Latest news with #CaiYinzhou
AsiaOne
20-05-2025
- AsiaOne
'Thankful for the neighbourliness': MP Cai Yinzhou on resident who alerted others to Toa Payoh flat fire, Singapore News
A Toa Payoh resident who alerted his neighbours about a fire that broke out in a HDB flat on Monday (May 19) afternoon has received a shout-out from newly appointed MP Cai Yinzhou. Cai, MP for Bishan Toa Payoh, posted on Facebook at around 11pm the same day that the incident happened during lunchtime at a vacant unit that was undergoing renovation. In his post, Cai said a resident shared how he had noticed the smoke and alerted the authorities, before running to his elderly neighbours' unit and pounding on the door asking residents inside to evacuate the unit. Fortunately, one of the affected occupants, who is visually impaired, was not at home during the incident. "I'm thankful for the neighbourliness which allowed for the early detection and evacuation of the neighbouring units," Cai said in his Facebook post, adding that residents from five levels in that block were evacuated. There were no injuries. Cai also said he visited the scene with his eldest son that evening, adding that he will continue to stay updated on the situation and offer support to residents and agencies involved. Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to a fire at Block 85A Lorong 4 Toa Payoh on May 19 at about 11.40am. The fire involved discarded items in a bedroom of a unit on the 13th floor. SCDF said they extinguished the fire using a dry powder fire extinguisher and about 25 people were evacuated from the affected block by the police. There were no reported injuries and the cause of the fire is under investigation, said SCDF. [[nid:718027]]
AsiaOne
20-05-2025
- AsiaOne
'Thankful for the neighbourliness': MP Cai Yinzhou to resident who alerted others to Toa Payoh flat fire, Singapore News
A Toa Payoh resident who alerted his neighbours about a fire that broke out in a HDB flat on Monday (May 19) afternoon has received a shout-out from newly appointed MP Cai Yinzhou. Cai, MP for Bishan Toa Payoh, posted on Facebook at around 11pm the same day that the incident happened during lunchtime at a vacant unit that was undergoing renovation In his post, Cai said a resident shared how he had noticed the smoke and alerted the authorities, before running to his elderly neighbours' unit and pounding on the door asking residents inside to evacuate the unit. Fortunately, one of the affected occupants, who is visually impaired, was not at home during the incident. "I'm thankful for the neighbourliness which allowed for the early detection and evacuation of the neighbouring units," Cai said in his Facebook post, adding that residents from five levels in that block were evacuated. There were no injuries. Cai also said he visited the scene with his eldest son that evening, adding that he will continue to stay updated on the situation and offer support to residents and agencies involved. Responding to queries from AsiaOne, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said they were alerted to a fire at Block 85A Lorong 4 Toa Payoh on May 19 at about 11.40am. The fire involved discarded items in a bedroom of a unit on the 13th floor. SCDF said they extinguished the fire using a dry powder fire extinguisher and about 25 people were evacuated from the affected block by the police. There were no reported injuries and the cause of the fire is under investigation, said SCDF. [[nid:718027]]
CNA
19-05-2025
- Business
- CNA
Some Chinatown businesses see boost in sales with rejuvenation of iconic Smith Street
SINGAPORE: Some local businesses in Chinatown are enjoying a boost in sales - of up to 40 per cent - with the rejuvenation of the iconic Smith Street and a tie-up with the refreshed Chinatown Heritage Centre. Smith Street, located in the Chinatown conservation area, is undergoing a facelift to inject vibrancy and drive greater footfall. More tenants are currently renovating their spaces and will be opening within the next few months. But shop owners told CNA that various challenges remain with rising rental and labour shortage. OVERCOMING CHALLENGES Elegance of Nanyang, which sells and rents out kebayas, is among the new shops on Smith Street. Ms Yu Guangning, the boutique's owner and director, said that while she wants to share the local heritage and the art of kebayas with tourists, she faces several challenges including steep rental costs. 'In this location, definitely (rental) is not going to be low. Subsequently, for us, manpower is a challenge. And you need to keep up to have new products, attract staff, to really attract tourists to come to Chinatown,' she added. To help heritage business owners like her, the Chinatown Heritage Centre has in place a series of initiatives to appeal to tourists, including marketing efforts with some of these brands. 'For many of these smaller brands, they may not have the resources or focus as much,' said Cai Yinzhou, executive director of the Chinatown Heritage Centre. 'So we hope to do that with our promotional campaigns with some of these brands and shops, where visitors to our centre with a ticket can enjoy discounts and get subsidised products when they visit these shops.' Another shop on Smith Street, Killiney Kopitiam, is reaping the fruits of the collaboration. Since its opening in March, the traditional coffee shop has seen a 40 per cent rise in sales. Mr Henry Oh, general manager of Killiney International, said: 'By participating in their programmes, we get the community and the tourists to know that we are actually here.' ATTRACTING CUSTOMERS The business owners are also working closely with the Chinatown Business Association, and have urged other heritage shops to do the same. Ms Yu said: 'They organise some workshops for us, to basically let us have a better understanding of the current status of Chinatown as well as to give us some training in social media programmes - so that we are not doing only in the retail shop, but we can also do something online to really make Smith Street popular.' Mr Oh added: 'Heritage is something that if you don't preserve, once you lose it, you lose it forever. So it's very important that we preserve our history and our heritage.' The association told CNA that its aim is for Smith Street to serve as the 'cultural heart' of Chinatown, 'where culinary delights, art and experiences converge, offering visitors a diverse cultural dining and experience in a setting that inspires joy and excitement'. Ms Lim Yick Suan, executive director of Chinatown Business Association, said one of its key roles is to promote the interests of its community stakeholders, including heritage businesses. For instance, it often encourages collaborations between traditional businesses and newer entrants to attract customers, she said. 'We actively work to support these businesses by promoting collaborations, encouraging footfall through events and experiences, and connecting them with relevant partners and resources to stay competitive,' she added.
Straits Times
13-05-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
Walk through 1950s history at the newly reopened Chinatown Heritage Centre
CHC's executive director Cai Yinzhou (far left) and Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Alvin Tan (third from left) at the formal reopening ceremony of Chinatown Heritage Centre on May 13. PHOTO: WOOPA TRAVELS SINGAPORE – Step back into the sights and sounds of Chinatown's bustling 1950s marketplace at the newly reopened Chinatown Heritage Centre (CHC). After closing its doors in March 2021, the centre in Pagoda Street reopened in January 2025, following a major revamp under a new operator Woopa Travels. It had closed due to difficulties arising from the Covid-19 pandemic and international travel restrictions. A depiction of Chinatown's marketplace in the 1950s. PHOTO: WOOPA TRAVELS Now fully restored, the centre offers a mix of original features like displays of a traditional tailor's shop and wooden cubicle homes, along with new ones like the 1950s marketplace with street food vendors and letter writers. A dedicated gallery showcases eight heritage brands like Eu Yan Sang, a household name in traditional Chinese medicine, and traditional Cantonese pastry shop Tong Heng, complete with original artefacts from the businesses in their early days. The centre had a formal reopening ceremony on May 13, which was attended by Mr Alvin Tan, Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth. Mr Suen Tat Yam, 39, chief executive of Woopa Travels, said the centre has had about 31,000 visitors since its soft launch in January. The aim is to increase its footfall to 100,000 visitors per year by the end of 2025. Mr Suen Tat Yam, chief executive of Woopa Travels which is CHC's operator, said the centre has had about 31,000 visitors since its soft launch in January. PHOTO: WOOPA TRAVELS Tickets are priced at $15 for Singapore residents and $12 for local children and seniors. In conjunction with the nation's 60th birthday, Singaporeans can look forward to promotions until Aug 31. These include a one-for-one free admission for Singapore resident seniors from Tuesdays to Thursdays and a 20 per cent discount on a tour, Under One Roof, that takes place every Friday and Saturday at 5.30pm. The centre will also have interactive features including QR codes which visitors can scan to access more information and quizzes. A museum guide acting as a trishaw rider during the formal reopening ceremony of CHC on May 13. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Visitors can sign up for guided tours such as an immersive theatrical experience – called Under One Roof – aimed at bringing displays to life through character-led tours. Speaking to the media, CHC's executive director, Mr Cai Yinzhou, 35, said: 'Many international brands might have bigger marketing budgets that smaller brands lack (due to resource constraints). 'We really hope the visibility heritage brands can get from being showcased in our centre and retail space can direct visitors to their shops which are located in the vicinity.' CHC's executive director Cai Yinzhou, speaking on May 13 at its formal reopening ceremony, which was attended by Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth Alvin Tan (seated, front left), said the centre aims to be a community space. PHOTO: WOOPA TRAVELS Mr Cai, who is also a newly elected MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, pointed to the centre's promotional campaigns which include exclusive perks and discounts from businesses around Chinatown for CHC ticket holders. These include Killiney Singapore, Gelato Garden and Elegance of Nanyang, all located along Smith Street. Mr Cai also said the centre aims to be a community space and work with other groups in the precinct, and support local festivals such as Chinese New Year and Moon Cake Festival celebrations. 'These are ways we hope to bring the community to our centre, and use our centre as a platform for (local businesses) to enjoy the spillover effects of the crowds,' he added. One heritage brand being showcased at the centre is Tin Sing Goldsmiths, which was founded in 1937. Mr Wan Shung Ming, its executive director, said 'We have been here (in Chinatown) for 90 years. When CHC wants to promote Chinatown's heritage, fundamentally, we must support them.' Tong Heng, the bakery behind the iconic diamond-shaped egg tarts, being featured in the new heritage brand showcase in CHC. PHOTO: CHINATOWN HERITAGE CENTRE Ms Ana Fong, 60, a fourth-generation staff member of Tong Heng, the bakery behind the iconic diamond-shaped egg tarts, said: 'My great-grandfather started the business in Smith Street. We have been here for close to 90 years, so to me, Chinatown is our home. 'To choose us to represent on behalf of (other businesses in Chinatown), I think it's a privilege to be featured inside.' Ms Fong said Tong Heng's goal is to be an 'old brand, but not so old school', to appeal to customers across generations. The business has made efforts in innovation by working with traditional and newer brands, and has come up with trendy creations like a truffle egg tart. Having volunteered in the Chinatown precinct in his youth, Minister of State Alvin Tan said that stories he had heard from the local immigrant community in the area are now encapsulated in CHC. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Mr Tan, who is also the Minister of State for Trade and Industry, said in his opening address: 'In order to make sure that our tourism sector continues to be very vibrant, we need to make sure that all of our different parts of the tourism sector start to grow, and we must inject new and fresh ideas, like Chinatown Heritage Centre. 'This is one of our new jewels in our whole tourism suite that we can offer to our tourists as well as Singaporeans alike.' Having volunteered in the Chinatown precinct in his youth, Mr Tan said that stories he had heard from the local immigrant community in the area are now encapsulated in the CHC. The se stories are a reminder of the past, going beyond the 60 years of nationhood to the years when pioneers had 'toiled during the British colonial era, up until 1965 and up until today', he said. The CHC is a bridge between the past and present, said Mr Tan. 'It is a reminder to all of us who are much younger, what the past was and what we must treasure, because if we forget the past, then we aren't able to remember what we need to have to steward the future for Singapore.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Straits Times
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
GE2025: PAP wins Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC with 75.21% of votes and Marymount SMC with 70.7% of votes
The PAP's Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC candidates (from left) Cai Yinzhou, Elysa Chen, Saktiandi Supaat and Chee Hong Tat speaking at Yio Chu Kang Stadium on May 3. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI GE2025: PAP wins Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC with 75.21% of votes and Marymount SMC with 70.7% of votes Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE - The PAP has scored a resounding victory in both Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Marymount SMC, capturing more than 70 per cent of the votes cast in the 2025 General Election. The four-man PAP team in Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, led by Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat, garnered 75.21 per cent of the votes against Singapore People's Party (SPP), which drew 24.79 per cent. PAP's vote share translated to 66,137 votes cast, while 21,799 votes were cast for opposition party SPP. A total of 98,708 votes were cast and the number of spoilt votes totalled 2,084. The PAP also won Marymount SMC, with Ms Gan Siow Huang drawing 14,868 votes or 70.7 per cent of the vote share, against 6,163 votes cast for Progress Singapore Party (PSP), which translated to 29.3 per cent of the vote share. A total of 21,282 votes were cast and 251 votes were rejected. In Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC, it was the PAP's fourth win against SPP. In 2020, when the PAP team was led by Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen, it garnered 67.23 per cent of the votes, which was higher than PAP's overall vote share of 61.23 per cent. SPP attracted 32.77 per cent of the votes then. In 2015, PAP secured 73.59 per cent of the vote share against SPP, which drew 26.41 per cent. In 2011, PAP triumphed with 56.93 per cent, compared with SPP's 43.07 per cent. Dr Ng, 66, confirmed that he would not be running in the 2025 General Election, when he announced his retirement on April 18. He entered politics in 2001. The 2025 PAP team comprises Mr Chee, 51, Mr Saktiandi Supaat, 51, who is head of FX research at Maybank, and political fresh faces Elysa Chen, 41, a charity director, and social entrepreneur Cai Yinzhou, 35. The 2025 SPP team comprises secretary-general Steve Chia, 54, party chairman Melvyn Chiu, 45, and two new faces, operations executive Muhammad Norhakim, 31, and operations manager Lim Rui Xian, 37. Over in Marymount SMC, Ms Gan, 50, successfully defended her seat against PSP candidate Jeffrey Khoo, 56, the chief executive of a regional risk consulting firm. She is the Minister of State for Education and Manpower. In 2020, when she made her election debut in Marymount, she won 55.04 per cent of the vote against former PSP candidate Ang Yong Guan, who drew 44.96 per cent of the vote share. Speaking to her supporters after the results were announced, Ms Gan said she is 'deeply humbled' by her win and will work hard to improve Marymount estate and build a stronger, more caring community. 'My team and I hope to be able to, together with you, build a brighter future for you and your family and make every day a good day to be in Marymount,' she said. 'We have done well, and we will do better for Marymount.' Mr Khoo was part of PSP's A-team - led by party chairman Tan Cheng Bock - that was fielded in West Coast GRC during the 2020 polls. PSP had lost with 48.32 per cent of the vote against PAPs 51.68 per cent – making it the narrowest win for the ruling party that year. Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC and Marymount SMC are among the nine constituencies that saw no boundary changes in the March 11 Electoral Boundaries Review Committee report. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
