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Senior citizen asks ‘What is the Singaporean version of getting away from it all?’

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SINGAPORE: In the bustling heart of Singapore, where life often feels like an endless race against time, one senior Singaporean took to Reddit to ask a question that resonated with many in the city-state.

She asked, ‘What is the Singaporean version of getting away from it all?’

What is the Singaporean version of “getting away from it all”?
byu/halloumisalami insingapore

She said, “We often see ideas of escapism or ‘getting away’ from the rat race floating around, such as living off the grid, living in a van, buying a farm, joining an organisation like the French Foreign Legion or peace corps.”

But, she added, “All these are not exactly feasible or even possible for most Singaporeans. The closest thing I can think of is maybe quitting your job to start a business/ drive Grab or getting a minimum wage job in Australia/NZ. What are some ideas or legit options?”

Someone answered, “I mean the easiest and fastest would be just move to Malaysia?”

However, moving to Malaysia is not an option for those looking for a career, said another, who claimed, “You move to Malaysia to retire, not to get employed there. Unless you gonna try to start a successful business there”

One had another place in mind. “Using this train of thought, i can only think of Australia?” said the netizen. “Nearest ‘western’ culture, if they can find employment and decent location to stay its definitely an upgrade in terms of life quality (i.e. life stressors). Unless you want to join all the other Russians/ work nomads in Thailand, that works too lol”

But Australia is no longer a place to get away from it all, argued another, who said, “Australia no longer feasible since like… 5 years ago? It would be like jumping from the frying pan into the fire.”

A remote worker shared he’s happy with his lot: “I’m employed by Singapore in Malaysia. Life is amazing.”

Another shared, “I’ve often wanted to quit and just do volunteer work. It’s so much more fulfilling and makes me happy that I’m using my time and skills to do stuff that tangibly benefits people, and it also means I’d have more control over my time. unfortunately we live in a society and that won’t get me paid.”

Another shared he found fulfilment in giving back on the weekends: “I do it on the weekends. It is therapeutic, and I still have a living wage from my office job”

Someone who had been in the corporate grind for 12 years recalled the pay was good, ‘beyond the CPF contribution ceiling’, but he was unhappy, so he quit.

He shared: “okay, here’s my situation; i graduated and worked for 12 years in semiconductor industry. the pay is good… like beyond the cpf contribution ceiling (it was like 4900 10 years ago but even with the new update to cpf celing, im still over.)

but i was feeling miserable and bitter and very very angry all the time while working there. every little thing sets me off. i hated almost everyone in the company, i hated people outside and company. i hated everything about Singapore.”

After quitting, he started freelancing and worked in a three-man company. He has ‘good’ pay for someone with no one to support, and he’s feeling ‘better’.

He said: “I’m just doing free lance work and currently doing a long contract with a very small company (3 man org.) the people there are good people though they annoy me at times but that comes with any job. pay is okay if you have no family to support or a house loan or car loan to pay. i like simple life, hate to drive, don’t like to travel so it didn’t matter to me.”

In the end, he offered a simple piece of advice: “so what im saying is, sometimes, you have to determine what is important to you in life… (please don’t say “crush your enemies; see them driven before you; hear the lamentations of their women.”) then you try to make it work. i hope this helps.. or not.”

In a society where the pursuit of happiness often seems at odds with the daily grind, the senior Singaporean who posted on Reddit opened a timely discussion, which served as a reminder that the search for meaning and contentment is a deeply personal journey.

While there may be no one-size-fits-all solution to escaping life’s rat race, the people who shared their experiences shed light on the different paths people take. While some people strive for ‘happiness’, some have chosen to remember what the striving was for.

While Singaporeans may have different takes on ‘getting away from it all’, I guess the goal is still one thing – what you value. As a Singaporean, what truly matters to you?

 

Grab Express delivery sent to wrong address; delivery man tells customer ‘your item is with another customer’

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hand holding a bag with laptop, message conversation
Photo: Facebook / Complaint Singapore

SINGAPORE: An incident involving a Grab Express delivery sent to the wrong address has made Facebook user Note Jin raise questions about the service reliability, as shared on Complaint Singapore.

As this is his first time using Grab Express, he shared his experience, saying, “First time with Grab Express and never again, drop item at the wrong address and just end the session and then complete the order and the recipient items nowhere to be found ?? So bad and not reliable”

Facebook post about grab delivery complaint
Photo: Facebook / Complaint Singapore

He also shared some screenshots of the conversation with the Grab delivery guy.

The conversation started when the grab rider sent a message about receiving a black bag with a laptop inside and said the delivery was urgent. Note Jin then asked if the item had been delivered. He gave his unit number to make sure the delivery was right and asked, “You coming soon?”

But the grab rider just replied, saying, “Your item is with another customer.”

Appalled, Note Jin could only reply with, “What”.

Message conversation
Photo: Facebook . Complaint Singapore

A lot of people commented on his post, some suggested what he should do about it, while some shared their own experience with using Grab.

Shawn Silverman, a marketing expert, shared that Note Jin should file a class action lawsuit. He said, “They are intentionally defrauding customers and drivers. Their customer service is horrible as well.”

Note Jin replied that there was no contact number for customer help and the only available help is Grab’s chat support online. He said, “Shawn Silverman yea and no Grab contact number for help center and purely rely on their unreliable help center online chat that seems to end session if you don’t reply for 1 min , been dealing this since last night , while taking care of 3 children and need to keep looking on phone for their answers so they don’t end my session again.”

To which Shawn responded with, “Exactly! Grab is happy to take your money but not accept any responsibility. I don’t even know who they hire to run customer support because the help center is the worst.”

Facebook Comments
Photo: Complaint Singapore

One comment suggested that Grab will only be forced to improve ‘if more people stop using their services’. He added, “The trouble is that lots of people still accept mediocrity.”

One addressed the situation specifically and said, “Seriously, the delivery guy should come to retrieve back the item from wrong address House instead with the lame reply ‘Your item is with other customer.'”

Facebook comments
Photo: Facebook / Complaint Singapore
Facebook comments
Photo: Facebook / Complaint Singapore

Contrary to the majority, one shared that she had a great experience with Grab Express but said she feels horrible about the incident. She added, “The rider is definitely at fault here. He knows its the wrong customer and made no effort to rectify it. Yikes.”

While the other commented she had the same bad experience saying, “my order delivered but i did Not receive..when i chat online with grab customer svc..they call rider and rider told them that he hang at extingusher pipe ground floor and ask me to pick it up..rider have no iniative to call or ws at all..”

As Note Jin’s Grab Express story circulates on social media, it reminds us that fast deliveries must be reliable. We’ll have to wait and see if Grab improves after this incident.

For Note Jin and others facing similar problems, it’s clear that in the fast-paced world of on-demand services, even a small hiccup can lead to significant frustrations.

 

Netizen asks ‘how much debt does the average Singaporeans have’?

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which-debt-should-you-pay-first?-road-to-being-debt-free

SINGAPORE: Concerns about financial well-being are taking centre stage as a recent Reddit conversation highlighted the growing issue of debt among Singaporeans.

A netizen started a discussion by asking, “how much debt does the average Singaporeans have”? He added: “Is everyone so rich or are they knee deep in debt?”

I am curious. How much debt does the average singaporean have?
byu/skmomo74 insingapore

The online exchange revealed some eye-opening statistics regarding credit card debt, as one user pointed out, “So at least 34% of Singaporeans couldn’t pay off their monthly credit card debt.”

Another talked about the importance of financial knowledge, saying, “Financial literacy is a simple matter of understanding 1+1=2. If your income is x, dont spend more than x. Very simple but still many grown adults who went through more than 10 years education cannot figure out.”

One shared a personal story of a relative whose expenses rose as their income did, leaving very little for savings. He said, “there’s a saying that your lifestyle goes in tandem with your income. my relative worked his way up to 10k/mo, but his expenses are now higher than ever with a 5k condo mortgage and a 2k car payment every month. balance goes to other expenses and i’m not sure if there’s anything left of the 10k after that”

Another was concerned by the numbers revealed saying, “34% of them pay minimums, so it doesn’t even include those who can’t make payments! Gg bro.”

Yet another netizen concerned about credit cards said, “34% pay only the monthly minimum? That’s crazy number. I sympathise those who can’t clear it due to unfortunate circumstances, but a third of adult Singaporeans? That’s way too high.”

One more said, “Wow. This is what I was suspecting. It’s a house of cards :(“, capturing the growing concern about financial stability in Singapore.

Another netizen discussed the ease of obtaining credit cards today, saying, “They’re giving cards and credit limits out like hotcakes these days. Not as exclusive as 10-15 years ago. But anyway, the higher they climb, the harder they fall innit.”

While the Reddit thread brought to light serious concerns about financial stability, some gave their funny yet real take.

One said, “$2.80 Monday gonna pay colleague, bought teh peng.”

Another joined in, jokingly saying, “Gosh the teh peng at the funtoast downstairs of my office still takes the cake. 3.30$”

In a city where financial pressures often feel relentless, this Reddit conversation has done more than just raise concerns—it has ignited a much-needed conversation.

It reminds us that learning how to handle money wisely is crucial for every Singaporean.

 

FairPrice: 50 years strong and at a possible crossroad

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These are some of the supermarkets, convenience stores and neighbourhood provisions shops that I have patronised – Heng Huat store, Lim’s provisions, Ah Woon market, Econ minimarts, mama corner shops, Cold Storage, Fitzpatrick’s, Jason’s, Mustafa, Yaohan, Isetan, Yokoso, My Shop, 7-Eleven, I-tec Supermarket, Carrefour, Giant, Sheng Siong, Prime, Tay Buan Guan, Thai Supermarket (Golden Mile), FairPrice (Welcome). There is a story somewhere for every one of these. Collectively, they are part of the rich Singapore consumer experience. But perhaps the NTUC FairPrice story is the one with the greatest impact on our lives.

As we all know, FairPrice (a name some Singaporeans are strangely still struggling to use either because they cannot break the habit of dropping the prefix or the former moniker, Welcome, seems easier for non-English speaking heartlanders to roll off their tongues) is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Older Singaporeans – not the young seniors waiting for their Majulah package but the Pioneer or Merdeka generations – will remember the first Welcome supermarket in central Toa Payoh launched in 1973 by the first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. There is a nugget of a story about LKY and what he audaciously did on that opening day captured in a book just launched to mark FairPrice’s 50th anniversary. The book is The Price Of Being Fair: The NTUC FairPriceGroup Story, edited by Sue-Ann Chia and Peh Shing Huei; the publisher is The Nutgraf Books.

I personally have always enjoyed going to Cold Storage, Jason’s or Fitzpatrick’s simply because they catered mainly to the expatriate crowd (whether Westerners or Japanese) and had products which were not available elsewhere. What’s the point of lingering around all-too-familiar shops? I also have a curiosity about what people consume, and whenever I was abroad, I would scour the supermarket shelves of the city I was visiting. I learnt much about what people liked to buy or eat in places ranging from New York to Tokyo to Sydney.

When I was working at Times Periodicals in Thomson Road, I used to drop into the Toa Payoh Welcome outlet almost every day to pick up something on my way home in Paya Lebar. Welcome was very well-stocked, and the prices were affordable. What I liked was that the supermarket then and now was spot on in its offerings – the products as well as the prices. The chain has long gone past the stage of entrenching itself with Singaporeans.

Yet Welcome’s omnipresence in practically every new town neighbourhood is a social service somehow tied in more with the bigger HDB story than most other things. You cannot persuade third-generation Singaporeans to abandon their well-served Bedok comfort to go to the boondocks and wait for the uncertain arrival of a Welcome supermarket. In other words, having a Welcome outlet wherever you are is now taken for granted by many, more so by the new BTO crowd.

Nevertheless, FairPrice did not arrive where it is today without many struggles. The book takes readers through an engrossing journey of such challenges, including an existential one by a $12 billion global giant attempting to dominate the local supermarket scene. Welcome’s original aim was to fight profiteering and inflation. The cooperative did its job so well that it took on bigger commercial roles only after it sorted out the country’s food supply stock and chain.

It has gone into the convenience stores business, moved into Cold Storage’s upper-middle-class territory, tried its hand at going foreign, survived the pandemic, and now has two major decisions ahead. How far down the digital road will it go? And will it get listed?

Happy 50th birthday, FairPrice.


Tan Bah Bah, consulting editor of TheIndependent.Sg is a former senior leader writer with The Straits Times. He was also managing editor of a magazine publishing company

 

Woman looking for cheap accommodation while travelling ends up checking into an “old folks home”

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Photo: TikTok screengrab/crybabytubby

SINGAPORE: Everyone loves a good travel hack, but one TikTok user realized she probably went too far when she checked into a home for the chronically ill.

“Budget travelled a bit too hard,” wrote Ms Rie, the woman behind the @crybabytubby account, sharing photos from her stay at Johore Cheshire Home in Johor Bahru. “pov: u didn’t check reviews on your airbnb in JB and ended up staying in an old folks home,” she wrote across the first photo, where she took a mirror selfie in a bathroom.

TikTok screengrab/crybabytubby

But by the next frame, she wrote that things were “looking a bit sus…” on a photo showing the entrance gate to the accommodation.

TikTok screengrab/crybabytubby

But the corridor, bedroom, and bathroom looked all right, and she noted that the toilet was “spacious” and wheelchair friendly.

TikTok screengrab/crybabytubby

However, the TikTok user added that if they did not return by 10 pm, they would need to call security to help them get in.

TikTok screengrab/crybabytubby

She then flashed a photo of an old welcome sign… followed by writing that she “checked out within one hour.”

TikTok screengrab/crybabytubby

Some commenters on her TikTok appeared to understand why she left at once.

Others, however, said the room looked okay.

The post author said she’ll stay in (a) hotel next time.

Its webpage says that the primary objective of the Johore Cheshire home is “for the chronically ill who are unable to look after themselves but have no relatives or home to turn to and who otherwise would be occupying useful bed space in government hospitals.” /TISG

Singapore TikToker warns public after Airbnbs in Korea gave him the “Parasite” experience

Australian billionaire Cannon-Brookes moves closer to exporting solar power to Singapore via undersea cable in S$17.3b project

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Photo: freepik/jcomp (for illustration purposes only)

SINGAPORE: This week, Mike Cannon-Brookes took control of a S$17.3 billion project to ship solar power to Singapore through a 4,200-kilometer cable. The Australian billionaire affirmed that the project is an “investable” one, saying he believes more investors would be attracted to it after Grok Ventures, his company, bought it for an undisclosed amount on Sept 7 (Thursday).

“We have spent a lot of time with customers and are pretty clear on the unit economics. We believe that there’s enough margin … to make it an investable project,” Reuters reports Mr Cannon-Brookes telling members of the media.

The project had stalled earlier after another billionaire investor, Mr Andrew Forrest, said he did not believe the plan to ship energy through an undersea cable was commercially viable. But after on Thursday, when Grok Ventures’ purchase was announced, the firm said that talks with Singaporean and Indonesian authorities are making progress.

Mr Cannon-Brookes is quoted in a statement as saying that the plan “has all the component parts to make the next great Australian infrastructure initiative possible,” adding that there’s a “huge upside for both Australia and our neighbours.”

Grok Ventures said that a solar farm in Australia’s Northern Territory, which will most likely be the biggest in the world, would ship at least 900 megawatts of electricity supply to local industry around Darwin and 1.7 gigawatts for export to Singapore to start with, with an additional 3 gigawatts for Australian customers planned as well.

“It is by far, I think, the cheapest way to export energy from Australia in volume and at affordable prices,” the billionaire has been quoted by TIME as saying.

This month, Grok Ventures plans to file a submission with Singapore’s Energy Market Authority for a conditional energy import license.

Additionally, the company is negotiating with Indonesia to use its territorial waters for laying the cable. /TISG

Energy Market Authority finally tackles soaring electricity prices but is it two years too late?

After winning race, Soh Rui Yong says he’s now ‘Pocari Sweat Singapore 2.4km WORLD CHAMPION!!!’

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Photo: FB screengrab/Soh Rui Yong

SINGAPORE: Soh Rui Yong may have jokingly declared himself the “Pocari Sweat Singapore 2.4km WORLD CHAMPION!!!” in a Facebook post on Sunday (Sept 10), but a win is a win, and at the end of the day, it’s a race among elite runners.

Thirty-two-year-old Soh, the holder of five national records, including 5000 and 10,000-meter races and half and full marathons, ran the race with a time of 6:57.66. He came in ahead of Shaun Goh (6:59.49 ) and Tan Chong Qi (7:02.44), meaning the top three spots all went to Singaporean runners in the Elite Men’s Race.

Vanessa Lee won the Elite Women’s Race with a time of 8:09.64, followed by Ai Kusmiati (8:14.50) and Clara Chua (8:17.87).

The race was held on Saturday (Sept 9) at the Calling Practice Track, with the Top Schools Races at 6:30 pm and the Elite Races at 8:15 pm.

Organizers noted it was the first-ever official 2.4km National Championships endorsed by Singapore Athletics.

Last year, Soh came in second to Jeevaneesh S/O Soundara, who had a time of 6:50.31. Soh was just a fraction of a second behind him, with a time of 6:50.59.

In 2021, after becoming the first Singaporean man to complete the run in less than seven minutes, Soh caused a stir online when he wrote in a Facebook post that “Somehow, some people still think their ‘army/commando/BMT mate who smokes’ ran faster.”

Many netizens fired back, saying that running 2.4 kilometres happens regularly among the Commandos.

Soh responded that he meant no disrespect to the Commandos and then said that to anyone who could run the race in under seven minutes, he would give $700 and 700 bottles of Pocari Sweat.

“I have utmost respect for what the Commandos go through in military training. Few can claim to have gone through what they did or are capable of….Similarly, the Commandos would not be capable of running performances that even Singapore’s best distance runners have been incapable of.

A sub-seven-minute 2.4km is one example, given that it had never been recorded until Saturday. It takes an average of 69 seconds per 400 metres for six laps on the track to finish a 2.4km run in under seven minutes. I seriously doubt that many Commandos, former or current, would be capable of running even four laps (1.6km) at that pace.

At the end of the day, it’s easy to make extraordinary claims without proof. Let’s settle the debate once and for all,” he wrote back then. /TISG

What’s behind the online spat between Commandos and runner Soh Rui Yong?

Ho Ching: Preschool staff should have “similar pledge and code of conduct” to nurses

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SINGAPORE: In the wake of the mistreatment of toddlers at the hands of their teacher in two Kinderland centres last month, Mdm Ho, the wife of Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote in a Facebook post that people who work in the country’s preschools should have the same kind of pledge and code of ethics that the country’s nurses have.

Mdm Ho also shared a 2021 video of nurses from Singapore General Hospital reciting a pledge: “To provide a competent standard of care for the sick, regardless of race, religion, and status, sparing no effort to alleviate suffering and promote health.”

“All professional nurses in Sg have a pledge as well as an ethical code to guide their practice under the Singapore Nursing Board regulations. All preschool staff should have a similar pledge and code of conduct.

This should cover everyone involves in pre-school services, from contract staff to principal; from operator management and board to regulator staff and board; from infant care to nursery and kindergarten, and well into the early years of primary school,” she wrote.

She also posted the Singapore Nursing Board (SNB) Code for Nurses and Midwives, which covers 10 principles of conduct as an ethical guide to the daily work and decisions of nurses and midwives in the country.

The SNB may proceed with disciplinary action against the nurses and midwives in cases of professional misconduct.

The EDCA is also making CCTVs a requirement in every preschool and government-funded early intervention centre beginning from July 1, 2024. /TISG

Govt makes CCTV camera installation mandatory at all preschools following Kinderland child ill-treatment case

Tan Kin Lian raises $560 for Jamiyah Welfare Fund by selling campaign posters

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Tan Kin Lian raises $560 for Jamiyah Welfare Fund by selling campaign posters

SINGAPORE: Presidential candidate Tan Kin Lian has raised $560 for charity by selling his campaign posters at Bedok hawker center this weekend.

The former NTUC Income chief came in last in the three-horse presidential race with 13.88 per cent of the vote but managed to keep his election deposit by meeting the minimum threshold of 12.5 per cent of total votes.

Mr Tan was with People’s Voice Party chief Lim Tean and People Power Party leader Goh Meng Seng at a hawker centre in Bedok to sell his campaign posters. Large posters were priced at $10 each, with signed ones for $20. He also sold smaller posters and mini-signed posters for $10 each.

According to his estimate, about 30 large posters were sold, with the proceeds of $560 going to the Jamiyah Welfare Fund – a charity dedicated to serving the Malay-Muslim community. He will continue to sell posters next Saturday at Bendemeer Market and Food Centre – this time to raise funds for a charity serving the Indian community.

Mr Tan told the press that he was satisfied with the number of posters sold yesterday and was grateful to the supporters who came to buy them. He added that he will continue to sell posters in the next few weeks until they are sold out.

Mr Tan also revealed that he plans to share news about a new social media platform he will set up next week.

Read also: 

Serious Opposition members have everything to lose, and nothing to gain, by endorsing Tan Kin Lian | The Independent Singapore News 

Tan Cheng Bock Backs Former Rival Tan Kin Lian in Upcoming Presidential Election, Emphasizes Need for an Independent President in Singapore 

Alex Tan, Former PSP CEC Member, Joins Tan Kin Lian’s Presidential Campaign Team | The Independent Singapore News 

Singaporeans Criticize PSP Chairman Dr Tan Cheng Bock for Endorsing Controversial Presidential Candidate Tan Kin Lian

Ex-Diplomat Bilahari Kausikan Accuses Presidential Candidate Tan Kin Lian of Sexism and Racism Following Controversial Posts | The Independent Singapore News 

Paul Tambyah’s mother, AWWA School founder Leaena Tambyah, dies at age 86

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SINGAPORE: Renowned infectious diseases specialist and Singapore Democratic Party chairman Paul Tambyah revealed on Saturday evening (9 Sept) that his mother, distinguished special education advocate Leaena Tambyah – a woman who dedicated her life to serving children and young people with disabilities, has passed on at the age of 86.

Prof Paul, President of the International Society for Infectious Diseases and the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection, said on Facebook: “My Mum joined my Dad and our beloved Heavenly Father yesterday. She was comfortable and at peace after a life well lived in the service of the children and young people of Singapore especially those with disabilities.”

“We will miss her very much…….” he added.

Born in 1937, Ms Leaena was the youngest of six children. Her family lived in Penang before they moved to Singapore in 1940, and Ms Leaena attended Raffles Girls’ School, then Raffles Institution, before moving to England to earn her bachelor’s degree in social science at the University of Birmingham.

She began working as an assistant director at the Ministry of Social Affairs in 1961 when she returned to Singapore after completing her studies. Three years after that, in 1964, she married her longtime sweetheart, endocrinologist Dr John Anantharajah Tambyah.

The couple had met more than a decade prior, in 1953, when she was studying at Raffles Girls’ School, and he was attending Raffles Institution.

Ms Leaena resigned from her job at the Ministry of Social Affairs when she became pregnant with their first child months later, and the couple were blessed with a baby boy, Paul Anantharajah Tambyah, in 1964. The family later became complete with the arrival of a baby girl, Malini Tambyah.

While she cared for her two young children, Ms Leaena continued working part-time as a social worker and volunteered extensively. She began volunteering at the Asian Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA), where she helped run a family service centre.

Ms Leaena established the Handicapped Children’s Playgroup at the Church of St. Ignatius in 1979. This pioneering initiative catered to children with multiple disabilities who were not accepted into mainstream or special needs schools at that time. Under her leadership, the playgroup thrived and was later renamed the AWWA School, receiving a United Nations Community Excellence Award in 1986.

Ms Leaena’s remarkable dedication earned her numerous accolades throughout her career. In 1984, she was awarded the Public Service Medal for her outstanding work.

In 1991, she spearheaded the TEACH ME (Therapy and Educational Assistance for Children in Mainstream Education) project, which integrated children from special needs schools into mainstream schools and offered mobile therapy clinics for physically disabled children.

Her tireless efforts were recognized with a special volunteer award from the Community Chest of Singapore that same year.

In 1994, Leaena Tambyah received the Public Service Star and was honoured as Her World Woman of the Year for her pioneering work assisting children with special needs. Her commitment to philanthropy and volunteerism led to the Special Recognition Award at the President’s Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards 2011.

Mrs Leaena Tambyah’s legacy is one of unwavering dedication to the welfare of children with special needs in Singapore. Her passing marks the end of an era, but her contributions will continue to inspire generations to come. She leaves behind a profound impact on the lives of countless individuals and a lasting legacy of compassion and service.

The Independent Singapore extends our heartfelt condolences to Mrs Tambyah’s loved ones during this difficult time.