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I wanted to but everythings soooooooooooo expensive nowadays ..... I am one of the 78% ..... yahoo news: 3 in 10 Singaporeans eye retiring before hitting 60 years old And they'll rely on their savings. According to Nielsen, 78 percent of Singaporean respondents say they plan to rely on their personal savings and investments as primary source of income after retirement. Respondents from Singapore stood most confident about utilizing personal savings and investments as their primary source of income when retired as compared to the other countries in Southeast Asia. The Nielsen Global Survey about Aging, which polled more than 30,000 Internet respondents in 60 countriesi, also revealed that 29 percent of Singaporean respondents plan to retire before they reach the age of 60 years. For almost half of Singaporeans (45%) their ideal retirement age is younger than their planned/actual retirement age. In other Southeast Asian countries, even more respondents plan to have retired below the age of 60 years: Malaysia (50%) Indonesia (49%) Vietnam (44%), Thailand (33%) and The Philippines (30%). “The fact that most Singaporeans rely on their own savings and investment speaks about their desire to be self-reliant and self-sufficient,” said Luca Griseri, Head of Nielsen’s Financial Services in Singapore and Malaysia. “It presents an opportunity for financial service providers to facilitate this by offering adequate financial products that help citizens build their retirement funds early on. Information about what are the correct strategies for building a retirement nest is key, so that Singaporeans can start planning for their retirement early. link: http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/3-10-singaporeans-eye-retiring-061700591.html Working more than 40 over years and time to relax leow ...

Whether donating money or doing volunteer work. Just a simple question. Don't read too much into it.

I am thinking about this, about what kind of people and society we want here in Singapore. The truth is, the current world situation now is quite difficult and unpredictable. And unfortunately bad things can happen when you don't expect it, sometimes even with the best of planning. So, when bad things happen, whether individually or collectively as a country, should those in a position to help, reach out to help? Or is it every person for themselves, you die your problem?

Lately had seen too many complaint in this forum, seem like many of us are unhappy about CPF, Life, property, Car and Money. Come across this article ( see link below) which is very enlightening. Hope you fine some happiness in you life no matter who you are😄 http://drwealth.com/2014/12/10/singaporeans-are-unhappy-and-poor/?utm_medium=DISPLAY&utm_source=OUTBRAIN&utm_campaign=NOV2014&utm_content=ARTICLE24_LIFESTYLE

A Singaporean woman has been reported missing in Spain. Ms Audrey Fang's family is appealing for information on her whereabouts after she became uncontactable. Her brother, Mr Benjamin Fang, told TNP that his 39-year-old sister did not share her flight or trip details with them but knows she left Singapore for Spain on Apr 4 at about 11.45pm. "She was travelling alone but we believe she was going to meet a friend," he said. According to a local news report, Ms Fang was staying at a hotel in Xàbia, a coastal town in the province of Alicante, Valencia. She reportedly left the hotel on Apr 9 at about 8.45pm but did not return to her room. Her personal belongings were left behind. The family felt something was amiss when her father could not reach her since Apr 10. They then contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) on Apr 11 and made a police report on Apr 12 when she did not arrive in Singapore as scheduled. "She was expected to touch down in Singapore on Apr 12 at 7am," Mr Fang said. "We would like to appeal to members of the public who are in Spain or anyone who has seen her for information." TNP understands MFA is assisting the family. https://www.asiaone.com/singapore/singaporean-woman-goes-missing-spain-family-appeals-information

https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/joo-chiat-sharella-free-umbrella-sharing-siglap-east-coast-2345411 The old lady is right. Anything free, Singaporean will just take.

Worth spending 10 minutes reading it..... Yahoo news: 3 Big Money Mistakes Singaporeans in Their 30s are Making When you’re in your twenties, if you aren’t lucky enough to have a trust fund or a business to inherit, chances are you’re either scrambling to find a job or to find yourself. But you should have everything figured out by the time you’re 30… right? I’m not sure if it’s something in the water, but it seems like lots of the 30-somethings around me still haven’t quite gotten their act together. In fact, despite earning a lot more than they were in their 20s, it seems like more and more 30-somethings are getting mired in debt. I have a sneaking suspicion the following money mistakes have something to do with it. Let’s find out. Spending too much on their weddingsSpeak with a typical Singaporean 30-something in a relationship and there’s an 80% chance they’ll start talking about marriage and complaining about the high cost of wedding banquets. In fact, it’s become standard practice in Singapore to spend an average of $50,000 on a wedding, with many going up to $90,000. Truth be told, many of the grooms-to-be I’ve spoken to haven’t even been that keen on splashing out on a lavish wedding, gloomily stating that it’s their fiancees who want a dream wedding and they have no choice but to go along with it. Shane, a 30-year-old bank analyst, is going to tie the knot next year. “While I would prefer to have a smaller, more inexpensive wedding, my fiancee has a very large family and wants to have a hotel wedding banquet, so I’m bracing myself for the cost,” he says. Falling deeper into consumer debt instead of digging themselves out of itIn countries where young people move out of their parents’ homes during university or at least once they get their first jobs, the 20s are a time of being broke and paying off student loans, while in their 30s most start enjoying greater financial stability. In Singapore, however, for many people the opposite is true, as they continue to live under their parents’ roofs until well into their 20s. It is only when they start working, which can be as late as the mid to late 20s for those who have advanced degrees or males who do national service, that they are suddenly forced to bear the financial responsibility of supporting aged parents or purchasing property. That, and the persistent lifestyle inflation that dogs the young and upwardly mobile, has resulted in high levels of consumer debt amongst 30-somethings. Penelope, a 34-year-old HR executive, has recently run into cash flow issues. She goes on overseas vacations twice a year during the school holidays together with her husband and three kids to locations such as London and LA. Each time, the family spends close to $10,000. While she was mostly credit card-debt free in her 20s, she now has a credit card balance which she rolls over each month. “My family has grown, but my husband and I continue to be the only ones bringing in money. As a result, our spending has increased quite a bit.” she says. It’s not just those with kids who face credit card debt. Albert, a 31-year-old bank executive, carries about $10,000 worth of credit card debt, which is more than 2 months’ worth of salary. He survives by paying only the minimum sum each month. Most of his debt was chalked up while spending on food, drinks and entertainment. In fact, a recent report showed that one in five credit card holders in Singapore now pays only the minimum sum each month. And a fast-growing segment of the population with revolving debt consists of women aged 30 and above. Orchard Road might have something to do with it…. Overcommitting to houses and carsIn your 20s, most of your peers are still living at home and taking the MRT. But once you hit the big 3-oh, you look around and realise that more and more of your friends are buying property and driving cars. This sudden shift has led to many 30-somethings committing to property and car purchases that are really a bit more than they can afford. Many of the 30-somethings I’ve spoken to who’ve recently started paying for their own properties have admitted that their finances are tight and leave no room for error or accident. While the TDSR framework aims to stop people from overstretching themselves, it fails to consider their day-to-day expenses, which can amount to quite a bit. In addition to paying her home loan installments, Belinda, a 30-year-old bank executive, also gives her parents $1,000 a month, spends about $1,000 a month on her car and has personal expenses of about $2,000 a month. She depleted most of her savings to make the downpayment on her new condo unit and is now treading dangerous waters. “Basically, I can’t afford to stop working for many years to come,” she says. “I’m not really worried about losing my job as things are going well at work, but then again anything is possible.” (Names have been changed to protect the identity of respondents.) Link: https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/3-big-money-mistakes-singaporeans-160000290.html

S'poreans want to buy Newcastle United source: https://mothership.sg/2020/08/singapore-investors-newcastle-united/ Singaporean entrepreneurs, Nelson Loh and Terence Loh, have put in a bid to buy English Premier League club Newcastle United. Together with another person, Evangeline Shen, who is also part of the bid, they are part of the Bellagraph Nova (BN) Group. In "advanced stage of negotiation" In a statement to CNA, BN Group said that they are in an "advanced stage of negotiation", after already providing a letter of intent and a proof of funds. BN Group also said that it has roped in former England captain and Newcastle player Alan Shearer, as well as former Newcastle forward Michael Chopra, to back the bid. It added, according to CNA: Who are they? According to its official website, BN group is an established multinational company that owns 31 entities across 100 countries and is worth US$12 billion (S$15.6 billion). Its business activities cut across various industries, including luxury, consumer lifestyle, financial services, and real estate. One of its most well-known subsidiaries, Bellagraph Jewelry, notably famed for holding the world record for highest ever online single sale transaction. The Lohs are cousins and former investment bankers at JP Morgan. They also co-founded Novena Global Lifecare Group in 2010. First Singaporeans to own an EPL club? If BN Group's bid goes through, the Lohs will be the first Singaporeans to own an EPL club. Peter Lim, who now owns Spanish team Valencia, came close in 2010 when he attempted to take over Liverpool. Founded in 1892, Newcastle is a strongly supported club that finished the 2019-2020 EPL season in 13th place. The club has won four first division/ League titles and six FA Cups. They are eighth in the all-time Premier League table and have the ninth-highest total of major honours won by an English club with 11 wins. Previous bid fell through Before BN Group expressed their interest, Newcastle was offered a £300 million (SS$538.2 million) bid funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF). The bid was led by British financier Amanda Staveley, but PIF was set to take an 80 per cent stake. The bid fell through in June after being scrutinised under the Premier League's owners' and directors' test. The test is a set of rules to which owners and directors -- or potential owners and directors -- must adhere to. Some of the the disqualifying factors include criminal convictions, a ban by a sporting or professional body, or breaches of certain key football regulations. Problems with the takeover process stemmed from Saudi Arabia's questionable human rights record and accusations of TV piracy, although the country has denied it is behind the illegal broadcasting of EPL matches.

You might disagree with her, but you’ll be hard pressed to find much evidence against her case. What happened? Content creator and entrepreneur Wendi Chan, better known as @pinkkittywendi has been stirring the pot by making the bold but likely true statement that Singaporeans are the worst drivers and/or the most inconsiderate drivers in the world. If you are angered at the above statement, I present to you all our existing articles. And SGRV. She uses the example of how when trying to enter another lane in the event that someone has stopped in front of you, Singaporean drivers are more likely to speed up and close the gap instead of graciously letting you in. To support this, she mentions how in other countries there is no such behaviour, that it is "common courtesy" to let the person signalling come into the lane. Wendi also gave her own experience of another driver giving a “very rude sign” when she attempted to turn into the lane. No further elaboration on the sign but I’m sure we can all guess what it was. She ends off the video with her confusion on this behaviour, “I just don’t get it, what is that five seconds you can lose coming in and probably going out again because there was a vehicle stuck there? It’s just frustrating.” Online chatter Almost unanimous agreement. But as always, there are outliers. What do you think about Singaporean drivers? ========= Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

In all honesty, I can see where she’s coming from. Just look at our articles. What happened? Singaporean influencer and Tiktoker Nicole Chang Min put out a scorching hot take about our local drivers on a Tiktok that has since garnered over 94,000 views. The Tiktok opens with Nicole exclaiming that Singaporean drivers “sux” , saying that when she signals she is going to change lane, they often speed up to prevent her overtaking. (sorry for the play button guys, icon won’t disappear no matter what) She proceeds to ask why drivers must always “zham” on the gas and overtake her, as if letting her overtake will result in their deaths. Online chatter Public opinion is split depending on where you came across this video. Tiktok is surprisingly sympathetic, with others coming with their agreements. However, Facebook users suspect it being Nicole’s own fault for not being a good enough driver (basically skill issue but even less polite), or the other sort of stereotype about a specific sort of driver… Writer’s thoughts - Probably not her fault, our other articles should serve as adequate evidence. ========= Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

The Government is in the process of tightening controls on licensed moneylending in Singapore, but the changes couldn’t come sooner for Terence (not his real name) who has been drowning in debt for the past two years. He has been forking out S$4,000 a month, or 88 per cent of his take-home pay, to pay interest on a loan he took from a licensed moneylender. He agreed to speak to inSing about his problems on condition that he not be identified, because if his employers found out about his debt, he would lose his job. The 33-year-old is an honours degree holder and a white-collar professional. He estimates that he has paid out about S$70,000 in interest over two years on his original loan amount that was S$20,000. He has had to take up a second job, working weekday nights and over weekends so that he is able to pay his utility bills and to support himself. OVERSPENDING BEYOND MEANS His debt problem was seeded about 10 years ago, after he graduated from university and got a job. “My family has never been well-off, he said, "so when I started my first job and earned a proper salary, I suddenly felt like I was awash with cash. I started splurging.” He admits he was not very prudent with his money. He bought a car within six months and went on frequent holidays. When he went out with friends at night, he would order bottles of wine and pick up the tab for everyone. “The banks kept on sending me invitations to sign up for credit cards, and at one point, I was using 10 different credit cards. I lost track of my spending,” he said. He started incurring higher interest rates when he began using "cash advance", also a banking feature that comes with credit cards, allowing cardholders to spend first in advance and pay later. It comes with an effective interest rate of 24 per cent per year. “I thought I had it under control," Terence said, "because I had my year-end bonus to count on. Every time I splurged, I would tell myself never mind, I will throw in my bonus to repay my debts. But when the year-end interest came, there would be other things to splurge on, so the credit card bills continued to pile up." BURDEN INCREASED In his second year of full-time employment, Terence’s parents retired and he had to help pay their household utility bills. Together with his car loan payments and petrol usage, he had to set aside S$1,500 every month for these, nearly half of his take-home wages back then. “Fortunately, my parents now have monthly cash payouts from their CPF (Central Provident Fund, a national savings scheme) accounts so I do not need to support them,” he said. His girlfriend learnt about his situation and it resulted in a major fight. His credit card bills amounted to nearly a year of his salary. Soon, he cancelled all his credit cards, stopped going on holidays, and cut down on clubbing. He spent the next two years trying to pay off the banks. Towards the end of 2011, he received a writ of summons from two banks that threatened to take him to court over the remaining S$20,000 he owed them. MONEYLENDERS If Terence had gone to court, he would have lost his job. So out of desperation, he turned to licensed moneylenders. “A primary school classmate was working for a licensed moneylender and suggested that I borrow from them, so I took a loan of S$20,000. The interest rate was 12 per cent per month,” he said. The interest rate meant that Terence would have to repay S$2,400 every month in interests alone. “I am not stupid, I knew it was a lot to repay every month, but I really felt like I had no choice at that point in time. I didn’t want to lose my job. My plan was to endure it for six months and after that, borrow money from the banks again to pay off the moneylender,” he said. Six months later, his plan hit a snag. The banks refused to lend him any more money because of his poor credit rating. He then paid to get his credit bureau report and realised that he had been blacklisted by the banks, and would be allowed to get any loan after three years. Terence decided to "refinance" his loan with the moneylender by taking out a S$25,000 loan at a higher interest rate of 16 per cent a month. The principal amount of money owed to the moneylender also ballooned to S$30,000 due to a late-fee penalty of S$120 a day. CREDIT COUNSELLING If Terence had gone for credit counselling to work out a repayment plan with the banks, he would not be in this situation, but he did not know he could do this. He has been living “under immense stress” for the past two years, he said. His girlfriend broke up with him and he has no one to confide to about his problems. These days, Terence has a no-frills lifestyle. “I haven’t gone on holiday in two years. I eat most of my meals at home except for lunch at a hawker centre. I don’t spend on anything. My life is all work and then I go home. I have stopped going out with friends. My parents have also become frail, and that is an added reason for me to spend more time at home with them.” The silver lining is that because of all the time he spends at home, he has become closer to his parents. “They know about my debt, but they don’t have the financial ability to help me. I have spared them the details and told them that I can manage on my own,” he added. ONE FINAL LOAN He hopes he will be able to completely pay off the licensed moneylenders in six months’ time. His credit rating will be refreshed and he may take up bank loans at more manageable interest rates this time. Terence hopes his experience will serve as a warning for people who are overspending more than they can afford and rolling money on credit cards. He also advises against taking loans even from licensed moneylenders because “everything can quickly spiral out of control”. He said: “The current cap of 20 per cent on monthly interest rates is really too high. The cap should be lower. Lately, I have started to see these moneylenders set up branches in HDB (public housing) estates. I am worried that more people may make the same mistake that I did.” A check on the Insolvency and Public Trustee’s Office’s website showed that there are now 180 licensed moneylenders operating in Singapore and at least 25 operate within public housing estates. Terence hopes that the Government may provide more help for borrowers like him. He said: “I really pray that I will be given a second chance to get my finances and life in order. All I really need is a bank willing to take one more chance on me and provide me with a loan. My current situation is sucking the life out of me.” http://features.insing.com/feature/a-matter-of-life-and-debt/id-154a3101/ The interest rate charged by licnsed moneylender is not much dif from the illegal loan sharks. These so called licensed $ lenders are legal loan sharks. This guy pays a monthly interest of $2,400 for a loan of $20,000.00. And he has paid out about S$70,000 in interest over two years on his original loan amount that was S$20,000.

TL;DR - A man was caught driving under the influence (DUI) into Malaysia as his breathalyzer test exceeded the maximum alcohol limit for drink driving. Ever since the borders between Singapore and Malaysia reopened, there have been many incidents reported of Singaporeans getting up to mischief and/or displaying erratic behaviors. Here is just one of the many examples: One good egg does not make a dozen but one bad apple can spoil a barrel. What happened? A man was caught by the Malaysian police for drink driving into Malaysia. Netizens managed to ‘suss out’ and found that this man is a Singaporean as he was driving a SG-registered car (based on his car plate and in-vehicle unit). Under SG law, if you are convicted of drink driving, you can be fined up to $10,000 and jailed for up to a year for first-timers. Repeat offenders can be fined up to $20,000 and jailed for up to two years. Under Malaysia law, a person convicted of driving or attempting to drive whilst their alcohol level exceeds the prescribed limit, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for a maximum of 2 years and a fine of at least RM10,000 and not more than RM30,000. Upon conviction, the driver shall be disqualified from holding a driver’s license for at least two years. It is unclear which country would press charges against him, but either way, it's bad. Let’s hear from the netizens ‘Orbiquek’... (Singlish ver. of serves you right) Kudos to Malaysia's PDRM (a.k.a traffic police) for being so vigilant and arresting the man before he could cause any accident. Takeaway Remember to always make good decisions and plan ahead - if you know you're going to drink, don't drive! Drink and drive is a deadly mix - keep yourself and others around you safe. ========= Be the first to get the latest road/ COE news and get first dibs on exclusive promos and giveaways in our Telegram SGCM Community. Join us today!

Interesting proposition. What do you all think?

Source: https://mothership.sg/2022/05/singaporean-men-detained-johor-passports/ Three Singaporean men were allegedly detained for seven days in Johor and fined RM3,000 (S$942) each after their passports were found to be missing records of their entries into Malaysia, Shin Min Daily News (SMDN) reported. Events World Vision Charity Movie Screening: Catch an award-winning film with your BFF 25 June 2022 Golden Village VivoCity Follow us on Telegram for the latest updates: https://t.me/mothershipsg Three Singaporean men were allegedly detained for seven days in Johor and fined RM3,000 (S$942) each after their passports were found to be missing records of their entries into Malaysia, Shin Min Daily News (SMDN) reported. The father of one of the men, who declined to reveal his name, told SMDN that his son, together with four friends, had driven into Johor Bahru via Woodlands Checkpoint at around 11am on May 7. The group of men, whose ages range from 25 to 27, then toured around Johor and Kuala Lumpur for approximately five days. At the end of their trip, one of the men decided to fly back to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur International Airport, while the other four men proceeded to drive back to Singapore from Johor Bahru. While the former had no problem getting through immigration, the same could not be said for the other four men, who encountered a snag at the Johor checkpoint. Detained and handcuffed According to the father, when they tried driving back to Singapore at around 4pm on May 11, they were stopped by an officer at the customs booth, who pointed out that their passports had no record of them entering Malaysia as they were not stamped. The father received a call then from his son, who was shocked at the turn of events, and was desperately trying to get help. The father immediately called the Singapore Consulate-General in Johor Bahru for assistance, and was finally able to see his son two days later on May 13. He mentioned that he was sad to see his son in handcuffs when they met. Had not checked passports to see if they were stamped The father told SMDN that one of the four men was a Malaysian, and so he was allowed to go back to his home in Johor Bahru before coming back to the checkpoint to record a statement on May 16. His son, along with the other two men, who were Singapore permanent residents, were then detained for seven days and fined RM3,000 (S$942) each. They were eventually released on May 17. The father produced a ticket received by his son, which indicated that he was detained for illegal immigration under Section 6(1)(c) of the Malaysian Immigration Act 1959/63. The son told SMDN that they had tried explaining matters to the customs officer, but to no avail. "When we entered Johor through the checkpoint and got our passports back from the officer, we did not check to see if they were stamped," he said. Previously, a Singaporean family of six claimed they were asked for "kopi money" after they were accused of "illegal immigration" for their passports were not stamped by the customs officer. In response, Johor Chief Minister Onn Hafiz Ghazi said he will "get the necessary authorities to investigate" the matter.

AFP Somali pirates have seized a Singapore-flagged container ship in the Indian Ocean near the Seychelles, maritime sources told AFP. "The Singapore flagged and owned boxship Kota Wajar was seized around 550km north the Seychelles," said Andrew Mwangura, who heads the Kenyan chapter of East African Seafarers Assistance Program. Other maritime sources in the region confirmed the information. A maritime source in the area, who did not wish to be identified, said that the attack took place early on Thursday, 44km from the site of recent attacks on French tuna-fishing boats. He also said that the attack was only 330km from the Seychelles, inside the archipelago's exclusive economic zone. The maritime security centre of the European Union, which has an anti-piracy naval force patrolling waters affected by Somali piracy, also confirmed the hijacking. "During the early morning of October 15, 2009, a Singapore-flagged container ship KOTA WAJAR was hijacked in the Indian Ocean by pirates some 300 nautical miles (550km) north of the Seychelles," a statement said. "An EU NAVFOR maritime patrol aircraft was tasked to investigate the situation," it said, without providing further details. The latest hijacking brings to at least six the number of vessels in the hands of Somali pirates. The others include a Spanish trawler, a Taiwanese fishing vessel and Ukrainian, German and Turkish freighters. According to non-governmental observers Ecoterra International, at least 163 attacks have been carried out by Somali pirates since the start of 2009 alone, 47 of them successful hijackings. A flotilla of foreign warships has since last year been patrolling the Gulf of Aden, one of the busiest maritime trade routes on the globe, prompting pirates to hunt down their prey far out in the Indian Ocean. Experts had warned in recent days that dropping winds near the Seychelles had attracted pirates, who generally launch attacks from so-called "mother ships" with tiny skiffs.

Imagine driving on a busy street where parking is scarce, and you see a vacant parking lot a few cars in front of you. Every driver starts hoping and praying that the cars in front of them don’t take that parking lot. In this case, no one takes that lot. When you’re closer, you realise why. Uncle, why you so kiasu Some overgrown Smurf uncle is standing there reserving the lot for his friend/family/idgaf who. I’m sorry, but “Uncle, this isn’t some Kopitiam where you reserve a table with your tissue.” Here’s the video by SG Road Vigilante, so have a look yourself. Warning – the techno music in cam car might be a little loud for some. Cam car driver’s conversation Cam car driver winds down his window, and we can catch snippets of his conversation with Kiasu Uncle (It would have been a little clearer without the techno). Basic translation from Mandarin to English because my Mandarin CMI “Hello brother, cannot like that reserve parking lot” “My car come here first leh” The uncle replies that his friend/son's car is just behind, and the cam car drives off in a huff hurling a string of profanities that I will not translate here. What the people say Some people think there’s nothing wrong with this Some think otherwise Personally, I think this @#$% should be illegal unless Kiasu Uncle dresses as a tissue box then I've got nothing to say.

knn i no have About 1.6 million Singaporeans will receive letters informing them of their Budget 2014 benefits including the GST Voucher (GSTV) the GSTV Special Payments, the 5-Year Medisave top-up, and Service and Conservancy Charges (S&CC) rebates: MOF. PHOTOS GSTV - U-Save and Special Payment schedule. Source: MOF. ENLARGE CAPTION SINGAPORE: In the first week of July, about 1.6 million Singaporeans will receive letters informing them of their 2014 GST Voucher (GSTV), as well as other Budget 2014 benefits such as the 2014 GSTV Special Payments, the 5-Year Medisave top-up, as well as the Service and Conservancy Charges (S&CC) rebates, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said in a press release on Monday (June 30). Most Singaporeans will automatically receive their GSTV payouts and 5-Year Medisave top-ups, the MOF said. Those who have not signed up for past Government payouts and/or are not CPF members will receive letters informing them of the actions they need to take by Dec 31 to receive their benefits. The benefits are as follows: GSTV – CASH AND GSTV – CASH: SENIORS’ BONUS About 1.3 million Singaporeans will receive the GSTV – Cash on Aug 1. Of this group, about 660,000 Singaporeans aged 55 and above will also receive the GSTV – Cash: Seniors’ Bonus, which will see them receiving double the GSTV – Cash amount in 2014. The GSTV – Cash and GSTV – Cash: Seniors’ Bonus will cost the Government S$505 million, the MOF said. GSTV – MEDISAVE About 380,000 Singaporeans aged 65 and above will also receive the GSTV – Medisave top-up on Aug 1, at a cost to the Government of S$115 million. GSTV – U-SAVE AND GSTV – U-SAVE SPECIAL PAYMENT The regular GST Voucher – U-Save will be given out quarterly, the MOF said. In addition, a Special Payment will be given out in July 2014 and January 2015. These vouchers will offset utilities directly and cost the Government S$290 million in total. In July, 800,000 households will receive S$90 to S$195 each in rebates, depending on the type of flat they stay in. ADDITIONAL MEDISAVE TOP-UPS UNDER 5-YEAR MEDISAVE TOP-UP SCHEME As announced in Budget 2014, Singaporeans born on or before Dec 31, 1959 - in other words, those aged 55 and above in 2014 - and who do not enjoy Pioneer Generation benefits will receive Medisave top-ups of S$100 or S$200 annually over the next five years, the ministry said. About 530,000 Singaporeans will benefit at a cost to the Government of S$100 million. Those who stay in homes of Annual Value above S$13,000 or who own more than one property will receive S$100 a year. "The vast majority - those living in HDB flats who do not own more than one property - will get the higher top-up of S$200 a year," the MOF announced. More information on the GST Voucher can be found at www.gstvoucher.gov.sg. For more details on GSTV – Cash, GSTV – Medisave and the 5-Year Medisave top-up, call 1800 2222 888 or email [email protected]. For details on GSTV – U-Save, call 6671-7117 or email [email protected]. - CNA/es

From this video, one of the conclusions we can draw from it is when you have just been given a ticket by the parking officer, threatening him on whether he knows who you are or not isn't going to help you get out of trouble. As seen on SG Road Vigilante's recent post on 23rd of September 2020, the offender has just gotten a parking ticket along Sturdee Road North and can be seen trying to video down the whole confrontation with the officer who just gave him a ticket. Obviously not that good at redeeming himself, the owner of the video tries to 'put pressure' on the officer by asking him whether 'he knows who he is?' and claiming that the officer is less clear about the laws than him. If you are curious as to what happens next, catch the video below and let us know how you would react if you happen to be in such a situation.

By mean of fault lines, I am not referring to NSL, EWL, NEL, CCL, DTL, etc. (we are seeing less service disruption lately right?) Neither am I referring to any new geographical discovery that might put us at risk of natural disasters such as earthquake or volcano eruption, but... Majority now aware of race, religious issues, but study flags new fault lines A large majority of Singaporeans are aware of the seriousness of race and religious issues, and feel the Government has done enough to manage these divisions. But fault lines have emerged on class, immigration and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights, where more Singaporeans, especially younger ones, want to see greater state involvement and public discourse. These emerging issues, if mismanaged, are also seen to affect Singaporeans' trust in the Government the most, compared with race and religion. These and other findings from a study of public opinion on fault lines in Singapore, carried out by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), were released yesterday. Besides Dr Mathews, the other researchers were IPS research associate Melvin Tay and research assistant Shanthini Selvarajan. Based on a survey of about 4,000 citizens and permanent residents last year, the study noted that about a third of the respondents identified race and religion as having the potential to result in violence in Singapore if not managed properly - significantly more so than class, immigration and LGBT issues. Yet only about a quarter tied race and religion to trust in the state and politicians, compared with almost 40 per cent who said trust levels in the Government would likely fall if class and immigration issues are mismanaged. Close to half of both younger and older respondents felt there should be more state involvement in immigration, reflecting possible higher levels of xenophobia and job insecurity in recent times, regardless of age, said the researchers. These results could mean that citizens now accord the Government more responsibility to do more to manage class differences and immigration issues, they added. "People may feel that the Government already has clear policies and frameworks that are fairly robust when it comes to race and religion. But perhaps for immigration, socio-economic status and LGBT issues, people might want the state to be more involved in managing those issues," said IPS senior research fellow Mathew Mathews. This is unlike in the early years after independence, when the focus was on surviving communal politics. YOUTH LESS KEEN ON MORE GOVT INTERVENTION ON RACE AND RELIGION Just over a fifth of young people aged between 18 and 25 surveyed wanted more state involvement in race issues, compared with one-third of those aged above 65. Similar results were observed for religion. This could be due to the lived experiences of the older generation, who experienced the Maria Hertogh and 1964 race riots, said researchers. The former took place in 1950, after a court decided that a child who had been raised by Muslims should be returned to her Catholic biological parents. In 1964, clashes took place between the Malays and Chinese amid rising ethnic and political tensions. For older Singaporeans, these events drove home the need for a robust state apparatus to intervene and keep the peace, added the researchers. Significantly more Malays and Indians (about 40 per cent each) wanted greater state involvement in race issues than Chinese (24 per cent) - a sign that ethnic minorities are more likely to perceive or experience discrimination than the majority. A similar trend was seen for religion. In addition, people of minority races with a university degree and above desired more state intervention than their less-educated counterparts, showing that increased education results in greater awareness of, and desire to resolve, racial and religious issues, said the study. MINORITY RACES, YOUTH MORE LIKELY TO PROBE POTENTIAL DISCRIMINATION When asked how they would respond after getting an e-mail or phone message that a business had refused to serve people from a certain race or religion, nearly half of both Malays and Indians said they were likely to investigate the issue, compared with 37 per cent of Chinese. About 30 per cent each of Malays and Indians were also more likely to take the allegation seriously by reporting it to the authorities, compared with 13 per cent of Chinese. Younger Singaporeans would also be more proactive in tracing the source of such a message, with two-thirds saying they would check with their friend who sent it, compared with only half of respondents aged 65 and above. This could be because younger people aged 18 to 25 are more sensitive and concerned about discrimination. Being digital natives, they are likely to investigate matters further, said the study. Overall, the study showed that an overwhelming 92 per cent of respondents believed the Government had done well to improve racial and religious harmony. An example of vigorous state intervention to combat social divides, it said, can be seen in the area of religion - where a range of hard and soft legislation like the Internal Security Act, Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act, and the Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circles has prevented potential discord and wider conflict. But while seven in 10 aged above 65 agreed that the Government is responsible for racial and religious harmony in Singapore, only half of respondents aged 18 to 25 felt this way, it added. The researchers said this shows older Singaporeans may attribute greater responsibility to the state, or believe these fault lines are most effectively managed by strong government intervention. But going forward, younger generations could prefer a more community-driven approach to race and religion. Aiyah, why waste time and $$$ to conduct such survey, just sit at neighborhood coffee shop, food court, or even surfing HWZ, MCF, etc. will get you the same results. May I add that this is a typical example of people at the top loosing touch with people on the ground...

SINGAPORE - It's the stuff of dreams. Growing up and watching colourful, larger-than-life wrestlers like The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Chris Jericho beat up their opponents on television was a ritual for many kids in Singapore. Now for three Singaporeans, this could soon be reality. Andruew Tang, Sean "Trexxus" Tan and Lee Xin Yi were recently invited by WWE for tryouts in Shanghai. The trio are mainstays from home-grown wrestling promotion Singapore Pro Wrestling (SPW). They were among the 40 athletes handpicked from Asian countries including China, Thailand, the Philippines and Japan to attend the four-day trial. Those selected will win a coveted WWE developmental contract. Tang, 30, who helped co-found SPW in 2012, has been wrestling for seven years. Better known by his in-ring moniker "The Statement", Tang said, "It was crazy. It was very surreal to see head coach Matt Bloom (better known to fans as A-Train) in the ring giving advice to trainees. There were so many things to learn during the tryouts." With an opportunity of a lifetime at stake, there was little room for error. Attendees were put through multiple exercise drills, both indoors and outdoors, and were also shown the ropes in the ring. Tan, 23, who stands at 1.83m tall, said, "It was really fun. It really gave us the chance to understand what it's like to be a WWE superstar. For me, I enjoyed it very much because being in the ring is my passion." FIRST LOCAL FEMALE WRESTLER Dubbed Singapore's first female pro-wrestler, Lee, 24, is better known as Alexis Lee in the squared circle. Overcoming parental objections was something she had to deal with since she started wrestling in 2013. "My parents still object to it. Sadly, they did not want me to do it. But now they have new found respect for Andruew, Trexxus and I," said Lee, who's just completed her degree in international business management. Tang, who has wrestled in 11 countries to date, is optimistic about his chances of making the cut. "I did my best. I think I stand a pretty good chance." Tan is more modest. "I don't want to keep my hopes up too high. I would rather not think about it," he said.

This young Singapore boy do us proud in US invention Convention 2019! [THUMBSUP] Award Name Invention Country Kindergarden: 1st Place Charles Smith Benge Beacon United States Kindergarden: 2nd Place Chua Howe Run Night Patch Singapore http://inventionconvention.org/blog/2019/06/05/2019-invention-convention-u-s-nationals-award-winner/ https://www.zaobao.com.sg/zvideos/news/story20190721-974305?fbclid=IwAR18cTlrn02OBUKrlYW8SrFEHECflT1_sP0tdv3hSvos_UchCw3P3zVn9vc

Singaporean children at higher risk of speech and language delays due to excessive screen time https://www.asiaone.com/digital/singaporean-children-higher-risk-speech-and-language-delays-due-excessive-screen-time?xtor=EREC-16-4%5BEmarsys_Newsletter%5D-20190724&extid=6934d0cfb7b252f1ae9f0dbddf5ff88ca8637e77 In today’s increasingly digitised landscape, it’s nigh-impossible to escape the harsh white light emanating from the screens of electronic displays. It’s harder than ever before for the kids of today not to get exposed to internet-connected gizmos from a tender young age. Unless they’re living off-grid, that is. It’s something that speech and language therapist Ng Jia Yue expressed concerns about with AsiaOne. A senior specialist at SBCC Child Development Centre, the therapist is familiar with how increased screen time can contribute to behavioural problems in young children — delays in the development of speech and language, in particular. “Language delay refers to the difficulties a child has in understanding what others say and/or communicating with others,” she explained. Speech delay, on the other hand, refers to the difficulties a child has in producing speech sounds accurately, making the child difficult to understand. According to Ng, symptoms include (and are not limited to) being unable to simply convey their needs, unable to talk by two-years-old, having poor pronunciation of words, and with a preference for gestures instead of speech. “Some children may also show behavioural problems as they are frustrated when they are unable to express themselves properly,” she mentioned. With Singapore's massive internet penetration and mobile app usage rates, should parents here pay more attention to the time spent by their kids with devices? The answer is a resounding yes, obviously. Read on below to see what Ng has to say about weaning children off screens. How are these delays linked to increased screen time? A study has revealed that for children between ages six and 24 months, each 30-minute increase in handheld screen time is linked to a 49 per cent increased risk of developing expressive speech delays. This means that the ability to communicate using words and sentences may be delayed. Particularly within Singapore, a large proportion of Singaporean children are using screen devices and screen time is on the rise, from 60 to 120 minutes among children between the ages of six months and 24 months. This is significantly higher than the World Health Organisation’s recommended guidelines. Studies suggest that excessive screen time is linked to speech and language delays because face-to-face social interaction is vital to the development of language and other skills. Spending time on the screen may lead to less time for play and social interaction. So, there are fewer opportunities for developing important foundational language skills such as turn-taking. Screen-based interaction is not an effective substitute for interpersonal interaction and stifles the child’s ability to develop communication skills, pick up vocabulary, and gain confidence in expressing themselves. Do late talkers eventually catch up with their peers? Between 70 to 80 per cent of late talkers seem to catch up with peers by school-going age. These children are sometimes referred to as "late bloomers" because they appear to catch up with peers eventually. However, research has shown that these children may still continue to have difficulties in some language and literacy skills (such as reading, writing and listening comprehension), some skills related to language (such as social skills, planning and organising information, perspective taking) and how the brain processes speech. There are also the 20 to 30 per cent of late talkers who do not grow out of their language delay. Hence, if a language delay is suspected, it is important to seek the advice of a speech-language therapist to determine if intervention is necessary. How should screen time be handled? Parents should limit their child’s screen time based on their needs and ensure that screen time does not affect their sleep and daily activities. The World Health Organisation recommends controlled screen time for children under five. Namely: Watching screened devices is not recommended for children aged one-year-old and below. No more than one hour of screen time per day, for children aged two to four years old. Any screen time given to children should also be curated and supervised by parents. Parents can also help build on what they have watched by discussing what their child has watched, such as discussing what happened in the video and helping children to relate it to real life. However, more time should still be allocated for children to be engaged in active play or interactions. What are some methods parents can use to nurture their children’s speech and language development? Parents should always try to engage with their children through play, toys, verbal communication or conversations, reading books, and hands-on activities instead of electronic gadgets. This personal interaction will significantly help develop the child’s cognitive and language skills, as well as develop sensorimotor and visual-motor skills. As the child gets older, it’s also important to sustain the interaction and communication by sharing in the child’s interests and engaging with the child through their interests. This helps to build the child’s confidence in expressing themselves and communicating with others. [email protected]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOW5xR5O_tY The man seem to be "an employee in this place need to service the chinese". if the chinese is disgusting just ignore them let them wait (service lasped) since they say "they dun want to be service by him, act smart plant the camera purposely provoke the 2 women hopping to capture "good stuff" against the china women... in the end own ego bruise sad case. scratch head...... why??? you judge and share your opinion no right or wrong more like how will you handle this situation. EQ factor

Singaporean Peter Lim to build RM3b Johor race track Reports have emerged from across the Causeway that Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim is into a RM3 billion (S$1.2 billion) race track project in Johor

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/australianz/father-and-son-in-australia-drown-saving-tourist-near-popular-spot-the-twelve Father and son in Australia drown saving tourist near popular spot Twelve Apostles MELBOURNE (AFP) - A father and son life-saving team drowned while trying to save a tourist swept out to sea near one of Australia's most famous sights off the south coast, officials said on Monday (April 22). Mr Ross Powell, 71, and his son Andrew, 32, died on Sunday after their life-saving boat overturned in the surf during the rescue of a 30-year-old man near the Twelve Apostles, a series of massive limestone stacks situated off the Victoria state coast. The tourist, whose nationality and name have not been released, had been wading at the mouth of a river when he got into trouble. He was winched from the water alongside a third lifesaver from the boat, who was seriously injured, by a rescue helicopter and taken to hospital, Victoria Police said. The bodies of the Powells were found in the water shortly after. The tragedy has rocked the small tourist town of Port Campbell where the two men came from, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison leading the tributes. "Surf lifesavers are selfless & brave. We thank them all for their service & extend our deepest sympathies to Ross & Andrew's family & friends," Mr Morrison tweeted on Monday. Surf Lifesaving Victoria president Paul James hailed the pair as heroes, and said the conditions had been rough and "not the place to be swimming". "It's just terrible, it's heartbreaking," he told reporters in an emotional press conference of the death of the dairy farmers and experienced volunteer lifesavers. "I understand the boat was operating in a 2m swell, so a very high swell, and we know that it is very treacherous down there... These brave people, these heroes, have gone out to try and help." Ms Amber Griffiths, the partner of Andrew and who local media reported was pregnant with their second child, wrote about her heartbreak on Facebook. "Today we lost two of the most beautiful people to ever exist - always putting others first," she wrote. "The love of my life, light of my life, father of my baby girl. My heart is broken. I miss you Andrew Powell."