The US State Department said Friday it was terminating five Chinese-funded exchange programs with the United States, calling them propaganda tools for Beijing. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement that these programs, conducted under a US law called the MECEA that permits American government employees to travel using foreign government funds, were […]
WHO warns virus crisis not over as vaccine rollout approaches
by AFP bureaus The World Health Organization has warned that vaccines will be no magic bullet for the coronavirus crisis as nations gear up for a massive rollout to tackle surging infections. The word of caution comes as the United States clocked a record number of Covid-19 cases for a second day in a row, […]
Criticises over temple demolition, Kedah MB tells MIC and DAP critics not to be drunk on ‘toddy’ of popularity
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec. 5 — Kedah Mentri Besar Muhammad Sanusi Md Nor has hit out at MIC and DAP critics by referring to the controversy over the recent demolition of a Hindu temple in the state as “a little trouble”. He told them to work to build harmony rather than stoke discord. “Let us not […]
No Malaysian work pass holders are homeless in Singapore: MOM
Singapore — After a Nov 22 report in Malaysia’s New Straits Times (NST) that more than 100 work pass holders from Malaysia were homeless in Singapore, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) conducted investigations into the matter.
The reasons why they had been sleeping rough were financial ones, according to the report. They could not afford the rental costs of a bed or a room.
The MOM contacted the person who provided the information about the 100 Malaysians, a Mr Shahruddin Hael Helmy Mohd Noh. Its representatives spoke to Mr Shahruddin on Nov 23 and 27. The ministry wanted to obtain information about the allegedly homeless individuals to provide assistance to them.
According to a statement on Thursday (Dec 3) from MOM, Mr Shahruddin claims that he did not tell NST that “over 100 Malaysians … had become homeless”.
Mr Shahruddin could not provide contact information for the workers who were allegedly homeless. He also admitted that he had never spoken directly to any of the work pass holders. Neither could he confirm their homelessness.
The MOM statement added that officers from the government’s Inter-Agency Taskforce regularly check on those sleeping rough in Singapore. They refer anyone found homeless to relevant agencies so that they can get the help they need.
“As part of these routine checks, officers visited various locations island-wide late into the night on 26 November, including the places listed by Mr Shahruddin. However, we did not find any work pass holders sleeping in the streets,” the statement said.
The ministry added that assistance is extended to everyone who is homeless, including work pass holders. The employers of these workers are asked to give them places to stay immediately. If they are unable to do so, the homeless are housed temporarily by the Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC).
Additionally, the MOM has links with different non-government organisations (NGOs) for referrals for homeless work pass holders. According to the ministry, it has not had referrals from these NGOs in the past few months.
The ministry also reminded employers of their obligations to migrant workers in their companies. This includes making sure they have places to live while working in Singapore. “Members of public who know of any work pass holders facing accommodation issues should refer them to MOM or the MWC’s 24-hour hotline at 6536 2692 for further assistance,” the statement added. /TISG
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Young Singapore escort Singapore Escort, Ashley Chan tells all about the local sex industryy
Singapore Escort — “I openly tell people: ‘I don’t smoke, I don’t school. I drink, I just have sex. My only drug of choice is sex’,” says 24-year-old Ashley Chan (not her real name) about her five years as a sex worker in Singapore.
In her new memoir, Scarlet Harlot: My Double Life, published by Epigram Books and co-authored by Gerrie Lim, the undergraduate reveals raunchy secrets about her double life.
In an interview, the Singapore escort tells TISG that her favorite type of client is, surprisingly, the geeky type.
“I really like nerdy clients because they impart so much knowledge to you. Either they are very geeky or very worldly like they have met all kinds of people and when you hear their stories, it’s so fascinating,” she says.
And the worst type of client? “The worse type of clients are those that are very stick-in-the mud, they haven’t seen the world, and they don’t know what they want.”
The book is shocking in the best ways because, as Chan says, everything about sex work is fascinating.
“Yellow-card girls in Geylang will do a guy for S$50 for half an hour. They hold yellow identification cards that say they are legally allowed to be sex workers…
The “escort experience” is the way to go to get “mid-tier” girls like me. We charge S$500 (but you can’t put a price on conversation and companionship, you know).
SINGAPORE ESCORT GOES ON AN INTERNATIONAL TRYST
When asked about the three most interesting sexual experiences she has been paid for, the Singapore Escort describes them in some detail. On one occasion, she was flown to Japan where she attended a few BDSM parties and kicked a guy in the b***s – “He was supposed to maintain his erection while I kicked him,” she says.
“The second was London, these two are very precious to me because those were my first times, even though I nearly got into a fight in London at a swingers’ party – a guy brushed past me and I was mad at him for not asking permission for contact with him and I got into a screaming match with his girlfriend, who was German or Russian.”
The third one – and we paraphrase this – was to choke a man wearing a hood.
We probed for a bit more, asking Chan which VIP, celebrity, rich guy, or politician has used her services but she does not seem to kiss and tell.
“I have one client who is the cousin of a very famous socialite. I can’t name the person and that’s all I’m going to say.”
As a final-year university student, Chan says sex work affords her “financial freedom — that goes without saying — and knowing people from all walks of life. I’ve always found people to be fascinating”.
“I did consider other options before I became a sex worker at 19, but I decided, first and foremost, I needed money for my education,” she writes in Scarlet Harlot. “And I admit, I’m working as an escort for the money – but also the time and flexibility of the lifestyle.”
Co-author Gerrie Lim adds that the Covid-19 pandemic has definitely taken a toll on the sex trade. “Even for escorts, a typical escort like Ashley would work four or five hours a week (one session is one hour) whereas previously she would work ten hours a week, and earnings have been reduced by some 60 percent.”
However, he notes that, thankfully, she still has a pool of “regulars” who still support her.
Chan says that although the sex industry has been good to her, she only plans to be part of it until she graduates.
“And then I’ll work hard like a normal person. I’ve been very lucky to have paid my bills, but good things have to come to an end and I have to be realistic and pay attention to other things.”
Lim adds that having a “double life” like Ashley’s is very difficult, where one is constantly aware of how you can be “outed” by anyone.
Scarlet Harlot is priced at S$18.90 on the Epigram website. /TISG
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Miley Cyrus says she still loves ex husband Liam Hemsworth
Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus revealed that there was ‘too much conflict’ in her marriage to former husband Liam Hemsworth but admitted she still loves him ‘very very much.’ Speaking to Howard Stern in an interview on Wednesday, the singer-actress said: ‘There was too much conflict….When I come home, I want to be anchored by someone. I don’t get off on drama or fighting.’ In December 2018, Miley, 28 and Liam, 30 tied the knot in a private ceremony before splitting months later in August 2019.
Miley shared that she and Liam did not plan to get married after a decade-long of on-off relationship.
But she said: ‘We were together since 16. “Our house burned down, [in November 2018].
‘We had been like, engaged – I don’t know if we really ever thought we were actually going to get married, but when we lost our house in Malibu – which if you listen to my voice pre- and post-fire, they’re very different so that trauma really affected my voice.
She said: ‘I was actually in South Africa, so I couldn’t come home, and like, my animals were tied to a post at the beach. I lost everything. I had polaroids of Elvis, like front row, passed on from, I got a couple grandmas to give me their Elvis polaroids. I always became friends with my friends’ grandmas so I could get the goods from the artists I love.
‘I had so much and it was all gone, every song I had ever written was in that house.
‘Every photograph of me that my parents had given to me, all my scripts, I lost everything.
‘And so in trying to put that back together, instead of going, “Oh, nature kind of did something I couldn’t do for myself; it forced me to let go,” I ran toward the fire.’
Miley told Stern: ‘Which is not abnormal, a lot of animals do this and end up dying, like deers run into the forest.
You’re attracted to that heat and me being an intense person and not wanting to sit with it, and not wanting to go, you know, “What could be purposeful about this?” I just clung to what I had left of that house, which was me and him.’
But the We Can’t Stop singer insisted she will ‘always’ love Liam, saying: ‘And I really do and did love him very, very, very much and still do, always will.’
In August 2019, Miley’s rep told PEOPLE: ‘Liam and Miley have agreed to separate at this time,’ ‘Ever-evolving, changing as partners and individuals, they have decided this is what’s best while they both focus on themselves and careers.’
Miley also spoke about her relationship with the Isn’t It Romantic actor on the Call Her Daddy podcast in August.
She said that when they finally decided to split for good, it felt ‘like a death’.
‘I had a very public, very big breakup that was over a 10-year span of a relationship… It’s like a death when you lose a love that deep. It feels like a death,’ she confessed.
She added: ‘Honestly, sometimes [death] even feels easier because [with a breakup] the person is still walking on the earth.’
After Liam and Miley broke up, Liam has been dating Australian model Gabriella Brooks since December last year. As for Miley, she had a whirlwind relationship with Brody Jenner’s ex-wife, Kaitlynn Carter but they broke up in September 2019 after one month. In October 2019, Miley started seeing Australian singer Cody Simpson before splitting up in August this year.
An appeal to neighbours who smoke: Please close doors and windows
Singapore – Smokers have been urged to be considerate and close their doors and windows when indulging in their habit so that the smoke does not go into neighbouring flats.
On Thursday (Dec 3), Facebook user Candice Yeo made a request on the Complaint Singapore page. She said that no one was stopping those who want to smoke at home but they should shut their doors and windows tight.
She said that people smoked at windows and balconies because they did not want the smoke in their homes but it then floated into neighbouring houses.
She hoped that her request would be considered and those who smoke would be considerate enough to shut their windows and doors.
“At the end of the day, some self-awareness and consideration will make everybody happy, and this issue wouldn’t have gone to the Parliament,” said Ms Yeo. She noted that those who encounter such behaviour could email the National Environment Agency (NEA), which would issue a warning or advisory to the smoker.
The issue was brought up by Nee Soon GRC Member of Parliament (MP) Louis Ng during an adjournment motion on Oct 5. He called the problem of secondhand smoke a “public health concern” that Singapore should address immediately.
Mr Ng called for a ban on residents who smoke near windows or at the balconies of private apartments and HDB flats. Mr Ng and the Government Parliamentary Committee (GPC) for Sustainability and the Environment suggested installing cameras to identify individuals who smoke at these areas.
“For years, many residents have reached out to me about their neighbours smoking at balconies and at windows,” said Mr Ng. “Secondhand smoke enters their homes, and they feel helpless about the health risks facing their families.”
He pointed out that those who inhale secondhand smoke were exposed to more chemicals than smokers. “Sidestream smoke, the main component in secondhand smoke, is four times more toxic than the smoke that a smoker inhales from the cigarette. I am especially concerned about how secondhand smoke especially affects the vulnerable among us,” said Mr Ng.
However, such legislation could violate the privacy of residents, highlighted Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor. She added there were some “significant practical challenges” to enforcing the initiative. “Ultimately, mitigating the impact of secondhand smoke requires everyone to play their part,” said Dr Khor.
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