The_King

SINGAPORE: An error in the computer system administered by NCS caused about 7,700 individuals to receive inaccurate healthcare and intermediate- and long-term care subsidies, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Saturday (Feb 16). The affected individuals are among those whose applications or renewals of their Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) cards were processed from Sep 18 to Oct 10 last year. The error arose in the computer system when it calculated means-test results. The means-test system calculates the healthcare subsidies which individuals are eligible for, based on their income information. Healthcare subsidies are means-tested so that greater financial support is extended to lower-income households. "The means-test and subsidy tiers for all affected individuals have been corrected by Feb 16, 2019,” MOH said. MOH said no proactive action is required on the part of the affected people at this point. The ministry added that it is working closely with healthcare service providers and scheme administrators to reach out to those affected. "About 6,400 individuals received higher subsidies than what they are eligible for. The total amount is estimated to be about S$2 million. MOH intends to recover from NCS the costs and expenses incurred as a result of this incident, as allowed for under our contract. "About 1,300 individuals received lower subsidies than what they are eligible for. The total amount is estimated to be about S$400,000. This will be reimbursed to the affected individuals," MOH said. MOH said discrepancies in the means-test results of a few CHAS cardholders were noticed by the CHAS card processing team in MOH Holdings when it was reviewing CHAS applications and appeals. "We received three appeals for the group affected," MOH said. The first case of discrepancy was detected on Sep 24, 2018 and NCS was alerted immediately, MOH said. “The issue was initially attributed to intermittent network connection problems. Five more cases were subsequently detected between Oct 9 and Nov 2, and a more thorough investigation was initiated,” added the health ministry. In late November, NCS traced the root cause of the discrepancies to a software version issue on a server used by the means-test system when it was migrated to another government data centre in September. “This resulted in the means-test results being computed without the requisite income information. NCS further discovered that their deployment team had in fact fixed the software version issue earlier on Oct 10, 2018 in response to an unrelated slow performance issue. “This stopped further cases of errors but it did not correct the means-test results that had been generated from Sep 18, 2018 to Oct 10, 2018,” MOH said. CORRECT SUBSIDY TIERS RESTORED BY FEB 16 On Dec 5, MOH received NCS' assessment that the glitch could have affected thousands of people across multiple schemes. Before making any public announcements, MOH said that it was important to rectify the root cause of the glitch in the system to prevent more inaccurate means-test results. It was also important to fully establish the different groups of people and subsidies that were affected, and how they were affected, as well as limit the impact of inaccurate means-test results from affecting more schemes and individuals. MOH added that it was important to have a clear rectification plan that can be deployed quickly after the announcement, to reach out to the affected individuals to inform and reimburse them, where applicable. "If we do not do so, we could cause confusion and uncertainty, not just among the affected, but the larger group of unaffected. Scheme administrators and service providers will also face many queries for which they are unable to respond," MOH said. MOH said that it worked with NCS from December to establish the extent of the impact, including the correct subsidy tiers for each individual under the different services and schemes. This was to determine who could have received higher or lower subsidies than what they were eligible for. The final assessment was completed on Jan 14 and MOH worked with grant scheme administrators and healthcare institutions to finalise the remedial action plans, including how affected individuals will be informed and reimbursed. The correct subsidy tiers of all affected individuals were restored by Feb 16. Service providers and scheme administrators will now progressively inform the affected individuals and arrange for reimbursements where applicable. “We expect all the affected individuals to be informed by mid-March 2019,” MOH said. MOH said that NCS has acknowledged the error and has taken further remedial action by tightening the system deployment processes. “Additional safeguards have been put in place to prevent any recurrence of such incidents. NCS has reiterated its commitment to being held to the highest standards as a service provider. MOH takes a serious view of the incident, and has worked with NCS on appropriate remedial measures. MOH will work with NCS on measures to prevent such errors in the future,” the ministry stated. NCS is an information and communications technology (ICT) and communications engineering services provider. It is a subsidiary of the Singtel Group. According to its website, NCS offers services that include consulting, technology solutions, as well as systems development and integration. Source: CNA/zl

No matter what our age, it can seem difficult to spend less than our salary and still save. Personal expenses, taking care of family, buying gadgets, travel and more can eat up our money. It’s important to balance spending with your salary, though, and to save as well. When new graduates get their first pay cheques, the temptation to spend is strong. And as employees reach their late 20s or 30s, and rise up the ranks or make more money, there is a temptation to create a lifestyle based on an assumption that salaries will continually increase. From iPhones and designer wear to vacations and nice meals in restaurants, there is always more to buy. Combine that with paying for household expenses such as food or a mortgage and occasional unexpected expenses such as an accident, and it seems hard to save. Big life events such as a wedding add to the pressure. The key question to ask, though, is whether you want to spend your money now and face a shortfall in the years ahead or to save now and be able to live better later? SAVING THE RIGHT AMOUNT While it’s tempting to spend now, financial experts advise spending within your means and also saving, along with investing so that your savings compound to larger amounts. Some good news, based on a recent 3-Generation Survey by insurer Manulife, is that millennials in Singapore are splendid savers: 55 per cent of them are already saving for the future and start at the age of 27, compared to Gen Xers starting at age 35 and baby boomers who started only when they turned 40. While saving is definitely good, it is also important to figure out how much to spend and how much to save. A convenient guideline is the widely-used 50-20-30 rule, whereby you spend 50 per cent of your take-home income on essentials, put 20 per cent into investment and savings, and use the remaining 30 per cent for your lifestyle. Breaking it down a bit further, investment management firm Fidelity suggests a 50-15-5 rule. Aim to allocate no more than 50 per cent of your take-home pay to must-have expenses such as housing, food, healthcare, transport and insurance. Put 15 per cent into retirement savings, and 5 per cent into savings that you can use as an emergency fund. You can use the remaining 30 per cent for other spending. “Our research found that by sticking to this guideline,” Fidelity noted, “there is a good chance of maintaining financial stability now and keeping your current lifestyle in retirement.” Paying yourself first, with automatic transfers, can help make sure that you stay on track. An easy way to do this, personal finance advisory Seedly suggests, is to set up three accounts and transfer parts of your salary to them the day after you receive it. If you make S$5,000 a month, for example, put S$2,500 into your account for expenses, S$750 into an investment account and S$250 into savings. You can use the rest for everyday expenses, whether it’s clothes or restaurant meals or travel. If 50 per cent doesn’t give you enough for your essential expenses, investment advisory firm The Motley Fool suggests that you may have to re-examine your spending habits, including where you shop and what products you use. “For example, you may want to compare the different supermarkets in Singapore.” That 30 per cent is important too, so you can take care of yourself and have some fun. Spending a little on things that make you happy can make it easier to save. PLANNING HOW YOU SPEND If you’re going to stick to your plan and still enjoy life, three more steps are essential. First, put together a list of the essential expenses that you’ll pay for with the 50 per cent. Even better, put together a full budget that shows your income and where all your money will go. If the expenses are too high, Fidelity suggests that even small changes such as turning the air-conditioning up a few degrees, buying groceries when they are on sale and taking lunch to work sometimes can make a huge difference. Second, do more with the 15 per cent than let it sit in a savings account earning very little. You can automatically put the money into exchange-traded funds (ETFs) such as the SPDR STI ETF to invest in stocks or the Nikko AM SGD Investment Grade Corporate Bond ETF to invest in bonds. Alternatively, you could put your money in a robo-adviser such as AutoWealth or Kristal.ai, which help select investments that match your goals and risk profile. Finally, control impulse purchases. While it’s tempting to buy during a sale or keep up with colleagues, you can avoid wasteful expenditures if you stop making impulse purchases and put your money into investments. While guidelines such as 50-20-30 or 50-15-5 may seem simplistic, research shows that they work. The 30 per cent that you can use as you like lets you enjoy life and reward yourself. Rather than overspending or not knowing where your money goes, using clear parameters can help make sure your salary meets your spending needs and allows you to save something too. https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/resist-urge-spend-more-50-20-30-guide

i rather receive a GOLD bar

Someone really wanted to get lucky last night. On Valentine’s Day, passersby along the Tanjong Pagar stretch had been spellbound by a gargantuan bouquet of pink roses so big that it required four strapping men to carry it. According to a witness who encountered the Godzilla of a floral gift yesterday, the massive bouquet had been first spotted by his colleague outside the Seasons Glamour Floral Arts store along Tanjong Pagar. “So after lunch, we decided to walk over to take a look. There were already a lot of people ogling at the bouquet and taking turns to take pictures,” said the IT consultant who works in the area. It just so happened that the bouquet — big enough to bump anyone out from the friend zone — was in the midst of getting delivered somewhere. The video he took showed how four workers struggled to lift it and carry the whole thing to the back of a truck parked nearby. video: https://coconuts.co/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/valentine-day.mp4 “I wanted to take a picture and pretend that the bouquet was mine,” laughed the man who filmed the encounter. “My second thought was that somebody’s getting laid tonight.” Indeed. If this doesn’t close the deal, we don’t know what will.

SINGAPORE: The results of the GCE A-Level examinations will be released next Friday (Feb 22), the Ministry of Education (MOE) said on Friday. Students may collect their results from their schools from 2.30pm on that day, while private candidates will be notified of their results by post. The ministry also announced on Friday that A-Level graduates who choose to further their studies at polytechnics can now skip the first semester for more than 100 courses. Currently, most A-Level graduates apply for and enrol in a polytechnic only one year after getting their results. This is because most polytechnic admissions exercises would have closed by the time the A-Level results are announced. From Academic Year 2019, eligible A-Level graduates can be admitted directly to Year 1 Semester 2 each October for 110 polytechnic courses, up from the current nine. This will reduce their polytechnic course from three years to two-and-a-half years. The 110 courses make up about half the diploma courses offered by the five polytechnics, and span several course clusters. “A-Level graduates who are not enlisting in National Service will be able to enter the polytechnics in the same year that they receive their A-Level results. As a result, this group will be able to graduate one year earlier,” MOE said. Source: Ministry of Education Interested A-Level graduates will be able to apply to the polytechnics directly for these 110 courses in mid-August, for matriculation at the start of AY2019 Semester 2 in October this year. More details will be available on the respective polytechnics’ websites by March 2019. 200 A-LEVEL GRADUATES ENROL IN POLYTECHNICS ANNUALLY Places for A-Level graduates will be separately catered for, and there will be no impact on the number of places for O-Level graduates or ITE graduates, MOE said. "The number of places for A-Level graduates will depend on the demand from and quality of applicants, and hence will vary from year to year," it said. According to the ministry, about 200 A-Level graduates are admitted each year to the five local polytechnics – Nanyang, Ngee Ann, Republic, Singapore and Temasek. "These are students who are keen to pursue an applied pathway at the polytechnics, that matches their area of interest or aptitude," it said, adding that the number includes both A-Level graduates who have applied and those who did not apply to the local universities. Education Minister Ong Ye Kung said he hopes the changes will encourage more A-Level graduates to consider enrolling in polytechnics. "Every year, some students who receive their A-Level results wonder about their options if they do not enrol in one of the Autonomous Universities," he wrote in a Facebook post. "We hope that these changes will encourage more A-Level graduates who are thinking about pursuing their studies through an applied pathway to also consider the polytechnic option." For most polytechnic courses, A-Level graduates would need passes in two relevant H2 subjects to receive module exemptions. These requirements may differ for specific courses. Courses which offer module exemption have "sufficient commonalities" between the A-Level and polytechnic curriculums, MOE said. The exemptions are mostly for polytechnic foundational modules, and students would have covered similar curriculum in preparing for the A-Levels. For example, A-Level graduates in Ngee Ann Polytechnic’s Diploma in Information Technology may be exempted from the modules on Computing Mathematics and Programming 1 if they have passed H2 Computing or Computing Science, and H2 Mathematics. Similarly, A-Level graduates in Temasek Polytechnic’s Common Engineering Programme may be exempted from the modules on Engineering Mathematics 1, Engineering Physics, Digital Fundamentals 1 and Circuit Analysis if they have passed H2 Mathematics and H2 Physics. Source: CNA/cy(hm)

The man first suspected that he had contracted HIV in Thailand in 2003 but did not seek treatment or confirm diagnosis until May 2008, when he was formally diagnosed with the disease.

huh, what did i do

Singapore snack company, Irvins Salted Egg, said on Wednesday (13 February) that it is reviewing its production processes after multiple customers found dead lizards in its products. Responding to queries from Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore, the CEO and founder of the brand, Irvin Gunawan, said the company would never compromise on food safety and quality. The Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) had said earlier on Monday that it had inspected Irvins Salted Egg’s premises and asked the company to improve its quality control checks. No penalties were imposed on Irvins by the food regulatory agency. Gunawan, an Indonesia-born Singapore resident, said in an email, “Following the recent posting of a contaminant, we immediately reported the incident to AVA which has since conducted a thorough investigation. “Food safety and quality is our foremost priority on which we will never compromise. During its investigation, AVA noted that we have taken measures to strengthen our quality control checks, and was assured that we are also reviewing our entire value chain to ensure that stringent quality control standards are upheld from supply to production. I would like to thank customers who have continued to trust and support us. Your faith in us is what motivates us to always strive to deliver the best quality products to you.” Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore uncovered multiple cases of customers finding dead lizards in Irvins’ snack products after a Thai woman in Bangkok revealed on Facebook in December that her brother had found a dead gecko in a pack of the brand’s salted egg fish skin. Dead lizards found in Irvins Salted Egg snacks by three different customers. (PHOTOS: Decha Holloway, Serina G, Kevin Nguyen) More Two other customers – Serina G, a Malaysian, and Kevin Nguyen, a Vietnamese – had told Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore that they also found the dead lizards in their Irvins snack pouches. They separately made the discovery in March and August last year. In emails seen by Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore, Gunawan personally apologised to these customers in August 2018 after they complained to the company. AVA said the affected packet in Bangkok was produced at Irvins’ previous premises, which ceased operations in November 2018. In December, the company moved its production facilities to JTC Food Hub in Senoko Drive, a building housing various food manufacturing companies. AVA did not respond to Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore’s queries regarding how many complaints of contaminants in Irvins products it had received. Gunawan’s emails to affected customers showed that he was aware of dead lizards appearing in the company’s products as early as August last year, months before he apologised in a press statement over the latest case in January. His statement did not mention other similar incidents. The Malaysian customer, who wanted to be known only as Serina, reported her incident to AVA in August. After investigation, the AVA informed her in October that Irvins’ premises were “free of pests”. Irvins produces all its products in Singapore and distributes them to its stores overseas. The brand has seven stores in Singapore and three stores each in Hong Kong and the Philippines. The company is famous for its salted egg-flavoured potato chips and fried fish skin, which are very popular among locals and tourists. The huge success of Irvins’ snacks has spawned other brands selling similar products. https://sg.style.yahoo.com/lizard-scares-irvins-salted-eggs-ceo-says-food-safety-processes-reviewed-182607432.html

Sure, everyone loves juice, but in today’s fast-paced world, who has the time to make reservations at an old-fashioned juicery, then head all the way across town and sit at a white tablecloth banquette in a stodgy old juice hall just to enjoy a glass of the orange stuff? The good people over at Fruits Vending Pte. understand that all too well. That’s why they’ve recently imported their i.Jooz orange juice vending machine concept from Singapore, with two machines now open for business in Kowloon. For the uninitiated, the machines contain a bunch of fresh oranges, which, with the press of a button (and the payment of HKD$20), they juice before your very eyes. The process is explored in probably a lot more depth than is necessary in the video below, complete with soothing steel drums and birdsong. https://www.facebook.com/922118024643814/videos/517042775430230/ The end result is a cup of fresh OJ with no preservatives, artificial flavors, or added sugar. (And it’s pretty tasty, according to our colleagues at Coconuts Singapore.) Fruits Vending Hong Kong CEO Jason Wei explained the reasons the Singaporean company chose to expand to the SAR in a government press release touting the new venture. “There are many similarities between Hong Kong and Singapore,” Wei said. “They are both international cities with high population density, high rent and high labour cost.” So, you know, juice! “Hong Kong is close to the Mainland and an important market in the Greater China region,” he continued, noting the city’s “robust economy and respected legal system.” Just perfect for juice! In the same press release, Associate Director-General of Investment Promotion Dr Jimmy Chiang was barely able to contain his excitement at the new offering, saying, “Fruits Vending has added another beverage choice for the customers in Hong Kong.” For those looking to stave off scurvy, the first two i.Jooz machines are located at the Long Beach development in western Mong Kok, and on the ground floor of the Telford House building in Kowloon Bay.

Beware the hidden sweeteners in popular tea drinks, Hong Kong’s consumer watchdog warned on Thursday, noting recipes with no added sugar did not necessarily contain no sugar. Of the 127 non-pre-packaged samples tested by the Consumer Council, five of the single-cup servings exceeded the maximum daily limit for free sugars – less than 50 grams – recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Free sugars are monosaccharides and disaccharides added to food and drink by the manufacturer or consumer, as well as sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juice. The council said excessive intake could increase the risk of tooth decay, obesity and being overweight. The watchdog’s latest study, in collaboration with the Centre for Food Safety, also found that among drinks made according to their regular recipe, passion fruit black tea, honey green tea, jasmine green tea and mango green tea contained more sugar on average than other drinks such as matcha latte, taro milk tea, bubble tea and cheese milk foam or milk-foam green tea. Dr Henry Ng Chi-cheung, principal medical officer at the centre, suggested consumers buy beverages made with recipes that state no sugar or less sugar added. For some drinks, however, a “no sugar added” recipe might not greatly reduce the amount of sweetener, he said. “When eateries or shops are making tea beverages, they also need to add substances like fruit sugar or honey, so they cannot be completely sugar-free. They don’t only add syrups to adjust the sweetness of the drink,” he said. One company that had its no-sugar taro milk tea studied by the food safety authority was Drinks. The sample contained 7.7 grams of sugar. The firm told the council that the “no sugar” designation the drink carried meant it did not add extra fructose to the drink, but it could not change the sugar inside the taro. Consumer Council chief executive Gilly Wong Fung-han called on industry players not to use the words “no sugar” for drinks when the ingredients contain natural sugar. “When you use ‘no sugar’, it really gives an impression that it has no sugar at all. When it’s a bit inconsistent with the facts, it could cause a lot of disputes and complaints even though it does not necessarily breach the law. This would affect the shop’s reputation,” she said. Health officials consider sugar tax to cure Hong Kong of its bad health habits According to the WHO, an adult with a daily intake of 2,000 calories is strongly recommended to consume less than 50 grams of free sugars a day to lower the risk of obesity and chronic diseases such as hypertension, heart disease and diabetes. One matcha latte product made by Long Tea Fan contained 72 grams of sugar – equivalent to 14 sugar cubes – in one cup, far exceeding the suggested amount. The other four drinks that contained at least 50 grams of free sugars in a cup were passion fruit black tea from Kingyo (55 grams), honey green tea by 101 Taiwanese (51 grams), mango green tea from CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice (51 grams) and jasmine green tea by Long Tea Fan (50 grams). The companies did not respond to the council regarding the results. Among the eight types of drink made according to original recipes, passion fruit black tea topped the sugar charts, with an average of 7.1 grams of sugar per 100 grams. Milk-foam green tea contained the lowest average sugar content at 3.5 grams. Ng warned, however, that milky drinks with a lower sugar content could still contain more calories. He said this could also lead to obesity or cardiovascular disease. “Consumers should not look only at the sugar content but also the energy level. They should pay attention to both,” he said. The council suggested the industry consider introducing smaller portions, such as 250ml servings, to give consumers more choice. https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/2186128/be-wary-sugar-levels-popular-tea-drinks-hong-kong

SINGAPORE: The upcoming Budget will focus on three areas - companies, workers and technology, said Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat on Thursday (Feb 14). In particular, the Budget will focus on helping companies deepen capabilities so they can stay competitive and productive, he said. It will also focus on helping workers learn new skills so that they can enjoy better jobs and pay, said Mr Heng. Speaking on the sidelines of a visit to FairPrice Distribution Centre at Benoi, Mr Heng added that the help will be given to enterprises to seize opportunities that are growing in the Asian region. “The Singapore economy is very open, so we need to look at what we can do to create partnerships all round the world so that we can again achieve the best possible results for our companies and our workers,” he said. Citing FairPrice as an example of a company that has seen positive results in adopting technology, Mr Heng said that there is a need to encourage all businesses and workers to embrace technology. Machines such as the Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS), uses robotic technology and autonomous vehicles mounted on a monorail system to enable automatic transportation of pallets of goods. The new system has twice the productivity rate of a conventional distribution center relying on manual pallet movers. Industry aside, Mr Heng also said that the Budget will include a major section on social policies. “In particular I will be announcing details on our Merdeka Generation package, as well as some reflections on how we are celebrating our bicentennial. It is a major event, and I hope that we reflect on the past so that we can plan for a better future,” he said. Source: CNA/aa(aj)

SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has suspended Chinese bike-sharing company Ofo's operating licence in Singapore, it said on Thursday (Feb 14). "Despite previous communications with ofo to comply with the regulatory requirements by Feb 13, 2019, ofo has failed to comply with these requirements, including proper implementation of the QR code system," said LTA. LTA had said in a statement last month that the firm was in danger of suspension after it "breached multiple regulatory requirements" despite being given enough time to comply. In addition to not ensuring that its bicycles were parked within designated areas by using a QR-code system, Ofo had also failed to reduce its bicycle fleet to the stipulated maximum size of 10,000 despite multiple warnings. Channel NewsAsia reported two weeks ago that Ofo had terminated all its employees in Singapore by the end of January. It was also reported last month that Ofo owes at least two of its former logistic vendors around S$700,000 for their services. REMOVAL OF BICYCLES LTA said that Ofo will be required to remove all its bicycles from public places by Mar 13. "If ofo fails to remove the bicycles in time, LTA will take the necessary regulatory action, including possible cancellation of ofo’s licence," said the authority in response to Channel NewsAsia's queries. LTA added that it will step in "as a last resort" from Mar 14 if necessary, to ensure that the bicycles do not clutter public spaces. "The primary responsibility for managing the bicycles lies with the respective operator. To manage taxpayer burden, LTA only steps in where necessary," it added. The suspension will only be lifted if the company meets all regulatory requirements, LTA said, adding that it will continue to monitor the company's efforts to comply and may cancel its licence if does not show satisfactory progress. Last December, Ofo's chief executive Dai Wei said the start-up backed by Alibaba Group Holding was facing "immense" cash flow problems. "The whole of this year we've borne immense cash flow pressures. Returning deposits to users, paying debts to suppliers and keeping operations running," Dai Wei said in a letter posted on social media by Ofo's head of public relations. However, Dai, who is also Ofo's founder, said he was determined to keep the company afloat. "As pressures mount we must endure, as difficulties grow we must find ways to overcome them," he said in the letter dated Dec 19. At its peak, Ofo had bike fleets in more than 20 countries, from France to Australia and the United States. Source: CNA/hs(hm)

He rented out his one-bedroom Geylang flat to prostitutes and engaged their sexual services. However, he wilfully avoided informing the women that he carried the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The 52-year-old former police officer had also threatened to create trouble for one of the prostitutes if she did not provide her services to him. At the State Courts on Wednesday (13 February), he pleaded guilty to one count of living off the earnings of prostitutes and one count of letting his rental unit be used as a brothel. He also admitted to two counts of engaging in sexual activity without informing the other party of his HIV status. Another four counts of the same nature will be taken into consideration for his sentencing. The man’s name cannot be revealed due to a court-imposed gag order. Under the Infectious Diseases Act, HIV-positive persons are obliged, prior to sexual intercourse, to inform their partners of their condition and to obtain their acknowledgement of the risks involved. A person who fails to do so can be fined up to $50,000 or jailed up to 10 years, or both. Demanded sexual services from renters In January 2017, the man – who then worked as a security guard – began renting the one-bedroom flat in Geylang with the intention of letting his partner live there. When his partner later disappeared, he then advertised the unit in a group chat that was populated largely by prostitutes. On 19 June that year, a 33-year-old Chinese national told the man that she wanted to rent the unit to carry out sexual services. When the two met days later to discuss the terms of the lease, the man asked her for sex. He used his status as a former police officer to persuade the woman, who agreed out of fear of getting into trouble with the law. They had protected sex after the woman insisted that the man use a condom. She was not paid for her services. The two then agreed on terms for the rental of the flat for the woman’s work. On 22 June, the man again requested to have sex with the woman but the latter put off the appointment. The man then accused the woman of allowing her partner to stay at the flat. He also increased the woman’s daily rental fee, telling her that the unit was “a work room, not a love nest”, according to the prosecution. The man chased the woman out the next day, threatening to call the police on her. He refunded her the balance of $600 before the woman left. The man allowed a second woman, a 39-year-old China national, to rent the unit for the same purpose between 24 June and 4 July. A third woman, another 33-year-old female China national, rented the flat between 5 July and 11 July. The man engaged in sexual activities with the third woman without telling her that he was HIV positive. According to the prosecution, both sex workers would not have engaged in sex with the man had they been aware of his HIV status. E-mail to MOH On 4 April 2017, the man sent an e-mail to the Ministry of Health (MOH) stating he had had sex with a prostitute whom he suspected of having a sexually transmitted disease. He requested that the authorities investigate and repatriate the prostitute. Four days later, he e-mailed MOH again and revealed that he was HIV positive and that the condom he wore had broken while he was having sex with the prostitute he previously mentioned. This information was brought to the attention of the MOH’s Surveillance and Enforcement Branch for further investigations. The man first suspected that he had contracted HIV in Thailand in 2003 but did not seek treatment or confirm diagnosis until May 2008, when he was formally diagnosed with the disease. Accused’s viral load ‘not detectable’ Between December 2016 and July 2017, the man’s HIV viral load was “not detectable” – meaning that he had low to no chance of infecting his sexual partners. He had been consistently obtaining HIV medication during this period. In total, the man collected some $2,500 from all three women and used the money for personal expenses. The 39-year-old woman was arrested on 4 July after police officers conducted a raid at the unit. The man was arrested on 11 July when police officers ambushed him at his workplace. He was brought to the unit where another woman was arrested for providing sexual services. The man is expected to be sentenced on 5 April. For running a brothel at his rental unit, the man can be jailed up to three years or fined up to $3,000. For living off the earnings of a prostitute, he could be jailed up to five years and fined up to $10,000. https://sg.news.yahoo.com/ex-police-officer-hiv-admits-hiding-condition-prostitutes-demanded-sex-101441444.html

A crocodile was spotted at Lower Seletar Reservoir on Thursday (14 February) morning, said national water agency PUB in a Facebook post. The animal was spotted by a PUB contractor, said the agency, which added that it will be working with the National Parks Board (NParks) to capture it. “For public safety, all water activities and fishing activities at Lower Seletar Reservoir have been suspended until further notice,” said the agency. “The public is advised to be alert and avoid going near the reservoir water edge.” Stay calm, back away slowly Park visitors who encounter a crocodile have are advised to stay calm and back away slowly. “They should not approach, provoke, or feed the animal. Please call PUB at 9632 3261,” the agency added.

A lecturer has been dubbed 'Taiwan's hottest teacher' after photos taken of her during her classes went viral. Cheng Jhia-wen became an internet celebrity after pictures of her teaching a class at the Chien Hsin University of Science and Technology in Taoyuan city were shared online. The photos, taken by her students, show the lecturer in a black mini-dress, teaching a course on intellectual property rights. She has since drawn more than 91,000 followers on her Instagram account. Cheng is studying law at the Chinese Culture University and teaches an elective called knowledge-based economy and intellectual property, according to Apple Daily Taiwan. In her Instagram posts, Cheng also showed off her musical talents by playing the piano and the flute. Social media users admitted that they would go back to school just to have an opportunity to be her student. 'Can I redo my university degree?' one user asked on Facebook. 'How are the students able to focus in class?' another asked. 'When and where do I enroll?' another user asked. 'I'm sure no one would be skipping her class!' one user added. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6699963/Lecturer-dubbed-Taiwan-hottest-teacher.html

A single-storey detached food factory at 2 Enterprise Road is up for sale at $18 million. The property is within the JTC “Chin Bee” Food Zone, and surrounded by food suppliers and manufacturers such as Neo Garden, Khong Guan, GSK, Unilever, Olam and Meiji. Located at the corner of Jalan Boon Lay and Enterprise Road, the factory occupies a land of 174,743 sq ft and a gross floor area (GFA) of 151,606 sq ft. Under URA’s Master Plan 2014, it is zoned as “Business 2” with a plot ratio of 2.5. It has a leasehold tenure of 60 years from JTC, with about 14 years left. Currently, the property is approved for warehousing and distribution of food and related products as well as meat processing. Facilities include a warehouse, production area, chiller and freezer rooms as well as loading bays. “The future Enterprise MRT Station at the doorstep of the property will make it even more appealing. We envisage that this sale opportunity is likely to attract strong interest from a diverse mix of users from the food and beverage industry,” says Shaun Poh, executive director of capital markets at Cushman & Wakefield. https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/food-factory-sale-boon-lay-090050464.html

Oh, you actually clicked on this article. Happy Humpday! Get out of that midweek slump with an odd clip depicting a man proudly showing off his prowess in scarfing down junk food. Not exactly a skill you’d want to add to your resumé though. Having pride in looking gluttonous may be questionable (you do you, man), but at least it makes for an entertaining watch. With the source of the clip not divulged by the SINK – Singapore Ink Facebook page, the exact date, time and place of the clip remains unknown. Nonetheless, watch as the man attempt to eat the whole burger in one bite. It’s impossible, of course, but he does succeed in shoving the entire McChicken into his mouth — dignity be damned. https://www.facebook.com/SinkSpore/videos/395551051254577/ https://coconuts.co/singapore/news/witness-man-fit-whole-mcchicken-burger-mouth/

Cheesy Chicken with veggi

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Your idea of a holiday could be a flight or bus ride to Singapore or Bangkok, but what if it could be a scenic train ride instead? This vintage-looking train is the Eastern & Oriental Express: Eastern & Oriental Express (E&O) is operated by Belmond Ltd; the same company that operates the prestigious Venice Simplon-Orient-Express which travels through Europe. Unlike its European counterpart though, E&O takes passengers on a soothing ride through Southeast Asia instead. Within its deep green-and-gold carriages, the E&O has all the facilities that turn it into a travelling luxury hotel There are carriages for dining, sleeping, or lounging - whether it's in the bar car, library, or the large open-air observation deck. Observation Deck lounge. Dining car The open-air observation deck, in particular, seems to be the most popular place to be Instagrammed in Passengers can choose to lay their head down each night in one of three cabin options Presidential Cabin. The three options are: - the more affordable Pullman Cabin (available for solo travellers as well), - the light and airy State Cabin, or - splurge on a Presidential Cabin that comes with WiFi connection and a minibar. All cabins are complete with en suite bathrooms and are fully air-conditioned. State Cabin. Pullman Single Cabin. Unlike usual trains, the E&O offers a 'journey' rather than simple ol' train tickets Each package includes accommodation, dedicated 24-hour steward service, and guided cruises or excursions at various stops along the way. Oh, and daily three- or four-course meals as well, including a continental breakfast served to you in your own cabin. There are four journeys on the E&O to choose from: - Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok (2D1N), - Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur (3D2N), - Bangkok to Singapore (4D3N), and - Singapore to Bangkok (3D2N). If you're looking to splurge a little more, then there's the Fables of Peninsula package. The 7D6N journey will take you on a languid, dreamy ride from Singapore all the way to Bangkok, Thailand. In addition to all the other perks, this package includes extra excursions and overnight stays at hotels in Cameron Highlands and Singapore. So, if you'd like to splurge on yourself or someone special, you can book your getaway over here Packages prices start from USD2,700 (RM11,000) per passenger and are limited to a small number of passengers. https://says.com/my/lifestyle/belmond-eastern-and-oriental-express-southeast-asia

The late Mr Lim Bak Chai used to sell his handmade traditional Chinese pastries at a market until he set up shop at Sembawang Road. Now his son, Lawrence Lim, is in charge of the business and they even owned seven bakeries at its peak. As they wound down all of the bakeries, an employee’s suggestion sparked Gin Thye’s revolution and paved a way for survival in this Internet era. Growing up in a confectionery shop, 45-year-old Lawrence Lim fondly remembers spending his childhood playing with dough and prodding the tau sar piah (red bean paste biscuit) his father made. About 40 years later, his own children are running about the flagship store and stealing curious glances at the adults interviewing their father, who is the second-generation owner of Gin Thye, a traditional confectionery specialising in Chinese wedding pastries. Now, Gin Thye has gone online, retailing their homemade seasonal bakes, wedding pastries, and staple confectioneries on Qoo10 and recently, Lazada. A Familial Business © Provided by Vulcan Post gin thye singapore Extended family in front of the Gin Thye shop / Image Credit: Lawrence Lim Established in 1964 by the late Lim Bak Chai and his nine other younger siblings, Lawrence formally took over Gin Thye when his father was suddenly diagnosed with cancer in 2003, then passed away in 2005. The elder Mr Lim had learnt how to make pastries when he was living in a kampung and for about 10 years every day, he would ride his motorcycle from where he lived to a market in Sembawang to sell his confectioneries, Lawrence recounted. © Provided by Vulcan Post gin thye singapore Lawrence’s father at work / Image Credit: Lawrence Lim His father moved to Sembawang Road in 1950, and in 1973, a year before Lawrence was born, he bought a shop at Sembawang Road where Gin Thye calls home. Along the same row of shophouses they’re located, they have also converted a storage unit into an air-conditioned retail space where it also doubles up as a mini café while the original unit maintains its nostalgic interior and facade. It cost about S$180,000 to renovate the storage unit-turned-flagship store two years ago. © Provided by Vulcan Post gin thye singapore Young Lawrence (looking at camera) making pineapple tarts / Image Credit: Lawrence Lim Lawrence decided to help his father out and joined the family business when he was 21 years old after he completed school and National Service (NS), and that was when he took pastry-making seriously. He shared that he didn’t have intentions to strike it out on his own and didn’t consider career options outside of the family business as he felt that he didn’t have high academic qualifications. “At that time, I haven’t gotten married yet, so I was still playing around. I faced little pressures and wasn’t serious about (taking over) the business,” he said with a laugh. © Provided by Vulcan Post gin thye singapore Lawrence Lim, second-generation owner of Gin Thye / Image Credit: Vulcan Post As he grew up with the business, Lawrence has developed a strong bond with the workers who have worked at Gin Thye since he was born, and to him, they’re like family members who have also played a role in bringing him up. One of their oldest workers is now over 50 years old. “A lot of the workers have worked here for 30 years, 40 years. So they’re like ‘longtime service’ (recipients),” he told me cheerfully. Lawrence’s 75-year-old mother continues to help out at the shop and overlooks the business, and the rest of Mr Lim’s siblings have retired except for the youngest sister. But to keep up with the new demands of the business, they hired more workers. Even so, Lawrence himself has to make deliveries and fulfil orders during peak periods. © Provided by Vulcan Post gin thye singapore An old picture of the kampung Mr Lim Bak Chai lived at / Image Credit: Lawrence Lim The hardworking boss shared with me that their products change seasonally, but their staple Chinese pastries and traditional Chinese wedding peripherals are available all year. Based on his years of experience, wedding season starts sometime in the last quarter of the year as it’s believed to be inauspicious to get married in the seventh lunar month (Hungry Ghost Festival), which typically happens between late July to mid-August. The first three months in the lunar calendar are also off-peak seasons for weddings since it’s Chinese New Year and Qing Ming Festival (Tomb-Sweeping Day). Over time, Gin Thye has automated some processes of the pastry-making, but Lawrence explained that for certain products, like cakes, kueh lapis, and log cakes, the layers and textures cannot be replicated by machines. Had 7 Bakeries At Its Peak © Provided by Vulcan Post gin thye singapore Lawrence standing outside the original shop at Sembawang Road / Image Credit: Vulcan Post Sometime in the 90s, when he had just started working at Gin Thye, Lawrence wanted to upgrade some aspects of the business like its overall image, in a bid to widen its market share. While they have always sold traditional butter-and-cream cakes, the “volume of orders fluctuated”, so they decided to expand their offerings to include wedding cakes to complement their repertoire of Chinese wedding pastries. “Back then, we were a very traditional confectionery. So the problems I faced at that time was that, when young customers came to patronise, they don’t appreciate Gin Thye’s wedding cakes, they could only appreciate the traditional cakes and wedding pastries,” he explained. “As I used to work the retail part of the business, receiving orders and serving customers, I would try to convince these young customers to order our wedding cakes. It was difficult because they see our environment, our old facade, and our packaging design, and decide not to try them.” © Provided by Vulcan Post gin thye singapore A Gin Thye bakery in Ang Mo Kio in 2013 / Image Credit: OpenRice In the 2000s, Lawrence decided to set up bakeries as he wanted to let more people know that Gin Thye not only sells traditional biscuits and pastries, customers can purchase freshly-made modern cakes and Western-style bakes too. The first Gin Thye bakery opened at Bukit Batok about 15 years ago and business was “very good”, according to Lawrence, and they rapidly expanded to a total of seven bakeries in Singapore in a short period of time. Lawrence believed that they were successful at that time because there weren’t a lot of bakeries then, and they kept their prices low and competitive. “At that time, opening a bakery was a trend and I hopped onto it,” he shared. “(I wanted people to know that) Gin Thye is more than a traditional confectionery, trying to get more brand exposure.” But about three to four years ago, Lawrence said that the government started tightening regulations for hiring foreign workers and imposed heavier levies on local businesses to encourage them to hire more Singaporeans. © Provided by Vulcan Post gin thye singapore Lawrence’s father, founder of Gin Thye, Mr Lim Bak Chai / Image Credit: Lawrence Lim “On top of that, water, electricity bills, and rent were increasing. I had so many shops, and I sold my products at $0.60, $0.90,” he lamented. “We thought that our venture has reached its limit so we decided to close all the bakeries.” He went on further, saying that it wouldn’t make sense for the other arms of the business to keep covering the costs of the bakeries if they weren’t profitable. “At the start, we opened so many shops and we were profitable. But by the end, we were making losses,” Lawrence said. “We felt that, as we kept the bakeries running, it was quite tiring because we were losing money. Since some of the contracts were about to end and landlords wanted to raise the rent, we decided not to renew the contracts lor,” he added lightheartedly. Worries Of Being Obsolete Prompted e-Commerce Move © Provided by Vulcan Post gin thye singapore Image Credit: Vulcan Post Lawrence reckons Gin Thye is the largest traditional confectionery business in Singapore now, seeing that “not a lot of these Teochew, Hokkien speciality shops are left”. “Businesses that didn’t upgrade have been eliminated… [having] been in contact with these shops and seeing their plight, I [make it a point to] evolve and innovate or else we’ll meet that same fate,” he stated. He recalled the time when the bakeries were in a slump and they were winding them up when Peter, an employee, suggested that they try e-commerce. While he wasn’t familiar with it, he had been observing and keeping himself up-to-date on the subject, eventually setting up an account on Qoo10 and “uploaded a few photos… to try”. At that time, in 2016, it was Mid-Autumn Festival, Lawrence recounted, and customers had already liked the mooncakes they made so they listed them on the platform along with their new durian mooncakes. “To our surprise, sales volume suddenly skyrocketed,” he shared happily, “[that was when] I tasted some success and thought, ‘Hey, not bad,’ we could go on to promote [our products] in that direction.” With that, he slowly finalised the winding-up of all the bakeries last year. As I have been a customer of Gin Thye before, I noticed that their online prices were slightly lower than their retail prices and asked Lawrence if it’s a tactic to encourage people to shop on their e-commerce platforms. Confirming it, he answered, “It’s also like a service to our customers. We need to, at least, be true to their expectations that it’s cheaper to buy online.” © Provided by Vulcan Post gin thye singapore Lawrence Lim, second-generation owner of Gin Thye at the flagship store / Image Credit: Vulcan Post When Peter first made that suggestion, Lawrence told me that he wasn’t worried that they might fail, or rather, he wouldn’t deem it as a failure if reception was bad since they were only trialling it and their main business is doing well. “If it sells well, good lor. If it sells bad, never mind lor,” he said candidly. Lawrence commented that sales improved with each year since introducing e-commerce into the business, so they are focusing more on developing that front. Gin Thye joined Lazada in November 2018 and participated in the Christmas campaign selling their own log cakes. He described the response on Lazada as not bad and he’s looking forward to the upcoming festivities of this year. Now, he has three capable full-timers to manage the e-commerce arm. “One person is not enough for two platforms as it gets very busy,” he explained. “They handle the designing, answering customer queries, the operations, and all that, and we help with the packing, fulfilling and delivery. It’s a lot of work lah.” He thinks that investing in e-commerce was worth it and he has already seen a good return on investment with this move. Monthly sales numbers from both retail and online platforms are about S$80,000 on average, and this number can double during festivities like Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival. Make It Easy For The Next Generation © Provided by Vulcan Post gin thye singapore Lawrence’s parents and him and his sibling / Image Credit: Lawrence Liim “Gin Thye was established by my father and his siblings and it has been in the market for a long time.” “Our reputation is due to the strong word-of-mouth recommendation from their time. My role now is to continue to expand the product variety, bring up the standards, and improve the packaging – and just steer a little bit of the direction of the company,” he said jovially. Lawrence attributed Gin Thye’s good reputation to its longevity, emphasising that it’s also the quality of their products and service that has helped retain and cultivate loyal customers. On top of that, the low-to-mid price range of the confectioneries makes it accessible to customers. He believes that if the reputation and product are good, people will naturally recommend it to others and the business doesn’t have to spend a lot on advertising. Since embarking on the e-commerce journey, Lawrence shared that Gin Thye sees more young people patronise the shop despite its “ulu-ulu” location. “Even aunties and uncles have become more tech-savvy, taking out their phones to redeem their orders [from us],” he chuckled. A part of Gin Thye’s orders come from temples in Singapore, Lawrence told me. “Actually Singaporeans are still very much traditional as they continue to preserve the praying rituals of their cultures, so we also provide for them.” If there are young people who want to prepare for an upcoming Taoist or Buddhist festivity, he said they can ask anyone at Gin Thye on what to do and what to buy for these festivities. © Provided by Vulcan Post gin thye singapore Young Lawrence and his family / Image Credit: Lawrence Lim When asked about Gin Thye’s succession plans, he shared that his siblings, a younger brother who is a pilot in the Air Force and a younger sister who works at a “big company”, “don’t like this type of work” as they find it “very tiring” due to the long working hours. “Well, I’ll see how it goes. Since I have kids, I’ll wait for them to grow up and let them decide,” he contemplated. This way, he continued, it’ll be easier and less complicated for him to pass the baton to them, if not they wouldn’t even consider, seeing that the work is so tough. He added, “This is one of the problems traditional businesses face. Because they don’t change or innovate, when their children see that situation, they are intimidated by the thought of having to work so hard.” © Provided by Vulcan Post gin thye singapore Image Credit: Gin Thye Chinatown Facebook The humble businessman hopes that Gin Thye will become a one-stop shop for couples of every dialect looking to get accessories for the traditional dowry, like the matrimonial bedside lamp, tea set, baby’s bathtub, among others, as well as wedding pastries. Besides improving on and bolstering the e-commerce business, Lawrence also plans to brush up on providing better customer service because he believes that it’s important for Gin Thye’s growth. Logistics is also an important aspect of the business he wants to boost too. © Provided by Vulcan Post gin thye Lawrence’s parents / Image Credit: Lawrence Lim “I’m only 45 years old this year, I believe that I can continue to work here for another 30 or 40 years just like my mother.” “I hope I can continue [Gin Thye’s legacy] until it’s in its 90s or even until it’s 100 years old!” he cheered. “In the next three to five years, [I hope we] can jiak ga liao (dominate the market) in e-commerce,” he added with a laugh. I’d like to thank the warm and friendly Lawrence for taking time to do this interview. You can check out their website here, and satisfy your piah cravings on Lazada and Qoo10. Featured Image Credit: Ryan Lim

Following reports that dead lizards were found by customers in snack products made by Irvins Salted Egg, the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) has asked the company to improve its quality control checks. In a statement on Monday (11 February), AVA said it inspected Irvins’ current premises after it received feedback last month that a lizard was found in an Irvins product. The regulator said the affected packet was produced at Irvins’ previous premises, which ceased operations in November 2018. “We have asked Irvins to improve their quality control checks (e.g. conducting regular refresher training for quality control operators, sourcing ingredients from reputable suppliers and conducting regular audits),” said AVA. “Irvins has made improvements in these areas, as well as stepped up inspections on the production line.” The company recently moved its production facilities to JTC Food Hub in Senoko Drive, a building housing various food manufacturing companies. AVA said that it will continue to do periodic audits and enforcement checks on Irvins. Jane Holloway, a Thai national from Bangkok, revealed on Facebook in December last year that her brother had found a dead gecko in a pack of the brand’s salted egg fish skin. After Holloway’s photos of the lizard went viral, Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore learnt that the CEO and founder of the popular snack brand, Irvin Gunawan, was aware of dead lizards appearing in the company’s products as early as August last year, months before he apologised in a press statement over the latest case in January. The statement did not mention other similar incidents. Two other customers, one Malaysian and one Vietnamese, had told Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore that they also found the dead lizards in their Irvins snack pouches. They separately made the discovery in March and August last year. In emails seen by Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore, Gunawan personally apologised to these customers in August 2018after they complained to the company. One of the customers reported the incident to AVA in August. After investigation, the AVA informed her that Irvins’ premises were “free of pests”, according to its email seen by Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore. AVA did not respond to queries from Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore in January as to how many complaints it had received regarding contaminated Irvins products. Irvins produces all its products in Singapore and distributes them to its stores overseas. The brand has seven stores in Singapore and three stores each in Hong Kong and the Philippines. The company is famous for its salted egg-flavoured potato chips and fried fish skin, which are very popular among locals and tourists. The huge success of Irvins’ snacks has spawned other brands selling similar products. Yahoo Lifestyle Singapore has reached out to Gunawan for comment.