The_King

Long before Americans discovered FOMO — the fear of missing out —Singaporeans were fixated with its more excessive forebear, kiasu. Taken from the Chinese dialect Hokkien, kiasu translates to a fear of losing out, but encompasses any sort of competitive, stingy or selfish behavior commonly witnessed in this highflying city-state. If you stand in line for hours just because there’s a gift at the end, then you’re kiasu. If you claim a spot at a table at a busy food court with a packet of tissues while you wander off in search of grub, you’re kiasu. If you’re a parent who volunteers hours of your free time at a school just so your offspring has a better chance of enrolling there one day, then you’re most definitely kiasu. It’s a survival instinct born out of Singapore’s dominant Chinese culture and deep-rooted insecurity as a blip on the map, one that’s only slightly bigger than the San Fernando Valley. Letting opportunity pass is tantamount to failure, the thinking goes. And if you do, you have no one to blame but yourself. “The national narrative is that we are a small country in a very large world,” said Shiao-yin Kuik, a former nominated member of Parliament, an honorary position. “We have very limited resources. If we don’t fight for our own future, no one else will.” Kiasu (pronounced kee-ah-sue) embodies a sort of unofficial national character, not unlike Japan’s harmonious wa or Britian’s stoic stiff upper lip. It’s an inescapable aspect of life in this country of 5.6 million that drives people to try and outdo one another. “It was inculcated in me since I was young,” said Rachel Yeo, 24, a senior studying journalism at the National University of Singapore. “Nothing short of the best was expected of me.” Yeo’s neighborhood growing up boasted one of the top primary schools in Singapore, Rosyth School. To ensure a place there, Yeo’s mother had to compile hours of volunteer work. At least twice a week, she read to students at the school before heading to work. Doing anything less risked losing her daughter’s place to someone else. “She’s a tiger mom,” said Yeo, who was also enrolled in rigorous after-school tutoring programs, a private industry that has grown into a $1-billion business here because of the parental arms race. The volunteer system in schools breeds another layer of competition. Parents complain about other parents who have exceeded their quota for hours, but continue to hog opportunities to volunteer. “People feel like others have to lose in order to win,” said Donald Low, a closely-followed economist and former public official. Foreign policy in Singapore isn’t immune to kiasu either. The feeling of vulnerability it engenders helps explain Singapore’s outsize spending on defense, which at over $10 billion, is more than that of any other country in Southeast Asia. The dread of having someone steal your lunch could also be driving Singapore’s hardening stance against Malaysia in a territorial dispute over a sliver of airspace and sea between the two countries. “Politicians were openly calling for people to stand up and defend the nation over what seems to be technical differences,” said Ja Ian Chong, a political scientist at the National University of Singapore. “That the state and Singaporeans were ready to treat the issue as existential suggested a deep sense of fear,” he added. For an earlier generation, that fear propelled Singapore’s improbable success after it broke away from Malaysia in 1965 to later become one of the richest countries in the world on a per capita basis. But a fear of losing can also trigger paralysis when it comes to risk-taking. Kuik, the former member of parliament, said Singaporeans today need to be inspired and not cowered. “There’s a stronger desire to move beyond” Singapore’s origin story, she said, “and really try to explore a larger story, not driven by fear, but ambition.” There are modest signs of a kiasu backlash, including last year when a small group of parents formed “Life Beyond Grades,” an organization that seeks to relieve academic pressure on children to focus on their wider well-being. It’s an uphill struggle. Singaporeans are exceptionally self-aware of their reputation — even without reminding from their traditional Malaysian rivals, who are prone to calling the country Kiasuland. A survey released last year by the Institute of Policy Studies, a local think tank, found that Singaporeans perceived their society to be kiasu more than any other trait. One of the country’s most famous comic strips was centered on a bespectacled character named Mr. Kiasu. The 1990s series featured titles such as “Everything Also Must Grab” and “Everything Also Number One.” Giant, a local supermarket chain, ran a contest in 2017 to determine which neighborhood was the most kiasu. The winner, an eastern town called Tampines, impressed with a high percentages of residents admitting to excessively pressing the crosswalk button. They also fessed up in large numbers to reserving tables at busy coffee shops with a tissue packet or umbrella rather than more considerately ordering their food first and then finding a place to sit — a widespread practice known in Singlish as chope (You can also chope a parking space by having someone stand in it). Giant reportedly rewarded Tampines residents with free drinks, ice cream and more tissue packets for choping. There’s “an ambivalence about being kiasu,” said Chong, the political scientist. “On one hand, there are Singaporeans who wear it like a mark of national character, even pride. Others laugh at it, and still others see being kiasu as being a bit of an embarrassment due to the over-the-top behavior it can encourage.” Nowhere is that more obvious than in Singapore’s queuing culture. The fear of losing out has created a herd mentality when it comes to lines, especially at the city’s famous open-air food courts, known as hawker centers. “When you see a queue snaking, it means the food must be good, that it’s something you should try,” said Yeo, the journalism student. “I just returned from visiting Taiwan and saw long lines for food. Half the people were Singaporean.” Some lines are still talked about today, like the time when thousands of Singaporeans thronged outside McDonald’s restaurants in a kiasu-crazed bid to score free Hello Kitty toys. The pull to line up has even inspired a business, iQueue. The service, which is similar to errand apps such as TaskRabbit, gets up to 50 requests a month to stand in line for things such as boba tea or concert tickets to see the band BTS. Justin Zheng, a manager at the company, said he queued in line for 12 hours outside a prestigious art class last month for parents who wanted to register their elementary-school-aged child. Zheng arrived at 7 p.m. the night before the doors opened and still found someone ahead of him in line. By midnight, there were 100 in line. By the next morning, he estimates there were twice as many people. The parents next to him weren’t even taken aback that Zheng didn’t have any kids and was hired to be there. Instead, they took down his number. Anything to gain an edge, they told him. “It’s in our blood,” said Zheng, who was paid $110 to line up for half a day. “You realize you have to work harder to be earlier than the next guy.” https://www.latimes.com/world/asia/la-fg-singapore-kiasu-fomo-20190118-story.html

About this Giveaway Play the game for 5 minutes to activate it and keep it forever on your GameSessions account. You will see an activation message when you have done so. Online Contract mode no longer available on any service as central server has been shut down. Other elements of gameplay are not affected by this. https://www.gamesessions.com/en/Game/HitmanAbsolution

From pineapple tarts shaped like piglet heads and Chinese pastries stuffed with mochi, here’s our pick of the festive season’s most munch-able delights. (Photo: Paradise Group) No matter how heaving our Chinese New Year (CNY) snack trolley, there’s always room for more (it’s all in the spirit of abundance, you see). Especially when each year, restaurants and bakeries all over the island dream up ever more delicious treats to tempt our already exploding calorie count. The following is a list of some of this year’s scrumptious offerings that we’d love to sink our teeth into. LEMONGRASS EARL GREY PINEAPPLE TARTS FROM SPRMRKT (Photo: SPRMRKT) These little nuggets of shortcrust pastry are infused with earl grey tea, imbuing them with a floral fragrance. Within each holds a generous filling of pineapple jam kissed with the citrusy tang of lemongrass. Each 600g bottle for S$38. Available from Jan 21 at SPRMKT outlets. sprmrkt.com.sg LUNAR NEW YEAR YUZU PANDAN CHIFFON CAKE FROM ANDAZ SINGAPORE (Photo: Andaz Singapore) Beneath its festive, red glaze sits a fluffy pandan chiffon cake sandwiching a softly tangy yuzu mousse and orange drizzle. It’s a lovely reinterpretation of a classic confection that we all know and love. Small for S$5.50, medium for S$18, and S$38 for large. andazshop.oddle.me GOLDEN YAM MOCHI FROM THYE MOH CHAN (Photo: Thye Moh Chan) This festive addition to Thye Moh Chan’s collection of traditional Teochew pastries boasts a luscious yam filling that harbours a heart of chewy, black sugar mochi. All that is enrobed in a friable, buttery pastry that crumbles deliciously with each bite. Each piece for S$3. Available at Thye Moh Chan stores. thyemohchan.com/products_cny_2019.html#cny NASI LEMAK COOKIES FROM OLD CHANG KEE (Photo: Old Chang Kee) The bright, vermillion hue that glazes the surfaces of Old Chang Kee’s Nasi Lemak Cookies brings to mind the layer of chilli oil that’s the hallmark of a good nasi lemak sambal. Each bite of this crunchy cookies is imbued with the quintessential flavour of one of our favourite national dishes – think dried chillies, assam, belacan and ikan bilis. Each jar for S$16.80. Available at Old Chang Kee outlets. oldchangkee.com PEACE AND HARMONY GIFT BOX FROM SI CHUAN DOU HUA RESTAURANT (Photo: Si Chuan Dou Hua Restaurant) This elegant gift box holds a quartet of CNY treats – namely, a luscious carrot cake, orange nian gao, a jade-hued chestnut cake and a golden osmanthus cake. Serve with a pot of Chinese tea for a lovely afternoon delight. Each box for S$32. sichuandouhua.com/promotion/chinese-new-year DRUM OF FORTUNE FROM GOODWOOD PARK HOTEL (Photo: Goodwood Park Hotel) Every year, the pastry chefs at Goodwood Park Hotel create a lavish confection for the CNY season. Resplendent in red and gold, this year’s offering sees a drum-shaped chocolate marble cake cloaked in fondant, and bedecked with eight auspicious mandarin oranges made of dark chocolate and mini chocolate ingots. Each 1.3kg cake for S$108. Available from Jan 18 with a five-day advance order. Call 6730 1786. goodwoodparkhotel.com RAINBOW KUEH LAPIS FROM HAI TIEN LO (Photo: Hai Tien Lo) There is all manner of CNY goodies to have from Hai Tien Lo, but we were particularly taken by the Rainbow Kueh Lapis. It has all the classic flavours of the buttery Indonesian cake, but dressed in delicately coloured layers. Each 1kg cake for S$58. Available for order from Jan 21. pacificmarketplace.sg KUMQUAT AND YOGHURT SUGEE CAKE FROM THE COFFEE BELT (Photo: The Coffee Belt) Sugee cake gets a citrus twist and lush tang with the addition of Greek yoghurt, oranges, lemon and kumquat. The result is a rich, moist cake glazed with yoghurt and cream cheese frosting, and finished with a sprinkle of smoked salt to really round out the flavours. Each 800g cake for S$16.80. parkhotelgroup.com/en/alexandra/the-coffee-belt YAM CAKE FROM VIOLET OON SINGAPORE (Photo: Violet Oon Singapore) Sometimes, what you need at the table is a steadfastly traditional favourite made well. That’s exactly what Violet Oon Singapore delivers with its wu tao gao or yam cake, flavoured with five spice and generously studded with dried prawns, Chinese sausages, dried mushrooms, and minced pork. One kilogram for S$42 and 1.5kg for S$52. Available from Jan 22 with a two-day advance order. Call 9834 9935. violetoon.com PIGGY PINEAPPLE PASTRIES FROM PARADISE GROUP (Photo: Paradise Group) These are some of the most adorable pineapple tarts shaped like piglets, and complete with auspicious red ears. Encased in their meltingly tender pastry shells is a lovely pineapple filling that has just the right balance of sweetness. Each bottle of 18 pieces for S$29.80. Available for takeaway at Paradise Group restaurants. paradisegp.com

Still bemused by the huge porcine lantern installations currently adorning Chinatown that got roasted by folks for its “dirty” skin? Welp, there’s apparently a reason for their brown, patchy looks and dusky demeanor. Responding to a query from STOMP, the head of Marketing Publicity of the Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebration 2019 Organising Committee (what a mouthful) stated that the designs were crucial to their theme this year. “This year, our design was also created to portray real pigs, hence the pigs are not entirely baby pink in color,” said Philemon Loh, adding that the brown shading was necessary for contouring effects. If the entire pig is covered in baby pink, it would look pale and be closer to white in color when lighted up. In response to suggestions to have the pig lanterns look cutesy and Disney-like, Loh asserted that the committee “prides (itself)” in sticking to Chinese traditions instead of “conforming to commercialization”. Still, that’s not stopping folks from continuing to roast the porcine effigies. If you do like them, however, the official opening ceremony and street light-up of Chinatown’s Chinese New Year celebrations will be kicking off this Sunday night. https://coconuts.co/singapore/news/theres-explanation-dirty-pig-lantern-installations-chinatown/

SINGAPORE — Singapore's exports recorded their worst decline in more than two years in December as shipments of electronics and pharmaceuticals plunged, official data showed on Thursday (Jan 17). The unexpected decline comes despite ongoing trade talks between the United States and China to defuse trade tensions. Many economists expect the dispute to hurt trade-dependent Singapore in months to come. Non-oil domestic exports in December fell 8.5 per cent from a year earlier, data from the trade agency Enterprise Singapore showed, slowing further from a revised 2.8 per cent decline the month before. The outcome was well below a 1.5 per cent increase predicted by economists in a Reuters poll and the worst performance since October 2016, when exports declined 14 per cent year-on-year. "This could show that US-China trade talks have become a ruse, falling in line with disappointing China trade data," Ms Selena Ling, head of treasury research and strategy at OCBC, told Reuters. "There is a likelihood that (export fall) will continue into the first quarter." Earlier this week, China announced that its December exports unexpectedly fell 4.4 per cent from a year earlier, the biggest monthly drop in two years, pointing to further weakening in the world's second-largest economy. On a seasonally adjusted month-on-month basis, the Republic's exports contracted 5.7 per cent in December after declining a revised 4.3 per cent in November. The poll forecast a 2.1 per cent expansion from the month before. Electronic exports in December fell 11.2 per cent from a year earlier, after a brief recovery in November when it rose 4.3 per cent. Pharmaceutical exports plunged 26.8 per cent in December year-on-year after rising 7.3 per cent the month before. Earlier this month, Singapore announced that its economy grew more slowly than forecast in the fourth quarter after the manufacturing sector shrank, adding to jitters that the Sino-US trade dispute will drag on growth in 2019. Dutch bank ING said in a report it was difficult to pin the export decline on any single geopolitical factor such as the trade war as exports to both China and the United States had held up. But shipments across Asia were noticeably in the red and the trade data almost certainly means a downward revision to GDP, it said. December exports to China and the United States grew 15.4 per cent and 31.1 per cent year-on-year, respectively. REUTERS https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/spores-december-exports-unexpectedly-fall-85

SINGAPORE - Two travellers were caught trying to smuggle bak kwa into Singapore in packets of durian-flavoured biscuits last Saturday (Jan 12). On Thursday, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said its officers detected two separate cases of Singaporeans attempting to sneak in the barbecued meat treat at the arrival bus hall at Woodlands checkpoint. Officers noticed packets of layered stacks resembling bak kwa in scanned images of bags carried by a 39-year-old woman and a 29-year-old man. The pair were found to have hidden the bak kwa in seven packets of durian-flavoured biscuits. The cases were referred to the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) for further investigation. Food products brought into Singapore must meet AVA's guidelines and must be from approved sources. In the case of meat products such as bak kwa, each person is allowed a maximum of 5kg of meat products bought directly from approved sources. Currently, only 21 countries are listed as approved sources on AVA's website, but Malaysia is not one of them. This means it is illegal to bring in bak kwa from Malaysia. Anyone found guilty of importing meat products from unapproved sources can be fined up to $50,000, jailed for up to two years, or both. Repeat offenders can be fined up to $100,000, jailed for up to three years, or both. A similar incident occurred around the Chinese New Year period in February last year, when two motorists attempted to smuggle bak kwa into Singapore through Woodlands checkpoint. In last year's case, the bak kwa was hidden in pastry or cookie packaging. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/two-caught-smuggling-bak-kwa-in-packets-of-durian-flavoured-biscuits-at

ABOUT THIS GAME Braveland is a turn-based game inspired by old-school strategies with hexagonal battlefield. You will start as a humble warrior's son whose village was cruelly raided and will end as talented commander of your army. The story will take place in a hand-drawn world and cover many interesting places and characters. Various warriors will join your army - archers, scouts, healers, footmen, arbalesters and more. Turn-based battles in old-school style. Command your troops and defeat enemies in hand to hand battles. 26 various warriors and creatures from archers to golems. Three story chapters each in unique corner of the world. Evolve your hero, find awesome artifacts and learn battle magic. Intense boss fights at the end of each story chapter. Hours of gameplay with 50 battles. High definition awesome illustrated cartoon art. https://store.steampowered.com/app/285800/Braveland/

everything cost money here, so i am not going to work for free

SINGAPORE - The public should be roped in to help when trains break down, says the National Transport Workers' Union (NTWU) in one of its recommendations for the next land transport masterplan. The union said on Wednesday (Jan 16) that Singapore should "build a community of commuter volunteers - who can be trained as first responders to assist our front-line workers during service disruptions or emergencies". That was one of about a dozen suggestions the union had for the Land Transport Master Plan 2040 advisory panel, which is currently gathering feedback to shape Singapore's land transport landscape in the coming decades. The panel will consider feedback gathered and formulate recommendations to be submitted to the Government by mid-February. Other recommendations from the NTWU include implementing more full-day bus lanes, rolling out dedicated lanes for cyclists, and restricting roadworks to off-peak hours. All these steps will allow buses to run more smoothly, the union said. Reiterating a call from other quarters, the NTWU said transport infrastructure should be designed with ease of maintenance in mind. It added that companies must ensure that workers get sufficient rest when devising new performance targets. Companies should also emphasise training in the face of rapid technological changes. The NTWU also said bus interchanges should have more parking spaces to cater to the expanded public bus fleet. "A first-class transport system needs a first-class transport workforce," said NTWU executive secretary Melvin Yong, who is also an MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC. He said the union's recommendations focus on "enhancing the work environment of our public transport workers, ensuring the safety and health of our workers, preparing them for transformation, as well as building greater commuter support so that we can all promote a better travelling environment for all road users". https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/national-transport-workers-union-calls-on-public-to-help-when-trains-break-down

Fried rice with herbal soup (Homemade)

Wuhan Hot Dry Noodles

A dashcam video capturing a rather intense quarrel between a Grab driver and his passenger has gone viral on Facebook, if only for the dramatic escalation at the end of the ride. Facebook user Md Aza shared a clip of his encounter on from Sunday afternoon when he picked up a couple in the industrial district of Bukit Batok. The ride started pretty cordially, with the husband requesting Aza to drive carefully as his wife is expecting a baby. The driver said that he’d try his best. But barely a minute since the ride began, the passenger can be heard chiding Aza, telling him to either drive more carefully or drop them off somewhere. Both continue to bicker for the whole ride, with the passenger, in particular, refusing to let Aza have the last word. The passenger even tried to threaten the driver by hitting him with some knowledge about the Road Traffic Act, though the section about Reckless or Dangerous Driving wouldn’t apply at all in Aza’s case. To his merit, the Grab driver remained calm throughout the ride, even after arriving at the destination. It was the passenger who suddenly became hysterical when Aza tried to call the Grab hotline (presumably to lodge a complaint) — the husband started yelling that he wants to call the cops. The clip doesn’t capture what’s happening inside the car, but Aza repeatedly tells his passenger not to touch him. The husband then takes the squabble to a whole new level when he opens the car door and loudly accused the driver of hitting his wife. “I never hit you, don’t lie!” Aza can be heard saying to the wife, who joined in the dispute. The driver eventually drives out of the carpark, while the passenger recorded footage of his car. It should be noted that Aza barely goes over 40km/h in the ride that he was accused of driving dangerously. https://www.facebook.com/md.aza.37/videos/10217793324046294/ In a statement to Coconuts Singapore regarding the incident, Grab affirmed that the company takes the safety of its customers, drivers, and passengers seriously. “Grab does not tolerate such behavior and have temporarily suspended the passenger’s account while we do thorough investigations,” a Grab spokesperson assured, adding that the company is in touch with Aza to provide support. Netizens are on Aza’s side as well, but unfortunately, xenophobia leaked out into the comments section, condemning the assumed nationality of the passenger. View photos View photos View photos View photos View photos This article, Grab driver and passenger bicker to the point that driver gets accused of hitting a pregnant woman, originally appeared on Coconuts,

SINGAPORE - A Housing Board flat owner who converted the doorstep of his property into a fish tank for his koi carp has been asked to remove the unusual structure. The Tampines Street 41 resident had installed glass panels to the walls around the four steps to his ground-floor flat to house around a dozen pet fish, but was not aware that he needed permission to make the alteration. Belatedly, the man - who has not been identified - asked Tampines Town Council for a permit and last August, Tampines GRC MP Baey Yam Keng told The Straits Times that the "creative" tank was likely to be allowed, as long as it was found to be structurally sound and safe. However, the HDB said on Tuesday (Jan 15) that the tank would have to be removed as its position - along a common corridor - poses safety concerns that "could potentially lead to injuries or fatalities". A spokesman said: "The flat owner has fundamentally altered the entrance steps into a koi tank, which poses several safety issues. "For instance, the koi tank is made of glass and can shatter on impact. As it is also not enclosed at the top, unsupervised children may climb or fall into the tank." Electrical sockets and cables connected to the tank are exposed to weather elements, posing further safety concerns, the HDB said. It added that its guiding principle for town councils in managing the use of public spaces is that safety must not be compromised. The flat's fish-loving residents also own the adjacent unit, through which they enter the house with the blocked doorstep. At the time, the owner, a Chinese man who appeared to be in his 50s, said of his tank: "Outside nicer for everyone to see. The neighbours can appreciate it and enjoy it also." https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/housing/no-tanks-hdb-flat-owner-asked-to-remove-glass-fish-tank-installed-on-his-doorstep

SINGAPORE - A family discovered what looked like a worm in a piece of chilled salmon fillet bought from a supermarket last Saturday (Jan 12). Mr Lin, 56, who declined to provide his full name, told Lianhe Wanbao that his daughter had bought the salmon for the family's dinner on Jan 12 from the NTUC FairPrice outlet at Bedok Mall. When she was frying the salmon fillet, she found what seemed to be a live worm crawling out of the piece of fish. It appeared off-white in colour. She said she felt disgusted by it and binned it immediately, and Mr Lin's wife found out only later when she questioned why the fish had been thrown away. Mr Lin, an engineer, then took the packet with the fish fillet back to the FairPrice outlet, where he got a full refund for the product, which cost $12.80. As part of FairPrice's investigations, it engaged an entomologist who found that the insect was the larva of a moth or butterfly, which feeds on fruits and vegetables. A FairPrice spokesman said: "We are unable to conclusively ascertain how this insect was found on the salmon as claimed by the customer. Fruits and vegetables are also sold at a separate section at the supermarket in question." She added that the company had offered an apology to the customer for the unpleasant experience. "This appears to be an isolated incident as checks on existing stocks did not reveal any anomalies and we have not received any similar feedback recently concerning the product in question," said the spokesman. "NTUC FairPrice is committed to upholding a high level of food safety standards and the farmed salmon products we offer comply with internationally recognised food regulations and standards." Customers who find the quality of its fresh produce unsàtisfactory can return the product to the same store with their receipt for a full refund or exchange, she said. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/larva-found-in-salmon-fillet-from-ntuc-fairprice-outlet-at-bedok-mall

SINGAPORE - Parliament passed a law on Monday (Jan 14) that puts more payment services, such as digital payment tokens and merchant acquisition, under the ambit of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). Called the Payment Services Act, it will also impose limits on how much e-money can be held in personal mobile wallets, such as GrabPay and Singtel Dash, and how much can be transferred to accounts other than the user's designated bank accounts in a year, among other things. The new law aims to right-size "regulations depending on the risks posed by the payment service provider", said Mr Ong Ye Kung, an MAS board member. It tailors Singapore's regulations to the licencees' activities, such as account opening, issuing electronic money and transferring money in the Republic and across its borders, added Mr Ong, who is also the Minister for Education. Risks that the new Act wants to address include terrorism financing, money laundering and cyber risks. Currently, the MAS regulates payment services under the Payment Systems (Oversight) Act, or PS(O)A and the Money-changing and Remittance Businesses Act (MCRBA), governing stored value facilities such as ez-link, Nets CashCard and remittances. The new Act streamlines regulation of payment services in a single activity-based legislation, and both the PS(O)A and MCRBA will be repealed when the legislation takes effect by the end of this year. Mobile wallets such as GrabPay and Singtel Dash also cannot hold more than $5,000 at any point in time, and their users cannot transfer more than $30,000 in a year to accounts other than the user's designated bank accounts. During the debate, three MPs, one Non-Constituency MP and four Nominated MPs spoke in support of the Bill, while raising questions ranging from new account limits to inclusion of migrant workers in digital remittances. NMP Lim Sun Sun, NCMP Leon Perera and MP Louis Ng (Nee Soon GRC) asked whether more could be done to raise financial literacy and consumer protection levels. Prof Lim proposed that "public education efforts be stepped up to better communicate to consumers the various options, protections and incentives they enjoy with the different emerging e-payment methods". Replying, Mr Ong said "the MAS and other agencies have been reaching out to people... through Moneysense, the national financial education programme". NMP Anthea Ong highlighted the difficulties migrant workers may face in accessing e-payment solutions and bank accounts. Mr Ong said he expects more migrant workers to use fintech to remit money overseas and the Bill will "strengthen safeguards for these payment services". NMP Walter Theseira and Mr Saktiandi Supaat (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) asked how the Bill compares withother countries' regulations on e-payment services. Mr Ong said the "MAS has consciously balanced mitigating risks with promoting innovation". "The best way to do this is to avoid a one-size-fits-all approach and adopt a risk-based approach (so) that the regulatory requirements... are commensurate with the risk of the business activities." https://www.straitstimes.com/politics/parliament-mas-to-regulate-more-types-of-payment-services-such-as-mobile-wallets-under-new

SINGAPORE: A 28-year-old man was found dead in a lift on Monday (Jan 14) during lift replacement works at a block of flats in Chai Chee. In response to queries from Channel NewsAsia, the police said it responded to an industrial accident at Block 805 Chai Chee Road at 6.55pm. It added that the man was found motionless and pronounced dead by paramedics on scene. The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said the Bangladeshi was part of a team carrying out lift replacement works at the worksite. "The worker was using a lift to transport debris from the fifth floor to the ground floor," MOM told Channel NewsAsia. "The worker was subsequently found inside the lift on the ground floor with injuries." MOM said it is investigating the incident and has stopped all lift replacement works within the worksite. The worksite occupier is Chevalier Singapore Holdings, while the employer is Tc Builder & Machinery, MOM added. Police are investigating the unnatural death. Channel NewsAsia has reached out to the Marine Parade Town Council for comment. Source: CNA/hz(aw)

Love travelling? Great news. A recent report by American Express’ Global Business Travel (GBT) arm has said that the price of flights out of Singapore are expected to be cheaper this year due to a slowdown in the financial sector. GBT’s Air Monitor 2019 report, published on Monday (Jan 14), predicted airfare trends for the year by analysing five years of flight transaction data and variables like fuel prices and aviation expansion plans. In general, airfares across the world were expected to remain stable on many of the world’s major air routes – including in the Asia Pacific, GBT said. But a “financial sector slowdown and the loss of premium class traffic” was expected to push down fares for flights out of Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan – the three countries with the biggest fall in fares among the region. Though Singapore’s economic outlook for the year was positive, a “slight reduction” in fare prices was expected due to the financial sector slowdown, a GBT spokesman explained. GBT added that increasing competition, such as budget airlines flying long-haul routes, were helping to keep prices “restrained” on key routes out of the Asia-Pacific. The 2017 merger between Scoot and Tigerair, for example, created a “strong player” in regional budget travel, the report said. As for premium bookings, GBT said that business class bookings on Singapore Airlines “remained steady” and had not been affected by the increase in Premium Economy seats, which now comprise almost 60 per cent of all seats the airline offers. “Business travel is still very reliant on Singapore Airlines, who continue to be a major presence in the region,” GBT said. The report also found that flight prices for premium class seats across the US were expected to see a significant spike due to strong demand, while fares to Middle East destinations were expected to drop due to overcapacity. https://www.businessinsider.sg/cheaper-flights-from-singapore-this-year-thanks-to-financial-slowdown-amex-says/

SINGAPORE: The local retail price of eggs increased by about 4 per cent between June and November last year, according to Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Seng. He revealed this in a written parliamentary reply on Monday (Jan 14) in response to a question from Non-Constituency Member of Parliament Associate Professor Daniel Goh on the cause behind the increase in the price of eggs in the past six months and whether profiteering has been a factor. Mr Chan said the import prices of eggs from some of Singapore's import sources have gone up significantly between June and November 2018, some by up to 50 per cent. "However, we also have other import sources where the import prices have either remained stable or shown slight declines of up to 7 per cent. As such, the local retail price of eggs has increased around 4 per cent over the same period," he said. Mr Chan added that the price of eggs, and for that matter any food item, is determined by factors that include import prices, exchange rates, logistics costs and profit margins which suppliers can command. To safeguard consumers' interests against sharp and erratic price changes, Mr Chan said a multi-prong strategy must be adopted. Singapore must first continually and consciously diversify its supply sources and supply chains to avoid being held to ransom by supply discontinuities or supply chain disruptions. "This includes sourcing from different countries and building up a certain amount of local capacity where we can and when it makes economic sense," Mr Chan said. Singapore should also maintain a stable and strong Singapore dollar for the benefit of its consumers and to preserve the nation's purchasing power. Lastly, Singapore should maintain an open competitive market structure to prevent any unethical profiteering, he said. Mr Chan added that there is currently "no substantive information" for the authorities to conclude that the recent rise in egg prices was caused by anti-competitive practices. Source: CNA/zl(hm)

Singapore’s CapitaLand said Monday it has agreed to buy two real estate holding firms in a S$11 billion (US$8.1 billion) deal that will create Asia’s biggest property group with assets in dozens of countries. Under the agreement, CapitaLand will acquire two units from a subsidiary of state investment firm Temasek. If approved, the new entity will have assets under management of more than S$116 billion, including businesses, industrial parks, hotels, commercial, retail and residential properties in over 30 countries. The agreement is subject to approval by CapitaLand’s independent shareholders at a meeting in the first half of this year, the group said in a statement. The company is buying the real estate units from Temasek subsidiary Ascendas-Singbridge Group, which develops towns, industrial parks, offices, hotels and warehouses across the world. The deal comes as new CapitaLand president and group chief executive Lee Chee Koon, who took over in September, seeks to steer the company deeper into new markets. “Geographically, the deal strengthens CapitaLand’s presence in our core markets of Singapore and China, while adding meaningful scale in India, US, and Europe,” he said. Payment to Temasek will be in cash and stocks. Founded in 1974, Temasek is one of Singapore’s two main investment vehicles. It had a global portfolio worth S$308 billion as of March 31, 2018. https://coconuts.co/singapore/news/singapores-capitaland-8-bn-deal-creating-asia-property-giant/

Chinese telecoms giant Huawei has fired an employee who was arrested last week by Polish authorities on allegations of spying, though that appears unlikely to make the company’s troubles go away. On Thursday, news broke that the employee, Wang Weijing, had been arrested along with a Polish man, reported to be a former employee of Poland’s security services who now works for mobile provider Orange Polska. The pair are suspected of having “worked for Chinese services and to the detriment of Poland.” They could be initially detained for three months and face 10 years in prison if found guilty. Huawei has quickly tried to distance itself from Wang, claiming that his alleged actions “have no relation to the company.” A spokesman from Poland’s security services has also told Reutersthat the allegations are related to individual actions, not directly related to Huawei. However, the case certainly hasn’t done much to help Huawei’s global image. Already, a number of countries see the company as a national security threat because of its alleged close connections to Beijing. Arguing that Huawei technology could be used to spy on its citizens, New Zealand, Australia, and the US have allbanned the companyfrom providing equipment for their national 5G networks. UK telecoms company BT has said that it will not work with Huawei in creating its own next-gen wireless network. Norway is reported to be mulling doing the same. However, not everyone in the West has been scared away from working with Huawei. For instance, last year, Huawei helped Orange Polska with rolling out its next-generation 5G mobile networks in Poland. Worried about facing Beijing’s full brunt alone, following the arrests, Poland’s Internal Affairs Minister, Joachim Brudzinski, has called for the European Union and NATO to work on a joint position over whether or not Huawei should be excluded from their markets. “There are concerns about Huawei within NATO as well. It would make the most sense to have a joint stance, among EU member states and NATO members,” Brudzinski said. “We want relations with China that are good, intensive, and attractive for both sides.” It’s not yet clear what this case will mean for Poland-China ties. Recently, relations between China and Canada have become extremely strained following the arrest of Huawei chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver at the request of authorities in the US where she faces charges of violating Iran sanctions. Meng’s arrest infuriated China which warned that Canada will face “serious consequences” if she was not quickly released. One week later,two Canadian nationals were detained in China on suspicion of “engaging in activities harming China’s national security,” igniting considerable anxiety among the Canadian and American business and NGO community in China. Now, it has become Polish expats’ turn to worry. The Polish embassy’s Weibo account has been bombarded with angry comments with netizens warning Poland to “learn from what happened to Canada” and mocking the country’s “inflated sense of self-importance.” Meanwhile, the nationalistic Global Times tabloid has published an editorial accusing Poland of “becoming a US accomplice” and declaring that Warsaw “must pay for the offense.” http://shanghaiist.com/2019/01/14/huawei-fires-employee-arrested-in-poland-on-allegations-of-spying/

SINGAPORE: The number of coins that a buyer can use in a single transaction will be streamlined and standardised to 20 coins per denomination after Parliament passed the Currency (Amendment) Bill on Monday (Jan 14). This means a total of 100 coins across all five coin denominations capped for each payment, with the S$1 coin coming under the legal tender limit for the first time. The amended Bill will also have new rules to support the use of the Intelligent Banknote Neutralisation Systems (IBNS) here by omitting IBNS-damaged notes as legal tender, said Education Minister Ong Ye Kung as he presented the second reading of the Bill on behalf of Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Deputy Prime Minister and minister-in-charge of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). “MUCH SIMPLER” LEGAL TENDER LIMITS FOR COINS Mr Ong said legal tender limits, which refer to the maximum amounts for each coin denomination that can be used in a single payment, will minimise inconvenience to businesses and their customers. With the revision, the limits have become “much simpler” compared to existing ones, which come in different amounts across the denominations. For instance, five cent, 10 cent and 20 cent coins are now pegged to a limit of S$2 each, while 50 cent coins have a S$10 cap. There are no limits for payment using S$1 coins currently. Such varying pegs can be confusing, according to Mr Ong. The use of a value limit is also less relevant given that the processing time and effort for coin payments depend more on the number of coins used, instead of the coins’ total value. “For example, it does not make sense to set a value limit of S$2 for both 20 cent coins and 5 cent coins, which means that while a customer can use up to 40 5 cent coins, which adds up to S$2, he can only use ten 20 cent coins,” he explained. Mr Ong, an MAS board member, also explained that the central bank’s move to include S$1 coins under the legal tender limits come on the back of two cases in 2014 where large quantities of coins were used for payment. One involved the payment of nearly S$20,000 worth of coins at a car dealer’s showroom, while the other saw a mobile shop in Sim Lim Square issuing refunds of about S$1,000 in coins. “Thereafter, MAS received public feedback on the need to place a legal tender limit on S$1 coins. MAS agreed that it was useful to do so.” SUPPORT IBNS USE IN SINGAPORE The other area of change includes amendments to section 23 of the Currency Act that will deem a note damaged by the IBNS as not legal tender, hence exempting providers of such a security system from the offence of mutilation of currency notes. This is to support the Home Affairs Ministry’s plan to make the use of IBNS available to banks and other businesses in Singapore, said Mr Ong. MHA is looking to license companies that sell IBNS or offer cash transportation services using IBNS as security service providers under the Private Security Industry Act (PSIA). It will obtain industry feedback to develop the licensing conditions. Used in many European Union member countries, the IBNS is a security system installed in containers used for the transportation of currency notes. It deters robbery by permanently damaging or defacing the currency notes housed within it when its system detects an attempted attack. Such a function comes with advantages, such as the possibility of replacing armed Auxiliary Police Officers during the transportation of cash. This can free up armed auxiliary police officers – a role that is seeing a manpower crunch – for more critical operations, according to Mr Ong. MPS RAISE QUESTIONS Speaking in support of the amended Bill, Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC Member of Parliament Saktiandi Supaat echoed the manpower benefits of using IBNS for cash-in-transit (CIT) operations. Asking about the number of banks here that have expressed interest, he wondered how authorities will reach out to those that have not and the cost incurred with the use of such security systems. Mr Ong replied that discussions are ongoing between MHA, MAS and the Association of Banks in Singapore. But instead of being made compulsory, IBNS will serve as an “added option” when it comes to cash transportation services. “While banks are generally open to new technology, banks will need to assess together with their service operators the combination of technology and manpower that best fit their needs,” replied Mr Ong. Other MPs who spoke also expressed support for the Bill, though they were concerned about how the revised legal tender limits for coins may impact certain segments of society. Aljunied GRC MP Sylvia Lim, for instance, highlighted hawkers and buskers as groups that may be “adversely affected” given that coins make up a significant portion of their income. Other small businesses, including newspaper vendors and provision shops, could also feel the heat, noted Mr Saktiandi. “It is already a challenge for them to convert to cashless payments and I am concerned that these policies will indirectly lead to an overall reduction in coin usage and availability, which would affect their sales.” Ms Lim added that the use of coin deposit machines at banks is not an option for people who do not have bank accounts, while Mr Saktiandi and Chua Chu Kang GRC MP Yee Chia Hsing took issue with the current charges for these machines. Noting that there can be a “significant expense” when large amounts of coins are deposited, Mr Saktiandi wondered if the service charge imposed by banks, which is at S$0.015 for each coin deposited, can be capped and regulated. Mr Chia said such a fee is unfavourable for small business owners, especially for those who are “forced to deposit” five-cent coins. “Let’s face it, consumers do not like to get any change in five-cent coins and because consumers do not like receiving (them), retailers are forced to deposit them into banks but banks mpose a very high transaction cost,” he said, while asking if the MAS has considered removing the five-cent coin. To these questions, Mr Ong said that while the MAS will “keep a close watch”, the setting of such service fees are commercial decisions taken on by the banks to offset costs incurred the handling of coins. Still, banks are expected to disclose their fees upfront for businesses and customers to make informed decisions. On the elimination of five-cent coins, the minister said the central bank "will hesitate to remove five-cent coins because they are still worth something". Citing the price tags for several basic necessities sold in supermarkets and convenience stores, he added that the removal of five-cent coins may increase the costs of such items as they may be rounded up to the nearest 10 cents. As for the impact on certain segments within the society, Mr Ong said it would be unlikely given that the changes, such as an introduction of a cap for S$1 coin usage, will affect “very few” transactions. “This Bill proposes a practical move towards a much simpler set of limits (that are) easier to remember (and) makes it easier for merchants to operate. It will not disadvantage consumers, except for extreme or even theoretical instances.” Source: CNA/sk

SINGAPORE - The food and beverage company behind popular restaurant chain Penang Culture has been fined $94,500 for making false salary declarations in work pass applications, the Ministry of Manpower said on Monday (Jan 14). GD Group was convicted on Dec 27 last year of seven charges under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, with another 13 taken into consideration during sentencing. The ministry has also barred the company from hiring foreign employees, it said in a statement. According to its website, GD Group owns Penang Culture, which is touted as the first Penang-themed halal restaurant chain in Singapore. It also has a catering arm that offers live food stations at events. Investigations found that GD Group had circumvented foreign worker quota rules by hiring foreigners on employment passes, but paying them less than the salaries declared in the work pass applications. Between February 2013 and July 2015, the company falsely declared salary amounts of between $4,000 and $4,800 for 20 foreign employees to meet the salary requirement for employment passes. However, the foreign employees were paid salaries of between $1,500 and $2,200. In the statement, MOM's foreign manpower management division director of employment inspectorate Kandhavel Periyasamy said that GD Group had "gained an unfair advantage in hiring foreigners at the expense of other firms". He said that MOM has a duty to protect the interest of law-abiding employers. The ministry will continue to take stern action against errant employers to uphold the integrity of work pass controls, he added. MOM said in the statement that all employers should make accurate, complete and truthful declarations in their work pass applications. Under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act, those convicted of making false declarations may be fined up to $20,000 per charge, jailed for up to two years or both. These offenders will also be barred from employing new foreign workers and renewing their permits of their existing foreign workers. MOM also urged members of the public who are aware of anyone who has contravened the Act to report the matter via the MOM website or call 6438-5122. All information will be kept strictly confidential, the ministry said. In response to queries from The Straits Times, a GD Group spokesman said that the company deeply regrets the mistake that was made, and said that they would ensure that the incident will not recur. "There is no excuse for us making false salary declarations and we take full ownership and responsibility for it," the spokesman said. "GD Group is committed to being a responsible and law-abiding organisation." https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/manpower/fb-company-behind-penang-culture-restaurants-fined-94500-for-false-salary