The_King
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Dogs paddle & play in flooded Newton condo carpark
While car owners were probably in distress when a basement carpark at Balmoral Crescent in Newton was flooded yesterday (4 May), two dogs saw it as an opportunity to have fun.
In video footage that surfaced on social media, the canines were seen happily paddling in the waters that submerged the vehicles there.
Not only were they having fun swimming, but they were still enjoying themselves as emergency personnel from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) worked to get the water out of the carpark.
Pair of dogs swim & play ball in flooded basement carpark
The footage first appeared in the Instagram Stories of Bark of Duty, an assistance dog training school in Singapore.
According to Google, the school’s registered address is 6 Balmoral Crescent, which is the same location as the flooded condominium carpark from Saturday (4 May).
A separate clip of the dogs in the water also surfaced on the @sgfollowsall Instagram page and Telegram.
The clip showed two dogs frolicking in the flooded carpark, each with a ball in its mouth.
Source: Telegram
To get a sense of just how severe the flooding was, one does not need to look further than the surrounding vehicles in the clips.
Source: Telegram
Most of the cars in the carpark were submerged almost up to their headlights, providing more than enough space for the canines to swim in.
A post by a Facebook user of the flooded carpark at The Twins condominium at Balmoral Crescent on Saturday (4 May) captured two dogs near a submerged vehicle in the background — resembling the pair in the closeup clips — which more or less confirms the location.
Source: Facebook
MS News has reached out to Bark of Duty for comments.
SCDF removed flood waters using water pump
In a subsequent update, the school mentioned that the SCDF was at the scene to attend to the flooding.
Source: @barkofduty on Instagram
The in-video captions wrote: “Baymax having a bit of fun while SCDF runs the water pump. Who says work can’t be fun?”
It thus appears that one of the dog’s names is Baymax.
Responding to earlier queries from MS News, SCDF said it received a call for assistance at No. 6 Balmoral Crescent about the flooding of the basement carpark at 7.30am on the morning of 4 May.
SCDF firefighters, along with officers from PUB and the building’s managing agent deployed portable pumps to pump the water out from the basement carpark. There were no injuries from the incident.
PUB also clarified that the flood happened as a result of a faulty valve in the basement’s sprinkler storage tank. The incident had nothing to do with the rainfall that day.
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Founder of popular Hup Lee economic bee hoon chain dies at 51
Tan Boon Hai, the founder of the popular economic bee hoon chain Hup Lee, has passed away. He was 51 years old.
His cause of death was heart failure, which came two years after he received his Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis.
The hawker-entrepreneur succumbed to his illness on Thursday (2 May).
Mr Tan’s family is now encouraging those with ALS to face the condition with optimism, just like he did.
Set up 90 stores in 10 years
According to Shin Min Daily News, Mr Tan’s journey in the food and beverage (F&B) industry started at his parent’s economic bee hoon stall in Yishun.
Source: Google Maps
His wife, 50-year-old Madam Huang Su Ling (name transliterated from Mandarin) told Shin Min at his wake in Choa Chu Kang that Mr Tan and his older brother would help out at their parents’ stall since young.
While he was in National Service (NS) at 18 years old — equipped with just a secondary school education and skills in making fried bee hoon — Mr Tan set his mind on starting his own business.
Upon completing NS, he opened his first outlet in Woodlands.
Source: Google Maps
In subsequent years, Mr Tan opened three more stores in various locations, and even a factory to make chilli sauce and marinades to distribute to the different outlets.
Once he was sure the quantity of his products was sufficient, Mr Tan expanded his businesses by inviting family and friends onboard.
In the early 2000s, Hup Lee’s rapid growth peaked, with 90 stores launched in a decade.
After the Covid-19 pandemic and receiving his vaccines, Mr Tan threw himself back into work, Ms Huang said.
Hup Lee founder diagnosed with ALS in 2022
However, life threw Mr Tan a curveball in February 2022, when he discovered a weakness in his left hand.
After consulting six doctors, he eventually received his diagnosis of ALS.
Ms Huang highlighted that Mr Tan placed much importance on health when he was alive, as he had the habit of running daily and moderating his diet.
Source: Shin Min Daily News on Facebook
Therefore, the diagnosis came as a surprise.
She added that the doctors told them that ALS has no cure, and he could only control the symptoms with medication.
Even though he was coping well, Ms Huang said Mr Tan started losing his appetite due to a cough.
He reportedly did not eat anything for about five days before his passing.
Ms Huang managed to convince Mr Tan to go to the hospital for a check-up, but his heart started failing when he was making his way there.
Doctors operated on Mr Tan and managed to recover his heartbeat, but his blood pressure remained low, and he ultimately did not make it.
In light of the experience, Ms Huang urges other patients with ALS to not be overly afraid and stresses the importance of remaining optimistic when battling the illness.
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Terminally ill taxi driver hosts Mother’s Day banquet for his mother
After deciding against dialysis and having planned his own funeral, a terminally ill taxi driver held a banquet at Pan Pacific Singapore on 25 April.
46-year-old Soh Zhixiong (name transliterated from Mandarin) told Shin Min Daily News that he did it to express gratitude to his relatives, friends and doctors and to celebrate Mother’s Day with his mum.
Source: Ambulance Wish Singapore on Facebook
Mr Soh suffers from renal failure and autonomic dysfunction. He also has hyperlipidemia, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and lost two toes to diabetes.
Unwilling to undergo dialysis
After his toes were amputated in 2019, Mr Soh often experienced dizziness due to fluctuations in his blood pressure.
His doctor diagnosed him with autonomic dysfunction. The condition made it difficult for him to stand for extended periods without fainting.
Later, doctors discovered that he had kidney disease and prescribed dialysis treatment.
However, Mr Soh was unwilling to undergo dialysis due to the high cost and his desire not to burden those around him.
As his health declined, so did his relationship with his mum, as the family faced financial strain.
Despite his worsening condition, the terminally ill taxi driver kept working until his vision started to blur in March, wrote Shin Min Daily News.
Charity for terminally ill patients fulfilled his wish
After an emotional breakdown, Mr Soh attempted to harm himself but was stopped in time by a doctor, who asked if there was something he wanted to accomplish. In response, the cabbie expressed his wish to organise a dinner party.
“The doctor said he would try his best to help me fulfil it. I am very grateful to have a doctor who cares about me so much,” Mr Soh told Shin Min Daily News.
On 16 April, Ambulance Wish Singapore (AWS) — a non-profit organisation that grants the wishes of terminally ill patients — helped him realise his vision.
Source: Ambulance Wish Singapore on Facebook
Within a week, they put together a banquet at Hai Tien Lo at Pan Pacific Singapore on 25 April, which was also Mr Soh’s birthday. 50 of his relatives and friends attended the event.
During the party, Mr Soh gave his mum a bouquet of carnations. They also “shared in the heartfelt tradition of cutting a Mother’s Day cake”, shared AWS in a Facebook post.
AWS additionally played a special video of Mr Soh and his girlfriend of three years, Ms Yang Yajuan, allowing relatives and friends to witness their love.
Seeing everyone enjoy a happy night made Mr Soh feel satisfied, wrote Shin Min Daily News.
Donated S$3,000 to charity
Besides holding the banquet and planning his funeral, Mr Soh also donated S$3,000 to AWS.
Mr Chen Guanghao (name transliterated from Mandarin), an AWS volunteer, said he has handled 11 requests in his one year with the charity, but this is the first time he has witnessed a patient donate money to AWS to help other patients.
“This was a surprise for us as well,” he told Shin Min Daily News.
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Chinatown CD shop Tang Nan Ah, known for its old-school Chinese hits, to shut down
Less than a week after the iconic magazine store in Holland Village shutters, another store selling physical media will be closing for good.
A CD shop in Chinatown, known for its old-school Chinese hits, will shut down on 11 May.
This will bring its more than 70 years of history to an end.
Boss of Chinatown CD shop will shut down & retire
The impending closure of Tang Nan Ah Company (东南亚唱片公司) was revealed to Shin Min Daily News by its boss, named only as Mr Guo (transliterated from Mandarin).
The 72-year-old said he plans to shutter the shop on 11 May and retire.
As his children have their own jobs and careers, they have no intention of taking over the business, he added.
After working all year round without a break for decades, he may travel to neighbouring countries every month to enjoy his retirement.
Chinatown CD shop lasted 70 years before being shut down
Tang Nan Ah has more than 70 years of history and has been operating in the basement of People’s Park Centre for 30 years.
It sells CDs and cassette tapes of mainly old-school Chinese hits from the 1970s to the early 2000s, many of which were first released on vinyl.
Source: Shin Min Daily News
Mr Guo said he had been helping out at the shop, which was his father’s, since he was 21.
Through the years, he’d witnessed the glory days of physical media, but also its decline.
‘Everyone listens to music on their phones nowadays’: Boss
Mr Guo lamented that everyone listens to music on their phones nowadays and young people rarely visit CD stores.
As a result, few CD players are sold outside and they’re no longer installed in cars, he said.
It has also become difficult for the shop to order goods with the decline of major record labels like Rock Records.
While there used to be more than 10 shops in Chinatown, there are not many left now, he added.
He depends on regular customers
These days, Mr Guo depends on regular customers in their 40s and 50s who like to listen to physical media, he said.
Most of his stock, such as Teochew opera albums, has already been sold. He has less than 20% of inventory left, he added.
After he closes, there will be very few stores selling Teochew opera albums, and he doesn’t know where his customers will go to find them.
Boss wants to leave quietly
When regular customers heard of the closure, some of them came to the shop to take photos with Mr Guo.
They also informed others over social media.
Though the owner said he’s reluctant to part with them, everything comes to an end someday, he said, adding:
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Freddy Krueger collectible outside Boon Lay HDB flat cost more than S$200, owner says
Neighbours living in a Boon Lay have complained about a “frightening” and discomfiting sight that greets them every time they come home.
When the lift door opens, they would see a large, three-dimensional portrait of Freddy Krueger.
Source: 8world News
As it’s hung outside a flat facing the lift, it’s almost impossible to avoid seeing it.
Freddy Krueger figure seen as soon as Boon Lay lift opens
The macabre figure can be seen on the 17th floor of an HDB block in Boon Lay, reported 8world News.
It comes into view the moment the lift door opens — almost like a scene from a horror movie, according to reporters who checked it out.
Source: 8world News on Facebook
The lifelike portrait comes complete with a potholed face and blackened teeth twisted into a terrifying expression.
Source: 8world News on Facebook
For the uninitiated, the portrait depicts Freddy Krueger, the main antagonist in horror-slasher movie “A Nightmare on Elm Street” (1984).
The character has become a pop culture icon and appeared in toys, comic books, apparel video games. Krueger has also appeared in subsequent movies like “Freddy vs. Jason” (2003) and a 2010 reboot of “A Nightmare on Elm Street”.
Boon Lay residents frightened to see ‘Freddy Krueger’
Residents who see “Freddy” every day, however, have expressed fear at his presence.
A resident named only as Ms Wu (transliterated from Mandarin) told 8world that she first saw the figure one or two weeks ago when she returned home at night.
She was frightened as soon as the lift passed by the 17th floor and opened, she said.
Source: 8world News
As the portrait was so lifelike, she felt disgusted by it, and the fact that she saw it at night made her all the more frightened.
She believed the portrait had been up for some time, and thought it was inappropriate to place it in front of the lift as there were elderly people and children around.
Another resident, 60-year-old Ms Xie (transliterated from Mandarin), said the portrait has caused her to avoid using that lift.
She didn’t like it the first time she saw it, she added, and now she doesn’t like to take that lift as the figure makes her feel “weird and uncomfortable”.
Other neighbours are used to it
Other neighbours, however, have said they have gotten used to “Freddy”.
Ms Tu (transliterated from Mandarin), who lives in the unit on the same floor with her family, said it looked like Halloween decorations put up by neighbours who had recently moved in.
Though it looked scary and creepy at first, they got used to it after a while.
Another resident Zhong Qiujie (transliterated from Mandarin) said she was scared the first time she walked past it, but subsequently didn’t much of it.
Even her five-year-old child says “hello” to it when passing by, she added.
Residents described the owner of the portrait as a friendly guy who isn’t weird and gets along well with neighbours.
A resident said their nine-year-old thinks it’s funny and makes their floor more recognisable.
Owner eventually takes down portrait
When interviewed, the owner of “Freddy” said he spent more than S$200 to purchase the collectible.
Its price has now gone up to S$500, he added.
He likes to collect such things and hang them outside his unit, he told reporters.
However, he would take it down if his neighbours were scared of it.
He was later seen taking down the portrait to avoid disturbing neighbours.
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21 minutes ago, sTiCkY said:
wah cannot la.. imported one..
Sg food all is imported one le
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sad. someone bbfa is a lot better
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5 minutes ago, coffeenut said:
Back home think have finished 1.5L of water ..
Dunno le .. Mom's side of family got a few Type 2 lifestyle related diabetics. So far okay liao. One of the ice-cream was more like yogurt sorbet :s
go taobao buy a cheap ice crema maker and make some keto ice cream
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15 minutes ago, coffeenut said:
Meanwhile, I went running in the evening, then jiak 2 x ice-cream .. 1 cone and then 1 small tub :s
Inviting diabetes maybe
if healthy no need worry
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SINGAPORE – A 32-year-old man was taken to hospital after his car and a bus were involved in an accident in Telok Blangah on May 4.
The police said they were alerted to the accident at the junction of Telok Blangah Road and Harbourfront Avenue at about 9.40am.
The man was taken conscious to Singapore General Hospital and is assisting with investigations, said the police and Singapore Civil Defence Force.
Photos sent by a Straits Times reader show that the accident caused a tailback of at least 10 vehicles.
A grey car can be seen next to a red SBS Transit bus, with some vehicle parts scattered on the ground, including a bumper. The front of the car seems to be badly dented.
The crash most likely resulted in a lamp post falling onto the road, directly in front of the bus. Part of the lamp post can be seen pinned under the bus.
No passengers can be seen inside the bus.
Police investigations are ongoing.
In its annual statistics report released on Feb 20, the Traffic Police said 136 people died in traffic accidents in 2023 – a 25.9 per cent jump from the 108 deaths in 2022.
The 136 fatalities are also the highest since 2016, when there were 141 deaths.
The report said there was an increase in the number of fatal accidents involving speeding, drink driving and the running of red lights.
On April 22, a 17-year-old girl and a 57-year-old woman died after an accident involving six vehicles in Tampines. Another eight people were taken to hospital.
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SINGAPORE - For nearly a year in 2019, Kelly (not her real name) did not leave her room, except to use the toilet. She slept in the day and woke up just to play computer games, often till the wee hours of the morning.
It was not uncommon for the then 15-year-old girl to go a week without showering.
Mental health case worker Mandy Yang recalled how Kelly’s hair fell to her hips when she first saw her, because she had not gone for a haircut for so long.
In the first few months when she missed school, her school principal visited her. But that soon stopped when she closed up and could not trust anyone from her school. She also shut out two close friends, who visited her occasionally.
She started to drop off the grid. “I just didn’t want to see anyone, not even my close friends. I didn’t really have the energy to keep up a conversation at that point. It was just very draining.
“There was a part of me that really wanted to go to school and have a normal life with other people. But at that point, I kind of just gave up on my life,” said Kelly, who is now 20.
Kelly is among more than 30 reclusive youth who have received help from charity Impart since 2021. Around half of them have managed to come out of reclusion.
These young people are also known as “hidden youth” or “hikikomori”, a Japanese term that refers to youth who withdraw from society and isolate themselves at home for extended periods of time. About 2 per cent of people in Japan, or around 1.46 million people, identify as hikikomori.
There are no national statistics on the phenomenon in Singapore, although there has been a steady rise in the trend in developed countries, especially in Asia.
Who are these reclusive youth?
Impart, which helps young people facing adversities, has a crisis response initiative Imna, which provides a first line of psychological support for youth. Volunteers are paired with youth to build a safe space for them to express themselves and increase stability in their lives over six months.
Impart’s deputy executive director Joshua Tay said his organisation is seeing more cases of reclusive youth, spanning a wide range of reasons including bullying, conflict with parents or mental health issues.
“Social media and gaming definitely has been a trigger point, or can enable the behaviour. But it’s a complex phenomenon.”
Some youth may need much more than six months. “In these cases, we just try to be as innovative or creative in understanding them, relating to them in different ways,” said Mr Tay. To communicate with a non-verbal youth who did not leave home for three years, his Impart case worker messaged him through online platform Discord while sitting next to him.
Mr Tay said volunteers help the youth figure out their motivations and pathways towards their goals. “The underlying theme is to work together with the youth – not to feel like they are the problem – but against whatever they might be feeling.”
He added: “For a lot of youth cases, we see a crisis of hopelessness. A lot of it is helping them to see that there are people who can help them along in believing in themselves again.”
Bullying made her afraid of people
In Secondary 2, Kelly, an only child, transferred to another school after being repeatedly bullied in primary and secondary school. She said there was also tension with her mother, a housewife, who resorted to hitting her when she was growing up. Her father works full-time, although she does not know what he works as.
Her best friends in primary school – whom she deemed closer to her than her own parents – had turned against her, ostracising her and talking about her behind her back.
Similar incidents happened in secondary school, even after she moved to another school for a fresh start. “It got me thinking, is it a ‘me’ problem?” she said.
She became afraid of people.
She started to dread going out in public, especially seeing students in school uniforms and being on the train. “Even when people are just talking among themselves, I feel like they’re talking about me.”
Midway into Secondary 2, which she repeated, she stopped going to school entirely.
Her mother’s efforts to make her go back did not help. “She pressured me more. She kept telling me to go to school. It made me feel like she didn’t really care about what was going on at school. She just wanted me to go to school to study.
“Everything I told her, like it made me feel like it’s my fault instead. I think gradually I just didn’t tell her anything.”
Online games became her only refuge. “That was my way of making friends. It’s safer in a way where (online friends) don’t know me and I don’t know them and then I can share whatever I want.”
But when the screen turned black, she was alone again.
She would often spend hours in the toilet thinking about her life, and when her mother banged on the door, she would turn on the tap to pretend she was showering. More than once, she fell asleep in the toilet.
“I thought: Relationships in my life ‘cmi’ (cannot make it), then my studies ‘cmi’ also, then I myself also ‘cmi’.”
A year passed in a blur. Things took a turn when a Child Protection Officer from the Ministry of Social and Family Development referred Kelly’s case to Impart, and two volunteers from Impart knocked on her door in January 2021.
“She said very few words. When we asked her anything, she would give one-word answers,” recalled Ms Yang.
It was by coincidence that she realised she and Kelly shared a common interest in computer games, which helped to break the ice.
The volunteers visited her every two weeks, and after several sessions began making plans with her to venture outside. She took her first steps out to McDonald’s near her home in Sembawang around March 2021.
Over the next six months, they met for lunch at places farther and farther from home.
A hand came when he needed it
Joel (not his real name) felt the same sense of helplessness when he stayed home for nearly 1½ years from June 2021 to October 2022. He was then 15 and had fallen behind in his studies, needing to repeat Secondary 3.
After he got bored with gaming for six months, he spent entire days in bed for another six months, stepping outside only to collect food that he had ordered online. He was awake from midnight to 6am and slept the rest of the day.
“I had no motivation, and I didn’t know what I wanted in life. I felt mostly numb,” said Joel, who is now 18. The older of two boys lives with his grandmother and mother, who works as a sales manager. His parents live separately.
“I was hoping for opportunity and options, but I didn’t know what was possible for me any more.”
For Joel, it was Impart’s boxing programme for troubled young people, a collaboration with boxing gym Spartans Boxing Club, that got him out of the house.
He was sceptical when his case worker Calvin Leong brought up the idea of group therapy with nine other youth as part of the three-month boxing programme. But it helped him understand himself and his motivations for life better.
He also grew to enjoy going for the sessions from November 2022 to February 2023. “When you hear someone share their own story, it becomes less embarrassing to share your own,” he said.
He went back to school midway through the programme and came back to volunteer after he completed it.
Mr Leong said youth befrienders in the programme share their successes and setbacks with the group.
Joel did not score well for the O levels due to the short time he had to prepare, but is undaunted. “I still feel hopeful,” he said.
He hopes to study hard and eventually study cyber security at university. “I want to have the financial freedom to support my loved ones.”
Looking back, Kelly does not see her time at home as a waste. She still keeps in touch with friends from abroad she met on online game MapleStory.
She grew in confidence, and eventually found an administrative job with a crystal shop’s website.
For the first time, she is content with her job and currently has no plans to continue her education. “I don’t think I’m very ambitious. I just want a stable job and a stable family.”
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7 minutes ago, XianGe said:
Aging...
diabetes
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20 minutes ago, XianGe said:
Chiu nao quit? Healthy living?
ya low carb low or no sugar food
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7 minutes ago, XianGe said:
Me is boil noodle > drain > put powder + garnish
Last time when i eat i Same as you
I don't follow the video as I prefer my noodles to be a little under cook so got QQ.
The video is for those who love mee sua, I mean soggy noodles
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1 hour ago, Huat Zai said:
Moi recommend the Masala tea from the same brand
there's an instant version too, but moi don't want to offend @The_King
I don't drink this so don't care
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1 hour ago, sTiCkY said:
need to boil... moi lazy so instant..
Go online find those without sugar
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Sound like 3rd world country
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No, can go amazon buy the spice itself
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SINGAPORE: Sport Singapore (SportSG) will launch a new booking platform in June to combat the use of bots and multiple accounts to book its sports facilities.
The issue came into the spotlight after reports surfaced that slots were being booked out by accounts using bots or scripted programmes.
Between 2021 and March 2023, more than 200 ActiveSG accounts were suspended for suspected use of bots to book sports facilities, and more than 600 bookings were cancelled due to "on-selling", Communications and Information Minister Josephine Teo said in a written parliamentary reply in March last year.
My ActiveSG+
The refreshed platform, My ActiveSG+, is part of SportSG’s continued efforts to ensure easy and fair access to the booking of public sport facilities and programmes, the statutory board said in a media release on Friday (May 3).
It will also cater to the changing habits and demands of members, SportSG added.
MyActiveSG+ will contain features developed off feedback from users of SportSG’s membership management system as well as the recently piloted ActiveSG Beta.
The latter was introduced in March as a trial version of the upcoming booking system. The trial will end on Jun 14.
MyActiveSG+ will be launched on Jun 15.
SINGPASS AND BALLOTS
Users of MyActiveSG+ will be required to sign up and login with their Singpass to prevent people from holding multiple accounts or using bots for booking facilities and programmes.
A balloting feature for booking peak hour slots will also be available. Users will be able to ballot for slots 14 days before the date of play and the results will be released the next day by noon.
Members with successful ballots will have to pay to confirm their slots by 11.59pm that day.
Unassigned slots from the balloting exercise will then be released the following day, 12 days before the date of use, for booking on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Bookings for non-peak hour slots will remain on a first-come-first-serve basis and will also be available 12 days prior to the date of use.
Peak hours are 6pm to 10pm from Mondays to Fridays, and 7am to 10pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.
USER-CENTRIC FEATURES
MyActiveSG+ will be a web-based platform, which allows users to access its updated version at all times on their devices without having to install and regularly update a mobile app.
Parents or guardians will soon be able to link their children to their accounts through Singpass, said SportSG. “Family accounts” will also be introduced on the new platform in time to come.
A feature for refunds and cancellations will also be rolled out at a later stage.
WHEN AND HOW THE LAUNCH WILL HAPPEN
The transition to MyActiveSG+ will take on a “progressive approach”, said SportSG.
From Jun 15, members will be able to login to the platform. As part of ActiveSG’s 10th anniversary celebrations, those who log in between Jun 15 and Aug 31 will receive a one-time top up of S$10 (US$7) ActiveSG anniversary credits.
From Jul 15, all facilities and programmes will be available for booking. Booking windows will open 14 days in advance from date of facility use or programme commencement.
From Aug 15, seasonal and day passes to swimming pools and gyms will also be available for purchase.
The current ActiveSG platform will remain accessible till Oct 1.
ACTIVESG CREDITS AND ACTIVE WALLET
ActiveSG credits will be migrated to MyActiveSG+ between Jun 15 and Jun 30.
During this period, users of the existing system may continue to pay for bookings and purchases using credit or debit cards.
Users of MyActiveSG+ will be able to pay for bookings and purchases using credit or debit cards as well as PayNow. The S$10 ActiveSG anniversary credits can also be used to offset bookings on MyActiveSG+.
Members will be able to start using their ActiveSG credits on MyActiveSG+ by Jul 1.
All ActiveSG credits will also be extended to Dec 31, 2025.
On the otherhand, the Active Wallet - MyCash will be decommissioned in mid-August and top-ups will cease on May 15.
ActiveSG members will be able to use the balance in their Active Wallet till Aug 14 while any remaining funds will be refunded via their Paynow-NRIC-linked bank account by Aug 31.
The decision to roll out MyActiveSG+ to members in a progressive manner from June 2024 is to "ensure that we give time for our members to familiarise themselves with the new app", said Alan Goh, CEO, SportSG.
It is also to "give ourselves room to make further adjustments based on usage patterns and more feedback from our members as additional features are progressively introduced", he added.Source: CNA/rl(rj)-
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SINGAPORE: An officer from Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has been suspended from duties to assist in investigations amid allegations that he filmed a teenager at a public bath in Japan.
“We will cooperate with the Japanese authorities and take the necessary actions. We would also be prepared to waive diplomatic immunity to facilitate investigations if the alleged facts bear out,” the ministry said on Thursday night (May 2) in response to CNA's queries.
According to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, a diplomat cannot be arrested.
Japanese media reports on Thursday said a diplomat working at the Singapore Embassy in Tokyo was questioned by local police after being suspected of filming a 13-year-old male student at a public bath.
MFA said it was made aware of the allegations on Wednesday when contacted by the Japanese media. The ministry said the allegations were made against one of its officers who was previously on post in the Singapore Embassy in Tokyo.
“The staff (member) in question had completed his tour of duty as scheduled and returned to Singapore in mid-April 2024,” it said, adding that the officer did not inform the ministry about the incident until he was asked about it on Wednesday.
MFA said it expects all its staff to uphold the “highest standards of conduct” and to abide by the laws of their host countries.
"From the time of the alleged offence on Feb 27, 2024, to today, we have not received information from the authorities in Tokyo. The ministry has reached out to the relevant authorities for information and will be thoroughly investigating the incident," it added.
The diplomat in question is a 55-year-old, who is a "former" counsellor at the embassy, according to NHK. A counsellor is a diplomatic rank for officers serving overseas, such as in an embassy.
Yomiuri Shimbun reported that on Feb 27, the man used his smartphone to secretly film a first-year middle school student in the changing room of a public bath. The boy was naked.
Staff members at the public bath in Tokyo's Minato Ward reportedly called the police who, upon arriving, searched the diplomat's phone and found "multiple naked photos of male customers", according to Asahi Shimbun.
It added that the diplomat refused to go to the police station but told officers he had taken such photos in other public baths.
When asked to delete the photos from his phone, the diplomat "deleted them on the spot", reported the Japanese news outlet.
He allegedly deleted 700 photos from his phone, which he told police he had taken in the six months leading up to the incident.
Source: CNA/zl(mi)-
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A man in Singapore was made to believe that he was involved in criminal investigations and may be detained for months.
He was, in fact, speaking to scammers posing as local authorities.
The man was instructed by the “local authorities” to make a series of bank transactions to an account as part of “investigations” and to prove his innocence.
He wound up losing about S$2.9 million.
But what led to his downfall?
A number of factors, such as the scammers using Singapore numbers to contact the victim, as well as the other social engineering tactics they employed to dupe him.
Singapore number calling
Adam (not his real name) received a call from an unknown Singapore number.
As it was not unusual to receive calls from unknown Singapore numbers, he picked up the call and things took a nosedive.
The person on the other end of the line told Adam that he was calling from UOB.
Adam was informed that he was embroiled in a fraud case.
Adam was subsequently referred to another individual who claimed to be a police officer from the Commercial Affairs Department (CAD). The “CAD officer” also contacted Adam using a Singapore number.
The “CAD officer” told Adam that he had to be detained as he was suspected to be involved in money laundering.
Scammer controlling bank account
Adam was flabbergasted and claimed he was innocent but the “CAD officer” did not buy it.
The “CAD officer” said Adam had to prove his innocence instead by obeying their instructions.
He had to transfer money out of his account to another account supplied by the “CAD officer”.
The “CAD officer” told Adam that the transferred monies will ultimately go back to him as they had worked with the Monetary Authority of Singapore to open the other account under Adam’s name.
Thinking that the money would ultimately go back to him, Adam made the transfers.
Unbeknownst to him, however, the bank account was under the scammer’s full control.
It is uncertain whether Adam will recover any of the money lost.
Investigations are ongoing.
S$384 million lost to scams using local numbers in 2023
Since the government introduced measures blocking overseas scam calls and SMSes, the days of spoof scam calls from foreign numbers starting with the +65 prefix are now gone.
These days, scammers have come up with a workaround, using Singapore numbers to reach out to unsuspecting victims.
They also use these numbers to receive scam monies, such as via PayNow, and to set up accounts on messaging applications, such as WhatsApp and Telegram, to carry out their scams.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the losses from scams and cybercrimes involving local mobile numbers have tripled from S$137 million in 2021 to S$384 million in 2023.
The number of such cases has quadrupled from 5,867 in 2021 to 23,519 in 2023.
To prevent local SIM cards from falling into the wrong hands and being misused by scammers, MHA introduced the Law Enforcement and Other Matters (LEOM) Bill on Mar. 7, 2024.
It was passed in Parliament on Apr. 2, 2024.
What does the bill do? Who will be penalised?
1) Irresponsible subscribers
The LEOM bill will penalise "irresponsible subscribers" — people who give others their local SIM cards or their particulars to sign up for local SIM cards for unlawful purposes.
Additionally, these irresponsible subscribers may be liable if they gave away their SIM card for any gain, or if they did not take reasonable steps to figure out why the recipient wanted the SIM card.
2) Middlemen
Second, the bill will also penalise middlemen supplying, receiving or possessing local SIM cards, which are registered in other persons’ particulars or unregistered.
Middlemen may be liable for handling 11 or more such SIM cards without legitimate reason, or for dealing with SIM cards previously used for crime.
They may also be liable for buying, selling or renting a local SIM card registered in another person’s particulars, in exchange for money or other benefits.
3) Errant retailers
Third, the bill will penalise mobile service providers or retailers who facilitate fraudulent registrations.
This includes using stolen or false credentials to register local SIM cards, which they then sell to scammers.
The criminalising of such activities complements IMDA’s existing regulations for mobile service providers. It will allow for heavier punishments, such as imprisonment sentences, to be imposed on retailers and employees involved.
What if I transfer SIM cards for legitimate purposes?
The offences are not intended to penalise people who give away their local SIM cards for legitimate purposes.
This includes people who register SIM cards in their names for family members’ use, or employers holding on to SIM cards intended for their employees.
The offences are also not intended to penalise people who were genuinely tricked into giving up their credentials, which were subsequently used to register for local SIM cards.
For instance, should an elderly person's particulars be misused to register for SIM cards, the elderly person would not be liable for an offence if it is found that he had "no reasonable grounds to believe that his particulars would be used".
What are the penalties?
People who commit these new offences will face a jail term of up to three years, a fine of up to S$10,000, or both.
Those receiving, supplying and possessing SIM cards and facilitating fraudulent registrations face higher penalties if they repeat the offence.
Such offenders can be jailed for up to five years, fined up to S$20,000, or both.
How can I protect myself?
Take good care of your SIM cards and personal particulars and do not pass them to strangers, as they might be misused for scams and other crimes.
You can also adopt the following three steps to protect yourself from scam calls and SMSes:
- Add the ScamShield app, which will help block calls and detect SMSes from known scam lines.
- Check for scam signs with official sources. Be vigilant even when the call or message is from a Singapore number.
- Tell your family and friends about scams. If you have information about such scams, you may submit it to the police at www.police.gov.sg/iwitness.
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Fans of Malaysia's Oriental Kopi will no longer have to cross the Causeway to get their fix of the coffee chain's signature brews and tarts. Oriental Kopi is collaborating with Singapore-based restaurant group Paradise Group to open its first-ever overseas outlet in Singapore.
In a press release on Thursday (May 2), Oriental Kopi revealed that it plans to open its first outlet here in the third quarter of 2024 in a prime location. The chain aims to open a total of eight outlets in Singapore within the next three years.
Oriental Kopi's signature item is, of course, the eponymous Oriental Kopi, a full-bodied Nanyang-style brew made from a blend of Arabica, Robusta and Liberica beans. Other coffee variants include butter coffee and white coffee.
The chain, which started as a single coffee shop in 2021, is also famous for its range of egg tarts which have won the record for thickest egg tart in Malaysia, according to the Malaysia Book Of Records. Other noteworthy items include their polo bun and nasi lemak.
Oriental Kopi has added that it will be introducing Singapore-exclusive menu items in the outlets here.
Paradise Group's Chief Operating Officer Edlan Chua said: "We are thrilled to embark on the group’s very first joint venture with Oriental Kopi. Its commitment to quality resonates deeply with Paradise Group, and we are confident that it will be a well-loved concept by Singapore diners."
Oriental Kopi's Group Managing Director Calvin Chan added: "Joining forces with Paradise Group represents an exciting chapter in our Oriental Kopi story."
Source: CNA/hq-
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Chinatown CD shop will shut down on 11 May after more than 70 years of history
in Chit-Chat
Posted
After working all year round without a break for decades, he may travel to neighbouring countries every month to enjoy his retirement.
i dont understand, he not working for a living why wait until 72 then travel to neighbouring countries. how many at 72 still got leg power or engry to travel