Year: 2019

Last few places left: if you have registered and cannot make it, please inform us via your Peatix registration acknowledgment email or contact us at secretariat@pressclub.org.sg

Dear members,

It’s been seven long years since our last tour of Bukit Brown – once described as the largest Chinese cemetery outside China! Much has changed and indeed the Lornie Highway now runs right through it.

We have the privilege of being shown around on this tour by journalist-on-sabbatical Lee Chyen Yee and lawyer Fabian Tee! Make this a family-and-friends outing and join us for a tour unlike others!

Bukit Brown heritage tour: Crazy-rich Asians in colonial Singapore

If you think Crazy Rich Asians is recent, wait till you find out how they lived once upon a time in Singapore. With old money and new wealth, they filled the pages of the Tatlers of their days with their opulent weddings and lavish birthday bashes. Many spent huge money on glam and glory, while others threw money at causes that changed societies and countries. 

Come join us at Bukit Brown to hear stories of how they found their pot of gold, lived unbelievable lifestyles and spent like no tomorrow. A drug lord who sheltered desolate women, a lady who received a Rolls Royce just for graduating and a couple who had birds flying out of their wedding cake are just a few stories among many others in store for you. It was a wild time – for some!

Register by 15 Oct to secure your spot or until the 30 places run out!

Saturday 19 Oct

8:45am-11:30am

Bukit Brown Cemetery – meet at the platform at the start of Block 1 (see detailed instructions and photo below)

Lau Joon-Nie

VP, Singapore Press Club

no images were found

1. We will be walking through the undergrowth so dress appropriately, especially your footwear.

2. Wear light breathable clothing. Long pants and long sleeves if you are prone to insect bites or sunburn. Bring sunblock and natural insect repellent.

3. Wear comfortable non-slip shoes as safety is important. Walking sticks are recommended.

4. Do read up on Bukit Brown before going so you have a better understanding of the place (e.g. BukitBrown.com)

5. Do bring water, light snacks, poncho/umbrella, sunhat and waterproof your electronics.

6. Please go to the toilet before coming. There are NO facilities anywhere there or nearby

Dear Member

The British High Commission has invited members of the Singapore Press Club to attend a Discussion on “Tackling Disinformation and Maintaining a Free and Open Internet” which it is organising along with the Canadian High Commission on September 25 (Wednesday) from 6.30pm. Registration details are given below.

Synopsis:

Tackling threats to the Internet while maintaining the benefits of a free flow of information has become one of the major challenges of our time. As a follow-up to the Global Conference on Media Freedom held in London in July, the British and Canadian High Commissions in Singapore are hosting a panel discussion on “Tackling Disinformation and Maintaining a Free and Open Internet” on the evening of 25 September (Wednesday).

The speakers are:  

Taylor Owen, Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics and Communications and Associate Professor in the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University. He is the founder of the international affairs media platform OpenCanada.org, and his recent books include Disruptive Power: The Crisis of the State in the Digital Age, After Snowden: The Future of the Free Press in the Surveillance State, and The Platform Press: How Silicon Valley Re-engineered Journalism. http://taylorowen.com/about  

Nick Dean, Deputy Director, Hostile State Activity, National Security Secretariat, UK Cabinet Office. Nick coordinates work across the UK Government to mitigate state-based cyber threats, as well as central crisis management of major cyber incidents. Before this, Nick was Head of Cyber Policy in the UK’s Foreign & Commonwealth Office, building international cyber alliances with international partners.  

Augustine Anthuvan, formerly a senior TV journalist, reporter and executive producer, radio broadcaster and audio-visual producer from Singapore. Augustine is presently a voice talent, media literacy facilitator and media trainer in Singapore.

Date: 25 September (Wednesday)

Time: 18:30-20:30

Venue: British High Commission Singapore, 100 Tanglin Road

RSVP: Mike.Davidson@fco.gov.uk by Monday, 23 September 2019

Buffet food (halal with vegetarian options) will be provided 

Please note that this event will take place at the British High Commission on 100 Tanglin Road. Please take along photo ID for the security check. There is no parking at the High Commission (the nearest parking is at Tanglin Mall) and all electronic devices, including hand phones and laptops, must be left at the gatehouse for the duration of the event. 

Best regards

The Secretariat

Singapore Press Club

Dear Member

The annual photo exhibition organized by The Straits Times at the National Museum of Singapore is back again.

This year, it will be bigger and with more multimedia, as part of Through The Lens, a visual festival anchored by two signature photo exhibitions, celebrating the best in news photography.

Organised by The Straits Times, the twin exhibitions, which will run from Oct 5 to 27, are:
 
The Straits Times Photo Exhibition 2019, which will showcase more than 100 images captured by its photojournalists in 2018 and 2019. Some of the best videos produced by the ST Digital team will also be featured.

World Press Photo exhibition which celebrates the most powerful, provocative and poignant images from around the world. A new digital segment showing the winning Digital Storytelling Contest entries will also debut this year. 
 
You are invited to the opening of Through The Lens on Friday, Oct 4.
 
Event details:
Through The Lens: Photo exhibitions organised by The Straits Times
Date: Friday, Oct 4, 2019
Time: 3.30pm – 5pm
Venue: National Museum of Singapore, 93 Stamford Road, Gallery Theatre (basement)
 
Please RSVP to secretariat@pressclub.org.sg by Sept 23 with the following details:
Name:
Mobile:
Email:
Membership no:

We look forward to seeing you at the opening.  Thank you and have a nice day.
 
 
Best regards
 
 
Shahrena Hassan
On behalf of The Straits Times

Dear Member,

Stir up your creativity by taking part in one of these delightful activities!

1. Art in Singapore 2019: 19th Century Imaginaries
Join senior curators, a local researcher and an NUS historian as they chart the development of Singapore art.
Info: https://www.nationalgallery.sg/see-do/programme-detail/85147170/art-in-singapore-2019-19th-century-imaginaries
Venue: National Gallery
Date: 21 September 2019 (Saturday)
Free: Open to the public

 2. Beethoven im Garten 2019
Singapore’s wunderkind conductor Kahchun Wong with principal musicians from his Nuremberg Symphony together with the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory Orchestra will take
you on a country walk with Beethoven. Celebrating German-Singaporean friendship, this musical evening is a gift of music from the people of Germany.
Info: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/sbg/whats-happening/calendar-of-events/concert-beethoven-im-garten
Venue: Singapore Botanic Gardens
Date: 5 October 2019 (Saturday)
Free: Open to the public
The German Embassy has offered to allocate a picnic area upfront for our members.
If you’re interested, please email the following info secretariat@pressclub.org.sg by 22 September:
Name, Press Club number, Designation/Organisation and Number of People in your group 

3. CHEN WEN HSI – FLASHES OF BRILLIANCE
Re-discover this pioneer artist through the lens of private collectors and the untold stories behind their collections.
Info: https://theprivatemuseum.org/index.php/exhibition/copy/
Venue: The Private Museum
Dates: 2 August to 29 September 2019 (Except 5 September)
Free: Open to the public

Warm regards,
Carol Foo
Honorary Assistant Secretary
Singapore Press Club

Dear Member

The Singapore Press Club’s Goodwill Mission this year will be to Uzbekistan from November 15 to 23.

We have put together the itinerary (attached) with the help of the Uzbek embassy in Singapore. It covers three of the most important cities along the old Silk Road in Central Asia – Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand – as well as the capital, Tashkent.

The Press Club’s Goodwill Missions are unique because we get to visit places and meet people which normal tourists don’t get to. Meetings with ministers and government officials give us a unique perspective of the country.   

The official meetings have not been confirmed yet. It will be done in due course by the Uzbek embassy. There will be other minor updates to the itinerary too.  

Departure from Singapore will be via KL and return via Bangkok. The connecting flights on those routes have not been confirmed yet.

Accommodation will be at 4-star hotels – Royal Mezbon/Le Grande Plaza in Tashkent, Orient Star (in Khiva), Zargaron Plaza (in Bukhara) and Delimah Hotel/Konstantin (in Samarkand).

The cost per person is $2,800 (twin sharing) and $3,200 (single room). This includes the air-fares.

If you would like to join this trip, please send a confirmation e-mail to secretariat@pressclub.org.sg along with a cheque for $2,800 or $3,200 rightaway or no later than September 22. 

Please provide the following particulars too:
Name:
Designation and Company:
Age:

Looking forward to your participation in the Goodwill Mission to Uzbekistan. 

Best regards
Santosh Kumar
Honorary Secretary
Singapore Press Club 

Dear Members

You are invited to view a private collection of works by one of Singapore’s pioneer artists – Chen Wen Hsi 陈文希.

Hailed as the forefather of our Nanyang art movement, the Guangdong-born artist migrated here in 1948.

He earned local and international acclaim for his avant-garde Chinese paintings.

Fun Fact:

If you have a S$50 with you, do check out his “Two Gibbons Amidst Vines” on the back of the note!

Gibbons aren’t featured in this latest exhibition, but you can enjoy his unique depictions of birds, lotus, prawns and carps instead.

Participants will be hosted by The Private Museum and collectors Johnny Quek and Jennifer Lewis

Date: 14 September 2019 (Saturday)

Time: 10.30am

Place: The Private Museum

Place: The Private Museum (www.theprivatemuseum.org)

Please email the following into to secretariat@pressclub.org.sg by 10th September (Tuesday):

Name, Occupation & Organisation (if applicable), Press Club Number, HP Number, No. of People

Background Article: https://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/arts/smaller-works-by-singapore-pioneer-artist-chen-wen-hsi-on-display-at-the-private

Have a creative week!

Warm Regards

Carol Foo

Dear Member

Tickets are now available for PRESS BALL 2019, the Singapore Press Club’s popular annual social event.

PRESS BALL 2019 will be held on October 5 (Saturday) from 6.30pm to 11pm at One Farrer Hotel, Grand Ballroom, 1 Farrer Park Station Road, Singapore 217562.

Good Old Days is the theme of this year’s Press Ball.

The dress code is Vintage Singapore. Come dressed in any outfit that harkens back to fashion seen in Singapore over the past 200 years – a stately prince, a policeman in khaki shorts, a turbaned doorman, a woman in a kebaya, traditional or modern cheongsam, or any other outfit to fit the festive occasion.

In keeping with the theme, the food will be a mix of Peranakan and Malay cuisines.

There will be music, dancing, laughter and several lucky draw prizes to be won, including the top one: A Tanzanite Pendant worth $10,000.

This formal networking event is attended by some 400 members and guests, including journalists and editors from most of the news organisations in Singapore, newsmakers, corporate chiefs, diplomats and others.

Tickets cost: Member $90; Spouse/Spice $100; Guest $120
Table sponsorship:
Corporate table – $1,600.00 for a table of 10
Silver – $3,000 for a table of 10
Gold – $5,000 for a table of 10
Platinum – $7,000 for a table of 10

To purchase tickets or book tables, e-mail secretariat@pressclub.org.sg

Join us for a festive night of entertainment, socialising and networking.

The Secretariat
Singapore Press Club

Dear Member

On behalf of the Singapore Corporate Counsel Association and the Singapore Press Club, Allen & Gledhill LLP is delighted to invite you to the following Special Seminar on a complimentary basis.

New Laws to Counter the Spread of Online Falsehoods in Singapore

Jointly organised by Allen & Gledhill, the Singapore Corporate Counsel Association and the Singapore Press Club, this seminar will provide you with an overview and practical understanding of Singapore’s new laws to counter the spread of online falsehoods.

The Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act 2019 (“POFMA”) was gazetted on 25 June 2019. POFMA aims to protect against false statements of fact (“falsehoods”) that affect the public interest. It enables measures to be taken to counteract the effects of such communication. Persons communicating falsehoods can be directed to put up correction notices or, in some cases, take down the falsehood. Internet intermediaries and providers of mass media services can also be directed to put up correction notices or disable access.

For online falsehoods affecting private persons, amendments to the Protection from Harassment Act (“POHA”) have been gazetted on 10 June 2019 to strengthen remedies and improve the speed of recourse.

POFMA and the amendments to POHA will take effect on a date to be appointed.

By way of background, a Select Committee was appointed by Parliament in January 2018 to study the problem of deliberate online falsehoods and to recommend how Singapore should respond. The Select Committee was made up of nine Members of Parliament including the current Senior Minister of State for Law and Health, Mr Edwin Tong, SC who was a Partner of Allen & Gledhill at the time. Allen & Gledhill Partner and Head of our Firm’s Intellectual Property Practice, Dr Stanley Lai, SC, also gave evidence before the Select Committee.  

In this session, we are privileged to have as our Special Guest Speaker, Senior Minister of State for Law and Health, Mr Edwin Tong, SC, who will speak about the impetus for POFMA, what POFMA covers and common misconceptions. Thereafter, Dr Stanley Lai, SC will deliver some remarks on the amendments to POHA, including how corporates and executives can potentially remove falsehoods said about them under POHA. The seminar will conclude with a panel discussion which will include representatives from the Singapore Corporate Counsel Association and the Singapore Press Club.

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER

Mr Edwin Tong, SC
Senior Minister of State for Law and Health

DATE
Tuesday, 27 August 2019

PROGRAMME

VENUE 
Stephen Riady Auditorium @ NTUC
One One Marina Boulevard, #07-01-01
Singapore 018989

REGISTRATION

Please click here to register your interest by Wednesday, 21 August 2019.

For enquiries, please contact us at +65 6890 7477 or events@allenandgledhill.com.

This promises to be a most thought-provoking session and we look forward to see you there.

Dear members

You are invited to LumiNation 2019 which explores the Singaporean identity through performances, talks and exhibits.

This sophomore edition delves into the relationship between our individual identities and our collective Singapore identity.

Press Club members are invited for a curated session on 17 August 2019.

Host: Arts House Limited
Date: 17 August 2019 (Saturday)
Duration: 11:00am to 12:30pm
Programme:
Tour of The Arts House followed by tour of a key festival highlight – “Collective Memory – Haw Par Villa”
Link: https://www.theartshouse.sg/whats-on/collective-memory-haw-par-villa
Dress Code: Casual

Interested members should email the following info to secretariat@pressclub.org.sg by 7pm on 14th August (Wednesday).

Required:
Name:
Membership Number:
Organisation:
HP Number:
Number of Pax:

Due to limited places, priority will be given to members. Please indicate if you would still want to attend should your guest(s) not be able to participate. Confirmed participants will be informed about the meeting place and point person.

Have a fruitful week!

Warm regards,

Carol Foo
Asst Honorary Secretary