In response to Japan’s significant inflation and price increases, the Hakone-en Aquarium, which is home to over 30,000 unique animals, started feeding its marine life cheaper food.
The available affordable options, meanwhile, don’t seem to be a favourite with the animals. The king penguins can be seen pulling their beaks away from their new menu items in a video from ANN News, while the otters can be seen sniffing the fish before taking off.
CNN reports that Japanese horse mackerel, commonly known as aji, was once used to feed marine life. However, the cost of aji has climbed by 20 to 30 per cent in the past year.
While humans can force kids to eat cheaper meals, for example, that is if the situation demands it, these penguins are adamant, and they seem to be able to detect the difference between the cheaper and more expensive fish.
The zoo has, with the economic pressure pounding on them, changed the menu to the common mackerel often known as saba.
Watching the video, which is in Japanese, it is evident how the penguins turn their heads and beaks away when fed cheap fish.
They would only desire the pricey one. Perhaps this is setting a precedent for the possibility that animals, like people, can have affluent tastes as well.
One netizen, feeling at a loss when they were unable to make an appointment, crowdsourced for help with getting their passport. Fortunately, others who had the same experience were able to offer useful advice.
“I have just been informed my passport is ready for collection and was asked to make an appointment. However, I have checked both post offices and ICA (Immigration and Checkpoints Authority), there is no available time slot. I was informed to collect passport within a month. How is this possible.
Anyone has any experience to book an appointment?,” wrote Sian Ng in a post published on the Complaint Singapore Facebook post.
It appears that the poster’s problem is not uncommon.
Some commenters told the poster to keep on trying.
One suggested that the poster provide feedback on the website, and ask for more slots to be opened.
Others suggested that the poster simply walk in to collect their passport since they know their passport is ready, but this would likely mean hours of a long wait.
Another netizen suggested later dates in July or August, especially during weekdays, for passport collection.
One said that logging in to the appointment page at midnight may work.
Fortunately, the poster wrote that ICA had finally opened slots, and thanked others for their suggestions.
Photos of Joko Widodo, Lee Kuan Yew, Jacinda Ardern from Facebook
Today’s troubling times require leaders of a high calibre, such as that set by Singapore’s founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, a US university professor wrote in a July 12 opinion piece.
It was published in the South China Morning Post and titled, “Asia needs leaders of the calibre of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew to navigate a messy world.”
Professor Tom Plate, a longtime columnist with a focus on Asia and America, wrote that the Asia-Pacific region is seeing better leaders today, including New Zealand’s Jacinda Ardern and Indonesia’s Joko Widodo, amid the backdrop of the failure of Sri Lanka’s Gotabaya Rajapaksa as well as the resignation of UK’s Boris Johnson. He also noted the shocking assassination of Japan’s former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last week.
Prof Plate cites former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger’s new book, Leadership: Six Studies in World Strategy, which includes only one Asian leader, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, calling Kissinger’s choice of Mr Lee “superb.”
“As Kissinger puts it, Lee’s legacy is of both product – the emergence of the powerhouse city state of Singapore – and process, which Kissinger terms ‘the strategy of excellence’. Under the iron-willed Lee and his capable successors, Singapore attained a standard of governance that, to a certain extent, went global,” he writes.
And while Mr Lee came under criticism for his human rights record, he pointed out that “Lee’s deep understanding of human needs and of the government’s moral obligation to meet them is widely appreciated.”
Prof Plate went on to say that overall, the calibre of leadership in the Asia-Pacific is rising, crediting this in part to “Singapore and Lee setting the standard and also due to the region’s continued economic energy.”
The two examples of leadership he cites are Ardern and Widodo.
Of New Zealand’s Prime Minister, he writes that she had done “remarkable work” since 2017 when she took office.
“She is a clear-headed, adroitly grounded politician who advances realistic possibilities instead of recycling old myths,” he added.
Of Mr Widodo, he wrote, “An impressive Asian leader is Joko Widodo, president of Indonesia, who since 2014 has been leading the world’s fourth most populous country, home to more Muslim residents than any other.”
According to Prof Plate, “These are the leaders Asia needs,” adding that they should “forge a special relationship to help the world work out a more functional approach to China than a containment policy.” /TISG
Can Loh Kean Yew become the 1st Singaporean in 60 Years to win the Men’s Singles at this week’s Singapore Open?
Photo: Twitter screengrab/Loh Kean Yew
It’s a big week for badminton world champion Loh Kean Yew, as he has the opportunity to become the first Singaporean to win the Men’s Singles title since 1962 at the Singapore Open, which takes place from July 12 to 17. Loh, who turned 25 recently, is in fine form, fresh from winning a silver at the SEA Games in May.
He acknowledged the high pressure of competing before the home crowd, but added that he has “learnt how to cope with that since winning the World Championships,” he said at a press conference on Monday (Jul 11). “I discuss with my coach about our game plan before each match. Every opponent is tough in his own way, and I cannot identify who will be my toughest opponent this week.
After woman in viral road rage allegedly gets doxxed; man who posted the videos appeals to netizens to stop harassing her
Photo: FB screengrab/SG Road Vigilante – SGRV
Videos of the road rage number plate-throwing incident from Saturday (July 9) went viral, and not only did it give rise to some humorous memes, but they also caused some of those involved to allegedly become victims of doxxing.
The police told The Straits Times that a report has been filed over the reported doxxing. Doxxing occurs when people “search for and publish private or identifying information about (a particular individual) on the internet, typically with malicious intent.”
Jamus Lim: Gov’t shouldn’t be making money while times are so hard for people, but rather increase CPF interest payouts to help people now
Photo: FB screengrab/ jamuslim
In a Facebook post on July 10, Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim proposed a solution that would help people on a fixed income who are affected the most by today’s high inflation rates.
“It seems fair for the government to make up for higher inflation faced, with temporarily higher CPF rates,” he wrote.
What exactly is crowdfunding? It is a financing method for ventures and firms seeking funds from the public and investors, to finance a project or initiative. Investors receive interest payments or equity shares from investing in a company on a crowdfunding platform.
There are 4 types of crowdfunding available, namely the following.
1. Equity
Equity-based crowdfunding is the type of crowdfunding that is an investment. Startups and small businesses can choose to offer equity shares to those who invest in them. FundedHere in Singapore is one example of an equity crowdfunding platform.
2. Debt
Another type of crowdfunding which is an investment is debt-based crowdfunding, also known as P2P lending. The money that is pledged by the investors will eventually be repaid with interest by the firm that you are supporting. One example of a debt investment platform is Funding Societies, available for Singapore investors.
3. Rewards
Rewards-based crowdfunding is when those who raise funds for the initiative receive something for their donation. One example is Kickstarter, where users who donate an amount of money to support a campaign receive something in exchange.
4. Donation
Those who channel funds in support of a company’s new project or initiative for donation-based crowdfunding would receive nothing in return. One example would be GoFundMe, where non-profit organisations and service-oriented businesses seek funds from donors.
Features Of Crowdfunding Platforms
If you are interested in embarking on your journey as a crowdfunding investor with these P2P lending and crowdfunding platforms, choosing a crowdfunding platform is of utmost importance. Having a trusted platform to conduct your investment activities is essential, but as a beginner, how should you choose?
Fret not, as we will be delving into the variety of factors and features of typical crowdfunding platforms so that you will be better equipped to take your pick and choose the platform that is best for you and your financial needs.
Below are some of the key features that every investor should take into consideration, as they can greatly impact your returns on investment.
1. Investor Service Fee
For almost every investor, the fees involved can be one of the most crucial factors when it comes to making a decision between brokerages, investing platforms and more. Fees can be a major hassle, especially when there are so many different types of fees imposed on every transaction.
However, for crowdfunding platforms in Singapore, there tends to be just 1 fee involved, and that is the investor service fee, which is usually charged on top of the interest earned by the investor.
Most crowdfunding platforms in Singapore come with investor service fees which are associated with investing in a campaign on the platform. They are usually in the range of 15% to 20% of interest earned. There are also notable exceptions, such as the platform KapitalBoost, which imposes a 0% investor service fee.
2. Typical Returns
Of course, the main focal point of most investors would be the returns on investment, which determines the amount of money you can make from diving into these opportunities on the crowdfunding platforms available.
An investor’s return is usually defined as: Repayments received / funds received – service fee – default amount.
As many crowdfunding platforms support early or late-stage startups and local SMEs, investors may be concerned about the returns which you would be able to receive. This is a factor which can vary greatly from platform to platform, and also from campaign to campaign. Although the crux ultimately lies in the company in which you are investing in, certain platforms do tend to boast a higher than average rate of return. The average rate of return of each platform is commonly listed on the platform’s websites.
As for the default amount, a decisive factor would be the crowdfunding platform’s average default rate. Due to the fact that crowdfunding platforms are different from the typical online brokerages which allow you to invest in stocks, equities and more from global listed companies, many crowdfunding platforms offer investment opportunities for smaller ventures such as startups and SMEs. There is a possibility of the companies defaulting, resulting in non-repayment, which could cause investors to lose their money.
3. Minimum Investment Required
For many crowdfunding platforms, a minimum investment is required per campaign. This would be another crucial factor to consider, as not every investor, especially beginners, is willing to invest a large sum of money per campaign.
Fortunately, there are many crowdfunding platforms which allow investors to start their investment journey with a minimum amount that could range from as low as $20. This greatly raises the accessibility of these platforms to a greater group of investors and ensures that anyone could invest if they wanted to. However, other platforms require investors to be accredited, with annual income and net assets requirements, together with a high minimum investment requirement, of up to $5,000. These factors would make it harder for the masses to invest with these platforms.
4. Investment Horizon
Are you a short-term or long-term investor? If you are looking at investments in the short run, we have good news for you. Crowdfunding platforms typically offer more short-term investors, with horizons of approximately 1 year. However, there are also platforms which have shorter or longer investment horizons, and you can feel free to take your pick depending on your preferences.
With crowdfunding platforms offering shorter investment horizons, they could be suitable for investors who want to diversify their portfolios and park their funds in a different investment opportunity for a relatively short period of time.
How Do Singapore Crowdfunding Platforms Fare?
With that being said, the 5 factors above are indeed critical factors that crowdfunding investors should keep in mind. In the table below, we illustrate the factors and compare 3 of the best crowdfunding platforms in Singapore for your visual reference.
Funding Societies
Minterest
KapitalBoost
Investor Service Fee (Of Interest Earned)
18%
15%
None
Typical Returns
4 – 8% p.a.
4 – 8% p.a.
15 – 24% p.a.
Min Investment Requirement
S$20
S$500
S$500
Default rate
1.29%
0%-1.62%
Unknown
Investment Horizon
1-12 months
1-12 months
1-12 months
Who Should Invest In Crowdfunding?
Having gone through all the above key factors, who is crowdfunding best suited for? Well, everyone and anyone can invest with crowdfunding platforms while showing some support for enterprises in Singapore. However, investing with crowdfunding platforms may be particularly suitable for certain groups of people.
1. Investors With Well-Diversified Portfolio
As investing in crowdfunding platforms poses a risk of default, it could be a risky choice for investors to invest all their savings into the enterprises on crowdfunding platforms. Hence, investing in crowdfunding platforms would be more ideal for seasoned investors who already have a well-diversified and risk-mitigated portfolio to try their hand in crowdfunding investing.
2. Investors Investing Short-Term And Small Amounts
If you are not a seasoned investor but would still like to try your hand at crowdfunding platforms and investing, it is still possible, especially if you go for platforms which offer low fees and a shorter investment horizon. If you would like to cut down on your risks, investing a small amount with platforms that impose a low minimum investment requirement, such as $20, could be a wise choice. Investing an amount which you can afford to lose, on platforms with shorter horizons and with low to even no fees, could help you to cut your losses should you face any. At the same time, you could also gain some exposure to the world of crowdfunding and have some experience so that investing in them in the future would be a breeze.
Want To Invest With Crowdfunding Platforms?
Now that you are more familiar with the basics of crowdfunding, it is perhaps time for you to start your journey by applying for an account with a crowdfunding platform. Not sure which platform to use? Read on for some of our top picks!
Best For Short-Term Investing
1. Minterest
If you want to embark on your crowdfunding investment journey but are not sure where to start, Minterest could be a good place. The crowdfunding platform offers a variety of investment opportunities for individuals, at low fees, which makes it one of the best options for crowdfunding investors in Singapore. Most of its crowdsourced loans have lower than average default rates, making them one of the more secure platforms as well.
Hence, if you are an individual investor seeking some short-term investment opportunities, Minterest could well be worth your consideration.
Strongest Asset Quality
2. Funding Societies
Funding Societies proves to be one of the best crowdfunding platform options available in Singapore, mostly due to its strong asset quality. For investors looking out for secure platforms, Funding Societies is the choice for you. With an approximate default rate of 1.36% and 90% on-time repayments, this platform is unmatched in terms of its asset quality.
It also offers impressive rates of returns over the recent few years, making it stand out as a strong contender in the crowdfunding platform market.
Best For Those Seeking No Service Fees & Competitive Returns
3. KapitalBoost
KapitalBoost is a recommended crowdfunding platform for investors in Singapore as it offers investors an opportunity to invest with 0% service fees, making it the only such platform in Singapore with no fees associated with it. Those who are seeking short-term investments with competitive annual returns of 15-24% p.a. should definitely consider KapitalBoost.
Conclusion
Now that we know more about the various features of crowdfunding platforms, we are more equipped with the knowledge to perform comparisons and choose the best platform that is most suited to our needs. For a more comprehensive review of all the options available in Singapore, head over to Best P2P & Crowdfunding Platforms for an overview so you can evaluate the platforms and embark on your journey as a crowdfunding investor today.
Singapore man in Malaysia time travels backwards, enters July 2, exits June 3; travellers advised double-checking passport custom stamps
Photo: FB screengrab/Complaint Singapore
Following a photo of Singapore-Malaysia passport travel stamps “going back in time,” travellers were reminded to double-check when passing through customs.
“Time travel…go in Johor Bahru on July 2, but return to Singapore they chopped June 3,” said Facebook page Complaint Singapore member Jos Goh on Monday (July 11).
Daniel Ong opening ‘biggest yet’ 3rd steakhouse at The Star Vista, but netizens criticised the announcement
Photo: IG screengrab/danssteaks
Former Mediacorp DJ Daniel Ong announced the opening of his “biggest yet” restaurant at The Star Vista.
Despite revealing in an interview last month that his “Korean-influenced steakhouse” Dan’s Steaks was “nowhere near breaking even,” Ong expressed excitement at the opening of his third outlet.
Jamus Lim: Gov’t shouldn’t be making money while times are so hard for people, but rather increase CPF interest payouts to help people now
Photo: FB screengrab/ jamuslim
In a Facebook post on July 10, Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim proposed a solution that would help people on a fixed income who are affected the most by today’s high inflation rates.
“It seems fair for the government to make up for higher inflation faced, with temporarily higher CPF rates,” he wrote.
After woman in viral road rage allegedly gets doxxed; man who posted the videos appeals to netizens to stop harassing her
Photo: FB screengrab/SG Road Vigilante – SGRV
Videos of the road rage number plate-throwing incident from Saturday (July 9) went viral, and not only did it give rise to some humorous memes, but they also caused some of those involved to allegedly become victims of doxxing.
The police told The Straits Times that a report has been filed over the reported doxxing. Doxxing occurs when people “search for and publish private or identifying information about (a particular individual) on the internet, typically with malicious intent.”
It’s a big week for badminton world champion Loh Kean Yew, as he has the opportunity to become the first Singaporean to win the Men’s Singles title since 1962 at the Singapore Open, which takes place from July 12 to 17. Loh, who turned 25 recently, is in fine form, fresh from winning a silver at the SEA Games in May.
He acknowledged the high pressure of competing before the home crowd, but added that he has “learnt how to cope with that since winning the World Championships,” he said at a press conference on Monday (Jul 11). “I discuss with my coach about our game plan before each match. Every opponent is tough in his own way, and I cannot identify who will be my toughest opponent this week.
But I try not to get angry on the court. Getting angry is not going to change anything. I may be smiling but there’s lots of hidden stress,” Loh is quoted in Yahoo! News as saying.
The Singapore Badminton Open, which was on hiatus in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, is the country’s “biggest and most prestigious” badminton tournament in the country.
World-class athletes vie for the US$370,000 prize purse at the event, which is held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.
The competition, organized by the Singapore Badminton Association, is a Super 500 event and is part of the HSBC BWF World Tour.
And while Loh has not yet won a title this year, he performed well at the India Open and Indonesia Masters earlier in the year.
The athlete, of course, along with the rest of Singapore, is hoping to bag his first title for 2022 this week.
He said he hopes he “can give them”—with crowds as big as 6000 expected— “something to celebrate”.
Winning the men’s singles this year would be something to celebrate indeed.
The last time this happened was in 1962 when Wee Choon Seng bagged the title.
Loh may have a very good chance of this, given that the top two seeded players in the event, Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen and Anders Antonsen, have withdrawn from the Open.
This leaves Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen, as the top-seeded competitor. However, Chou beat Loh in the Indonesia Masters semi-finals in June.
For the first round, Loh faces France’s Brice Leverdez, who is unseeded. He won against the Frenchman at the Thailand Masters semi-finals in 2019, and went on to win the tournament.
From there, he is likely to play against Indonesia’s Tommy Sugiarto. Loh has only played against Sugiarto once, at the 2019 Australian Open, where the Singaporean champion lost the match. /TISG
Videos of the road rage number plate-throwing incident from Saturday (July 9) went viral, and not only did it give rise to some humorous memes, but they also caused some of those involved to allegedly become victims of doxxing.
The police told The Straits Times that a report has been filed over the reported doxxing. Doxxing occurs when people “search for and publish private or identifying information about (a particular individual) on the internet, typically with malicious intent.”
Information and photos about the woman who bodily blocked a black Toyota Alphard removed its number plate, and threw it at the windscreen in rage after her red Kia was scraped, have since been shared after the incident.
The man who posted the videos on social media has appealed to netizens to stop doxxing the woman and her male companion, who had been driving the red Kia.
Individuals convicted of sharing identifiable information about a person with the intention to harass, cause violence or fear of violence to them may be given a $5,000 fine or receive a jail sentence of as long as one year.
The video of the incident, which took place amid heavy traffic at Second Link between Singapore and Malaysia, was posted on the Facebook pages of SG Road Vigilante – SGRV and Complaint Singapore.
It shows the woman singlehandedly blocking a vehicle with her body and succeeding in detaching the vehicle’s number plate before throwing it at the windscreen.
The Straits Times reported on July 10 that the woman was wanted by the Malaysian police for committing mischief.
The man who shared the videos online is Mr Muhammed Haziq, 25. His family was in the black Toyota that the woman tried to stop and threw the number plate at, although he was not with them.
He is now saying he feels sorry for the woman and her family and has appealed to others to stop sharing information about them.
Mr Muhammad is quoted in ST as saying,”We are unsure if that is really the woman and if the man is her husband. My family doesn’t know if we want to believe what is online.
But if it is her, I believe that the way she is being treated is unfair to her. I would appreciate if people stop putting up her pictures.”
He added that he had shared the videos to get the woman to come forward and settle the issue, adding, “My father just wants to get his car fixed and wants to claim for the damage that the woman has caused.” /TISG
Members of the public have raised concerns over Grab’s announcement that it was decreasing its grace period from five minutes to three minutes.
The grace period would be acceptable if some drivers actually arrived on time at pick-up points, said netizens.
Beginning Monday, July 18, Grab said it would start charging passengers S$3 beyond three minutes of waiting for most ride types.
The grace waiting period for JustGrab, GrabPet, GrabFamily, GrabCar, GrabCar Plus and GrabCar Premium is three minutes, with a S$3 charge per five-minute waiting block.
The grace waiting period for GrabCoach is 10 minutes, with a S$10 charge per 10-minute waiting block.
“You are encouraged to book rides only when ready to ensure you have ample time to reach your pick-up point. Thank you for your understanding,” said Grab in a notification to users.
“Less waiting time will mean more rides to go around,” it added.
Netizens commented on the news, noting that the adjustment would cause issues.
“A lot of drivers click that they have arrived when they have not. This is a loophole that will be easily abused,” warned netizen Facebook user Dian Raihan.
“They (drivers) tap on arrive after turning in; we can’t even find them at the lobby sometimes because they’re at the wrong block. We call them, and they’re circling around the area looking for your address. More than three minutes,” said Facebook user Paul Benedict in a comment with over 580 likes.
“They click on arrive before even reaching the pick-up point, gets jammed up behind the taxis (which takes more than 3mins). But of course, there are customers always making drivers wait just because they can’t estimate their timing properly,” he added.
Facebook user Chai Boon Yen said it is a “give and take on both sides.”
“Grab should look into drivers clicking arrived already before they reach the riders. Maybe they should make both drivers and riders acknowledge the trip together. Meaning maybe a QR code from the driver to be acknowledged in the rider’s app,” suggested Facebook user Brioraja Rajabrio in a comment with over 810 likes.
Photo: FB screengrabPhoto: FB screengrab
Others said a solution was to boycott the services completely.
Former Mediacorp DJ Daniel Ong announced the opening of his “biggest yet” restaurant at The Star Vista.
Despite revealing in an interview last month that his “Korean-influenced steakhouse” Dan’s Steaks was “nowhere near breaking even,” Ong expressed excitement at the opening of his third outlet.
The 46-year-old and his ex-wife Jaime Teo Chai-lin started Twelve Cupcakes in 2011.
It was discovered that between 2013 and 2014, seven foreign workers employed at Twelve Cupcakes were underpaid.
The duo sold the company in 2016 to Kolkata-based Dhunseri Group for S$2.5 million.
Ong also closed all three outlets of his restaurant, Rookery, in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In February last year, Teo pleaded guilty to 10 charges under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and was fined S$65,000.
Ong then told 8 Days that he had lost all his income following the Twelve Cupcakes incident. He opened the first Dan’s Steaks outlet in April 2021 at Serangoon Gardens as a “product of necessity.”
He opened the second branch in November last year along Upper East Coast Road.
“We are super stoked and excited about the biggest Dan’s Steaks – renovation has taken a while, and finally, on July 12, we are getting it up for you!” said Ong in an Instagram post on July 9.
“For our dearest friends who frequent The Star Vista on Sundays for church, you’d know where to head afterwards 😉,” he added.
Ong said that he and two other partners invested “around half a million dollars” to open Estuary, an oyster bar and “pescatarian haven” in Orchard last month.
He told 8 Days that some months ago was “tough” for Dan’s Steaks due to less-than-stellar sales, and the business was “nowhere near breaking even.”
Netizens commented on the announcement with criticisms.
“We are not fools to think you open a new outlet and yet not break even. Just want to get exposure for 1st timers to try just once. Few months later, reports say it is closing all the 3 outlets,” said Facebook user Lubber Duckiee.
“Think he’s just trying to hype it up, open more outlets for exposure and then just sell off the whole franchise. Hope investors do their due diligence,” warned Facebook user Ethan Lee YS.
Others also noted that the location could be a problem. “But how are they going to fight against iSteaks, which is immensely popular on the same floor?” asked netizen Zhang Pinzheng. /TISG
