Wednesday, April 30, 2025
29.9 C
Singapore
type here...
Subscribe
Home Blog Page 16

GE2025 likely to be Tan Cheng Bock’s last election run, after almost 45 years of political service

Jewel Stolarchuk
-
0
GE2025 likely to be Tan Cheng Bock’s last election run, after almost 45 years of political service

SINGAPORE: Progress Singapore Party (PSP) founder and chairman Tan Cheng Bock has confirmed that the coming polls will likely be the last time he contests an election. If elected, the veteran politician aims to serve as a mentor, guiding his young team to efficiently manage their constituency.

Speaking with CNA, the 85-year-old said that if his team is elected, they have planned for who will be in charge of specific matters, such as the town council. He also reiterated his desire to train and promote the younger generation of leaders within his party as best as possible.

Although he was a former People’s Action Party (PAP) backbencher MP from 1980 to 2006, Dr Tan Cheng Bock had cultivated a strong reputation as an independent within the ruling party and is one of the rare few who have voted against his party in Parliament even though the whip had not been lifted.

Dr Tan contested the 2011 presidential election and lost to establishment pick  Tony Tan by a narrow 0.35% margin. Then-Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was not happy with Dr Tan’s candidacy in that election and saw him as a threat, according to ex-Minister George Yeo.

Dr Tan Cheng Bock indicated interest in contesting the succeeding presidential election, but the constitution was amended in 2016, reserving the 2017 presidential election for only Malay-Muslim candidates.

Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob left the PAP and Parliament to contest the 2016 election. She became President unopposed when two prospective candidates were disqualified from the race due to the amended qualification criteria.

Dr Tan, meanwhile, founded the PSP ahead of the 2020 general election. He led an A-team to contest West Coast GRC and narrowly lost to the incumbent PAP team with 48.31% of the vote. The high vote share, however, led to two PSP members joining Parliament under the Non-Constituency Member of Parliament (NCMP) scheme.

This year marks nearly 45 years since Dr Tan began his career in politics. When asked what had kept him going all this while, he told CNA, “I think it’s the love for the country.”

He added that looking back on his political career, he sees that it has been a fruitful one. He said, “For me, this is a rewarding journey. Every election brings me new things, new ways of managing affairs and engaging with the public, and meeting new faces. It is truly a very valuable experience.”

Dr Tan is expected to lead another PSP team to contest the new Jurong West-West Coast GRC in the election around the corner, in what is expected to be one of the most fiery contests of the season.

Mediacorp honours the quiet power of Puan Noor Aishah

Gemma Iso
-
0
Mediacorp honours the quiet power of Puan Noor Aishah

SINGAPORE: A beloved humanitarian who touched the lives of many, Puan Noor Aishah, wife of Singapore’s first President Yusof Ishak, passed away on Tuesday (April 22) at the age of 91.

Honouring her, Mediacorp is airing a programme to highlight the contributions she made while working with her husband, President Yusof Ishak, to unite Singapore during its formative years.

Accessible in all four official languages, the programme will follow her journey from an unassuming homemaker to a pioneer who transformed the Istana into a symbol of nationhood, leaving behind a shining example of perseverance, service, and commitment.

Aside from the podiums and timings listed, the 30-minute programme can be viewed on demand via mewatch, cna.asia, and CNA YouTube.

Dignitaries paying tribute

Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong said he and his wife, Ho Ching, were extremely distraught by her demise, recognising Puan Noor Aishah as a “remarkable woman of her time”.

SM Lee poignantly recalled Puan Noor Aishah as the partner of the head of state during Singapore’s troubled early days.

“Singaporeans lived through racial riots, separation from Malaysia and the initial difficult years that followed.

“Together with Encik Yusof Ishak, she helped keep the people united and positive even when the odds were long, and the outlook was sobering, making a lasting contribution to Singapore.”

Articulating a similar sentiment, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said that Puan Noor Aishah “rose to the occasion and she made a lasting contribution … at a time when we were going through difficulties as a young nation”.

The leaders praised her as a “force of good in her own right”, supporting countless social causes and a patron to numerous establishments. Many Singaporeans agree that her strength and magnanimity have touched their lives.

Puan Noor Aishah was also a “steadfast pillar of support” to Mr Yusof throughout his tenure as head of state from 1959 to 1970, a crucial phase in Singapore’s history that was marked by countless challenges of building a new nation.

She was intensely involved in charitable causes and championed various social initiatives, predominantly supporting women, children, and the less privileged.

“Her grace, humility, and unwavering dedication earned her the respect of Singaporeans from all walks of life, and continue to inspire us today,” the dignitaries believe.

Remembering Puan Noor Aishah programme schedule

22 April 2025

CNA                               4pm, 9pm

Channel 5                       8.30pm

Channel 8                       7.30pm

Suria                             8.30pm

Vasantham                    9pm

Gov’t scrambles to shield businesses as US tariff shockwaves hit—new taskforce deployed in 3-front strategy

Gemma Iso
-
0
Gov’t scrambles to shield businesses as US tariff shockwaves hit—new taskforce deployed in 3-front strategy

SINGAPORE: The Singapore Economic Resilience Taskforce (SERT) was launched by the government to support businesses and aid workers in the face of rising costs triggered by US tariffs and the drastic changes within the global market.

According to the latest Singapore Business Review report, the first meeting took place on April 16 and was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Gan Kim Yong. The task force includes representatives of different business sectors and labour unions.

The task force also has Ministers Desmond Lee (National Development and Social Services Integration), Josephine Teo (Digital Development and Information, Home Affairs), Tan See Leng (Manpower, Trade and Industry), and Chee Hong Tat (Transport, Finance), Singapore Business Federation chairman Lim Ming Yan, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) secretary-general Ng Chee Meng, and Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) president Tan Hee Teck.

The initiative resulted when the Ministry of Trade and Industry reduced Singapore’s 2025 gross domestic product (GDP) estimate to between zero and 2%, echoing fears over outside trade risks and latent disturbances in important sectors.

What is the task force for?

According to a recent Asian Briefing story, SERT has three core focus areas.

The first, directed by Minister Josephine Teo and Mark Lee, concentrates on instantaneous data collection/assembly and business engagement. This guarantees that the government remains receptive to advances and changes and is aligned with industry requirements.

The second workstream, supervised by Minister Tan See Leng and leaders from NTUC and SNEF, is targeted at aiding businesses and workers to adjust to abrupt challenges.

The third stream, run by Ministers Desmond Lee and Chee Hong Tat, has a longer-term outlook. It aims to reinforce Singapore’s position as an international hub by exploring new growth markets, enhancing affordability and attractiveness, and supporting changes in major industries.

These workstreams aim to promote better communication on support structures and strategies, address business challenges, respond to workforce issues, and develop approaches that could seize fresh opportunities for industries in today’s economic landscape.

DPM Gan said that as the government prepares and equips itself to face more unsettled times ahead, it needs to work together and stay cohesive so that Singapore can face the challenges ahead and find new opportunities to flourish.

Singapore businesses record lowest ransomware attacks in Southeast Asia in 2024

Mary Alavanza
-
0
Singapore businesses record lowest ransomware attacks in Southeast Asia in 2024

SINGAPORE: Singapore businesses recorded the lowest number of ransomware attacks in Southeast Asia in 2024, according to data from cybersecurity firm Kaspersky, even as the rest of the region faced a sharp rise in cases. Out of more than 135,000 ransomware attempts, or nearly 400 ransomware attacks per day, detected across the region, only 208 were reported in Singapore.

According to Singapore Business Review, ransomware attacks jumped in the second half of 2024, with nearly 80,000 cases—a big jump from just 57,000 in the first half of the year.

Kaspersky’s report pointed to growing cyber threats to businesses of all sizes, with attackers using more advanced tools and tactics.

Indonesia had the highest number of ransomware attacks recorded last year, with 57,554 cases. This was followed by Vietnam with 29,282 cases and the Philippines with 21,629 cases. Meanwhile, Malaysia saw the most dramatic jumps in ransomware attacks, with 12,643 detections, up 153% compared to the previous year.

The report noted that several high-profile breaches included ransomware attacks on a government foreign worker portal, a national data centre, a postal service provider, and several retail systems.

Malaysia’s southern state Johor just signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) on Monday to raise public awareness on cybersecurity and digital literacy, among other initiatives.

In Singapore, amid cybersecurity threats, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), and the Elections Department (ELD) recently issued a joint advisory to election candidates, warning of potential threats from foreign interference and cybersecurity breaches as the 2025 general election (GE2025) nears.

There are threats of covert and deceptive tactics by foreign actors to sway political discourse and decision-making, as happened in the 2024 Moldovan and Romanian presidential races, and the 2017 French presidential election. /TISG 

Read also: Expert warns that Singapore’s growing digital device reliance raises “living room” cybersecurity risks

Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)

Singaporeans aware of climate risks but worry about higher bills from renewable energy shift: Ipsos study

Mary Alavanza
-
0
Singaporeans aware of climate risks but worry about higher bills from renewable energy shift: Ipsos study

SINGAPORE: Singaporeans are among the most climate-aware in the APEC region, but many remain concerned about the cost of going green. According to the Ipsos 2025 People & Climate Change Study, while 81% of Singaporeans expressed concerns about climate change, higher than the global average (44%), half believe that switching to renewable energy will lead to higher household electricity bills, Singapore Business Review reported.

More than half of Singaporeans (58%) also believe the government has a clear plan to tackle climate change—well above the global average of 32%.

The study, which surveyed over 500 respondents in Singapore, also found relatively low scepticism towards green technologies. Only 30% believe electric vehicles are as harmful to the environment as petrol cars, slightly below the global average of 34%.

While the push for green energy is welcomed by Singaporeans, the pinch of high electricity bills has always been felt by locals trying to make ends meet.

In June last year, a Singaporean woman living in a two-room flat shared that her electricity bill was “getting ridiculously high” despite her efforts to curb electricity usage after moving in.

She had limited her air conditioning use to night-time at 24°C, stopped using a portable dishwasher and induction cooker, and made sure to switch off plugs when not in use. Still, she said her electricity costs “went up even more”.

In neighbouring Malaysia, a separate press release by Ipsos on Tuesday (April 22) highlighted that seven in 10 Malaysians believe urgent climate action is needed, while six in 10 believe the government has a clear plan in place.

However, the statement also pointed to a declining trend—both in Malaysia and globally—in the number of people who believe urgent action is still needed.

“It is likely that the rising cost of living in recent years, alongside other factors, has impacted people’s sense of individual responsibility. At the same time, Malaysians perceive the climate change initiative as potentially detrimental to the economy and energy supply, fearing that transitioning to renewable energy may cause economic challenges and energy disruption. This trend suggests that while there is an agreement on the need for climate change, there are concerns about the associated economic costs,” it stated. /TISG 

Read also: 95% Singaporeans value commute time when considering a job: Survey

Featured image by Freepik (for illustration purposes only)

Woman says she found receipt under rice and vegetables in her food order

Anna Maria Romero
-
0
Woman says she found receipt under rice and vegetables in her food order

SINGAPORE: A woman took to social media with the complaint that she had found a receipt under a pile of rice and vegetables included in her order.

On the popular COMPLAINT SINGAPORE Facebook group page on Monday (Apr 21), the woman wrote that she had placed her order via a food delivery service to the Tampines Hub outlet of Thunder Tea Rice.

The post author appealed to Thunder Tea Rice to “please look into the hygiene and food safety of this outlet!!” She said she was “very shocked to find receipts underneath the base of thunder rice ordered. The receipt is well hidden underneath the pile of rice and vegetables”.

She added that the rice appeared to have been left over from the day before, as it was “cold and hard to digest”.

The woman posted several photos, with a number of them showing a receipt mixed in with a food order. In one caption, she wrote, “Rice still sticking onto the receipt at the base of the food.”

FB screengrab/ COMPLAINT SINGAPORE

She also posted a picture of a disposable bowl with a receipt at the bottom along with some grains of rice. Under a picture of an egg dish, she wrote, “Foreign unchewable object found in egg too! Omg!”

FB screengrab/ COMPLAINT SINGAPORE

The Independent Singapore has reached out to the post author, as well as to Thunder Tea Rice, for further comments or updates.

One netizen commenting on the post, shared by some group members, wrote that the post author could send feedback to the Singapore Food Agency, which is under the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment. It oversees food safety and security in Singapore.

Unfortunately, this is not the first time someone has found a foreign object in their food. It happens from time to time.

In October, a woman posted a picture of an unwanted object in her ordered meal and called herself “lucky” that she did not eat it. Her food, which she had bought at the Sembawang MRT, appeared to contain a piece of metal.

Commenters on this particular photo said the piece might have come from a scrubbing ball or pad used for washing plates or cooking pans. One noted these pieces can easily break off when the scrubber has been used too many times and is worn out.

This does not only happen in Singapore, however. In September, a customer at a Sam’s Club in Changzhou, Jiangsu province, discovered a human tooth embedded in a mooncake she had purchased. The incident, which quickly gained attention after the woman shared a video on Douyin, sparked an investigation into the US supermarket chain’s food safety practices.

/TISG

Read also: Mother disgusted to find live caterpillar in chicken rice of her 3yo child while dining at Jurong Point food court

Letter to the Editor: Lax regulation of IVF embryo selection may decrease Singapore’s fertility rate

Letters to the Editor
-
0
Letter to the Editor: Lax regulation of IVF embryo selection may decrease Singapore’s fertility rate

Dear Editor,

I refer to the article “NUS study invites public to weigh moral dilemmas of embryo selection in IVF”.

In an era of ultra-low fertility rates, prospective parents inevitably invest more money, time, and effort in their fewer children, very often resulting in unrealistic and unreasonable parental expectations, with the phenomenon of “tiger parenting” being commonplace in Singapore.

Nevertheless, the major confounding challenge to every parent’s great expectations and best-laid plans is the unpredictability and randomness of the natural fertilization process, which involves mixing and recombining genes from the egg and sperm to produce new genetic variants. This often results in siblings born from the same pair of parents differing so much in looks, health, and academic performance.

Hence, there is no guarantee that the offspring of high-achieving parents may necessarily be high-achievers, with the risk that all the money, time, and effort invested in an “inherently mediocre” child will ultimately go to waste. Genetic testing for IVF embryo selection thus attempts to overcome the randomness and unpredictability of the natural human fertilization process to yield the best possible outcome.

Although genetic testing for IVF embryo selection may not be that expensive, the cost of the accompanying IVF procedure is high. There is a risk that healthy and fertile couples might deliberately and unnecessarily choose to conceive via IVF, just to avail themselves of embryo selection to optimize the health and intelligence of their offspring.

Social pressure may make it difficult to resist such predictive genetic testing if it becomes trendy and fashionable. Prospective parents might feel guilty for not utilizing IVF embryo selection to give their offspring the best start in life. As a result, many prospective parents desiring two or more children may ultimately decide to have just one superior “genetically optimized” child due to the high costs involved.

Because prospective parents naturally and instinctively desire the best future for their offspring, these thus represent particularly lucrative business opportunities for fertility clinics, which may encourage patients with their aggressive sales pitches and slick marketing gimmicks.

Hence, the following regulatory safeguards are thus proposed to ensure the judicious use of IVF embryo selection only in cases of genuine medical necessity, and to protect the patient’s welfare.

First, genetic testing for IVF embryo selection should be restricted only to preventing disease traits. The selection of socially-desirable traits such as high IQ, musical talent, and athletic prowess should be banned.

Second, patients must provide certified medical records validating that at least one parent or grandparent (of the tested IVF embryos) has been diagnosed with clinically relevant heritable disease traits such as propensity to type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular diseases, before being allowed to proceed with IVF embryo selection. Additionally, genetic testing for IVF embryo selection should be restricted specifically only to those disease traits that have been diagnosed in parents/grandparents.

Third, it must be mandated that patients should receive professional counselling to ensure that they receive proper guidance in IVF embryo selection, given the complexity of genetic information presented to them.

Dr. Alexis Heng Boon Chin
Associate Profesor
Peking University, China

The views expressed above are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of The Independent Singapore

If you have a juicy story, witnessed an injustice, or want to share your views on current events, email us the details with proof to make your voice heard: [email protected]

CIMB commits RM10 billion to power cross-border growth in Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone

Merzsam Singkee
-
0
CIMB commits RM10 billion to power cross-border growth in Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone

MALAYSIA: CIMB Group Holdings Berhad has committed RM10 billion (S$2.98 billion) in funding facilities aimed to improve growth in the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ). With the JS-SEZ poised to become a cornerstone of Malaysia-Singapore economic cooperation, CIMB’s investment underscores growing private sector confidence in the zone’s potential.

“The JS-SEZ represents a transformative move in regional economic collaboration, deepening connectivity and unlocking new avenues for sustainable growth between Malaysia and Singapore while strengthening the region’s resilience against global uncertainties,” said Novan Amirudin, Group Chief Executive Officer, CIMB Group.

This substantial financing pledge, one of the largest to date from a regional bank, puts CIMB at the forefront of ASEAN’s next wave of economic integration, aligning capital with infrastructure and policy to fast-track cross-border business.

ASEAN Financial Passport: Turning vision into action

At the heart of CIMB’s initiative is the launch of its ASEAN Financial Passport, a platform designed to offer businesses seamless cross-border banking support across every stage of growth. It is expected to include regulatory expertise, simplified account onboarding for clients from Malaysia and Singapore, and banking solutions such as SMEBizReady, GreenBizReady, HalalBizReady, and remittance services.

CIMB is seeking to position itself not only as a lender but also as a partner for businesses navigating the complexities of cross-border expansion by delivering end-to-end support. The passport is not just conceptual but a tangible enabler in making the JS-SEZ operational.

“As a leading ASEAN-focused financial institution, we are committed to our purpose of advancing customers and society… backed by our strong on-ground presence in both Johor and Singapore,” said Novan.

Empowering SMEs in an uncertain world

While the JS-SEZ is expected to attract high-value investments and multinationals, CIMB’s move also seeks to empower small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by providing tools and support systems that help them scale, optimise costs, and boost production efficiency—particularly in sectors like manufacturing, digital economy, halal trade, and sustainable development. This is particularly important in an increasingly destabilising status quo.

The move could dramatically lower regional SMEs’ barriers to entering new markets, tapping into ASEAN’s 660-million-strong consumer base.

Operational muscle to match ambition

To ensure execution matches intent, CIMB has mobilised a dedicated team of 30 bankers across Singapore and Malaysia. With 28 branches in Johor, six of which are able to serve clients from JS-SEZ, the bank is also exploring locations near the upcoming Johor-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) checkpoints to better serve cross-border traffic.

Beyond financial services, CIMB is actively building the business ecosystem through foreign direct investment (FDI) and domestic direct investment (DDI) partnerships, client familiarisation visits, and thematic seminars covering legal, regulatory, and tax frameworks.

These business matching and market access platforms are central to CIMB’s approach as a regional enabler. It seeks to bridge the gap between investors, government stakeholders and on-ground opportunities.

Public sentiment: Optimism across the Causeway

The project also made netizens from both countries optimistic, with many users showing hope and pride in the shared vision. “As a S’porean, I hope this becomes successful. It’s important to have good friends and neighbours we can count on,” noted one netizen.

Another user commented that they foresee a bright future for the two collaborating countries, stating, “I have high confidence that this project will work and will benefit both countries in the near future. Let’s go, Singapore and Malaysia!”

“Singapore and Malaysia, given how much they have in common, can be a prime example for the world of how strong and mutually beneficial bilateral ties can be.”

These opinions show the growing belief that the JS-SEZ is not just a strategic platform for economic cooperation but a symbol of enduring regional solidarity.

A strategic catalyst for ASEAN’s future

CIMB’s commitment marks an important step in making the vision for JS-SEZ a reality. As the public and private sectors converge around this shared vision, the bank’s RM10 billion commitment and ASEAN Financial Passport platform represent more than financial support; they signify that ASEAN’s economic architecture is maturing, with integrated solutions emerging to support cross-border enterprise.

In a region where political goodwill has often outpaced on-the-ground tools, CIMB’s initiative may well become the benchmark for how institutions can drive meaningful regional cooperation.

Read also: Johor turns to Singapore’s NIE to raise school standards and curb brain drain

As part of her 2025 Asia tour, J-pop artist Ayumi Hamasaki will perform in Singapore

Lydia Koh
-
0
As part of her 2025 Asia tour, J-pop artist Ayumi Hamasaki will perform in Singapore

SINGAPORE: According to CNA, J-pop artist Ayumi Hamasaki will perform in Singapore in 2025. Avex, the artist’s agency, announced the news on its website on April 9. However, further information about the concerts, including dates, venues, and tickets, has not been announced yet.

Photo: Instagram/Ayumi Hamasaki

The following day, Hamasaki updated her Instagram bio to include the cities she will be heading to. The itinerary includes Hong Kong, Singapore, Taipei, Nagoya, Tokyo, Hiroshima, Osaka, Sendai, Fukuoka, and more. It’s been a while since Singaporean fans last saw Hamasaki live. Her last performance in the country was back in 2014. 

Held at Marina Bay Sands, Hamasaki was part of a Japanese musical festival called A-Nation.

Loss of hearing

In 2008, she shared that she had lost all hearing in her left ear because of a bad ear infection she picked up back in 2000, right in the middle of one of her tours. As if that wasn’t tough enough, she also started losing hearing in her right ear around 2017. Despite these challenges with her hearing, she’s never stopped touring and making music. 

At 46 years old, Hamasaki is famous for some fantastic songs, especially “Seasons” from 2000 and “Blue Bird,” which came out in 2006. She started her music journey in 1998 with her first single, “Poker Face,” and just recently, on April 8, she dropped a brand new single called “Mimosa”—a special way to celebrate her incredible 27th anniversary in the music industry.

Talented singer, songwriter, and producer

Ayumi Hamasaki (浜崎あゆみ, born Oct 2, 1978) is a highly influential Japanese singer-songwriter and producer, nicknamed the “Empress of Pop” due to her significant impact throughout Asia. She is well-known for her varied songwriting, music production, and engaging live performances. Notably, Hamasaki holds the title of the best-selling solo artist in Japan and is considered a cultural icon of the Heisei era.  

Hamasaki grew up in Fukuoka. She moved to Tokyo in 1993. She wasn’t just focused on singing from the start—she initially went there to try her hand at modelling and acting.

Rapid rise to fame

Her music career took off in 1998 with the release of her debut single, “Poker Face”, followed by her first major-label album, “A Song for ××”, in 1999. It was a huge hit, topping the Oricon charts for five weeks and selling over a million copies. Her relatable and insightful lyrics were a primary reason for her rapid rise to fame.
Over the years that followed, Hamasaki just kept releasing amazing music. Ten more albums were released, each selling over a million copies in Japan.
Duty (2000), her third album, almost reached three million in sales. A Best (2001), her first compilation album, cemented her superstar status. It sold over four million copies domestically and represented more than 40% of her record label’s income.
After the massive success of her A Best album, it seems that Hamasaki felt she could explore her creativity. That’s when she started playing around with her music and the lyrics she wrote. She began mixing in English lyrics, starting with her Rainbow album in 2002. Her subsequent albums explored various genres, from electronic dream-pop to rock.

For the sake of her little son, actress Sora Ma becomes a Singaporean

Lydia Koh
-
0
For the sake of her little son, actress Sora Ma becomes a Singaporean

SINGAPORE: Sora Ma, an established actress, is finally a Singaporean after many years, as reported by CNA via 8 Days. Sora Ma, who’s 41 and originally from Malaysia, shared a bit of her personal story on Instagram on April 16. She mentioned that she was far along in her pregnancy, just a week or two away from meeting her baby. A friend of hers named Karen suggested something practical: changing her citizenship. Karen thought it would just make things smoother down the road when it came to dealing with anything related to her child.

Photo: Instagram/Sora Ma

Ma gave birth to her son, Skye, last August. He is now nine months old. Sadly, in June last year, Sora Ma’s husband, whom the public only knew as Mr R, passed away unexpectedly. This happened before their son, Skye, was born. He was only 48 years old. They had been in a relationship for 11 years and got married in 2021.

Wake-up call

Ma revealed that she did not think much about changing her citizenship at the beginning, but Karen’s words were a “wake-up call” for her. She was still getting used to managing everything alone.

So, facing this tough situation, Ma decided to reach out for help. She emailed her Member of Parliament (MP), Dr Koh Poh Koon. He’s been representing the Tampines area since 2020.

Impressed by his efficiency

Ma remembers sending that email on a Saturday at 7:06 a.m. She was taken aback when she got a reply just 40 minutes later! It even looked like Dr Koh Poh Koon had replied straight from his phone. Ma was genuinely impressed by his efficiency. Just a week or two later, Ma had all the necessary paperwork sorted out and was able to go to Minister Koh’s office in person.

The application for her citizenship went through much faster than Ma had anticipated. She wasn’t sure if her situation was particularly special or if having her MP, Dr Koh Poh Koon, involved made the process quicker. Either way, the important thing is that on Jan 22, 2025—which was also her birthday—Ma received her pink Singaporean identity card (IC).

Stay hopeful

In her post, she described getting her citizenship as a “new birthday” and a “new beginning”. It sounds as though she’s faced some incredibly tough times, but she’s choosing to stay hopeful and is appreciative of every little bit of progress she makes. That kind of resilience and appreciation is inspiring, especially considering everything she’s been through.

Sora Ma, born on Jan 22, 1984, is a Singaporean actress.

Originally from Malaysia, Sora Ma gained recognition after finishing in the top five of Star Search 2010, a talent competition. Until 2017, she was a full-time artiste with Mediacorp, a major media and entertainment company in Singapore.

While actively involved in the entertainment industry, Sora Ma is also a qualified Pilates instructor and is the founder of Heartworks SG, a charity organisation.

In 2022, she received the Best Supporting Actress award at the Asia Contents Awards for her performance in the drama This Land Is Mine.   

1...151617...5,235Page 16 of 5,235

The Independent SG

Singapore News

Cost of living, home affordability, govt accountability are top concerns for GE2025—survey

0
SINGAPORE: A survey from Milieu Insight released shortly before...

Neighbour won’t spay her cat — now their area is full of mess and strays, says resident

0
SINGAPORE: A frustrated resident took to an online forum...

Job seeker asks: ‘Is it really that hard to get hired now, or is it just me?’

0
SINGAPORE: A job seeker who has been applying for...

Singapore negotiating US concessions on pharmaceutical exports and high-end AI chips access

0
SINGAPORE: Singapore is negotiating concessions with the United States...

Business

Singapore Politics

Historian renews call to scrap NCMP scheme after PAP remarks on guaranteed opposition voices

0
SINGAPORE: Singapore historian and author Loke Hoe Yeong has...

Gan Kim Yong promotes “Not a Stranger” hashtag after Punggol GRC resident appears to snub him in viral video

0
SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong has promoted...

WP’s Jackson Au: ‘You can be good in Parliament and good on the ground’

0
SINGAPORE: Jackson Au, a candidate for The Workers’ Party...

Parliament needs more female members: Sylvia Lim

0
SINGAPORE: Workers' Party (WP) chairperson Sylvia Lim has called on...

© The Independent Singapore