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The Singapore Girl: From An Experiment To An Icon

Singapore’s national carrier was established in 1972 following a division of its predecessor, Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MSA) into two national carriers – Malaysian Airline System (now Malaysia Airlines) and Singapore Airlines (SIA).

In the early years, Singapore was a small player in the international airline market as it had no domestic market to fall back on. To stand out, SIA created a marketing concept that focused on its inflight services to introduce the new airline to the rest of the world.

THE POWER OF AN ICON

Dressed in her distinct sarong kebaya created by renowned French designer Pierre Balmain in 1968, the Singapore Girl was created as the symbol of SIA’s inflight services. Using real stewardesses as the centerpiece of their campaigns, the Singapore Girl has appeared in SIA’s advertising efforts for over 40 years.

The Singapore Girl has been used in advertisements for over 40 years.

While other airlines focused on their hardware and technical features, SIA took the soft approach. “SIA girls have been known to be graceful, charming and caring on board. Our passengers can also identify with them because these are the very girls who serve them on board,” said Lily Chan, former advertising and promotions manager of SIA.

The Singapore Girl represents SIA’s inflight services.

“We wanted to preserve the genuine warmth and charm of the girls,” added Ian Batey, founder of Batey Ads, the agency that conceptualised the Singapore Girl. “What you experience on the screen, hopefully you would experience on the plane.”

The use of the Singapore Girl as the image of SIA was not without its skeptics. “When we went to Europe with the Singapore Girl campaign, they bombed our campaign saying that it wasn’t going to get us anywhere,” said Mr Batey. Mdm Chan added that some of the comments she received were that “the advertisements were too abstract to fathom.”

The Singapore Girl is seen as a traveller of the world.

However, SIA proved their critics wrong through the consistency of its Singapore Girl branding. The iconic image has become synonymous with what SIA has to offer. “What has been ever present has always been the Singapore Girl, and she again has embodied the softer aspects of our service, which ultimately to us is a major difference maker,” said Mervin Tan, Senior Vice President of SIA’s Cabin Crew Division.

Source: www.channelnewsasia.com

July 28, 2015
10 Anak Melayu/Islam Dapat Kepujian Kelas Pertama Dari NTU Tahun Ini

Sekitar 10 anak Melayu/Islam dari Universiti Teknologi Nanyang (NTU) menerima ijazah Sarjana Muda dengan Kepujian Kelas Pertama tahun ini. Demikian didedahkan NTU hari ini.

Empat daripada mereka yang ditemui BERITAMediaCorp, memperoleh ijazah Kepujian Kelas Pertama dalam jurusan kejuruteraan, sosiologi dan psikologi.

Lebih menarik lagi, di kalangan sekitar 10 penerima menerima ijazah berprestij itu ialah sepasang adik-beradik perempuan – iaitu Nurul Dina Amalina Abdulkahar dan Nurul Mira Fatin Abdulkahar.

(Dina Amalina Abdulkahar dan adiknya, Nurul Mira Fatin Abdulkahar. Gambar: BERITAMediaCorp)

Ini kali pertama sepasang adik beradik Melayu menerima ijazah Kepujian Kelas Pertama dalam tahun yang sama, dan sesuatu yang jarang sekali didengar.

Kedua-dua beradik itu mendapat ijazah masing-masing dalam majlis konvokesyen NTU siang tadi.

Semasa diwawancara BERITAMediaCorp, para pelajar cemerlang itu berkata, sokongan padu dari pihak keluarga merupakan tunggak di sebalik kejayaan mereka.

Nurul Dina Amalina, 25 tahun, yang menerima ijazah Kepujian Kelas Pertama dalam bidang Sosiologi berkata: “Sumber inspirasi utama adalah ibu bapa saya. Ayah adalah seorang yang gigih berusaha dan tidak senang berputus asa. Ibu pula selalu bersikap positif apabila beliau berdepan dengan cabaran dalam kehidupan.”

Bagi adiknya Nurul Mira Fatin yang berusia 22 tahun pula, beliau menerima ijazah Kepujian Kelas Pertama dalam jurusan Psikologi.

Beliau berkata: “Bidang psikologi ini telah mendorong saya untuk mencari peluang yang membolehkan saya mendekati masyarakat. Baru-baru ini, saya baru pulang dari China, di mana saya (menjadi) sukarelawan. Di situ, saya tolong mengajar kanak-kanak bahasa Inggeris dan bantu mengecat sekolah mereka.”

KEPUJIAN KELAS PERTAMA KEJURUTERAAN KOMPUTER

Seorang lagi anak Melayu yang menerima ijazah Kepujian Kelas Pertama, ialah Muhd Nadzir Azmi, 26 tahun. Muhd Nadzir mendapat ijazah Kepujian Kelas Pertama dalam bidang Kejuruteraan Komputer.

(Muhd Nadzir Azmi. Gambar: BERITAMediaCorp)

NTU menyifatkan pelajar bijak itu sebagai seorang individu yang dapat menghuraikan masalah secara kreatif. Muhd Nadzir mencipta sebuah projek yang diberi nama ‘Virtual Piano’ semasa menjalani tahun terakhirnya di NTU.

Beliau menjelaskan: “Projek akhir tahun saya ialah menghasilkan sebuah ‘virtual piano’ (piano maya) dengan menggunakan sekeping kertas dan telefon bimbit. Ia memberikan satu alternatif untuk memain piano dengan lebih innovatif lagi. Saya rasa bidang ini, bukan sahaja diperlukan di syarikat-syarikat permainan, sofwe tetapi amat penting bagi sektor awam juga.”

Sebenarnya, beliau pernah gagal untuk memasuki maktab rendah selepas peperiksaan GCE ‘O’.

Namun dengan semangat yang berkobar-kobar, anak kepada seorang pemandu teksi dan suri rumah dari keluarga 3 beradik ini, tetap meneruskan pengajian GCE ‘A’ di pusat Pra-U hingga dapat ke menara gading.

Beliau kini sudah pun mendapat pekerjaan sebagai konsultan aplikasi dengan CPF.

KEPUJIAN KELAS PERTAMA KEJURUTERAAN ELEKTRIKAL & ELEKTRONIK

Bagi Muhd Jazli Jumain pula, beliau boleh berbangga dianugerahkan ijazah Kepujian Kelas Pertama, dalam jurusan Kejuruteraan Elektrikal dan Elektronik.

Beliau yang memasuki NTU selepas lulus dari politeknik, bagaimanapun mengecap kecemerlangan menerusi laluan yang lebih mencabar. Beliau berasal dari keluarga ibu tunggal.

(Muhd Jazli Jumain. Gambar: BERITAMediaCorp)

Muhd Jazli berkongsi dengan BERITAMediaCorp, beliau menanamkan iltizam pada hari pertama beliau menjejakkan kakinya di NTU.

“Sejak hari pertama, saya ingin buat yang terbaik dalam pelajaran saya. Selain itu, saya juga lihat ibu saya yang mengalami kesukaran untuk bekerja. Jadi saya ingin membantunya apabila dia bersara nanti,” jelas Muhd Jazli lagi dengan penuh semangat.

Yang pasti, bagi kempat-empat anak muda yang cemerlang itu, mereka berbekalkan sikap disiplin tanpa mudah berputus asa sebagai antara resipi kejayaan mereka.

PROSPEK PEKERJAAN BAGI GRADUAN NTU

Dalam pada itu, NTU menyatakan 7 daripada 10 pelajarnya yang tamat pengajian tahun ini, sudahpun mendapat pekerjaan sebelum mereka menerima ijazah masing-masing.

Demikian menurut tinjauan awal yang dijalankan NTU awal bulan ini.

5,000 pelajar ditinjau mengenai prospek pekerjaan mereka dan 70% menyatakan, mereka sudahpun mendapat kerja.

Perangkaan tersebut lebih tinggi berbanding perangkaan 66% yang dicatatkan tahun lalu bagi tinjauan serupa.

(Gambar: Channel NewsAsia)

Lebih 8,600 graduan bakal menerima ijazah mereka dalam majlis konvokesyen yang berlangsung selama seminggu mulai hari ini.

Source: http://berita.mediacorp.sg

July 28, 2015
Mampu Gengam Kejayaan Walau Diasak Cabaran Hidup

Ibunya bertungkus-lumus membesarkan beliau serta adik lelaki sebagai ibu dan pencari nafkah tunggal keluarga sejak mereka kecil lagi.

Oleh sebab itu, Encik Muhammad Jazli Jumain percaya kini sudah tiba masa ibunya, Cik Jamilah Ali, 59 tahun, berhenti kerja dan berehat, memandangkan beliau lulus dengan cemerlang dari universiti dan berjaya mendapatkan pekerjaan baik dalam sektor awam.

“Ibu bekerja sambilan di restoran makanan segera dan membawa pulang paling banyak $800 sebulan. Sebelum ini, beliau pernah melakukan pelbagai kerja lain, termasuk kerja pembersihan, pekerja kolam renang dan pekerja kilang.

“Sekarang, saya nak lakukan apa yang saya boleh demi mengurangkan beban ibu supaya beliau dapat bersara dengan selesa,” kata anak sulung itu, yang tinggal di flat tiga bilik dalam kawasan Yishun.

Adiknya yang berusia 23 tahun mula bekerja sebagai penolong jurutera awal tahun ini. Ibu bapa mereka bercerai semasa beliau kecil dan bapanya meninggal dunia beberapa bulan lalu, kata Encik Muhammad Jazli.

Encik Muhammad Jazli, 25 tahun, antara lebih 8,600 lulusan Universiti Teknologi Nanyang (NTU) yang akan menerima ijazah dalam konvokesyen yang berlangsung hari ini hingga Isnin depan.

Lulusan Politeknik Singapura itu akan menerima ijazah kepujian kelas pertama dalam bidang Kejuruteraan Elektrikal dan Elektronik (EEE) dalam majlis konvokesyen fakultinya berlangsung lusa.

Pencapaiannya itu bukan sahaja satu kebanggaan bagi dirinya dan hasil kerja keras sendiri, malah beliau percaya ia lebih membanggakan ibunya serta ibu dan bapa saudaranya yang turut memainkan peranan menjaganya sejak kecil, khususnya apabila ibu keluar bekerja.

Beliau juga bersyukur menerima Biasiswa Nanyang daripada NTU, yang antara lain membiayai yuran pengajian, kos penginapan di hostel NTU serta memberinya elaun dan geran program pertukaran di luar negara.

“Dengan bantuan biasiswa ini, saya tidak perlu ambil kerja sambilan seperti yang saya lakukan semasa di politeknik dan dapat memberi tumpuan penuh kepada pelajaran.

“Biasiswa ini juga memberi saya peluang sama dengan pelajar lain walaupun keadaan kewangan keluarga tidak mewah. Contohnya, dengan biasiswa in juga, saya dapat ikuti program pertukaran ke Universiti Sains dan Teknologi Hongkong pada 2013.

“Saya melakukan yang terbaik dalam pelajaran dan harap saya membuktikan bahawa sumbangan para penaja dan NTU kepada saya menerusi biasiswa ini berbaloi,” ujarnya.

Encik Muhammad Jazli yang akan mula bekerja sebagai jurutera projek eksekutif di Penguasa Pengangkutan Darat (LTA) bulan depan juga rasa senang dapat memanfaatkan pengetahuan kejuruteraan yang diperolehi menerusi empat tahun di NTU apabila mula bekerja nanti, selain menyumbang kepada masyarakat menerusi kerjanya.

Presiden Tony Tan Keng Yam, yang juga Canselor NTU, akan merasmikan majlis konvokesyen pertama NTU tahun ini hari ini.

Majlis itu akan dihadiri Menteri Pendidikan, Encik Heng Swee Keat.

Source: http://beritaharian.sg

July 27, 2015
KL’s $1 Billion Budget Air Terminal Is Sinking

Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s new budget passenger terminal is sinking, with cracks appearing in the taxiway and water forming pools that planes must drive through.

The defects could cause flight delays, increase wear and tear on planes and pose potential safety risks, according to AirAsia Bhd., the new terminal’s biggest user. Though take offs and landings aren’t affected, the carrier has asked Malaysian authorities to fix the problems before passengers get hurt, Chief Executive Officer Aireen Omar said in an interview in Kuala Lumpur.

“The airport is still sinking,” Aireen said. The operator, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd., “has done some partial resurfacing, but what the airport actually needs is a permanent solution.”

Complaints about the new terminal cap a bad run for Malaysia’s aviation industry, after two deadly accidents for the national carrier — the unsolved disappearance of Flight MH370 in March 2014 and the shooting down of another plane over Ukraine last July. Construction expenses for klia2, as the new terminal is known, ballooned from an initial estimate of about 1.7 billion ringgit ($446 million) to 4 billion ringgit.

“Since MH370, a lot of shortcomings have been found” in Malaysia’s aviation infrastructure, said Shukor Yusof, founder of Singapore-based consultancy Endau Analytics. “The authorities haven’t done enough to address these shortcomings, not enough to put them on par with the First World.”

Ponding

The Transport Ministry has set up an independent audit committee, which will submit a report on ponding issues “in due course,” the ministry told Bloomberg. Malaysia Airports, which has used its own funds to rectify the situation, “will be responsible for the findings and proposed solutions,” the ministry said in an e-mail.

AirAsia initially refused to move when klia2 opened in May 2014, citing concerns over flight operations and security. The carrier gave in after the government said it would stop immigration and customs services at the old budget terminal.

The AirAsia group of airlines flew 15.2 million passengers through klia2 in its first year of operation, accounting for 87 percent of the terminal’s traffic, according to Malaysia Airports data. Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd., Cebu Air Inc. and Malindo Air declined to comment on their experience at the new terminal. An official from Lion Mentari Airlines PT didn’t respond to requests for feedback.

Waterlogged Tarmac

“If you go to the airport you can see ponding with your very own eyes,” said Mohshin Aziz, an analyst at Malayan Banking Bhd. in Kuala Lumpur. Still, he noted, “it’s more of an irritation rather than a safety hazard.”

Last year, local media photographed Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai and airport officials walking through the terminal’s waterlogged tarmac during an inspection.

Construction of klia2 started in 2009 after the growth of low-cost travel, particularly by Malaysia-based AirAsia, pushed passenger traffic beyond the existing budget terminal’s capacity. At 257,000 square meters, klia2 can handle 45 million passengers, with the potential to expand.

Most full-service carriers, including Malaysia Airlines, use the main KLIA terminal, which began operations in 1998 about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Kuala Lumpur after the government relocated the capital’s main airport from suburban Subang.

Malaysia Airports said the depressions and ponding at klia2 were caused by differential soil settlement in the apron and taxiway, where some of the structure is built on piling and some stands on normal ground.

Bangkok, Kansai

The settling “has been anticipated from the start of construction,” Malaysia Airports said in an e-mailed response to questions. Stakeholders such as AirAsia are updated weekly on the progress of the maintenance and are “constantly engaged on operational issues.”

The airport is addressing the issue by patching and resurfacing problem areas and injecting polyurethane under the ground. A concrete slab to be completed by next April will provide a more permanent solution, Malaysia Airports said.

Klia2 isn’t the only Asian airfield to face difficulties getting off the ground.

Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport, which opened in 2006 atop a reclaimed swamp, suffered from cracks at taxiways and runways and faulty baggage-scanning machines. Airports of Thailand Pcl was forced to close some taxiways for repair and reopen the old airport to alleviate congestion. The company’s president quit amid probes of the construction flaws, citing health reasons.

In Japan, the government had to reinforce landfill under Osaka’s Kansai International Airport after it was found to be sinking. Opened in 1994, the facility took almost eight years and 1.43 trillion yen ($12 billion) to build on a manmade island.

“It’s about time aggressive steps are taken to improve standards in Asia,” said Mark D. Martin, chief executive officer of Dubai-based aviation consulting firm Martin Consulting. It’s bad for the region “that we have to see such incidents and events that negatively affect the safe operation of an aircraft or airport.”

Source: www.bloomberg.com

July 27, 2015
Iron Fence Pierce Man Through Armpit, Man Survives

KLANG: A 68-year-old man had a lucky escape when the iron fencing rod he fell on narrowly missed his chest and pierced through his armpit.

Ng Ah Eng was pruning plants at his house compound in Jalan Alor Star, off Jalan Kapar, when the accident happened yesterday evening.

He was on a ladder but he slipped and fell on the fence, said Sungai Pinang fire station Senior Fire Officer II M. Sathiaseelan.

A neighbour called the Fire and Rescue Department at 4.40pm and a team reached the scene within five minutes.

“The fencing rods are solid iron but we managed to cut through three of them in 20 minutes,” said Sathiaseelan.

He revealed that the firemen did not pull the iron rod out from Ng as it would cause profuse bleeding.

“We sent him to hospital by ambulance with the impaled iron piece,” said Sathiaseelan.

Ng was rushed to the Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah emergency unit for removal of the rod and subsequent treatment.

Source: www.thestar.com.my

July 27, 2015