnam's technology ministry has ordered telecommunication service providers there to block Telegram for not co-operating in combating alleged crimes committed by its users. This prompted Daniel Martin and Justine Moss to ask Associate Professor Natalie Pang from the Department of Communications and New Media, NUS, the question: Could we ever see a messaging app banned in Singapore? 16 mins CNA938 Rewind - Ultra-luxury condominium sales rise in 2025 Singapore's ultra-luxury condominium market looks set to be regaining momentum in 2025, amid ongoing global economic uncertainties. Daniel Martin and Justine Moss discuss further with Eugene Lim, Key Executive Officer, ERA Singapore. 14 mins CNA938 Rewind - Could building projects progress without disrupting nature? A young forest is slated for partial clearance to make way for a new neighbourhood in Bukit Batok. But is there a way to continue the work without having a big impact on the wildlife that live there? Daniel Martin and Justine Moss speak more with Dr Shawn Lum, Senior Lecturer, NTU Asian School of the Environment. 8 mins
CNA
26-05-2025
- General
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - Could building projects progress without disrupting nature?
CNA938 Rewind A young forest is slated for partial clearance to make way for a new neighbourhood in Bukit Batok. But is there a way to continue the work without having a big impact on the wildlife that live there? Daniel Martin and Justine Moss speak more with Dr Shawn Lum, Senior Lecturer, NTU Asian School of the Environment.
