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Marcus Loh takes over from Ling Weihong to lead PAP Sengkang East branch

Khalis Rifhan
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Marcus Loh takes over from Ling Weihong to lead PAP Sengkang East branch

SINGAPORE: The People’s Action Party’s (PAP) Sengkang East branch will have a new chairman from Nov 1, as Marcus Loh takes over from Ling Weihong. The ruling party announced this on Thursday (Oct 26), adding that Ling would be redeployed within the party.

Loh, a party activist since 2015 and currently a council member in the PAP Policy Forum, has been actively involved in the Sengkang GRC community with the rest of the PAP’s team for several months. He was present during their National Day walkabout with Minister for Education Chan Chun Sing and Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu to distribute the Singapore flag to Sengkang residents.

Photo: Facebook screengrab / hiweihong

Outgoing Sengkang East branch chairman Ling praised Loh’s ability to connect with residents, saying he had demonstrated this during their community engagements in the neighbourhood.

“Marcus has been with the Party since 2015 and held various positions of responsibility. In his time with PAP Sengkang East, I have personally observed him to be humble and hardworking. Just as importantly, Marcus is always ready with a listening ear and a willing heart. He connects well with residents and takes good care of them. I’m proud to call Marcus my friend and hand over stewardship of the branch to him,” explained Ling in a social media posting.

Loh is a director and head of strategic communication, public affairs, and corporate marketing at Temus, a Singapore firm that drives digital transformation for companies. He recently created a Facebook page and posted about his work at Temus and his appointment as Sengkang East branch chairman.

“Today, I have been announced as the branch chairman of Sengkang East for the People’s Action Party from 1 November 2023. It is an honor to be a part of Team Sengkang, working with comrades associate professor Elmie Nekmat and Ms. Theodora Lai, under the lead of Dr. Lam Pin Min,” posted the incoming PAP Sengkang East branch chairman.

Loh said that the role of Sengkang East chairperson is a heavy responsibility and one that he is humbled to be shouldering.

“I am determined to roll up my sleeves and build on our Party’s record of service for Sengkang residents over many years through the sincere efforts of the chairpersons and activists before me,” added Loh, who was previously a party activist in the Braddell Heights division at the Marine Parade GRC.

As the PAP’s Sengkang East chairman, Loh will join the party’s other Sengkang branch chairpersons – former Senior Minister of State Dr Lam Pin Min (Sengkang West), Assoc Prof Elmie Nekmat (Sengkang Central), Theodora Lai Xi Yi (Sengkang North) – in a bid to challenge the incumbent Workers’ Party (WP) in the next general election.

In the previous election in 2020, the PAP (47.88%) lost the newly-created Sengkang GRC to the WP (52.12%) team of Assoc Prof Jamus Lim, He Ting Ru, Louis Chua, and Raeesah Khan. WP’s Khan resigned from the party at the end of November last year and vacated her parliamentary seat after she admitted to lying in Parliament, with the matter referred to the Committee of Privileges.

Community Chest awards for 196 individuals and organisations

Jewel Stolarchuk
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Community Chest awards for 196 individuals and organisations

SINGAPORE: A total of 244 awards were presented to 196 organisations and individuals during the Community Chest Awards 2023, held at the Istana on Wednesday (Oct 24). These accolades acknowledged the remarkable contributions made in 2022 through donations, volunteering, resource provision, and inclusive hiring practices.

Marking its 40th anniversary, Community Chest’s commitment to sustainable philanthropy was showcased during the event. The organisation recognized pioneer partners of the Change for Charity initiative, celebrating their pivotal role in fostering positive change. Additionally, the event paid tribute to long-term donors who faithfully contributed to SHARE, Community Chest’s regular giving programme.

The ceremony was attended by guest of honour President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, First Lady Jane Ittogi, Minister of State for Social and Family Development and Home Affairs Sun Xueling, and Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Social and Family Development, and Culture, Community and Youth Eric Chua.

Mr Chew Sutat, Chairman of Community Chest, reflected on the organization’s journey and said: “Community Chest has come a long way in the last four decades, evolving from a national fundraiser to a key philanthropic partner of the community. By incorporating giving as part of living, whether through donations, volunteering, or resource provision, we can make a more sustainable impact on the community.”

The top honour, the Pinnacle Award, was bestowed upon SP Group, acknowledging their exemplary holistic giving efforts. This accolade is reserved for organisations that excel in donation, volunteerism, and inclusive employment practices, setting a benchmark for others to follow.

SP Group’s partnership with Community Chest began in 2005 when they established the Heartware Fund, raising funds for programmes benefiting vulnerable individuals in Singapore. In addition, they facilitated contributions through the SP app and collaborated with the non-profit organisation Trampolene, creating internship and employment opportunities for individuals with special needs under the Growing Autistic Talent for Engineering Sector program.

Apart from the Pinnacle award, SP Group also received the Charity Platinum, Enabler, and Volunteer Partner Awards for their extensive contributions, including donations, volunteerism, and various forms of support.

Stanley Huang, Group Chief Executive Officer and Director of SP Group emphasized the organisation’s commitment to sustained giving, saying: “This year, we are committed to extending close to $5 million in philanthropic contributions, building on the $5.1 million disbursed in the last two years through Community Chest, and scaling up our volunteer outreach.”

Individuals were not left out of the recognition as well. Gerald Rodrigues, Director at Marina Bay Sands, was among the SHARE donors recognised for their unwavering support. As a former police officer, Mr Rodrigues’ firsthand experiences with lower-income individuals in Singapore fuelled his passion for giving back to the community through SHARE and other charitable endeavours.

The awards ceremony also highlighted the collective impact of over 2,000 companies and 250,000 individual donors contributing to SHARE, which provides approximately 25% of the annual funds raised by Community Chest.

The ceremony also featured the talents of social service users, including a dance performance by students from the Diverse Abilities Dance Collective and the Maya Dance Theatre, as well as a duet by two visually impaired artists.

Every donation to Community Chest is directed towards supporting more than 200 critical social services, benefiting over 93,000 individuals in need. This support extends to children with special needs, at-risk youths, adults with disabilities, individuals with mental health conditions, and families and seniors requiring assistance.

MOM halts work at height amid investigation into latest worksite fatality

Jewel Stolarchuk
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SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has launched an investigation into the accidental death of a Bangladeshi worker at a construction site and instructed Energetix, which was carrying out work at the site, to stop all high-altitude work.

A statement MOM released on Wednesday (Oct 25) noted that under safe work measures, companies carrying out work must communicate to workers precautions for working at heights, including the use of safety belt devices and fall protection devices.

The statement comes days after another life was lost in the latest worksite fatality.

At around 2 pm on Sunday  (Oct 22), a 36-year-old Bangladeshi worker fell from a ten-metre-high skylight at a Tuas worksite. The worker was carrying out installation work for solar panels on the roof when he fell.

He was swiftly transported to the hospital but, despite medical efforts, succumbed to his severe injuries at the National University Hospital.

The construction work at the site was managed by Energetix, while the employer of the deceased worker was identified as BBG Electrical Engineering.

The deceased worker’s employer has arranged to have his body repatriated to Bangladesh. The Foreign Workers Assistance Fund will also allocate financial aid to support the bereaved family during this challenging time.

The incident highlights the ongoing concerns regarding workplace safety in Singapore.

The Ministry of Manpower recently published its biannual Workplace Safety and Health Report, which revealed disconcerting statistics. In the first half of this year, 14 individuals lost their lives due to work-related injuries, equating to 0.8 deaths per 100,000 employees annually.

While these figures reflect a decline compared to previous statistics, with 28 workplace fatalities in the first half of 2022 and 18 in the second half, the recent series of work-related fatalities is alarming.

Employment in Singapore Grows for 8th Quarter Despite Economic Challenges

Anna Maria Romero
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Employment in Singapore Grows for 8th Quarter Despite Economic Challenges

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) released preliminary data about the labour market for the third quarter of 2023 on Thursday (Oct 26). Despite a weaker economic outlook, total employment has grown for the eighth consecutive quarter, excluding migrant domestic workers. There has been an increase in the number of employed residents and non-residents.

MOM adds that unemployment rates have remained low despite an uptick in retrenchments. “This suggests that most retrenched workers have been able to find new employment quickly,” the ministry added. For the third quarter of 2023, employment grew by 24,000, a figure MOM says is comparable to the year’s second quarter. Again, this figure does not include migrant domestic workers.

Generally, high-paying jobs in financial and professional services, as well as those in health and social services, saw the most increase regarding resident employment. For non-resident employment, the sectors that saw the most growth are construction, retail trade, food and beverage services, and administrative and support services. Unemployment rates, meanwhile, are at 2 per cent overall. For citizens, it’s at 3 per cent, and for residents, it’s at 2.8 per cent.

However, retrenchments have increased from 3,200 in the second quarter of this year to 4,100 in the third quarter. Most of the retrenchments have come from wholesale trade, MOM said in its report. “This reflects the weaker external outlook the sector faced. The number of retrenchments in other remaining sectors remained broadly stable or declined.” The top reason for retrenchments for this quarter is still business reorganisation and/or restructuring.

“While the labour market continued to expand, the pace of employment growth has slowed compared to a year ago, amid the global economic slowdown. Business expectations worsened in September 2023. The proportion of firms which indicated an intention to hire in the next three months fell from 58.2% to 42.8 per cent. Similarly, the proportion of firms with an intention to raise wages dropped as well, from 28.0 per cent to 18.0 per cent. While unemployment rates remained low due to continued labour market tightness, they have been on a slow uptrend and may continue to rise further,” MOM added.

A more detailed overview of the labour market for this quarter can be seen when The Labour Market Report Third Quarter 2023 is released by the middle of December. It will include the breakdown of resident and non-resident employment3, sectoral breakdowns, number of job vacancies, labour turnover, and re-entry rates among retrenched residents.

/TISG

Read also: 

Jamus Lim: Resident shares concerns over migrant professionals crowding out locals – Singapore News 

Resident talks to Jamus Lim about challenges singles face in Singapore 

Resident tells Jamus Lim that higher prices are “too close, too many, can’t breathe” – Singapore News 

Lawrence Wong says AI will disrupt labour market but does not ‘believe we will end up with a jobless future.’

Woman says her father refuses to go for medical check-ups and even hides appointment letters

Obbana Rajah
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Woman says her father refuses to go for medical check-ups and even hides appointment letters

SINGAPORE: A frustrated daughter took to social media because her father refused to get the medical help he may need.

In an anonymous post to popular confessions page NUSWhispers, the woman said she and her family suspected her father might have ailments. She explained that her father had a chronic cough, was slightly hard of hearing and could not walk much. However, he refused to go for health checkups and would not listen to doctors’ advice.

“He don’t take care of his diet. High sugar drinks everyday. When we talk with him regarding his health or diet, he either brush it off n walk off, or just ignore us completely n pretend he can’t hear a word when we’re sitting right next to him. Recently he went to another check up for his job and he has the letter in his room. He’s supposed to go for a follow up check up. We found out about the letter but wondering how to bring it up (since he’s obviously hiding it)”, the woman wrote.

When she pretended to ask about the checkup, her father lied and said that there was no follow-up appointment and walked off. She added that it would be ideal if she could go with her father for his appointments, but he would never tell her in advance. If she were to book an appointment for him, he would give her excuses and not go for it. “Worse is he has no savings. He likes to spend. What if the worst happens?? I can only hope for my savings but even i dont have much”, she wrote in her post asking others for advice.

One netizen commented: “He’s just scared. Tell him small matter, a lot of middle age people are like that and some small treatments will make his life easier. In a nice way, tell him to keep himself healthy cause more good things coming”.

Another wrote: “He bo chup (indifferent) already. If it happens, it happens mindset. Stubborn person is almost impossible to persuade. Maybe have a heart to heart talk with him tell him how much you care n love him and you want him to be around as long as he can. You dont want to see him suffer like this.”

Former President Halimah Yacob conferred Order of Temasek, the highest civilian honour

Jewel Stolarchuk
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Former President Halimah Yacob conferred Order of Temasek, the highest civilian honour

SINGAPORE: Madam Halimah Yacob, the eighth President of the Republic of Singapore, has been conferred the Order of Temasek (With High Distinction) – the highest civilian honour in Singapore. She will receive the award from her successor, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, at the National Awards Investiture this Sunday (29 Oct) at ITE College Central.

Madam Halimah Yacob, former governing party MP and Speaker of Parliament resigned from politics to contest the presidential election in 2017. Madam Halimah was declared an eligible presidential candidate in September 2017 and became President of Singapore.

Madam Halimah declined to contest the 2023 election, and her former colleague, Senior Minister Tharman, retired from politics to throw his hat into the ring. He won the head of state seat with a historic 75% vote.

Looking back on her term earlier this year, Madam Halimah told the Straits Times that she expected controversy when she considered contesting the first election. She said, “Public office is never a walk in the park, is it? You have to expect to be scrutinised, to be criticised, to be questioned…So I expected that, and it happened… but you just stay focused.”

Maid loses her Work Permit while her employers are overseas, worries about going to the police

Obbana Rajah
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Maid loses her Work Permit while her employers are overseas, worries about going to the police

SINGAPORE: A foreign domestic helper took to social media after she lost her Work Permit (WP).

The helper wrote in an anonymous post that her employers were overseas, and she was unsure of the next steps. The maid submitted her post to an online support group for domestic helpers and employers alike. She wrote: “Wanna ask, If whats the requirements on how to apply lose (sic) work permit. If report to the police,whtas next? I am a helper and my boss went over sea (sic)”.

Other helpers and employers commented on the post and gave the maid advice. One said: “Mom rules.. If first time you lose your work permit you have pay $100.. For the second time you have to pay $300. And if you lose again for the last time you have to go back your country and can’t to come again means deported. But the first things your boss have to report to the police station to prove that mom can replace your new work permit card. No body can do without your boss permission”.

Another also said: “1st time lost you have to pay 100sgd. 2bd time 300. 3rd time cancel work permit”, which was not entirely correct information. According to the Manpower Ministry (MOM), “As an employer, you need to apply for a new Work Permit card for your worker within 1 week if it is lost, damaged or stolen. If the card is lost, stolen or damaged, you must apply for a replacement within 1 week. For a stolen card, you must also file a police report. If your worker lost the card while overseas, you must inform us immediately. We will issue a letter for your worker to use when entering Singapore. For a damaged card, the fee is $60. For a lost card, the fee is $100 for the first loss and $300 for a subsequent loss. Fees are non-refundable”.

Earlier this year, a foreign domestic helper took to social media asking for advice after her employer wanted her to work for an additional two months after the expiry of her Work Permit (WP) and contract. In an anonymous post to a support group on social media for domestic helpers and employers alike, the maid explained that she signed a contract with her employer on Nov 14, 2021. Her Work Permit (WP) was approved on Nov 27, 2021. However, because her employer went on holiday for the entirety of December 2021, she only officially started work in January 2022. Because of this, “now my boss wants me to work with them until January 2024 without renewing my work permit”, the helper wrote. “Is it possible to work with them even if our signed contract will end this November 14 and my work permit will expire on November 27?” she asked others in the group.

Jail for man who cheated 68 victims of S$383K in SG’s largest rental scam

Anna Maria Romero
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Jail for man who cheated 68 victims of S$383K in SG’s largest rental scam

SINGAPORE: In one of the biggest rental scams in the country’s history, a man cheated 68 victims from Singapore and other countries out of a total of S$383,000. After he pleaded guilty to 23 charges of cheating in June, Zeng Xianfu Gibson, 29, was given a jail sentence of three years and seven months on Wednesday (Oct 25). An additional 39 charges were also considered for Zeng’s sentencing.

Prosecutors had asked for 47 months (three years and eleven months) of jail time for the former rental sales executive, who continued to target people for his scams even when he was released on bail. He could have gone to jail for as much as ten years for every charge of cheating.

From 2018 to 2020, Zeng worked at Singapore Housing Company, making arrangements for prospective clients to see the rental spaces and taking pictures of these units. However, after leaving the company, he continued to use the photos, uploading them on the global rental website Airbnb, even when he had no authorization.

Zeng scammed people from the US, France, South Africa, Germany, India, China, Portugal, Israel, Denmark, Switzerland, and Singapore when he posted listings on the site and entered into fake tenancy agreements. But when they tried to move into the units, he would say the current tenants had COVID-19 and offer refunds, which he only partially returned to some of his victims. Others received no refund at all. The people who had been scammed, a number of whom are international students, eventually had to spend more money on finding accommodation in Singapore.

The court heard that the victims lost between S$7,000 and S$16,635 that they deposited as part of the tenancy agreement based on the listings Zeng put up on Airbnb.

When they realized they had been cheated, the victims lodged police reports against Zeng, who was eventually arrested in February of last year. Nevertheless, the arrest did not stop Zeng, who continued these offences when he was out on bail. He was again arrested in July 2022 and had his bail revoked in October of that year. He has been in police custody since then.

Only S$30,000 of the S$353,000 he scammed from his various victims has been returned by Zeng so far. “Many of the accused’s victims were foreigners and locals who were looking for a roof over their heads for various reasons, including foreign students who were here for studies and locals who were waiting to move into their permanent homes,” CNA quotes the prosecutor on Zeng’s case as saying. /TISG

Read related: Singaporeans Hit Hardest by Global Scams, Losing Over US$4,000 Per Victim

‘Potato’ charged as ‘fish’ because “it’s still meat” staff says

Anna Maria Romero
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‘Potato’ charged as ‘fish’ because “it’s still meat” staff says

SINGAPORE: A woman took to social media to express that she had been erroneously charged at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH) food court. This is the second time in the past week that a customer has written about dissatisfaction with a meal from SGH.

A netizen who goes by Wingardium Leviosa on Facebook wrote on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE page that she had been charged “$8 for 1 meat and 2 potatoes sides” at the Nasi Padang stall in the SGH food court. She then proceeded to ask, “Isn’t hash brown a potato? But she charge me under fish fillet. She said it’s still (a) meat item. Like seriously? Koufu SG.”

The woman also posted a photo of her meal and a receipt from Koufu Food Court at SGH, which lists her order as “vegetables, chicken, white rice and fish fillet.” In the photo of the dish, chicken, rice, vegetables and a light brown patty, which appears to be a hash brown, can be seen on a plate.

The post has been shared a number of times, and several netizens have also left comments on the post as well. Many of them say that they find the dish’s price quite expensive. Additionally, some said that the cashier had not done the right thing when she charged the woman for a fish fillet instead of a hash brown, a fried patty made of potatoes.

The Independent Singapore has reached out to Ms Wingardium Leviosa and Koufu Pet Ltd for further updates or comments.

Read related: “Broccoli is meat” cashier says; charges diner S$6.70 for cai png

Last Friday (Oct 20), a man expressed his shock and dismay after being charged S$8 for a serving of noodles at SGH.“First time eat so expensive vegetarian bee hoon cost $8. Place : Singapore General Hospital,” wrote Mr Eric Tan on the COMPLAINT SINGAPORE page. He posted a photo of his noodle dish containing fried tofu strips, scrambled eggs, green beans, carrots and bee hoon.

A few days later, Koufu, where Mr Tan bought the dish, reached out to The Independent Singapore, saying, “Koufu has investigated this incident and the pricing of the dish ordered by customer should be $7 instead of $8, Bee Hoon $2, Fried Beancurd Skin $2.50, Omelette $1.50 and Stir-fried Green Bean $1. Nevertheless, we are also speaking to the tenant to review the pricing. We apologise for the unpleasant experience and are reaching out to customer to arrange for refund.” /TISG

UPDATE: 8PM

A spokesperson for Koufu has told The Independent Singapore: “Hashbrown is a product Nasi Padang sells out of the menu. Thus, POS Key was not created for this item. Nevertheless, Koufu will review on the pricing with tenant and has also reached out to customer.”

Read also: Diner shocked at S$8 vegetarian bee hoon at Singapore General Hospital

Banks have averted scam losses of S$57.6 million this year

Anna Maria Romero
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Banks have averted scam losses of S$57.6 million this year

SINGAPORE: Since 2023 began, banks in Singapore have been able to prevent and recover scam losses of S$57.6 million, the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) said in a statement on Oct 24 (Tuesday). The statement highlighted that the country’s banks are set to do their part to protect their customers against these fraudulent schemes.

Additional anti-malware capabilities that were also introduced protected customers further from potential losses of at least S$18.6 million, which ABS says are being progressively rolled out across the banks. The association and its member banks have been working closely with the government and law enforcement authorities to fight against fraudulent activities resulting in financial losses for many Singaporeans.

ABS also said that new anti-scam measures and enhancements will continue to be introduced by banks to stay abreast with the tactics of scammers, as these have proven to evolve consistently to become more sophisticated than ever to victimize bank customers.

However, it warned that some of the anti-scam measures may cause some inconvenience to customers but emphasized that they are necessary safeguards to protect customers against scammers and maintain confidence in digital banking services.

“ABS has also been working with banks to raise awareness to new scam typologies and the steps that customers can take to protect themselves. For example, banks have been alerting customers to malware scams and cautioning their customers to install apps only from the official app stores,” the statement added.

Furthermore, ABS said banks will also maintain discretionary goodwill frameworks for scam victims. These frameworks will cushion these individuals against the full financial impact of the scams. This means that banks will seek to be accommodative in looking into the circumstances of each scam case in light of the sophistication of the scam as well as the financial situation of the customer.

Read related: Singaporeans Hit Hardest by Global Scams, Losing Over US$4,000 Per Victim

“The fight against scams is never-ending and requires a combination of efforts from the authorities, banks and the public at large. While banks are committed to do their part to protect customers against scams and will exercise empathy towards customers who had fallen for scams, community vigilance remains critical in the fight against scams. We need to embed good cyber hygiene and safe practices in our daily lives, such as not clicking on unknown links and maintaining healthy scepticism against deals or promises that are too good to be true. Please remind family and friends to do the same,” said Mrs Ong-Ang Ai Boon, ABS Director, in the statement. /TISG

Read also: Bank officers prevent elderly man from losing thousands in love scam

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