Left: Socialite Susanna Kang married to PA grassroots leader Han Seng Juan, Right: Dorm room at Westlite

It was earlier reported that as of Wed (8 Apr) this week, active COVID-19 clusters have been found at 9 different foreign worker dormitories in Singapore.
A few of the 9 are operated by companies linked to grassroots leaders of People’s Association (PA). The top 2 foreign worker dormitories with the most number of confirmed COVID-19 cases as of yesterday (10 Apr) were S11 Dormitory (306 cases) and Westlite Toh Guan (69 cases). Both have been gazetted by the government as isolation areas under the Infectious Diseases Act.
In particular, Westlite Toh Guan is run by public listed company Centurion Corporation Ltd, helmed by two PA grassroots leaders who are “joint chairmen” of the company: David Loh Kim Kang and Han Seng Juan. Han was awarded PBM in 2010 and BBM in 2015, while Loh got his PBM in 2011 and BBM in 2016.


They were both given public service medals for “helping” out at Potong Pasir SMC under MP Sitoh Yih Pin. In the general election of 2011, PAP managed to wrestle back Potong Pasir from opposition and it’s now under PAP.
Another board member of Centurion Corporation, Rajah & Tann’s lawyer Chandra Mohan, is also a grassroots leader awarded with PBM and BBM in recognition of his contribution towards community services in Northwest Community Development Council (NWCDC).

Han’s Sentosa Cove weekend party home has rooms inspired by four seasons

Further checks online revealed that socialite Susanna Kang is married to Han. In fact, 4 years ago, Mrs Han opened up their weekend “party home” at Sentosa Cove for reporters to take a look (‘Chic abodes: Two stylish women open up their homes‘).
Mrs Han is said to be a “fixture in society magazines”, often seen wearing head-turning gowns and ensembles, complete with elaborate hairstyles.
At the Hans’ Sentosa Cove weekend home, the ST reporter noted the “creative streak” in its design. “Standing on a 9,000 sq ft plot of land, the expansive house is a weekend home and features rooms inspired by the four seasons,” the reporter wrote. “It is here that the family entertain friends and host dinners for close business partners about once a month, with as many as 100 people gathering at what has come to be known as the Party House.”
Apparently, Mrs Han wanted a house that has the “wow factor” for the purpose of entertaining guests. It was built in 2012. A “curtain” weighing more than 2,721kg imported from Germany and made of high-grade stainless steel cloaks the perimeter of the second floor. It can be pulled back to get an unblocked beautiful view of the sea.
When guests arrive at the four-storey house, they descend a long flight of stairs into a cavernous basement. Mrs Han said, “I meant for it to be like a runway, where guests can sashay and strut their stuff down the stairs. It’s also the perfect spot to see the rest of the house. As you look up from the stairs, you get a good look at what else there is to explore.”
The basement is filled with futuristic-looking furniture from well-known brands and designers such as Italian label Moroso and renowned architect Zaha Hadid. An Hermes screen, made of a wood frame and scraps of crocodile skin taken from the cutting-room floor at the French luxury house’s atelier, adds a luxurious touch. A luscious green wall, filled with creepers growing under ultraviolet light, is encased behind a misty glass screen, creating a tropical spring feel for the basement. Adding to that wild factor are two taxidermied peacocks that preen regally next to the bar.
The dining room has a 22-seat custom-made table with bronzed legs and a high-gloss finish – the result of multiple layers of lacquer. It beautifully reflects American industrial designer Karim Rashid’s topograph-shaped chandelier that was made as part of Swarovski’s Crystal Palace collection.
The upper floors were designed for smaller break-out groups for relaxation especially after a nice dinner. On second level there are 3 rooms: One is a karaoke and media room, complete with decor of KTV lounges for the “feel of the real thing”, said Mrs Han. Another has a masculine vibe with a dark brown sofa by Italian furniture-maker Poltrona Frau and a well-stocked wine chiller. Here, the men can kick back and relax with cigars, while talking business, politics or any other matters. The third room simulates a chic ski resort cabin. Mrs Han has the air-conditioning ducts trained on this area so that the blast of cold air creates that icy feeling. The floor is covered in a fluffy, white carpet and there is a fireplace that runs on ethanol. It produces flames, but not heat.
For parties around the pool, guests head to the summer room in the attic that is designed to look like a ship’s cabin. Sofa beds face the infinity pool outside. For movie nights, a hidden projector comes down and guests can kick back or sleep over if they want to and wake up to a sea view. “I get my respite here. It’s quite peaceful looking at the blue, open sea,” she said.
She described her Sentosa home as a “modern kelong” as it is surrounded by water but the family does not live there. Their family home is a good-class bungalow in Bukit Timah.
(Pictures of the Hans’ Sentosa Cove weekend home from ST Photo):


Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) warns about crammed condition in foreign worker dormitories

Meanwhile, non-profit organization Transient Workers Count Too (TWC2) has been warning about the crammed conditions in foreign worker dormitories being highly conducive to spread the coronavirus (‘Forum: Employers’ practices leave foreign workers vulnerable to infection‘, 23 Mar).
Writing to ST Forum on 23 Mar, TWC2 said, “Currently, foreign workers are housed 12 to 20 men per room in double-decker beds. They are transported to work on the back of lorries sitting shoulder to shoulder. Neither of these conditions conforms with social distancing. The risk of a new cluster among this group remains undeniable,”
TWC2 warned and advocated that new dormitory should require more space per head and no more than four persons to a room.
On TWC2 website, it shows a picture of how crammed the condition is at a dormitory (Westlite Mandai) run by Han’s company.

Indeed, about a week later after TWC2 wrote to ST to warn everyone, clusters of COVID-19 started breaking out in different foreign worker dormitories.
Perhaps Han should ask his wife to use her “creative streak” to also help design the Centurion’s foreign worker dormitories so that the workers can have less crammed spaces to live in?

Subscribe
Notify of
6 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

调高退休龄和重雇佣年龄顶限 劳资政小组将呈具体建议

人力部长兼内政部第二部长杨莉明昨日发表劳动节献词时称,人力部为了继续打造亲年长者的职场,将检讨优化职场计划和特别就业补贴计划。 此前国会曾讨论,将延迟退休年龄和提高重新雇佣年龄的幅度和速度,以及55岁以上员工公积金缴交率的课题。今年较迟些时候,年长员工劳资政工作小组将对此提出具体建议。 “年长员工劳资政工作小组于一年前成立至今,经过多次磋商和斟酌,在推迟法定退休年龄和提高重新雇佣年龄方面的商议有了共识。” 她表示,这是一个重要的里程碑,得以提供有意继续工作的年长员工更多保障。 “我相信,推迟退休年龄和提高重新雇佣年龄,将能够激励工友和雇主们在提升技能和重新设计工作方面,做出更大的努力。” 目前,我国的法定退休年龄时62岁,而重新雇佣年龄则是67岁。 盼顶限设在65和70岁 另外,全国职工总会秘书长黄志明在周一(4月25日)也发表了劳动节献词,并表示该会希望退休年龄和重新雇佣年龄的顶限可以设定在65岁和70岁。 他指出,劳资政协作伙伴已经就有关的课题讨论步入后期阶段,并对他们能够听取职工运动意见之举,感到欣慰。“工运官委议员杜莱沙米(Arasu Duraisamy)今年也参加了预算案辩论时,要求把退休年龄和重新雇佣年龄分别上调到65岁和70岁。这是工运的期望。” 在细节方面,黄志明表示劳资政三方还需要时间去厘清和达成共识,随后将逐步落实调整,更给予利益相关者足够的缓冲和调整时间。 在受《联合早报》询及调高退休年龄和重新雇佣年龄时,杜莱沙米表示,虽然很多年长员工都希望能继续工作,但是个别工会和会员都了解到雇主也有实际考量。…

Myanmar confirms first cases of COVID-19

Myanmar confirms its first cases of COVID-19 yesterday (23 March), both of…

减低云顶大马亏损 林国泰自愿减薪20巴仙

由于赌场税务增加,影响盈利表现,云顶大马(GeM,4715,主办消费股)首席执行员丹斯里林国泰,昨日在股东大会上宣布,自愿减薪20巴仙! 一名昨日出席有关股东大会的云顶大马股东透露林国泰的决定后,更表示对此感到欣喜。 据证券监督委员会于今年发布的地2019年企业治理监督报告显示,依据2017年的资料来计算,林国泰出任云顶(Genting,3182,主办消费股)主席兼首席执行员,加上掌管云顶大马所获得的酬劳超过了2亿令吉,是马来西亚去年最高薪酬的上市公司首席执行员。 而根据2018年最新的公司年报显示,林国泰在云顶大马的总薪酬已增至9388万令吉(约3071万新元),其中包括薪金和花红的5018万令吉(约1641新元),和公积金、股票酬劳及其它福利的4350万令吉(1423万新元)。若按照他所说,减薪20巴仙,就等于从9388万令吉中减去了1004万令吉(328万新元)。 云顶大马受到上调赌场税和拨备建设户外主题乐园的影响,截止今年3月31日的财政年首季业绩显示,净利按年获得2亿6829万令吉,与去年同期的3亿5824万令吉相比萎缩了25.11巴仙。营业额则比去年同期的23亿9950万令吉增加了14巴仙,获得27亿3558万令吉。 该名股东指出,户外主题公园目前所面对的官司尚未了结,但是董事局还是希望其尽快完结,以便能够预期于明年开业。 在询及是否会寻找合作伙伴时,云顶大马表示很可能自行营运有关的主题乐园,但是不排除合作可能。 市场期待再传减薪消息 另外,云顶大马母公司,云顶将于今天召开股东大会,市场也开始期待林国泰是否会再次宣布减薪。 据2018年年报显示,他在云顶的总薪酬分别有1亿2727万令吉(约4163万新元)的薪金和花红,5580万令吉(约1825万新元)的公积金、股票酬劳及其他福利,总额高达1亿8307万令吉(约5989万新元)。若他同样宣布减薪20巴仙,就表示从薪酬1亿2727万中,减去2545万令吉(约832万新元)。

MDA’s licensing regime: why YOU should care

By Choo Zheng Xi/co-Founder, TOC If you’re reading this article, I want…