CNA938 Rewind - Eat, Drink, Singapore - Pepper is more than just seasoning

CNA938 Rewind
How can the ordinary black pepper be elevated? Cheryl Goh finds out more from the duo Jeremy Vo and Layla Wei, founders of Piper who believe seasoning shouldn't be a struggle, and are seeking to revolutionise the design of pepper grinders as we know them.

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Straits Times

an hour ago

• Straits Times

KLIA aerotrain relaunch marks step toward restoring airport reputation

– A two-minute, driverless train service at Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) linking its main terminal to a satellite complex for international flights will resume operations July 1 after a nearly 2 1/2 year wait, as the country hopes to put the embarrassing episode in the rear-view mirror. The news comes as a relief for international passengers who have had to rely on shuttle buses for the 1.3-km connection, and will help repair the airport's battered reputation. But industry observers and analysts say the aerotrain service is just one of several issues that Malaysia's main airline gateway must address to improve its facilities and enhance its image, even as the global travel industry continues its post-pandemic recovery . The aerotrain service was suspended after breaking down in February 2023, forcing 114 passengers to walk along the rail track at the halfway mark between the two terminals. The main KLIA Terminal 1 houses immigration counters and is used mainly for domestic flights, while international airlines use the satellite complex. A second airline terminal called KLIA Terminal 2, located less than 2km away, is used by budget airlines. The much-anticipated resumption of the sole internal train service at the airport comes at a critical time for Malaysia, which is the chair for regional grouping Asean in 2025, and is set to host Visit Malaysia Year in 2026. The number of passengers travelling through KLIA rose 21 per cent to 57.1 million in 2024, including 41.9 million international passengers, according to global aviation and travel data services provider Centre for Aviation. The airport, which opened in 1998, had in the past been ranked among the world's top 10 airports – in 2001, 2010, 2011 and 2012 – but has slid down the list ever since. Most recently, KLIA came in at 65th place in Skytrax's World Airport Awards, trailing Singapore's Changi Airport (No. 1), Qatar's Hamad International Airport (No. 2) and Tokyo's Haneda Airport (No. 3). The awards were based on a global survey conducted by London-based aviation consultancy Skytrax. Over 13 million airport users from more than 100 countries responded to the survey from August 2024 to February 2025. A more efficient system overall including seamless passenger experience such as smooth inter-terminal transfers, biometric boarding, and faster baggage handling, is essential for KLIA to rebuild trust among travellers and remain competitive, analysts say. Analyst Shukor Yusof, founder of Singapore-based aviation advisory firm Endau Analytics, told The Straits Times: 'KLIA was never a highly regarded international airport to begin with. The (aerotrain) suspension only served to highlight the airport's sloppy and shabby management and operations.' The aerotrain service breakdown in 2023 breakdown damaged KLIA's image as a world-class airport, said Mr Wan Agyl Wan Hassan, analyst and founder of transport think tank MY Mobility Vision. 'Passengers walking along the track after a breakdown is not the image we want to project to the world,' he told ST. The stopgap measure , deploying shuttle buses to ferry travellers between the two KLIA buildings, is 'slower, less predictable, and more stressful for passengers,' he added. Transport Minister Anthony Loke, speaking at a press conference at KLIA on June 21, said the current shuttle bus system will operate concurrently to facilitate better passenger movement 'to ensure all passenger movement at KLIA runs smoothly.' 'If everything goes well, it (aerotrain service) will begin operations at 10am on July 1,' he declared. Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke (foreground) taking a test ride on KLIA's new aerotrain during a media preview on June 21. PHOTO: MALAYSIAN MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT Travellers who spoke to ST say they are looking forward to the resumption of the train service. 'With the aerotrain, it is easier... The bus can be inconvenient. I have to carry my bags up and down,' said corporate communications director A. Abdullah , 50, a Malaysian who travels frequently for work. Singaporean business consultant M. Selvaduray, 55, who travels to Malaysia around four times a year for work, said that taking the shuttle bus at KLIA is not a pleasant experience. ' When I arrive at Singapore's Changi Airport, I'm already at the arrival gate and then I go straight for (immigration) clearance. It's very fast. At KLIA, it's quite a distance to walk (to get to the shuttle buses) . It's not seamless. The signage is also unclear. For an international airport, I would expect more,' he told ST. Mr Loke said that there are currently three aerotrain sets, with two trains to run concurrently while one remains on standby. The new trains from China cost RM456 million (S$137 million), and each train can carry 270 passengers, from 230 previously. The replacement project has faced several delays, with all three deadlines previously given – July 2024, end-January 2025 and March 2025 – going unmet, according to the airport operator. The aerotrain replacement project had faced several delays, partly caused by the termination of the aerotrain contract with a previous contractor and the appointment of a new one. The project is now being handled by local company IJM, with subsidiaries of French transport player Alstom and Malaysian electrical power technology company Pestech International. Though KLIA's world rankings have slipped, there are some positive signs. The airport was rated the most connected low-cost carrier hub in Asia Pacific by global travel data firm Official Airline Guide in its 2024 Megahubs Index released in September that year . This shows that 'KLIA is already showing signs of resurgence ... with passenger numbers climbing and new routes opening up ,' said Mr Wan Agyl. 'To stay competitive, especially against airports like Changi or (Seoul's) Incheon, you need reliability and efficiency built into every passenger experience,' the analyst noted , adding that this includes better systems, faster baggage handling, and digital operations . The real test will be whether KLIA can sustain improvements and provide a consistently high level of service. 'This can be a moment to show the world KLIA is back on track, literally and figuratively. But it can't be a one-off. What KLIA needs now isn't just a good comeback story, but consistent, high-performance service to match its ambitions,' Mr Wan Agyl add ed . Hazlin Hassan is Malaysia correspondent at The Straits Times. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Business Times

an hour ago

• Business Times

Singapore, China sign four agreements on talent, knowledge sharing; leaders discuss OTC bond arrangement

[BEIJING] Singapore and China on Monday (Jun 23) inked four agreements on cooperation in areas such as training and knowledge exchange, in a ceremony witnessed by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. This was on the first full day of PM Wong's introductory visit to China, which is from Jun 22 to 26. One memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on Monday will see the joint development of legal talent. Under the MOU, trainees nominated by Singapore's law ministry and China's justice ministry will attend postgraduate law programmes in each other's law schools. They will also take part in courses conducted by government agencies, law schools, bar associations, law societies, arbitration centres and other relevant institutions. Singapore and China have also signed a letter of intent to explore establishing a Senior Officials' Exchange Programme, which is intended to deepen the two countries' longstanding human resource development cooperation and strengthen officials' mutual understanding and friendship through more frequent exchanges. It will serve as an additional platform for the exchange of views on leadership development and dealing with common challenges, complementing the Singapore-China Forum on Leadership. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up Another letter of intent was signed to jointly develop a Third Country Training Programme, for government officials from Asean member states and Timor-Leste. This programme will focus on several key areas, such as clean-energy transition, sustainable urban development, climate resilience and support for the Asean Power Grid. It is expected to help raise regional capacity to tackle long-term challenges in sustainability and resilience. Finally, a data-exchange agreement will enhance intellectual property data sharing, as both countries advance their digital capabilities and develop tech-driven solutions. The signing ceremony followed a meeting between PM Wong and Li earlier on Monday. In their discussion, they took note of the launch of the Singapore-China over-the-counter bond market arrangement, under which participating Singapore banks will provide trading and custody services for onshore RMB bonds, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. The arrangement will also enhance international investors' access to China's bond market, through Singapore, it added. During this meeting, Li also updated PM Wong on his priorities for China. These priorities include China's continued reform, as well as its focus on achieving 'high-quality development'. MFA noted: 'PM Wong expressed confidence in China's long-term economic development.' At the beginning of their meeting, PM Wong said that in a more uncertain and turbulent world, Singapore and China must not only forge stronger bilateral ties, but also work together in regional and multilateral platforms. He agreed with Li's remarks that the current international landscape is 'marked by intertwined turbulence and changes, with increasing uncertainty and instability'. Li said in Mandarin that under such circumstances, it is 'especially vital' for China and Singapore to strengthen cooperation and exchanges. PM Wong noted that the two countries' relationship has 'grown from strength to strength', particularly following the upgrade of ties to an 'All-Around High-Quality Future-Oriented Partnership' in 2023. This partnership has provided a 'clear strategic direction' for cooperation, and provides a basis for Singapore and China to come up with fresh ideas and continue to find new ways to strengthen cooperation, such as in the digital and green spaces, he said. 'This deep level of trust and understanding cannot be taken for granted,' said PM Wong. 'It has to be cultivated year after year, generation after generation.' In his remarks, he noted that his introductory visit to China comes shortly after Singapore's general election on May 3. He said that some in his delegation are new members of his team. He added: 'I'm encouraging everyone in my Cabinet to continue visiting China regularly, so that we can continue to build and strengthen the close ties between our two countries.' Li similarly noted that PM Wong's 'decision to make China (his) first destination outside Asean after (his) re-election reflects the new Singapore government's strong emphasis on China-Singapore relations'. This meeting at the Great Hall of the People took place shortly after a welcome ceremony for PM Wong. This was the first time the leaders have met since the Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur in May. PM Wong is in China until Thursday, for what is his first official visit to the country since becoming prime minister in May last year. His trip also takes place as Singapore and China celebrate the 35th anniversary of diplomatic ties, he noted. For these reasons, the visit is 'extra meaningful', he said. In addition to the meeting and the ceremony, Li also hosted PM Wong and his delegation to a dinner banquet on Monday night. On Tuesday, PM Wong is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and China's third in command, National People's Congress chairman Zhao Leji.

CNA

2 hours ago

• CNA

Trust and understanding in Singapore-China relationship 'cannot be taken for granted': Lawrence Wong

SINGAPORE: The relationship between Singapore and China has continued to deepen and grow because it is a partnership built on a 'deep level of mutual respect, trust and understanding', said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at his meeting with Chinese premier Li Qiang at the Great Hall of the People on Monday afternoon (Jun 23). 'This deep level of trust and understanding cannot be taken for granted. It has to be cultivated, nurtured year after year, generation after generation,' said Mr Wong, adding that his team is 'fully committed' to strengthening their interactions and exchanges with their counterparts in China. This is Mr Wong's first visit to China as Singapore's prime minister, commemorating the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and China. The current international landscape is marked by intertwined turbulence and changes, with increasing uncertainty and instability, said the Chinese premier during the meeting, adding that it is especially vital for China and Singapore to strengthen cooperation and exchanges. 'The Chinese side is willing to work together with the Singaporean side, in light of the new changes in the situation, with a view to safeguarding our shared interests, upholding the fine tradition of mutual respect, mutual trust, equality, and win-win cooperation, and advancing bilateral relations and collaboration to bear even more fruitful outcomes,' said Mr Li. On Monday, Mr Wong was welcomed at the Great Hall of the People, and will attend a dinner banquet hosted by Mr Li. The two last met in October 2024 on the sidelines of multilateral meetings. On this trip, Mr Wong will also meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Chairman of the National People's Congress Zhao Leji.