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Showing content with the highest reputation on 12/05/21 in all areas

  1. http://sofra.sg/ Think last time they are located at shaw leisure gallery if i'm not wrong.
    2 points
  2. SINGAPORE - Households that buy electricity at wholesale market rates have found themselves with larger-than-usual bills for the month of October. As the wholesale electricity price fluctuates every half-hour, the higher volatility of the market that month had driven up the average cost of electricity for households on these plans. More from AsiaOneRead the condensed version of this story, and other top stories with NewsLite. They saw the average wholesale market rate shoot up to almost 50 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in October - the month the energy crisis was felt worldwide, including in Singapore. The rate was about 16 cents per kWh in September. Several electricity retailers folded in October as a result of their inability to hedge against the price volatility on the spot market. These retailers work by buying electricity on the wholesale market and selling it in "package deals" to households. One affected consumer, Ms Catherine Chee, a 23-year-old auditor, saw her monthly electricity bill more than double to $449 from the usual $188. She has been paying for electricity at wholesale prices for about nine months. "My consumption remained the same," she said, adding that electricity grid operator SP Group, which allows people to pay for electricity at wholesale prices, should have informed customers about the price increase. "This is daylight robbery during the pandemic," added Ms Chee, a Malaysian. "Life is tough when you need to send money back home (and) pay for the increase in electricity bill," she said. Another customer, Mr Derrick Goh, 40, said the electricity bill doubled for one of his apartments and trebled for another. Added the marketing professional: "It's a shock to have such a hike. Even though we have had some savings from the wholesale plan earlier, we do not really save much after all after factoring in the recent hike." OCBC Bank economist Howie Lee told The Straits Times that most consumers here have been cushioned from electricity price volatility as they are on the regulated tariff rate or have standard price plans. "Only a small minority are on the wholesale price plan, and this group may experience larger price volatility compared with those on regulated tariffs," he added. Most households in Singapore buy their electricity from grid operator SP Group at the regulated tariff, which is currently 25.8 cents per kWh until the end of this month, or from electricity retailers that offer fixed-rate plans, or a discount off the regulated tariff. The half-hourly energy price in the Singapore Wholesale Electricity Market is referred to as the Uniform Singapore Energy Price (Usep). This changes based on demand and supply factors. For instance, the wholesale rate could rise if there is an increase in electricity demand, or if there is an outage at a power generating unit. Based on SP Group's website, the half-hourly prices in February 2019 ranged between 14.32 cents and 155.83 cents per kWh. But over the past year, the Usep has been creeping up. In December last year, the monthly average Usep was about eight cents per kWh. It was about 10 cents in March and June, and reached 16 cents in September. In October, however, it went up to about 49 cents, before falling back to 23 cents in November. Energy economist David Broadstock, a senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Energy Studies Institute, told ST that the extreme wholesale market prices in October were not sustained for the whole month, and that the higher prices were mainly experienced in the first half. Asked reasons for the volatility, he pointed to the global energy crunch. From around end-September, the world entered a global gas crunch, driven by multiple factors, including higher demand from post-pandemic economic activity and the need for heating during winter months. Yet, at the same time, severe weather events and a series of gas production outages have disrupted supplies of the fuel. More than 95 per cent of Singapore's electricity is generated by burning natural gas. All of this is imported, either through pipes from neighbouring countries or in liquefied form from all over the world. Dr Broadstock said: "The global energy crunch has not yet dissipated. As such, the generation side of the power market, which needs to source natural gas from the international markets, still suffers heightened cost uncertainty." Wholesale market outcomes likely reflect this, he added, as power generators have to charge higher prices to reflect the higher input costs they currently have to or are expecting to pay. OCBC's Mr Lee said the energy crunch has resulted in increased volatility in Usep beginning in October, with more spikes in prices. He noted that households may be feeling the impact now as they have probably just received their October bill.
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  3. Laos is set to open a $6 billion Chinese-built railway on Friday, with debt concerns balanced against hopes it could boost the reclusive nation's struggling economy. The 414-kilometre (260-mile) route took five years to construct under China's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative. Analysts have acknowledged the potential economic boost, but have queried how infrastructure-poor Laos will pay its $1.06 billion debt -- and whether it is ready to exploit the state-of-the-art transport system. But Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said Wednesday the "flagship project" would give a "boost to Laos' strategy to convert itself from a landlocked country to a land-linked hub". President Thongloun Sisoulith is expected to hold virtual talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday, with both due to deliver speeches at the official opening ceremony. The route will connect the Chinese city of Kunming to the Laotian capital Vientiane, with grand plans for high-speed rail to ultimately snake down through Thailand and Malaysia to Singapore. The communist-run country of 7.2 million people previously had only four kilometres of railway tracks. But now sleek red, blue and white bullet trains will speed along the new line at up to 160 kmh (100 mph), passing through 75 tunnels and across 167 bridges, stopping at 10 passenger stations. Passenger services are expected to begin on Saturday, state media reported, although only for those fully vaccinated against Covid. A Buddhist ceremony was held on Thursday to bless the new railway, with Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh banging a gong nine times to bring good luck, the Laotian Times reported. - 'Game changer' - Laos took a battering in the pandemic with economic growth declining to 0.4 percent in 2020, the lowest level in three decades, according to the World Bank. Hopes for a 2021 rebound were dashed when the country locked down as it registered more than 76,000 infections in the past eight months. The railway could boost Laos' economy, but the government needed to undertake substantial reforms -- including improving its border management systems, a World Bank report noted. But the project could be an economic "game changer", according to Bangkok Bank chief economist Burin Adulwattana. "I don't look at it as China trying to bankrupt Laos... it's not a Trojan Horse strategy. I think it's going to be a win-win situation," he said. But there is little transparency around how Laos will fund its debt, Australian National University lecturer Greg Raymond said. A World Bank report noted "funding of the existing public infrastructure program looks increasingly unsustainable". Raymond noted the railway is a huge test for the country's mostly agricultural subsistence-based economy, which doesn't have a big merchant class. "The issue for Laos is whether their economy... their private sector is positioned to take advantage of this transport system," Raymond told AFP.
    1 point
  4. Pritam Singh Asked Raeesah To “Substantiate” Anecdote Before Speech, Comment Was Not Understood Pritam Singh Left “Substantiate?” Comment On Raeesah Khan’s False Anecdote On Friday (3 Dec) night, footage of Ms Raeesah Khan’s hearing with the Committee of Privileges (COP) was shared on YouTube. For many, the most shocking revelation had to do with the Workers’ Party (WP) leaders’ apparent advice for Ms Khan to “continue the narrative”, after she shared false information in Parliament. During the hearing, Ms Khan also shed light on WP’s pre-parliamentary vetting process, and in particular, how WP chief Pritam Singh had initially asked her to substantiate the false anecdote. Source However, Ms Khan apparently did not understand what he meant and did not respond to the WP chief’s comment. Raeesah Khan didn’t reply to Pritam Singh’s “substantiate?” comment During the COP hearing on Thursday (2 Dec), Ms Khan said she had submitted a draft of the 3 Aug speech on an internal portal that’s accessible by all sitting WP MPs. This came after Minister Edwin Tong, who sits on the Committee of Privileges, made reference to a post by former WP Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) Daniel Goh. The post shared that WP MPs would typically review each others’ speeches before they are delivered in Parliament. Source WP MPs were apparently required to submit their speeches about a week before their delivery in Parliament. However, in the case of the speech made on 3 Aug, Ms Khan said she submitted the draft late — 2 days before the sitting. The false anecdote that she shared was also not included in the draft initially — it was only added a day before the sitting. Despite the late amendment, the anecdote was flagged by Mr Singh who circled the section and commented “substantiate?”. However, at the point, Ms Khan said that she did not understand what Mr Singh meant. Ms Khan also did not reply to Mr Singh’s comment. Following Ms Khan’s speech on 3 Aug, Mr Singh was apparently disappointed with the fact that she did “not understand” or find the comment “important”. Ms Khan can be heard sharing the above points from about the 1:04:25 mark of this video. Pitam Singh said vetting process did not fail During a press conference held on 2 Dec, WP chief Pritam Singh also highlighted the fact that Ms Khan was told to substantiate the anecdote included in her 3 Aug speech. He added that the vetting process had not failed, given that it had ‘picked up’ the anecdote in question. Nonetheless, Mr Singh said there are lessons to be learnt from this episode. He also stressed the importance of being “acute, specific, and objective-oriented” when raising matters in Parliament. Hope COP gets to the bottom of this Providing false accounts and information in Parliament is a serious matter. Though the false anecdote eventually made its way to Parliament, it’s heartening that the vetting process had helped flag it out initially. Nonetheless, we hope Ms Khan recognises the gravity of the situation and that the COP will get to the bottom of the whole incident soon.
    1 point
  5. Yes, dis. Btw Kgb aunty, y dun chiu post moar in my Winning Thread? Dun chiu wanna b a Core Member of My Winning Team?
    1 point
  6. when laos will need to start paying back then we talk. ahahahah
    1 point
  7. https://www.facebook.com/officialbenshapiro/videos/442636360872721
    1 point
  8. Food Junction Was Sole Air-Con Food Court In Bugis Area Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Singaporeans are almost used to seeing many of our favourite F&B haunts shutting down for good. However, besides restaurants and hawker stalls, even food courts aren’t immune from calling it a day. The latest casualty is the Food Junction food court at Bugis Junction, which has already closed permanently. Source Closed as of 3 Dec The sad news was revealed in a Facebook post on Friday (3 Dec) by Food Junction. Source They said they had a good run, but had to shut down “with great sadness”. The company also thanked customers for their patronage over the years. Source The food court has been there since the mall opened in 1995. Unique food court Located on the 3rd floor, the food court was unique for being incorporated into the architecture of Bugis Junction. If you get a good seat, you could dine overlooking the air-conditioned shopping street below. Source It was also the only air-conditioned food court in the Bugis area, as Bugis+ doesn’t have one. The next nearest food court is at Bras Basah Complex, and the nearest Food Junction is at Raffles City – 1 MRT stop away. Safe distancing measures limit seats available While the post didn’t give a reason for the closure, safe distancing measures due to Covid-19 have severely limited the number of seats available for patrons. Some food courts have even ended up falling afoul of the rules and being punished with a suspension of dine-in. Also, as their food is more expensive than that of hawker centres, it doesn’t make sense for patrons to dapao from food courts when they can get similar but cheaper fare from hawkers. Source When MS News visited the food court on 27 Nov just a week before the closure, no seats could be found despite the premises only being half-full of patrons. Many tables were empty and cordoned off due to safe distancing measures. No update on the vacated space Bugis Junction hasn’t revealed whether another food court will take over the vacated space, or if it will be converted to another type of shop. However, at least for the time being, shoppers won’t be able to eat at an air-conditioned food court in the Bugis area. We’ll miss the Food Junction, and it’ll be added to the list of shuttered local food havens that are probably victims of the pandemic. But we’ll also look forward to finding out what will come next, and hope they’ll be able to cope with the new normal.
    1 point
  9. Those who frequent Hong Lim Market & Food centre would probably have come across Mian Zhuang, a humble ban mian stall set up by 29-year-old Jonathan Chng and 26-year-old Vanessa Ong. In 2019, the young couple left their stable corporate jobs — Jonathan was a currency broker while Vanessa was a logistics executive — to pursue their dream of running their own business. More from AsiaOneRead the condensed version of this story, and other top stories with NewsLite. Unfortunately, shortly after Mian Zhuang opened, the pandemic hit and both their business and relationship suffered. Eventually, apart from agreeing to break off their engagement and end their relationship, they also decided to shutter the stall. Its last day in operation was Nov 27. While the decision evidently wasn't an easy one to make, Jonathan chooses to look on the brighter side of things. "If you don't try, you would not know," he tells AsiaOne over a phone call and shares that he has no regrets in setting up the business. Back when Mian Zhuang was still in operation. PHOTO: Facebook/Mian Zhuang But despite gaining some valuable experience from running Mian Zhuang, Jonathan admits that he did feel the pinch, especially since he sunk about $62,000 into the business. "It's a very expensive lesson," he bluntly says. And those weren't Jonathan's only takeaways — he also learnt that starting a business with your partner is no walk in the park. When asked if the venture had played a part in the couple's decision to break off the engagement, he didn't hesitate to say that it was a "huge factor". "Working together, being together with someone for a long time and staying together is on a different level," Jonathan elaborates. "Disagreements and abrasions are really inevitable and can occur on a daily basis". He also shares that when a couple starts a business together, the main objective is undoubtedly money and things can go very sour when you're not making money. "Both people are drawing money from the same income and wishing for financial freedom from the same source. But if it doesn't happen, everybody gets upset." Starting a business with your partner? Jonathan shares his advice Having been through so much over the past 23 months the stall has been in operation, it isn't surprising that Jonathan has a few nuggets of wisdom to impart to couples who are considering starting a business together. "One has to give in to the other, if not, you'll be fighting every day," he wisely says and advises that couples should try to find ways to come to a compromise. To keep both their business and personal relationships healthy, Jonathan also suggests that couples shouldn't shy away from thorny topics like targets, capital and how much money each individual is willing to lose. Additionally, a mutually-agreed end goal and timeline should be put in place and if the business does not work out during this period, the couple should agree to scratch the idea before they incur more losses. Any monetary losses should also be settled clearly between both parties before they can hit the restart button and carry on with life. "There will be no disagreements because the numbers have all been said beforehand and you can quickly make an exit," Jonathan explains. He also adds that people usually avoid bringing up such topics during the earlier stages of the business because they don't want to be "a wet blanket". "But it's something you can't avoid," he says. "So you might as well make it clear before it doesn't work out and you end up fighting". Future plans While Mian Zhuang's physical store may be gone, Jonathan hasn't given up on the brand just yet. For now, he still plans on selling some of Mian Zhuang's products, starting off with their chilli sauce. In the future, he also hopes to work as a supplier and sell the brand's handmade noodles to other ban mian stores in Singapore. PHOTO: Facebook/Mian Zhuang Additionally, he tells us there may even be a chance that the business will make a comeback with a physical store once the Covid-19 situation stabilises. And if that does come to fruition, he intends on running it differently from the original stall based on the lessons he's learnt the hard way. "The next profit margin has to be healthier than it was before, so the prices will definitely increase. But we'll still provide the same top quality food and not compromise on any of the ingredients." While it all sounds like plenty of work for just one person, Jonathan says that he wants to do it himself without the help of Vanessa or anyone else. "Experience has taught me that disagreements are inevitable, so why not just be alone and be the decision maker so that there won't be any other conflicts?"
    1 point
  10. LOL study which school one i tot all schs are good school?
    1 point
  11. wow... JSKM... your daddy let you stay out so late? did you ton overnight with your friends?
    1 point
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