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The accused is reported to have used the e-vouchers for personal spending at the Marina Square shopping centre in Singapore. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA: A Malaysian man has been jailed in Singapore for using his position as a customer relations officer at the Marina Square shopping centre to fraudulently obtain S$27,915 (about RM88,013) in e-vouchers for use in the mall.   The Straits Times reported that V Aravindran, 26, was sentenced to a year and eight months’ jail after he pleaded guilty today to a charge of cheating.     He is reported to have used the e-vouchers for personal spending at Marina Square; however, he has since repaid the full amount obtained through the fraudulent activity.       The court was told that Aravindran, as a customer relations officer, managed daily operations at an information counter, handling customer inquiries, and assisting with the shopping mall’s promotion, which included a membership referral campaign.     Under the campaign, each new registered member and the referring member are entitled to receive S$5 e-vouchers credited to their Marina Square membership accounts to be used at the mall’s shops.       Aravindran was given access to an in-house customer management system and could view information such as member lists, and information on voucher issuance.     He is said to have created 2,172 fraudulent accounts on the Marina Square membership mobile application between May 13, 2024, and April 3, 2025.     https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/01/02/mall-officer-jailed-over-shopping-voucher-fraud

From your photos, these look like ingredients for a cheesecake (one of them looks like a Basque “burnt” cheesecake). Here’s what each item is for: Cream cheese (Royal Victoria): The main base of the cheesecake—gives it the rich, creamy body. Sour cream (Bulla tub): Adds tang and makes the texture smoother/creamier (less “heavy” than pure cream cheese). Eggs: The “setting” ingredient—when baked, eggs firm up the batter so it becomes a sliceable cake. Lemon (whole lemon): Usually for lemon juice and/or zest—adds brightness, cuts the richness, and improves overall flavor. Vanilla extract (the dark jar/bottle): Adds a warm, sweet aroma and removes “eggy” smell. (Your jar looks like a homemade extract/infusion.) Stevia (Better Stevia): Sweetener—replaces or reduces sugar while still making it taste like dessert. Cognac/Brandy (Martell bottle): Optional flavor booster—adds a deeper aroma. In baking, a lot of the alcohol typically cooks off, leaving mostly flavor. And what your later photos show: Bowl of pale batter: cream cheese + sour cream + sweetener + eggs + flavorings fully mixed. Two baked cakes: left one is likely Basque-style (high heat = browned top); right one looks like a lighter, lower-heat bake with surface cracks.      

SINGAPORE - Every Singaporean household can claim $300 worth of CDC vouchers from Jan 2. This is part of continued government support to defray households’ daily expenses, and to help participating hawkers, heartland merchants and supermarkets. The vouchers can be claimed online at go.gov.sg/cdcv   Half or $150 worth of the vouchers can be used at participating hawker stalls and heartland merchants, and the other half at participating supermarkets.   They are valid till Dec 31, 2026. More than 500,000 Singaporean households have claimed their $300 CDC vouchers 2026, said Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry as well as Culture, Community and Youth, in her Facebook post after 6pm.   Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong had announced at Budget 2025 that some 1.3 million Singaporean households will each get $800 in CDC vouchers, with $500 to be disbursed in May 2025 and the remaining $300 in January 2026. This is part of the Assurance Package to help Singaporeans cope with cost-of-living pressures.     The$500 in CDC vouchers were disbursed in May 2025.       Speaking at the launch of the latest and eighth tranche of CDC vouchers at Punggol 21 community club on Jan 2, Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong said that while the past year has not been an easy one, Singapore has emerged better than expected through the collective efforts of workers, businesses and the Government. Based on advance estimates, the Singapore economy grew by 4.8 per cent for the whole of 2025,on the back of strong performance in key sectors such as manufacturing, wholesale trade and finance and insurance.     Mr Gan, who is also Minister for Trade and Industry, added that the Republic must be clear-eyed about the challenges that lie ahead. This is even as supply chains are being reshaped, trade policies are becoming more fragmented, and technology, especially artificial intelligence, is transforming how businesses operate and how jobs are created. He cautioned that growth in the coming years is likely to be more uneven and more uncertain, which explains why the Economic Strategy Review (ESR) has been set up to secure Singapore’s economic future, create good jobs, uplift wages, and provide new opportunities for Singaporeans.   The ESR comprises five committees, each co-chaired by two political office-holders joined by private sector, union and other stakeholders.  They are engaging widely with businesses and workers and other stakeholders, and will publish their recommendations by mid-2026. “We will help our companies move up the value chain, and equip our workers with the necessary skills, adaptability and confidence to thrive in a changing economy,” he said. “This is long-term work that requires close partnerships between the Government, businesses, unions and our people.” Both the CDC vouchers and ESR work hand in hand, he said, with the vouchers providing immediate assurance and practical support, and the ESR laying the groundwork for the future. Residents can locate nearby participating heartland merchants, hawker stalls and supermarkets by visiting go.gov.sg/cdcvouchers.   There are over 24,000 participating hawkers and heartland merchants (an increase from 23,000 in 2023), as well as eight supermarkets with about 400 outlets. Participating hawker stalls and heartland merchants can be identified by the teal CDC voucher decal, while participating supermarkets have the yellow CDC voucher decal. Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong speaking at the official launch of the CDC Vouchers Scheme 2026 on Jan 2. ST PHOTO: AZMI ATHNI Ms Low, who is also Mayor of South West District and chairman of the Mayors’ Committee, said: “We are encouraged by the many heartland merchants who have stepped forward in various ways, including offering discounts or special prices to help households stretch their vouchers further. This reflects a ‘We-First’ spirit and resilient community that keep our neighbourhoods caring and connected.” CDC vouchers were introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to show appreciation to Singaporeans for their solidarity during those difficult times, and to support businesses. The scheme was continued post-pandemic to help cushion the impact of rising prices on Singaporeans. How to claim your CDC vouchers Singaporean households can visit  go.gov.sg/cdcv  and log in with one’s Singpass to claim the digital vouchers. Notification letters will not be issued for this tranche, in line with sustainability efforts.   Once claimed, an SMS from “gov.sg” will be sent to the registered mobile number, containing a unique voucher link. This link can be shared among household members. Those who face difficulties with the digital process may seek help at community centres or community clubs (CCs) and SG Digital Community Hubs. Priority queues will be in place at CCs for seniors and persons with disabilities. In the first week of the launch, youth and student volunteers will be deployed at selected CCs to assist residents, alongside CDC ambassadors. SG Digital Office digital ambassadors and Silver Infocomm wellness ambassadors will also be at CCs from Jan 2 to 15 to help residents claim their digital vouchers. To claim CDC vouchers, individuals do not need to disclose their bank login details, transfer money or install mobile applications from unofficial app stores. Those who receive suspicious messages related to gov.sg or CDC vouchers can contact the People’s Association on 6225-5322. To check if something is a scam, call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline on 1799. More details on the CDC voucher scheme for January 2026 can be found at    https://vouchers.cdc.gov.sg    

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