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SINGAPORE - Singapore may well become the first country in the world to ban the sale of packaged drinks with high sugar content. This is one of the moves the Ministry of Health (MOH) is contemplating in its efforts to cut the high sugar intake of people here, as it is a major factor for obesity and diabetes. The MOH and the Health Promotion Board are asking people for their views on four measures to cut sugar intake from drinks, which include 3-in-1 mixes, cordials, yogurt drinks, fruit juices and soda drinks. The target is on drinks as they account for more than half the 12 teaspoons of sugar people here take each day. One in four sugar-sweetened beverages contains 5.5 teaspoons of sugar or more. The four measures the MOH wants public feedback on are: - Total ban on pre-packed high-sugar drinks - Single or tiered tax on high-sugar drinks - Mandatory front-of-pack labelling on sugar/nutrition content - Ban on advertisements on all platforms for high-sugar drinks, including social media and on buses Singapore already does not allow the sale of high-sugar drinks in schools and on government premises. Many companies also refrain from advertising high-sugar drinks during the hours when children are more likely to be watching television. There is also the Healthier Choice Symbol to identify healthier drinks. But this, too, is voluntary. The public consultation is to gauge people's reactions to pushing these boundaries further. In a press statement, the MOH said that every 250ml of sugar-sweetened beverages daily raises a person's risk of getting diabetes by 18 per cent to 26 per cent. This is from various studies, so the amount of sugar in the drink was not indicated. The World Health Organisation (WHO) encourages people to take as little sugar as possible as "nutritionally, people do not need any sugar in their diet". It said reducing sugar intake to 25g a day would provide health benefits. This is equal to five teaspoons as measured in Singapore, but six teaspoons according to the WHO. Experts The Straits Times spoke to all agreed that a total ban on high-sugar drinks would be the most effective, but also the least politically palatable measure. Professor Teo Yik Ying, dean of the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said the four measures are not mutually exclusive and together, are "very much in the right direction". He added that any reduction in sugar intake will directly translate to health benefits. Both he and Professor Eric Finkelstein of the Duke-NUS Medical School agree that packaged fruit juices, even those with no added sugar, should not be exempt. Prof Finkelstein said sugar is sugar, adding that the narrower the tax, the less effective it is as people can still have other high-calorie drinks as substitutes. Dr Kalpana Bhaskaran, a glycaemic expert from Temasek Polytechnic, said a 330ml can of soda and one of apple juice have about 36g of sugar each. Ms Gladys Wong, a senior principal dietitian at the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, thinks the suggested measures do not go far enough. She said: "There must be a fair way to tax the freshly prepared beverage outlets, not just the pre-packaged drinks." Professor Rob van Dam, an epidemiologist at the Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, said high sugar content in drinks adds calories but does not make people feel full, so it is worse than sugar in food. He said a study in Mexico estimated that a 20 per cent reduction in sugar would reduce obesity by 12.5 per cent. Being overweight or being obese are key risk factors for diabetes, heart attacks, stroke and some cancers, he added. The public can give feedback at www.reach.gov.sg/sugarydrinks or e-mail [email protected] from now till Jan 25 next year.

This will be a New Thread For Alfa Discussion: Cheers

Please be reasonable and polite when you using the "Dislike" function.

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/former-vice-president-jailed-14-years-for-cheating-offences-involving-more Aiyoyoh... she really "managed" the assets.......into her own pocket ============================= Another one. https://sg.news.yahoo.com/ex-ceo-furniture-firm-jailed-9-months-cheating-customers-16000-113529887.html CEO leh, wah.....big title

so moody A WOMAN previously diagnosed to be suffering from kleptomania was jailed for six weeks and fined $4,000 on Friday for shoplifting. Goh Lee Yin, 30, unemployed, had pleaded guilty in May to two counts of theft of a Chanel bag worth $4,790 and an Emporio Armani sweater costing $610 in February and December last year respectively. A third charge of stealing a Gucci dress was taken into consideration. But while the former engineer was out on bail awaiting sentencing, she offended again by stealing $83 worth of items from the NTUC supermarket at Ang Mo Kio Hub on June 24. She has been in remand since June 25 as her court bail was revoked. On Friday, she admitted to the NTUC shop theft. Goh, the court heard, had been granted several chances at rehabilitation. For her offences in 2005 and 2006, she had been given probation by the High Court. She was last placed on 18 months' supervised probation in November 2007. The prosecution asked Community Court Judge Ng Peng Hong for at least 10 weeks' imprisonment on the three charges but her lawyer Choo Si Sen sought a six-week jail term saying she had learnt her lesson and could be rehabilitated. District Judge Ng backdated her sentence to June 25. The maximum sentence for theft in dwelling is seven years and a fine on each charge.

http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/mahb-has-no-solutions-says-airasia-ceo-of-suit-against-airport-operator < "Ponding" issues emerged after the opening, with water pooling on the ground at parking bays and the airport apron. - See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/mahb-has-no-solutions-says-airasia-ceo-of-suit-against-airport-operator#sthash.U5KxnGed.dpuf > Ponding plus massive cost overrun. Familiar, yah?

In the past, parents will eagerly volunteer at schools to get priority placing for their children going into P1. Based on this year's stats, and because of the new ruling to keep 40 spaces for Phase 2B and 2C, there is one school so popular that there may not be any vacancies at all for Phase 2A(2)! Guess which school? http://edumatters.sg/p1-registration-phase-2a1-closed-stats-update/

Carrefour leaves Singapore, Suntec City & Plaza Sing stores to shutHypermarket Carrefour will be exiting Singapore after the global retailer announced on Tuesday that it will shut its two stores located at Suntec City and Plaza Singapura before the end of the year. Its spokesman said in a statement that the decision was made because expansion and growth prospects of the company do not allow it reach a leadership position. In Singapore, Carrefour's main competitors are supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice and the Dairy Farm Group of supermarkets. The closure will affect more than 380 employees. The spokesman said that it intends to work with other retailers to find jobs for its staff. ======== i quite like the hyperstore.... for christmas and cny shopping...

just now on my way home was stopping at a junction, preparing to turn right, you know those red right arrow stop and turn only when green arrow appears junction. This kuku just on my right was edging forward preparing to turn even when still red right arrow, then i saw the car behind flashing him/her, i tot who so kaypo, ok lah, mayb helpful trying remind the kuku cannot turn, sorry i cannot help not calling him/her kuku. But the kuku still turned, the car behind moved forward then stopped, wah, no wonder, a police patrol car. As they were just beside me, can see them discussing, then straightaway turned on their blinkers. But they never beat the red arrow, only once turned green arrow then they gave chase, since i also turned right, curious to find whether they can catch that fellow or not. I think he/she damn sway cos after turn there is another red light and the patrol car just stopped beside and gesturing to the driver to stop by the roadside. So dun think that these neighbourhood police partrol cars will not catch you if you break any traffic rules, so pls look left right behind in front above below and far far all directions 1st before you want to break any rules

This one really die also must bite back......... Severed Snake Head Kills Chef Cooking Cobra Soup The powerful King Cobra A chef cooking a soup dish from cobra flesh died in China after he was bitten by the snake's head – 20 minutes after it was cut off. Peng Fan was preparing the rare Asian delicacy from the Indochinese spitting cobra when the snake's severed head bit him with venom as he was throwing it into the bin, The Mirror reported. Peng died before he could be treated in hospital with life-saving anti-venom, police said. "It is a highly unusual case, but it appears to be just an accident," a police spokesman said. "He prepared the snake himself and was just unlucky. "There was nothing that could be done to save the man. Only the anti-venom could have helped, but this was not given in time. It was just a tragic accident." Diners who were eating in the restaurant at the time of the incident described screams coming from the kitchen. Lin Sun, 44, who was dining with his wife Su said: "We were in the restaurant having a meal for my wife's birthday when suddenly there was a lot of commotion. "We did not know what was happening but could hear screams coming from the kitchen. There were calls for a doctor in the restaurant but unfortunately by the time medical assistance arrived, the man had already died. After we heard that we did not continue with our meal." According to snake expert Yang Hong-Chang, all reptiles can function for up to an hour after losing their body parts. "It is perfectly possible that the head remained alive and bit Peng's hand," he said. "By the time a snake has lost its head, it's effectively dead, as basic body functions have ceased, but there is still some reflexive action. "It means snakes have the capability of biting and injecting venom even after the head has been severed." https://sg.news.yahoo.com/severed-snake-head-kills-chef-cooking-cobra-soup-101904733.html

Yesterday (19 Feb), Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan requested Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam to direct the Auditor-General to conduct an audit of the opposition-run Aljunied-Hougang-Punggol East Town Councils (AHPETC) financial accounts. AHPETCs auditor, Foo Kon Tan Grant Thornton LLP, had earlier submitted a disclaimer of opinion on AHPETCs FY2012-13 financial statements, raising 13 issues of concern over the town councils accounts. Earlier, on 14 February 2014, the Ministry of National Development (MND) said that the auditors disclaimer of opinion is more severe than a qualified opinion [Link]. In yesterdays statement, the PAP government said that the observations in the auditors report raise serious questions about the reliability and accuracy of AHPETCs financial and accounting systems. This is the second year that the Auditor has submitted a disclaimer of opinion on AHPETCs Financial Statements. Moreover the Auditor has raised several more issues of pressing concern this year, compared to last year. AHPETCs Auditors Report and Financial Statements cause for serious concern. As it turns out, auditors have been giving an adverse opinion on the financial reports from the Peoples Association (PA) for several years now. PA oversees all the grassroots activities in Singapore. It is a statutory board under the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports (MCCY). The Chairman of PA is none other than PM Lee Hsien Loong himself. According to ACRA, there are a few types of audit opinions. A disclaimer of opinion means the auditor is unable to express an opinion on the financial statements but an adverse opinion means qualification of the financial report is not adequate to disclose the misleading or incomplete nature of the financial statements The auditor concludes that the financial statements give a true and fair view or are presented fairly, in all Opinion material respects, in accordance with the applicable financial reporting framework. Emphasis This is to highlight a matter affecting the financial o of matter statements which is included in a note to the financial (EOM) statements that more extensively discusses the matter. The addition of such an emphasis of matter paragraph does not affect the auditors opinion. Qualified This is expressed when the auditor concludes that an unqualified opinion cannot be expressed but that the Opinion* effect of any disagreement with management, or limitation on scope is not so material and pervasive as to require an adverse opinion or a disclaimer of opinion. Disclaimer It is expressed when the possible effect of a of Opinion* limitation on scope is so material and pervasive that the auditor has not been able to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence and accordingly is unable to express an opinion on the financial statements. It is expressed when the effect of a disagreement is Adverse Opinion* so material and pervasive to the financial statements that the auditor concludes that a qualification of the report is not adequate to disclose the misleading or incomplete nature of the financial statements. TRE has gone through PAs financial reports on its website and found the following: FY2007 (07/08) [Link] For FY2007, PA did not include the financial statements of grassroots organizations (GROs) operating under itself. The auditor could not assess the financial impact to the financial statements of the Association arising from the non-inclusion of the financial statements of the GROs. As such, the auditor gave an adverse opinion against PA because its financial statements [did] not present fairly the state of affairs of the Association: FY2008 (08/09) [Link] For FY2008, the same thing happened. The GROs financial statements were again omitted by PA. Again, the auditor gave an adverse opinion against PA because its financial statements [did] not present fairly the state of affairs of the Association: FY2009 (09/10) [Link] In FY2009, a new auditor, KPMG LLP, took over the audit of PA. The new auditor said, We do not have sufficient information to assess the financial impact to the financial statements of the Association arising from the non-inclusion of the financial statements of the GROs. As such, the new auditor also gave an adverse opinion: Then, the format for the online version of PAs financial reports for the next 3 years (FY2010 2012) changed [Link]. The public could no longer see the detailed opinions of the auditors. PA only published the financial highlights in these 3 reports. In other words, the financial reports became just financial summaries: FY2010 (10/11): http://www.calameo.com/read/000485916ba3dc3fdf3aa FY2011 (11/12): http://www.calameo.com/read/00209005895ae2db73d51 FY2012 (12/13): http://online.flipbuilder.com/nvbl/mstp/ TRE then went down to the National Library to attempt to get printed copies of PAs financial reports but the librarian was not able to find printed copies for the last 3 FYs (FY2010 2012). The library only has printed copies up to FY2009. The librarian told TRE to refer to the online versions instead. Not giving up, TRE did a further extensive online search and managed to find an online version of PAs FY2010 financial report. This copy was found on the Parliament website: FY2010 (10/11) [Link] Comparing this with the online version on PAs website [Link], they are essentially the same except that the one found on the Parliament website discloses the detailed opinion of the auditor at the end: Again, the auditor could only give an adverse opinion for PAs FY2010 financial report because the auditor [did] not have sufficient information to assess the financial impact to the financial statements of the Association arising from the non-inclusion of the financial statements of the GROs. The relationship between PA and PAP is very close. Mr Lee Kuan Yew once proudly said that the Chinese have been sending teams of officials to learn from Singapore for years: They discover that the Peoples Action Party has only a small office in Bedok. But everywhere they go, they see the PAP in the RCs (residents committees), CCCs (citizens consultative committees), and the CCs (community clubs). The operating expenditure of PA is huge. According to its latest financial report (FY2012), PAs operating expenditure for the year increased by $46 million to $483 million. Government grants which are taxpayers money given to PA amounted to $434 million in FY2012: Dr Ernest Kan, President of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) and Pasir Ris Punggol grassroots leader, had earlier agreed with MND that the audit findings on AHPETC are serious (President of ISCA: AHPETCs audit report serious). It is not known what Dr Kan has to say about PAs audit findings which have garnered adverse opinions from auditors. It is also not known if the Acting Minister for Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY), Lawrence Wong, will request Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam to direct the Auditor-General to conduct an audit of PAs financial accounts, since PA comes under MCCY.

M'sian in a coma in Shenzhen; two others said to have died KUALA LUMPUR - A 66-year-old Malaysian is among more than a dozen people who are in a coma after eating star fruits in Shenzhen province in China. Two patients have died at the Shenzhen General Hospital after eating the fruit. Tang Gon Seang, a retired assistant headmaster of SRJK © Kwang Hwa in Butterworth and his wife Teoh Hui Fong, 58, had gone to visit their engineer son in Shenzhen on Feb 18. On March 29, he passed out and was rushed to the Shenzhen hospital, where has been in a coma since. Mr Tang's brother-in-law Teoh Thian Lye, 55, said that at first doctors at the intensive care unit were baffled by his condition. Then, a specialist at the hospital asked Hui Fong whether her husband had eaten star fruits and she replied he had eaten some which he bought from a wet market there. 'The specialist then told her there were more than 10 people in the hospital, who also fell into a coma after eating the star fruits bought in Shenzhen. Two had even died,' said Thian Lye at MCA Public Complaints and Services Department head Datuk Michael Chong's office on Sunday. The family is seeking Mr Chong's help as they could not afford the huge hospital bill and want to bring Mr Tang back to Malaysia. The hospital bill is RM1,000 (S$431) a day after being reduced from RM5,000 a day. To bring home Mr Tang, they also require a medical report on his condition and the cause of illness to ascertain whether he could be flown back. However, the Shenzhen General Hospital has refused to give the report and only provided a note in Mandarin which stated that Mr Tang had suffered food poisoning after eating star fruits. The note added that Mr Tang suffered renal failure, high blood pressure, lung problems and breathing difficulties. 'The family is in a fix. They hope the hospital can reduce the fees,' said Mr Chong. He said they also wanted to warn other Malaysians in Shenzhen not to eat star fruits while there. Mr Chong said notices had been put up at the Shenzhen General Hospital warning people about eating the fruit. - The Star/ANN. http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/...ory_229531.html

Carry on from here: http://www.mycarforum.com/index.php?showto...p;#entry4886257 For your information, to qualify as CAB (Chao Ah Beng) cars, it must have a TURBO. Just like all the Sonatas.

GEORGE TOWN, PENANG - The missing diamond from statue of the Goddess of Mercy (Kuan Yin) Temple in Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling was recovered today. A police spokesman said an investigating team found the precious gem stone hidden in the pile of shattered glass casing which contained the deity. He also said a 35-year-old suspected burglar whom was beaten up prior to his arrest on-the-spot remained in a stable condition in the Penang Hospital. "We have not found any diamond in possession by the suspect. Our team combed the scene and managed to find the glittering diamond inside the broken glass pieces," he said. The spokesman added that a temple manager mounted the diamond back to the forehead section of the deity in the premises this morning. It is believed that the diamond was originally placed on the statue's forehead since the inception of the historical Kuan Yin Temple some 200 years ago. It was reported that the 35-year-old man had failed in his attempt to steal the diamond in the 1pm incident. He apprarently used a hammer to smash the glass case of the statue. The noise prompted a 45-year-old caretaker and two other men to track down the suspect who wast trying to escape from the temple. The suspect barely made it outside the temple before he was overpowered by the trio near an altar and handed over to the police.

Please continue your Alfisti Love here.

A stray dog which residents in Yishun fought to save from being caught six years ago, and was then adopted by Nee Soon GRC MP Lee Bee Wah, has been missing since Friday. Ms Lee's family has been looking for the mongrel known as Xiao Hei, or Blackie, for the past four days. FOR MORE: http://bit.ly/YBkEsD

if this were to happen here, i will give up driving [laugh]

Alledgedly a woman jumped from The Sail condo. Rumoured to be a trader Of course this is a one sided story so lets wait for the condo and the pavement to comment.

Continue from here. http://www.mycarforum.com/index.php?showto...640&st=1680

Singaporeans nowadays are really too stressed out STOMPer henry got involved in an argument with a female driver after she insulted the cyclist for being 'poor' when he didn't help her pump air into her vehicle's tyres at a petrol kiosk in Braddell. The STOMPer wrote: "While cycling to work, I stopped at the SPC petrol kiosk at Braddell Road to pump my bicycle tyres. "When I reached the kiosk, there was a driver who also wanted to pump air into her vehicle's tyres. "So, I waited for my turn. "The driver tried pumping air into the tyres but couldn't get it in. "She then asked "is air going in?", to which I said no. "She tried it a few more times before going up to the petrol kiosk attendant to ask for help. "At that point of time, I took my turn and used the station to pump air into my bicyle tyres. "When she got back, she asked why I didn't help her, and went on to say that we Singaporeans must help each other. "I just looked at her and kept quiet but then, she started insulting me. "I couldn't take it anymore so I told her off by saying: "When was it a must for me to help you when you never asked? And then when I don't help you, you insult me. What logic is that? ""If you're a driver and don't know how to pump air into your tyres, then you might as well take a bus or taxi!" "But she replied: "I have never taken the bus in my life, not like you poor people who cannot afford a car!" "Well, the rest of the conversation was made up of cursing and swearing!"

i didn't know heartlanders have taken to embracing this festival wholeheartedly

http://www.mycarforum.com/index.php?autoco...p;product=19542 http://www.mycarforum.com/index.php?autoco...p;product=19541 I was thinking, wtf? Even air filters have replicas now?

http://news.insing.com/tabloid/slammed-giv...oor/id-4c5a3f00 A woman, who has been cooking food for the needy, has been criticised online, with one netizen even calling for her arrest. Rachel Lim Yan Xuan, a 34 year-old dance instructor, has been preparing meals and distributing them for free to people begging or selling tissues on the streets of Geylang and outside a temple at Waterloo Street. According to Lianhe Wanbao, she received flak from netizens after posting photographs of her good deeds on her Facebook account and was forced to stop after her third food distribution two weeks ago. She said: