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lai lai lai ... mai tu liao ! plan ahead to avoid mother father jam at custom but no matter how you plan ... double confirm, stamp and chop sibei jam till cock stand la ... . . . CNY when is the best time cheong msia ar?

The glut in used cars is over and a shortage looms. Second-hand car dealers have managed to sell most of the cars in their inventory after a two-month reprieve from the authorities. At the same time, they are not buying used cars as drivers hold on to their wheels in the wake of drastic loan curbs. A Land Transport Authority spokesman said about 4,600 of the 7,000 used cars that dealers had acquired before the car loan restrictions kicked in had been sold as of Monday. Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/...y-expected-2013

SINGAPORE — There will be at least seven long weekends next year, according to a Ministry of Manpower (MOM) release on Tuesday (April 5) that shows a number of public holidays falling either on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday . The seven long weekends for 2017 are high by usual standards, though still one short of the record eight seen in 2009. There are six long weekends this year (2016), compared to seven in 2015 and four in 2014. New Year’s Day in 2017 will fall on a Sunday meaning that the following Monday will be a designated public holiday. Meanwhile, Chinese New Year will be on Jan 28 and Jan 29 (a Saturday and Sunday). Other public holidays that will result in long weekends include Good Friday (April 14), Labour Day (May 1, Monday), Hari Raya Puasa (June 25, Sunday), Hari Raya Haji (Sept 1, Friday), and Christmas (Dec 25, Monday). Under the Employment Act, if a public holiday falls on a Saturday, an employee who is not required to work on a Saturday is entitled to another day off or an extra day’s salary in lieu of that public holiday, said the MOM. In its statement, the ministry added that employees are entitled to an extra day’s salary at the basic rate of pay if he/she is required to work on a public holiday. Alternatively, the employer and employee may mutually agree to substitute a public holiday for another working day. An employer also has the additional option of granting managers or executives, earning up to a basic monthly salary of $4,500, time-off-in-lieu for working on a public holiday. The time off should consist of a mutually agreed number of hours, said the MOM. http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/singapore-public-holidays-7-long-weekends-expected-2017

from the divorce and women chapter issues, should we give women a break?

Bros, bad news for most... Those staying in HDB units please brace yourselves for this ridiculously absurd price increase of as much as 73% while those staying in landed properties lucky you price decrease of 3% soon... From CNA: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/sin...1204325/1/.html Waste collection fees expected to rise By Joanne Chan | Posted: 29 May 2012 2138 hrs SINGAPORE: Households in Singapore can expect to gradually pay more to have their trash collected. The National Environment Agency (NEA) said the move is aimed at uplifting the waste collection industry, which is struggling with rising operating costs while it grapples with improving service standards. Industry players said these challenges have been made harder by government contracts that have locked in fees for the past seven to eight years, with no provision for adjustments. With several contracts up for renewal over the next few years, the NEA, which manages the public waste collection scheme, is looking to reshape the industry. For the purpose of waste management, Singapore is currently divided into nine sectors, served by four companies. This will be reduced to six sectors, to help companies achieve economies of scale. Andrew Tan, CEO of the National Environment Agency, said: "This in turn will translate into greater affordability and at the same time, giving opportunities for the waste collectors to invest in the capital, in the training of their workforce and also the equipment needed to do a good job in terms of waste collection." Chairman of the Waste Management and Recycling Association, Guah Eng Hock, also pointed out that waste collection companies are required in their contracts to have a recyclable sorting facility in each sector. He said that with the larger sectors, companies will be able to enjoy greater economies of scale. A standard waste collection fee will also be introduced. Today, households pay as little as S$4.03 per HDB flat, or as high as S$22.50 for a landed home. Prices also differ between estates. For example, HDB flats in the city area currently pay S$4.03, while those in Pasir-Ris and Tampines fork out S$6.87. The difference in pricing is due to separate contracts being called for each sector, subjected to open bidding. Moving forward, all households will pay a "uniform fee" - depending on whether it is an HDB flat or landed property. The fee will be derived from the weighted average of successful tender bids submitted by public waste collectors. The first to come under the new fee structure will be households in Pasir-Ris, Tampines and Bedok. From July, HDB properties in those areas will pay S$7, while landed homes will pay S$23.19. The NEA said households would have had to pay more, if the new uniformed fee structure was not applied. The new uniformed fee structure will be progressively rolled out to the rest of Singapore by 2015. In return for higher fees, waste collection companies will have to meet higher service standards. This includes having quieter and cleaner vehicles, and responding quicker to public feedback. Companies will also have to provide better incentive schemes to encourage households to recycle. Singapore's only landfill on Semakau island is currently at half its capacity, and is expected to run out of space by 2040. Thus, recycling remains a key strategy for managing waste in Singapore and the government hopes that consumers and businesses will start at the source - by sorting their recyclables from other waste. Singapore's recycling rate currently stands at 59 per cent - a long way from its long-term target of 70 per cent. -CNA/ac

weather forecast not looking good... --- Singapore's Inflation rate edges up in December By Yvonne Chan | Posted: 23 January 2013 1408 hrs --- SINGAPORE: Singapore's inflation rate accelerated last month driven once again by housing and transport costs. Department of Statistics data showed the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in December 2012 rose 4.3 per cent from a year earlier, after increasing 3.6 per cent on-year in November. Accommodation cost inflation reached 8.5 per cent in December, following a 6.6 per cent gain the previous month. This was attributed largely to the costs of rented accommodation and minor repairs & maintenance which picked up sharply as a result of the disbursement of government rebates for HDB households. Imputed rentals on owner-occupied accommodation contributed 1.2 percentage points to overall inflation. In tandem with the recent surge in COE premiums, private road transport cost climbed 9.3 per cent year-on-year in December after increasing 6.7 per cent in November. Together, accommodation and private road transport costs accounted for more than two-thirds of CPI "All Items" inflation in December. Meanwhile, services inflation dipped to 2.5 per cent from 2.9 per cent, led by a decline in telecommunication charges and a more moderate rise in the costs of holiday travel and medical treatment. Food inflation eased to 1.5 per cent in December from 1.7 per cent in the previous month, as price increases for both non-cooked food and prepared meals slowed. MAS core inflation, which excludes the costs of accommodation and private road transport eased to 1.9 per cent from 2.0 per cent due to lower contribution from costs of services and food. For the whole of 2012, MAS core inflation was 2.5 per cent compared with 2.2 per cent in 2011. In a statement, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said that given the continued weakness in the global economy, imported inflation will be "generally benign". Although the central bank warned that the persistent tightness in the labour market will support wage increases in 2013, part of the wage rises will be passed through to consumer prices. As a result, MAS core inflation is expected to average 2 to 3 per cent for the whole of 2013. - CNA/al

Just heard over radio (90.5), Thundery Shower in many areas. PUB says, fresh flood is expected...... Better leave office now... , tell boss don't want to kana struck in 'water ponding'

Motorists can expect traffic snarls along some roads where the Thomson MRT Line is being built, transport experts say. They expect the roads around the Upper Thomson, Stevens and Orchard stations to be most affected by the construction. The 30km, $18 billion line will start in Woodlands and traverse heavily used roads such as Upper Thomson Road and Stevens Road. It will have 22 stations, six of which are interchange stations, and open in three phases from 2019 to 2021. Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/...uction-20120831

SINGAPORE: Singapore's economy will experience growth slower than in the last 10 years. This, against the backdrop of a more developed economy, internal resources constraints and fierce competition from the region. But Singapore needs to strive for growth to improve the collective well-being of its people. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said this at the Economic Society of Singapore's annual dinner on Friday evening. Since 2003, Singapore's economy grew an average 6.3 per cent per year. Mr Lee said: "Singapore cannot avoid slower growth in the next decade and beyond. This is natural because we are now more developed and we are also running up against land and labour constraints, especially as we reduce the inflow of foreign workers. "Plus competition is fiercer, not only from hundreds of millions of hungry workers in the emerging economies, but also from new technologies that will transform industries all over the world." Mr Lee noted that some Singaporeans may desire slower growth, but deliberately slowing growth beyond Singapore's economic potential could have irreversible consequences. "For Singa

Business Times - 12 Jan 2012 Closure of wealth manager ipac hits S'pore, HK clients Unwinding of AXA unit's US$500m portfolio assets may extend into Q2 By GENEVIEVE CUA (SINGAPORE) The closure of the wealth manager ipac Singapore and Hong Kong is expected to impact clients with combined portfolio assets of roughly US$500 million. In addition to the shock of closure, clients are likely to have to redeem a substantial amount - about US$300 million - from ipac Dublin-domiciled SIS portfolios, which ipac aims to close. SIS is ipac's proprietary multi-manager series of funds. However Gary Harvey, ipac Singapore's chief executive, took pains to emphasise that the process of unwinding may differ among clients, depending on their decisions. Those who wish to stay with their ipac advisers may be able to do so, as ipac aims to help those advisers to find alternative employment with other firms or institutions. ipac Singapore has a staff of 'just under 50' in Singapore. 'I am very conscious that in the current economic and turbulent market environment, customers will be worried about their investments when they hear the word 'closure'. We're proactively communicating to give them comfort around (the process).' Seven SIS funds have an estimated asset value of roughly US$300 million. The closure of the funds is expected to take around four to five months. Uncertainty had swirled around ipac for more than a year, since AXA began moves to restructure its Asia-Pacific insurance business, of which ipac was a part. AXA sold the Australian and New Zealand business to AMP last year, and retained the Asia-Pacific business. While it had great confidence in its core insurance growth in the region, the financial advisory business was said to be loss making and AXA's commitment to that segment was unclear. ipac Australia has been transferred to AMP. AXA announced the closure of the ipac operations in Hong Kong and Singapore on Monday. It said 'the divestiture of these fee-based financial planning businesses would be consistent with its ambition to focus on continuing the strong growth of its insurance businesses in Asia'. ipac Taiwan will continue to operate as it expects synergies with a prospective life insurance licence there, said Mr Harvey. 'For Hong Kong and Singapore, we didn't see the same level of synergy...' ipac's closure is a blow to the local FA space, where growth is believed to have stagnated amid a more difficult operating environment. Not only are firms grappling with sharply volatile and downtrending markets, but they also have to comply with new rules on the sale of investment products. For ipac in particular, profits have been elusive since it began in 2003. In the fiscal year 2010, it reported an after-tax loss of $4.5 million. This was a slight improvement from 2008 and 2009 where losses came to $5.9 million and $5.6 million respectively. Its cumulative loss as at 2010 was a staggering $33.9 million. ipac had begun operations here with much fanfare. It hoped to make a success of an advice-centric model, where advisers are paid salaries rather than through product commissions. Clients are charged a portfolio advisory fee. This model is supposed to better align adviser interests with customers'. But its high overheads - salaries plus a prime Raffles Place office - made the business unsustainable. The firm is now seeking to redeploy its staff within AXA, or to find new jobs for them elsewhere. The total staff in Singapore and Hong Kong is 80, including support staff. 'What we aim to do is to work with advisers to find them new homes, and work with clients and advisers together to find new relationships. 'The key point is client wishes. We will have some clients who may say - it's OK, I have another adviser... Or, we may have people who say I'd like to move with my adviser. Subject to the adviser finding a new FA firm or bank, we would help them to move across.' He added: 'We envisage the process will take time, well into the second quarter.'

Electronics Orders Plunge Cuts Singapore

Happy?

The mantle of "world's most famous car" is a heavy one indeed. But if any single automobile ever created deserved the honorific, surely it's the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 used on-screen in the production of the iconic 007 films Goldfinger and Thunderball. And in case you were disappointed at having missed the opportunity to get your hands on one of the stunt cars, the real thing is now up for grabs in London, where RM and Sotheby's will be auctioning it off to the highest bidder. The car in question was prepared by Aston Martin for use in the Bond films. After that it went back to the manufacturer, which then sold it to radio host and philanthropist Jerry Lee, who's been holding onto it for the past 40+ years. In pursuit of his charitable work, Lee is finally putting the car up for sale, with bids expecting to top $5 million when it goes under the hammer on October 27. One of only two made and the only one still in existence, the custom DB5 comes packed with all the extras the Q-Branch installed for Bond's use, from the revolving license plates and tracking device to the oil slick dispenser and smoke screen. Source: RM Auctions

The next servicing will be 30K, what is expected at this servicing? How much do is expected for this? Any heads up?

BMW looks set to rock the formula one world on Wednesday morning by announcing it will withdraw from the sport at the end of 2009. International media have been summoned to a press conference at the German marque's Munich headquarters at 10am - less than three hours' time - to discuss "current developments in motor sport". Amid a disappointing season and a lack of progress in overcoming the difficulties, the BMW board is believed to have called time on the Swiss based BMW-Sauber project. Present at the emergency press conference will be team boss Mario Theissen as well as BMW board chairman Norbert Reithofer and director for development Klaus Draeger. A source said the news to be revealed on Wednesday is "important" but would not elaborate. It is speculated BMW, having bought the independent Sauber team at the end of 2005, may announce it will instead turn its attention to other forms of motor sport, including perhaps a return to Le Mans. The timing of the announcement is almost certainly because BMW has not signed the new Concorde Agreement, which is set to be announced imminently and would have bound the manufacturer to F1 until the end of 2012. It is feared that Toyota and Renault may now follow suit. Honda withdrew at the end of the 2008 season. With Ferrari's Felipe Massa in hospital and expected to be out of action for the rest of the season, the BMW news has sparked rumours that Robert Kubica could be drafted in to replace the injured Brazilian.

with the current economic situation and double digit slide in the regional stock market this week not only are economies contracting but down the food chain including small companies if you think you will be fired, have you plan to spend your "free" days wisely have you plan to liquidate before your asset becomes even smaller have you made provision for keep at least 3-6 months cash to tie you over have you changed your lifestyle if you are one of those expected to be FIRED, do you think the "TIMELY" increase in our electricity bill by 21% is a good thing, do you think the subsciption charge of $2.50 ERP Credit card usage a good thing, it frustrates me that the authorities appear NOT to know what is actually happening in ground ZERO

Was informed that heavy rain couple with extreme high tide (today) this afternoon would cause flooding in some low lying areas. So members, beware and take care of your ride. Cheers............

Market expects across-the-board reduction in COE numbers CAR buyers can expect higher certificate of entitlement (COE) premiums ahead, as far fewer cars are being scrapped this year. This is likely to mean fewer COEs in the highly anticipated October 2007-March 2008 mid-quota year review - and higher premiums. Prospective buyers will know the answer this month when the review is released. In fact, the market expects an across-the-board cut in COE numbers - the first time since mid-quota year reviews were introduced in 2001. COE supply hinges largely on a replacement principle. Land Transport Authority (LTA) figures show that the number of all vehicles taken off the road in the first seven months fell by 20 per cent to 52,195, compared to the same period last year. Since 2001, the LTA has in place a system to tweak COE supply in the middle of a quota year, to better match replacement demand. As it turned out, it has always released more COEs in the middle of each quota year, since actual scrappage has always far exceeded its estimates at the start of each quota year in April. For the past six years, the release of make-up COEs for October-March has led to a drop in premiums in the six-month period. But not this time. The number of cars scrapped in the first seven months just about matches what the LTA had forecast. The chief executive of multi-brand agent Jardine Cycle & Carriage's motor operations, Mr Cheah Kim Teck, said: 'Definitely, there will be no extras this time.' Going forward, he said COE supply in the next financial year starting April 2008 could fall by '15-16 per cent'. But he does not expect any drastic cut. The managing director of Toyota distributor Borneo Motors, Mr Mark Choong, agreed. 'I don't think there will be extra COEs coming onstream but I don't expect any significant reduction,' he said. Mr Choong said there might not even be much of a cut in the commercial vehicles quota, despite a sharp drop in the number of vans, trucks and buses taken off the road in the first seven months. 'Commercial vehicles are an economic necessity,' Mr Choong said, adding that higher concrete prices and higher cost of 'clean-diesel' commercial vehicles - mandatory from October 2006 - had already raised overall business cost. Mr Choong expects COE prices to climb from the current $16,000-$18,000 levels - 'but not just yet to $30,000-$40,000'. Motor traders expect the expanded presence of parallel importers and the arrival of used cars from abroad, following a relaxation of rules, to keep up bids for COEs. So, higher car prices seem almost certain. But even if premiums rise by $10,000, a Japanese sedan could still be had for below $70,000, compared to the more than $100,000 mid-1990s days. For sellers, the foreseeable drop in volume in the coming years could result in lower profits and downsizing. 'This is a feast-or-famine business,' said Cycle & Carriage's Mr Cheah.