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‘I felt betrayed’: Mother retrenched 3 weeks after returning from maternity leave, workers share trauma of layoffs She had been working at the company for four years. 👩🏻💻 https://stmp.sg/beuz @stompteam Full Story: ‘I Felt Betrayed’ — Mother Retrenched 3 Weeks After Maternity Leave, Workers Share Trauma of Layoffs Published: Sep 3, 2026, 9:47am · By Ethel Tseng · Source: Stomp / The Straits Times 💔 Rebecca's Story Three weeks after returning from maternity leave — and after four years with the same company — 31-year-old Rebecca was called into a meeting with her manager and told she was being let go. She was given two weeks' notice and a single day off to process the news. While there was no stated connection to her new motherhood, the timing left her feeling "heartbroken" and "betrayed," and made her suspect it was a prejudiced decision. She had built her whole adult life there — got engaged, married, had a child, and bought a house all during her time at the firm. "I was overwhelmed because I was suddenly financially unstable. I had to live off my savings to get by and pay for home renovations." The experience stayed with her long after: applying for ~60 jobs a week for three months, grappling with imposter syndrome — a voice in her head telling her she wasn't good enough, even though her work performance was never cited as the reason. A career counsellor even advised her to keep the retrenchment "vague" when interviewing, because she noticed she wouldn't get callbacks when she was upfront. Eventually she found a new role, but the anxiety lingers: "Even now when I submit work, I think 'that's not the best you could've done' — 'you're going to get retrenched.' But then I get praised and the voice fades away." 📈 Rising Retrenchments in Singapore Layoffs have been accelerating: 4,500 people retrenched April–June 2026, up from 3,830 in the prior quarter — the highest since late 2020. Major cuts announced this year include: - Amazon — Singapore roles cut, May 7 - Shopee — ~8% of developer roles axed, June - Lazada — 5% of Southeast Asia workforce, June 23 - GovTech — 93 staff laid off (42% in their 40s), mid-July - CapitaLand Investment — 90 Singapore staff, 2026 restructuring 😔 Shame, Silence — and Breaking the Stigma Advertising professional Dion faced a different burden: the anxiety of explaining himself to friends and acquaintances, and the "perceived shame" around being laid off. But unlike Rebecca's initial experience, being open worked in his favour — being upfront about the circumstances actually landed him interviews. Experts say perceptions are shifting — retrenchment itself is not a red flag. Veteran recruiter Linus Choo (Ethos BeathChapman) explains: "It's business-driven restructuring, not individual performance — hiring managers see that. What they really scrutinise is what you did after. A gap of six months doing nothing raises far more questions than someone who networked, took contract work, or upskilled." Advice from experts: Be honest about being retrenched — and say it with confidence, not apology. In Singapore's small job market, "you can ask around — the truth comes out," says former HR manager Jeffrey. Getting caught hiding it is worse than the layoff itself. ✅ Rights & Next Steps - Check your retrenchment benefits — and if your employer falls short, seek mediation through TADM (Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management) - Maternity protection: It is unlawful to dismiss an employee on account of pregnancy or maternity leave. If the dismissal happens shortly after returning, the burden of proof falls on the employer to show it was unrelated - Notify MOM: Employers of 10+ staff must notify MOM within 5 working days of issuing retrenchment notices - Move forward: Stay active — upskill, take interim work, network. Transparency builds trust and activates your support system Rebecca's closing thought: "It's never personal. Don't belittle your work ethic. Just be grateful life pointed you in a different direction — it's probably for the best." 🔗 Full article: https://stmp.sg/beuz
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Record 201 Million-Dollar HDB Flats Sold in August, First Time Monthly Total Crosses 200 👉 https://goodyfeed.com/record-201-million-dollar-hdb-flats-sold-in-august-first-time-monthly-total-crosses-200/ Record 201 Million-Dollar HDB Flats Sold in August 2026 — Full Details Published: 3 September 2026, by George Yang / Goodyfeed 📊 Key Figures - 201 HDB resale flats sold for at least S$1 million in August 2026 — first time monthly total crossed 200 - Up from 187 in July, beating previous record of 188 in June - Million-dollar flats = 8% of all HDB resale transactions in August - Total resale transactions: 2,524 (−5.1% from July, +14.1% YoY) - Overall resale price index: +0.1% m/m, −0.5% y/y 📍 By Location — Mature vs Non-Mature Estates Mature Estates: 177 units (new monthly record) Town $1M+ Deals Toa Payoh 32 Queenstown 26 Bukit Merah 21 - 24 of Toa Payoh's 32 deals were from newer flats along Bidadari Park Drive & Alkaff Crescent Non-Mature Towns: 24 units (new record, up from 21 in July) Town $1M+ Deals Hougang 14 Woodlands 5 Remaining spread across Bukit Batok, Bukit Panjang, Jurong East, Sengkang 5 By Flat Type (million-dollar deals) - 4-room: 82 units - 5-room: 65 units - Executive: 53 units - 3-room terrace (Queenstown): 1 unit 🏆 Top Transactions in August Flat Price Details 5-room @ Tiong Bahru View (Boon Tiong Rd) S$1,688,888 112 m², 28–30th floor, ~88 years lease left — month's highest Executive Maisonette @ Bishan St 13 S$1.65M 162 m², ~60 years lease — record for executive HDB flat 5-room @ Bedok South Horizon S$1.45M — new Bedok town record Executive flat @ Woodlands St 81 S$1.25M — highest in non-mature estates 📈 Year-to-Date & Annual Comparison - Jan–Aug 2026: 1,290 million-dollar HDB flats sold - Full-year 2025: 1,593 (previous annual record) 🔄 Market Context & Policy Change - Overall market stable: The record number of million-dollar deals happened even as overall prices barely moved (+0.1% m/m) and total sales volume dipped 5.1% from July - Removal of 15-month wait-out period (effective 27 July 2026): Private property owners & former owners buying non-subsidised HDB resale without HDB housing loan no longer need to wait 15 months. This could bring more buyers — especially private owners looking to right-size — into the market - HDB removed the restriction after several quarters of moderation in resale prices Source: 99.co, SRX, PropNex Research — data as at 1 September 2026 Full article: https://goodyfeed.com/record-201-million-dollar-hdb-flats-sold-in-august-first-time-monthly-total-crosses-200/
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Johor Crown Prince Reportedly Seeking to Sell 16.6ha of Singapore Land, Tax Could Reach S$2.7b 👉 https://goodyfeed.com/johor-crown-prince-reportedly-seeking-to-sell-16-6ha-of-singapore-land-tax-could-reach-s2-7b/ Full Details: Johor Crown Prince Reportedly Seeking to Sell 16.6ha of Singapore Land Overview Reported by Bloomberg on 3 September 2026 — Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, Crown Prince and Regent of Johor, is reportedly seeking to sell a 16.6-hectare prime land parcel located around Holland Road and Tyersall Avenue, close to the Singapore Botanic Gardens. The transaction could rank among Singapore's largest-ever property deals, but a massive potential Land Betterment Charge (LBC) — estimated at up to S$2.7–3 billion — has emerged as a major complication. 👤 Owner & Background - Owner: Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, Crown Prince and Regent of Johor - Land ownership roots: The land in the Holland Road / Tyersall Park area has been privately held by the Johor royal family since the 1800s - Current status: Tunku Ismail's representatives have approached potential buyers — including parties from the US and elsewhere — but negotiations are reportedly at an early stage and may not result in a sale 📍 The Land & 2025 Land Swap The 16.6ha parcel is the result of a land swap agreement announced 10 June 2025 between Tunku Ismail and the Singapore Government : Before Swap After Swap Tunku Ismail owned 21.1ha of land in the area[__LINK_ICON] Transferred a 13ha plot closer to the Botanic Gardens to the Government[__LINK_ICON] — Received 8.5ha of State land in exchange[__LINK_ICON] — Retained his existing 8.1ha parcel[__LINK_ICON] — Total remaining: 16.6ha (8.5ha + 8.1ha) Purpose of swap: To shift development further away from the Singapore Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site . The government will keep the 13ha transferred plot undeveloped for now . 🏗️ Development Application & Rezoning - March 2026: Tunku Ismail submitted a development application to build low-rise, low-density housing (gross plot ratio of 1.4) plus Good Class Bungalows (GCBs) - URA's proposal: Rezone the land to residential use, with part designated as a Good Class Bungalow Area if approved - July 2026: A hearing was held to consider objections and representations regarding the proposed rezoning - Status: Final development approval is still pending; timing remains unclear 💰 Land Valuation - Estimated value after rezoning: S$3.8–4.7 billion (Nicholas Mak, Mogul.sg) - Alternative estimate: At least S$3 billion (another valuer cited by Bloomberg) - These figures represent the land value itself — before any tax or LBC ⚠️ The Land Betterment Charge (LBC) — The S$2.7B Issue What is LBC? The Land Betterment Charge is a levy introduced 1 August 2022 that replaced the older Development Charge and Differential Premium systems . It is calculated as the difference between the land's value before and after planning approval (e.g. rezoning to a more valuable use or higher development intensity) . Estimated LBC Liability - Nicholas Mak (Mogul.sg): S$2.5–2.7 billion - Tay Kah Poh (Singapore Institute of Surveyors and Valuers): Could approach S$3 billion, though actual figure may be lower since pre-rezoning value is not fully known - Important caveat: No final bill has been issued. The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) confirmed the actual amount will only be determined after development permission is granted. Liability & Negotiation Stance - Default rule: The landowner at the time chargeable consent is granted is liable for the LBC - Transfer option: Liability can be contractually assumed by another party (e.g. a buyer) if requirements are met - Sticking point: Tunku Ismail is reportedly seeking to have the buyer bear the full LBC cost. The size and uncertainty of this bill have reportedly made prospective Singaporean and Malaysian developers cautious about proceeding 📌 Key Facts & Uncertainties - Reported sale: Based on sources familiar with negotiations; Tunku Ismail's representative declined to comment - SLA position: Does not comment on market speculation or private transactions - Two separate uncertainties: The sale itself is not finalised, and the eventual LBC amount remains undetermined until development approval is granted - The land is freehold and located in one of Singapore's most prestigious residential districts
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i think your southwest is the same area i want to put as in the green dot, so TSS will angle toward the main door how north i dont know,but here a simple guide
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