Latest news with #Yam
West Australian
14-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Giants sign highly touted international guard
Goldfields Giants' push for a maiden playoffs berth this year in the women's NBL1 West division was boosted last weekend with the acquisition of Filipino guard Hazelle Yam. The 27-year-old, from Quezon City, joins a squad that sits in ninth position, with a 2-4 win-loss record. 'Yam, renowned for her speed and playmaking abilities, brings a wealth of experience from both collegiate and international basketball arenas,' the club said in a statement. 'A stand-out at Ateneo de Manila University, Yam was celebrated for her lightning-quick drives and leadership on the court. 'Her transition to international play saw her represent the Philippines in the FIBA 3x3 Women's Series, where she showcased her skills against top-tier global competition. 'Yam's addition is expected to bolster the Giants' back court — her versatility and experience are anticipated to be pivotal as the team aims to improve on previous season performances.' Goldfields currently sit two games outside the top-eight.
The Star
10-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
MCKL duo eye SEA Games
WITH the South-East Asian (SEA) Games set to take place in Thailand in December, a current student and a recent graduate of Methodist College Kuala Lumpur (MCKL) are not taking their chances of representing Malaysia in their respective sports lightly. Yam Yi Jien Ethan, 19, an A-Level student, is gearing up for the National Fencing Championships in June, which will determine his ranking and opportunity to compete in the Games. Khor Jing Hong, 20, who completed his A-Level studies last February, is focused on continuous improvement, having recently qualified for the Games by ranking ninth in Asia in the men's 20km racewalking event at the Asian Race Walking Championships in Nomi, Japan. Even as the duo aim for excellence in their sports, they have not neglected their academics. Balancing sports and studies, they say, is key to excelling holistically as students. Yam achieved full distinctions in both the International General Certificate of Secondary Education 2023 and AS-Level 2024 exams, while Khor was a straight-A student in the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia 2022 and A-Level 2024 exams. Both also won medals at the 2024 Sukma Games. 'It's really not difficult. Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day; it's just how we manage it. When I need more time to study or train, I don't cut out important things like sleep – I just spend less time on activities like scrolling and playing video games,' Yam told StarEdu. Khor, who is in the midst of applying to universities, said making yearly, monthly and weekly plans in advance helps. 'Knowing my priorities ensures I don't waste time on mindless activities. 'Not having social media is one reason I can still find extra time despite my packed schedule. It's not that I don't acknowledge the benefits of social media – I just see it as a double-edged sword,' he said, adding that setting the right expectations also helps prevent burnout. While they are driven by success, both are focused on the long game. Yam aspires to be an Olympian and an Ivy League graduate, and sees taking part in competitions as 'part of my long journey'. 'I keep an open mind, accepting whatever God has planned for me. 'When I lose in a competition, I don't get irritated or angry; I simply accept that I wasn't meant to win that day, because I know I always train as hard as I can. Then, I analyse what went wrong and make sure the same mistake doesn't happen again,' he said. He shared that he fell in love with fencing after he 'stumbled upon it' at age 10. 'I'd never seen something so unique – being in combat with another individual with a sword,' he recalled. Urging students to actively participate in sports, he said it gives them 'a new way to think, to activate their minds in ways they can never do in any other field of education'. Khor, who plans to study applied geoscience for his bachelor's degree and specialise in geothermal energy engineering for his master's, said he sees competitions as opportunities for personal growth. 'Being the best athlete in any sport does not make one a better person. What matters is not the medals and trophies, but knowing that I did my best and learnt something through the journey. 'It is not just about strengthening the physical body, but also nurturing the mind and building a mindset and attitude that are resilient, determined, self- disciplined, humble and mature,' he said. Khor's racewalking journey began at age 11 when his primary school track and field teacher introduced him to the sport. He went on to train under Bukit Jalil Sports School racewalking coach Teoh Boon Lim at age 14 and under current national coach Lo Choon Sieng after completing high school. 'Racewalking is a sport that puts one's willpower and endurance to the test. It's the sport that truly builds my character. One way to know how far I can push is to keep testing my limits,' he said. To students, Khor had this to say: 'Make sports a habit. Find serenity and joy through exercising, and discover which sport intrigues you the most. 'There are limitless options to choose from – you can even invent one on your own. There is no right or wrong, just what's right for you.' Li Zhen, 21, a student in the United Kingdom, is a participant of the BRATs Young Journalist Programme run by The Star's Newspaper-in-Education (Star-NiE) team. For updates on the BRATs programme, go to
New Paper
25-04-2025
- Business
- New Paper
GE2025: 'Views must be grounded in reality' - PAP's Alex Yam on opposition proposals to reduce GST
While the opposition is free to offer counter narratives and alternative proposals to combat the rising cost of living, many parties do not address how future needs may be funded, said PAP candidate for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC Alex Yam in response to calls by opposition parties to roll back the goods and services tax hike. Mr Yam was speaking to the media on April 25, after a two-hour walkabout with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in the vicinity of Yew Tee MRT station where the duo visited nearby malls and a senior care centre. At rallies on April 24, opposition parties had criticised the Government's decision to raise GST rates from 7 per cent to 9 per cent in two stages in 2023 and 2024, despite inflationary pressures. The Workers' Party, Progress Singapore Party (PSP) and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) had said that the tax increase has impacted cost of living, with PSP and SDP calling for a reduction in GST rates. Mr Yam said that while the Government hears a lot of demands from the opposition, they don't hear enough of how much the alternative proposals would cost. "Very often, even when they provide some sort of alternative, it does not come with actual numbers and calculations that make sense," said the North West District mayor. "The Government has always been prepared to listen to other views and take them on board, but they must be grounded in reality, not made purely (made) as political statements." Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC will see a face-off between a PAP team led by PM Wong, and a SDP team led by party organising secretary Mr Jufri Salim. The PAP team is an unchanged slate from the 2020 elections comprising Mr Yam, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad and Ms Hany Soh. The SDP line-up comprises alternative news site founder Mr Ariffin Sha, theatre director Alec Tok and former entrepreneur Gigene Wong. Mr Yam also weighed in on SDP secretary-general Dr Chee Soon Juan's decision to contest in Sembawang West SMC against Ms Poh Li San from the PAP, instead of Bukit Batok, where he had contested in the 2020 General Election and 2016 by-election. At the PAP rally on April 24, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said Dr Chee had not given Bukit Batok residents a good reason for why they were "abandoned" and cautioned voters to be careful of politicians who are not honest about their intentions. Countering that, SDP chairman Paul Tambyah drew a parallel to significant slate changes made at the last minute to the PAP's Punggol and Chua Chu Kang GRC teams. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong was deployed to Punggol GRC in a surprise last-minute switch on Nomination Day, while Manpower Minister Tan See Leng was moved from Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC to lead the PAP team in Chua Chu Kang. In response, Mr Yam said the PAP had explained why the slate changes were made, as Punggol needed a good heavyweight minister like DPM Gan who can carry the ground there. "The difference is that Dr Chee made a public pledge not to abandon Bukit Batok," he said. "Here you have an individual who made a promise, but yet changed his mind. That's the point Mr Ong (Ye Kung) was trying to make," added Mr Yam. He was referring to Dr Chee's pledge to contest in Bukit Batok SMC in the upcoming polls, which he declared in a Facebook video in mid-February before the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee Report. It was later announced that Bukit Batok SMC would be absorbed by Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC. On the SDP's 'northern strategy' in this election, Mr Yam added that the PAP does not "have a choice of a northern campaign, or a southern campaign or a central campaign." "Our responsibility is to every Singaporean. We run (for) every single seat with the hope of being able to secure representation in Parliament so we can do our best for Singaporeans." Mr Yam also addressed an assertion by Mr Sha a smaller margin of victory for the PAP would push the ruling party to work harder. Mr Sha had said that a PAP that wins with 80 per cent of the vote is very different from a PAP that wins by 60 per cent of the vote. Mr Yam said the PAP has always worked on the basis that every vote counts. "After the election results are out, regardless of the margin, if we have the opportunity to become the Government, we must make sure that we deliver on our promises," said Mr Yam. Describing this election as a watershed one in light of the global climate, Mr Yam added that the PAP's Marsiling-Yew Tee team has received lot of support and encouragement from residents. "This is, of course, a good sign but we shouldn't rest on our laurels. It does mean that we must continue to work hard to secure every vote, not just in our GRC, but across Singapore," he said.
Straits Times
25-04-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
GE2025: ‘Views must be grounded in reality' – PAP's Alex Yam on opposition proposals to reduce GST
PAP candidate for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC Alex Yam speaking to the media after a walkabout in Yew Tee on April 25. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI GE2025: 'Views must be grounded in reality' – PAP's Alex Yam on opposition proposals to reduce GST Follow our live coverage here. SINGAPORE - While the opposition is free to offer counter narratives and alternative proposals to combat the rising cost of living, many parties do not address how future needs may be funded, said PAP candidate for Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC Alex Yam in response to calls by opposition parties to roll back the goods and services tax hike. Mr Yam was speaking to the media on April 25, after a two-hour walkabout with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong in the vicinity of Yew Tee MRT station where the duo visited nearby malls and a senior care centre. At rallies on April 24, opposition parties had criticised the Government's decision to raise GST rates from 7 per cent to 9 per cent in two stages in 2023 and 2024, despite inflationary pressures. The Workers' Party, Progress Singapore Party (PSP) and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) had said that the tax increase has impacted cost of living, with PSP and SDP calling for a reduction in GST rates. Mr Yam said that while the Government hears a lot of demands from the opposition, they don't hear enough of how much the alternative proposals would cost. 'Very often, even when they provide some sort of alternative, it does not come with actual numbers and calculations that make sense,' said the North West District mayor. 'The Government has always been prepared to listen to other views and take them on board, but they must be grounded in reality, not made purely (made) as political statements.' Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC will see a face-off between a PAP team led by PM Wong, and a SDP team led by party organising secretary Mr Jufri Salim. The PAP team is an unchanged slate from the 2020 elections comprising Mr Yam, Senior Minister of State for Defence and Manpower Zaqy Mohamad and Ms Hany Soh. The SDP line-up comprises alternative news site founder Mr Ariffin Sha, theatre director Alec Tok and former entrepreneur Gigene Wong. Mr Yam also weighed in on SDP secretary-general Dr Chee Soon Juan's decision to contest in Sembawang West SMC against Ms Poh Li San from the PAP, instead of Bukit Batok, where he had contested in the 2020 General Election and 2016 by-election. At the PAP rally on April 24, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said Dr Chee had not given Bukit Batok residents a good reason for why they were 'abandoned' and cautioned voters to be careful of politicians who are not honest about their intentions. Countering that, SDP chairman Paul Tambyah drew a parallel to significant slate changes made at the last minute to the PAP's Punggol and Chua Chu Kang GRC teams. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong was deployed to Punggol GRC in a surprise last-minute switch on Nomination Day, while Manpower Minister Tan See Leng was moved from Marine Parade-Braddell Heights GRC to lead the PAP team in Chua Chu Kang. In response, Mr Yam said the PAP had explained why the slate changes were made, as Punggol needed a good heavyweight minister like DPM Gan who can carry the ground there. 'The difference is that Dr Chee made a public pledge not to abandon Bukit Batok,' he said. 'Here you have an individual who made a promise, but yet changed his mind. That's the point Mr Ong (Ye Kung) was trying to make,' added Mr Yam. He was referring to Dr Chee's pledge to contest in Bukit Batok SMC in the upcoming polls, which he declared in a Facebook video in mid-February before the release of the Electoral Boundaries Review Committee Report. It was later announced that Bukit Batok SMC would be absorbed by Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC. On the SDP's 'northern strategy' in this election, Mr Yam added that the PAP does not 'have a choice of a northern campaign, or a southern campaign or a central campaign.' 'Our responsibility is to every Singaporean. We run (for) every single seat with the hope of being able to secure representation in Parliament so we can do our best for Singaporeans.' Mr Yam also addressed an assertion by Mr Sha a smaller margin of victory for the PAP would push the ruling party to work harder. Mr Sha had said that a PAP that wins with 80 per cent of the vote is very different from a PAP that wins by 60 per cent of the vote. Mr Yam said the PAP has always worked on the basis that every vote counts. 'After the election results are out, regardless of the margin, if we have the opportunity to become the Government, we must make sure that we deliver on our promises,' said Mr Yam. Describing this election as a watershed one in light of the global climate, Mr Yam added that the PAP's Marsiling-Yew Tee team has received lot of support and encouragement from residents. 'This is, of course, a good sign but we shouldn't rest on our laurels. It does mean that we must continue to work hard to secure every vote, not just in our GRC, but across Singapore,' he said. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
CNA
25-04-2025
- Politics
- CNA
GE2025: PAP's Alex Yam says SDP chief Chee Soon Juan broke pledge to stay in Bukit Batok
Singapore SDP chief Chee Soon Juan will be contesting Sembawang West SMC in this election. SINGAPORE: The difference between the ruling party's Nomination Day swap of key Cabinet ministers across constituencies, and the move by opposition figure Chee Soon Juan away from Bukit Batok, lies in the promise he had made to voters previously, said People's Action Party (PAP) assistant organising secretary Alex Yam. Mr Yam said on Friday (Apr 25) that the PAP has been able to explain why its decisions were made and that they were 'not willy nilly', adding that the ruling party had 'valid reasons' to do so. 'The difference is that Dr Chee made a public pledge not to abandon Bukit Batok, and days later, made the decision that he would swap. That is the crux of the issue,' he said of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) secretary-general's move to contest the Sembawang West seat. The evening before, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, who anchors the PAP team in Sembawang GRC, had also addressed Dr Chee's decision in his rally speech, calling it a "calculated political move" that was taken after a decade of not being interested in the northern area. Mr Yam was speaking to reporters after a Yew Tee walkabout with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, anchor minister of the PAP's Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC team, on Friday morning. The duo spent about two hours shaking hands, taking photos and handing out flyers at Yew Tee Square and Yew Tee Point malls, and the hard court in front of Yew Tee MRT station. They also visited the nearby Sparkle Care senior care centre. Each political party is free to deploy candidates 'as they deem best in the interests of voters and in the interest of the representation', said Mr Yam, who has been in Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC since its creation in 2015. He reiterated Mr Wong's earlier explanation that Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong was sent to the new Punggol GRC so that 'the east of Singapore has a good heavyweight minister, who would be able to carry the ground there'. The late deployments of Mr Gan and Manpower Minister Tan See Leng, as with movements by some other parties, were carried out not 'for exigency sake', but deliberately planned to give the best chance for voters to make a decision, said Mr Yam. 'But here you have an individual who made a promise, who made a public pledge to do so, but yet changed his mind immediately after,' he said of Dr Chee's switch to another constituency for the May 3 polls. SDP chief Chee Soon Juan speaking to the press after the party's rally at Choa Chu Kang Stadium on Apr 24, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Lan Yu) Mr Yam told reporters that the PAP team has received 'good response' from residents, with lots of support and encouragement. 'This, of course, is a good sign, but we shouldn't rest on our laurels. It does mean that we must continue to work hard to secure every vote, not just here in our GRC, but across Singapore,' he said. 'This GE is a watershed moment for all of us, because of the global climate that we are in.' He shared that voters in the ward are ultimately concerned with bread and butter issues, such as the cost of living and the availability of flats. When asked if the margin of victory in the General Election matters, Mr Yam said that while every vote counts, what happens after the election is most important. 'During these nine days, we want to be able to convince as many Singaporeans as possible that the PAP manifesto, our promises and what we hope to achieve with Singaporeans, will resonate with them, and that's why they will support us,' he said. 'After the election results are out, regardless of the margins, if we have the opportunity to become the government, we must make sure we can deliver on our promises.' Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (right) shaking hands with a resident in front of Yew Tee Square during a walkabout on Apr 25, 2025. (Photo: CNA/Fabian Koh) On Thursday, the SDP's Marsiling-Yew Tee contender Ariffin Sha argued that the margin of victory matters, because 'the smaller the margins of victory, the better the policies and welfare for the people', given that the ruling party will be pushed to work harder. Mr Yam said that ultimately, whatever campaign each opposition party chooses to run is their own prerogative and aim. NO REGIONAL CAMPAIGNS Mr Yam added that unlike the opposition parties, the ruling PAP cannot be selective on which part of the island it chooses to contest. 'For us, we don't have a choice of a northern campaign or a southern campaign or central campaign, or SMC (Single Member Constituency). We are in government. Our responsibility is to every single Singaporean, he said. 'We run every single seat with the hope of being able to secure representation in parliament, so that we can do our best for Singaporeans. So what the opposition runs, that's for the opposition to decide for their own campaign aims.' While it is okay to have counter narratives or alternative proposals on government policies, they must be grounded in reality and not be just political statements made to win votes, said Mr Yam. 'Ultimately, the government has to take the stand for the greater good of the future of Singapore and Singaporeans. We don't make decisions simply for day to day. We need to plan, and that has been really the hallmark of a PAP government since independence,' he said. 'Sometimes there are difficult decisions to be made. We don't shy away from them. We try our best to explain and to convince Singaporeans why it is needed.' While the opposition often demands for policies to be rolled back, such as the goods and services tax (GST) increase, they do not provide an alternative suggestion to funding future needs and national programmes, said Mr Yam. 'Very often, even if they do provide some sort of alternative, very often, it does not come with actual numbers and actual calculations that would make sense,' he said. You can watch livestreams of all rallies on CNA's GE2025 site, CNA's YouTube channel and on mewatch.
