The_King

A man was dismayed when his food delivery order arrived with porridge spilt everywhere. Stomper Terrence shared with Stomp that he had ordered pig organs porridge via Foodpanda on Feb 5. When the order arrived, most of the porridge had spilt into the plastic bag. "The food was supposed to be for my child as both parents are working and unable to return home so we depended on Foodpanda," he said. "Obviously, the food was mishandled by the delivery rider while conveying it." He told Stomp that he made a complaint with Foodpanda but was informed he was "not eligible for a refund". Lamenting on the $3.73 delivery fee, Terrence added: "I don't know why they are charging a delivery fee when the food is delivered to the consumer in such a mess. "Have they forgotten the purpose of charging the delivery fee is to ensure the stuff is intact?" Stomp has reached out to Foodpanda for comment.

SIA: hello airlines Qantas: hello airlines Qantas: i lost billions Korean Air Lines : i make profit Asiana Airlines : i make profit too SIA: left the chat room

SYDNEY: Australian carrier Qantas reported a US$5.5 billion (S$7.3 billion) plunge in revenue during the second half of 2020 and said international passenger flights would not resume until October as the pandemic continued to devastate the industry. The country's biggest airline said it suffered an underlying loss of A$1.1 billion (US$858 million) in the six months to Dec 31, with statutory losses climbing to A$1.5 billion. "These figures are stark, but they won't come as a surprise," said Qantas CEO Alan Joyce. "A year ago, none of us knew just how big an impact COVID-19 would have on the world, or on aviation. It's clearly worse than anyone expected," he said. "Border closures meant we lost virtually 100 per cent of our international flying and 70 per cent of our domestic flying - three-quarters of our revenue, around A$7 billion, went with it." Joyce noted that the company had already seen revenue fall A$4 billion during the first half of 2020, bringing the total impact of the pandemic to A$11 billion. "That is a massive number, probably a bigger number than any other company in Australia is experiencing because of COVID-19," he told a press conference. Joyce pushed back the expected resumption of international passenger flights from July to the end of October, but said the cost of keeping those planes on the ground was largely being offset by increased freight operations. With Australia's successful containment of the pandemic, Qantas flagged a return to 60 per cent of pre-coronavirus domestic capacity by the end of March and 80 per cent by the end of June. Qantas had posted a US$1.9 billion loss for the year ending Jun 30 as the coronavirus pandemic gripped the global economy. Joyce said a total of 8,500 employees would lose their jobs due to the crisis, and another 7,500 would remain suspended until the resumption of international flights. Around 100 planes have also been grounded as part of a A$10 billion cost-cutting blitz and restructuring effort that Qantas said would save it A$1 billion a year from 2023. Source: AFP/vc

SINGAPORE: Supermarket chain Sheng Siong said on Wednesday (Feb 24) that its full-year net profit jumped 83.7 per cent as customers stocked up and had meals at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. Net profit for the year ended December 2020 rose to S$139.1 million from S$75.8 million the previous year, it said. Revenue rose 40.6 per cent to S$1.4 billion, mainly driven by elevated demand arising from COVID-19. "Demand became elevated in the first half of 2020 as consumers loaded up their pantries and dined at home when the DORSCON level changed to Orange and the circuit breaker, which restricted movements and forbade dining out was imposed," said Sheng Siong in a press release. While that demand tapered in the second half of the year as restrictions on movements were relaxed, it was still much higher than pre-pandemic levels, Sheng Siong added. Supermarkets saw a surge in demand for groceries and personal hygiene items after the Government in February raised its Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level to Orange due to the global coronavirus outbreak. Empty shelves and snaking queues outside supermarkets were a common sight and delivery slots were unable for weeks. In April, Sheng Siong announced it would give its employees an additional month's salary as a token of appreciation. An internal memo seen by TODAY last month said that Sheng Siong's employees would receive bonuses of up to 16 months, inclusive of the annual wage supplement (AWS). As a result, administrative expenses increased by about 42 per cent last year mainly due to higher staff costs, Sheng Siong's statement showed on Wednesday. Staff costs accounted for S$67.8 million of the S$72.6 million increase in administrative expenses. "Staff cost increased as a result of higher headcount, longer working hours, an additional month of salary paid in 2Q2020 to reward staff for their diligence, and higher provision for staff bonuses," said Sheng Siong. "The additional headcount and longer working hours were required to cope with the increase in volume, implement the safe distancing and tracing measures relating to COVID-19 and to operate the new stores," it added. Sheng Siong opened five new stores and closed one outlet last year, taking its total store count to 63. Going forward, the supermarket chain said its revenue this year will depend on the COVID-19 situation, which will affect demand and the timing of the opening of new stores. It added that it will continue to look for retail space in new and existing HDB housing estates, particularly in HDB estates where the Group has no presence. "Competition in the supermarket industry is expected to remain keen among the brick-and-mortar and online players," said Sheng Siong. "Although there were no major disruptions to the food supply chain in FY2020 because of COVID-19, there are still risks of disruption either because of COVID-19, weather or geopolitical events which will affect input prices," it added. The board has proposed a final dividend of 3 cents per share. This will take its total dividend for the year to 6.5 cents per share. Source: CNA/aj

Underpasses in Singapore may rarely evoke a strong sense of nostalgia for many of us, but the Novena underpass undeniably does. To make way for the construction of the North-South Corridor (NSC), the underpass was sadly closed in the wee hours of 25 Feb. Source One Redditor decided to capture the final moments of this beautiful underpass. Novena underpass closed on 25 Feb As part of ongoing efforts to ease commutes, the area around Thomson Road will be undergoing a major overhaul. The NSC project will see the closure of several underpasses there, including the iconic Novena underpass. A sign was put up there yesterday (24 Feb), informing the public of the closure from 12.30am on 25 Feb. Source Now that it’s no longer open, many are reminiscing fond memories of walking through the underpass. Colourful décor set Novena underpass apart Unlike other underpasses found in Singapore, the one at Novena sticks out with its bright colours. Not only do bright tiles line the floor, the entirety of the walls are covered with artwork done by children. Source One will always stop, or at the very least take a quick glance, at the artworks while making their way through. Source Those of us who often walked along this path as kids ourselves would certainly miss the joy of marvelling at the designs. Even adults who take the underpass after a long day at work may find comfort in the place’s jovial colours. Netizens reminisce memories of the underpass It comes as no surprise that many Singaporeans hold fond memories of this underpass. This Redditor mentioned that he used to consciously choose to only step on the coloured tiles — while enjoying the music from the street busker uncle. Source As Asian as it gets, we resonate with this comment immensely – as did many others. Others who visited the nearby tuition centres often growing up remember using the underpass to get to their weekly classes. Source This Redditor hopes that the art pieces on the wall will not disappear along with the underpass. Source Hopefully, the authorities will return them to the original artists, or preserve them somewhere else. Thanks for the memories Even though the demolition of the underpass is necessary to construct the NSC, many will still mourn the loss of this iconic underpass. From shielding us from the Sun and to giving us convenient shortcuts between major locations in Novena, we’ll remember the underpass for all that it has done for us.

no way, not interested

[Ming Pao News] Taiwanese artist Liang Yunfei (Nana), a former lover of King Kong and known as the "Goddess of Light", recently accepted a TV program interview and revealed that when she was 14 years old, she ran away from home due to rebellion and had a tragic experience. She recalled being pursued by a man, thinking it was a nightmare to find someone to take care of her. The man and two other men took turns sexually assaulting her. One of the men’s wife witnessed the whole process, then helped her bathe and threw her to the side of the road. It was raining, she was walking barefoot on the street, and was tricked into getting into the car by a 70-year-old man, who drove her to the wilderness to do unbearable things. Because of her young age, she did not dare to call the police and her parents did not know. Being coldly treated by forensic father to collapse Liang Yunfei said that she was very disappointed with her life at the time, and said: "I had the idea of suicide when I went home. I took the medicine prescribed by the doctor at one go. The father who practiced the doctor calmly said that I would not die after taking these medicines, and he was afraid to accompany me to the hospital On the news at the meeting, so I only called a taxi for me, not an ambulance. I was emotionally broken when I heard it, and went to gastric lavage alone, and my mother rushed there later." Later, my father wrote a letter to her, saying that he was a successful man in his career, but a failed dad. Liang Yunfei felt that her father knew there was a defect, but because of face-saving, she couldn't say it, so she gradually let go of her hatred of her father, found a way to communicate, and repaired the father-daughter relationship. https://news.mingpao.com/pns/娛樂/article/20210225/s00016/1614191070124/金剛舊愛反叛離家出走-梁云菲自揭14歲遭3男性侵

To be honest, we don't know when this became a thing, but we can tell you that it works. If you want to sell a product, all you need to do is to hire a guy with a six-pack, take tonnes of photos, upload them onto social media and let them work their magic. Case in point: this swole fitness trainer Vietnam who became an instant internet sensation. Muscles and melon A Korean fitness trainer based in Vietnam has become the talk of the town after photos of him flexing his Greek god-like muscles while selling watermelons have gone viral on social media. The man in question is Lee Won, whose physique has recently set the Vietnamese social media communities on fire. It all started when the 40-year-old posted severeal images of him selling watermelon on the streets of Vietnam on his Facebook page recently. According to Lee, the whole selling-watermelon-while-being-half-naked was part of a secret photography project. “Giving watermelons during the Vietnamese New Year (known as Tết) seems to convey luck and happiness to others. “The concept for my shoot today revolves around an old Vietnamese story. The pictures are still a secret!!", read the caption. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=863605607753865&id=417799029001194 Needless to say, the photos didn't stay secret for long: after they were reposted on a Facebook group called ‘Subtle Asian Traits’, the photos quickly went viral. He became so popular, in fact, someone drew a caricature of Lee in the traditional garb he was wearing, and it quickly became the mascot for the fitness center he works at. So cute! A Vietnamese folk hero? While we are pretty sure Lee's biceps are more than enough to turn heads, it was actually his get-up that stole most of the attention. It turns out that there's a pretty interesting legend when it comes to the orange loincloth that Lee was wearing for his photoshoot. The orange loincloth was the costume of a legendary Viatnamese hero named Mai An Tiêm, who brought watermelons into mainland Vietnam. After Mai, said to be the adopted son of the king, and his family were banished to a deserted island for refusing to accept the gifts that were lavished upon him, he found watermelons growing on the island. Mai then brought them back to the mainland, and when he became a successful watermelon seller, the king finally forgave him and allowed Mai and his family to return to the kingdom. We are pretty sure Lee Won had a pretty successful time selling watermelons too.

Report says vaccine-fueled economic recovery will deepen pockets of superwealthy SINGAPORE -- Indonesia is projected to outpace China when it comes to the growth rate of the superwealthy set, as rollouts of COVID-19 vaccines support economic recoveries. London-based consultancy Knight Frank's forthcoming Wealth Report 2021, to be officially released next Tuesday, shows Southeast Asia's largest economy is expected to see a 67% annual rise in the number of people becoming ultra-high-net-worth individuals over the five years through 2025. The report sets the bar at $30 million, including the value of one's primary residence. Indonesia's 67% surge would be the sharpest not just in Asia but worldwide. "Indonesia has always been a sleeping economic giant in Asia with its large young population and rapidly expanding middle class," Victoria Garrett, head of residential for Asia-Pacific at Knight Frank, told Nikkei Asia. "Coupled with its large domestic consumption base and emerging tech unicorns, like Gojek, there are plenty of opportunities for wealth creation within the country," she said. India is next on the list with a projected annual growth rate of 63%, keeping Asia firmly at the top of the forecast, with Poland, Sweden, France and New Zealand taking up third through sixth spots. Mainland China is seventh, with an expected 46% increase in the ranks of the very wealthy. Garrett said countries like Indonesia and China, with their large and growing markets, have made Asia a prominent center for wealth generation. "Over the past decade, the region has developed and deepened its technological capabilities and infrastructure rapidly, accounting for a large share of global growth in technology company revenue," she explained. "This is turn has seen wealth and business in the region grow exponentially." By region, Asia leads the way with 39% projected growth in ultra-high-net-worth individuals through 2025, followed by Africa at 33%. The global forecast is 27%, with the figures for North America, the Middle East, Latin America and Europe all in the 23% to 25% range. Knight Frank noted that the Asia-Pacific is already home to more billionaires than any other region at 36% of the global total. And by 2025 it will account for nearly a quarter of the world's ultra-high-net-worth individuals. Garrett added that while COVID slowed the world's economic momentum, the Asia-Pacific overall has adapted well to new trends and opportunities, strengthening its foothold as a wealth hub. "Now with vaccines being deployed across the globe, ultra-high-net-worth individuals in Asia-Pacific are considerably more bullish on the recovery," she observed. After a difficult 2020, countries in the region are expected to fare better this year. Data, research and analytics provider Fitch Solutions noted in a report earlier this month that Asia's largest economies should perform relatively well. "China, where we forecast growth of 10.2% in 2021 following a slowing of 2.3% in 2020, will be Asia's best-performing economy," the Fitch report said. "We expect that India, the region's second largest economy, will stage a recovery of 9.5% following an estimated contraction of 8.6% in 2020." Indonesia expects gross domestic product to grow between 4.5% and 5.5% this year, after a nearly 2.1% contraction in 2020. In January the country began a massive vaccination campaign that aims to inoculate 181 million people -- 70% of its total population -- by March 2022. While some wallets in the country may grow fatter, uncertainty persists. "In 2021, we retain our cautious view on the pace of recovery in domestic demand," Sung Eun Jung, an economist at Oxford Economics, wrote in a report on Indonesia issued earlier this month. "The re-tightening of mobility restrictions in Java and Bali islands in January will lead to a further weakening of recovery momentum in private consumption." Meanwhile, Southeast Asia's wealth hub Singapore forecasts GDP growth of 4% to 6% for this year, after a record 5.4% annual contraction. A global Knight Frank survey of over 600 private bankers, wealth advisers and family offices, conducted in the previous quarter, found that over 80% of respondents in the Asia-Pacific region predicted their clients' wealth would either increase or increase significantly this year. Garrett emphasized that with "vaccine optimism," those polled from notable markets in the region like mainland China, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan saw a larger majority of respondents expecting wealth growth in 2021, at around 90%. "It is also worth noting that markets struggling with the outbreak like India, Malaysia and the Philippines are also anticipating wealth growth," she said, "showing the strength and confidence in the continued growth of wealth in Asia." Source: https://asia.nikkei.com/Economy/Indonesia-to-outpace-China-in-rise-of-crazy-rich-as-COVID-abates

The snapshot showed Jonathan enjoying his morning while lying in a hammock in front of the pool. Although it’s not super obvious at first glance, netizens soon realised that he wasn’t wearing anything. Perhaps he forgot to cover his modesty? The image soon spread like wildfire online with people reacting to his erected penis in the reflection. The actor quickly deleted his IG Story but the damage had already been done. Twitterverse has since been flooded with countless reactions and his name even trended. The uncensored picture can be found here.

i also old liao

https://thumbsnap.com/jq7d7mpW?src=tsd

i cant read chinese

No choice, politician care about GDP. here everything is no evidence to prove, no evidence to prove and more no evidence to prove these 2 country at least still got a bit of heart even china dont allow old ppl to take vaccine (for Seniors and Pregnant Women ) https://www.caixinglobal.com/2021-02-23/why-seniors-and-pregnant-women-in-china-cant-get-vaccinated-101666274.html Japan give ¥44 mil if you die from the COVID-19 vaccine https://japantoday.com/category/features/health/If-you-die-from-the-COVID-19-vaccine-in-Japan-the-government-will-give-your-family-over-¥44-mil

DJ Yusuf resigns from HitzFM Sarawak Muhammad Yusuf Shukri, or DJ Yusuf, has resigned from radio station HitzFM Sarawak after a video of himself laughing at a science teacher drew backlash. His former employer said that they have accepted his resignation, noting that Yusuf leaves them today. The station did not elaborate on findings from an internal inquiry it launched after the TikTok video of Yusuf, 29, ridiculing a teacher’s pronunciation of “birth” and several others was met with criticism. “Hitz remains committed to keeping Malaysians informed and entertained,” a statement by HitzFM said, adding: “Following internal inquiry into our recent controversy involving one of our announcers, we have accepted his resignation effective 22nd February 2020.” Yusuf joined HitzFM Sarawak as a radio announcer three years ago. He pulled the offending video from his TikTok account last week and posted an apology online. “I would like to sincerely apologize to the teacher who I made fun of,” he said on Instagram, adding: “My TikTok video was not funny at all. It was very demeaning, very disrespectful, distasteful of me to do such a video.” In the now-deleted TikTok video, Yusuf was filmed laughing at the primary school science teacher lecturing about human reproduction in the English language on the recently launched DidikTV. When the teacher said, “You can see that human[s] reproduce by giving birth,” Yusuf guffawed and added the caption “bird” in the video.

A radio DJ in Sarawak is taking a break from work after a TikTok video of himself laughing at a science teacher’s manner of speaking on national television got him into hot water. Muhammad Yusuf Shukri, or DJ Yusuf, deleted the video when criticism was leveled against him on Twitter and his social media pages. HitzFM in Sarawak, said in private replies to one critic today that it was aware of the incident and that the 29-year-old was taking a break from work. “We will look into the matter and until then, the announcer will be taking a break from being on-air,” HitzFM Sarawak wrote. Yusuf goes on air from 3pm to 8pm on weekdays. The nearly a minute-long clip was posted yesterday and showed Yusuf laughing to a clip of the primary school teacher talking about human reproduction on the newly launched DidikTV. When the teacher said, “You can see that human[s] reproduce by giving birth,” Yusuf guffawed and added the caption “bird” in the video, which many thought was an idiotic thing to do. “This ladies and gentlemen; is a moron,” Twitter user Amer_aljeffrey wrote today with a copy of the video. Former Astro Radio CEO Jake Abdullah even chimed in, saying: “I would have sacked him for this.” Neither Yusuf nor HitzFM Sarawak responded to Coconuts’ request for further comment. https://www.facebook.com/inforoadblockjpjpolis/videos/561224091448624

Crafts store Spotlight has come under fire after a complaint about unpaid wages blew up overnight. In a Reddit post purportedly from a former part-time employee at the Plaza Singapura outlet, Ghoulninjaband said management had failed to pay wages and fostered a toxic work environment. “[P]ls dont support spotlight. [U]p until now my friend and [I] are still waiting for our final salary,” read the post in the Singapore subreddit, which had garnered over 1,500 upvotes as of publication time. The post also complained that the store arbitrarily changed prices of sale items from week to week and described senior staff as “rude” and uncaring of their employees. “Spotlight prices are expensive and whack as well, and [you] are never guaranteed what price you may be buying the item at on different weeks. [A]nd the (Department Team Leader) are so rude smh (sic), and [there’s nothing] we can do because the in charge of [S]potlight in [S]ingapore does not give a fk either (sic).” Spotlight, which has two stores in Singapore, has not commented publicly on the accusations. A store representative answering the phone at its Plaza Singapura outlet declined to comment for this story when Coconuts called today. Neither the Manpower Ministry nor Ghoulninjaband immediately replied to messages seeking comment. After this story was published, Spotlight Singapore manager Richard Mayne reached out to deny the store has a toxic work culture. “[W]e reject their accusations in regards to a toxic work culture as we always strive constantly to please our employees and customers here in Singapore,” he said in a written message. In the online complaint, Ghoulninjaband alleged that the company had not paid wages and then stonewalled workers who threatened to go to the manpower authorities, or MOM. “[H]e has not gotten his DECEMBER pay yet, and neither have [I]. [T]hey claimed to have forgotten to pay him during the month of [J]anuary and said will pay us on [F]ebruary,” the post said. “[F]ast forward to [F]eb now, my friend texted the DTL (department team leader) that if his pay is not credited, he will report it to MOM. [N]eedless to say, our DTL was super rude to him and taunted him to proceed and go ahead, while she will report it to the HR too,” it added. Mayne said the store had delayed wages of a week and not a month due to an “error” in its payroll system. He said only several hours of wages were owed, and they would be paid by Friday. “The individual behind this post, we believe, was an employee who worked with us for a short period and abandoned employment without notice in January. We acknowledged that we owe this ex-employee not more than 5hours pay which should be paid by today, or latest by 26th as stated in the union agreement,” Mayne said in a written message Update: This story was updated with a response from Spotlight Singapore.

Pierre Png next to a file photo of the Hollywood sign. Photo: Mediacorp Mediacorp artist Pierre Png is taking two steps toward Hollywood stardom. To expand his global reach to movie buffs beyond Singapore, 47-year-old Png has signed on with two Hollywood agencies after receiving praise for his role in his 2018 Hollywood debut, Crazy Rich Asians. One of the firms Png will be fronted by, The Gersh Agency, represents a stable of Asian talent including Indonesia’s Iko Uwais and Ma Dong-seok of Korea. Clients of the other, Luber Roklin Entertainment, include Hollywood actors KJ Apa from teen sitcom Riverdale, Stephen Moyer from vampire series True Blood, and Sean Astin of Lord of the Rings fame. Png’s Hollywood push was made possible through agreements with his Singaporean agency, Mediacorp’s The Celebrity Agency, in a bid to secure more international opportunities. “We are happy to be partnering three very established agencies in bringing our local talents to bigger markets,” agency chief Ivy Low said. “At the same time, we also hope to showcase homegrown talents to a wider audience and are looking forward to seeing them shine on the global stage!” Mediacorp last month signed with Los Angeles talent management company Bohemia Group to represent other actors Zoe Tay, Rebecca Lim, Chantalle Ng, Desmond Tan, Zhang Ze Tong and James Seah for international projects. Bohemia Group currently represents over 500 clients and has offices in New York, London, Berlin and Seoul. Png is best known at home for roles in Singapore’s long-running sitcom Phua Chu Kang and Chinese-language drama The Little Nyonya.

for me, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ matter

“We’re a new breed of hawkers armed with fresh ideas, but still rooted by the past.” Caught between the old ways and new techniques, young hawkers face an uphill task of changing Singaporeans’ set notions of what defines hawker food and culture today. Two camps have surfaced: loyal traditionalists and innovators. With hawker culture recently added to UNESCO’s list of intangible heritage—along with introductions of a new hawker course and scheme targeted at youths—what does it all mean for this aspect of Singaporean life? Today, succession problems loom large, threatening the future of Singapore’s much-loved hawker fare. If youths aren’t willing, who will take up the mantle after veteran hawkers hang up their woks? To better understand the motivations of new generation hawkers, we hear personal accounts from three Singaporeans who chose to place family and culinary legacy above all else. Mike Loh, 29 Third-generation Hawker, Blanco Court Beef Noodles I had a sudden realisation one day while watching my Dad prepare Hainanese beef noodles. I thought to myself: “Big household brands have so much history, yet they are still good and well-liked by the public. If they can be so successful, why can’t we?” From then on, I started thinking about ways to grow the family business. Plus, traditional beef noodles is a dish that is rarely seen in the local market; it would have been such a waste if we discontinued. My aunt, who is the first generation of our family’s business, retired back when I was still in primary school. Thankfully, the business was passed down to my dad, and eventually handed to my brother and I. This makes us the third-generation hawkers of Blanco Court Beef Noodles today. Mike and his Dad, Max Lo. I took a Diploma in Sports Science but shifted gears because the continuation of our family’s legacy was of priority to me. My dad, being a traditional man, insisted that I start from the bottom. So I began scrubbing pans, manning the stalls, and learning to cook right after my National Service. There will always be stress when running a hawker business. Long hours aside, I find that it’s also tough maintaining the quality of our food as we grow. Taste can become inconsistent if brands fail to honour authentic flavours. This is of utmost importance to us and we make it a point to never play a fool with our roots. You have to get this right and naturally, results will show. With our Food Republic outlet at Parkway Parade, it was a point where we took a leap of faith. Our businesses were already affected due to Covid-19 and we had to do something about it. There are a wide variety of delivery and contactless payment modes in partnership with Food Republic, so we were able to cater to a larger audience even during the pandemic. These modern approaches allowed us to bounce back from the bleak circuit breaker period. It’s a partnership that we trust because they’ve also helped us to grow fast at lower costs. Since then, we have expanded to several other Food Republic outlets islandwide. I’ve heard about new initiatives like the Hawkers Succession Scheme — those are great steps moving forward. Singapore is known for our food so we must do something to sustain it. I’m certain more hipster hawkers will emerge in the future, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. New age hawkers will honour our heritage food with finesse, perhaps even adding new things like plating to the mix. I believe that any trend can die out, but one thing won’t: tradition. Things may evolve but our roots will always be there. Let’s say my future kids take over and they pick a retro signboard for the business. If it suits that generation, then okay lor! Ultimately, our cherished recipes will still remain. Rather than dollars and cents, the job is more about people and the relationships fostered. “Thank you for continuing this” are some precious words I’ve received from returning customers. Each time someone gives us a thumbs up, that makes my job satisfying. If any young person wants to join the trade, I really wish them well. But first, they must really love what they do. Mastura, 35 Second-generation Hawker, Hjh Maimunah Hjh Maimunah? This is all that I’ve known. It’s my livelihood, my family, our heritage. My siblings and I grew up with the familiar sights and smells of our family’s dishes. Our love for food was cultivated from a very young age. We helped out in little ways through simple tasks like cashiering, waitering and washing of dishes. Back then, customers would say things like: “Aiyo, you guys know how to do it or not?” Those doubts have vanished. My mother opened our very first restaurant back in 1992 with the support of my grandmother. Prior to that, she worked in small stalls selling traditional Malay kueh and pastries. I joined right after I graduated from university in 2008. The reason was simple: If no one took over the business, the following generation would never get to taste certain foods that we grew up with. I refuse to let that become a reality. I’ve heard some people express their worries as we expanded — things like our business being taken over by external parties. That’s untrue. We’re still us! We safeguard our family’s legacy by ensuring that recipes remain original. Each and every dish is tried and tested every step of the way. Even when using automated woks and combi ovens, we don’t simply innovate without conducting any tests. These days, the biggest challenge is in getting young blood and Singaporeans to join the trade. Some people hesitate to join a small company like ours as they think it is less stable compared to large corporations. To address this manpower issue, we had to learn to be more adaptive. Hjh Mainunah Mini at Food Republic @ City Square Mall For us to really grow, we needed to collaborate with others. Our partnership with Food Republic has helped us to expand without having to spend too much on renovations. At the same time, our manpower issues have been reduced. Since the food court provides their own staff who handles the clearing of dishes, we manage to save on hiring costs. There is also a dedicated team who manages the operations of the food court as a whole. This has been a great help and an effective solution to our problems. We were unfamiliar with the process of setting up a stall in the food court, but thankfully, Food Republic provided us with ample resources like branding and operations assistance. From equipment to stall design and the type of licenses to acquire, they’ve guided us through all these different aspects. Siput Sedut Lemak, one of Hjh Maimunah’s signature dishes Compared to our other outlets, Hjh Maimunah Mini in Food Republic is strategically set up to serve the more popular dishes. We wanted it to be a convenient option for customers to get their all-time favourites. Being in a heartland mall, some of them even come during office lunch times to satisfy cravings. Either choice is great; they simply offer a different dining experience. The goal has always been constant: to build our brand and trust of the community. Whenever people see us, we want them to equate that to good food. We have reached that point after years of hard work. Now, it’s a matter of maintaining that and improving along the way. In the future, I’d be more than willing to hand the business over than to ever see it come to an end. It doesn’t have to be a family member; the main thing is continuity. Otherwise, it would be a huge loss for both our community and heritage. For those looking to join the trade, I’ll offer them three words: Never give up. James Wang, 29 Third-generation Hawker, Haikee Soy Sauce Chicken We’ve come a long way since the 1950s. Haikee (海记, Hai Ji) first began along Upper Cross Street where my grandad sold steamed chicken rice in push carts. He soon concocted his own soy sauce recipe and made it unique to our family. Most of our customers remember us. They’d say: “Aren’t you guys from Upper Cross Street? My parents used to always buy from you.” It makes me smile knowing that we’re playing a crucial role in the lives of others and it’s not just an eat-and-go situation. As much as possible, we want to honour past hardships and memories. My dad, who first took over from my grandfather, managed to secure a small stall. At first, he didn’t even have enough money to change our signboard, resorting to a plain red cloth for recognisability. It’s the reason why red is still prominent in our current one today. Before I joined the trade, I was reflecting on our family’s slogan: “Taste of the past, sharing the future.” How can we move forward but preserve the old? It’s not as simple as it sounds and a challenge that many new hawkers face. I first began by learning to cook, serve and chop the chicken. It’s tough work but when being on the ground, you slowly get to understand people and become a better problem-solver. Unlike the older generation who entered the trade for economic survival, youths aspire to create a brand, start a franchise and expand to different locations. Things are simply not the same anymore and we can’t always expect them to be. To survive, we must stay relevant. When my brother and I first took over, we started to incorporate new technologies into our business operations as well, such as the auto-lifting of noodles. Among the older generation, seeing is believing. If they personally witness how new methods help to save time yet produce similar results, they will come to accept it. Change is a hard thing for everyone. Our new outlet at Food Republic @ 313 Somerset recently launched in February. This partnership was a bold step for us but one that we felt is necessary. Apart from being a well-established brand in Singapore, Food Republic shares the same vision as we do when it comes to heritage preservation. You see it in their food court designs and in the tenants they pick — they all deliver a nostalgic, familiar feel. When I heard about hawker culture being listed in UNESCO’s list, it felt like the Grammy Awards. It’s the recognition that hawkers like my granddad deserves. With upcoming hawkerpreneurship programmes, we’re also on our way to destigmatising hawkers as failures. It’s impossible to sustain the hawker culture alone. Moving forward, it’s clear that hawker business will become a dynamic ecosystem. Living in the digital age, it’s also important that we explore new means of communication. That way, we can then connect with a wider audience. When working with brands like Food Republic, we’re opening doors to outreach opportunities. Chats like these, for instance, can be hard to come by. We’re grateful to be given a platform where we can share our humble story to a wider audience. Above all, I am just glad to pursue the dream of continuing the family’s business. Food has always been where my heart lies. It’s an honour to preserve Singapore’s hawker culture – it’s becoming increasingly endangered and we mustn’t let that go on. It’s clear that Mike, Mastura and James embody the spirit of new generation hawkers dedicated to preserving the old while moving forward with the times. Frustrating as this process can be, it is this shared belief that keeps them going: With time and effort, things will fall into place. As a youth myself, I can see why fewer are looking to join the trade. Most of us were taught to strive for a cushy 9-5 job. Better still if you’re a doctor or lawyer earning big bucks; never mind if you have no social life or are constantly fatigued from inhumane working hours. And therein lies our problem, isn’t it? Life as a hawker may not be as glamorous from the get-go, but there is certainly more than meets the eye. Hawker food is the Lion City’s cub to protect at all costs. It has become so central to our lives and identities at this point that I’m certain none of us would ever like to witness its death. Till then, preservation remains an uncertain but hopeful journey — and we’re happy to let these young hawkers lead the way.