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Straits Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
How Singapore built one of the world's most connected cities
Powered by Singtel, the country's telecommunications backbone gives the resource-scarce island state a critical advantage in today's digital age Connectivity has transformed over the decades, enabling Singaporeans to enjoy everything from online grocery runs to movie streaming and digital services. PHOTOS: SPH MEDIA, SINGTEL Even as the digital world today moves at lightning speed, Singapore is setting the pace for tomorrow. From the first telephone exchange in 1879 to today's 5G+ network powering smart city innovations like real-time health monitoring and autonomous vehicles, Singapore has long pushed the boundaries of telecommunications. Watch this video to find out how connectivity shaped the Singapore we live in today Decades of investment, innovation and nation-building have resulted in a powerful network of connectivity – one that spans undersea cables, satellite links and mobile networks – linking Singapore to the region and the world. At the heart of it all is Singtel, keeping the nation connected every step of the way. Explore this journey through the archives of The Straits Times. In 1879, Singapore introduced a 50-line telephone system, becoming the first city in the East to do so. This early network linked businesses across the port city. Over time, connectivity became a key enabler, helping the resource-scarce island seize global opportunities through strong telecommunications infrastructure. Since its early days, Singtel has built and strengthened Singapore's telecoms backbone – from the opening of Comcentre, the first skyscraper here with rooftop microwave dishes, to achieving nationwide 5G coverage. Today, its vast network of cables, satellites and 5G+ network links Singapore to the region and beyond. In 2022, Singtel became the first in the world to roll out 5G standalone nationwide and offer network slicing, paving the way for a future of autonomous vehicles, real-time health monitoring and smart manufacturing facilities. Today, Singapore's Smart Nation vision is no longer just a blueprint, but our lived reality. Backed by robust cyber defences, the nation is not just keeping pace – it is unlocking new possibilities, from 3G to 6G and beyond.
Straits Times
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Your S'pore Story: ‘Response has always been positive until I posted my nasi lemak character'
This artist went viral for a pop culture mash-up, but has since shifted his artwork to reflect themes closer to home The cheat code to going viral? According to a comment on Mr Andy Choo's artwork, it is making Malaysians angry. The origin of well-loved hawker dishes has long been a prickly subject between Singapore and Malaysia. So when the 39-year-old unveiled a character based on nasi lemak – as part of a series reimagining Singapore's hawker favourites as fantasy heroes – he did not expect it to stir up a debate. Watch his video here. Dozens of Malaysians flooded his page with comments, accusing him of claiming the national dish as Singaporean. Mr Choo had added a note acknowledging the dish's Malaysian origins, but the clarification did not appease them. Still, the nasi lemak debacle – while unintended – felt like a small win. To Mr Choo, it signalled a step towards greater visibility for Singaporean artists on the global stage – it shows that people outside of Singapore are noticing his artwork. He shares more about his line-up of hawker heroes, what drives him to keep creating, and how he hopes to nurture the next generation of home-grown artists. Mr Choo has also designed characters inspired by himself and his wife, Andimoo and Jegginyan (seen in the foreground). PHOTO: SPH MEDIA 'When I did One Piece Avengers in 2012 – a mash-up of the most popular Japanese and American characters – it blew up overnight. So I thought, okay, I know how to get the fame: just take popular characters, put your own spin on them and maybe throw in a crossover. But after a while, I stopped. I did not want to keep using other people's characters and most people would not even know a Singaporean was behind the artwork. I wanted to create something that was more uniquely Singaporean – that's much more meaningful to me. The idea came during the Covid-19 pandemic. I had nothing to do at home and was staring at a plate of chicken rice. At the same time, the game Genshin Impact was really popular. So I thought: what if I combined the two? Could I create something that is uniquely Singaporean? And that is how the characters were born. Chicken rice became a tall, slim lady archetype. Ice kacang and laksa represent the younger girls with smaller builds. Then, there are the big guys like chilli crab and bak kut teh. The black and white carrot cake are your average Joes. I shared them online, including on international artist pages. The response for my artwork has always been positive – until I posted the nasi lemak character. That post sparked a wave of comments from Malaysians saying that nasi lemak was not Singaporean, but Malaysian. About 10 years ago, I did something similar too – taking something familiar and putting a Singaporean spin on it. Years ago, when the Transformers movies were big, I turned Singapore's buses and taxis into Transformers too. It has always been my thing. Apart from creating my own mash-ups, I've spent over a decade helping young artists build a strong foundation in art and drawing. I have been teaching art across primary, secondary and tertiary levels. To nurture younger talent, I am now working on a curriculum that is more interesting for kids. It is packaged like a role-playing game – they unlock skills as they progress and earn badges along the way. And all the characters I've created will be used in my teaching materials. In Singapore, if you want to do art on a professional level, you either work for a company or start your own, like I did. There are not many indie studios here, which is why people end up aiming for jobs overseas, at companies like Marvel and DC. But I still want to stay. There's just something special about Singapore and I think it's because this is where I grew up. That's why I'm always trying to create something that's our own.'
Straits Times
14-07-2025
- Straits Times
Your S'pore Story: ‘We would climb up and down Bukit Timah Hill about six times'
This father turned stairwells and hiking trails into a training ground for his son – the youngest Singaporean to complete the hike to Everest's base camp While other children his age are attending preschool and learning to play musical instruments, Abyan Imtiaz Irkiz is busy setting national records. And not just any record either. Last year, at just five years old, Abyan became the youngest Singaporean to reach Everest Base Camp – the gateway to the highest mountain in the world. Watch their video here. For eight days in the Himalayas, Abyan and his father, Mr Zikri Ali, braved blistering winds, bouts of altitude sickness and temperatures that dropped to minus 14 deg C, until they reached their destination 5,364 m above sea level – an impressive feat for an adult, let alone a pre-schooler. Mr Zikri, 42, runs a yoga school in Singapore with his wife, while Abyan has an elder sister and younger brother. Looking back at their arduous journey, he shares how he prepared Abyan for the ascent and what he has come to admire most about his child. For Abyan, nature walks and rugged trails are just part of playtime with dad. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA 'I first got the idea when we were in Nagarkot, Nepal, in 2022. We were on a yoga retreat and part of it involved hiking the Nagarkot Panoramic Trail – just a day hike, about 12km. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore HSA intensifies crackdown on vapes; young suspected Kpod peddlers nabbed in Bishan, Yishun Singapore Man charged over distributing nearly 3 tonnes of vapes in one day in Bishan, Ubi Avenue 3 Singapore Public healthcare institutions to record all Kpod cases, confiscate vapes: MOH, HSA Singapore Man allegedly attacks woman with knife at Kallang Wave Mall, to be charged with attempted murder Singapore Singapore boosts support for Timor-Leste as it prepares to join Asean Singapore UN aviation and maritime agencies pledge to collaborate to boost safety, tackle challenges Singapore High Court dismisses appeal of drink driver who killed one after treating Tampines road like racetrack Singapore 18 years' jail for woman who hacked adoptive father to death after tussle over Sengkang flat It was already quite challenging. Some of the adults in the group were struggling because of the undulating terrain – lots of ups and downs. But Abyan did it and he didn't complain at all. A few years back, I came across an article about a six-year-old boy who had made it to Everest Base Camp with his parents. I was quite impressed by that. Then I thought, if we train properly, I think Abyan can do it too. So I asked him. We were standing at a viewpoint in Nagarkot and I pointed out where Everest was. I told him: 'You see those mountains up there? One of them is Everest, the tallest mountain in the world. Do you want to climb up there with Papa?' And he said yes. So we started training by hiking and climbing staircases to build up his endurance. In Nepal, we would cover about 600 to 700m of elevation gain each day, so I tried to simulate that in Singapore. We trained in our block, which is 27 storeys high, and we'd go up and down about nine or 10 times. Or we would climb up and down Bukit Timah Hill about six times. It was progressive training over a period of four months. We started out doing it only once a week at first, but at the height of our training, it was four times a week. But it's all fun for him. From a young age, Abyan has always been intense. He does not give up easily. If he fails at something, he keeps going until he gets it. He's very garang (Malay for fearless). During training, there were moments where I could see he was very tired, but he kept pushing himself. Even when he reached a point where he wanted to quit, he still kept going. I'd ask him if he needed a break and he'd say: 'No, no. Come, let's go.' When we finally reached Everest Base Camp, it felt like all the hard work had paid off. I was so proud of him for achieving it and all the hard work he had put in. And I know he had some takeaways from the experience. Because along the way, I told him: 'You know, if we have a plan and we work hard, there's a high chance that we can achieve what we want to achieve.' And he did. I hope he brings that same intensity into whatever he chooses to do in future.'
Straits Times
11-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
The Chic Home: Modern Manhattan in Singapore penthouse
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox This duplex penthouse in Cairnhill Circle is the holiday home of an Indonesian businesswoman and her family. SINGAPORE – A duplex penthouse in Cairnhill Circle is the holiday home of Indonesian businesswoman Silvia Kurniady and her South Korean husband, both in their 40s, and their teenage son and four-year-old daughter. The 3,993 sq ft unit was over a decade old when Ms Kurniady bought it. It was in its original condition, with minimal work done by the former owner. To overhaul the home, Ms Kurniady enlisted the help of her friend Eddy Kuswandi, design director of Singapore-based firm Enoch ID, whom she had worked with on a previous home. The double-volume private lift lobby is now a single volume space, with a home office directly above it on the second storey. The design team removed the kitchen walls, combining the dry kitchen with the living and dining areas into one bright, airy open-concept space. The kitchen island extends into a dining table. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA Mr Kuswandi also added a kitchen island that extends into a dining table. Echoing this long, linear element is a mirrored wall that extends across the kitchen and dining spaces, reflecting the view of the city beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows leading to the balcony. A curved sofa from Dutch brand Leolux sits in the living area. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA In the living area, a curved sofa from Dutch brand Leolux, which the home owners acquired in Seoul, and a pair of Lido chairs from Italian brand Minotti, are set against a panoramic backdrop of the city skyline. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business S'pore to launch new grant for companies, expand support for workers amid US tariff uncertainties World Trump to use presidential authority to send weapons to Ukraine, sources say Opinion Whisper it softly, there's a new Japan rising Business Popiah king Sam Goi makes $123.5 million offer to buy rest of PSC Business Aster Chemicals in talks to buy Esso petrol stations in Singapore: Sources World The $12.8m bag: Original Birkin smashes records at Paris auction Asia Tariffs overshadow diplomacy as Asean foreign ministers press on with meetings Singapore What 'skills first' really means: Panellists at SkillsFuture Forum talk culture, systems, mindsets There are two bedrooms on the first storey: the daughter's room and a guest room. These were reconfigured and the bedroom entrances reoriented to make better use of a dead corridor space outside the bedrooms and the powder room. The bed in the daughter's room can be moved to one side to create more room for play. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA The daughter's bedroom has a salmon-pink theme established by the abstract wall covering behind the bed. Elevated on a platform, the bed can be moved to one side to create more room for play. There is built-in storage in the bedhead, plus wall-to-wall wardrobes for clothes and toy storage. Two single beds accommodate the couple's parents or siblings when they stay over. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA A pastel green and grey palette sets the guest room apart. Two single beds accommodate the couple's parents or siblings when they stay over. One side of the room's L-shaped bay window is a settee overlooking the city, while the other is a combination of a shelving unit and a ledge for hand luggage. Blown molecule glass on the wall of the master bedroom injects dynamism. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA On the second storey, the master bedroom exudes a tranquil ambience with its light neutral palette. The headboard wall features bleached oak panelling with blown molecule glass that injects dynamism into the space, as it appears to glide across the wall. One side of the bay window has a lounge chair for relaxing or reading. On the other side is a low cabinet with an open, full-height bronze steel-and-glass shelving unit. A vanity island stands in the middle of the master bathroom. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA The master bathroom and walk-in wardrobe were opened up, with the shower box, water closet, twin basins and walk-in wardrobe pushed against the walls. This freed up space in the middle for a vanity island. The son's bedroom is decked out in grey and brown tones. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA The son's bedroom is decked out in grey and brown tones. The space previously opened to a roof terrace, but Mr Kuswandi converted the space into a study-cum-wardrobe to better suit the teenager's needs. The roof terrace offers a view of the Cairnhill area. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA Outside, the roof terrace offers a view of the Cairnhill area all the way to Marina Bay. Mr Kuswandi raised the platform and built in an L-shaped sofa bench, with the tiered design and steps adding interest to the otherwise flat terrace. 'The planter box continues on into a dining table and a reflective pool,' he says. 'I also took into consideration the fact that this is a holiday home, so the design and the plants should be low-maintenance.' The renovations took eight months and were completed in 2022, with some delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Straits Times
27-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- Straits Times
The Chic Home: Rare pre-HDB terraced house is ceramist's creative sanctuary
This ceramist's house is a 1970s-era terraced house built by the Singapore Improvement Trust, the predecessor to the Housing Board. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA SINGAPORE – Ceramist Maureen Cheng, who used to work in graphic design and publishing, initially moved house for a shorter commute. She chose a terraced house built in the 1970s by the Singapore Improvement Trust, the predecessor to the Housing Board. Such units are not only extremely rare – fewer than 300 were built – but also more affordable than private terraced houses. Cheng, who is in her 50s and runs studio Maison MCeramics, is the proud owner of this 1,600 sq ft corner unit in Jalan Bahagia. After living in it for about a decade, she decided to overhaul it. With her background in the creative industry, she chose to redesign the place herself and engaged S.T. Design & Contract to execute the renovation works. Her vision was to create a home with a studio. She knew exactly what she wanted to do, how the spaces would work for her and which areas got the most sun, breeze and noise. The home owner adopted an open-concept design to maximise natural ventilation and views of the garden. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA She adopted an open-concept design to maximise natural ventilation and views of the garden. The living area and two bedrooms are located away from the boundary wall, which is adjacent to the main road. She went with a modern, timeless look with a black, white and grey palette, and low-maintenance materials. 'I love grey because it is neither black nor white and it can be feminine or masculine, depending on what you pair it with,' she says. The living room has a pair of lounge chairs instead of a sofa. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA She kept the original, nostalgic terrazzo flooring – a nod to the home's history – in the living area. Instead of a sofa, which Cheng felt would take up too much space, she opted for a pair of lounge chairs for herself and her mother. The living area has a view of the dining zone. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA A vintage teak extendable table by a Danish designer takes pride of place in the dining room. In its most compact configuration, it is a cosy table for two set against the wall. When fully extended into an elliptical form, it can seat up to eight people. This large kitchen island offers plenty of space for baking and cooking. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA The kitchen is the heart of the home. Cheng wanted an island, as the idea of facing a wall when cooking or baking did not appeal to her. With the oversized island, she and her mother can bake and cook together while enjoying the view of the side garden. The island also doubles as a workspace when needed. The pottery studio occupies the rear of the plot and has access to the garden. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA Cheng's studio is another important space within the home. She had the spot picked out from the start. It occupies the rear corner of the plot and opens up to the back garden with plenty of natural light. It also has access to a water point and space for a kiln. Every part of the pottery studio has been meticulously planned. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA Despite its compact footprint, every part of the studio has been meticulously planned, from a potter's wheel for throwing to a worktop for kneading clay. She also has a large table for hand coiling or slab work; and racks for storing clay and drying artworks. The home owner's bedroom has no windows, but is naturally lit by a skylight. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA Cheng and her mother's bedrooms are located beside the party wall shared with the neighbour, farthest away from the road. Her mother's room opens out to the rear terrace. Although Cheng's room has no windows, she added a skylight by replacing a section of the roof tiles with translucent ones that let in natural light. The en-suite bathroom attached to the home owner's bedroom doubles as a common bathroom. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA The renovation cost between $150,000 and $200,000, and took about a year to complete due to delays caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Cheng finally moved back into her home in 2022. The kitchen island is juxtaposed with softer, natural elements like the rattan and ceramics atop this cabinet. PHOTO: SPH MEDIA This article first appeared in Home & Decor Singapore. Go to for more beautiful homes, space-saving ideas and interior inspiration. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
