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June 30, 2008 Managers, professionals command higher salaries in '07 JOBS requiring professional and specialised training continued to command higher salaries in 2007, reflecting the premium on skills and responsibilities. Wages also rose with age, especially for jobs at the higher end. But this link was less so for the lower skilled and blue-collared workers whose wages rose slightly with age and peaked early in their 30s. These are some of the key findings of the 'Report on Wages in Singapore, 2007' published by the Ministry of Manpower's Research and Statistics Department. The 210-page report, out on Monday, provides information on salaries of over 300 occupations as well as wage changes and bonuses paid in various industries. It also includes information on the extent to which employers have restructured their wage systems. The report shows that managers received the highest median gross monthly wages at $6,101 in June 2007, followed by professionals at $4,030. The third highest paid were associate professionals and technicians at $2,789, while clerical and sales and service workers were paid close to $2,000. Among blue-collar occupations, production workers were paid more - at $2,110 - than plant and machine operators ($1,780). The lowest paid were the cleaners, labourers and related workers who took home a median gross pay of $968. The report also revealed that: [*]Amid the strong economic performance and tight labour market, total wages rose by a seven-year high of 5.9 per cent during the year, up from 4.5 per cent in 2006. This was a result of a basic wage gain of 4.3 per cent and an increase in bonus payout (also known as annual variable component) from 2.18 months in 2006 to 2.36 months in 2007. [*]Labour productivity contracted by 0.9 per cent, after the previous two years of slowing growth. After adjusting for higher inflation, real total wages rose by 3.8 per cent and real basic wages by 2.2 per cent. Consequently, real wages outpaced productivity growth in 2007 for the third consecutive year. Over a longer period of five years or more, the growth in productivity had kept pace with gains in wages, said the report. [*]As at December, 84 per cent of of the workforce in the private sector was under some form of flexible wage system, up slightly from a year ago but significantly higher than 76 per cent in June 2004. During the year, more private establishments (18 per cent) that employed low wage workers adopted the National Wages Council's recommendation to give more to these workers, compared with 16 per cent a year ago. The report can be downloaded from the Ministry of Manpower's website. http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/...ory_253138.html

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/786303/bathroom_break/

May 23, 2008 Malaysian suspect escapes in police car while handcuffed KUALA LUMPUR - A SUSPECT in a drug case escaped custody in Malaysia by driving off in a police car with his handcuffs still on. The 24-year-old man got away on Thursday when police transporting him to court stopped for a toilet break in the northern Perak state, local police chief Roslan Bek Ahmad said Friday. Police were bringing the man from northern Alor Star town to a court in Klang town in central Malaysia for trial. Along the way, they stopped at a rest area off a highway. Two of the policemen went to the toilet while a third officer remained with the suspect in the car. The suspect overpowered the officer, got behind the wheel and sped away, driving with his hands still cuffed, Mr Roslan said. A police roadblock on the highway managed to slow down the suspect. But he turned around and drove against the traffic for several kilometres. The car eventually skidded down a slope and crashed into a tree, Mr Roslan said. 'We managed to get the police car back, but he escaped' on foot, Mr Roslan said. Mr Roslan said the suspect was at large on Friday. Klang police chief Mohamed Mat Yusop said the suspect was due to be tried Friday on a 2004 heroin possession charge. He declined to identify the man. -- AP http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/...ory_240258.html BOLEH!!!

May 13, 2008 NY man sues US airline over flight spent in toilet NEW YORK - A NEW York man who says he was denied a seat on a five-hour jetBlue flight and was instead told to 'hang out' in the plane's bathroom has sued the airline for US$2 million (S$2.7 million), saying he suffered 'extreme humiliation'. When Mr Gokhan Mutlu arrived to check in for a jetBlue flight from San Diego to New York in February he was told the flight was full, according to the lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court. But Mr Mutlu was allowed to board after a jetBlue flight attendant agreed to give up her seat and travel in an airline employee 'jump seat'. It was not clear in the lawsuit whether the flight attendant was working. However 90 minutes into the flight, the pilot told Mr Mutlu the flight attendant was uncomfortable and he would have to give up his seat and 'hang out' in the bathroom for the remainder of the flight, the lawsuit said. The pilot 'became angry at (Mutlu's) reluctance' and said Mr Mutlu 'should be grateful for being onboard', the lawsuit said. When Mr Mutlu volunteered to sit in the 'jump seat', he was told it was reserved for airline personnel. At one point, the airplane experienced turbulence and Mr Mutlu sat on the toilet seat without a seat belt, causing him 'tremendous fear', the lawsuit said. JetBlue was not immediately available for comment. -- REUTERS http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/...ory_236880.html I must b working in the wrong company....

April 9, 2008 Elderly man goes missing, police appealing for help 71-YEAR-OLD man has been reported missing after disappearing from Christalite Methodist Home nearly two weeks ago. Nadrajan Thachanamoorthy, who is a resident at the Home located at Marsiling Drive, was last seen by staff on the morning of March 28. Mr Thachanamoorthy is 1.6 metres tall with black hair, and is of small build. He was last spotted wearing long pants with a white singlet and slippers. He is not known to be carrying any identification documents with him. Police are appealing for information on his whereabouts. Anyone with information may call the Police Hotline at 1800-2550000. http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2BNews/...ory_225526.html

April 4, 2008 Mark of a leader 'not in his top grades' That is the assessment of those who were top students. They value competence, leadership qualities, including EQ, more By Jeremy Au Yong ACADEMIC grades are a useful measure for identifying a potential political leader but it should not be the topmost criterion. That assessment came, interestingly enough, from people who were top students, with four As in their A levels. They were reacting to Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's statement on his urgent search for a successor in an interview on Tuesday, when he also highlighted the brain drain among the 4As students. PM Lee had also indicated that based on past experience, it would take about three elections to groom a leader. The Straits Times interviewed 10 people who had 4As, and the key traits they seek in the country's leaders are competence, capability and leadership qualities, including emotional quotient or EQ. Top grades are not critical, they added. Even a PM without a university degree is not anathema to civil servant Jenny Tan. 'I'm not vehemently against it,' said the 28-year-old. 'It's just one factor. Work and track record are more important.'' Another civil servant, Mr C.L. Lian, 31, put it this way: 'The person must have demonstrated intellect and problem-solving ability, but the emphasis doesn't have to be on grades. I'm sure Bill Gates would be someone you want.' Mr Gates, co-founder of software giant Microsoft, is one of the world's most famous university dropouts. Mr Lian added that though the current selection system was sound, the grooming period might have to be shortened. 'Currently, there is this grooming period but we may not have 20 years to give,' he said, referring to PM Lee who entered politics in 1984 and became PM in 2004. Mr Lian said it was important for the political leaders to decide which parts of government need leaders with knowledge and experience in government, and which ministries can do with leaders without government experience. He cited Senior Counsel K. Shanmugam - who is going straight from being an MP to Law Minister - as a case of a person who was not groomed to be a minister, but had the right skills and experience. Some interviewed, like Nominated MP Siew Kum Hong, felt there may be a need to change the way leaders are chosen. Said Mr Siew, who had 4As in his A levels: 'Now, we seem to be going about choosing one like we go about giving scholarships. There's this list of objective criteria.' The answer to who should be the next PM will depend on how the question is framed, he added. 'If we are looking for technocrats and managers, then you'll be competing with the world. If you frame it differently, if you're looking for leaders of the future, you probably could come up with a different characteristic.' MP Baey Yam Keng, another top scorer, said academic excellence was a 'necessary although not sufficient' criterion. Even then, he said exceptions could be made. 'Grades are important at the entry point but over the years, they become less and less important.' In his interview with The Straits Times and Lianhe Zaobao, PM Lee had highlighted data that show one in four - 150 out of 600 - top A-level students yearly works overseas after their studies. 'This flow is going to continue. So it's a big challenge to find successors, particularly for politics,' he said. The extent of this brain drain does not surprise those interviewed, who added that it is not at the heart of the problem. Said corporate tax associate Sarah Seow, 26: 'I believe the greater problem isn't the brain drain, but the political apathy of my generation. 'I know that among my peers still staying on in Singapore, many of us are talented and intelligent enough to become the Government's next tier of leaders - the only problem is that we may have become so caught up in our own careers and desires that we don't see a reason to get involved in politics.' [email protected] ---------- lidat no nid skolar liaoz lor... Toylet Janitors beri chirp only. I think 20% his pay I can start work immediately also... sibeh bargain liaoz. also, i intent to get MSK as the new security CONsultant. see the skolars cost an arm and a leg, so expensive. this MSK guud deh.. only cost a limp.

http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/photo/getMediumSizePhoto.do?id=15852 STOMPer Lee wonders how this uniformed officer could have left his pants and revolver unattended on the toilet cubicle partition. "Anyone could have taken the gun from the next cubicle. You can imagine the rest," says the STOMPer. "How do you now rate your sense of security and that of your family?" he asks. STOMP is contacting the STOMPer for more details. http://singaporeseen.stomp.com.sg/singapor...nt.jsp?id=17190

Help toilet operators keep the loos clean WE REFER to the several letters on public toilets published in The Straits Times recently. We thank the writers for their feedback. Maintaining clean public toilets requires the cooperation of both the public-toilet operator/building management and users. Besides providing good infrastructure, it is key for public-toilet operators/building managements to have a good cleaning and maintenance regime, while users need to act responsibly when using public toilets. Public toilets will not be clean if there is a lapse in any one of these aspects. Under the law, public-toilet operators/building managements are required to provide adequate amenities, for example, hand soap and toilet paper. In addition, there should also be cleaners to ensure that the toilets are always maintained in a clean condition. Public-toilet operators/building managements have the responsibility to ensure that toilets are clean and in good working condition at all times. Similarly, it is just as important that users exercise civic responsibility and use toilets properly, with due care and consideration for the next user. As a member of the public has rightly pointed out in another forum, 'as long as toilet users are inconsiderate, the washroom will remain smelly and filthy even if (it is) cleaned several times a day'. On its part, the National Environment Agency (NEA) will continue with its public-education programmes to promote good hygiene and sanitation practices. At the same time, we will not hesitate to take stern action against operators who fail in their duty to keep their public toilets clean. Since the beginning of this year, we have taken enforcement action against 64 shop operators for failing to maintain clean public toilets. Members of the public can call us on 1800-CALL NEA (1800-2255 632) to alert us to dirty toilets for our follow-up action. We appreciate readers' concern and thank them for taking the time to suggest solutions. S. Satish Appoo Director Environmental Health Department National Environment Agency http://www.straitstimes.com/ST%2BForum/Sto...ory_172494.html ah Wolve so eng, pls do donate drive for me.. I want a free Lexus LX300.