SINGAPORE - A woman who identified herself as the daughter of the elderly man caught in a dispute with a couple at a hawker centre has spoken out about the incident, expressing her outrage and 'disgust' at how her father was treated. 

The argument, which occurred on April 21 over a 'reserved' seat at a hawker centre at Toa Payoh Lorong 8, saw the woman spewing expletives at the elderly man, while her male companion shoved him from behind, almost causing the man to fall.

A video recorded by a witness and shared on Facebook sparked an online witch-hunt for the pair.

Read also: Couple scolds elderly uncle for wanting to sit at 'reserved' hawker centre table

In her post on Tuesday morning, Ms Caroline Ng, said she had just seen the online posts and watched the video of the altercation between her father and the young couple.

"Today, no words can express my outrage and disgust to learn of an incident that happened to my dad," she wrote.

She added that she found it unbelievable how her father did not mention a word of the incident to his family, as he thought it was pointless to pursue the matter.

"What I find unbelievable is for the entire 2 days, my dad never for (sic) once mentioned a word of it."

"In his own words, he tells me he didn't think anything will come out of it, will the police even act on it? ..does it make sense to pursue it?.. Furthermore, will anyone even going to (sic) believe him? It will be just his words ...So what can he do?"

She said: "Bottom line is (doesn't matter who is there first), my dad only wanted to share the table, there were only 2 of them (the couple) and their food wasn't even ready...will it kill them just to share the seats??!"

"No matter who is in the right or wrong, nobody should be treated in this manner, let alone to an old folk."

Ms Ng said the incident made her realise that many elderly may have fell victim to similar "unruly beviour" but does "not think they have a voice" or a cause for appropriate action to be taken.

She thanked the people who have shown support for her father, and also apologised to a student, Ms Cherry Tan, who had been wrongly identified by a netizen as the woman in the video.

Ms Ng advised anyone who could identify the couple to notify the police, instead of resorting to cyberbullying or revealing their personal details.

The case is under police investigation, according to Shin Min Daily News on Monday, after several police reports were lodged.

A petition has also been raised by a member of the public for legal action to be taken against the couple.

candicec@sph.com.sg

MS TIN PEI LING

After tabling a motion in Parliament calling for better support to help women juggle their families and careers three weeks ago, Member of Parliament Tin Pei Ling yesterday revealed that she will start work at an investment firm next month.

Currently the only full-time MP in the People's Action Party, Ms Tin said she will join Jing King Tech Group as its group director of corporate strategy.

In a Facebook post, the MacPherson MP said the local firm is "firmly positioned in the innovation and FinTech space".

The 33-year-old has been a full-time MP for six years - she quit her last job as a consultant for Ernst & Young in June 2011, after winning the General Election as part of the team for Marine Parade GRC.

Ms Tin said she is now able to return to work for several reasons - her 21-month-old son is in daycare, while her grassroots leaders and party activists have "built up a certain momentum" and put in place clear processes to help residents.

MR TEO SER LUCK

Minister of State for Manpower Teo Ser Luck plans to go into the start-up field after stepping down from public office on June 30.

He will also step down as Mayor for North East District after his term ends on May 26, and wants to spend time with his family and continue his journey in the private sector, Mr Teo said in a Facebook post yesterday.

"I plan to build, create, invest or help start-ups and businesses. Some are tech-related while others will be in products or services which I'm passionate about. Business aside, I'm glad to continue to serve you as an MP," said Mr Teo, who has represented Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC since 2006.

He said the decision to leave office was one he had "made and thought through for a while".

Tampines GRC MP Desmond Choo will take over as North East District Mayor.

This article by The Straits Times was published in The New Paper, a free newspaper published by Singapore Press Holdings.

He used to ply the roads for passengers, receiving only about 10 bookings on GrabTaxi per day.

Now, about a month after Grab launched JustGrab, Transcab taxi driver Kenn Lim is seeing a steady stream of bookings on the app, receiving more than 15 bookings per day on average.

JustGrab, which launched on March 29, combines about 50,000 fixed-fare taxis and private-hire cars on the same platform, hitting about 40 per cent of the taxi fleet here with a dynamic pricing option.

Dynamic pricing, or surge pricing, which adjusts fares based on demand, is used by ride-hailing apps Grab and Uber.

Mr Lim, 45, used to earn an average of about $4,000 to $5,000 a month after rental and petrol costs, including Grab incentives.

Now, he earns about $1,200 to $1,500 per week on average after deducting petrol and rental costs, roughly a 20 per cent hike.

His earnings include incentives averaging about $300, which he gets if he hits 50 bookings in a week.

The sole breadwinner, who has three school-going children, said: "The good thing about JustGrab is getting a constant flow of passengers. I don't have to drive around looking for passengers. I'm not choosy about my passengers. As long as I get rides, I'm earning money."

Grab takes a 10 per cent commission for every JustGrab fixed-fare ride made by taxi-driver partners and 20 per cent for those made by GrabCar drivers.

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GrabTaxi CEO wants to build Southeast Asia's greatest tech firm

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Next week, from May 1-7, those who complete 40 JustGrab trips will earn $100 in incentives. If they earn less than $540, Grab will top up the difference.

A media release yesterday said JustGrab has received more than 5 million bookings since the app was launched. It said waiting times have gone down from five minutes to about 3.7 minutes.

Grab also said taxi driver-partners on JustGrab are earning an average of $100 more per week pre-incentive and $220 more post-incentive.

The company declined to share the average earnings and number of bookings received by taxi-driver partners, before and after JustGrab's launch.

Mr Melvin Vu, head of GrabTaxi Singapore, said: "Our data reveals that productive taxi driver-partners who maintain a high acceptance rate earn 2.2 times more per hour than those with a lower acceptance rate, since the launch of JustGrab.

"We encourage all driver-partners to try the new service and reap the rewards of JustGrab."

National University of Singapore transport researcher Lee Der-Horng said he still has reservations about dynamic pricing for taxis.

He said he has encountered taxi drivers who still avoid dynamic pricing and prefer to stick to the meter rates.

Dr Lee said: "The dynamic pricing claims to focus on demand and supply. But, it can change rapidly, so how do these companies calculate the demand and supply and the resulting fares?

"We should enable greater transparency of the demand and supply for taxis, so consumers, as well as taxi drivers, can make better choices."

This article was first published on Apr 28, 2017.
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As some nations decriminalise cannabis - and some of its supporters extol its virtues - a growing number of the youth here are also displaying a more laid-back attitude towards the drug.

About a third of them - 33 per cent - do not think it is addictive.

Even more of them - 35 per cent - think it is popular.

Roughly one in eight - 12.6 per cent - feel it should be legalised.

The shifting attitudes towards drugs in general were highlighted in a survey by the National Council Against Drugs (NCADA) released yesterday.

The trend worried some experts who felt that, if left unchecked, this could spawn the next generation of drug abusers.

"This means drugs among young people are beginning to be viewed as acceptable and fun, there is no notion of the risks and danger," said addiction specialist Thomas Lee of The Resilienz Clinic.

"Being young, they are also more likely to experiment and might get into drug abusing habits," he added.

Overall, teenagers and young people here are still strongly against drugs, but the survey showed that attitudes were softening.

The NCADA Perception Survey 2015/2016 showed that 16 per cent of those aged 13 to 21 had a liberal attitude to drugs last year, compared with 11 per cent in 2013.

The survey by NCADA, an advisory council to the Ministry of Home Affairs, polled 2,748 young people aged 13 to 30 and 1,212 members of public aged 31 to 60.

Read also: Metro founder's grandson admitted to smoking cannabis every day in statement

Overall, 81 per cent of those surveyed viewed drugs in a negative light.

But the older youth - those between 18 and 30 comprising of full-time national servicemen, university students and young working adults - displayed more liberal attitudes towards drugs.

Statistics have shown that most new abusers are below 30 years old. Some could have been swayed by popular culture in how they view drugs, especially cannabis.

This became apparent when some of those who had tended to be liberal towards cannabis were probed further during in-depth interviews and displayed confusion about it.

NCADA said this stemmed from online sources which suggested that cannabis had medicinal values.

Youth formed their perceptions on drugs based on what they consumed in the media, the survey found.

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Metro founder's grandson on trial for trafficking cannabis

Source:

The Straits Times

Some 68.4 per cent said they had gleaned information about drugs from mass media like newspapers and radio, while 58 per cent had got it from social media like Facebook.

Slightly less of them got their information from websites or preventive drug education efforts.

NCADA chairman Hawazi Daipi cautioned against promoting the softening global attitudes towards drugs.

"We should avoid dichotomising soft drugs and hard drugs because soft drugs consumption can lead to hard drug addiction."

He added: "Parents and the public should be aware that the growing number of (drug abuse) victims are young people."

This article by The Straits Times was published in The New Paper, a free newspaper published by Singapore Press Holdings.

SINGAPORE - A 25-year-old Taiwanese woman who was working in Singapore donated her organs after dying of a brain-related disease on Sunday (April 23).

Ms Audrey Luan Yi Shiuan, who came to Singapore in July 2016 after graduating from Taiwan's National Taipei University of Technology, was a Chinese teacher in a private tuition centre here, according to a report in Lianhe Wanbao on Thursday (April 27).

Taiwanese media reported that Ms Luan had returned to Taiwan to visit her relatives on April 10, followed by a trip to South Korea. After returning to Singapore last Thursday (April 20), she started to feel unwell.

She later fainted and was taken to hospital, where she fought for her life in the Intensive Care Unit.

It is unclear what disease she suffered from but it is believed to be brain-related.

When doctors declared the 25-year-old brain dead at 11.45am on Sunday (April 23), her family made the difficult decision to take her off life support and donate her organs.

In a Facebook post on Ms Luan's page, her family wrote that although her death was heartbreaking for them, if she could help others to be healthy and happy through the donation of her organs, then it was as if she lived on in spirit.

According to the liveon.sg website by the Ministry of Health, up to seven lives can be saved by one organ donor.

Ms Luan's untimely death moved Selina Jen from Taiwanese girl group S.H.E. to pay tribute to the loyal fan on Facebook on Monday (April 24).

In her post, the 35-year-old singer wrote in Chinese: "My dear, fly bravely! I promise you, I will become a better version of myself! Don't forget our date in a better world."

A friend of Ms Luan's responded to the post, thanking Jen.

"I was Yi Shiuan's roommate," she wrote. "Nearly every night we would hum your songs to sleep. She spoke about you all the time."

She added that Ms Luan was "a very kind, pure girl and will be the prettiest, happiest angel".

"Thanks so much Selina, she will surely see your words to her and be laughing when she does," wrote the friend.

ST approached Ms Luan's sister for comment, but she declined.

This article was first published on Apr 27, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

A 380-seat theatre by local company Wi!d Rice, supermarket chain FairPrice Finest and a flagship store by local designer Carolyn Kan.

These are some of the latest anchor tenants at Funan, announced by its owner CapitaLand Mall Trust yesterday.

The mall, previously known for being a hub for IT products, will have an entire floor dedicated to technology.

Previous tenants such as Newstead Technologies will take up 15,000 sq ft of space with multiple concept stores, and AddOn Systems will set up a Lenovo flagship and Service Centre.

The $560 million project, which will also consist of two office towers and 279 service apartments, will allocate 11,800 sq ft of "short-term and casual" space for designers and makers to conduct workshops and sell their crafts, offering leases as short as a few hours.

Cinema chain Golden Village and food court chain Kopitiam were previously announced as anchor operators.

The retail mall will have 200 shops over six storeys, and is targeted for completion in the fourth quarter of 2019.

At a media preview at their swanky show suite located at the junction of Hill Street and High Street yesterday, Mr Wilson Tan, CEO of Capitaland Mall Trust Management, told The New Paper: "This is an opportunity for Funan to rewrite the parameters, to redefine how a mall of the future will be.

"Every time we look at an existing mall, we can only (change) small parts of it. The easy way out would be to create a 'cookie-cutter' mall, but we want to be a differentiated mall."

There will also be a covered linkway connecting City Hall MRT station to the mall's basement.

Mr Tan said they will be leveraging on technology to tackle the challenge of online retail.

For instance, customers can collect online purchases, as well as return them, at the mall.

Retailers, too, agreed that a physical retail space is still important.

Ms Carolyn Kan, who is behind homegrown artisan jewellery brand Carrie K. and design collective Keepers, will be signing a three-year lease for a 2,600 sq ft space at the mall.

She said the store would allow her to interact and build a relationship with customers and fellow designers.

"You can do it online, but it is not personal. If someone is very passionate about something, it's always great to be able to meet like-minded individuals," she said.

linheng@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on April 28, 2017.
Get The New Paper for more stories.

WASHINGTON - A Singaporean man was sentenced on Thursday to 40 months in a US prison for his role in exporting to Iran radio frequency modules, some of which were later found in bombs in Iraq, the US Justice Department said in a statement.　

Lim Yong Nam, also known as Steven Lim, 43, pleaded guilty in December to illegally exporting the modules through Singapore, and later to Iran, knowing that the export of US goods to Iran was a violation of US law, the statement said.　

Of the 6,000 modules that Lim and others routed from the United States to Iran in 2007 and 2008, 14 were later recovered in Iraq being used to remotely detonate improvised explosive devices, it said.　

Lim (below) was extradited in 2016 from Indonesia, the department said.　

Related

• Singaporean grilled in Batam for exporting US bomb devices
• Singapore to extradite four to US over Iraq bombs
• Batam court rules in favour of S'porean fugitive
• S'porean held in Batam 'can't be charged in US'

Full statement by US Justice Department

Lim Yong Nam, aka Steven Lim, 43, a citizen of Singapore, was sentenced today to 40 months in prison for his role in a conspiracy that caused thousands of radio frequency modules to be illegally exported from the US to Iran, at least 14 of which were later found in unexploded improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Iraq.

The announcement was made by Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Mary B. McCord, US Attorney Channing D. Phillips of the District of Columbia, Acting Assistant Secretary of Export Enforcement Richard Majauskas for the US Department of Commerce, Acting Director Thomas D. Homan of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Assistant Director Bill Priestap of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division. The sentence was issued by the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan.

Lim was extradited in 2016 from Indonesia, where he had been detained since October 2014 in connection with the US request for extradition. He pleaded guilty on Dec. 15, 2016, to a charge of conspiracy to defraud the US by dishonest means. Lim will be deported upon completion of his sentence.

Lim and others were indicted in the District of Columbia in June of 2010 on charges involving the shipment of radio frequency modules made by a Minnesota-based company. The modules have several commercial applications, including in wireless local area networks connecting printers and computers in office settings. These modules include encryption capabilities and have a range allowing them to transmit data wirelessly as far as 40 miles when configured with a high-gain antenna. These same modules also have potentially lethal applications. Notably, during 2008 and 2009, coalition forces in Iraq recovered numerous modules made by the Minnesota firm that had been utilized as part of the remote detonation system for IEDs. According to the plea documents filed in the case, between 2001 and 2007, IEDs were the major source of American combat casualties in Iraq.

In a statement of offence submitted at the time of the guilty plea, Lim admitted that between August 2007 and February 2008, he and others caused 6,000 modules to be purchased and illegally exported from the Minnesota-based company through Singapore, and later to Iran, in five shipments, knowing that the export of US-origin goods to Iran was a violation of US law. In each transaction, Lim and others made misrepresentations and false statements to the Minnesota firm that Singapore was the final destination of the goods; at no point in the series of transactions did Lim or any of his co-conspirators inform the company that the modules were destined for Iran. Similarly, according to the statement of offence, Lim and others caused false documents to be filed with the US government, in which they claimed that Singapore was the ultimate destination of the modules. Lim and his co-conspirators were directly aware of the restrictions on sending US-origin goods to Iran.

Shortly after the modules arrived in Singapore, they were kept in storage at a freight forwarding company until being aggregated with other electronic components and shipped to Iran. There is no indication that Lim or any of his co-conspirators ever took physical possession of these modules before they reached Iran or that they were incorporated into another product before being re-exported to Iran.

According to the statement of offence, 14 of the 6,000 modules the defendants routed from Minnesota to Iran were later recovered in Iraq, where the modules were being used as part of IED remote detonation systems.

This investigation was jointly conducted by ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents in Boston and Los Angeles; FBI agents in Minneapolis; and Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security agents in Chicago and Boston. Substantial assistance was provided by the US Department of Defence, US Customs and Border Protection, the State Department's Directorate of Defence Trade Controls, the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control, and the Office of International Affairs in the Justice Department's Criminal Division, particularly the Justice Department Attache in the Philippines, as well as the FBI and HSI Attaches in Singapore and Jakarta.

US law enforcement authorities thanked the governments of Singapore and Indonesia for the substantial assistance that was provided in the investigation of this matter.

The prosecution was handled by Assistant US Attorney Ari Redbord of the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Julie Edelstein of the National Security Division's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.

At least four Singaporeans are stranded in Xi'an, China, after their Tigerair flight was delayed on Wednesday (April 26) night, with police officers called in to contain the commotion by stranded passengers.

Mr Leong Siew Tim, an 80-year-old engineer, told The Straits Times over the phone that he and a friend were on flight TR2969, which was supposed to depart at 11.35pm on Wednesday.

"We were in the plane for almost two hours," he said.

"Then they told us that the plane could not fly out and we will have to get out of the plane and then there were no clear instructions on what we were supposed to do."

Responding to ST queries, a Tigerair spokesman said the flight had been "retimed due to a fuel leak on the aircraft wing".

"The affected aircraft required more time for servicing and we hence applied for the necessary regulatory permits with the China authorities to send a ferry flight to Xi'an," said the spokesman.

"In the meantime, our guests were accommodated in a hotel."

Mr Leong said the some 150 passengers on the plane waited until 3am in the morning.

They were taken to a hotel and provided meals and were told that a bus would take them to the airport, where a replacement plane flying in from Singapore would take them home.

"When we were all in the bus, halfway to the airport, the bus turned back and we were told that the plane was not given approval to leave Singapore," said Mr Leong.

The group, which was made out mainly of tour groups from Malaysia, then returned to the hotel, he said.

"A big group gathered around and waited for 45 minutes for a Tigerair representative to come and explain to us the situation," he said.

"The representative said the replacement plane will arrive from Singapore at 4am tomorrow (April 28)."

Mr Leong said that there was no representative accompanying the passengers at the hotel, to give instructions or updates.

"I think this is a very bad image of Singapore's airlines and I'm very disappointed," he said.

Mr Leong, who was there with a friend in his 50s, said there was another young Singaporean couple with them, but he is unsure how many Singaporeans are on the plane.

The airline paid for the hotel and the food, he said, but the group was very unhappy, and the commotion caused even resulted in police officers turning up at the hotel, he said.

According to airline tracking websites, the flight appears not to have departed, although it is unclear why.

Tigerair said in its response to ST that approval for the ferry flight was granted at 9.30pm on April 27 and the flight is expected to arrive in Xi'An at around 4am on April 28.

"The retimed flight TR2969 is now scheduled to depart for Singapore at 4.35am today," said the spokesman.

This article was first published on April 27, 2017.
Get a copy of The Straits Times or go to straitstimes.com for more stories.

Singapore - She grabbed the attention of the nation when she was born in 1991, due to her marked difference in appearance. Doctors had not expected her to live past her teenage years, but here's Ng Poh Peng, alive and well at 26 years old.

Miss Ng suffers from congenital ichthyosis, an incurable and rare hereditary skin disorder that causes her skin to flake off, leaving her skin underneath pink and wrinkled.

She hardly leaves the house due to her sensitivity to sunlight, but when she does, it's hard not to attract stares and double takes from passers-by. She used to be hurt by the gawking, but now she says, "My parents love me, that's enough."

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Girl with rare skin disorder: 'I hope S'poreans can be kinder'

Source: The New Paper

About "The Newsmaker":

"The Newsmaker"（封面人物） is one of 10 SPH-produced short form digital video series as part of a pilot Public Service Broadcast initiative. In this 13-part series, people who have made news headlines in the past share with the host Fred Lai (Content Producer, Chinese Media Group Digital) how the news events changed their lives and how they have been coping since then. All episodes come with English subtitles.

This series is also available on the zaobao.sg website and mobile app.

Get the full story from Lianhe Zaobao

SINGAPORE - Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) rate along the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) after North Buona Vista Road towards Tuas will double from $1 to $2 from May 8. 

The changes in ERP rate was announced by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Friday in its quarterly review of traffic conditions across the island. 

The revised rate of $2 along the AYE (towards Tuas) will be charged during the 6pm - 6.30pm time slot. 

A new gantry, located at the KPE southbound after Defu Flyover, between Tampines Expressway and Airport Road, will also be activated from May 8 to manage morning peak hour traffic, said the LTA. 

Traffic speeds along the stretch have consistently remained below the optimal speed range of 45kmh to 65kmh for the last 2½ years, dipping to as low as 30kmh, said LTA.

The new ERP rate along the KPE will be $2 on weekdays from 7am to 9.30am.

The next ERP rate review will take place in May. 

maryanns@sph.com.sg

It was meant to be a celebratory trip but in an unexpected turn of events, a Singaporean family of three is now stuck in a foreign land with a huge medical debt to pay off. 

On April 19, 2017, Singaporean Eileen Cheong, 25, and her parents flew to Tokyo. It was a trip to celebrate her mother's remission from cancer.

But when they arrived at their destination, her father, who has had a history of heart failure, when into cardiac arrest. He was resuscitated and admitted to Toho Medical University Omori Hospital where he remains in the intensive care unit (ICU).

In need of financial help, Ms Cheong turned to crowdfunding site Giveasia to appeal for donations so that she can bring her father, who is currently in coma, back to Singapore.

According to Ms Cheong, hospital bills have come up to $120,000. Each night in the ICU there costs approximately $10,000.

The family has not been able to claim their medical bills from their insurer because of her father's pre-existing heart condition. 

According to the doctors in Japan, Mr Cheong may never recover from this. They were also unable to say when he will come out of his coma. 

But Ms Cheong still hopes her father can return to Singapore where he can receive subsidized healthcare.

"While my father's life hangs on the line on foreign soil, we have no idea if and when we will be able to bring him home," she wrote. 

"Our hope is to bring him back to Singapore, where we can receive subsidized healthcare and financial aid, not to mention emotional support from our loved ones.

"However, our only viable option is to arrange for a medical evacuation, which will cost us another approximately SGD$120,000 (based on quotations obtained) that we are unprepared for but have to shoulder."

In total, Ms Cheong is in need of about $250,000 for her father's medical bills, including air ambulance transfer.

Ms Cheong shared that as a fresh graduate, she earns less than $3,000 a month and while she tutors in her spare time, the money she earns goes into supplementing their household income and paying off student loans. 

Her mother is a homemaker and her father is a logistics manager who earns an average of about $3,000-$4,000 a month.

At the time of this report, slightly over $100,000 has been raised to help Ms Cheong and her family. To donate, click here. 

maryanns@sph.com.sg

Ever since the advent of Uber and Grab, the ride-hailing industry has never been more exciting.

I say 'exciting' as a consumer and observer, however, for many taxi drivers, the presence of these competitors is anything but.

On an Uber trip back home recently, the driver revealed to me that he used to get horned at, and also death glares from taxi drivers who realised he was an Uber driver.

"How did they know you're from Uber? There isn't a decal for that, isn't it?"

"I used to have my phone (used to pick up riders and navigation) placed up on my dashboard - that's how they saw it."

Of course, the taxi drivers who express their frustration in such aggressive ways are just a few of the many, but it's also fully understandable why they feel such animosity to the new kids on the road.

We reached out to 6 local taxi drivers, and found out what they really feel about Uber and Grab.

Responses have been edited for clarity and coherence

Mr Ong

Actually, it was a good idea at first, because they could fill in the demand gaps that the taxis couldn't fulfil. It was an overall increase in the service quality of professional drivers.

But that was until they starting going crazy with the hiring and quantity of their drivers on the road. This resulted in lower business volume…and Comfort Delgro was late to the promo code party.

And the thing is, these part time drivers just seem to have very mediocre driving skills. There's a lot of illegal stopping and dangerous road driving practices…like lane changing and sudden stopping.

Unlike taxi drivers, who have been driving around Singapore for many years, these part time drivers are also very unfamiliar with road, and tend to go against traffic.

Because they follow GPS most of the time, they also drive blindly a lot.

Mdm Fauziah

I don't hate them. When Grab and Uber started, I didn't like the idea of it because it somehow slowed down my business.

Last time in Singapore, there were 3-4 taxi companies, but now there's Uber and Grab too…and it made me worried.

But when Grab and Uber started, the stress and pressure on cab companies did lessen. More cars and vehicles on the road meant more consumer satisfaction…which is good, right?

I'm quite lucky, but now I'm still earning the same amount as compared to last time. The only downside now is that the waiting time for passengers is longer.

But I don't need to work extra hours to cover up, because it's just according to my own time, own target.

Have I considered hopping over to the other side? Of course.

But right now, I feel that Grab and Uber is losing out, and I saw it coming already. Due to low prices and all those incentives given to drivers, they are bound to lose a lot in the long run - that's what I feel.

Mr Loh, 55

I feel that Uber and Grab made me change the following.

First, I changed to cheaper rental taxi, and saved 40 per cent from it.

Next, I changed my work strategy by taking only street flag down, and NOT the booking by call or apps passenger. This method saved 2 hours of work. The increase in productivity also led to better income.

Thirdly, I have more time to rest with family. Almost 40 per cent time saved.

Lastly, I have better mental health due to having more rest.

Overall, I feel better.

Mr Teo, 50s

It's like that lor. Business is affected because a lot of people are taking Grab as compared to cab.

But I think we need to see how we can use Grab to help us as well.

Overall, I am just upset that the [taxi] company isn't helping us more, like by reducing cost of rental or being more flexible with the arrangements.

Mr Tan, Late 40s

If given a choice of a lower fee or cheaper price, a consumer's choice is naturally the lower one.

So to claim that Uber and Grab has no impact on taxi drivers is to lie out loud. To back the claim up with a survey…that is to deny the reality and is ultimately fake.

An allegory - there was a cake and it was shared by taxi companies. Now, there are two rats in the house. Certain shares are gone, taxi drivers got a pay cut and the authorities said it's just normal market forces.

These are the same people who said private taxis are illegal.

Every time a Uber or Grab has a passenger, it's a lost opportunity for the taxi driver.

To prove this, go to One Raffles Quay in the morning to count how many arrive by taxi versus how many by Uber and Grab. With every one Uber and Grab car arriving, the taxi driver has lost an earning opportunity.

Given the numbers of returned taxis to the taxi company, it has been so demoralising to some who have given up taxi driving entirely.

It's no longer worth the effort nor risk to drive anymore.

For others, no choice, as they need to pay bills and they have mouths to feed.

Mr Albert, Late 60s

I didn't have to go through so many checks previously. Now, I'm over 60, and I still need to go get a license every few years to prove that I can drive.

Of course, business is also not as good as before.

And even with an app now, how many know how to use it? If we don't know how to use it, how to get customers and earn money?

Some Very Angry, Some Not As Much

Given that we've only asked 6 out of the thousands of taxi drivers in Singapore, our sample size isn't big enough to capture all the emotions, and the nuances that come with it.

But it's still clear as day that to them, the playing field isn't as levelled as the new policies are trying to convince us.

Are you a taxi driver yourself, or do you know any with opinions about the emergence of Uber and Grab? Let us know!

Vulcan Post is all about living life with a digital edge, up and coming startups, and people who inspire conversations.
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It almost seems like a dream come true. Finally, there's a place in Singapore where you can send your beloved sneakers to be cleaned up, restoring it to its former glory.

That's what local startup Holystic Sneaker Laundry offers from their small store that operates from Wheelock Place.

Owners of all-expensive and exclusive shoes from the usual streetwear brands can send in their footwear after a consultation over the counter and collect it thereafter once they're done servicing the shoe. Sounds straightforward enough right?

You would think that it's been all smooth-sailing since their opening, but apparently some have found their shoes in less than desirable conditions after dropping them off at the store.

The Holystic Mishap

The Playbook highlighted some cases in an article earlier today where they spoke to a few customers, as well as highlighted posts that were going viral when the Holystic experience went wrong.

First is the case of Benedict Yeo and his Adidas NMD Nice Kicks.

These are what the shoes (should) look like.

To put into context the gravity of how valuable these shoes are, they are going for way more than $3,700 on eBay alone, and there are very limited number of pairs in the world.

He had sent in his pair for both Holy Detail Clean and Holy Restoration services. Here's what he got back the first time round:

There were obvious discolourations on the pull tab of his shoes when he collected it. Unsatisfied, he paid for another round of restoration fee to correct it.

The second time he got back his shoes, there were shoddy attempts at masking the earlier mistake with what can be seen as marker ink.

Nothing Customers Can Do, And Others Speak Up

A comment on his post shows the contract that customers have to sign before engaging Holystic's services, and one particular line stood out:

"in no event, will Holystic Sneaker Laundry be held liable for any consequential… loss or damages whether or not Holystic knew and should have known of the likelihood of any loss or damage"

It is not uncommon for even dry-cleaners to make you sign contracts that state the terms for use of their services, but this line is a first.

What this basically means is that Holystic takes no responsibility for anything that happens after they have rendered their 'service'.

The Playbook also spoke to several other customers on their experiences, and the responses so far have been less than desirable.

At the time of writing, Holystic has since responded to The Playbook's article and also mentioned that they will be in contact with Benedict to resolve the matter.

[UPDATE: Responding to our article, Holystic said that it has gotten in touch with Benedict and they are "committed" to compensating his sneaker.

It wrote: "We have never indicated to Benedict that it was not our fault or at anytime refuse to compensate. In fact, we have been trying to get him on his mobile the first thing when we are alerted of the matter."]

[LATEST UPDATE: As of 5.15pm, Benedict has agreed to accept Holystic's offer to "get him a new pair of Adidas Nice Kicks". Benedict will reserve the right to choose the "sneaker of his choice, at the site of his choice".]

So what can we learn here? Well for one, those who render their services need to be more accountable for their actions and perform some form of recovery services to resolve the issue and appease the customer. When a dissatisfied customer posts on social media (and it blows up), it will be too late by then.

As a company who has apparently seen their fair share of Yeezys and Christian Louboutins, one would think that the people behind the business would be treating these high-end goods with the same high standards.

If anything, Holystic still has a chance at redemption if they handle the situation right.

Just look at A Better Florist. They are still around after their Valentine's Day fiasco.

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SINGAPORE - The mamak shop - a convenience store found in the void deck of many Housing Board flats - has gone high tech.

A cluster of vending machines called The Ma2 Shop has replaced a mamak shop in Block 143 Tampines Street 12. The 150 sq ft space opened on Thursday (April 27).

It houses six vending machines that sell ready-to-eat meals including canned Japanese oden, snacks, medical supplies, drinks, household provisions and knick-knacks such as hair accessories and powerbanks. It operates round the clock.

However, the machine which dishes out hot meals such as chicken rice and chilli crab spaghetti will start operating only on May 27.

All the machines accept cashless payment methods such as using credit cards, EZ-link cards and e-wallet services such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay.

The Ma2 Shop is by the No Signboard Seafood restaurant chain. Five other outlets will be opened by May 27, all located in void decks of HDB flats. An outlet in Block 8 Holland Drive will open on May 5, while another outlet in Block 7 Lorong Lew Lian in Serangoon will start on May 15.

The other locations are Block 21 St George's Road and Block 693 Hougang Street 61.

Mr Sam Lim, 40, chairman of No Signboard Seafood, says the vending machine business is "more scalable" than operating restaurants.

He says: "The vending machines occupy spaces with stable rent and can run without manpower. The cost prices of the products are more stable than ingredients used in restaurants. We also plan to export the vending machines to countries such as Japan."

No Signboard Seafood operates four restaurants including in Geylang Road and Vivo City. It is known for its chilli crab dish.

Mr Lim's partner in the venture, Mr Lam Zhi Loong, 33, approached him to set up The Ma2 Shop last year, after seeing the popularity of vending machine shops in Tokyo, where he frequently travels to. "Like Tokyo, Singapore is also facing increasing property prices and it is difficult to find workers in the food sector," he says. "Besides, Singaporeans are interested in trying out new types of Japanese food."

They invested about $1 million to set up the six outlets and plan to add machines that dispense ramen, onsen eggs and fruit jellies.

Also coming up is the Asian Food Box by No Signboard Seafood that dispenses five halal-certified meals including fried Hokkien mee and rice or spaghetti served with the restaurant's popular chilli crabs that have been de-shelled. Customers can also purchase frozen pre-cooked food packs and heat them up in a microwave oven. Prices range from $5.80 to $11.90.

Mr Lim says it took six months for the restaurant to tweak its chilli crab recipe so that its taste can be retained after being blast-frozen and re-heated for about two minutes in the machine's in-built microwave oven.

Vending machine clusters in void decks are not a new concept here.

Last August, catering company JR Food Group opened VendCafe in Sengkang, which serves hot dishes such as seafood hor fun and curry chicken rice, drinks and snacks. It will open two more outlets in Ang Mo Kio and Lakeside MRT stations early next month, and two outlets in Pasir Ris and Rivervale estates in June.

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2016-08-13 21:48:12

Photo Gallery

Hour-long queues at Singapore's first vending machine 'cafe' in Sengkang

Source:

AsiaOne

The Straits Times

But The Ma2 Shop also stocks about 40 pharmacy products such as antiseptic cream, plasters and Panadol, and household items such as rice and cooking oil.

Mr Lim points out: "These machines are convenient after the pharmacies and most supermarkets have closed for the day."

Most residents near The Ma2 Shop whom The Straits Times spoke to gave the thumbs up for the convenience though some say they will miss the personal touch of chatting with a shop owner.

Tuition teacher Jayne Leong, 28, says: "It is a good start to modernise the mamak shop, but this is a mature estate and the elderly may find it difficult to use these vending machines. I am sceptical about the freshness of the ready-to-eat meals as I am not sure how often they are replenished."

Retired sales manager Joe Lim, 60, says: "I prefer this to a mamak shop as I can still get a hot meal when the coffee shops have closed and can buy medical supplies if I need them urgently.

This article was first published on April 28, 2017.
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Not many people may remember this, but a biomechanist contributed to Joseph Schooling's Olympic win last year.

Although Schooling often finished poorly, compared with his US idol Michael Phelps, Mr Ryan Hodierne, a biomechanist at Singapore Sports Institute, drew out the best in the Singaporean swimmer by using science to improve Schooling's technique.

From next year, students at selected schools will have a chance to learn about biomechanics and its role when the current physical education (PE) O-level subject is replaced.

A new exercise and sports science subject will take its place offering a deeper insight into how the body works during exercise.

The new subject will look at various aspects of sports science, including sports psychology, the Ministry of Education told The Straits Times.

Students will also learn the concepts behind movement and motor skills to perform physical activities and how to find ways to improve performance.

Students at selected schools, entering Secondary 3 next year, can opt for the subject.

The ministry said the move is to offer students "more options that can engage their interests and strengths".

Currently, 18 schools, including Sengkang Secondary and Catholic High School, offer PE as an O-level subject.

Every year, about 300 students take it at the O levels.

They can use their PE grade to apply for entry into post-secondary education institutions, like any other O-level subject.

Over 30,000 students sat for the O-level exams last year.

The current PE subject comprises 60 per cent sports coursework and 40 per cent theory.

CONSISTENCY

It is not easy to snag an A grade. Consistency is key, said North Vista Secondary student Serena Sim, who has PE as one of her O-level subjects.

"Besides revising theory concepts, we have to go out and practise for the practical aspect," noted the 15-year-old, who is in the school netball team and will be sitting the O levels this year.

At her school, the number of students taking PE at O levels has jumped from 20 in the pioneer batch in 2009 to 80 Secondary 4 students this year.

Mr Yon See Kian, head of department for PE and CCA at North Vista, said: "Sports skills take time to grasp. They have to keep pushing themselves."

Coaches here said the subject gives students keen in sports careers a head start.

Fencing coach Henry Koh said it can help produce a larger pool of individuals with expertise in sports.

Students are tested in various areas.

For the practical component, for instance, their sports skills are assessed via the use of videos. One relevant skill they will pick up - analysing ways to boost physical performance. Like what Mr Hodierne did for Schooling.

calyang@sph.com.sg

This article was first published on May 02, 2017.
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SINGAPORE - The head of a chicken rice business who was filmed mocking a taxi driver has apologised to the cabby and, as a gesture of goodwill, has promised to give 200 packets of chicken rice to other cabbies.

Last week, a two-minute online video of Mr Gary Lim, the boss of The Yang's Traditional Hainanese Chicken Rice, went viral and raised the ire of netizens.

In the clip, Mr Lim, 37, appears drunk, blocks the way of the cabby and says in Mandarin : "Look, I have so much money, I can't control myself." He begins counting cash - including $1,000 notes - in front of the taxi driver, known only as Mr Sun, 33.

He then lunges at Mr Sun, trying to grab his phone. Mr Sun told Shin Min Daily News that the incident happened early last Thursday morning.

But Mr Lim has since apologised to the taxi driver, Shin Min reported yesterday.

To demonstrate his remorse, Mr Lim's outlets at 8 Braddell Road and 562 Serangoon Road will prepare 200 packets of chicken rice - 100 per outlet - for taxi drivers on Tuesday from 3pm to 5pm.

Due to space constraints and so as to let more people enjoy the food, each taxi driver will get one packet, on a takeaway basis.

Mr Lim apologised to Mr Sun last Saturday evening during a phone conversation, which ended with the cabby wishing Mr Lim well, adding that he hoped they could move on from the incident.

Speaking in Mandarin, Mr Lim said: "I want to apologise. I drank too much and said some senseless things. But I had no intention of hurting you. Frankly, I was quite rash, I said things I shouldn't have said, and hope you can accept my apology."

To this, Mr Sun replied: "I feel this apology isn't an issue. In fact, I didn't take (the incident) to heart. I'm already at peace. But, before I formally accept your apology, I want to let you know that no matter what problems a person faces in life, he should not vent his anger on others.

"You are a grown man, not a child. So I hope you'll treat this as a lesson, keep moving forward, become more amicable and not look down on other people's jobs. Whether you are a cleaner, or a big boss, I feel this is an issue of basic respect towards others."

Mr Lim had approached Shin Min earlier, as he hoped to apologise to Mr Sun in person. However, as the latter was busy with work last Saturday evening, the newspaper facilitated a phone conversation between them.

This is not the only video of a man flaunting his wealth to have gone viral.

A man refused to pay his $15 taxi fare when he arrived at his destination in Jalan Chermat early last Thursday morning, saying that he ran a "million-dollar business" and "had plenty of money", Shin Min reported yesterday.

The man, who looked like he was in his 40s, agreed to pay his fare only after the police were notified.

This article was first published on May 1, 2017.
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A Stomp contributor was shocked when his father who is a taxi driver shared his encounter with a rude and arrogant passenger on Apr 27.

According to the contributor, known only as Lim, his 62-year-old father picked up the passenger at Golden Mile Complex and dropped him off at 27 Jalan Chermat.

Everything went smoothly up until the passenger refused to pay the fare which was approximately $15.

"He then tapped my dad's hands with his hands and took that as a 'payment'," said Lim.

"My dad refused him to get out of the car as he hadn't paid up.

"The passenger shouted 'I don't want to pay, CALL THE POLICE!'"

"The passenger went berserk and created a ruckus in the car, provoking my dad to call the police, and started peeling the ID tag off the windshield, which he claimed to use it for 'evidence'."

As the situation escalated, the Stomp contributor's father decided to exit his taxi and approached two passers-by for assistance.

The bystanders told the passenger to return the cabby his ID Tag and to just pay the fare.

Lim's father added that he would forget about the whole incident as soon as he received the fare and his tag back.

However, the passenger refused claiming how proud he was of being an ex-convict and how rich and capable he is, adding that he owns a multi-million dollar property and is 'above the law'.

The passers-by informed Lim's father that the passenger was the owner of a stall along Lorong Lew Lian.

Lim said that two policemen arrived at the scene shortly after and persuaded the passenger to pay up or else he would be charged.

That was when he finally returned the cabby his tag and paid the fare using NETS.

"He purposefully keyed in the wrong PIN repeatedly and blame it on the card-reader. He then took out another card and proceeded with the payment, this time round, successfully on the first attempt," said Lim.

"In the end, the payment went through and he smirked and told my dad, whilst in front of the police officers, saying he did that on purpose so to waste my dad's precious working time."

Upon hearing his father's story, Lim was grateful to the two bystanders who stood up for his dad.

However, he hopes to bring more attention to taxi drivers who encounter abusive and aggressive passengers who evade taxi fares.

"I came across similar incidents on the news and always prayed that these events shall never happen to my dad," said Lim.

"I want to advocate and urge passengers not to abuse the taxi drivers.

"Fare evasion is as good as theft.

"Taxi drivers are also someone else's family member and could be the sole breadwinner.

"Respect is mutual, and what goes around comes around."

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SINGAPORE - Stereotypes don't just apply to people -- they apply to animals, too, as broadcasting company Mediacorp discovered when they raised the hackles of dog lovers over the long weekend.

On Monday (May 1), local non-profit organisation Exclusively Mongrels Limited posted a series of screenshots detailing a Facebook conversation with a Mediacorp crew member. The crew member had approached Exclusively Mongrels to request for their help in sourcing for a mongrel to cast in a drama scene. According to the screenshots, the requirements included the mongrel being able to "bark fiercely" and "chase after ppl".

Mongrels are mixed-breed dogs that make up a vast majority of the stray dog population in Singapore.

Exclusively Mongrels explained to the Mediacorp member that they would not assist them in doing so, as doing so would further perpetuate the stereotype that mongrels are "fierce and aggressive", which goes against Exclusively Mongrels' efforts to support and promote mongrel welfare, as well as to improve the image of mongrels in the public eye.

The Mediacorp member then said that they were searching for a mongrel as the scene was to be filmed at Lim Chu Kang Cemetary, hence rendering other dog breeds, such as golden retrievers or labradors, unsuitable candidates.

Exclusively Mongrels firmly refused to support them, and added, "Your guys are not helping our cause at all."

They later added in a comment on the post:

"We are not about to let a scene that will likely last no more than 3 min negate the good efforts made by (Exclusively Mongrels and other animal welfare groups)."

Singaporean netizens were divided in their reactions to the post, but most were supportive of Exclusively Mongrels' stand on the matter.

Many praised their refusal to render their support to the filming of the show and their resolve on improving the perception of mongrels. They also called upon Mediacorp to rethink the portrayal of the mongrels in the show, and expressed hope that Mediacorp could adjust the scene to place mongrels in a better light.

Some, however, felt that Exclusively Mongrels was making a mountain out of a molehill. Facebook user Christopher Li said, "If people are gullible and stupid enough to be influenced on their view of mongrels by a tv scene, then let them be lor."

This drew heated debate from other netizens, such as Facebook user Theng Wei Gan, who wrote in response: "Do you know how many strays get caught and culled when the authority acts on 'gullible and stupid' people's complaints each year? In 2015, there were more than 900 dogs put to sleep. We have enough gullibility and stupidity amongst us. Why perpetuate that?"

According to the Ministry of National Development, there were an estimated 7,000 stray dogs in Singapore in 2015, 942 of which were culled.

SOSD Singapore, a volunteer-run organisation dedicated to sterilising and rehoming Singapore's street dogs, writes on their website that "the culling of our strays (sic) dogs is continuing at an alarming pace".

The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) rounds up stray dogs and assesses them for rehoming. If deemed suitable for rehoming, AVA then works with animal welfare groups to find them a suitable home. The SOSD wrote in their FY2015/2016 report that they took in 28 dogs from AVA that year.

pariel@sph.com.sg

SINGAPORE - E-commerce site Qoo10 has kicked off its biggest sale ever with the inaugural online Expo Sale.

Now on till Friday (May 5), the online shopping festival offers more than 200 deals and discounts of up to 80 per cent on products by brands including Adidas, Apple, Samsung and Kinohimitsu.

Shoppers can also look out for combinations of coupons, daily giveaways, and other added services like free delivery by merchants, and experience Qoo10's recently launched Quick Delivery service - which allows customers to receive their purchases within just three hours.

"With our wide variety of products, there is always something for everyone to choose from - especially when special occasions such as Mother's Day is just around the corner," HyunWook Cho, Country Manager at Qoo10 Singapore said in a statement today (May 2).

huizhen@sph.com.sg

Last month, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced that it will be scrapping its plans for a national bicycle-sharing initiative after the emergence of private bike-sharing companies in Singapore.

But on Saturday (April 29), Jurong-Clementi Town Council signed a partnership with the three bike-sharing companies in Singapore - China-based Mobike and ofo; as well as homegrown oBike - to launch a one-year pilot bicycle sharing programme.

Bicycle parking zones intended mainly for rental bicycles will be added to 30 sites in Jurong, on top of 120 new bicycle racks, to ease the problem of bicycle-sharing firms' vehicles being parked willy-nilly in public areas.

These zones, marked with yellow rectangle boxes, can be found in areas such as HDB void decks or near the Chinese Garden MRT station.

The town council said it will add more bicycle racks, but these will be paid for by the companies themselves.

Jurong MP Ang Wei Nang is hopeful that these added parking spaces will help to deter acts of vandalism, following the recent spate of media reports about damage to shared bicycles, such as repainting the bicycle frames or throwing them into drains.

Clamping Down On Irresponsible Parking

As part of the agreement, the companies also have to ensure that bicycle users park them in the right place, and not obstruct common areas in the neighbourhood.

All three companies claim that they have implemented incentive and demerit schemes to encourage right riding and parking behaviour, but there have been cases of irresponsible parking, with bicycles blocking letterboxes, corridors, or fire exit routes.

As such, companies have been instructed to remove these illegally parked bicycles. When notified, they will have to remove the bicycle within four hours, if alerted between 8.30am and 7pm.

Otherwise, the bicycle must be removed by 7am the next day.

"If we receive any reports, we are going to find the previous user, and this is possible because we have a GPS system," said mobike's Singapore Manager Sharon Meng.

"We know who the previous user is, and we are going to deduct points from the previous user."

Additionally, the companies also have to provide third-party insurance covering accidents or bicycle damages; and provide users' cycling pattern information to the authorities to improve the planning of future cycling paths.

Possible Replacement Of National Bicycle Scheme

According to Mr Ang, this scheme may be extended to all seven divisions in Jurong GRC, Yuhua, and Bukit Batok SMC, if successful.

This success will be dependent on the responsible behaviour of users, which can be achieved through education, he pointed out.

"We want to embrace the bicycle-sharing scheme rather than rejecting it. We want our residents to enjoy the convenience of rental bicycles right at the void deck without the disamenities," he said.

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